Dan A. Rodriguez Articles and Podcasts: Recent Episodes
Dan A. Rodriguez
For the last few years, I have published this message around this time. I usually wait until after Christmas because Three Kings Day will be celebrated soon by most Latin people. I trust this will bring light to you today in Jesus' Name!
When I was raised in Puerto Rico in the 60's, we celebrated Christmas, but "Reyes" or "Kings" was THE celebration of when the three Kings or Magi came to worship Jesus. The night before Three Kings day celebrations on January 6 were special nights. Children all over the island would leave grass out (generally with a manger built or prepared for the occasion) to feed the camels of the Three Kings, and they in turn would leave presents. Many times, Reyes was a much bigger celebration than Christmas. We loved Reyes!
As you grow up, and begin to follow Jesus, you learn a few things if you will study. For example, the names and the numbers of the wise men that came from the East are never mentioned in the New Testament. Not only that, the word translated as wise men (magoi) is not the Greek word for kings (basileon)! Oops! So much for the tradition of the Three Gentile Kings that came to worship baby Jesus, all based on human invention. None of it is Scriptural!
The above may be disconcerting for the unlearned, but the truth will not oppress you. The truth of God's Word will make you free from the traditions of men, if you will allow it. (John 8:32) Here comes much food for thought.
The Wise Men that Came to See Jesus were Magi - Astrologers?
Does anybody but me have a problem with the tradition that the wise men were astrologers of the Magi caste from Babylon? I hope not. For many years, as a Christian, that “scratched” at me on the inside.
We know from Scripture how much God despises all the pagan practices of idolatry that include sorcery (deals with potions and spells), witchcraft (those that cast spells-incantations and curses and invoke (evil) spirits to get their will done), necromancers (those that attempt to speak to the dead, mediums), soothsayers (fortune tellers, and that includes the Ouija boards of today, tarot cards, divination, psychics), spiritists (those that channel evil spirits to tell your fortune), and astrologers (those that tell of events past, present, and future by “reading” the stars and planets). Here are a few verses of Scripture that put in view God’s perspective:
Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:31 NLT)
I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community. (Lev. 20:6 NLT)
Men and women among you who act as mediums or who consult the spirits of the dead must be put to death by stoning. They are guilty of a capital offense. (Lev. 20:27 NLT)
And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead… The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the Lord your God forbids you to do such things. (Deuteronomy 18:10-11, 14 NLT)
Manasseh also sacrificed his own son in the fire. He practiced sorcery and divination, and he consulted with mediums and psychics. He did much that was evil in the LORD’s sight, arousing his anger. (2 Kings 21:6 NLT)
God calls these practices evil and wicked in the sight of the Lord, arousing His anger, spiritual prostitution, and a capital offense. He is the same today. He has never changed His mind on the subject. (Malachi 3:6)
Here is one portion in the Scripture that specifically referred to the astrologers of Babylon (Isaiah 47:1-5), the very caste that the wise men that came to worship Jesus were supposed to belong to!
So, disaster will overtake you, and you won’t be able to charm it away. Calamity will fall upon you, and you won’t be able to buy your way out. A catastrophe will strike you suddenly, one for which you are not prepared. “Now use your magical charms! Use the spells you have worked at all these years! Maybe they will do you some good. Maybe they can make someone afraid of you. All the advice you receive has made you tired. Where are all your astrologers, those stargazers who make predictions each month? Let them stand up and save you from what the future holds. But they are like straw burning in a fire; they cannot save themselves from the flame.” (Isaiah 47:11-14 NLT)
God mocks them! They cannot save themselves from the flame! Destruction was coming to them for their evil and wicked practices.
Yes, these calamities will come upon you, despite all your witchcraft and magic. “You felt secure in your wickedness. ‘No one sees me,’ you said. But your ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’ have led you astray, and you said, ‘I am the only one, and there is no other.’ So, disaster will overtake you, and you won’t be able to charm it away. Calamity will fall upon you, and you won’t be able to buy your way out. A catastrophe will strike you suddenly, one for which you are not prepared. (Isaiah 47:9-11 NLT)
There are a few references in the New Testament to witchcraft, fortune-tellers, and those practicing the magic arts. The stories of the woman with the evil spirit (spirit of divination) and practiced fortune-telling (which was cast out by Paul- Acts 16:16-18), and Bar-Jesus the magician-astrologer (Acts 13:6-11). Paul called him “full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness!” That, my brethren, is the Holy Spirit’s take on all that practice such things, because it was the Holy Spirit that anointed Paul to then speak a command to blind the sorcerer!
Also, the Apostle Paul mentions sorcery as a desire of the sinful nature, and the fact that those practicing it will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 TLV)
In Revelation, it is written that after devastating plagues hit many parts of the earth:
But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20-21 NLT)
One more to clench the nail on the back of the board:
But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. (Rev. 21:8 NLT)
Those Scriptural references just threw off for me all the connection of the wise men to the caste of Magi from Babylon, but let’s read the New Testament text, and move on from there.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men (Gr. magoi) from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:1, 2 NKJV-parenthesis are my addition)
The star that they saw related to the King of the Jews was prophesied by none other than Balaam in his fourth prophecy. (Numbers 24:15-19) Balaam is a whole other problem, but I will summarize it here the best I can. Balaam was a backslid prophet and became a “prophet for hire.” Balaam would bless or curse people for a price. Do we have similar “prophets” today? A few of those covetous and likeminded prophets are roaming around today among Christians. Who are they? They are those that for a fee will send you a personal “prophetic word.” The more money you send, the more personal the “word” will be. They are in the same category as Balaam was, a conniving and money hungry swindler!
Because Balaam was backslid, he was a false prophet whose teaching was despised by the Lord Jesus. The Lord denounced those who followed the doctrine of Balaam because it led to eating things sacrificed to idols and to committing sexual immorality. (See Revelation 2:14, Numbers 31:16.) Yet, in all the prophet’s madness, the Spirit of the Lord spoke through Balaam’s mouth, and a grand prophetic word from the Lord came forth about the future King-Messiah.
You may be wondering how could God possibly use a “false prophet” to bring a real word from the Lord? He anointed a heathen king to help Israel. His name was Cyrus! (See Isaiah 43:1-10, Ezra 1). There are numerous examples in the Scripture of the Lord using pagans for his purposes. So, in the case of Balaam, the Lord anointed him to speak prophetically on a certain occasion. That does not mean he was right or accepted before the Lord, but that God used him on a selected occasion to express a prophetic utterance from the Lord.
Here is the prophetic Word that the wise men followed into Israel in search of the King-Messiah.
…The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, and the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened; The utterance of him who hears the words of God and has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open: I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel… (Numbers 24:15-17 NKJV)
The wise men saw the star rising out of Jacob or Israel and followed it from the East. Their point of origin was in the East, presumably from Babylon. Why Babylon? The word used for “wise men” is the Greek word magos (magoi- in the plural form indicating more than one “wise man”). In Spanish, no bones are made about it, and the three kings are called the three magician kings, "los tres Reyes magos." That is really a mess in my estimation, but the tradition runs deep.
The Complete Word Study dictionary of the Bible (coded to Strong’s Concordance numbers) indicates (G3097) that the word magoi is of foreign origin from the Hebrew (H7248); a Magian, that is, Oriental scientist; by implication a magician: - sorcerer, wise man.
Notice what Thayer’s Greek- English Lexicon says about the same word: the name given by the Babylonians, Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreter of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers, etc. It goes on to say that the oriental wise men (astrologers) who, having discovered by the rising of the remarkable star that the Messiah had just been born, and that therefore thy came to Jerusalem to worship him. (1)
The acclaimed and scholarly Bauer’s “A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature” (BDAG) basically says the same thing as the other two dictionaries mentioned above. So, there is a case for the magoi(plural)- wise men to have been of this caste of astrologer-soothsayers.
There is also the fact that magos was used referring to the false prophet Elymas (Bar-Jesus) in Acts 13:8. Also, God has at times used the ungodly for His purposes. Yet, all that doesn’t sit right with my spirit and the witness of the Holy Spirit concerning the story of the wise men that visited Jesus. Could there have been something else going on that has been ignored for centuries? In my heart, to believe that the magoi that visited Jesus were soothsayers- astrologers sounds like this:
“Wait a minute! Do you mean to tell me that astrologers and soothsayers (practitioners of witchcraft or wizardry) came to worship the Messiah because they saw the star of the Messiah-King manifested in the sky? How did they know anything about that prophetic word in Number 24:17 and that it was a messianic word from the Lord? Does that sound right to you? Do you mean to tell me that Joseph and Mary (strict Jewish followers of Torah) would have received heathens from hell that were astrologers, soothsayers, and served false gods? Would they have received myrrh, frankincense, and gold from these pagans?” Knowing something about Judaism in the first century, I would have to say emphatically, “No way!”
The first foreign dignitaries to visit the child Jesus were magicians (wizards) and astrologers from Babylon? Yuk! The idea makes me throw up a little in my mouth because I know all those other Scriptures that I gave you above, where God rejects (and detests, hates) all forms of witchcraft and sorcery, including astrology! Scripture should be primarily interpreted with other Scripture. I think the story of the wise has been interpreted without reference to other Scripture that should have made us reassess our conclusions. That time is here and now!
If these magoi were pagan devils, they would never have been received by Joseph or Mary or anybody of the Jewish faith that was present that day. Jews had strict laws concerning receiving pagans into their home or going to visit pagans and coming under their roof. It was considered a violation of the law of Moses and ritual impurity. Jews did not associate with pagans!
Did you know that Jesus’ first followers and converts after the day of Pentecost were ONLY Jews and their half-brothers, the Samaritans? There were no Gentiles among the believers for at least ten years after Pentecost. Read Acts chapters 2-10 as a reference. It took a supernatural vision coming to the apostle Peter in Acts 10 to open the way for salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit to be preached to the Gentiles. Until then, it was taken for granted that association with the Gentiles was verboten, and the gospel message was only for Jews.
Again, there was a separation of the Jews from pagans until salvation and the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and all his house as Peter preached to them. (Acts 10).
Ok, if the magoi couldn’t have been pagan, astrologer, devil worshippers that came to worship the King-Messiah, and I have presented Scriptural evidence that would contradict the notion that they were, what and who were they, and can it be proven?
Do you remember that I stated above that The Complete Word Study dictionary of the Bible says (G3097) that "the word is of foreign origin from the Hebrew (H7248)"?
H7248 in Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew- English Lexicon gives us these foreign words, and I transliterate them from Hebrew, rab-saris(H7249) and rab-mag. (2) The words are of Assyrian or Babylonian influence and “titles of As. -Bab. officers (that) are prob. loan words in Hebrew.” (3) Rab-mag could be a chief soothsayer (and I think that is the point that confused scholars), but BDB states this is equal to rab-mugi (chief of princes). OK, that gets me thinking in another direction, so here we go! BDB further states that rab-sarisis usually in Babylon chief of eunuchs, but it is equal to rabu-saresi, chief of the heads (the principal men). So, both titles could refer to government dignitaries that had little to nothing to do with astrology-sorcery.
Hmm! Are you beginning to get some light about this?
Chief of eunuchs (rab-saris) was also a minister or officer of the state, such as a general, governor, or prince. See the reference to the master or prince of eunuchs (sar-saris) (4) responsible for teaching a few selected children of Israel in all the learning and the tongue of Babylon. They, and Daniel was among them, were to be skillful in all wisdom, cunning in knowledge, and understanding science. (See Daniel 1:1-21.)
From that alone, we could surmise that the magoi from the East that came to visit Jesus could have been governmental leaders like the Hebrews that were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar and later exalted to governmental positions overseeing his realm.
Do you remember that Nebuchadnezzar had a dream he refused to tell the magicians and sorcerers? He wanted someone to tell him the dream AND the interpretation. God gave Daniel the dream and its interpretation, something only God could do. With that supernatural event, proving that Jehovah God was the one and only true God, Nebuchadnezzar exalted Daniel and made him chief (rab) of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. (Daniel 2:48)
It would make perfect sense that these magoi from the East were Hebrew dignitaries from the eastern lands where Babylon and many other cities existed during the time of Jesus. That could satisfy our search.
Did you know that there was a robust Hebrew or Jewish presence in those towns and cities of the East?
Though the info is relatively sparse compared to other timeframes, some kings, queens, and whole areas seemed to have converted to Judaism. See references to the conversion to Judaism from paganism of the Adiabene kingdom in the first century. In the account of the ancient historian Josephus in his writings the Antiquities of the Jews (Book XX: Chapter 2), it shows that there was a substantial Jewish population in the kingdom. It led to the establishment of a prominent rabbinic academy in Arbela.
There were Jews in many cities of the Parthian (Arcesid) empire. One prominent city with many Jews was Babylon. We know that not all Jews left Babylon after the return to the land of Israel under Ezra and Nehemiah. Synagogues and academies were established in many cities under the Parthian and Armenian Empires. This trend of an increasing Jewish population in the Eastern lands continued for centuries. The largest rabbinical academies were in the East. I am emphasizing this because students of the Scripture in rabbinic schools would have read and understood the prophetic Word about the star of the Messiah-King rising out of the land of Israel. It would have signaled the coming of this Anointed one, and the Jews would have sent their most able and learned leaders to investigate the matter.
Now, that makes complete sense to me, especially when you begin to see that the title rab was given to especially gifted rabbinic leaders or chiefs. Rab was the title of the Babylonian sages who taught in the Babylonian Jewish academies. The titles "Rabban" and "Rabbi" (the root word being rab) are first mentioned in first through fifth century Jewish literature in the Mishnah and the Talmud. The term was first used in the Mishnah for Rabban Gamaliel the elder, Rabban Simeon his son, and Rabban Johanan ben Zakkai, all of whom were patriarchs or presidents of the Sanhedrin in the first century.
The word rabbi occurs fifteen times in the New Testament (in the NKJV) speaking about Jesus or others. Jesus was called rabbi in the first century, or I would say, THE Greatest of the Great Rabbis! That is important because, again, the root word of rabbi is rab.
All that leads me to believe that the magoi were not devil worshipping astrologers, but they were the most honored Jewish religious leaders from the East that knew the prophetic Scripture and came to worship the King-Messiah Jesus! Now that agrees with my heart in the Holy Spirit! That I can believe! I can now understand how the strict Jewish family of Jesus and all the Jews of Bethlehem saw nothing wrong with visiting Jewish religious leaders from the East worshipping the King-Messiah. It was all good!
Be blessed!
Notes:
(1) I downloaded this from Thayer's through the Mantis Bible Study app.
(2) BDB p. 916, 7248-49.
(3) Coded to Strong’s Concordance numbers, p. 913, and see 7227 for both rab-mag and rab saris.
(4) Daniel 1:3, 7 and look up the two tiles rab-saris and sar-saris in CWS. Rab-mag and rab-sarisis also found in Jeremiah 39:3, 13. These titles referred to Babylonian princes.
IN THE PODCAST IS A POWERFUL MESSAGE OF WHY WE ALL NEED JESUS IN OUR LIVES.
Did you know that one definition of doubt is hesitation?
As a practitioner of martial arts, I learned that hesitation in a self-defense situation could mean the difference between winning and losing the confrontation. In more deadly encounters, it is the difference between life and death.
In spiritual matters, when facing the enemy, hesitation can be detrimental, and in certain cases, it can be deadly. We do not face our enemy in our own name. We can only face our enemy, the devil and demons, in the name of Jesus. We should know that, but many are not too sure about their rights, privileges, and authority in Christ, so they face the enemy with hesitation. It takes understanding from God's Word, but once we have certain revelation and spiritual discernment, we must keep trusting God and practicing His Word until the hesitation is gone. The greatest thing that develops you is PRACTICE.
As a former instructor in martial arts and a martial arts school owner, I have some experience to draw from in this area. Students that were dedicated to practicing what they learned would advance quicker and have a higher score during testing than those that just practiced when they came to one class a week!
Hmm... Have we ever seen that in churches? Those that make it their daily habit to practice what they heard and saw at church were the ones that grew in the Lord and produced some fruit. Those that their habit was to go to church once a week out of obligation but were not really practitioners or doers of the Word, saw little to no results.
Practice does make perfect! Maturity comes through daily practice.
It is not only knowing that in His Name we can lay hands on the sick and they will recover. It is by DOING the Word that hesitation leaves. The more you DO it, the less hesitation and the more confidence, assurance, and manifestation of real faith. Then you can’t slack off. You must practice and do some more!
Learn the difference between faith and hesitation through this message. Be mightily blessed!
In this message, "Faith ALWAYS Agrees with God but Doubt does the Opposite" you will begin to see that doubt is discriminatory against God's Word. It disfavors, shows bias against, treats indifferently, and does not appreciate the value of God's Word. Doubt devaluates and misjudges the Word. It rejects and refuses to believe it. Faith is all the opposite of doubt! Faith highly favors and appreciates God's Word. It acknowledges the eternal truth and value of God's Word, and moves out in trust and faithfulness. Faith is willing to step out into the unknown and the void with trust in God and His precious Word. Doubt is fearful, afraid, and shrinks back, but faith is trusting and trustworthy, and moves on with God. Be blessed!
Out of approximately 20 cases of INDIVIDUAL healings in the Gospel accounts, 12 of them emphasize the person's faith as being involved in their receiving their healing or miracle. Faith is essential to receiving from God. It is impossible to please God without the operation of faith! (Hebrews 11:6)
Based on Mark 11:23, many have developed the teaching of "you will have what you say." It is taught and seen all over the Bible. The life and death is in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21)
Mark 11:23 does say that one can have what they say, but that is not all it says. "Having what you say" needs to be qualified, and Jesus does that clearly in these verses (Mr. 11:22-26). The podcast message will clarify that in order to "have what you say", there must be NO DOUBT in your heart. That is a big one, but attainable in the Lord by anyone.
The other thing that MUST be addressed is the heart or the spirit. Faith is ONLY of the heart and NEVER of the head or body. We look at some Scriptures that point out that the spirit is the heart of a person in Scripture. It is with the heart that one believes. (Romans 10:9, 10)
You have your part to play. Jesus tells us that one must speak directly to something. It says nothing here (in this context) about talking to God concerning your mountain. No talk here about telling God about your problem. It does not teach us to ask God to remove it either. It instructs us in what we are to do because we trust and obey God, or have faith in Him and His Word (v. 22).
Verse 23 is not teaching us about prayer, though it can (an often does) overflow into prayer and forgiveness (v. 24, 25). It is teaching us about a command of faith coming from a place of fellowship and trust in God (v. 22).
Are you ready for this? I think you are or you would not be here.
Jesus practiced the truths presented by him in Mark 11:23 to speak to the woman bowed over for 18 years, the ten lepers, the blind, demon possessed, when commanding Peter to walk on the water, when catching fish in great numbers, converting the water into wine, speaking to the fig tree, and the list goes on.
Be mightily blessed!
In our podcast today, we hear Jesus' own words as He tells us WHY people often don't receive from the Lord. Yes, Jesus has the answer to our questions of WHY!
"Lord, why wasn't I healed??"
"Lord why am I still struggling with this situation??"
"Lord, WHY________________________________???????"
Fill in the blank with your own "why" question there and get ready to hear the specific answer of Jesus from His own mouth.
Also, from the mouth of Jesus and from His example, we find out that healing power is is available. In this podcast we will see how to connect to that power. It's not hard. Anybody can do it. ANYBODY! Yes, that means you! You can be healed and delivered today. Get ready to receive the Word of the Lord that is being sent today via the preaching and teaching of the Word!
He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (Psalms 107:20 NKJV)
Allow this mighty Word to rearrange your heart and mind and bring you in line with God and His Word.
My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. (Proverbs 4:20-23 NKJV)
Allow the truth of God's Word to wash away anything that would hinder you from receiving everything the Lord has for you today.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31, 32 NKJV)
Be blessed, healed, and delivered right now in Jesus' mighty Name through the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit!
"I prayed but I didn't receive my healing. Others have prayed for me, and I got nothing. It must not be the will of God that I be healed."
Have you ever heard that nonsense out of people's mouths. or have you ever said things like that?
It is always God's will that people be healed, regardless of the failure of some to receive from the Lord. God is offering healing and deliverance to all that will receive it. It's not hard either. Jesus said healing is easy. Did you know that?
Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? (Mark 2:9 NIV)
Some have the idea that getting forgiveness from sins is easy but that for some reason healing is hard. Not according to Jesus! One is as easy as the other!
Do you believe that your sins are forgiven today? If you don't then you need Jesus in your life and His cleansing and forgiving power applied to your life. (Romans 3:23-25, 1John 1:7-9) When you received His forgiveness it was an act of faith based on His Word. You believed it with your heart and said it with your mouth. (Romans 10:9) It wasn't hard. It was easy!
Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalms 103:2-5 NKJV)
The same can be said for healing, It is just as easy to be healed as it was to be forgiven of your sin or sins. These benefits are not in a list from easy to hard! Healing from every disease is available and ready to be received. I'm quoting to you from the older Covenant of God in the book of Psalms, and not from the better Covenant established upon better promises according to the New Testament! (Hebrews 8:6) This better Covenant was prophesied in numerous places in the Hebrew Bible.
Isaiah 53:4 and 5 deal with this better covenant that was established through the awesome sacrifice of Jesus.
Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. (Isaiah 53:4, 5 CSB)
Often people, ministers, and even scholars demonstrate their utter disdain for healing and the miraculous in the Bible when they say that this healing and suffering sickness and pains for us in Isaiah 53 was only referring to spiritual healing. Jesus did bear our griefs and sorrows as translated in the King James version when He took for us the chastisement of our peace. Both those Hebrew words "griefs" and "sorrows" are translated pain and disease from the Hebrew text. Numerous more accurate translations get it right in these verses like the Christian Standard Bible quoted above. See also NET, Amplified Classic edition, JUB, LEB, NASB, YLT, and some others. These versions got it right.
I am happy to be able to kick over a sacred religious cow! We have a Holy Spirit interpretation of Isaiah 53:4 in the Gospel of Matthew, and it's NOT referring to "spiritual healing" at all! It is quoting the verse as referring to Jesus' ministry of healing and delivering the sick and demon oppressed.
16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” (Matthew 8:16, 17 NKJV)
There it is! It's a Holy Spirit inspired interpretation by Matthew of Isaiah 53:4. It was specifically referring to physical infirmities and sicknesses, and even to deliverance for the demon oppressed or possessed. It was not referring to spiritual healing or deliverance, unless you want to classify the demon possessed as spiritual. That would be a stretch because demon spirits in those cases of demon possession or oppression are always doing something damaging or destructive to the human body and mind, everything from lunacy, cutting or harming themselves, to some physical ailment. These things are clearly taught in the Gospel accounts. See for example Matthew 12:22; Mark 5:1-10, 9:17, 18, 25.
Deliverance from demons and their activities were a part of what Jesus did in His ministry. Sicknesses and disease are ALWAYS the work of the devil directly or indirectly, and healing is needed.
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (Acts 10:38 NKJV)
Not one single person Jesus ever ministered healing and deliverance to were ever oppressed or made sick by God. They were all oppressed of the devil. Notice how sickness is called here the oppression of the devil, and healing is brought by the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Yes, it is always the anointing that always destroys the yoke of bondage! (Isaiah 10:27 KJV) When God is present in a Holy Spirit manifestation, sickness and demons must leave. The verse said that healing and deliverance were wrought because God was with Jesus. Well, He is with us today, and He is IN us through Jesus Christa and the Holy Spirit.
Deliverance from demons and healing often go hand in hand. We saw it in Matthew 8:16 and 17, and you can look up these Scripture references in the Gospels: Matthew 4:23, 24, 10:1, 8; Luke 9:1.
Get ready to be healed and deliver as you hear and receive the Word in this podcast. No sickness can stay, and all demons must bow to the authority of Jesus in His Name. (Mark 16:17, 18; Philippians 2:9-11)
Be mightily blessed, healed, and delivered TODAY! Jesus has NEVER changed. He is still the same healer and deliverer as He was in His earthly ministry. The only difference is that Jesus is not physically here, BUT He sent the Holy Spirit, who can be everywhere and anywhere, to minister POWER through His people today. (Acts 1:8) The Holy Spirit will get you right where you are. His anointing to set you free will be transmitted through this recorded message and through these written words. No need to be in a meeting to receive your healing or deliverance. You can get it right now! Receive in Jesus' mighty name! Be healed and delivered right now!
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV)
14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. 16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. 17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” 19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. 28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” (Mark 9:14-29 NIV)
The description in the passage sounds exactly like an epileptic seizure. Have you ever seen an epileptic delivered by God’s power? I have on a few occasions, and one of them happened almost identical to this story in Mark. It’s a powerful testimony of a miracle of healing that will “mark” you just like it did me years ago! You will hear about it in the podcast attached to this page.
A few things to learn immediately from a simple reading of this passage:
- The boys had some kind of seizures that were eerily similar to what I have seen during people having an epileptic seizure.
- Though the disciples were anointed by the Lord to heal every sickness and cast out all demons (Matthew 10:1,2), in this case they were ineffective. The question is WHY were they ineffective?
- The anointing to heal the sick and cast out demons on Jesus was present and delivered the boy. (Acts 10:38)
- The failure of the disciples to cast out the demon was not a demonstration of the will of God. The will of God was the manifestation of the boy’s deliverance as proven by Jesus.
- Jesus did not speak to God about the demon but spoke directly to it and commanded it to come out of the boy.
- After deliverance from demon possession, a person can be on the ground in a seemingly lifeless condition. A person can fall to the ground under the power of God. That is what happened here. The very same thing that happened when the crowd came to arrest Jesus and He said to them, “I am He.” The power of God knocked everybody to the ground! (John 18:6) It happened to the soldiers guarding the tomb of Jesus when and angel came down from heaven and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. They fell to the ground like dead men! (Matthew 28:2-4) It happened to the great persecutor of the church named Saul of Tarsus. (Acts 9:3,4) The power of God knocked him off his high horse to the ground! It still happens today!
- The reason for the disciples being ineffective was their lack of the prayer of faith that heals and delivers the sick. (See James 5:14,15) Jesus called them “unbelieving” in Mark 9:19. That meant they were in unbelief or lack of trust and obedience. Notice the same story in Matthew 17. In Matthew 17:17, Jesus called the disciples that could not cast the spirit out “unbelieving and perverted.” Later when they questioned Jesus as to “WHY” they could not cast out the demon He gave a direct answer as to why they failed, even though Jesus had previously given them power over all sickness and demons.
The disciples failed in their ministry to the sick and demonized. WHY? Was it because God was not willing to heal and deliver in that case? No way! The disciple’s failure, or your or my failures, are never because they are the will of God for His people. What is THE reason for failure? It is not the result of some hidden agenda by God or His angels. Failure is NEVER the will of God. NO! If failure is not the mysterious will of God, then what is the cause? Jesus told us here, but many refuse to believe His words because it violates their idiotic traditions and false religious concepts. Ready or not here is THE number one reason for failure to receive from heaven, straight from the mouth of Jesus:
He told them, “It was because of your little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20 NET)
There is our answer as to the failures to receive from heaven. It is never Jesus or God’s fault but the fault of little faith and a refusal to speak directly to the problem commanding it to move. That reminds us of another Scripture, doesn’t it? It ties in perfectly with this.
Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, if someone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. (Mark 11:22-23 NET)
In the podcast you will hear these verses and other expounded under the anointing. Be blessed with the Word and the anointing of the Holy Spirit!
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:18-19 NASB 1995)
Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. He said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” (Mark 1:14, 15 NET)
And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.” (Luke 13:3, 5 -New Living Translation)
Jesus preached the message of healing, deliverance, AND repentance! That is the gospel or good news. It was not a message of sadness, poverty, weakness, sickness, powerlessness, and acceptance of sin and darkness.
Why am I mentioning these things as I am here? The woke, sissified, and powerless churches preach and teach being nice, neighborly, and acceptance of people's sinful lifestyles. They believe that will attract people to their churches. It's true that some people want a weak and sissified, tight jeans, soy-latte "gospel" preacher that never challenges them and NEVER calls on a manifestation of God's power to heal, deliver, prosper, and to convict people of their sin. THAT, is NOT the gospel of Jesus and those are not God's ministers!
The gospel goes and brings people to repentance and salvation, but also to healing, divine protection, and deliverance!
What would Jesus do? The same thing He told us to do IN HIS NAME!
He sent out the twelve:
Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. (Matthew 9:1, 2 NET)
He then sent out the 70:
After these things the Lord appointed [a]seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go... And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ (Matthew 10:1, 9 NET)
Then, He told the church, ALL His followers, what to do:
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18 NKJV)
That is the manifestation of God's power and the anointing to set the captives free!
We MUST get this straight in our thinking. Jesus was always results, actions, or works oriented. He states to each of the 7 churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, "I know your works." (Revelation 2:2, 9, 13, 19, 3:1, 8, 15) He never said, "I know what you believe" but what they were doing for the kingdom of God. What they DID was proof of what they believed. What you and I do are proof of what we believe!
Each of those churches started with the salvation of the Lord and a day of Pentecost, Holy Spirit and fire experience. They were also ministering the miraculous. Read Acts chapters 2 through 19 and see it for yourself. Many coming to Jesus, being miraculously healed, and gloriously delivered, it what vividly marks those chapters. Yes, the Word is taught and preached consistently, but not without POWER in manifestation. (1 Corinthians 2:4)
Acts 19 is the powerful story of how the church at Ephesus began and continued for years as a beacon of the Word AND the miraculous. Somewhere along the line, they started to lose ground because they lost their first love of preaching the Word, getting people baptized in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, and ministering healing and deliverance. They were warned by the Lord Jesus to go back to their first love as demonstrated in Acts 19:1-20. Did you know that the "mega" church of Ephesus lost their light and anointing historically and diminished until nothing was left? Today, you can visit the ruins of Ephesus. They became nothing because they lost their first love and the light of God was covered up under a bushel!
.Here is another side of the gospel. Jesus NEVER preached a message of love and acceptance of people’s crazy and devilish ways. No, Jesus did not preach and teach that we had to accept adulterous, fornicating, lying, cheating, stealing, homosexual, transvestite, and lesbian lifestyles. Jesus did not teach “coexistence” with idolatrous and perverse religions and ideologies.
His message was one of repentance, turning from devilish lifestyles, and serving and loving God. Not ONE verse in the Gospels ever insinuates acceptance of sin and darkness, but a rejection of sin and evil ways is always there. The words of Jesus are filled with living a Holy lifestyle in obedience to God, His Word, and commandments.
Do you want to read what Jesus preached and taught everywhere? Here was a huge part of it.
He (Jesus) said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!”(Mark 1:15 New English Translation)
To repent is to turn away from your sins, change from the sinful way you think and act, stop your wrong ways, change your heart and lives and be against sin and for God, and even to turn to God from your sins. Those are all definitions given in other New Testament translations. The Amplified Bible tells us that to repent means to “change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life.”
In the following podcast, the focus is on national repentance, but there are truths here applicable to our personal lives. National repentance will not happen without individual repentance. Revival will not happen nationally until we have it personally. It starts with the individual and then spreads to the community, city, state, and the nation. News flash: Revival is here and it is working in individuals and nations around the world RIGHT NOW! Jesus is coming! People get ready!
Ungodly government administrations of the last 100 years were taken to even greater depths of darkness under Obama and Biden. We have seen the exaltation of homosexuality (LGBTQ and all its demonic offspring), the continued and increasing murder of unborn children (abortion), and the condemnation and demonization of the Bible and Christians through the false prophets of media and entertainment.
In America, there is a great divide between believers and unbelievers, but many are coming to the truth about Jesus. The influence of the kingdom of God on the earth will continue to expand, and there is nothing the devil can do to stop it! Yes, there is a strong distinction between the world and its sinful ways and those that love God, His Word, and His son Jesus. Here is the truth of the matter: the kingdom of darkness is losing ground daily, and the kingdom of light of the dear Son of God (Jesus) is growing by leaps and bounds!
There is a sifting going on, and the wheat from the tares are being made manifest. Light and darkness, truth and error, power and powerlessness, and good and evil are being clearly delineated. In these days, you will either be red-hot on fire for God, or as dead as a corpse. The luke-warm will simply be spit out of the mouth of the Lord! God is preparing His people for the return of Jesus to the earth to rule and reign for a thousand years before we go into eternity.
The mainstream media and social sites have become increasingly inclined towards heathenism and they have become proponents of all that is contrary to God and His Word. They have targeted Christianity and Christians and attempted to make them look foolish and bigoted. Christianity is presented by them as something to be despised and rejected. Most media outlets have wholeheartedly embraced demon-inspired people and activities that are morally reprehensible.
Here is what you need to know. The power of God and His anointing change everything. When the sick are healed in such massive amounts, and people are baptized in the Holy Spirit in the streets, and people come to Jesus left and right, there is nothing they can say or do to stop it. They may try, but they will fail.
So, what do we do as Christians? We continue teaching, preaching, and ministering under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. People’s eternal destinies depend on our never giving up. We don’t quit, and we don’t compromise the Word. We don’t water down the gospel of repentance, forgiveness, healing, signs and wonders, miracles, and deliverance. We preach and declare uncompromisingly as Jesus did, “Repent and believe the gospel”, and “repent or perish!”
Be blessed with the podcast!
I trust you will hear the recoded message AND read this document. You need this information in your heart so you are not led astray by strange doctrines that have found their way into numerous churches and ministries. Those that require ritual commandment keeping of Christians, and those that deny keeping moral commandments in Christendom are all in for an eye-opening experience! We base it ALL on the clear teaching of God's Word, So get informed and get grounded in Scripture in this mini book, This 62-page mini-book is available free of charge. This is vital information that every Christian should know and understand.
Here is the link to the most recent revised copy in English:
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/398pmd/Did_the_Grace_of_God_Cancel_Biblical_Commandments_REV_2018.pdf
Be mightily blessed!
Dan A. Rodriguez
En Español es más corto pero aún muy jugoso:
Este estudio en Español de 26 páginas en formato PDF es sumamente importante porque hay aquellos que enseñan hoy que todos los creyentes están bajo obligación guardar el Sábado, las fiestas (Pentecostés, Día de Expiación, Pascua, Tabernáculos, etc.), la circuncisión, y que deben guardar leyes acerca de comidas limpias e inmundas. En otras palabras, enseñan que todos los creyentes deben guardar leyes rituales-ceremoniales que Dios le dio a Israel.
Debemos mirar esto de las escrituras y así eliminar cualquier duda. Hay mucha confusión entre cristianos sobre este tema. Y muchos creyentes, que no sienten el deseo ni la obligación de guardar ningún acto ritual judío, no saben como explicarle a otros porque no tienen la necesidad guardar estos actos rituales-ceremoniales. Por eso este estudio, para que obtengas conocimiento claro sobre este tema desde la perspectiva Bíblica.
Este artículo es con el propósito de mostrar lo que Pablo y los apóstoles establecieron como necesario para las iglesias. Acuérdate de esto y lee el documento en su totalidad para que veas que yo no tengo ningún deseo de condenar a nadie. Pero si voy a decirle aquí al principio, y es que no estoy de acuerdo con que ningún creyente en Cristo practique el judaísmo. Debe ser obvio porque, generalmente hablando, el judaísmo niega a Jesucristo y su su obra redentora. Eso dicho, para los judíos mesiánicos, ustedes no practican el judaísmo tradicional porque son creyentes en Jesucristo, aun con guardar sábado, y practicar otras cosas del judaísmo. Lo siento si piensas distinto a eso. Permite las escrituras.
Pero hay otra consideración: cuantas iglesias mesiánicas echan fuera demonios, predican el evangelio para que personas vengan a Cristo, reciban el bautismo en el Espíritu Santo y las lenguas, e imponen manos sobre los enfermos para sanidad? Si no lo están haciendo entonces son iglesias o "sinagogas" que no siguen el patrón del libro de los Hechos, por ejemplo 1:8, 2:38, 19:1-20, y la gran comisión en Marcos 16:15-20. Y que de todas las iglesias "cristianas" que están muertas o cerca de la muerta y no tienen el fuego del Espíritu Santo para llevar a cabo esta gran comisión de Cristo y cumplir con el ejemplo del libro de los Hechos? Son iglesias que tienen una forma de piedad pero niegan el poder de Dios. (2 Timoteo 3:7)
Mi pregunta inicial en este documento es la misma que hizo Pablo acerca de los gentiles que se convertían a Dios:
“¿Por que obligas a los gentiles a vivir como judíos?” (Gálatas 2:14 LBLA).
Vamos a contestar esta y muchas otras preguntas con la Palabra de Dios. Mi deseo profundo es que seas enriquecido en tu conocimiento y que seas liberado de tradiciones y errores que esclavizan a muchos creyentes.
Usa este eslabón para español.
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/c3nmd5/La_Diferencia_Entre_Mandamientos_Rituales_y_Morales_y_La_Responsabilidad_del_Creyente_Conforme_a_Las_Ep_stolas_Apost_licas.pdf
Este estudio en español se ha descargado cientas de veces.
Son amados,
Dan A. Rodriguez
I am starting to record some of the Bible lessons I teach my own children every week. I have 11 year old triplets that have been taught the Word from an early age.
The church we attend is a mightily anointed church where the Lord shows up in manifestation at every service (1 Corinthians 2:4). People receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, people are delivered, healed, blessed, and much more. There are good friends and family in the Lord that we interact with at church. There are mature examples of what a godly home, business, and life should look like, and every time we attend, we are saturated in His presence.
The upbringing of the boys is according to the Scripture. We are supposed to "bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4 NIV) It is a full time job, to say the least, because I also homeschool them under an umbrella private Christian school.
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6 NKJV)
I know some things about training. Since I was 11, I trained in martial arts. I was a black belt in three different arts. and continue to practice, though to a lesser degree, even today. It is impossible to get good at martial arts if you practice only once a month. Practice should be daily or at least 5 days a week. That means classes with a good instructor and some practice on your own.
Training, training, and more training and instruction in the things of God are no different, except that they have an eternal value compared to a temporary one that comes from physical training. That does not do away with the importance of physical training, but physical training lasts for a little while.
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:8 NIV)
I teach, instruct, and live the Christian life before my boys. Godliness is in our home. They don't just hear about walking with the Lord, but they see it daily. I am not perfect, and sometimes I make mistakes, but I have no problem with apologizing and asking for forgiveness when I goof up.
The boys are mostly quick to forgive. There have been some real big challenges with forgiveness for other people because they were hurt and betrayed by them. They learn every day that forgiveness is a whole lot better than holding a grudge or desiring revenge. Forgiveness sets one up to be forgiven, and also to get your prayers answered.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:24, 25 NIV)
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:17-19 NIV)
There is no excuse for not teaching the Word and living it before your children. It is a parental responsibility, and it is one that affects children throughout their lives on earth. As I have mentioned before, I was negligent in that responsibility because of disobedience with other children (now adults). Thank God for God's forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness. Up until the youngest of them was around 9 years old, they all got some spiritual training, and after I repented in 1999, and started coming back into my calling, I preached to all of them the salvation message. Now it's on them to decide to follow Jesus or not.
The 11 year old triplets are another story, and the start of restoration where raising children are concerned. They have been around the Word and the things of the Holy Spirit since they were born. Satan did his best to steal, kill, and destroy their upbringing. He shot his best shots and failed! Thank the Lord for His goodness and mercy that endure forever!
The recording is from a Bible lesson I gave them a few days ago. From my living room-classroom to your door step! Special delivery and it is good! Listen to the recording. Sometimes you will hear the boys in the background. This is how I teach them on a consistent basis. I don't sugar coat anything and they hear the Word as it is written. I also don't preach to them on a lower level. Nothing is watered down "to their level." I find that to be a mistake to try to water down the Word to a level of a child. No milky toast stuff here, but the pure and adulterated Word of God!
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother. Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. (Proverbs 4:1-6 NIV)
My dear family, friends, and other brethren in the Lord, enjoy and be blessed by this short 27 minute message on the woman that was bowed over for 18 years. The passage is from Luke 13. Yes, look upo the Scriptures taught that morning. The boys looked up every verse I mentioned. That is the thing to do. Check out what is being said. Is it in line with other Scripture? Is it in context? Is is the truth according to the Scripture? You better judge things according to the Word. Never judge things according to a vision, a revelation, or even some supposed supernatural event. Here is the question to always ask: "Does the experience, vision, or revelation line up with the Spirit and letter of the Scripture?" If it does, then it is good. If it doesn't, then it MUST be discarded. How many errors and crazy ideas could be avoided if people would listen to the Word and apply it? MANY! Here lately, I have heard some real idiocy and utter foolishness out of folks that could have easily been avoided if judged by the Word. The Word of God is our rule. It will distinguish between a spirit of truth or a spirit of error. Remember that always.
Blessings on all of you,
Dan A. Rodriguez
In November of 2022, one message saw 11.4 k downloads over a three day period. I attached it to this post. I later revised this podcast, but here it is raw and unpolished. Not my best example of good podcasting, so I know it wasn't my great oratory skill that did this! Haha! If those downloads were centered on one location, then I wouldn't even bring it up because that would be suspect.
The statistics copied and pasted below are from the stats page on my Podbean dashboard that shows that these downloads were from at least 100 countries within a few days. I don't have a clue how that happened. It wasn't anything I did.
I contacted Podbean because I first thought maybe it was a glitch or something like that. They investigated and said they are legit downloads, but that they don't know how it happened. They mentioned that it was mostly through the Samsung app.. I've never had that happen before, and so far, it has not happened again. The important thing is that people receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior, be healed, delivered, and receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and tongues or the numbers mean nothing. That is my take on it.
Some thought I was evangelistically exaggerating the numbers (lying), but the stats don't lie. You would think everybody would rejoice over it, but some didn't. Here's the original page that it happened on:
https://danalanrodriguez.podbean.com/e/faith-in-jesus-or-is-it-faith-in-something-else/
No lying, no exaggeration, and no foolishness.
Geography Stats (Nov 01, 2022 - Jan 01, 2023)
Country Percent Downloads United States67.38%7902 Mexico7.03%824 France4.14%485 Canada2.05%240 Honduras1.61%189 United Kingdom1.23%144 Jamaica1.21%142 Dominican Republic1.12%131 El Salvador0.81%95 Nigeria0.72%85 Germany0.72%84 Ecuador0.68%80 Colombia0.68%80 Guatemala0.58%68 Nicaragua0.56%66 Puerto Rico0.55%64 Brazil0.5%59 Trinidad and Tobago0.43%51 Argentina0.38%45 Spain0.34%40 Peru0.31%36 United Arab Emirates0.29%34 India0.27%32 Panama0.23%27 Romania0.2%24 Chile0.2%23 Venezuela0.17%20 Russia0.15%18 Vietnam0.15%18 Italy0.14%17 New Zealand0.14%17 Guyana0.13%15 Israel0.12%14 Albania0.11%13 Belgium0.11%13 Netherlands0.11%13 Kenya0.1%12 Malta0.1%12 Belize0.1%12 Georgia0.1%12 Australia0.1%12 Egypt0.09%11 Ireland0.09%11 Ukraine0.09%11 Bahamas0.09%10 Yemen0.09%10 Costa Rica0.08%9 Serbia0.08%9 Jordan0.07%8 Haiti0.07%8 Antigua and Barbuda0.07%8 Barbados0.07%8 Bolivia0.06%7 Grenada0.06%7 Uruguay0.06%7 Austria0.05%6 Switzerland0.05%6 Cuba0.05%6 Saint Lucia0.05%6 Morocco0.05%6 Saudi Arabia0.05%6 Turkey0.05%6 Poland0.04%5 Virgin Islands, U.S.0.04%5 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines0.04%5 Portugal0.04%5 Czech Republic0.04%5 South Korea0.04%5 Japan0.04%5 Greece0.04%5 Algeria0.04%5 Pakistan0.03%4 Philippines0.03%4 Moldova0.03%4 Lebanon0.03%4 Dominica0.03%4 Côte d'Ivoire0.03%4 Bosnia and Herzegovina0.03%4 Aruba0.03%4 Bulgaria0.03%4 0.03%3 Cyprus0.03%3 Iran0.03%3 Norway0.03%3 Paraguay0.03%3 Qatar0.03%3 Sri Lanka0.02%2 Sweden0.02%2 Rwanda0.02%2 Palestinian Territory, Disputed0.02%2 Nepal0.02%2 Malaysia0.02%2 Bermuda0.02%2 Cayman Islands0.02%2 Saint Kitts and Nevis0.02%2 Ethiopia0.02%2 Denmark0.02%2 Benin0.02%2 Bangladesh0.02%2 Suriname0.02%2Unknown info1.42%167Only the countries in white saw no downloads from November 1 2022 till January 31 2023. The rest that are colored were countries where the podcasts were downloaded during a three month period, but most happened during the crazy downloads that happened November 21-23 2022.
If you shot your mouth off thinking I was lying, I forgive you! Really, I do.
Love you all in Christ Jesus!
Dan A. Rodriguez
Dear Brethren, Family, and Friends,
I am shocked at how easy weight loss was been once I found the right combination of healthy keto together with intermittent fasting. I was weighing 275 pounds just 6 months ago. Today, February 9, 2023, I am at a healthy 210 pounds.
For a couple of years, I prayed every once in a while about what I needed to do to lose the weight without losing muscle mass. God began to tell me what I needed to get rid of. I obeyed. Weight loss was important to me because I like to work out, and I have 11-year-old triplets. I am 67 years old and must keep my strength and health, spiritually, mentally, and physically to a level where I can teach, instruct, and even play with my young boys. So, I did this healthy keto with intermittent fasting with God’s help and direction, and it worked beautifully for me. I did it more for the children than for me. Of course, it will help with my clothing, youthfulness, and so on, since I am down to a loose size 36, down from a tight-butt 44 at the waist and so on. No more double XX shirts and extra humongous underwear! No more! Ha-ha! Maybe that was TMI!
Praise the Lord, O my soul. Do not forget all his kind deeds. He is the one who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases, who delivers your life from the Pit, who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion, who satisfies your life with good things, so your youth is renewed like an eagle’s. (Psalms 103:3-5 NKJV)
I failed in my fatherly duties in the past with other children (now in their 30’s and 40’s). I failed at raising them right. I started out right but allowed my own ugly disobedience to influence everything in my life. I repented in 1999. God promised me restoration, but I didn’t know how it was going to happen. In the area of raising children, my restoration began with the triplets.
When these triplet boys were born, I vowed to the Lord to do my part to have them grow up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, whatever that would mean for them. (Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4) I have been faithful at keeping my vow.
One of the things I was required by the Lord to do was to home-school these boys. It is a lot of teaching and instruction, but so very important to keep them out of the bad influence that runs wild in many schools. Hopefully, that will change, but it is the best thing for them as they grow up.
The next part of the vow was to diligently instruct them in the Word, take them to a powerful church with anointed leaders and long-standing marriages that would be an example to them. At our church, there are very strong work, business, marriage, and ministry ethics expressed in many ways. I’ve never seen a church like it anywhere, and I have been around. It is truly amazing. That is what is being put in them weekly. Thank you, Lord!
So, whenever someone invites me to preach, I will be coming with my sons. Be ready for it. I will not ever leave them behind. They need to witness the anointing at work mightily in services where I go to minister. Also, it will stir them up to serve the Lord without compromise, and to step into ministry, business, or whatever areas the Lord wants them in. Soon enough, they will be teaching and preaching. They already bring people to salvation, healing and so on. It is amazing to watch their progress in the Lord!
Here is a mighty testimony.
The other day one of my boys threw up his lunch and dinner and then threw up about 3 more times. I was really watching his electrolyte level closely. I watched for the signs of dehydration. You can’t let it go there. My son was quite pale by the time he went to bed. I gave him some electrolyte drink, but that was not what got him healed. He was feeling bad. Of course, we prayed together and applied the Word in the Name of Jesus. The other two boys agreed. They went to bed.
But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5 NET)
That is an exact translation of the Hebrew text. These verses were speaking of physical illness and pain, and what Jesus bore for us in His great sacrifice. We don’t have to depend on a literal translation though to understand that Isaiah was speaking of physical healing and not spiritual healing. I write this because many that deny that healing was provided in the sacrifice of Jesus want to refer it all to “spiritual healing.” The Holy Spirit gave us the right interpretation of Isaiah 53:4 in the New Testament.
When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases (Isaiah 53:4).” (Matthew 8:16, 17 NIV)
That is Holy Spirit, anointed, interpretation!
Two of the boys were already in bed sleeping, and I had gone to my room, when I see the boy who had already thrown up 5 times come into my room. He said, “Daddy, I need to get the Word on healing in me a right now and pray fervently. I should not go to sleep now.” I did not expect him to do that. We wound up outside next to the room, and I let him do the praying and finding the Scriptures. I was in for a real surprise. That boy quoted and found many Scriptures and prayed like I have heard few people pray. His fervency, authority, anointing, and perseverance made me cry.
You really don’t know how much of what you put in your children will come out, UNTIL they need it. It was such a blessing to me to hear that all my many hours of teaching them the Word (besides regular school classes), and diligently taking them to church a few times a week had produced powerfully in him. Wow! I helped him find some Scriptures because he could quote them verbatim but wanted to read the reference. Mentally quoting was not enough! He wanted to put his eyes on the Word. This is the Scripture he quoted to me.
My child, pay attention to my words; listen attentively to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight, guard them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and healing to one’s entire body. (Proverbs 4:20-22 NET)
My boy kept doing that, finding Scripture, praying, and speaking the Word with authority. We wound up singing Scriptures before the Lord. Suddenly, he turned to me about an hour or so into this, and he said, “I am done. Whatever that sickness was, it left my body. I felt it leave. I feel so good right now. I’m going to bed.” Not only that, but as I looked at him under the light, his color was completely normal! The next day he woke up refreshed as though nothing happened. Now that is a testimony of a healing, and to God be ALL the glory!
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11)
Now i pray that you be healed in the Name of Jesus! He redeemed us from the curse of sickness, so now I speak the Word of healing and deliverance to you! Be healed now in Jesus' Name! (Psalms 107:20, Galatians 3:13)
Be blessed in the Name of Jesus!
Listen to the first episode of our redemption from the curse using the button.
Aquí lo tienes en español. https://danalanrodriguez.podbean.com/e/la-redencion-de-toda-maldicion-parte-1/
Sean ricamente bendecidos,
Dan A. Rodriguez
Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore.
From the Back Cover:
A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power.
Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus.
If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB).
The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed!
____________
Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Newest edition is here: Download the free PDF file here.
______________
Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón.
Listen to today's podcast "Is it Faith in Jesus, or is it Faith in Something Else?"
Click here to listen to the edited version which is better as far as I am concerned, or listen to the unedited version downloaded over 11 thousand times on 6 of 7 continents. Antarctica, we are waiting on you! Haha! See the original podcasting page here with the original stat: https://danalanrodriguez.podbean.com/e/faith-in-jesus-or-is-it-faith-in-something-else/
Be mightily blessed!
This is the final teaching in this series, and it is heavy duty! Download it at the bottom of the page. As in every teaching in this series, it confronts some traditional ideas head-on and kills some sacred cows. Welcome to the slaughter of traditional religious beliefs!
In this study, we look at eternal judgment, judging yourself, standing before the judgment seat of Christ, and the wrath of God. How about some Christians getting their name blotted out from the book of life? These truths are a part of the gospel message in Christ that most churches ignore or water down. Paul and the apostles did no such thing! They taught these subjects within their presentation of faith in Christ Jesus.
We trust this series has made you search the Scriptures for yourself, and has set you free from false religious thinking. Be mightily blessed with the unfolding of God's Word that gives light! (Psalms 119:130 NASB)
Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore.
From the Back Cover:
A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power.
Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus.
If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB).
The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed!
____________
Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here.
______________
Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón.
We will teach the important lessons in this story in the podcast, First, there are other questions we want to answer in the following article.
The Bible says, that the Lord redeems our lives from destruction! (Psalms 103:4) If that is true, and it is, then why so much destruction on the planet?
In Christ Jesus, we have been redeemed from every curse that came into this planet as the result of the fall of the first man Adam. If you have questions about all that very clear truth in the Bible, then please listen to the first 10 podcasts in my series The Plan of Redemption. Also, listen to my podcasts on our Redemption from the Curse. That is the ONLY way to get answers. Listen to the Word and align yourself with it. Don’t argue with Scripture. Learn from it and apply it to yourself.
The redeemed of the Lord are supposed to be speaking their redemption! (Ps. 107:2) There are many redemption truths that should be a part of what you say. Instead of believing and speaking doubt and unbelief about what circumstances dictate, speak the Word!
So, you must know what is included in the redemption provided by God through Jesus.
Here is a good Scripture to start with.
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law having become curse for us… (Galatians 3:13)
We are redeemed from the curse that was pronounced upon those that break God’s commandments or laws according to Deuteronomy 28:15-68. We are redeemed from every curse listed there and elsewhere in Scripture. That list ends with an ALL-INCLUSIVE verse of pronounced curses included in that curse of the law, regardless of if they are mentioned or not. (Deuteronomy 28:61 ff.) Everything evil is under that curse. There is nothing good under the curse, and there is nothing bad under God’s blessings in Deuteronomy 28:1-14.
God is the blesser of all that is good, and Satan is the author of all that is evil.
We are redeemed from all the destruction brought into this planet by THE destroyer, the devil! (See John 8:44, 10:10; Revelation 9:11; 1 Corinthians 5:5; Job 2:7.)
We are redeemed from every aspect of death NOW. (Hebrews 2:14; Romans 5:17)
The only part of our redemption we cannot get while alive on this earth is the resurrected body like the one Jesus had after He was raised from the dead, but that could change any minute when the trumpet sounds, we are caught up to meet the Lord Jesus in the clouds and we are changed and transformed in the twinkling of an eye! (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 1 Corinthians 15:53-57) Yes! Glory to God!
Satan is doing everything he can to destroy and take over the earth, but God has His people in the earth that will not let it happen because they trust in their God and in what Jesus did for them, and they keep the devil at bay! Truly, it is just the mercy of God that this world full of hate and darkness has not been completely consumed. If people humble themselves and pray with faith on this planet, what Satan has planned is not about to happen! (2 Chronicles 7:14)
…Upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (Matthew 16:18b NASB)
Jesus said that the gates of hades (death, destruction, the curse, evil, sin, darkness, the devil’s domain, and kingdom) WILL NOT prevail or win against the church! (Matthew 16:17-19) We have the victory and triumph that belong to those that are MORE than CONQUERORS in Christ! (Romans 8:37, 2 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 15:57)
If the Church of the Lord Jesus is here on the earth, the devil will NEVER be able to fulfill all his plans. Once the church, the restraining force of God on the earth is removed, then, and only then, will all hell break loose on this planet. The man of sin, the antichrist, and his attempt at world domination, can’t even start until the church is out of here! (2 Thessalonians 3:1-12) When we (the real Church) are taken to be in the presence of the Lord via a great catching away (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18), that will signal the final hours for Satan and his followers before Jesus comes back to rule and reign for 1,000 years upon the earth!
As I have heard several preachers say, “Read the back of the book. We win!” It’s a no-brainer. Victory is ours in Him, but victory and overcoming faith is ours now! (1 John 5:4) We have already been delivered from the authority of darkness and translated into the kingdom of His dear Son and we have been given authority and power over ALL the works of the enemy! (Colossians 1:13; Luke 10:19; Mark 16:17; James 4:7; Ephesians 6:10-18)
The question is WHY are so many believers not enjoying the overcoming life Jesus bought and paid for? Why are so many being plagued by destruction? There are numerous answers to that question, but we want to emphasize three answers that clear the air of most doubts. Are U Ready 4 them?
Let’s begin.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being a priest to me. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I will also forget your sons, even I. (Hosea 4:6)
Many times, we hear quoted the first part of that verse, but there are additional instructions in the rest of the verse. Though that verse was spoken in the negative, there is much to learn here on the positive side, if we will receive it.
Our goal is to be receivers of the promises of God and do the Word so that we get demonstrations of God in our lives. (1Corinthians 2:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:5) We believe in the POWER of the gospel, not just the words of it! (Romans 1:16) We are those that trust Him in His Word to us, and desire demonstrations of it. We do not have a form of godliness (religious tradition) and deny the power of it! (2 Timothy 3:5) NO! Signs (evidence) are to accompany all true believers as they minister to other people. (Mark 16:17, 18) This is directly connected to our victory in Christ Jesus. It is not just victory for us, but victory in Christ for those hurting around us as we minister in God’s power and love as the Lord leads us by His Spirit.
Destruction can be avoided or reversed if we read this verse in Hosea 4:6 correctly. Notice closely the three things that led to destruction:
- Lack of knowledge
- Rejection of knowledge
- Forgetting knowledge.
Obviously, lack of knowledge is not referring to human knowledge but to the knowledge of God and spiritual things. A lack of knowledge of spiritual things is a sure way into a world of hurt.
Ignorance is NOT bliss on any level, physical, or spiritual. Lack of knowledge can kill someone even on a natural level.
How many people have been hurt, maimed, or even killed because of using machinery they did not understand and were not trained to use? Here are a couple of examples of what I mean. Attempt to fly an airplane or drive an 18-wheeler without some knowledge and practice, and a disaster could easily be the result! We know this is true, but many don’t understand that this is a principle in the things of the Spirit as well.
Not correctly understanding what a piece of equipment is for can also be disastrous.
If you think a toaster is for water storage, well, you figure it out!
If you think all machinery functions based on what you know about a refrigerator, surprise, surprise!
What you know about a coffee brewing machine will not fly a plane or drive a car. We know this about natural things. That is why people go to school to learn skills and to be trained properly in their field.
What a horse trainer knows about horses will not work in the operating room or in aerial combat.
Understanding, training, and learning must be gained in each area that you plan to function in.
Training as a lawyer will not make you a world class chef, and just because trained as a veterinary does not mean that you are trained as an astronaut!
The world of the spirit is not different in that respect.
There are areas of the spirit world that you will be called into as a believer that will demand training and development, but some areas of growth are the same for all believers to be able to “navigate” around in the world of the spirit.
All children are taught to read and write and do basic math, but not all children are mechanical engineers!
All children take some form of physical Ed. in school, but not all are Olympic contenders! It is the same in the things of God. There are some things we all need to learn in Christ, and we must all develop in, but not everybody will function in the same way or do the same things in the Body of Christ. (See 1 Corinthians 12:12-28; Ephesians 4:11-13; Romans 12:4-10.)
The Word of God is the instruction manual in the world of the spirit and the Holy Spirit is our guide in the unseen realm. These are constants that remain the same. No believer has a clue as to what to do, and they have no understanding without the Word and the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit leads us and guides us into all truth. (John 16:13) Jesus said the Word of God is truth and that His words are spirit, and they are truth. (John 17:17, 6:63) Faith (trust and obedience to God, His Word, His Spirit) and practicing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24) are indispensable ingredients for functioning in the spirit or in the kingdom of God. (See 2 Peter 1:1-11.)
Many are attempting to do spiritual things without any understanding of what they are doing. As an example, many think all prayer is the same and that there are no rules in prayer. Read, , , and tell me that no rules apply. That is a foolish idea!
Petition prayer is to be addressed to God the Father, in the Name of Jesus. (John 16:23; John 15:7; 1 John 5:14, 15)
Only the prayer of faith is answered by God, believing you receive the answer BEFORE you see it, making sure you have forgiven others when you pray, and so on. (Mark 11:24, 25, James 5:14, 15; James 1:5-7)
Then compare that to another form of prayer, intercessory prayer (prayer for others), and a consecration prayer like Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. (Romans 8:26; Matthew 26:3ff.) Different kinds of prayer are different in application, and the rules are different for each. You cannot say the ignorant statement that “prayer is prayer.” No, there are different kinds of prayer and different rules. Mix them up and your prayer life will be a mess!
If we are ignorant of the Word or God's promises, the sacrifice of Jesus, and how to lay hold of our blood bought rights, then we will have some serious problems receiving from the Lord.
One facet of the cure to ignorance is knowledge that comes alive powerfully from God's Word ministered to your heart by the Holy Spirit, God's revealer of truth. (1 Corinthians 2:7-11; John 16:13) We should trust the Lord for “daily bread” from His Word. There is no substitute for spending your own time with the Lord, in the Word, and in prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you into all truth today as you approach His Holy Word. Ask Him to breathe on the Word He leads you to, so that Word can go deep into your heart, and begin to produce power in your life.
One form of prayer is the mighty prayer in other tongues! See Mark 16:17-18 and 1 Corinthians 14:1-3, 14, 15. Every believer has a God-given right to speak to the Lord with tongues in prayer! It is a form of prayer unassailable by the devil, demons, and crazy people! When you speak in tongues you don’t speak to people BUT to God! It is the sign of the initial Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and it should be done daily! See Acts 2:4, 38, 39, 10:44-46, 19:1-6, and Jude 1:20. Paul spoke in tongues more than all the Corinthians put together. (1 Corinthians 14:18) Never allow anyone to forbid you from praying in tongues UNLESS you are interrupting the pastor at church! (See 1 Corinthians 14:39, 40.)
When the Holy Spirit moves on the Word is when miracles happen, just like at creation. (Genesis 1:2, 3) The Holy Spirit is in you if you belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9-11, John 7:37-39) He is waiting for the Word to take it, breathe on it, and produce the power necessary to bring it to pass in your life! Remember these words: “God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or think, according to the power that is at work in you.” (Ephesians 3:20) Will you cooperate with the Holy Spirit? Will you invite Him to bring life to the Word of God you study today? (John 6:63)
Hosea 4:6 reveals why it is that some people live in destruction. It is not a mystery. Let’s read it again:
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being a priest to me. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I will also forget your sons, even I.
We know that the thief is the devil, and he comes to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) Jesus came that we might have life and that more abundantly, so we can live above the stealing, killing, and destroying of the enemy! Jesus defeated the enemy through His sacrifice and resurrection. (1John 3:8; Hebrews 2:14, 15) That glorious victory has been passed on to us through Him and through His Name! (Romans 5:17; Philippians 2:9, 10; Mark 16:17, 18)
Again, lets answer the question: WHY is it that so many are living without these powerful realities in their lives though they have been provided for us through Jesus?
The first problem to be solved that Hosea records is a lack of knowledge from the Word. That is not “book” knowledge, nor is it even the lack of memorization of many Scripture verses. If you don’t have a working knowledge in your heart, some understanding of our inheritance and victory in Christ, then you will be lacking in the knowledge of God, and Satan can run over you. (Colossians 1:12, 13; 1Corinthians 15:57) I am referring to a heart felt and heart engraved knowledge of God that comes out of you without hesitation.
The clue to getting rid of a lack of knowledge is spending time in the Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to make the Word real and alive to you.
Notice the second reason for destruction having a place in people's lives: “Because you have rejected knowledge.” That is even worse than a lack of knowledge, or ignorance. The first is ignorance of our rights and privileges in Christ and a lack of being a doer of the Word.
Rejecting knowledge is hearing the Word, refusing to believe it, and rebelling against it. It is being so entrenched in tradition or anti-Biblical thought, even though one hears the truth of the Scripture, that one rejects it because it violates your tradition, upbringing, or thinking on the subject. Sometimes, the Word of Faith and Truth may violate what you have believed and heard all your life at a local ignorant church!
Here's the danger of unbelief and tradition.
Take heed, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God....So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:12, 19)
No one can participate in any promise of God if they reject it. In other words, rejecting the knowledge of God (His Word or divine promises) will keep one out of God's promises.
Please read and study Hebrews chapter 3 and 4.
The children of Israel had the promise of entering the rest of the promised land with all its many blessings. Only those that believed the promise of God and refused to accept the bad report of the majority were the ones that entered the promised land. (Numbers chapters 13 and 14.)
For sure, we can apply this today with all the bad news floating around. What is the cure for rejecting God's knowledge? Repentance, and the acceptance of His Word in humility, and a receiving and trusting in Him according to His promises are all a part of the cure!
For some people, the TRADITION of men is their number one problem. They hold their traditional ideas closely to their hearts and minds and refuse to believe the Word though they hear it, and sometimes, though they see a demonstration of it right before their eyes. Not even Jesus had success in ministering healing where His ministry was not accepted, or where they refused to believe the Word.
He could do no work of power there, except that He laid His hands on a few sickly ones (Gr. “those with minor ailments”) and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. And He went around the villages, in a circuit, teaching. (Mark 6:5, 6)
It did NOT say that He wouldn't do works of power there. It said that He COULD DO NO work of power there, except on those people with minor ailments. No blind eyes or deaf ears were healed that day. Why? The implication is He wanted to do great miracles, but the unbelief was thick and heavy, and it stopped the flow of God's healing power. Look also at the same incident in another gospel account.
And He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. (Matthew 13:58)
The fix “rejecting knowledge” NEVER reject His willingness, His power, or His Word. Open your heart, mind, and hands! Receive in Jesus' Name!
So, we see that lack of knowledge of our rights and privileges in Christ can be devastating, but rejection of the Word of God and His promises can be even worse, as we have seen.
Making the Word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have delivered. And you do many such things. (Mark 7:13)
TRADITION of men is a very real danger to Christians. If one holds tradition as LAW instead of accepting God's Word as the truth, it will make the Word of zero value in the life of that person. The Word of God that is not honored and received will have NO effect in the life of that person. The opposite is true. The Word that you do accept, embrace, and honor in your life, will have a powerful effect on your life.
“No effect” in Mark 7:13 above, from the Greek text means to render void, deprive of force, and authority. (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon)
Do you realize what that is saying?
The traditions of churches, people, ministers, and pastors that violate God's Word and promises, are DEPRIVING AND MAKING VOID God's Word from having any force or authority in people's lives.
Oh man, talk about something devastating for people, that is IT!
According to John 1:1-3, God and His Word are ONE.
Here is the shocking statement I am making from the Greek text of Mark 7:13:
The tradition of men deprives God from using his power and authority in people's lives.
Tradition that rejects the clear teachings of God's Word concerning healing and deliverance (Matthew 8:16, 17 -Isaiah 53:4, 5; 1 Peter 2:24), prosperity and wealth, (Deuteronomy 28:1-14, 8:1-20; 2 Corinthians 8:9), the anointing (1 John 2:20, 27), the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and tongues (Acts 2:4, 38-39, 10:44-46, 19:6; 1Corinthians 14:1-14), the miracles, signs and wonders of God through us (1 Corinthians 2:4; Mark 16:15-19; John 14:12), divine protection (Psalms 91), and so many of God's other promises, those damnable traditions are depriving God from using His power and authority in people's lives! Talk about the height of arrogance and pride, that is certainly it! Not only that, but it is blasphemous to deprive God of using His glory and power because we are so set in our religiosity that we refuse to allow Him to move in our midst! OMG!
Tradition that rejects the Word is the same kind of pride and arrogance that Satan has had, and we know what that has gotten him!
We pray that today that you are delivered from all the traditions of men, women, ministers, and churches that reject the truths of God's Word. If you go to some dumb traditional dead church, GET OUT before you die with the rest of the dummies sick, broke, and disgusted! You may go to heaven in that miserable condition just as the beggar did in the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16: 19-31), but you missed so much that was available for you NOW in this life. (Mark 16:15-20; 10:29, 30; 1 Timothy 6:17-20)
We believe that today a new day has dawned in your heart and life to trust and obey the Lord and REJECT the traditional ways of the dead churches or even those churches with a little life in them. Jesus came for us to have life, and that MORE abundantly. (John10:10) He has ABUNDANCE of life on His mind for us, and not just a little.
Thank God for His Word and ALL His divine promises that set us free from the corruption, or destruction, that is operating in this world! (2 Peter 1:2-4)
What about the last part of Hosea 4:6 that refers to forgetting knowledge and the danger that poses to the believer?
Forgotten knowledge is a tricky one.
Therefore, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip… I now write to you... which by reminder I stir up your sincere mind to remember the words having been spoken before by the holy prophets, and the command of the Lord and Savior by us, the apostles... (Hebrews 2:1; 2Peter 3:1, 2)
Forgotten knowledge is whatever revelation from the Word you have received and acted upon, but time has passed, and you have let it SLIP. That can also lead to destruction. The subtlety here is that you drift away from the promises of God back into unbelief, and don't even realize it. We need to go back periodically and refresh ourselves on the truths of God's Word that we already know and have lived upon before today.
The above is the reason we MUST meditate (mutter or speak in soft tones- though it can get louder at times) in the Word of God during your day and night. That is speaking during the times you are awake. See Joshua 1:8 and Psalms 1:1-3.
Have you ever received a revelation or deep-rooted understanding from the Word that delivered you from a bad situation in the past? When was the last time, after that victory, that you went back and spent time in the Word in that area? Have you let that area falter and slip? If you have, today is a good time to get back to it again.
Now, don't get anxious in this area. That is not going to help you, but the HELPER (or Comforter) can and will help you in this if you will look to Him. (John 14:26, 15:16)
See the 7-fold definition of the word Comforter in the Amplified Bible. One definition is HELPER. The Holy Spirit will bring back to your memory those things you need to refresh yourself about in the Word. Trust Him to do it. He knows what area of the Word you need to be studying and rehearsing silently, and sometimes out loud. That is meditating in the Word. (Joshua 1:8) Allow Him to show you, and He will! Trust Him today to LEAD and to GUIDE you into ALL truth, and He will do it! (John 16:13)
Don't miss this podcast because it answers pressing questions as to WHY some people receive from the Lord and others do not, and what that has to do with the will of God. You will be surprised at the answers according to the Scripture.
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Amen!
Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore.
From the Back Cover:
A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power.
Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus.
If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB).
The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed!
____________
Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here.
______________
Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón.
Faith in Christ Jesus must have a foundation of righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come. (Acts 24:24,25). We are to test ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). In this podcast we look closer at self-control.
Self-control means “self restraint- temperance- control of ones passions, desires, and sexual impulses.” It does not mean control of others. It means to control your self and your body. We are to take authority over our words and thoughts. We are to demand obedience out of ourselves according to God’s word, commandments, and requirements.
“A man has needs” and “a woman has needs” many say. People that say that mean that sexual union outside of marriage in necessary to quell those “needs.” That is a big fat lie! Paul taught that the body is not for sexual immorality (fornication) but for the Lord… so flee sexual immorality” (fornication) (1Cor. 6:13, 18 NASB). Only in marriage can a man and a woman have the spiritual and physical right to satisfy each other sexually. See 1 Corinthians 7:1-9. God blesses sex in marriage. Outside of marriage, it is cursed!
Sexual immorality includes all illicit forms of sex such as: adultery (sexual union with someone other than your spouse), fornication (sexual union between a man and a woman outside of marriage), homosexuality (includes bisexuals), lesbianism (includes all woman that want to act like men), men that are effeminate (includes all transgender), bestiality (sexual union between a human and an animal), and incest.
“Oh, I just couldn’t help it. He or she looked so good that I just had to do it.” Lies, lies, lies! People have actually used this excuse when they come for counseling. No, you did not have to do it. Self-control was needed! You didn’t submit to God, and you did not resist the devil! (James 4:7) Instead of controlling yourself, you yielded to the un-renewed mind, conformity to the world, and the old man. You yielded to works of the flesh (Galatians 5:17-21). Nobody made you do anything. You did it! The devil may have tempted you, but who said you has to obey him? No, we resist him and cast him out. We reject his temptation to sin sexually or in any other area that violates God’s Word.
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate (self-controlled)in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified(Greek: adokimos)(1Cor. 9:24-27 NASB).
We discipline our body and we demand it to be in subjection to God and His Word so that we are not disqualified (adokimos). Adokimosis the same word translated “fail the test” or “disqualified” in 2 Corinthians 13:5.
I only refer to this in passing, but another area people need self control is with overeating or anything else that controls you. It could be worry and anxiety. It could be alcohol, prescription drugs, or illegal drugs. It could be pornography. It could be masturbation. It could be the shopping channel! It could be any number of things in control of a human being! See Luke 21:34; 1 John 2:16, 17.
Is Jesus your Lord? Have you yielded control of your life to Him? (Romans 10:9) If we have, nothing else of this evil world should control us! If something ungodly is controlling us on some level then true repentance, which includes acknowledging sin and confession of sin, is needed. (See Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:7-10, 2:1.) Other important parts are becoming accountable to spiritual leaders at your church, changing your contributing environment, and getting rid of enabling people.
May you be richly blessed with the podcast! See the bottom of the page for PART 9 of this series.
Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore.
From the Back Cover:
A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power.
Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus.
If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB).
The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed!
____________
Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here.
______________
Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón.
Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
We mentioned some of the following in these podcasts. Here we write it down for your study.
And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8 NASB).
“He” is the Holy Spirit in this context. Look at this word “convict.” It means the Holy Spirit will expose, reprove, rebuke, and Thayer’s adds: reprehend severely, correct, call to account, show one his fault. In Greek (Strong’s #1651), it is elegcho.
The same word is found in John 3:20; 2 Timothy 4:2; 1Timothy 5:20, 1 Corinthians 14:24 (this verse sounds a lot like what Felix experienced as Paul preached); Titus 1:13, 2:15; Hebrews 12:5; Ephesians 5:11. I highly recommend that you look up all these verses.
Some Christian circles teach that correction and rebuke is NEVER love. Some teach that the Lord NEVER convicts the Christian of sin. Let’s bust that moronic bubble of absolute nonsense right now because those ideas are big lies.
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent (Revelation 3:19 NASB).
The Lord loves us and commands the churches to repent. Because He loves us, He rebukes, and disciplines us. It’s that same word elegcho in all the verses above, but notice the connection I am making between John 16:8 and Revelation 3:19. You cannot say the Lord stopped rebuking or bringing conviction to Christians after His sacrifice. If He did stop bringing this conviction-correction-rebuke to the believer, He would have to stop loving us. He will never do that!
Love does this rebuking, correcting, and calling to account (see also Heb. 12:5). Get this truth in your heart. Rebuking, correcting, and calling to account can certainly be “speaking the truth in love” as in Ephesians 4:15! At times, love will reprehend severely and that is love all the way. To rebuke is love when done because you do not seek your own but for the benefit of the hearers. (1 Cor. 13:4-9) If you correct or rebuke someone to prove YOU are right, because you want to manipulate or insist that things be your own way alone, or you want revenge because you are hurt, offended, or it makes you feel superior (inflated with pride)—then it is VERY WRONG and not walking in love. Get that straight!
How can one be kind and yet reprehend severely and show one his fault? Kind to the person and rough on sin! You don’t grab them by the hair and throw them on the floor, though you may be tempted to! It is kindness that you can come and sit in church, hear the rebuke, apply it, and go home! Just look straight ahead and don’t squirm. Sometimes conviction will make you sweat, squirm, rattle, and shake you. Nobody will know it was for you unless the Lord reveals it! If He exposes your sin publicly, be thankful because it may have been necessary to keep you from going to a devil's hell!
Above is Part 8 in this series. Listen to all these messages and get these truths from the holy Word of God into your spirit. Be abundantly blessed!
Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore.
From the Back Cover:
A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power.
Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus.
If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB).
The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed!
Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
Jesus warned and commanded the churches in Revelation 2 and 3. He praised their strengths but held nothing back when telling them to wake up and repent.
“Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Therefore, remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you” (Revelation 3:2-3 NET).
To wake up means that you get strength in the Lord, that you remember what you received and heard through His Word, you obey it or act on it, and REPENT if your actions are contrary to God and His Word. That is the Wake-Up call of the Lord! Jesus warned us that if a church doesn’t wake up that He will come as a thief in the night. They won’t know what hit them.
“All those I love; I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest (zealous) and repent.” (Revelation 3:19 NET)
The reason Jesus rebuked and disciplined these churches (Christians) in Revelation chapters two and three was because some were practicing evil things. “All those I love” will get rebuked and disciplined when necessary. Do you mean to tell me that LOVE will rebuke and discipline at times? Jesus loved believers so much that He exposed their sins for all the world to see through rebuke, discipline, and by commanding them to repent.
Repentance was not a suggestion then, and it is not a suggestion now. Love includes discipline, rebuke, and repentance. Get that straight in your thinking. The message of “Jesus loves you” has been watered down so much that if Jesus rebuked or disciplined most folks, they would think it was verbal abuse and completely devoid of love.
Here is a message you will not hear often from pulpits in America:
“Jesus loves you so much that He will rebuke, discipline, and command you to repent?” (My very good paraphrase of Revelation 3:19.)
How much of that do you hear or read on social media or on church websites? How many times have you heard that from the pulpits of the land? If Jesus rebukes and disciplines all those He loves, what is happening with all those that have not heard a rebuke and have not been disciplined by Him through their loving pastors or other loving spiritual people? They are missing out on a very real aspect of the love of Jesus Christ for His church.
This message of repentance is extremely important in the love of Christ. Pastors, ministers, and preachers should love their flock by giving them warnings, and even rebuking them when necessary. Why should we be diligent to rebuke when necessary, to discipline, and lead people to repentance? Let me say it in the words of the apostle who wrote Hebrews (whom I believe to be Paul):
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate (KJV and others translated “illegitimate” as “bastards”) and not sons. (Hebrews 12:5-8 New King James Version NKJV)
Isn’t that sweet that most modern translations soften the blow by translating “illegitimate” instead of using the harsher word “bastards”? The meaning is the same, but nobody takes kindly to being called a bastard! Illegitimate children were traditionally called bastards, and in the Hebrew language they were called “mamzer”. If somebody called you a mamzer, they were probably looking for a fight! It was an insult to be called a mamzer – bastard just like it is today. The use of bastards in our text was meant to shock the reader, and certainly not sugarcoat anything.
What did the verses above say? If we are not partakers of the Lord’s correction and discipline as children (chastening being the older English word), rebuke, and even scourging (serious spanking that starts in the spirit and only continues to be physical after people consistently refuse to repent), then we would be BASTARDS.
Many churches preach sweet stuff that’s like cotton candy fluff. It’s all puffy marshmallow Christianity. No preaching and teaching are done of the solid meat or food of the Word meant to produce growth. (See Hebrews 5:12-14 in the AMP.) Even the milk of the Word produces some growth, but those churches concentrate on mush that is not fit for spiritual or human consumption! (1 Peter 2:1, 2) If fluff and cotton candy was all you ate in the natural world, you would eventually get very sick and drop dead. Could you imagine what is happening spiritually in some churches that only preach cotton candy and marshmallow Christianity? They are developing bastard children, and not real sons and daughters received by the Father. Is that something I came up with, or did Paul teach that in his epistles? We saw it in Hebrews, but where else do we see that expressed?
14 Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial (Satan)? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said: “I will dwell among them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 17 “So come out from among unbelievers and be separate,” says the Lord, “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with favor], 18 And I will be a Father to you, And you will be My sons and daughters,” Says the Lord Almighty.(2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Amplified Bible- AMP)
That entire portion of Scripture speaks to what I am writing to you about. God is interested in developing believers into sons and daughters of God that will take a stand against being bound to an alliance with unbelievers, partnering with lawlessness, fellowshipping with darkness, and agreeing with Satan! He is actively looking for believers that reject unbelieving ways and all idols! God is looking for those that will live separated from the junk of the world and refuse to touch the unclean trash heap of the world, the flesh, and the devil!
15 Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts], nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and with it its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever.(1 John 2:15-17 AMP)
The Father is looking to receive graciously into power and anointing sons and daughters and not bastard children that want to do whatever the world does and whatever the devil wants, but that will only seek to so the will of the Father.
The above is why Hebrews goes on to teach why discipline, rebuke, and even some serious spanking are completely necessary for spiritual growth into sons and daughters of God that want to be used by Him to shake their world.
9 Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we submitted and respected them [for training us]; shall we not much more willingly submit to the Father of spirits, and live [by learning from His discipline]? 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for only a short time as seemed best to them; but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 For the time being no discipline brings joy but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose]. (Hebrew 12:9-11 Amplified)
Others preach the Word concerning salvation, blessing, healing, deliverance, or some variation of it, and that is good, but they do it without bringing correction and rebuke when necessary. That is not right and is missing a very important part of ministry to the people. Part of ministering and preaching God’s word is discipline and rebuke (2 Timothy 4:2).
Some say they are preaching only “encouraging” or messages of “hope” to their congregations. That is not enough. “Hope” or “heaven” preaching without this necessary element of discipline, spiritual spanking, warnings, and repentance is deficient and needs an “iron” supplement in the Spirit, because it is an anemic message. Jesus will rebuke and discipline you because He loves you, therefore, be zealous and repent! (Revelation 3:19) That is tough love, but it is necessary.
God help us learn that sometimes the love of Christ will demand rebuke, correction, spanking (that could get very physical when there is a refusal to repent), and heart-felt repentance that is demonstrated in real actions that are accord with repentance! (See Acts 26:20 AMP.)
What should be our response? Say it and believe it, “Jesus loves me, so I receive His rebuke and discipline.” The rejection of that makes a person a real dumb-dumb. I am being nice about it. Proverbs cuts through the chase.
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof (1) is stupid (Proverbs 12:1 NET).
Jesus loves me, this I know, so I love discipline and true knowledge because I do not want to be like those that hate reproof and get stuck on stupid! As my Puerto Rico born (but staunchly American) dad used to say about right here in old KJV English, “How readest thou?”
Wait a minute. What is “knowledge” according to the Scripture? Is “knowledge” profound revelation, revelation knowledge, penetrating insight, or deep understanding? Though those may be a part of it, knowledge refers to knowing God AND serving Him. Those that have knowledge of God forsake idolatry, immorality, and all that violates God’s moral commandments. Read the first six chapters of Proverbs to see that clearly taught. The Hebrew language always understood “knowledge of God”, not as spiritual revelation or understanding alone, but as living for Him according to His Word-commandments. In other words, you know Him when you obey Him. Those that disobey Him and follow the world’s ways and practices don’t know Him, even though they call themselves Christians.
The Apostle John taught that truth.
3Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:3-6 NKJV)
THAT should be clear enough!
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NOTE:
(1) Brown, Driver, Briggs: correction, rebuke, chiding, chastisement, etc. See Strong’s H8433b for definition of this word “reproof.”
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The attached podcast is anointed, fiery, and truly eye-opening. It will shake you up down to your toes. I [preached this message at a church in Tampa in 2015. Let me know how this message affected you. Like it and share it!
Be mightily blessed through the anointing and fire of the Holy Spirit!
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Speaking of fire, let me let you in on some fiery food stuff. There may be hot sauce in Heaven, and chocolate! Please Lord!
Just for fun, here is a pic of my favorite chili paste and hot sauce.
I have tried MANY hot sauces, and so far, this is one of my favorites. It's hot and tasty, but they didn't make it weird or with odd tasting stuff in it. It is very good in my opinion. It's by "Pain is Good" products and it is HOT, but not so hot that you can't taste the food. Well, at least for me, but I like hot sauces to be really hot. Most I have tasted that said "hot" were at best mild for me.
There is another habanero hot sauce I like from Mexico, "El Yucateco- Salsa Picante de Chile Habanero". Good on the heat and tasty stuff.
I buy these in my neck of the woods in Florida at Publix supermarkets. I don't get kickbacks on any of this. Just sharing for fun.
Some of the hottest chile sauce I have ever experienced came from Mexico. I ate at a Mexican restaurant that had the generic hot sauce for its patrons, but the really HOT HOT stuff was available for those that knew to ask for it. I knew and asked for it, and man oh man, I really asked for it! Wow! The stuff was so hot that just a few drops was enough for a whole plate of food. Too much and you couldn't taste the food. When eating this stuff, out came profuse sweating and tears! My nose drained like a faucet and my face was red like a tomato! It was gross, but I couldn't help it with this stuff. This was made with some other kind of hot peppers. Definitely not made with habaneros, but some other peppers that were at least 10 times hotter. Glory to God!
Love you all in Christ Jesus!
Was Jesus the friend of sinners? Was He always at their parties and their social meetings? People have very strange ideas about Jesus that are unfounded, skewed, or simply twisted.
Are we to be friends with the world? Some deceived Christians go so far as to act, dress, get tattoos, sing, gyrate, dance, and speak the foul language of the world. Is that what we are supposed to do?
Jesus said His followers are supposed to be salt and light in this world (Matthew 5:13, 14). Instead, many have become fluff and cotton candy! Many are more interested in political and religious correctness than in being salt and light. Many churches are looking for social, government, or media acceptance.
Are you looking for the glory of God or for the glory of men? What do you want?
What are the followers of Jesus supposed to be? We are supposed to be a preservative in this world (like salt) and not a contributor to its rot or decomposition! Salt is supposed to sting and make you very uncomfortable! Have you ever put salt in a wound on purpose? Taking a bath in the ocean with a few scrapes and cuts will make them sting but it will help to speed up the healing process. Sea salt is a natural anti-inflammatory and antibiotic. It’s been used for thousands of years. For the sin infection on this planet, we are the salt of the earth!
Are you being salty or just annoying? There is a difference between beating someone on the head with Bible verses out of frustration, hurt, anger, or hatred, and being salty by the power of the Spirit through the Word. The salt Jesus is talking about flows from the Spirit. It is something Jesus displays through you to those around you as you take an uncompromising stand against evil, darkness, lawlessness, and sin.
Paul did that before Governor Felix and it made him tremble with fear (Acts 24:24, 25). The conviction of the Holy Spirit against sin and unrighteousness made Felix tremble (John 16:9-11). When this convicting and revealing power of the Holy Spirit comes through, the naysayers want to stick their fingers in their ears because they can’t stand it (Acts 7:54, 57)!
We are supposed to expose the darkness through the light of Christ shining through us. We are not to fellowship with the darkness! (See 2 Cor. 6:14; Ephesians 5:6-14; John 3:20, 21.)
In 1984, a little old lady made us listen to her aggravation with hamburger joints that had little beef patties inside their huge bread buns. She was a part of a promotional campaign by Wendy’s hamburger restaurants against their competitors, Burger King and McDonald’s. Her name was Clara Peller, a little old Jewish lady with a gutsy voice and a no nonsense question. She would look straight into the camera and say with a stern face and angry tone, “Where’s the beef?!” Her, “Where’s the beef?” became famous. Remember her?
Jesus in effect said something to the effect of: “Where’s the salt and where’s the light?” Frankly, it has been missing on many fronts in Christianity. There is plenty of fluff and cotton candy, but little beef!
Some quote out of context verses to uphold a sugarcoated Christianity that assuages the world. They use them as an excuse to participate with the world and go to their banquets and parties. Some Christians use it to act like the world in song and dance.
One pastor’s wife turned into a singing and dancing sensation. She gyrated, pumped her behind, wore skimpy dance attire, and sensually gyrated into frenzy. Is that the way a Holy Spirit-filled woman should act? Is that the way a worship leader on Sundays should act the rest of the week? Should a married Christian woman be doing lustful videos with gangster music stars? Does that represent Jesus in any way? If you believe that is good or OK, you have been fooled and deceived.
That being stated, here is a verse some use as an excuse to be like the world.
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ʻLook at him, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!ʼ But wisdom is vindicated by her deeds (Matthew 11:19 NET).
Note that Jesus did not say He was a friend to sinners. Read it again. People that wanted to hurt His ministry said that about Him. He did not say that about Himself, His staff, or His ministry! Jesus objected to their assessment of His ministry and lifestyle. Jesus moved by divine guidance and wisdom as demonstrated by what He did. The results were evident in His life and ministry. His vindication against the accusations of those that were jealous and wanted to destroy Him was that His deeds proved to whom He belonged and whom He served. The actions of wisdom demonstrated throughout His ministry vindicated Him from the accusers! Those that hated Him and His ministry were made dumb and stupid before the demonstrations of God in His life.
Let’s read some more in this vein of thought. This issue needs to be settled in the hearts of believers.
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him. As Jesus was having a meal in Matthewʼs house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this he said, “Those who are healthy donʼt need a physician, but those who are sick do. Go and learn what this saying means: ʻI want mercy and not sacrifice.ʼ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:9-13 NET).
Notice the word "call". Jesus came to call sinners- to what? Look at Mark 1:14,15.
Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. He said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” (NET)
He came to call sinners to repentance, to seek and save that which is lost (Luke 19:10)! Jesus did not come to buddy around with sinners and to go to all their ungodly activities.
Although He was eating at Matthew’s house, He was there because He had called Matthew to be a part of His group of apostles. Jesus was interested in the call of God and in repentance. If He sat with sinners for a meal it was not to buddy with them and “hang out” with ungodly folk, but to call them to repent of their sins and turn to God. This is a VERY important distinction.
Jesus never ever compromised the truth of God or the holiness of God over a meal or party. He was ever mindful of the word of His Father and would never lay aside His righteousness. Jesus hated lawlessness and loved righteousness (Hebrews 1:9). All sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4) so Jesus hated ALL sin!
Did you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?
You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4 NASB).
There is a prevailing deception roaming among a large group of Christians today. Many think we have to be like the world in its social activities and agendas. Some agree with the world and its antichrist ideas and philosophy, even accepting the LGBTQ agenda. Some churches have become country clubs or socialite centers. Others have become self-help centers promoting a selfish, self-centered ‘gospelette’. What they teach and preach is a far cry from the faith that was delivered once and for all to the saints (those separated unto God by living a holy life- Jude 1:3, 4.)
Jesus, the apostles, and the early church would be disgusted at all the trash many teach today as ‘the gospel’! They would look at it and say, “Blasphemy!” Many would be turned over to Satan so that they would learn not to blaspheme (1 Timothy 1:20).
If you read the book of Acts objectively, you will see some glaring dissimilarities between what the apostles called the Church of the living God and what many today call the church. It takes no rocket science to observe the stark differences! Today most churches are puny and powerless. Many have hype, hoopla, media presentations, and a good show, but little to no power from heaven. That must and will have to change the closer we get to the coming of the Lord! I believe the change is already under way, but there is much that must change before we can be presented to the as a church without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing. The church the Lord Jesus will present unto Himself at His appearing will be glorious, holy, and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:26, 27)
Sorry to burst your bubble (not really), but the Lord Jesus will not be presenting to Himself a whoring church that practices witchcraft, fornication, drunkenness, lasciviousness, and love for the lawlessness, sin, and darkness of the world. God won’t be presenting to Jesus a church full of murderers that agree with the murder of the unborn, nor will He allow those that accept or practice the LGBTQ lifestyle.
Fuss all you want, but the New Testament lists of those that will not be inheriting the kingdom (rule or reign) of God are extremely clear. See Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Ephesians 5:3-5, 18; Colossians 3:5, 6; and Revelation 21:9 (NKJV, NET, AMP). Look at the verses in a few translations like the ones I suggest. The people that practice the sins mentioned in those lists will not get a “welcome to heaven and have a great eternity”. Those that practice lawlessness (“sin is lawlessness”- 1 John 3:4) will be rejected by the Lord and told, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:23 NKJV) That will be a day of surprise and extreme horror for many that thought they would make heaven regardless of the sin they practiced upon the earth.
When was the last time you heard a demon scream out in a service and saw the pastor cast it out?
When was the last time you saw someone in a church service baptized in the Holy Spirit and speaking with tongues?
How many people are healed every week at your church? Recently, have any cripples walked off healed?
When was the last time Ananias and Sapphira died at your church?
When was the last time they brought out the sick and demon possessed to the street by your church so you could pray for them, and they would be healed and delivered?
When was the last time your church had miracles, signs and wonders, and people fell down on their faces and cried out to God saying that He was truly in your midst?
Church it is time to repent and get back to doing the works of Jesus and greater than those He did! (John 14:12)
Can you hear the Master saying today what He said to the churches in Asia Minor in Revelation chapters two and three? The Lord Jesus is rebuking the churches today and saying, “REPENT!” (See Revelation 2:5, 16, 21, 3:3, 19.) Are you ready for a repentance revolution and a supernatural awakening that will open the door to a manifestation of God’s Spirit like this world has not seen?
Bad company and good morals
Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals. Sober up as you should, and stop sinning! For some have no knowledge of God - I say this to your shame (1 Corinthians 15:33-34 NET)!
Who are you spending your time with? Godly or ungodly folks? Based on this scriptural truth some sayings have come from it.
A proverbial saying in Spanish is: "Dime con quien andas y yo te diré quien tu eres." Translated it states: "Show me who you walk with, and I will tell you who you are". Don't tell me you spend time with drunks and drug addicts and you are walking differently. You lie! Who you walk with will be a determining factor of who you are!
We are not to walk in the way of sinners, nor sit with the scornful, nor follow the counsel of the ungodly! Our delight MUST be in the Word (or law-Torah) of the Lord! (See Psalms 1:1-3.) That is where the blessing of the Lord is!
The more time you spend rubbing shoulders with the world in acceptance, the more of the world that will rub off on you. It’s unavoidable. Your morals will eventually suffer. You will begin to ease off of a righteous position in Christ and begin to slide into complacency, tolerance of evil, and finally acceptance of evil and evil ways.
One way that Satan is effectively using to lull Christians into acceptance of evil is through sitcoms and programming that indulges in evil and darkness. Spend time watching whoredom, fornication, adultery, same-sex marriage, lesbianism, homosexuality, murder, hatred, lust, covetousness, crime, and injustice, and what do you think will happen to you? Many Christians feed on this trash for hours every week and feed their hearts one good Christian meal a week at some churches! Well, at least in some churches who actually teach the Bible! Who do you think will prevail when you need to take a stand? You are being softened up for the kill by the devil and demons as you spend mindless hours watching sitcoms and other programming that exalts sin, carnality, lust, and darkness.
Here are some Scripture references to further establish these points. If you think about it, you can probably come up with another dozen more.
Romans 12:2
Prov. 13:30
1Cor. 5:11
Pro. 14:7
Ps. 26:4-5
Ps. 1:1-4
Pro. 4:14-15
Pro. 28:7
1Cor. 5:6
2 Cor. 6:14-15
Eph. 5:6-7
Rev. 18:4
Cp. 1Cor. 15:33 and Joshua 23:1-16
Heb. 12:1- entanglement of sin
The recorded message is a way to supernaturally enter into the anointing and power of God. It is the POWER of praying in supernatural tongues! Be mightily blessed with the anointed Word in this podcast!
A denial of the eternal importance of living righteously is running rampant in many churches, but don’t be fooled! In these podcasts, we look at these truths with the Scripture. We give you many verses so you will not be deceived and drink the false “grace” Kool-Aid!
Paul taught the exact opposite of what is heard in the hyper and pseudo grace books and by the ministers that promote it, and there are a smorgasbord of them! Many deny the words of Jesus, and some reject the doctrine of repentance from dead works as a foundational teaching of the church (Hebrews 6:1. 2) Some deny eternal judgment, and others reject the book of Revelation. Others think they are strictly living by Paul’s epistles, but they are not. They actually read only selected verses that appear to support their crazy and unsubstantiated doctrines, but worse than that, they reinterpret them in the light of their wrong ideas about grace. Repentance, confession of sins, and walking in holiness and righteousness are NEW TESTAMENT teachings, and never considered “works of the law” or as being “in the flesh” as many in the hyper-grace movement consider them.
Should we go on sinning because we are under grace?
What shall we say [to all this]? Should we continue in sinandpractice sin as a habit so that [God’s gift of] grace may increaseandoverflow? … What then [are we to conclude]? Shall we sin because we are not under Law, but under [God’s] grace? Certainly not! (Romans 6:1, 15 Amplified Bible)
How should we live under grace? Again, Paul taught us exactly how we should live under grace.
That is the way we should live, because [For] God’s grace that can save everyone has ·come [appeared; been revealed]. It ·teaches [trains; disciplines] us to ·turn away from [reject; deny] ungodly living and ·the evil things the world wants to do [or worldly desires; sinful pleasures]. Instead, that grace teaches us to live in the present age in a ·wise [self-controlled] and ·right [upright; just] way and in a ·way that shows we serve God [godly manner](Titus 2:11, 12 Expanded Bible).
Many deny the significance of godly and righteous living, and some churches reject it vehemently even with verses like the above. Yet, they have no answer for the numerous Scriptures in the NEW Testament that command godliness, holiness, and living in righteousness. They have no answer for the numerous verses in Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John that insist Christians MUST live in godly and righteous behavior.
Here is one good example out of many verses that teach that responsibility of the believer to live holy and righteous before God:
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep soberin spirit, fix yourhope completely on the grace to be brought to you atthe revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lustswhich were yoursin yourignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves alsoin allyourbehavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:13-19 NASB).
Some have embraced the sinful ways of the world and downplayed the sins of homosexuality and lesbianism, and some churches have accepted same-sex marriage. They are like Sodom and Gomorrah. Some refer to a Christian man and woman sharing the same bed (living together without marriage) as a “problem” or something unimportant instead of calling it what it is: sin, sexual immorality, or fornication! The “s” word (sin) is almost forbidden in some churches. The same can be said about living in self-control and any teaching about eternal judgment of the wicked in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15, 21:7). Many will not address these issues.
It's time to check up on ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5). We should judge ourselves so that we are not judged (1 Corinthians 11:31). This message goes down a path less traveled by modern churchianity. This is the path of the Lord, though unconventional, and we are doing our part to make His paths straight.
Be blessed with Part 7!
Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore.
From the Back Cover:
A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power.
Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus.
If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB).
The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed!
Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
More books have been published and they will become available again in the process of time.
What is brother Dan doing talking about his eating and food? No Martha Stewart type cooking show going on here. No, this is not something I plan to continue doing, but I have had some sweet victory in this area of weight loss, and wanted to share the "secrets" others charge a lot of money for, and do it completely free of charge. No sales pitch, no buying supplements, and no fad diets. Just a lifestyle change, one that actually gets results.
Is that OK?
I know many people struggle with their weight as I did, especially as you get older. I found what worked for me when exercise and regular lo carb stopped working for me. I was a 270 lb. weight lifter with rolls of fat over my muscles. Just very chunky! That all changed when I started doing what I am telling you about here. I went from a muscular fat ball of 270 to a fit and trim 215, and I plan to go a little lower to about 205. So, here is me having fun talking about all this stuff.
My alternate and ULTIMATE brunch recipe:
Pour a little olive oil in the pan.
I used minced garlic for this recipe, even though fresh garlic tastes better. Fresh garlic takes a little longer to peel. I know some people have ways to make the peeling easier, but I am a “traditionalist” and do it by hand if I use it. I’m generous with the garlic in the pan.
I chopped a medium yellow onion and put it all in the pan. Then, I added a generous serving of baby spinach, and lo and behold, I dropped some Sambal Oelek chili paste in the pan. Sometimes I will use jalapeños or other hot peppers. In this particular case, I also added some bacon bits.
At the church I attend, they have 5 acres dedicated to growing organic whole foods, and hot peppers are a part of it. I’ve used several different hot peppers from that farm. I particularly like some small round ones that I don’t know their name, but they were HOT!!! Ghost peppers? Loved them for cooking. They also had the smaller red chili peppers like my grandmother had in her back yard in Puerto Rico. These were super-hot. I can’t write what country folks call them here because many of my Latin brothers and sisters in Christ would get offended. They are called by using a foul-mouthed phrase to refer to them. If you put them in your mouth, you might wind up cussing! Hopefully not, but they are that hot! AY!
As you can see, I am a hot pepper fanatic.
Set heat on a little higher than mid-range.
Let all that cook until the spinach wilts well. Then sprinkle some parmesan and add three whole eggs. Top off with provolone cheese, lower temp to medium heat, cover the pan and let cook until eggs are done to your liking.
Often, I scramble the eggs and put them in after the garlic, onion, and spinach have sizzled for a bit. Sometimes I will also chop up some vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower and add it to the mix. I make a nice omelet out of it. I let the eggs cook until it’s a little crispy on the bottom, put cheese on top with meat or chicken (no breading of any kind). I add some Alfredo sauce and season to taste. I use sea salt, crushed red pepper, cayenne, or black pepper. I fold it like an omelet and enjoy!
No, eggs are not unhealthy. People that only eat the egg whites are shortchanging themselves. The white protein of the egg needs the fats in the yolk to get the best nutrition into the body. As you age whole eggs are an awesome food. They are super healthy and excellent nutrition. Don’t fall for the old wife fable that egg yolks are bad for you. Wrong!
Often, I start my eating with a big, beautiful salad. I will write about it some more below.
For real keto you must eliminate all bread products, potatoes, carrots, sugary drinks, pasta, and even the diet sodas! Drink tea, some coffee, and water when you are thirsty. I drink a lot of tea, but I despise hot tea. Give it to me ICE cold only. Leave the hot stuff at home for the sick and dying! Oops! I know many countries have hot tea as a part of their daily consumption, so go right ahead. I just like tea very cold.
Get rid of the carrots, tomatoes, and ALL fruits. No bananas, apples, pears, grapes, etc. Forget fruit juices or dried fruit. As for me, I quit eating all cheese products for about 60 days when I started. That is optional, but I chose to do it. It worked for me.
If you are a believer in Christ Jesus, you probably already removed all alcohol, but if you are not convicted that you need to refrain from wine and stuff like it, listen up: alcohol of any kind will wreak havoc on a ketogenic lifestyle. Get rid of it! Alcohol breaks down in the body into sugars, increases insulin, produces excess cortisol, and winds up helping fat storage. Alcohol cannot contribute anything positive to my life, so "von voyage" and stay away from me!
Eat meat with some of its fat (cow, sheep, goat, and for the adventurous there is bison, deer, etc.), and don’t forget fatty fish like salmon.
Those that tell you to stay away from marriage and/or meats are involved in doctrines of demons! Vegetarianism is a doctrine of demons!
But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer. (1Timothy 4:1-4 ASV)
Animals are creatures. Plants are not creatures! The apostle was speaking of meats and not plants. Thought I would bring out that truth. God created MEATS to be received with thanksgiving.
I eat ground beef or steak. Even though acceptable as a meat during a keto lifestyle, I stay away from pork products. I despise the taste of baked or sliced ham of any kind. Now, baby back ribs, slow roasted pork in a pit (Caribbean style), and “chicharones” (pork rinds), I may eat them occasionally. No pig's feet or ears. No cow tongue, liver, brain, and no other "exotic" parts for me except the meat! Some people like cow liver and chicken gizzards. These are extremely disgusting to me. Sorry for all you lovers of weird animal parts.
The goal of keto is to get the body to begin consuming the excess fat as energy, instead of depending on carbohydrates-sugars. There are all kinds of scientific studies done on all this, and people make the mistake of listening to fad pushers when weight loss is easy as can be if these things are followed consistently.
Then comes the fun part.
Don’t eat breakfast! Wait a few hours before eating anything. Eat after 10 am and cut off food by 5 pm. That is to start. I usually train with my workouts before I eat breakfast. Other people train in the afternoons.
The key is to get your body to initially be without food for 17 to 18 hours before eating. As your body adapts, you can wait and eat by 12 noon and cut off all food by 4pm. A four-hour window for keto friendly food means you will be without food for 20 hours, that is what you want to accomplish until you reach your ideal weight. Even just getting close to 20 hours will have excellent results. I initially learned much of this from Dr. Eric Berg on his YouTube channel. What I like about him is that he consistently posts under the videos the scientific studies that back up his presentations. Very useful. No fad diets there!
It may take you a month to reach a 4 hour window for eating keto friendly foods. I was radical, and after my first week, I pushed myself into the 4-hour food window. It was difficult, and I had some tiredness in the afternoons for a week. I started using MCT oil in the huge green salads I like to make. That helped me with the energy levels. Watch it with the MCT oil. Too much and you will have Montezuma's revenge (the runs). Don't ask me how I know.
You must watch it with salad dressings. Stick with olive oil, MCT oil, vinegar (organic apple cider vinegar is best) and seasonings. Often, I've added fresh cilantro, parsley, or oregano to my salads. Most commercial dressings, steak sauces, gravies, ketchup, all are a NO-NO and they can be high in carbs or have unhealthy oils like soyabean, corn, and vegetable oils.
Most low carb or sugar free dressings use the wrong kinds of sweetener and defeat their purpose. READ every label and stay away from anything with sugars like cane sugar, maltodextrin, honey, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, and everything you can’t pronounce. I know that can be difficult at times, especially if you travel for work or ministry. You have to watch closer than ever on the road what you eat and at what time you eat it. NEVER eat after your cut off time come hell or high water! No late night eating! I used to fight to get to the kitchen and eat something before my 4 or 5 PM cut off time because I knew I was not having anymore food until the next day around 11am or 12noon. That was hard at first, but became easier and easier as I pushed through the bad eating habits of the past.
There are only three sugar substitutes that are even worth mentioning, and they are xylitol, erythritol, and stevia. Xylitol info is a little harder to come to a definitive answer on whether it helps or interferes. It seems the jury is still out on it, though leaning towards useful. Not so with the other two, erythritol and stevia. Those don’t spike insulin and don’t increase cortisol, which are found to be major contributors for fat gain and fat storage, but that is another subject. Saccharin and aspartame are bad news. Stay away from them.
Look, if you really want to lose the weight FAST, you must get your carbohydrate consumption down to as close to zero as possible and do intermittent fasting. That is what I have done. Now that I have gone under my target weight, I add 20 to 30 carbs a day- sometimes. I said- sometimes. Not often. I still watch very closely what I eat and at what time.
The other day, I took my sons to Texas Roadhouse. It was our Christmas dinner! I hadn’t eaten all day and it was 2 pm! So, I ate everything I ordered and even ate… wait for it… their bread rolls! Uh! So, so good with that doggone cinnamon butter! It was a first for me in almost 6 months. It was weird. I felt so stuffed when I was done that I wound up not enjoying it much. My body did not see it with kindness. I ate nothing after that indulgence until the next day at 12 noon. See what I did? It was a VERY special allowance, but immediately I got back on the bandwagon. The next day, I ate as close to zero carbs as possible and continued on that for a few more days.
Men and boys should stay away from ALL soy products, that is unless you want to grow some feminine parts. Ha! Soy products consumed consistently can contribute to a feminized male body. Yuk man! Get at least some muscularity on that frame! Soy has the tendency to increase the production of estrogen, and that is bad news for boys and men. Stop the soy lattes and all soy products!
Drink real coffee! I am from Puerto Rico and enjoy a big mug (not a cup) of piping hot coffee in the morning. No soy milk ever! I use half and half or light whipping cream for my coffee. They are very low to zero carbs. I rarely use whole milk, but I say no to coconut milk, almond, or rice milk! How can you possibly get "milk" from almonds and rice?? Those are not good for weight loss.
Occasionally (once a month or so), I will get a sugar free chocolate bar sweetened ONLY with stevia. Have you heard of Lilly’s chocolate bars? Love the stuff, but it is not something to indulge in too often, but it makes a nice treat. I REALLY like chocolate. Anything chocolate!
One woman said pointing at and caressing herself, “I have all this dark chocolate here and it’s available”. Her lustful smile was dripping with the wrong spirit. It was Fornication 101. She was a very curvaceous, dark-skinned woman. Very nice to look at, BUT not for a lingering look. I’ve learned to turn my eyes and my head away from dwelling on the wrong thing. I mean, literally turn my head, and look at something else. The offer was rejected by not commenting and simply walking away. Don't engage a wrong spirit like that unless you are going to cast it out or you are doing a Jesse Duplantis. A what?
Evangelist Jesse Duplantis was on a plane and one woman offered herself to him. He asked her to step back some so he could stand up. She obliged. He got up, pointed his finger at her and began to yell so everyone in the plane could hear him, "Whore of Babylon!! She is a whore of Babylon!!" He said it until the woman ducked her head in shame and ran off. Jesse stated, "If you don't embarrass sin, sin will embarrass you." That is the right spirit.
Well, I am 100% male and as heterosexual as they come, but I am not on the market for the kind of chocolate that woman was offering! I’ll take Lilly’s, thank you very much. Lilly’s can’t hurt me, but the other is on the road to death and hell, whether she had dark chocolate skin, a rich white appearance, or anything in between! No way!
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies. (1Corinthians 6:18-20 NIV)
See also Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 10:8; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Jude 1:7; Revelation 2:14, 2:20, 9:21.
Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. (1Corinthians 6:13b NKJV)
The decision is in your hands. You have a choice and only YOU can choose between what is right and wrong.
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them. (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20 NKJV)
There is so much in those two verses that I could preach and teach on them for at least an hour! Oh, wait a minute. I did preach on that very subject in Spanish at a church in Puerto Rico back in 2005. It's the podcast message attached to this post. If you can understand Spanish, you will receive tremendously from the anointing there that day. The recording is powerful! God did special miracles that day at that church. Be blessed!
Yes, my statements fly contrary to centuries of traditional Christianity, but the truth is found in Scripture. What will you believe, what you believe or what the Scripture actually says.
Let’s break the tradition-o-meter right now.
Jesus does not continue to live in those that practice sin without repentance.
Ouch!
Is that Biblical? We’ve read it every time on these podcasts.
Examine yourselves as towhether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed youare disqualified(2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV).
A person could be disqualified from having Jesus in their life through an insistence to live sinfully, and by a refusal to re-apply the blood of Jesus to their lives through confession of their sins to God (1 John 1:7-9). The practice of sin, or living a sinful lifestyle is what disqualifies a born again Christian from having Jesus in them.
The disqualification spoken of here is not that one was a pagan that never knew Jesus, and therefore has never had Jesus in their lives. No, the context of Paul’s statement here is geared specifically towards Christians that have drifted back into sin and have not repented.
For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repentedof the uncleanness, fornication,and lewdness which they have practiced (2 Cor. 12:20, 21).
We also look at the two parts of righteousness in the New Testament. Specifically, we mention righteousness as the gift of God when we came to Jesus. Then we reiterate that we are told to live righteously, or that we are to practice righteousness. That speaks of keeping moral behavior in line with God’s Word and commandments.
All that and a bag of chips, just for you! Sorry, no bag of chips and no bonbons. That’s right. No cotton candy, and no popcorn as you watch a movie. Only the pure and unadulterated Word of God here! That is what will make you grow up in Him.
Be blessed with this anointed podcast!
Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore.
From the Back Cover:
A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power.
Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus.
If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB).
The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed!
Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
More books have been published and they will become available again in the process of time.
This anointed recording on the Name of Jesus IN SPANISH, was recorded in 2017. The Hands in Motion Studio (Brandon, Florida) under the brother and anointed Latin Music Grammy winner, Lannie Battistini, who was in the studio recording this as I preached and taught the Word. Lannie is my brother in law and like the blood brother I never had! He was gracious and gave some studio time at his music and production facilities for this recording. There were a few people present but it was mostly a closed session.
The book "Redimidos de la Maldición" was first published in 1983. I found the copy of the book today and decided to publish it now.
Para mis hermanos Latinos. Sean ricamente bendecidos con esta grabación ungida y libro.
Redimidos de La Maldición
Este libro fue primero publicado en el 1983, pero es tan bueno el mensaje hoy para TODO creyente como lo fue entonces. Si nunca has oído este mensaje, no te lo pierdas. Incluye un capitulo sobre Job. Es super necesario porque hay mucha mala interpretación entre muchos en el Cristianismo.
Descarga el libro entero gratuitamente aquí con este eslabón.
Yes, it's a weird title, but here we go. What is that stuff in the pan? Above is a pic of my excellent and very spicy keto friendly brunch at 10:40 AM this morning. While my sons were on break from homeschool, I got to cooking. The food in the pic is raw. I usually don't eat till around 11am and sometimes after 12 noon, and I cut off all food consumption by 4 or 5pm. I made that recipe myself. Let me tell you about it. My recipe: Put butter on frying pan. I made a smaller homemade waffle (yes, it has some carbs) surrounded by sliced pepperoni, topped with pepper jack and baby Swiss cheese, three whole eggs, with a finishing touch of a generous amount of the tasty Sambal Oelek (oriental) ground and fresh chili paste. Put a lid on the pan because the chili paste will splatter some as it cooks. Also, the lid helps the eggs cook without having to turn them over. Let it cook a bit. I like to crisp the bottom for a little while. I love ALL the hot stuff from just about everywhere on planet Earth! I evangelically baptize (not sprinkle like Catholics) everything with hot sauces, chilis, and hot peppers. Yes, it was a joke but a real thing. Here is the bottom line. My recipe was awesomely delicious, filling, and very satisfying! Period! Wow! Pic of the finished product before I chowed it all down: Yep, I am a good cook, and I have a lot of interesting recipes in my head that I have used over the years. I have a Latin background together with growing up in my dad's and mom's chain of Italian restaurants in Puerto Rico, and it gave me a rich and varied food experience. Dad was of the Olivieri family of Italians that migrated to Puerto Rico in the mid 1800's. So, it's in my blood. My parents traveled often with my sister and I, and we were exposed to cuisine from many quarters of the globe. I am 66 years old going on 67 in January of 2023. Keto alone quit working for me some years ago. I couldn't control my weight. I had to change my approach and some of my eating habits. I was praying for over a year on what to do about my weight. The Lord first impressed my spirit with a starting point, so I began by cutting off some unnecessary food items. I added keto friendly stuff, but with little weight loss results. Something was missing, and then I found my answer. I needed a combination of healthy and VERY strict keto (as close to zero carbs as possible) together with intermittent fasting. That was my breakthrough moment, and within a week, I started seeing results. It hasn't stopped working, so I will stay with very low carb and be very strict for a little longer. Yesterday, for the first time since I started my healthy keto and intermittent fasting plan in June of this year 2022, I weighed myself and was shocked! In the picture of myself that appears with this podcast, I was weighing about 230. Needless to say but probably important here is the fact that I have triplet 10-year-old boys at 66 years of age! So, a massive increase in stamina and strength were needed when I weighed 270. Now, thank God, I have increased stamina and strength! I lost a lot of weight after the triplets were born. You try it some time. You will get it. Not so easy to deal with three babies at once, and especially because you get very little sleep. When I started my lifestyle change, I was aiming for 225 or 230, about 45 lbs. of fat loss. I started at a muscular 270 pounds, BUT covered in a lot of excess and UGLY fat! My apologies to all of you struggling with weight loss. Not really. You have to get off your fat behind and do something about it. Nothing will change until you change what you are doing. I am giving you a body-altering solution here. The recorded message will be rich for your spirit and soul, but this here is for the body. Our bodies must be under subjection to our spirit and soul. We cannot allow it to get away from us. It is not to do its own thing in sin or bad habits. (See 1 Corinthians 9:25-27.) Now, I am ab-showing and muscular and slightly under 215 lbs.! I haven't weighed that since the 90's. Don't be concerned. I am not selling anything. There is nothing for you to buy. I don't sell supplements or anything like that. I don't even have a subscription for a fee thing going on. It's all free of charge. Do the math. I've lost at least 55 pounds of fat !! There has been NO muscle loss and I increased my workout with weights substantially. Maybe I'll continue till I get to 205 or 210. We will see. I don't do aerobics! Yuk! I like long walks, leisurely outdoor bicycling, swimming, and practice with the Jo (Japanese style staff of approx. 4 feet) and the forms associated with it, BUT I do this with weighted bars and not a wood stick. As of a few weeks ago, I do these forms with a 42 lb. hybrid bar I made from two other bars. They don't make 42 or 45 pound bars that are also 4 feet long. A six foot bar or longer is VERY uncomfortable. I was using a 36 pound bar before using this hybrid I put together, but it was 6 feet long. I smashed my toes with it twice. Not any fun and highly painful for a few days. My toes screamed at me, "Ok, Dan, raise your arms a little more when twirling the stupid 36 pound bar!" In the pictures above you can see the main 30lb. bar. I've used that one for a very long time before I upgraded to the 36 pounder. Recently, I added a 12 lb. bar to the 30 lb. bar and then attached them with some glorious duck tape. Who knows. I may post a short video of what I do. For now, know that I started doing the forms with 5 pounds back in 1996. I didn't get to 42 pounds overnight! There were a few breaks in there over the years for other reasons, but mostly I kept doing the forms, and kept increasing the amount of weight. I first learned all the forms and got pretty good with my custom made wood Jo. I still have that jo. Sometimes I put a 12 lb. wrap on each leg and do leg lifts and kicks, though not too fast. I don't want to injure anything "down under". I have gone from a tight fitting pant size 44 (big as the side of a barn) to a loose fitting size 36. I won't post a picture of my fat former self. It is too embarrassing and super awkward. I know people like posting before and after pics, but I don't want a picture of that fat dude in my head or floating around for posterity. The fat guy (and I don't mean Santa Claus) is long gone and won't be back in Jesus' Name. Losing all this weight did a number on my wardrobe. I went from a closet full to a handful, and no suits to boot. It's become a great opportunity for an upgrade, overhaul, and makeover, but not a radical one. I still won't wear printed stuff with too many colors like my pastor does. He looks good in that stuff. He wears it well, but I would feel out of my own skin dressed like that. I also dislike flannel or country style stuff. Keep your boots and big cowboy hats to yourself. I won't wear them. I tried and my feet felt suffocated and my head wasn't any better. I like wide and airy shoes and beach sandals. I like the beach and I like sunshine. If I have my way, I prefer no shoes at all. Surprise! I wonder what would happen if I preached barefoot with my size 11 to 12 Flintstone toes (as my sister calls them) out in the open? Haha! This was a really different kind of testimony. Hope you enjoyed it. Now to the Word. Love all of you, Dan A. Rodriguez***The recorded message attached to this post was one I preached at a church on St. Thomas (USVI) in 2000. The service started with a wonderful move of the Holy Spirit. Many fell out and were all over the floor under the powerful anointing present there. It was a glorious meeting where Jesus showed up in a demonstration of His holy presence! Listen to the 30 minute message preached AFTER the power fell in that place. The message title is, "Anointed with Power."
Be mightily and supernaturally blessed!
Let’s talk about living righteous. This is a part of faith in Christ as Paul taught Felix and Drusilla.
But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, hiswife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard himspeakaboutfaith in Christ Jesus.But as he was discussingrighteousness,self-control andthe judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.” (Acts 24:24, 25 NASB)
If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by Him (1 John 2:29 NET).
Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning (1 John 3:7, 8 NET).
It is deception to believe that if you practice sin as a Christian you are righteous. NO! ONLY those that practice righteousness are righteous just as Jesus is righteous. Did you get that? According to these verses, the one who practices sin is of the devil. There is no such thing as practicing sin and being righteous at the same time.
This next verse will cause traditional ideas to burst like a balloon.
In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother(1 John 3:10 NKJV)
Can the phrase, “whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God” be any clearer? I don’t think so, but many still fuss with these truths. Believe the Word of God and reject erroneous theology that espouses that you can be righteous and practice sin.
Hear this message! Be blessed with these short 15 to 20 minute podcasts! You are loved!
____________________
Get it as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore.
From the Back Cover:
A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power.
Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus.
If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB).
The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed!
Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
I want to make easily available to you on this post some of my most downloaded books, messages, and articles. My podcast timeline will not show posts without a recording, so I included a recorded message with the title, "Why Everyone Needs Jesus". Everything is free of charge. My sowing into lives or giving freely as I have freely received.
My most downloaded book so far is in Spanish with almost 800 downloads: Tres Días y Noches en el Corazón de La Tierra and it has almost 300 pages.
Other books:
A Call to Return: Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus
Faith That Receives the Grace of God
(More than 150 downloads)
Most Downloaded messages:
How To Receive the Baptism in The Holy Spirit (with other tongues)
(Close to 200 downloads.)
Como Recibir el Bautismo en el Espiritu Santo (y otras lenguas)
Faith in Jesus or is it Faith in Something Else? Almost 11.4k downloads! By far, our most downloaded message! These are real downloads and not a fluke or a glitch! The number of downloads is on the page, and Podbean podcast service confirmed them as real downloads. I was shocked and overwhelmed! May MANY come to the knowledge and reality of the Lord Jesus as Savior, Healer, Deliverer, Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, and all He is in the people from 129 countries (6 continents) that downloaded this message!
62 Page mini book that goes to the Word mainly in the New Testament in context to show the truth about this important subject:
Did God "X" out All the Commandments under Grace?
Same subject matter as previous but in Spanish, and it has been downloaded hundreds of times:
La Diferencia Entre Mandamientos Morales y Rituales y La Responsabilidad del Creyente Conforme a La Epístolas Apostólicas
There are others but this will be good for now.
Blessings on all of you in the mighty Name of Jesus!
Are you righteous in Christ no matter how much you sin? Some would stand firm by the assertion that no matter how much sin permeates your life after conversion, that once you receive righteousness, you are always and forever righteous. Of course, they have reason to believe that way based on some very important verses. Here are some of them:
Whom God put forward [before the eyes of all] as a mercy seatandpropitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed overandignored former sins without punishment.It was to demonstrate and prove at the present time (in the now season) that He Himself is righteous and that He justifies and accepts as righteous him who has [true] faith in Jesus (Romans 3:24, 25 Amplified Bible).
For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)(Romans 5:17 Amplified Bible).
For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness] (2 Corinthians 5:21 Amplified Bible).
When we come to Jesus, make Him our Lord, and are born again, we are made pure and righteousness from all our past sins. We begin the Christian life with a clean slate! The Lord “passed overandignored former sins without punishment.” Glory to God! Clean, sanctified, and made righteous in the blood! That is the truth about being born again!
Here is a question for you. Though that is the absolute truth, does that mean that you can practice sin like the world as a Christian and continue to be righteous before God? If it’s true that regardless of your sins you continue in righteousness, then what do you do with the following verses?
Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning(1 John 3:7, 8 NET).
If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by Him (1 John 2:29 NET).
But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness(1 John 1:9 NET).
If once you are righteous you can never step out of that righteousness through sin, then why must you confess your sins if you commit them? Why must the one who commits sin be cleansed from unrighteousness if once righteous always righteous?
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10 NET).
If a Christian practices unrighteousness and does not repent and confess their sins, will he or she inherit the kingdom of God? Did you know Paul refers to things that will disqualify a person from their inheritance in the kingdom of God?
That is the other side of the righteousness theme in the Bible. Did you note that I haven’t quoted one verse from the Old Testament yet? This is NEW Testament, but it is also found throughout the Old Testament.
Can your spirit be contaminated by sin AFTER you become a follower of Jesus? Some believe that if you sin it is only the “flesh” and that it does not pollute the spirit. If that were true, then why did Paul say the following to the Corinthian church and include Himself in the equation?
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God(2 Corinthians 7:1 NET).
These are truths generally denied or overlooked by many in evangelical Christianity.
Here is the truth. When you come to Jesus, you were made righteous by His blood. After you are a believer, if you sin and do not repent and confess your sins to God, then your righteous standing with God is interrupted UNTIL you act on 1 John 1:9. Doing First John 1:9 is how you are cleansed from all the unrighteousness you did and then your righteousness is restored.
I know this is a one-two punch against many erroneous and traditional ideas. I am happy to do it because these have been entrenched in our thinking for far too long. It has robbed many Christians from pursuing righteousness in all they do. That is another good point. Why pursue righteousness if you are already righteous forever with no possibility of messing it up through sin? Why did Paul tell Christians to pursue (run hard after) righteousness if righteousness can never be forfeited? See 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22.
This podcast will begin to set the record straight in these areas.
Be blessed!
_______
Get it as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore.From the Back Cover:
A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power.
Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus.
If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB).
The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed!
Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
This is the last podcast in this series of 37 on this magnificent subject. No subject in the Scripture is more important than seeing what Jesus actually did for us through His great and awesome sacrifice. That is why when I saw I missed the final two podcasts in this series that I interrupted the series we started recently that got more downloads than at any other time in the history of these podcasts! These last two podcasts were extremely important to "clinch the nail on the back of the board" of these 37 podcasts on redemption.
Did you know the Bible calls the resurrection of Jesus from the dead a birthing from the dead, not to be confused with the virgin birth of Jesus in Bethlehem? We discuss this under a really precious anointing of the Holy Spirit together with the Word of God. Be blessed!
Listen to the whole series if you have questions. Download the book free of charge below.
THE STORY OF OUR GREAT REDEMPTION is the greatest story ever told! This book will open your eyes to what Jesus did for us to depths seldom tread by Christians, pastors, and ministers. Jesus was and is the greatest hero ever born! All other man-made heroes pale in comparison. It is sad that so many try to draw parallels between Jesus and , for example, the fictional character Superman. The truths about Jesus' sacrifice make the Superman fiction look like child's play. Brace yourself for Biblical truths that your pastor probably never taught you. I promise you, that if you will receive the Word on this mighty subject in this book, it will be transformational.
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/ew2qp7/The_Story_of_our_Great_Redemption.pdf
Be extraordinarily and powerfully blessed!
This is one for the "books" in eternity! It will either curl your hair or straighten it! It is goose-bump and fire from heaven territory! If you can listen to this podcast and stay the same, then you need to be raised from the dead!
Jesus was justified in the Spirit according to the Scripture and God called His own son, God, when He raised Him from the dead out of hell. Never heard of that before? We explore it by the Word (and not by personal opinion) in this podcast.
Remember that this is part 36 of a 37 part series on the Story of Our Great Redemption. Listen to the whole series if you have questions. Download the book free of charge below.
THE STORY OF OUR GREAT REDEMPTION is the greatest story ever told! This book will open your eyes to what Jesus did for us to depths seldom tread by Christians, pastors, and ministers. Jesus was and is the greatest hero ever born! All other man-made heroes pale in comparison. It is sad that so many try to draw parallels between Jesus and , for example, the fictional character Superman. The truths about Jesus' sacrifice make the Superman fiction look like child's play. Brace yourself for Biblical truths that your pastor probably never taught you. I promise you, that if you will receive the Word on this mighty subject in this book, it will be transformational.
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/ew2qp7/The_Story_of_our_Great_Redemption.pdf
Be extraordinarily and powerfully blessed!
Are you self-deceived? I hope that you are not. No, I did not ask you if you are deceived. I asked you about self-deception. It is one thing to be deceived by the enemy, and some are, but it is another thing to deceive your self!
Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22 MEV).
Self-deception is the result of hearing the Word and not doing it. You heard a good Bible message, for example, concerning generosity and honoring God with the tithe, said amen and “glory hallelujah,” and then did nothing to obey the Scripture. That, my friend, is self-deception. You go to church, hear good Bible teaching, take reams of notes, and don’t do any of it. The next verses in James reveal that only the doers are blessed.
But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in his deeds (James 1:25 MEV).
What a great way to refer to God’s eternal Word: THE LAW OF LIBERTY! It works ALWAYS and for all because it is law that brings liberty to the doer of it. Wow!
Here is where I get back to our subject matter in these podcasts.
Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it (2 Corinthians 13:5 The Message).
Self-examination or self-testing reveals where you stopped doing what God said in His Word. That is what is so critical about testing yourself to see whether you are in the faith. It brings conviction, exposition, reproving, and even rebuke so there can be correction to self-deception.
I trust that this is a word from the Lord for you in due season. Be blessed with Part 3 of these messages.
Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless, indeed, you fail the test!(2ndCorinthians 13:5 NET)
Examining yourself under a spiritual magnifying glass may not be as fun as shouting and praising God, but it is absolutely necessary as part of the devoted Christian life.
The test and examination of yourself is to clearly see if you are in the faith, genuinely (truthfully and honestly), and by fruit production. What does that mean?
What did Paul mean when he stated this examination was to be about whether or not we are in the faith of the Lord Jesus? The good news is we do not have to guess.
But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.”(Acts 24:24, 25 NASB)
Paul explained “faith in Christ” to Felix and Drusilla as: righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come. It made Felix shake and tremble. It’s time for people to shake and tremble by the power of the Holy Spirit as we minister faith in Christ Jesus as Paul did.
Jesus said the Holy Spirit was sent to convict concerning those things.
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8).
We begin to look at these closely. These are powerful and revealing, and they are the very definition of faith in Christ. Faith in Christ is to include righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come, or it is something else. I don’t mean that every message preached or taught has to be specifically about these three subjects, but there needs to be an underlying current of truth in each message. We should never relegate to a backburner righteousness, self-control, or judgment to come.
I understand how foreign that sounds to our ears today because much of the modern church has gone after fluff and cotton candy preaching that RARELY mentions or teaches anything concerning these subjects. Yet, it is precisely what the Holy Spirit was sent to minister through the Church.
I will tell you this in advance. Each of those three things mentioned by Paul are vast in scope. You could probably preach on each one until Jesus returns and never run out. For example, did you know righteousness includes ALL Jesus provided for you and me through His awesome and mighty sacrifice? Righteousness includes every benefit of redemption, but did you know it also includes our moral behavior?
So, are you ready to be challenged and “rudely” interrupted from the traditions of men? Here is part 2!
Here is a verse not mentioned often in Christian circles, yet it was penned by the Paul, the apostle, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:
Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [[a]not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected?(2ndCorinthians 13:5 Amplified Bible)
When was the last time you examined yourself? Did you run a test on yourself? What did the honest and brutal evaluation bring back? Was the evaluation, “I am holding firm to my faith in Christ Jesus, or am I slipping, need to repent, and get it right before God? Do you realize and know that Jesus is in you, or have you become a counterfeit Christian?
We have counterfeits today. They talk a good talk and have learned the language of faith. Others are impressed, but is God impressed? Is God actually pleased with your faith? (See Hebrews 11:6.)
Read it again from a more concise translation.
Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless, indeed, you fail the test! (2ndCorinthians 13:5 NET)
To get what Paul means by being “in the faith” we must see the context.
Get ready for traditional ideas to be shattered. If you want to stay the same, and be the same as you have always been in dead religion, then don’t listen to these messages. Run! If you want more of God and His Spirit, then listen up, and get ready to be obedient to the Lord and His Word of life.
This is life-changing Word for you today. No fluff or cotton candy here! Just the meat of the Word!
The earth groans until the day this curse is removed. (Romans 8:21, 22)
When death and Hades are finally removed from all contact with human beings (Revelation 20:14) there will no longer be any more pain, weeping, or death (21:4), and no more curse (Revelation22:3). Hallelujah!
All of this brings us to some important conclusions that we will study in today's podcast:
(1.) The curse cannot be God's will because, if it is His will, then why remove it?
(2.) The curse cannot be God's will because Jesus Christ redeemed us from it. (Galatians 3:13) Jesus came not to redeem us from something God was doing but from something the devil was doing. (1 John 3:8, Hebrews 2:14). Death is the enemy of God, of the earth, and of us (1 Cor. 15:26, 27). That is why it will finally and for eternity be removed from all contact with the new heavens and new earth and human beings.
(3.) The curse was the direct result of disobedience to God's commandment. It is associated with sin, disobedience, and rebellion. It is not for the righteous or those who serve God. The curse is removed from the Godly and obedient (as they take a stand in faith on their redemption), and the curse has free reign upon the ungodly and disobedient. See Deuteronomy 28:1-3, an 15ff.
(4) This leads us to the conclusion that the curse cannot be God's work.
The devil is the murderer from the beginning (John 8:44). Death was under the devil’s rule. (Hebrews 2:14). He is THE THIEF (John10:10). The devil is the killer. These curses cannot be God. Hurting, killing, and destroying are the enemy's work. It cannot be God who robs or steals. That would be a violation of His own commandment: "Do not steal."
The destroyer and the exterminator are not God. (Revelation 9:11, 6:8) Notice in those Scriptures that hell follows death VERY closely. They are part of each other. They are inseparable. If you say "death" you talk about the work of hell. If you say "hell" you talk about the work of death.
If God were the killer and destroyer, then why did not Paul instruct the church of Corinth to turn over to God the man caught in adultery and incest? Instead, Paul orders them to turn the adulterous/incestuous man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh! (1 Corinthians 5:5)
How readest thou?
How come Jesus never put the curse of sickness on anybody? Did you notice that? He never made anyone sick for the glory of God either! Everybody He healed was oppressed by the devil!
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went about doing good and healing ALL that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (Acts 10:38)
Out of the multiplied thousands He healed during His ministry, none were afflicted by God! Not one time did Jesus turn to one and say, "Look, I can't heal you because God made you sick!" NEVER!
"Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced in the law." (Galatians 3:13 NLT)
The disobedient to God, His Word, and His commandments will live under this curse that came into the earth because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God gave Adam and Eve one commandment, and it was the violation of that one commandment that allowed sin and death to enter the world.
And of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou dost not eat of it, for in the day of thine eating of it -- dying thou dost die.' (Genesis 2:17 YLT)
The author of Young’s Hebrew and Greek Bible Concordance was also the author of the Young’s Literal Translation quoted above. Most translations say, "You will certainly die." In Hebrew mut t'mut (the phrase in question) is literally, "in dying you will die." It is death on every level and in every area of human existence. Nothing was left unaffected by the entrance of sin and death into this planet because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience.
So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned. (Romans 5:12 NET)
Betrayal of Adam opened the door for the entrance of sin and death. That sin and death was and is the curse that inhabits the earth.
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. (Genesis 3:17 KJV)
Genesis 3:17 is better translated in the God Speaks Today version: "The earth will be under curse because of you."
The New English Translation (NET) says: “Thanks to you.” God was speaking to Adam here! In other words, “Adam, it’s YOUR fault the earth has come under a curse!”
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. (Genesis 3:16 KJV)
Genesis 3:16 does not say in Hebrew "I will greatly multiply your sorrow" as though it was God's fault, but almost all English and Spanish translations translate it that way or in a similar manner. That was NOT a translation, but an opinion injected by most translators. Only two translations that I found agree with the Hebrew text:
Contemporary English Version: "You will suffer terribly when you give birth."
The Living Bible- "You will give birth to your children with intense pain and suffering."
In Hebrew transliteration and in translation it literally says:
"ha-ishah amar" – to the woman said
"har-bah ar-beh" - in (the) increase will increase
"itz-bonech" - your pain
So God was saying:
To the woman (He) said. "Your pain will greatly increase..."
That is a better translation. There was no mention of God saying "I will increase your pain."
When one combines Genesis 2:17 and 3:17 you begin to see that God is calling this death that would affect all people and all the earth—THE CURSE. The word "curse" describes all the activity of death in all areas of human life. Everything on earth came under this devastating curse. The curse came through the fault of Adam. It was neither God’s fault nor His plan.
Centuries later, we see how this truth was changed and it was no longer that the curse came because of what man did, but because God caused it and He was to blame for it!
He named him Noah, saying, “This one will bring us comfort from our labor and from the painful toil of our hands because of the ground that the Lord has cursed.” (Gen. 5:29 NET)
The earth groans until the day this curse is removed (Romans 8:21, 22).
When death and Hades are finally removed from all contact with human beings (Revelation 20:14) there will no longer be any more pain, weeping, or death (21:4), and no more curse (Revelation22:3).
All of this brings us to some important conclusions:
(1.) The curse cannot be God's will because, if it is His will, then why remove it?
(2.) The curse cannot be God's will because Jesus Christ redeemed us from it. Jesus came not to redeem us from something God was doing but from something the devil was doing. (1 John 3:8, Hebrews 2:14). Death is the enemy of God, of the earth, and of us (1 Cor. 15:26, 27). That is why it will finally and for eternity be removed from all contact with the new heavens and new earth and human beings.
(3.) The curse was the direct result of disobedience to God's commandment. It is associated with sin, disobedience, and rebellion. It is not for the righteous or those who serve God.
(4) This leads us to the conclusion that the curse cannot be God's work.
The devil is the murderer from the beginning (John8:44). Death was under the devil’s rule. (Hebrews 2:14). He is THE THIEF (John10:10). The devil is the killer. These curses cannot be God. Hurting, killing, and destroying are the enemy's work. It cannot be God who robs or steals. That would be a violation of His own commandment: "Do not steal." The destroyer and the exterminator are not God. (Revelation 9:11, 6:8) Hell follows death VERY closely. They are part of each other. They are inseparable. If you say "death" you talk about the work of hell. If you say "hell" you talk about the work of death.
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Has anyone ever told you that God loves you and that He has a wonderful plan for your life? I have a real quick, but important question to ask you. If you were to die this very second, do you know for sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you would go to Heaven?
Let me quickly share with you what the Holy Bible reads. It reads “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” and “for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. The Bible also reads, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”. And you’re a “whosoever” right? Of course you are; all of us are.
I’m going to say a quick prayer for you. Lord, bless the person reading this and his/her family with long and healthy lives. Jesus, make Yourself real to him/her and do a quick work in his/her heart. If If you have not received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I pray you will do so now.
If you would like to receive the gift that God has for you today, say this after me with your heart and lips out loud.
"Dear Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive me of my sin. Wash me and cleanse me. Set me free. Jesus, thank You that You died for me. I believe that You are risen from the dead and that You’re coming back again for me. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Give me a passion for the lost, a hunger for the things of God and a holy boldness to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m saved; I’m born again, I’m forgiven and I’m on my way to Heaven because I have Jesus in my heart."
As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I tell you today that all of your sins are forgiven. Always remember to run to God and not from God because He loves you and has a great plan for your life.
Contact me and let me know you received Jesus as Lord and Savior!
_____________________
Part 2 podcast in this series follows:
Look at Galatians 3:13 in a few translations:
NTV- "Christ has rescued us from the curse dictated in the law."
NLT- "Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced in the law."
TLA- "But Christ preferred to receive for us the curse that falls upon him who disobeys the law."
Redeemed means to be rescued, bought back, to pay a ransom, and rescue from loss. It is important to define this term because “redemption” has often become a theological term that means little. We don’t want the meaning to be watered down or changed.
Literally, redemption is to rescue from loss, but it is used in the sense of paying a ransom. It is as though kidnappers (the devil and his cohorts) took humanity captive and demanded payment of a ransom to get humans back. Jesus was THE Christ that paid the price with His own life when He went to the cross, died, was buried, went to hell as our substitute, was raised from the place of death called Hades, rose from the dead, and presented the tokens of our redemption before the Father in heaven! The job was finished, justice satisfied, and Jesus sat down in all authority and power at the right hand of the Father in Heaven! [1]
There is another word we must define. It is the word 'curse.' Most people know intuitively that a curse is something bad! There is nothing good in a curse, just as there is nothing bad in a blessing. In Hebrew there are two words, arar and kalal, for the English word curse and they are both used in the most extensive list of curses in the Bible found in Deuteronomy 28:15-66. Basically, anything and everything evil in that terrible list refers to the curses. It is all very, very, BAD stuff. None of it is the blessing, or a blessing in disguise!
Read a list of blessings in Deuteronomy 28:1-14, also the most extensive list of blessings in the Bible. Notice how the blessings are the exact opposite of the curses. Don’t let the separation between blessings and curses get by you unnoticed. The fact is that after reading that chapter, you could never mix them up again! Blessings do not crossover into the list of curses and curses do not dance over into the list of blessings! There is clear demarcation line between them, and there is no confusion as to which one goes where! Using sickness and disease as an example, there are NO sicknesses and diseases under the blessings, and there is NO healing or health under the curses. Notice that there is no prosperity under the curses, and that there is no lack or poverty under the blessings! Only in gutless, puny, traditional, dead churches that believe contrary to the Scripture do you find that there is confusion about this, but never in the Bible! The Bible always makes a clear distinction between blessing and curses and good and evil. There are no crossovers!
Jesus stated it like this:
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. (John 10:10 AMP)
The thief is the devil. Jesus is the giver of life, and the two don’t get mixed up, there is no crossover between them, and the devil doesn’t work part-time for God! Some ignorant souls think the devil is God’s unwilling servant! As we study this, you will see just how ridiculous, and frankly blasphemous, that type of thinking really is! Is there divine judgment? Yes, there is, but it is another subject we will discuss at some length later on in this series. Don’t miss this series!
NOTE:
[1] If you don’t know that Jesus went to hell or Hades for you, read and study my free books in English and Spanish, “The Story of our Great Redemption”, and “3 Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra.” Info is below on these life changing books.
THE STORY OF OUR GREAT REDEMPTION is the greatest story ever told! This book will open your eyes to what Jesus did for us to depths seldom tread by Christians, pastors, and ministers. Jesus was and is the greatest hero ever born! All other man-made heroes pale in comparison. It is sad that so many try to draw parallels between Jesus and , for example, the fictional character Superman. The truths about Jesus' sacrifice make the Superman fiction look like child's play. Brace yourself for Biblical truths that your pastor probably never taught you. I promise you, that if you will receive the Word on this mighty subject in this book, it will be transformational.
Get the completely free PDF of THE STORY OF OUR GREAT REDEMPTION by using this link. Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón.
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Has anyone ever told you that God loves you and that He has a wonderful plan for your life? I have a real quick, but important question to ask you. If you were to die this very second, do you know for sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you would go to Heaven?
Let me quickly share with you what the Holy Bible reads. It reads “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” and “for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. The Bible also reads, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”. And you’re a “whosoever” right? Of course you are; all of us are.
I’m going to say a quick prayer for you. Lord, bless the person reading this and his/her family with long and healthy lives. Jesus, make Yourself real to him/her and do a quick work in his/her heart. If If you have not received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I pray you will do so now.
If you would like to receive the gift that God has for you today, say this after me with your heart and lips out loud.
"Dear Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive me of my sin. Wash me and cleanse me. Set me free. Jesus, thank You that You died for me. I believe that You are risen from the dead and that You’re coming back again for me. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Give me a passion for the lost, a hunger for the things of God and a holy boldness to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m saved; I’m born again, I’m forgiven and I’m on my way to Heaven because I have Jesus in my heart."
As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I tell you today that all of your sins are forgiven. Always remember to run to God and not from God because He loves you and has a great plan for your life.
Contact me and let me know you received Jesus as Lord and Savior!
God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’ And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption… (Acts 13:33, 34a NKJV)
The TODAY mentioned here by Paul in the quotation of Psalms 2:7 is VERY important because it places a timeframe for the “today” of Jesus when He answered the thief that was crucified next to Him. The TODAY had to do with when Jesus was raised from the dead. Not only that, but twice the fact is revealed here that the phrase “I have begotten you” was a direct reference to Jesus being raised from the dead and NOT to when He was born of Mary in Bethlehem.
What we are seeing is so extraordinary and powerful! Jesus spoke the Word from the cross and all the way into His stay for three days and nights in hell! The Word of God and the power of the Father got Him out, defeated hell, raised up out of that realm of death, and brought Him back into the land of the living. He then picked up His body from the tomb and raised it to immortality and came out of that tomb VICTORIOUS!
Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now. How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit- filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
Let this WOW you! Listen to this podcast for much more on this mighty subject. Be blessed!
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If you have not done so, please listen to and study the previous podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context.
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
YESHUA is of Yehovah! (Jonah 2:9b based on the Hebrew and NKJV)
Jesus ended His stay in hades for our sins for three days and nights, and He spoke His deliverance as in Jonah 2. Our authority for stating that is based on the teaching of Jesus.
For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. (Matthew 12:40 NET)
That final phrase of Jonah 2:9 was also the declaration of Jesus because the Father had forsaken Him on the cross and in hades. Do you remember that Jesus said on the cross, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me"? Yet, in hades, Jesus declared that the Father was taking Him back into His presence. Talk about a faith that wouldn't let go of deliverance, even from the midst of the hell of flame and torment! This podcast will either curl or straighten your hair in a hurry! It's powerful stuff. Again, we delve into the Hebrew and Greek behind these texts and show you how all this refers to the mighty sacrifice of Jesus. So, you are going to get important background info, mighty inspiration, and a Divine, Holy Spirit, discharge that will be a help and blessing to you.
Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now. How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit- filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
Be mightily and extraordinarily blessed! May you never be the same again!
____________________________
If you have not done so, please listen to and study the previous podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context.
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
This podcast will connect MANY things for you. Jesus, Peter, Paul, and Jonah agreed on this message clearly. If you still harbor any doubts about the sacrifice of Jesus in hell for us, this podcast is sure to blast them out and pulverize them forever! I kid you not! Doubts die here and true life from God is birthed in you through this mighty message today. Much of this I never shared before I recorded this podcast. It is fresh manna from Heaven sure to fire you up.
Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now. How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit- filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
Be mightily and overwhelmingly blessed!
____________________________
If you have not done so, please listen to and study the previous podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context.
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Just like Jonah prayed to be delivered from the hell he was into, Jesus prayed for the Father to deliver Him from hades. As Jonah prayed to be delivered from the deepest pit, so Jesus prayed for deliverance from hell. Jonah chapter 2 continues to unfold this mighty truth that is getting ready to explode on the scene.
For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. (Matthew 12:40 NET)
That was the sign that Jesus gave to this evil generation, but unfortunately, few preachers preach about it. How will hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14-17)
An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. (Matthew 12:39 NET)
That is the sign that must be preached to this evil and adulterous generation so they will repent and believe in Him that was raised from the dead, both spiritually and physically.
Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now. How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit- filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
Be extraordinarily blessed today!
If you have not done so, please listen to and study the previous podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context.
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
I don't have the words to describe the magnificent prophetic utterance about the sacrifice of Jesus as found in Jonah 2. I will let it speak for itself. It is rich and glorious. Over the next few podcasts, including this one, you will see what I mean. As one preacher put it: "If this doesn't shake your tree, then nothing will because you are dead!"
Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now. How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit- filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
I trust these next few podcasts will shake you up for His glory! Be mightily and extraordinarily blessed!
If you have not done so, please study the previous podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context.
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Jesus prophesied and clarified that Jonah's experience in the belly of the great fish had similarities to what was going to happen to Him in the heart of the earth.
For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. (Matthew 12:40 NET)
The heart of the earth was none other than the center of the earth, the supposed location of hades. Jonah 2 tells us some things Jonah did in the belly of that great fish. Jonah was conscious, in torments, and he prayed for deliverance from the belly of the great fish. Note that the belly of the great fish was not the grave just like hades was not the grave. That alone should clear up all the foolishness some believe when they say that hades, like sheol (in Hebrew), only meant the grave. The belly of the great fish was no more the physical tomb for Jonah than the heart of the earth was for Jesus.
Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now. How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit- filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
Want more? Listen in and be blessed with this podcast.
__________________
If you have not done so, please study the previous podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context.
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
The more you hear and see in Psalms 18, the more you realize this Psalm could ONLY be speaking of Jesus in hades. It reveals how the Father got Jesus out of hades by a heavenly “special forces” rescue mission that shook eternity. The Father brought His Son out from among the place of the dead with all its demon hordes (hades). Psalms 18 is a revelation of the initial phase of the resurrection, the side where the power of God got Jesus out from the realm of the dead. We are talking about the spiritual resurrection that happened BEFORE the physical resurrection from the tomb.
Study with us and don’t quit. It gets better and more powerful as we move next into Jonah 2. Glory to God! Listen to the podcast and be mightily blessed!
Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now. How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit- filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
________________
If you have not done so, please study the previous podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context.
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Wow! Wait for it...
The magnificent Psalms 18, and what the Father did when He raised Jesus out of hades and from the tomb, will rock your world to its very foundations! As I have pointed out, Psalms 18 is looked at as a Psalm of deliverance of David that had nothing to do with Jesus. He spoke as a prophet often in the Psalms about the sacrifice of Jesus, both physical and spiritual. When you begin to connect the dots, you begin to see how pregnant the Psalms are with this revelation.
Jesus said this after His resurrection:
When I was with you before, I told you everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true. (Luke 24:44 NLT)
Have you seen lists that contain hundreds of places in the Hebrew Scripture that referred to Jesus? Do you think we have learned all the references and have no further need to learn more in the writings of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms? It would be very high-minded or prideful to think we already know it all. Even if we could quote the whole Bible from memory, we do not know it all.
The apostle Paul stated that all we know now is partial and incomplete, and that in the world to come (Heaven) we will finally know just as God knows. (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT) I think that for a very long time we will walk around Heaven and our mouths will be full of "ooh’s" and "ah’s". We will go from one revelation to another in awe! We will finally realize how little we knew, and how much we really misunderstood.
I certainly don't claim to know everything, or even a lot. The more I study, the more I must bow my head in humility and recognize how little I know. I have been graced by the Lord to learn some things about the sacrifice of Jesus, things that are truly revolutionary. I don't claim special or unheard of revelation. God forbid! Others somewhere and at some other time in history have seen these things. Why am I sure of that? It is the same Holy Spirit in the earth in manifestation and special ministry since the day of Pentecost! There is only one Holy Spirit and He is the great teacher of teachers. I give Him all the glory for it. You are the real beneficiary. I get the privilege of writing and preaching about it for YOUR benefit.
Psalms 18 is one of those Psalms that is eye-popping and will grab your heart and imagination. The same will happen to you when we begin to study Jonah in relation to the sacrifice of Jesus. The podcast below is part one of a two-part presentation on Psalms 18. Get ready for it!
Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now. How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit- filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
Be mightily blessed! ________________
If you have not done so, please study the previous podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context.
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
We finish our short study of the Messianic Psalms 88. Don't miss this powerful Word. Be blessed!
Testimony of Healing
I (Dan) seriously hurt my neck January 5, 2020. When I did, I heard the loud crack of a neck bone on the left side, about half-way down the neck. It was not a little crack like you get when a chiropractor manipulates your neck or when you crack your knuckles. It was a crack like I heard when I broke my foot in the mid 90's. It was scary loud, and I said to myself, "Oh no!" I knew it was VERY bad! Instantly an excruciating pain shot through my neck, head, and shoulder. It got so bad, that my neck became stiff and unmovable within minutes. I had never felt such horrible pain, and I have had some whoppers in my life. I put all kinds of goop on my neck and took a variety of pain relievers to ease the pain, but NOTHING worked. The side of my neck began to swell up, and I could barely touch it because of the pain. If I pressed my skin softly, the pain would shoot through my body like a hot knife.
I believe in healing and miracles. I believe that Jesus took our sickness and carried our diseases so we can be healed. (Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24) I am aware to some degree of what Jesus suffered for us. You have been reading about it for months now. Jesus is my Savior AND my Healer! He is my deliverer, and He is a miracle worker, the same yesterday, today, and forever! (Hebrews 13:8) I trust Him for my health and have for a long time.
The severity of the situation was so overwhelming, that I found myself gasping for deliverance. I prayed and asked the Lord, "What do I need to do about this?" I was willing to go to the emergency room if I needed it. I have no qualms about getting medical treatment if needed. I would rather get a miracle and a healing, but if my faith is not to the place of receiving, then I would rather get medical help and live another day to preach His Word. That is a whole lot better than refuse medical treatment and die early because I was presumptuous and prideful. Some people fail in faith because they are not in a place to receive. Jesus told the woman that had the issue of blood, "Your faith has healed you." (Mark 5:34) There are other examples where Jesus commended the faith of the individual and its place in receiving their miracle. Look at the blind man in Mark 10:52.
Well, mama didn't raise no fool in faith. It’s bad English, but I know that if my faith is weak, I need to get off my blessed assurance and get it built up! The only way to do that is to get the Word in you about healing and put that Word in your mouth. I have not always been perfect in my faith on the Covenant, and sometimes I have been stronger in faith than at other times. Do you know what I mean? As I said, I asked the Lord, "What do I need to do about this?" I humbled myself. If I had to, I would head to the emergency room. The Lord spoke to my heart, "You need to take a stand." I knew what that meant. It was fighting time. Sometimes you must fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on God's life, and make a good confession before witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12) By the way, my triplets are witnesses of these events.
I prayed and asked the Lord for a healing and a miracle. Then, I believed that I received them at that moment based on the Word (Matthew 8:17 and 1 Peter 2:24), regardless of the excruciating pain I was feeling. Numerous times tears filled my eyes because of the pain. I looked unto Jesus through the pain and tears, the author and finisher of my faith. (Hebrews 12:2) I looked to the One that suffered in my place and received my healing when I prayed, though I could not yet see it or feel it. I was acting on Mark 11:23- 24. I took my stand and drew a line in the sand.
The devil began his attack. Anytime you take a stand of faith, mark it down that your faith will be tested. (James 1:2, 3) He came immediately to attempt to steal the Word I had chosen to stand on for my healing and miracle. (Mathew 13:19, Mark 4:15) The fiery darts were coming in a barrage one after the other. Only the shield of faith was going to quench them. (Ephesians 6:16)
“You will never preach again! You will never be a father to your triplet boys! You will fail miserably and have to go to the hospital! They will have to operate on your fractured neck, and it will never be the same. None of your plans will come to pass! You will get fat and out of shape because you will never be able to exercise again! You will be crippled for life. Your life is over” … and on and on it went getting more and more oppressive and negative the longer it went on.
What do you do in the middle of a fight? Do you give up and quit? You had better not do that or it will be all over. Immediately, I went to work on the devil.
“Devil! You are a liar! Get out of here in Jesus’ Name. Jesus took my sicknesses and carried my diseases, and by His stripes I was healed. I believed I received my healing and my miracle when I prayed. I have my healing now in Jesus’ Name. I have my miracle now in Jesus’ Name.”
I got so loud and obnoxious against the devil that they may have heard me down the street!
I continued:
“Thank you, Lord, for my miracle. Thank you, Lord, for my healing! I am healed because YOU said I was healed through what you did. I have it now. I have life and that more abundantly (John 10:10), the life of Jesus is made manifest in my mortal flesh (2 Corinthians 4:10, 11), and the Lord satisfies me with a long and strong life (Psalms 91:16). I refuse to be weak or sick. The Lord is the strength of my life (Psalms 27:1), and I say that I am strong in the Lord right now. (Joel 3:10, Ephesians 6:10) I speak to you neck and I command you to be healed in the Name of Jesus. You have a miracle. Pain, I command you to be removed from my body in the Name of Jesus!" (Mark 11:23)
I got strong and I got loud at times. The Lord was helping me. I knew it even though there was no change in my body, and it felt like it was getting worse. Sunday night I barely slept, if any at all. The pain continued to increase and by the morning I was desperate. One thing I have learned is to never let your enemy see you sweat. I refused to quit, and I refused to give in. I again reinforced my faith and took my stand against all the negative trash the devil was bombarding my mind with.
Monday morning, I said to myself: “Healed people don’t stay in bed and writhe in pain. Regardless of what I feel, I am going to act on healing. I am going to act in faith. I am stepping out and doing something to act on the Word that I have believed.”
Dear brethren (including the sisters), I did this as an act of faith, but I did this in defiance to the devil’s lies and the horrible symptoms in my body. Logic screamed to run to the emergency room, but I already knew from the Lord I had to take a stand. I was in such severe pain I could hardly get into my pick-up truck, and could barely see my back and side mirrors. You may think it was reckless of me, but I had a witness from the Lord a take a step beyond all reason. I decided to go to a storage unit I had with about 40+ heavy boxes (40-50 lbs. each) and piled them into the back of the truck in the middle of throbbing and excruciating pain. By the time I got back home, I could hardly focus my eyes, but I acted again and took all the boxes out of the truck. Yeow!
I am telling my part in receiving a miracle. Miracles always require an act. To get money from a fish’s mouth, Peter had to go fishing. To get the axe head that flew off the handle and fell into a river, the prophet threw a branch in the water and the axe head floated to the top! To split the Red Sea Moses had to stand and raise His staff until all the children of Israel crossed over on dry land. When the Egyptian army attempted to cross after them through the Red Sea, Moses lowered his hands and the water destroyed the army. When they needed water in the middle of a drought the prophet instructed the people to dig their diches and water would fill them. When they ran out of wine at the wedding feast of Cana, Jesus commanded them to fill water pots to the brim and serve it to the guests, the water was miraculously turned into the best wine! With 5 loaves and 2 fishes Jesus fed thousands after He prayed and commanded them to be given to the people. The loaves and fishes multiplied, everybody was fed to the full, and there were leftovers! You get the picture. A miracle requires an action led by the Holy Spirt. Glory to God! I received what I had to do to activate my miracle, and I went for it with everything I had in me. The woman with the issue of blood came through the crowd of people because she said, “If I touch the hem of His garment, I will be made whole.” She did it in her weakened state, and when she touched the Master, healing power flowed out of Him (and she didn’t even ask for permission) and healed her. She got it on her own faith in Jesus! Wow! Remember that faith without actions by itself is stone cold dead and it will never work. It is only the faith that is acted upon that will come to pass. Often it is a combination of saying and doing as the woman with the issue of blood. She said and she did, power flowed, and it happened! (See James 2:19-26 in the Amplified or some other translations besides the KJV.)
Here’s the clincher. After I acted on my faith in obedience to what I believed I received from the Lord to do, I got desperately worse. By nightfall, I again reaffirmed my faith often that I have my healing and I have my miracle in Jesus’ Name. Again, I barely slept. The excruciating pain kept me up most of the night. I was lying down, face up, as my mouth and heart continued thanking the Lord for my healing and my miracle. At four thirty A. M., one of the triplets woke up and asked for water. Again I reaffirmed my faith. Through the blinding pain and as tears poured down my face, I said, “Lord you are my healer. Lord you are the miracle worker. I have my healing and I have my miracle.” Then the Lord said so softly and lovingly in my heart, “Son rest now. I've got this.” I rested as He said. I believed what He said to my heart. He had this.
Oh, the joy that flooded my soul! I woke up out of deep sleep at 6 am Tuesday morning. I slowly raised my head off the pillow with the assistance of my arms, and then it hit me! The pain and the swelling were totally and completely gone! The miracle and the healing came to pass! Between the time I laid my head down just after 4:30 A. M. and 6 A. M. it happened!!!! I checked myself and was amazed at the work of the Lord in my body! Oh, and then I began to cry like a baby out of a deep place in my heart of gratitude and thanksgiving! I overflowed with joy and gratitude! I am so grateful to the Lord for His mighty healing and miracle in my life!
I immediately informed my family and we cried for joy. It was so sweet to know that my Savior and Healer lives and that He is still the miracle worker today! I bragged on what Jesus did for me to my triplet boys and they were also overwhelmed with God’s goodness! What a miracle! So wonderful and true!
What a Miracle!
So wonderful and true
He saved my life
And He brought me through
So kind and good
The Miracle worker is He
I received from Him as I should
The Healer for all to see
If you suffer in pain now
Why do you fret?
We have a Healer God
So, don’t you sweat!
For your miracle today
Take your stand and pray
Lay hold by faith in Jesus’ Name
And you will never be the same
I trust you receive this testimony and this Word today. I am no poet, but this poem came up out of my spirit as I finished writing. It’s is from the Lord for you. Even if my delivery is not perfect, get the message!
I pray for you now in Jesus’s Name that you receive a mighty miracle and healing from God! May your life reflect God’s mercies and goodness! May you be a living testimony in Jesus’ Name!
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Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now. How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit- filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
Be greatly, gloriously, and mightily blessed!
Generally, the sacrifice of Jesus has been reduced to a physical sacrifice alone, hence only a portrayal of His death on the cross and the resurrection from the tomb in movies and at most churches. Though, without question the physical side was a part of His sacrifice for us, the spiritual sacrifice of the soul and spirit Christ for sin should not be ignored.
The spiritual side of the sacrifice of Jesus has always been included in Isaiah 53. Yet, most ignore it or don't know anything about it.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief. When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin... He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore, will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He hath poured out His soul unto death. And He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:10a-12 KJ21)
Did you note the three references to the fact that His soul was an offering for sin, and it refers to the travail (suffering) of His soul and that He poured out His soul unto death? We cannot but proclaim it: Jesus suffered for our sins spiritually as well as physically!
But God hath raised Him up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it... because Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption. (Acts 2:24, 27 KJ21)
Acts 2:24 was never referring to the physical side of the sacrifice of Jesus. Being loosed from the pains of death cannot be physical because once someone is dead there is no pain at all. Pinch a dead man and see if he squirms in pain! No, the pains of death that Jesus suffered for us were in hell (hades-Acts 2:27). The pains of death do not refer to when the body of Christ was in the tomb because it says He was raised up having been loosed from the pains of death. In other words, these were pains of death he suffered before his physical resurrection. He could not be held by death in hades because He was loosed from that realm of the dead. I hope you got that.
I know we have harped on this, but this study and the next few coming up will connect many Messianic Scripture and bring them to life for you as never before. The reason Scripture like Psalms 88 has not generally been recognized as Messianic is because of a lack of knowledge of the spiritual sufferings of Christ. Once you begin to see how Psalms 88 connects with other Scripture, you will have a rich and very satisfying "Aha" moment during this podcast.
Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now. How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit- filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
Be mightily blessed with the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit in this podcast!
If you have not done so, please study the previous podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context.
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Jesus came up from the dead out of the abyss! (Romans 10:7) As we have stated repeatedly, Jesus descended into the lower parts of the earth. (Ephesians 4:9) This speaks of the heart of the earth as in Matthew 12:40, and the abyss in several passages in the New Testament. One such passage is Revelation 9:1-3, where the abyss or the bottomless pit is referred to as the place of demons, a furnace of smoke, and evil. That all means that Hades, the abyss, the bottomless pit, the lower parts of the earth, and the center of the earth are all synonymous terms in the New Testament, and we prove it in this podcast.
Jesus was our substitute in the hell of flames and torment that the wicked rich man went to in Luke 16:23-24! The sacrifice of Jesus in Hades was a part of the first message Peter preached on the day of Pentecost after the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in other tongues. (Acts 2:24-31) That was in the first Pentecostal message ever preached! So, Jesus going into hell for us is a Pentecostal, Holy Spirit and fire, message!
Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now. How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit- filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
Be blessed with the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit in this podcast!
If you have not done so, please study the first 24 podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context.
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Jesus descended into the lower parts of the earth. (Ephesians 4:9) This speaks of the heart of the earth as in Matthew 12:40, and the abyss in several passages in the New Testament. One such passage is found in Revelation 9:1-3, where the abyss or the bottomless pit is referred to as the place of demons, smoke, and evil. Each of these terms are synonymous with Hades (translated hell in KJV), and in fact are speaking about the same place of torment and flames of fire as in Acts 2:27-31 and Luke 16:23-24. Jesus was our substitute in hell! Jesus died the deaths and went to the hell of torment, agony, and fire in our place, so that all who will receive His sacrifice and live for Him will be delivered from that awful eternity. I am a believer and follower of Jesus, so when I die, I will miss hell and gain heaven! The same can be said of ALL that will trust in Jesus and in His awesome sacrifice. I hope you are one of His! If not, you can be one of His right now.
How?
First acknowledge your sinful condition:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Then repent:
“Repent {change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah} and be baptized, each of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:34 Amplified)
Then believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to justify YOU, and confess with your mouth (out loud), from your heart, that He is your Lord and Savior:
“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord {recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God}, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes {in Christ as Savior} resulting in his justification {that is being made righteous- being freed from guilt of sin and made acceptable to God}, resulting in and confirming {his} salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10 Amp.)
I’ll leave the importance of baptism in water and consistent instruction for living in God to a good local church and pastor. By “good” I mean an anointed, Word-abiding, Spirit-filled, tongue-talking and praying, healing-ministering, faith-filled church. Don’t waste your time going to a dead, weak, spineless, and gutless church that preaches people out of their inheritance in Christ! Find a powerhouse in Christ Jesus! I would NEVER go to a church that does not believe in winning people to the Lord Jesus, that does not pray for the sick for healing, that does not cast out demons, that does not minister to people the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and that preaches religious sermonettes instead of the unadulterated Word of the living God!
If you have not done so, please study the first 23 podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context. Be mightily blessed with the Word and the Spirit of the Lord through this podcast!
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Amazingly, little to no emphasis has been placed on the sufferings of the soul and spirit of Jesus on the cross and in hell. Some deny this truth. Peter preaches this truth by quoting Psalms 16:10 in the first sermon preached after the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. (See Acts 2:24-31.) The suffering of the soul of Jesus (the soul's innermost part being the spirit) is taught three times in Isaiah 53:10, 11, and 12; "You (God) make His soul was an offering for sin", "He (God) shall see the labor of His soul", and "He poured out His soul unto death". What? His Soul was an offering for sin? I thought His body and blood were the offering for sin? THEY WERE, but so were the soul and spirit because Jesus' sacrifice was the sacrifice of ALL of Himself in spirit, soul, body, blood and all!!! Yet to hear some preachers, the sin offering was ONLY His blood and body. Wrong! There was more involved. Ignorance has been HUGE in this area of the sacrifice of Jesus. With the anointing of the Holy Spirit and through the Word of God, we bring it back into focus.
"Oh, but Jesus taught us in the Lord's Supper to only emphasize the body and the blood for the forgiveness of sins," someone said attempting a rebuttal. That’s only partially right. The emphasis of Jesus was on His body and the New Covenant in His blood. That included EVERYTHING He suffered for us and EVERYTHING He provided for us, spirit, soul, body, and in EVERY realm of life and the world to come (eternity). Nothing was excluded, in His sacrifice or in His mighty provision.
If you have not done so, please study the first 22 podcasts to get a clearer understanding of this life-changing teaching. That way you get it in context. Be mightily blessed with the Word and the Spirit of the Lord through this podcast!
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
According to many Scriptural references we have given, the evidence is clear. Jesus suffered the deaths, physically and spiritually. After His spirit left His body, He was received into the flames of hell to suffer on our behalf for three days and three nights! The innocent Jesus, the one who NEVER sinned, the spotless ONE, suffered for the guilty. There was one whopping “problema”. Jesus was ushered into hell illegally!! The devil took the bait, and swallowed it along with the boat and the fisherman! The devil misunderstood God’s plan and thought he had finally defeated the Son of God. Oh man, what a “yuge” mistake! No, it was bigger than that. It was a ginormous blunder that he would never live down or get rid of. The devil received the spirit and soul of THE INNOCENT ONE into the bowels of the earth. Satan didn’t understand the mystery hidden in God and he fell into God’s trap. What a story! The Story of our great redemption!
Do you have questions about all this? Listen to the previous 21 messages and those that will follow. Also, get my book on the subject and be mightily blessed! Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish,“Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Matthew 25:41 states that the cursed ones will go to everlasting fire reserved for the devil and his wicked angels. The implication of this verse for what Jesus suffered for three days and nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40; Acts 2:27) is truly amazing. Religious devils will screech and writhe in pain as they hear this truth. Jesus was our substitute even in hell!
Hell is a real place reserved for the wicked. It is worse than any manmade horror film. Do you think Halloween is the season for gross horror films on TV? Compared to the awful realities of hell, the evils portrayed in the movies are not even a drop in the bucket. Hell is worse than anything you can imagine, and it is for ETERNITY. I am forever grateful that Jesus went to hades for me so I do not have to go! God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe on Him would not perish in hades and then the lake of fire for eternity. He had something GOOD in mind for the human family when He sent Jesus to the cross and to hell on behalf of guilty humanity. He wanted all who would believe on Jesus to receive His eternal life forevermore! (See John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9.) He wanted to forgive all their sins and give them His righteousness. He wanted them to have an eternal abode with Him in heaven, and then in the new heavens and earth.
We look at some of these truths in this short podcast. I highly recommend you listen to, at least, the previous 15 messages to get the impact of what we are teaching from the Word of God. It is revolutionary! Be blessed with the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit!
_______________________
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish,“Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Everybody in the Church at large has heard of John 3:16:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.(John 3:16 NKJV)
Have you heard this next verse before?
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. (John 3:14 NKJV)
That was John 3:14, a rarely quoted verse in the same teaching of Jesus to Nicodemus. Yes, that is only two verses before John 3:16, yet it is seldom used or quoted.
Mostly, in Holy Spirit-baptized (tongues- talking), healing-believing circles, this verse is used to refer to divine healing. The connection to healing should be obvious, but there is much more.
Notice the emphasis of Jesus on using the serpent on a pole as referring to His death on the cross. Why would He use the serpent as a symbol of His sacrifice, and not refer to Himself as the spotless Lamb of God on the cross? No question that He was the spotless Lamb of God offered up for us as a sacrifice (1 Peter 1:19), but then something evil and sinister happened to Jesus on the cross that merited identification with the serpent. We study this powerful truth as it relates to His sacrifice for us.
Be mightily blessed!
_______________________
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish,“Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
We have proven beyond any doubt that Jesus went to Hades for us so that the one that trusts in His sacrifice never has to go! What a glorious provision! This selfless act of gracious love was the innocent Jesus taking the place of guilty humanity, so that the guilty can receive a place with Him as the innocent. Though this central provision of grace is not automatic, it is available to everybody that will receive it!
This is the way God so loved the world. He gave His one and only Son as a sacrifice for all. Why? Everyone who believes on Him (trusts and obeys Him) will not perish, that is, be separated from God in Hades and later thrown into the lake of fire for all eternity. What is His mighty provision for all who would trust and obey the Lord by receiving and living in His sacrifice? They would have eternal life, that is, a place in eternity with the Lord forever. That is the message of John 3:13-18! (See NET, MSG, AMP, CJB, OJB versions and others.)
Today, we continue to be in wonder at this facet etched upon the brilliant diamond of our salvation. We review some things (important in a subject like this), and then add some more scripture references to help you get the message clearly. Be mightily blessed with this anointed and enlightening series!
_______________________
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish,“Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
God raised Jesus up, after He spent three days and nights in the heart of the earth! (Matthew 12:40) The heart of the earth was Hades or the hell of fire and torment in the story Jesus taught about the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:23, 24). Jesus’ soul was not left in Hades but He was raised up from the realm of the dead, and then He was raised physically from the dead (Acts 2:24, 27, 31). This is what we have been studying in these podcasts.
Was Joseph of Arimathea the rich man mentioned in Isaiah 53? We have assumed that. The rich man of Isaiah 53:9 couldn’t have been Joseph because he was a righteous rich man (Luke 23:50). He was a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 27:57-60). The rich man Jesus made his grave with was a wicked rich man. They were two very different people. Who was that wicked rich man that Jesus made His grave with? Tune in right now.
If you have not heard about these truths before, it is important you listen to the series in sequence to get the most out of it. You will avoid misunderstanding and not fall into the trap of taking things out of context. Don’t miss these powerful podcasts.
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Be blessed with this powerful series and anointed podcast!
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish,“Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. Obviously, the Lord taught me a few more things from His Word. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Jesus paid the MAXIMUM penalty. Jesus suffered for three days and night in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40). Hades (the heart or center of the earth) is the destiny of all those without the Lord (Luke 16:19-31). Jesus went to Hades in our place in order to redeem us (Acts 2:27, 31). That is an essential part of the story of our redemption!
If you are just joining us now on these podcasts, go back at least 7 podcasts to get a better understanding of this Biblical message. We give many Scripture references that establish these truths beyond a shadow of a doubt. The power and anointing of this Bible revelation is astounding. Don't miss these podcasts. Be mightily blessed!
Jesus suffered the deaths in all realms; physically and spiritually, BUT God raised Him up from the dead having loosed Him from the birth pangs of death! (Acts 2:24) The loosing of the birth pangs of death came BEFORE His body was raised up from the tomb. After the death of Jesus on the cross, He was three days and nights in the heart of the earth. (See reference below.) The "heart" of the earth was not the physical rock tomb. It referred to the place of the dead called Hades. (Acts 2:24, 27, 31) As one example of Hades and the fact that it NEVER referred to the tomb in the New Testament (and more examples will be explored in these podcasts), see the true story (not "parable" because personal names were not used in parables) of the wicked rich man and Lazarus. The rich man went to Hades (the same Greek word as in Acts 2:27, 31) and he was in torments in the flames. (Luke 16:22-24 CSB)
Of course, ignorance of the sacrifice of Jesus usually rejects the fact that Jesus went into the place of the wicked dead as our substitute. Thank God that Jesus went to Hades in our place! That was what awaited all sinners! Death and hell (Hades)! Jesus died and went to Hades with OUR sins (He had no sin of His own). Judgment came on OUR sins and He was the INNOCENT ONE giving His life for the guilty! He paid the full and ultimate price to redeem us!
Jesus prophesied he would be for three days and nights in the heart of the earth, and it came to pass. The Biblical example Jesus used to establish this truth was Jonah when he was three days and nights in the belly of the great fish. (Jonah 1:17 and all of chapter 2)
For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. (Matthew 12:40 CSB)
This message will revolutionize your life! When you begin to understand these truths, you will begin to get a hold of the width, depth, and height of God's love for us. It is truly amazing!
Don't miss these short podcasts. I purposely did not post anymore for some weeks to allow you to catch up and to go back and rehear those podcast that came before. They are the foundation for what comes next.
Be mightily blessed through the Word and Spirit of the Lord!
________________________
Be blessed with this powerful series and anointed podcast!
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish,“Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
The sacrifice of Jesus was all-inclusive, and NOTHING was left out. Jesus suffered spiritually, mentally, physically, and in every other realm for three days and three nights. It was not only on the cross. The cross was a part of His sacrifice (and it represents the whole) but it was not the end. The end did not come UNTIL the three days and nights were completed, AFTER He was physically raised from the dead, and AFTER He ascended and took His blood into the Holy of Holies in Heaven.
Peter taught these neglected truths in the very first message preached after the Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit thought these truths of the physical AND spiritual sufferings of Christ to be so indispensible and fundamental that He made them a part of the inauguration-GOSPEL-message in Acts 2. Wow!
This is the greatest story in the Bible and it is one only partially told in churches. Few churches have emphasized the spiritual sufferings of Christ and His descent into Hades, together with the physical torment He endured on the cross. A great part of the sacrifice of Jesus has been left out of most preaching. During Easter services, the spiritual sufferings of Christ are mostly ignored. Yet, the spiritual side is clearly attested in Scripture.
Be blessed with this powerful series and anointed podcast!
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish,“Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Many have fussed with me over the facts we will be presenting in the next podcasts from OUR Bibles (not just MY Bible, if you will look up the Scripture). Some of the most nonsensical and out of context reasons have been used. However, the sacrifice of Jesus was all-inclusive, and NOTHING was left out. Jesus suffered spiritually, mentally, physically, and in every other realm for three days and three nights. It was not only on the cross. The cross was a part of His sacrifice (and it represents the whole) but it was not the end.
Now, if you have not heard the previous 13 podcasts you may think I am presenting some strange Bible doctrine, BUT these truths are found in the very first message preached after the Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost. Peter and the Holy Spirit thought it to be so important that they didn't leave out these truths from the inauguration message of the Church in Acts 2.
We begin to study this in some detail and we will keep building on it with one Scripture upon another until it drives out any unbelief. This is the greatest story in the Bible and it is one only partially told in churches. Few churches have emphasized the spiritual sufferings of Christ, and His descent in Hades together with the physical torment He endured on the cross. A great part of the sacrifice of Jesus has been left out of most preaching. Yet, the spiritual side is clearly attested in Scripture. Are you ready to readjust your thinking and open your heart to magnificent spiritual truth?
Be blessed with this powerful series and anointed podcast!
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish,“Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Here are some (not all) of the Messianic prophecies fulfilled by Jesus in the Garden, on the cross, and during His death according to Psalms 22:
- Verse 1- Forsaken by God (Mark 15:34).
- V. 2- Praying without ceasing before His death (Matthew 26:38-39).
- V. 6- Despised and rejected by His own people (Luke 23:21-23).
- V. 7- Mocked (Mt. 27:39).
- V. 8- Evil people will say, “He trusted in God, let Him now deliver Him.” (Mt. 27:41-43).
- V. 11- “None to help” because His disciples abandoned Him (Mark 14:50).
- V. 14a- Blood and water came out of His body (John 19:34).
- V. 14b, 16b- Death by crucifixion, hands and feet pierced (Mt. 27:35).
- V. 15- His thirst while suffering death (John 19:28).
- V. 16a- Gentiles (Jews called them dogs) will be present at His crucifixion (Luke 23:36).
- V. 16b- “A band of evildoers” refers in this particular case to the religious Jews that hated him and saw to it that He was crucified (Mt. 27:41-43).
- V. 18- Casting lots for His garments (John 19:23-24).
- … And the list goes on!
Wow! That Psalm is so precise and so clear that you have to have help to misunderstand it! It was given through David 1000 years before the Messiah hung on the cross. Again, WOW!
Listen to this anointed podcast and PLEASE forward it to all your family and friends. Glory to God!
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish,“Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
There is no question that Psalms 22 is a clear prophetic utterance through King David 1,000 years before Jesus hung on the cross. It is amazing to read it and cross-reference it with the things that happened around the cross in the Gospel accounts. WOW! We begin in this podcast to look closely at this powerfully revealing Psalms.
The Psalm starts with the gloomy words from the lips of Jesus on the cross, “My God, my God, what have you forsaken me?” As we read the highlights, a picture of what really happened on the cross emerges that NOT ONE of Hollywood’s attempts to recreate the crucifixion of Jesus on film have gotten right. As graphic as was “The Passion of the Christ”, and as bloody as Mel Gibson tried to imagine it, he only got it partly right.
From Psalms 22, we read these words:
All My bones are out of joint… I can count all My bones (Psalms 22:14, 17 NKJV).
Not one movie has ever portrayed this truth. Not one! EVERY bone in Jesus’ body came out of it’s joint on the cross. Have you ever had one joint come out of its joint and felt the excruciating pain it caused? Now imagine every bone in your body suddenly coming out of it’s joint. The extreme pain is unthinkable.
Because I practiced martial arts for many years, I pulled a few bones out of joint. The worst was my index finger. The pain was worse than when I fractured my ankle in two places. Not only that, it took longer to heal than the bone on my ankle. That was just ONE joint! Yeow!
What do you think would happen if every joint came out its place in a human body? How would that severely mar the form of a human body? A person would look monstrous with protruding bones all over under the skin.
It got worse for Jesus as He suffered with our sin, curse, and death on the cross.
Isaiah 52 and 53 are mighty prophetic and messianic chapters about the sacrifice of Jesus.
[For many the Servant of God became an object of horror; many were astonished at Him.] His face and His whole appearance were marred more than any man’s, and His form beyond that of the sons of men—but just as many were astonished at Him (Isaiah 52:14 Amplified- AMPC)
Read the verse above closely: Jesus became an object of horror, and His face and His whole appearance were marred to the point that He didn’t look like a human being. The word “marred” means Jesus was disfigured, distorted, maimed, mangled, and deformed on the cross. Here is a statement that I hope you will never forget: Jesus became a monster on the cross for you and me! Again, no movie representation has ever come close to what really happened on the cross.
I trust in the Lord that this podcast will be eventful for you! Be blessed with the anointed Word!
Yes, I know the picture is dark. It was meant to be. The sun went dark as Jesus hung on the cross. Look at the picture closer. Zoom in and see what is in the darkness.
________
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 264-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. That is the most complete version I have ever published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Maybe the title is so different, and it is so contradictory to traditional thinking, that it will cause you to listen closely to this podcast recording. Did Jesus speak by faith, speaking of things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17), when He stated from the cross, “Into your hands I commend my spirit”, and “It is finished”? Was there precedent in his ministry for this “speaking of things that are not as though they were”? Oh yes, and you need to hear about it. Why is this important? If you think that the entire plan of redemption was completed on the cross because Jesus stated, “It is finished”, then what do we do with His resurrection and ascension into Heaven? Weren’t those a part of the plan? When He ascended into Heaven was when He carried proof of His eternal sacrifice into the heavenly Holy of Holies and placed His precious blood on the Mercy Seat. What about Satan’s defeat in Hades (Revelation 1:18)? What about the day of Pentecost and the coming Holy Spirit? Weren’t these also a part of God’s great plan of redemption through His Son Jesus? (See Acts chapters 1 & 2.)
This podcast will amplify your understanding in this area, and in the process of these podcasts, we will see it even clearer. If you think the podcasts are too short, remember that the subject matter is rarely taught as we are presenting it. It will be new to many ears and we have to build this line upon line, precept upon precept, and can’t be in a hurry over it.
Be mightily blessed through this anointed podcast!
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 264-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. That is the most complete version I have ever published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Some basics need to be understood concerning spirit, soul, and body. In addition, spiritual death must not be a mystery to us to perceive the truths we are about to unfold to you from the Scripture. The sacrifice of Jesus has generally been seen as a physical sacrifice alone. Few have delved into the reality of the spiritual sufferings of Christ. Yet, the Bible is VERY clear about it. These truths are not in vague references. They are right out in the open for all to see. If you will open up your heart to receive, these Bible truths will resonate within the deepest recesses of your spirit. The sacrifice of Jesus was spirit, soul, and body. Jesus suffered death FOR US in all its realms and forms. The innocent Christ Jesus paid the price for us the guilty and condemned. It was both a substitution and identification. No worries though, it will all make perfect sense (spiritual sense that is) before long. The eternal saga continues.
Be blessed with this anointed podcast!
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 264-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. That is the most complete version I have ever published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
We speak God’s ·secret wisdom [or wisdom in a mystery; 2:1], which he has kept hidden. Before the world began [ages], God planned [decreed; destined] this wisdom for our glory. None of the rulers of this ·world [age] understood it. If they had, they would not have crucified the ·Lord of glory [glorious Lord]. (1Corinthians 2:7, 8 EXB)
God’s plan in Jesus to redeem all that would receive it was a plan kept hidden from His enemies. He especially kept it hidden from the devil and all of hell. It was only available by bits and pieces through the prophets, but the full picture was not revealed until Jesus was raised from the dead. Why? It was kept hidden so the devil and his cronies could not interfere or mess it up in any way. It was only on a “need to know” basis, and the devil and his followers did not need to know! If they had known what God had in mind, they would have never murdered Jesus. The death and resurrection of Jesus spelled D-O-O-M for the devil and hell, and if he would have known about it, he would have backed off. However, the devil was kept in the dark, and redemption happened, the devil was defeated, and God made that redemption available to all that would receive it. Wow!
Be blessed with this anointed podcast!
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”). (Galatians 3:13 NKJV)
It you have not listened to our series, Redemption from the Curse, I suggest that you do. In 10 podcasts, we delved into the subject in some detail. In this podcast, we concentrate on the fact that Jesus BECAME the curse in our place when He went to the cross. He did that in order to redeem us. The curse that came into the earth, that foul and destructive curse that has caused ALL human misery throughout the ages, was what Jesus took in our place when He died on the cross. That is one of the central truths of redemption, but one that has been watered down or misconstrued in much of Christianity.
Note the verse in Galatians 3:13 and the part that is translated “having become a curse for us. ”Like the NKJV above, the RSV, NIV, NASB, NKJV, and others translate the line: “having become a curse for us.” The Amplified, NET, ISV, and others translate: “by becoming a curse for us. ”The CEV has: “He became a curse in our place,” and the NCV: “He changed places with us and put himself under that curse.”
Becoming a curse is not the same as “carrying” the curse as a load. Carrying and BECOMING are two very different things! Something happened on the cross that religion has overlooked for centuries. It was a complete and absolute substitution in our place, but it was also a full identification with the curse. He became what we were so that we could become what He is now! (1 John 4:17; 3:2) He BECAME the curse as He made Himself subject to it in order to redeem us from it. That is the central truth about this line in Galatians 3:13. Jesus’ voluntary submission to the curse by becoming or being MADE the curse (as translated in the KJV), paved the way for our freedom.
Be mightily blessed through this anointed Word!
Download the free book that was the basis for most of this study, “The Story of our Great Redemption: Beyond Human Imagination!” That's the link to get the free 194-page book. I've published five different versions on this subject since 1977. The latest 2013 version in Spanish, “Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra” is 290 pages long. That is the most complete version I have published. In its pages are many of the extra things I brought out in these podcasts that were not in previous versions. Get the free "Tres Días..." PDF here. Glory to God!
Jesus came and suffered in our place the punishment that was only our own. Punishment, wrath, destruction, and hell were our legacy due to Adam and Eve’s transgression, and also because we all sinned. We were due wrath and punishment, but Jesus suffered to set us free from the consequences of sin and death. We look at these truths in this podcast. We are building to a crescendo concerning redemption, and when we reach it, it will revolutionize your life if you will receive it and act on it.
I warn you that religious ideas that are limiting and watering down what Jesus did for us will die in the process. The golden calf of religiosity with a form of godliness that denies the power of redemption will be ground to powder. So, get ready to be shocked right out of religion and into Jesus our Redeemer.
Be mightily blessed through the exposition of the anointed Word!
Download the book that was the basis for this series: The Story of our Great Redemption- Beyond Human Imagination. It's free! The book title is the link to download the book. FYI: I cover details in this series that are not in my book.
Only a spotless, sinless human being could pay the price for guilty humanity. It would have to be one that was like Adam before sin entered into the world. How was that going to be possible because humanity was under the penalty of sin and death? How was that going to happen if Satan was the "god" of this world? How was the ETERNAL God in Heaven going to get one that never sinned into a planet legally controlled by His enemy? Listen to this podcast and be mightily blessed!
Use this link to get the free published book (in PDF) "The Story of our Great Redemption."
Slavery... such an ugly word, but it perfectly describes the reality of man's condition after Adam and Eve's sin of disobedience. Thank God that Jesus came to deliver us from sin and death! Listen to this podcast and get the truth into your spirit.
Use this link to get the free published book (in PDF) "The Story of our Great Redemption."
Be blessed!
If being disconnected and removed from the presence of God in Eden was not bad enough, the fall of man did something even more sinister. It spiritually connected the first man and woman to Satan! The death and destruction in Satan became the nature of the human family. We see it cropping up its ugly head repeatedly throughout human history. It got so bad in Noah's day that it led to the world's population being destroyed in the flood.
Get the scoop in this podcast. Remember that these podcasts are progressively increasing our understanding in order to begin to comprehend the "WHY" of Jesus' birth, death, resurrection, and ascension.
Use this link to get the free published book (in PDF) "The Story of our Great Redemption." This book has the information I do not cover in these podcasts. The podcasts have other info that is not in the book. They complement each other, so get them both. Be blessed!
What did the fall of the first man and woman have to do with the rest of humanity? Why spend time belaboring this issue? Lack of understanding in this area of Scripture is the reason many have only a very partial understanding of the necessity of the Lord coming into the earth and taking on a human body. In addition, many have little understanding of what Jesus actually paid for with His death and through His resurrection because they don’t get what actually happened in the fall of mankind. These are the reasons this must be overstressed.
I once heard an evangelist state this great truth: “If you understand what happened in the first three chapters of Genesis, why Jesus had to come and what He paid for, and what is going to happen at the end of the book of Revelation, then these truths will begin to straighten out your theology.” Speak to different people about these things and note their answers. Follow the track of those same people that do not understand these truths, and notice how messed up their theology is! When your foundation is messed up, your building will be crooked. That, my dear brethren, is why I spend time teaching these things. Let’s get the foundation straight so the building can be on solid ground. No Leaning Tower of Pisa here, please!
Be blessed with this podcast! Spread the Word around to all those people on your list of family, friends, and acquaintances. Be a sender of the gospel message to others. That is part of every Christian’s commission. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) Spreading the Word is one way to fulfill the great commission. Amen!
Use this link to get the free published book (in PDF) "The Story of our Great Redemption."
Warning: This is not your run-of-the-mill Bible study! What happened when Adam and Eve sinned? Why do we need to know? This truth, revealed in Genesis, is one of the great central truths of the Bible. The fall of man affected the whole human race born from the first man and woman on the planet. This is where we begin to understand WHY Jesus had to come. It is the first glimpse into the necessity of redemption.
Use this link to get the free published book (in PDF) "The Story of our Great Redemption."
Please forward these podcasts and free book to family, friends, and acquaintances. Be a sender of the Word! It would be great to have a huge mailing list to send out this information, but many of you have larger mailing list than me and you can help get the Word out. Thank you!
Be mightily blessed through the Word!
If you believe that God made Adam a farmer and a naked cave man, then you are completely mistaken! The creation of man, and his authority over ALL the earth, was greater and much further reaching than religious tradition has ever realized or accepted.
This first podcast in the series "The Story of Our Great Redemption" sets the stage for the greatest story ever told. Nothing compares to the story of our redemption. God's plan through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus makes the stories of man-made heroes pale in comparison. Jesus was, AND IS, the greatest hero the universe and eternity have ever seen! Nothing even comes close!
These short podcasts are mostly under ten minutes each. Some are as short as five minutes. They are little podcasts with BIG revelation in them. I will be publishing about two per week because there are 50+ podcasts in this series.
This series is based on my book with the same name, but I include additional information and revelation in the podcasts that was not in my book. You can download the book in PDF free of charge on my Published books page.
You will be mightily blessed throughout this series! Don't miss even one, and please forward the messages to your friends, acquaintances, and family. Spread the Word!
This article can be described as a historical salad, though it is all interconnected. I bring it all together so please read it to the end. It was necessary to answer some ridiculous comments on social media. I usually take social media comments with a grain of salt and call it a day. I don’t try to correct everybody. Some people on social media are extra dumb and should be answered in the hope that others won’t fall for their ridiculous ideas. Sometimes the ignorance is galactic and entrenched, but most of them can’t be helped. After you attempt to correct an ignoramus with historic or factual comments, they usually refute it with engrained stupidity. As one comedian put it, “You can’t fix stupid!”
So, here it is.
I was shocked by how much hatred there is among some Christians and non-Christians for all things Jewish. Jews are to some voices on social media the monsters of greed, pedophilia, bad government, wars, famines, world domination, the antichrist, the devil, and more. They have been accused of every dark and evil thing imaginable. This tendency is not new. Historically, the Jews have been hated throughout history and accused, often falsely, that they were the scum of the earth.[1]
When I was studying at the University that I eventually graduated from in the late 80’s, I did much study on antisemitism throughout history. There are particularly interesting books about antisemitism. Christianity had a big part to play in the promulgation of antisemitism.[2]
There is NO question about the hatred of the Jew in the religion of Islam from when it was established. I’ve read the Qur’an. Islam is not a religion of peace and love, and Muslim hatred of the Jew is not a modern phenomenon, as the apologists want us to believe. The roots of Islamic antisemitism run as deep as when Muhammed first began to spread his religion.[3]
Few are knowledgeable the hatred of the Roman Empire against the Jews. Many countries have had their Jew haters. Yet, many erroneously believe that Jew-hatred was an isolated incident in Germany during the NAZI era. Sorry to burst your bubble but do a light perusal of modern social media and you will find many Holocaust deniers, and many that accuse the Jews of every evil under the sun.
I studied the Holocaust profusely, so I am unpleasantly surprised by the amount of ignorance and denial on the subject. I read one woman’s comments on social media stating that the Red Cross records showed there were only 221,000 Jews murdered by the Nazi’s in the concentration camps. The Nazi’s kept meticulous records. The allied forces found many document caches, record books, and physical evidence. The Red Cross didn’t have all the numbers as were recorded in Nazi records. Additionally, there were multiplied thousands of Jews that were dragged off the streets, out of their homes, taken from their lands, and forcibly removed from their businesses that were often shot by firing squads. Mass graves of Jews were found in many cities and towns. The same goes for wherever the NAZI war machine went. They murdered men, women, and children without remorse. One ghastly way the NAZI soldiers got rid of babies was by ripping them from Jewish mother’s arms and smashing them against a wall. There were other ways they rid themselves of the “vermin” Jews as they conquered Europe. Many were herded onto trains and sent to their deaths in the concentration camps.
The Holocaust of the Jews was a historical fact that should never be denied, rewritten, modified, or forgotten. Unfortunately, many have forgotten the horrific toll on human life caused by the Nazis.
It looks like many are moving progressively into repeating history with the medical lockdowns, masking, forced medical procedures, quarantines, vaccine concentration camps, and the need for vaccine passports. These bear a striking similarity to Nazi issued “papers” or written authorization to work, buy, sell, travel, and some are following the model of concentration camps of the Nazis. No, they are not throwing people in ovens or herding them into the “showers” to be murdered by poisonous gas. That is true, but when the non-pandemic began around March of 2020, nobody believed that forced vaccinations, vaccine passports, QR codes, and quarantine camps would ever happen. Some believed it to be conspiracy theories, but the actions of evil governments have proven differently. Look how far evil has gone, and how far the tyrants have taken it in a short amount of time. They will take it all the way to Revelation 13:16-18 and the mark of the beast if left unchecked.
I believe we are winning in the U.S., though state by state. England cancelled all vaccine related mandates January of 2022, the Czech Republic is following suit and so is Denmark, and soon other countries will follow. Other countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Italy, and others are full blown totalitarian vaccine lockdown states. It is so sad to see what has happened in these countries. The good news is that in Canada, France, Italy, and in other countries the populace is fighting back!
Edmond Burke stated it (1729-1787) like this: “Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.” George Santayana wrote it like this, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”– (The Life of Reason, 1905.)
Today, we are seeing a repeat of history with the nonsensical and unscientific worldwide Covid-19 response to a virus that is 99.9% survivable. “Oh, but what about all the variants that are more virulent?” ask the gullible. Here is the truth. All the variants are weaker mutated versions that are easier to resist than the original Covid-19. For those that get it, it will be a mild cold and you will get over it. There may be exceptions that some get a bad case because their immune system is compromised and/or they have other severe illnesses. For most people, it will be a mild.
What is happening in our world with all this globalist agenda? What is behind the Covid nonsense we have seen from 2020 to 2022? It is not complicated really. We are seeing the attempted rise of the antichrist spirit to subjugate the human race under a global and totalitarian leadership,. The world is being prepared for the beast system of government control. Anyone ever hear of the Book of Revelation I mentioned above? Why do pastors not teach that truth? There are a few exceptions, but 99% of churches refuse to see the correlations. A vast majority of churches around the globe complied and continue to comply with tyrannical governments. Most closed their doors without so much as a whimper. A great falling away (apostasy) from God and His Word has begun.
At that time, many will ·lose their faith [turn/fall away], and they will ·turn against [betray] each other and hate each other. Many false prophets will ·come [appear; arise] and ·cause many people to believe lies [deceive many]. There will be more and more ·evil [sin; lawlessness] in the world, so ·most people will stop showing their love for each other [the love of many/most will grow cold]. But those people who ·keep their faith [endure; stand firm; persevere] until the end will be saved. The Good News [This Gospel] about God’s kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to every nation. Then the end will come. (Matthew 24:10-14 Expanded Bible)
But even so, the Spirit very clearly tells us that in the last times some will abandon the true faith because of their devotion to spirits sent to deceive and sabotage, and mistakenly they will end up following the doctrine of demons. They will be carried away through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences have been branded with a red-hot iron. (1 Timothy 4:1-2 The Voice)
Also he compels all [alike], both small and great, both the rich and the poor, both free and slave, to be marked with an inscription [stamped] on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that no one will have power to buy or sell unless he bears the stamp (mark, inscription), [that is] the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is [room for] discernment [a call for the wisdom of interpretation]. Let anyone who has intelligence (penetration and insight enough) calculate the number of the beast, for it is a human number [the number of a certain man]; his number is 666. (Revelation 13:16-18 AMP)
Open your eyes and see that what is happening worldwide with the Covid response, mandates, passports (also QR codes), lockdowns, and quarantine camps! They are clearly preparing the way for the final mark of the beast!
If you can’t buy or sell, that includes a huge percentage of everything we do in life. If you can’t buy, that means no food, electricity, water, gas, fuel, cars, boats, airplanes, houses, travel, schooling, property, and ad infinitum! If you can’t sell, that means you are out of any and every kind of business transaction. That would curtail you operating or owning any kind of business. No work and no business. That is coming upon the world, and what we are seeing is the beginning of the antichrist government to come.
Getting back to the genocide against the Jews by NAZI Germany, I read the extraordinarily bloody book, The Holocaust, by Sir Martin John Gilbert. Don’t read it at night or the nightmares will be worse than any Freddy Kruger movie! Ask me how I know. Contrary to the Freddy Kruger movies that were all based on a scary fantastical story, genocide against the Jews of Europe truly happened. It was no myth. Gilbert’s book made me suffer through the entire range of human emotion. That had never happened to me before. The record of man’s inhumanity towards other human beings is graphically retold with its many gory details.
Sir Martin Gilbert was the official historian for Winston Churchill. He was a thorough researcher and listed his many sources. He wrote about the history of the Holocaust using Nazi records and whatever other sources were available during the period. The sources indicate that millions of Jews were murdered. Hitler’s death machine destroyed most of the Jewish population in Europe! It was no mere 221,000![4]
In addition to reading about the genocide of the Jews in all its bloody details, visit the Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem (Yad Vashem). The exhibits will be a shock that will stay with you for weeks if not months. I visited the entire museum twice on two consecutive trips. After that, when in Israel with students, I would wait outside while the students toured the museum. Two times at the HHM was more than enough for me. Emotionally, it was tough to bear. The students would come out of the museum all messed up. The women often came out with make-up smeared on their faces, and men trying to hide their tears. It is not until you see the physical evidence, photos, movies, and hear the testimonies, that you realize the profound horrors of the holocaust.
Around 35 million people were murdered by the Nazi war machine. Did you know that?
Poland’s population was decimated by the Third Reich. Many Poles (and other Slavs) were sent to support the war effort through forced labor in factories. The Polish farmers were forcibly sent to farm German lands, and others were sent to the concentration camps.
Other people that were not considered of the pure Aryan race also died in the concentration camps. Gypsies (Roma), handicapped, homosexuals (even those suspected of it) were sent to the concentration camps to be exterminated.
Jehovah’s Witnesses rejected the Third Reich’s demand of loyalty to their cause. The JW’s were rounded up wherever the Nazis showed up in Europe. Thousands were murdered. Whatever you may think of Jehovah’s Witnesses and their doctrines, they displayed a moral rectitude and backbone that was not found among most professing Christians in Europe.
Most Christians in Germany caved to the demands of the Third Reich and became active supporters. You need to get that straight in your thinking. Christians folded in Germany like a deck of cards. There were a few exceptions, but Germany considered itself a “Christian” country during the rise of the Nazis.
When I see what churches and ministers have done and are still doing with their compliance to all the totalitarian regime demands for the response to Covid, I know that in the 30’s and 40’s they would have easily been convinced to support Hitler’s tyranny against the Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, and so on. It is obvious that the church in Germany was weak and ignorant of the Word. It is also evident that many churches today have become weak and tolerant of evil. Not only that, but many in the church have fallen from grace and faith because of their support and tolerance for lockdowns, forced church and business closures, vaccine passports, and quarantine concentration camps where people lose all freedoms.
The Nazis arrested politicians, lawyers, doctors, pastors, priests, and put them in ghettos to starve and die!
Under the Nazi regime interracial marriages were considered an aberration to be eradicated, and the children of such unions were to be destroyed so the Aryan race would not be diluted. The Nazis considered the “mulatto” (mixed race) children born of such unions to be an infection needed to be destroyed.
Some blind and racist ignoramus mentioned repeatedly on a social media network that Hitler was not a racist. Any reading of Hitler’s Mein Kampf begs to differ with the insanity that would think Hitler was not a racist! There is no way to read that devilish book and come away with love for other races except for the “white” Nordic-Aryan race! Hitler believed that only the Aryan-Nordic style race was pure and that all others were mixed. Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, blacks, and many others were considered mongrel races.[5]
In addition, there was a systematic Nazi boycott of all Jewish businesses, and Jews were forbidden to enter stores or restaurants, and own property.
Hmmm. Does that sound familiar?
In 2020 and 2021, we have seen countries forbidding the unvaccinated from entering stores, eating at restaurants, entering grocery stores, going into entertainment or exercise venues, and the list goes on. They could have just put a mark (or a yellow star) on the unvaccinated and called it by what it is, discrimination and racism. Oh wait, in many countries they did just that with their vaccine passports and QR codes! Canada, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Austria, Germany, and others have become fascist police states with its enforcement of vaccine mandates. They forgot about World War 2 and the NAZI takeover of Europe and beyond. They forgot that Hitler started by imposing disarmament of citizens. Hitler health orderswere against the Jews because they supposedly were "super spreaders" of disease. Jews and others were to be removed from society. Many racist laws and mandates were implemented, and brown shirt regiments and Gestapo became the personal police force of the Nazis to see to it that Hitler's orders were obeyed without opposition.
Have you ever heard of the Red Terror imposed by Lenin on Russian citizens to remove all opposition to his communist revolution? Again, history has many lessons to teach us about repressing the multitudes by intimidation, violent suppression, murder, disarming the people of firearms and anything that could be used as a weapon, forced labor camps, concentration camps, and the resultant starvation. Millions died through the actions undertaken by Lenin to subdue the people into complete obedience! Many thousands of “undesirables”, like the deplorables and conservatives of today, were murdered! Many were publicly executed.[6]
The same can be said about China. Mao Zedong and his communist revolution were responsible for the deaths of around 65 million Chinese[7] Yet, you hear useless idiots venerate the mass murderer. They forgot or whitewashed Mao's bloody history with a romantic view of the CCP and its founder.[8]
Don’t you see what this Covid-response has opened the door to? In the US, the FBI, DOJ, DC police, tech demi-gods, and other agencies are weaponized and may now be used to target conservatives and any opposing voice that disagrees with the Democrat’s socialist and globalist agenda. Wake up!
One BIG difference between the nations of Europe and others is that Americans are armed to the hilt, and they will never surrender all their weapons to any tyrannical orders! Some may lose privileges through unjust local government laws in some states, but they will not ever disarm the people of the USA. The people would fight back if it ever came to that. That is why the Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms. It is a protection of the right of the people to revolt against a tyrannical government.
It is embarrassingly stupid when idiot leftist or socialist politicians and other Demonrats accuse conservatives of being like Hitler. In actuality, the Democrat leftist socialists are every bit like Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao. They want to control the narrative by prohibiting free speech that opposes their agenda. They will repress by intimidation or violence all who dare oppose them. They want to disarm all conservatives, corral them, and remove them from society. Did you notice that the most draconian lockdowns and repressive Covid measures have all been in Demonrat controlled states and cities? Doesn’t it ring a bell in you? It sounds like they are imposing policies of Hitler, the USSR or the CCP. They are repeating history.
In getting back to more about Hitler’s racism, I read Mein Kampf, and the severely anti-Semitic and libelous, Protocols of the Elders of Zion. I read them to compare them to the actual practice of Judaism. No religious or orthodox Jew would engage in the evil that those books accused the Jews of doing. Religious Jews believe in keeping the moral commandments of God. Drinking the blood of the innocent or sacrificing children are violations of God’s Word. No real Jew that follows the Torah would ever engage in such evil practices! Those are only some of the accusations levied against all Jews.
I am not saying Jews were perfect at keeping God’s moral guidelines, and that there were not many violations of them throughout history. I am saying that religious Jews endeavored to obey God’s rules in Scripture, often to a higher degree than Christians did.
Throughout history, there have been many people that have identified themselves as Jews or of Jewish descent that were not Jews at all in practice. There were some anti- Biblical Jews for sure! Just because someone carries a Jewish sounding last name does not mean that they are true Jews! Read Romans chapters 2 and 11. Notice that is precisely what Paul argues. Not all Jews are really Jews! Specifically, he was referring to the Jews that do not keep the moral commandments of God in the Scripture. Those are the Jews in name only! You know, like the Republicans-in-name-only or RINO’s, history has had JINO’s, Jews-in-name-only. They may have had Jewish ancestors and received their surname from them, but that does not mean that they were practicing TORAH-keeping Jews.
It is exactly that way in Christendom. Not all those that claim to be Christians are real Christians. There are many people that claim to be Christians that live hideous lives doing anti-Christian stuff.
Let me give you a case in point.
Did you know that Italian mobsters (Mafia) have often been church going, baptized, communion-taking, members of the Catholic church? Often, these mobsters also contributed significant amounts to the Catholic churches and charities. Of course, much of the leadership of the Catholic church has strongly repudiated and condemned the criminal activities of the Mafia (only since the 1990’s), but the truth exists that many, if not most, Italian mobsters are very religious.[9] Not only that, but the evidence is clear that the Catholic church has been involved heavily with the Mafia in Italy and the U. S.[10]
From the article, The "Theology" of the Mafia and the Silence of Rome:
“In the book “Mafia” by the German journalist Petra Reski, who lives in Venice, recently published by Droemer, discussions with mafiosi, their wives and priests describe how they understand the divine order.
“You know, the judiciary can't forbid us to leave out a mafioso for the salvation of our soul. We must not deny the sacraments to anyone.” So spoke the young priest of Corleone.
The wife of mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano, who was arrested in 2006, told a journalist: “I only acknowledge divine justice. I no longer believe in justice on earth. Only God knows everything and sees everything.”
In her interviews, Reski has repeatedly found out those commandments that mafiosi believe in. “You shall not commit adultery” is one of them. “You should not murder”, is not found in them. There are testimonies to justify murders like this: “Since God has not yet taken him in, I sent him to Him.” The Vatican is silent on that theology, to which many of those priests apologetically agree, although they (or because they?) are called to their office by regional bishops. Here and there, there are the anti-Mafia pastors. Even the Wojtyla Pope condemned the mafia, but just as a syndicate of crime and not as a religiously based model of life. There is no official document from Rome on this.
The German journalist Magdalena Krol spoke to Padre Nino Fasullo, head of the monthly magazine Segno. The Redemptorist Order says the Church ignored the syndicates completely until the 1990s, when the anti-mafia movement was spurred on by then-mayor (and recently mafia author) of Palermo, Leoluca Orlando. When the Mafia murdered the judges Falcone and Borsellino, the movement failed because of the fear of the Sicilians. Since then, there have been arrests and convictions again and again, but the church is not involved. The mafia issue is absent from the training of the priests. Far too many priests come from mafia families. The traditional obedience within families and the "distrust of the state" are further aspects. Can something change? Only with difficulty because the “white collars”, the exponents of “better society”, would stand idly in the background. Especially politicians who continuously defuse anti-mafia laws.”[11]
What an indictment against the tolerance and deception of such devilish activity in churches! Did you get that, “Far too many priests come from mafia families”? It was all a part of the “family” business.
Let me get back to the Jews.
The truth is that there are many SECULAR Jews in the rank and file of people that consider themselves to be Jews. These are people with Jewish last names that may or may not believe in God or the Scripture. Did you know that there are Jewish agnostics and atheists? I have met a few. I remember having Jewish in-name-only teachers that were as worldly as anything in heathenism! Did you know that there are people identified as Jews that are followers of Buddhism and other world religions that have nothing to do with the Bible? I saw a video of an entire Jewish family that were devout Buddhists.
Did you know that many Jews in the Bible were idolaters that followed Baal and other religions? If you didn’t know that then you are ignorant of the Scripture. Did you know that there were and are a few Satanists of Jewish ancestry?
I say that kind of tongue-in-cheek because there have been idolaters, worshippers of demons and false gods from many nations. It is not something exclusive to some Jews. Just like there have been people that practice witchcraft, sorcery, greed, adultery, sexual perversions, murders, homosexuality, pedophilia, theft, and every evil thing under the sun in all nations, the Jews have had their perverts too!
Did you know that there is a big history of gangsters in the U.S.A. that were of Jewish families?
I quote from Jewish Gangster in America:
“There are few excuses for the behavior of Jewish gangsters in the 1920s and 1930s. The best-known Jewish gangsters – Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, Longy Zwillman, Moe Dalitz — were involved in the number’s rackets, illegal drug dealing, prostitution, gambling, and loan sharking. They were not nice men. During the rise of American Nazism in the 1930s and when Israel was being founded between 1945 and 1948, however, they proved staunch defenders of the Jewish people.[12]
Not only were those Jewish gangsters “not nice men”, but they were commandment-covenant breakers. So obviously, my article is not a defense of the wicked among the Jews, but what about the wicked in all other nations? Do you think it was only the Jews? No, they were not the only ethnic or national group that had gangsters and criminal organizations among their ranks.
What about the Italians from my father’s side of the family? Were any of them mafiosi? There may have a been a few, but the details are sketchy. Not only that, but the sketchy ones are all dead because they all died young.
But it will not be well for the evil man, and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God. (Ecclesiastes 8:13 NASB 1995)
Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb. (Psalms 37:1, 2 NASB 1995)
What about La Cosa Nostra, and the rest of the Italian mobsters in America? What about the many mafiosos (in Spanish) that go faithfully to church? Did you know the mafia has its rules of conduct, their so called Ten Commandments?
“The following list was found during the arrest of Salvatore Lo Piccolo, the reputed new boss of the Sicilian Mafia. It is thought to have been drawn up as a "guide to being a good mobster." [13]
The Mafia's "Ten Commandments"
The original Ten Commandments
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No-one can present himself directly to another of our friends. There must be a third person to do it.
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You will have no other gods before Me
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Never look at the wives of friends.
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You will not make for yourself an idol
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Never be seen with cops.
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You will not make wrongful use of the name of your God
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Don't go to pubs and clubs.
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Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
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Always being available for Cosa Nostra is a duty - even if your wife's about to give birth.
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Honor your father and mother
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Appointments must absolutely be respected.
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You will not murder
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Wives must be treated with respect.
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You will not commit adultery
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When asked for any information in the family, the answer must be the truth.
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Thou will not steal
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Money cannot be appropriated if it belongs to others or to other families.
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You will not bear false witness against your neighbor
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People who can't be part of Cosa Nostra: anyone who has a close relative in the police, anyone with a two-timing relative in the family, anyone who behaves badly and doesn't hold to moral values.
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You will not covet
The BBC author put the Ten Commandments side by side with the Mafia list of "commandments". I took out the archaic King James English. The list illustrates how the Mafia has taken the original Ten Commandments and given them their own spin. God’s moral commandments must be obeyed and not changed or reinterpreted to mean something else. There is big trouble ahead for those that add or take away from the clear meaning of Scripture as the Mafiosi (in Italian: members of the Mafia) obviously have done. They have twisted the meaning of Scripture to their beliefs and agenda.
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. (1 Cor. 7:19 NASB)
This requires the steadfast endurance of the saints—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus. (Revelation 14:12 NET)
I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18, 19 NASB 1995)
Even some from among your very own ranks will rise up, twisting the truth to seduce people into following them instead of Jesus. (Acts 20:30 The Passion Translation - TPT)
…Escape from the empty echoes of men and the perversion of twisted reasoning. (1 Timothy 6:20b TPT)
Yes, the mafiosi have a twisted reasoning because they have twisted the truth.
The pentito (repentant) Antonino Calderone recounted similar Commandments in his 1987 testimony:
These rules are not to touch the women of other men of honor; not to steal from other men of honor or, in general, from anyone; not to exploit prostitution; not to kill other men of honor unless strictly necessary; to avoid passing information to the police; not to quarrel with other men of honor; to maintain proper behavior; to keep silent about Cosa Nostra around outsiders; to avoid under all circumstances introducing oneself to other men of honor. [14]
Omerta is another “commandment” among the Mafiosi. Properly, in Italian, omertà means silence. It is basically the code of silence that forbids speaking to police or government authorities (or anybody else outside the organization) about anything related to the mafia. To break the code is to break a Mafiosi's blood oath swearing allegiance to the organization, and it is punishable by death. Even if a Mafiosi was robbed in his own house, he was never to give any info to the cops about the robbery or the robber. He was to be silent and was duty bound to seek vengeance against the thief by himself. It was considered the height of honor and manliness to go to jail rather than break the code.
Though the purpose of the code among the Mafiosi was criminal from the outset, there are some things to be learned about honor and respect here.
Do you honor and respect the Lord and His Word at least as much as the Mafiosi did to their criminal organization, where you would rather die than lie or commit murder? You may not have ever had your finger cut and bled all over an idol of a “saint” that was then set on fire as you swore your allegiance to a criminal organization, but have you ever received communion or participated in the Lord’s table? Communion over the bread and wine are a declaration of allegiance to the Lord Jesus and to God the Father because of the shedding of the blood and the sacrificing of the body of Jesus.
Do you respect God’s Word so much that you would rather go to jail than shut down your church because of an evil mandate that forbids meetings to preach and minister to the people? That is what governments ordered during the planned hysteria that was not a pandemic, something that is contrary to Scripture.
Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:25 NASB)
18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:18-20 NASB)
The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:27-29 NASB)
Look, I am not pretending to be some tough guy at all. I am tough in some ways, but I have my shortcomings too which are a weakness, and I have yielded to sin at times. Yet, I know in Whom I have believed and to Whom I have sworn my allegiance, and His Name is Jesus Christ my Lord! I would rather die than deny Him. Of course, I’d rather live long upon the earth and fight, fight, and fight some more to stay alive. If death came knocking at the door with a choice of deny Him or die, I would see Jesus sooner through a martyr’s death because denial is not an option.
The Italian mob is well-known, but what about the Russians, Japanese, Chinese, Irish, and many others with their own crime syndicates?
On the island of Puerto Rico (USA) there are numerous gangs and criminal organizations. I know that because I was born there and spent about 25 years on the island. I saw a lot firsthand because I was a pastor in a high crime area of the San Juan metroplex. I pastored there from 1978 until 1993, first as assistant pastor with my father Israel, and then as pastor from 1982.
Criminal gangs have either been imported or formed in the U.S. by nationals from the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Haiti, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Thailand, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Libya, Egypt, India, Brazil, Columbia, Mexico, and the list goes on and on. There are law abiding people among those nationalities, but there are also crime families and criminal organizations from all those nationalities! The same goes for all nations around the globe.
How about criminal biker gangs, gangsters, and mobsters that are “good ol’ American bred boys? I have met a few in years gone by. As an example, I remember living in Florida in the early 70’s. There was a gang led by an all-American son of a very wealthy businessman with a famous last name, and the son sold drugs right out of his very expensive and exclusive luxury car! No, it was not a “Trump”, so quit trying to guess!
It is ridiculous to blame the Jews for all evil, even in the Bible. Millenia before the Jews even existed, the world was destroyed by a massive flood because it was filled with violence and wickedness. (Genesis 6) Before there were any Jews there were many wicked nations upon the earth.
Every nation on earth today has evil criminal organizations or mobs among its citizens. That is a fact. If you say the Jews are responsible for all the evil on the planet, what about all the rest of the countries on earth with evil organizations, evil governments, wicked leaders, and crime syndicates among its populace? Do you exclude them to blame the Jews for all evil? Are other ethnic groups or nations exempt from wickedness? No, they are as guilty as the criminals and evil people that have existed among the Jews. Criminal activity is found in all ethnic groups, nationalities, and their skin color doesn’t matter.
Just as it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10 NET)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV)
But I know your dwelling place, your going out and your coming in, and your rage against Me. (2 Kings 19:27 NKJV)
Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? (Psalms 2:1 NKJV)
The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. (Psalms 46:6 NKJV)
That is a fact. Sin has affected all people on earth. No one is excluded.
The soul who sins shall die. (Ezekiel 18:20 NKJV)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NLT)
Thank God for what Jesus did for us when He went to the cross, shed His blood, and went to hell in our place to set us free! Here are some instructions:
Then Peter said to them, “Repent (turn firmly away from your past life of sin and turn firmly to God) and let every one of you be baptized (immersed in water) in the name (authority) of Jesus Christ (the anointed One) for the remission (removal, cleansing) of sins; and you shall receive (lay hold of) the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved (set free, delivered) from this perverse (twisted, wicked) generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized (immersed in water); and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (teaching, instruction) and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:38-42 NKJV- parenthesis are my translation comments)
To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name (authority), whoever believes (trusts and obeys) in Him will receive remission (removal, cleansing) of sins. (Acts 10:43 NKJV- parenthesis are my translation comments)
Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord (declare your submission and allegiance to Him as your Lord) and believe (trust and obey) in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (delivered, made whole). (Romans 10:9 NKJV- parenthesis are my comments and/or translation)
NOTES:
[1] Jew-hatred is more commonly referred to as antisemitism: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/antisemitism.
[2] Here are a few: The Conflict of the Church and the Synagogue: A Study in the Origins of Antisemitism; James Williams Parkes. Why the Jews?, Prager and Telushkin. The comprehensive 4 volume set by Leon Poliakov: The History of Antisemitism.
[3] See: The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism: From Sacred Texts to Solemn History, Andrew G. Bostom. The historicity of Muslim hatred towards the Jews is undeniable. This book is very well documented. It will answer many questions.
[4] See these articles that break down how many died: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/documenting-numbers-of-victims-of-the-holocaust-and-nazi-persecution - https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/jewish-losses-during-the-holocaust-by-country?parent=en%2F11652 – Roam around that website to get more info.
[5] Look at this video where Hitler promises the destruction of all the Jews of Europe. It’s in German, but that is the translation of Hitler’s last words in the video clip. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/asset/cae99c77-f639-4b3c-bf22-401025466b90.mp4 - There was a systematic Nazi boycott of all Jewish businesses, and Jews were forbidden to enter stores or restaurants. See this historical video clip: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/film/nazi-anti-jewish-boycott?parent=en%2F3225
[6] See: https://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/russia/red-terror.htm ; https://alphahistory.com/russianrevolution/red-terror/ ; also look at their list of documents. https://alphahistory.com/russianrevolution/russian-revolution-documents/
[7] See https://www.heritage.org/asia/commentary/the-legacy-mao-zedong-mass-murder. See the book: The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression, by authors: Jean-Louis Panné, Andrzej Paczkowski, Karel Bartosek, Jean-Louis Margolin, Nicolas Werth, Stéphane Courtois. That title about sums up what many are clamoring for among the Democrats, Hollywood, and among national government leadership. They incessantly praise the CCP, the former USSR, Maduro, and let’s not leave out the Castro regime. If liberal socialist's read this book honestly, I think they could have a change of heart, but probably not. Some would try to equate it to some sort of conspiracy theory, but the facts as established from many sources say otherwise. It’s amazing many don’t see the preamble to all this horror playing out right before our eyes! They forgot history or whitewashed it.
[8] For more info see: Mao's Great Famine: The History of China's Most Devastating Catastrophe, 1958-1962, Frank Dikötter ; Tombstone: The Great Chinese Famine, 1958-1962, Yang Jisheng; China: A New History, John K. Fairbank and Merle Goldman. See article here: https://www.dispropaganda.com/single-post/2019/12/26/Mao-Zedong-the-man-who-starved-China.
The article says Mao was responsible for 45 million deaths. Other historians mention 65 million as a better estimate of all that died of starvation or were directly murdered by Mao's communist regime throughout the entire time he was dictator. Either number is HUGE!
[9] Why are so many mafia members religious and devoted to God and church even though it is clear that everything they do directly contradicts the Bible? is a really good article by Hofstra University graduate Ed Scarpo, Cosa Nostra News: https://www.quora.com/Why-are-so-many-mafia-members-religious-and-devoted-to-god-and-church-even-though-it-is-clear-that-everything-they-do-directly-contradicts-the-Bible.
[10] See: The Vatican Connection, Richard Hammer. See essay: The Undertold Story: The Vatican, the Mob, Super Ponzi Schemes and MORE- http://churchandstate.org.uk/2016/02/the-understold-story-the-vatican-the-mob-super-ponzi-schemes-and-more/. More on the connections between the Mafia and the Catholic Church: Operation Gladio: The Unholy Alliance Between The Vatican, The CIA, and The Mafia; and also The Vatican Exposed- Money, Murder, and the Mafia, both written by Paul L. Williams.
[11] Translated by Google (with errors in it) from the German language,https://www.derstandard.at/consent/tcf/story/1229796911942/gerfried-sperl-die-theologie-der-mafia-und-das-schweigen-roms.
[12] Quote from, Jewish Gangsters in America, by Michael Feldberg; Jewish Virtual Library.
[13] See article, Mafia's 'Ten Commandments' found, at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7086716.stm
[14] From: http://pinoy555.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-156.html , but the info came from articles in Wikipedia on the Sicilian Mafia and from an article on Antonino Calderone. Look them up. Wikipedia leans left, but in their articles on this subject there is a lot of good information, and we should give them credit.
**Look at the following historical articles for further information on the subject matter:
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/nazi-racism
https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/the-nazi-rise-to-power/the-early-years-of-the-nazi-party/what-were-hitlers-ideas/
https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/how-and-why/why/
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-gangsters-in-america
https://www.britannica.com/topic/blood-libel
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/jews-expulsion-spain-portugal
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/russian-soviet-and-cis-history/pogroms
Often, I do not include these many footnotes, but I thought this article demanded more than usual. Anybody can look up the references and verify what I am saying. It may take time to do that, but that is the only way to get to the truth. Study and verify! (2 Timothy 3:15) A lack of doing that makes a lot of people gullible to errors and misinformation. The proof is in how many churches closed their doors for a virus that is 99% survivable for most of the people on the planet!
A lack of verifying things written or spouted by the fake news media early on concerning Covid 19 is what led to the acceptance and submission by many to the tyrannical and draconian response of governments around the globe. The plandemic could have been stopped through the verification process! Instead of believing the lies of crazed governments and the fake and fear-mongering news networks and social media, much economic suffering and premature death could have been avoided by verifying things! Many believed the lies of the efficacy of vaccines instead of studying for themselves the enormous amount of research materials against ever jabbing that garbage into your veins!
Do you need more info about the Covid-19 vaccines? Study the huge amount of research, interviews, and articles by medical doctors and scientists at: https://nojabforme.info.
Be mightily blessed!
When I was raised in Puerto Rico in the 60's, we celebrated Christmas, but "Reyes" or "Kings" was THE celebration of when the three Kings or Magi came to worship Jesus. The night before Three Kings Day celebrations on January 6 were special nights. Children all over the island would leave grass out (generally by a manger built or prepared for the occasion) to feed the camels of the Three Kings, and they in turn would leave presents. Many times, Reyes was a much bigger celebration than Christmas. We loved Reyes!
As you grow up, and begin to follow Jesus, you learn a few things if you will study. For example, the names and the numbers of the wise men that came from the East are never mentioned in the New Testament. Not only that, but the word that is translated as wise men (magoi) is not the Greek word for kings (basileon)! Oops! So much for the tradition of the Three Gentile Kings that came to worship baby Jesus, all based on human invention. None of it is Scriptural!
The above may be disconcerting for the unlearned, but the truth will not oppress you. The truth of God's Word will make you free from the traditions of men, if you will allow it. (John 8:32) Here comes much food for thought.
The Wise Men that Came to See Jesus were Magi - Astrologers?
Does anybody but me have a problem with the tradition that the wise men were astrologers of the Magi caste from Babylon? I hope not. For many years, as a Christian, that “scratched” at me on the inside. We know from Scripture how much God despises all the pagan practices of idolatry that include sorcery (deals with potions and spells), witchcraft (those that cast spells -incantations and curses and invoke (evil) spirits to get their will done), necromancers (those that attempt to speak to the dead, mediums), soothsayers (fortune tellers, and that includes the Ouija boards of today, tarot cards, divination, psychics), spiritists (those that channel evil spirits to tell your fortune), and astrologers (those that tell of events past, present, and future by “reading” the stars and planets).
Here are a few verses of Scripture that put in view God’s perspective:
Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:31 NLT)
I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community. (Lev. 20:6 NLT)
Men and women among you who act as mediums or who consult the spirits of the dead must be put to death by stoning. They are guilty of a capital offense. (Lev. 20:27 NLT)
And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead… The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the Lord your God forbids you to do such things. (Deuteronomy 18:10-11, 14 NLT)
Manasseh also sacrificed his own son in the fire. He practiced sorcery and divination, and he consulted with mediums and psychics. He did much that was evil in the LORD’s sight, arousing his anger. (2 Kings 21:6 NLT)
God calls these practices evil and wicked in the sight of the Lord, arousing His anger, spiritual prostitution, and a capital offense. He is the same today. He has never changed His mind on the subject. (Malachi 3:6)
Here is one portion in the Scripture that specifically referred to the astrologers of Babylon (Isaiah 47:1- 5), the very caste that the wise men that came to worship Jesus were supposed to belong to!
So, disaster will overtake you, and you won’t be able to charm it away. Calamity will fall upon you, and you won’t be able to buy your way out. A catastrophe will strike you suddenly, one for which you are not prepared. “Now use your magical charms! Use the spells you have worked at all these years! Maybe they will do you some good. Maybe they can make someone afraid of you. All the advice you receive has made you tired. Where are all your astrologers, those stargazers who make predictions each month? Let them stand up and save you from what the future holds. But they are like straw burning in a fire; they cannot save themselves from the flame. (Isaiah 47:11-14 NLT)
God mocks them! They cannot save themselves from the flame! Destruction was coming to them for their evil and wicked practices. Yes, these calamities will come upon you, despite all your witchcraft and magic.
“You felt secure in your wickedness. ‘No one sees me,’ you said. But your ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’ have led you astray, and you said, ‘I am the only one, and there is no other.’ So, disaster will overtake you, and you won’t be able to charm it away. Calamity will fall upon you, and you won’t be able to buy your way out. A catastrophe will strike you suddenly, one for which you are not prepared. (Isaiah 47:9-11 NLT)
There are a few references in the New Testament to witchcraft, fortune-tellers, and those practicing the magic arts. The story of the woman with the evil spirit (spirit of divination) and practiced fortunetelling (which was cast out by Paul- Acts 16:16-18) is one of them. Then, there is the story of Bar-Jesus the magician-astrologer (Acts 13:6-11). Paul called him “full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness!” That, my brethren, is the Holy Spirit’s take on all that practice such things! It was the Holy Spirit that anointed Paul to speak a command to blind the sorcerer. Also, the Apostle Paul mentions sorcery (NLT, NKJV, etc.) or witchcraft (KJV, NASB, etc.) as a desire of the sinful nature, and the fact that those practicing it will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
In Revelation, it is written that after devastating plagues hit many parts of the earth:
But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood— idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20-21 NLT)
One more to clench the nail on the back of the board:
But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. (Rev. 21:8 NLT)
Those Scriptural references just threw off for me all the connection of the wise men to the caste of Magi from Babylon, but let’s read the New Testament text, and move on from there.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men (Gr. magoi) from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:1, 2 NKJV parenthesis- my addition)
The star that they saw related to the King of the Jews was prophesied by none other than Balaam in his fourth prophecy. (Numbers 24:15-19) Balaam is a whole other problem, but I will summarize it the best I can. Balaam was a backslid prophet and became a “prophet for hire.” Balaam would bless or curse people for a price. Do we have similar “prophets” today? A few of those covetous and likeminded prophets are roaming around today among Christians. Who are they? They are those that for a fee will send you a personal “prophetic word.” The more money you send, the more personal the “word” will be. They are in the same category as Balaam was, a conniving and money hungry swindler!
Because Balaam was backslid, he was a false prophet whose teaching was despised by the Lord Jesus. The Lord denounced those who followed the doctrine of Balaam because it led to eating things sacrificed to idols and to committing sexual immorality. (See Revelation 2:14, Numbers 31:16.) Yet, in all the prophet’s madness, the Spirit of the Lord spoke through Balaam’s mouth, and a grand prophetic word from the Lord came forth about the future King-Messiah. You may be wondering how could God possibly use a “false prophet” to bring a real word from the Lord? He anointed a heathen king to help Israel. His name was Cyrus! (See Isaiah 43:1-10, Ezra 1). There are numerous examples in the Scripture of the Lord using pagans for his purposes. So, in the case of Balaam, the Lord anointed him to speak prophetically on a certain occasion. That does not mean he was right or accepted before the Lord, but that God used him on a selected occasion to express a prophetic utterance from the Lord.
Here is the prophetic Word that the wise men followed into Israel in search of the King-Messiah.
…The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, and the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened; The utterance of him who hears the words of God and has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open: I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel… (Numbers 24:15-17 NKJV)
The wise men saw the star rising out of Jacob or Israel and followed it from the East. Their point of origin was in the East, presumably from Babylon. Why Babylon? The word used for “wise men” is the Greek word magos (magoi- in the plural form indicating more than one “wise man”). In Spanish, no bones are made about it, and the three kings are called the three magician kings, "los tres Reyes magos." That is really a mess in my estimation.
The tradition runs deep and scholars have not helped much in this area because they have more readily assumed the position of tradition instead of finding a solution to the dilemma.
The Complete Word Study dictionary of the Bible (coded to Strong’s Concordance numbers) indicates (G3097) that the word magoi is of foreign origin from the Hebrew (H7248); a Magian, that is, Oriental scientist; by implication a magician: - sorcerer, wise man.
Notice what Thayer’s Greek- English Lexicon says about the same word magoi.
The name given by the Babylonians, Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreter of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers, etc. It goes on to say that the oriental wise men (astrologers) who, having discovered by the rising of the remarkable star that the Messiah had just been born, and that therefore thy came to Jerusalem to worship him.[1]
The acclaimed and scholarly Bauer’s “A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature” (BDAG) basically says the same thing as the other two dictionaries mentioned.
So, there is a case for the magoi (plural)- wise men to have been of this caste of astrologer-soothsayers. There is also the fact that magos was used referring to the false prophet Elymas (Bar-Jesus) in Acts 13:8.
Also, God has at times used the ungodly for His purposes. Yet, that the magoi were sorcerer magicians doesn’t sit right with my spirit and the witness of the Holy Spirit concerning the story of the wise men that visited Jesus. Too many Scriptures condemn the practices of the astrologers and sorcerers. There is too much evidence in Scripture of God’s eternal displeasure with those that practice such things. God hates all of it!
Could there be something else going on that has been ignored for centuries? In my heart, to believe that the magoi that visited Jesus were soothsayers- astrologers sounds like this:
“Wait a minute! Do you mean to tell me that astrologers and soothsayers (practitioners of witchcraft or sorcery) came to worship the Messiah because they saw the star of the Messiah-King manifested in the sky? How did they know anything about that prophetic word in Number 24:17? Does that sound right to you? Do you mean to tell me that Joseph and Mary (strict Jewish followers of Torah) would have received heathens from hell that were astrologers, soothsayers, and served false gods? Would they have received myrrh, frankincense, and gold from these pagans?”
Knowing something about Judaism in the first century, I would have to say emphatically, “No way Joseph and Mary would have received them!” The first foreign dignitaries to visit the child Jesus were magicians (wizards) and astrologers from Babylon? Yuk! The idea makes me throw up a little in my mouth because I know all those other Scriptures that I gave you above, where God rejects (and detests, hates) all forms of witchcraft and sorcery, including astrology! Scripture should be primarily interpreted with other Scripture. I think the story of the wise men has been interpreted without reference to other Scripture that should have made us reassess our conclusions. That time is here and now!
If these magoi were pagan devils, they would never have been received by Joseph or Mary or anybody of the Jewish faith that was present that day. Jews had strict laws concerning receiving pagans into their home or going to visit pagans and coming under their roof. It was considered a violation of the law of Moses. To have received foreign devil worshippers into their home would have defiled them and left them in ritual impurity. Jews did not associate with pagans!
Did you know that Jesus’ first followers and converts after the day of Pentecost were ONLY Jews and their half-brothers, the Samaritans (Acts 8)? There were no Gentiles among the believers for at least ten years after Pentecost. Read Acts chapters 2-10 as a reference. It took a supernatural vision coming to the apostle Peter in Acts 10 to open the way for salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit to be preached to the Gentiles. Until then, it was taken for granted that association with the Gentiles was verboten, and the gospel message was only for Jews. Again, there was a separation of the Jews from pagans until salvation and the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and all his house as Peter preached to them. (Acts 10).
Ok, if the magoi couldn’t have been pagan, astrologer, devil worshippers that came to worship the King Messiah, and I have presented Scriptural evidence that would contradict the notion that they were, what and who were they, and can it be proven?
Do you remember that I stated above that The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Bible says (G3097) that the word is of foreign origin from the Hebrew (H7248)”?
H7248 in Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew- English Lexicon gives us these foreign words: rab-saris (H7249) and rab-mag. [2] It says these words are of Assyrian or Babylonian influence and “titles of As.-Bab. officers (that) are prob. loan words in Hebrew.” [3] Rab-mag could be a chief soothsayer (and I think that is the point that confused scholars), but BDB states this is equal to rab-mugi (chief of princes). BDB further states that rab-sarisis usually in Babylon chief of eunuchs, but it is equal to rabu-saresi, chief of the heads (the principal men). So, both titles could refer to government dignitaries that had little to nothing to do with astrology-sorcery. Chief of eunuchs (rab-saris) was also a minister or officer of the state, such as a general, governor, or prince. See the reference to the master or prince of eunuchs (sar-saris) [4] responsible for teaching a few selected children of Israel in all the learning and the tongue of Babylon. They (and Daniel was among them) were to be skillful in all wisdom, cunning in knowledge, and understanding science. (See Daniel 1:1-21.)
Wow!! Does that not start to make you think differently? Are you beginning to get some light about this? The definitions above from the Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew-English Lexicon of the Old Testament (BDB) leads us to believe that the magoi from the East that came to visit Jesus could have been governmental leaders like the Hebrews that were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar and later exalted to governmental positions overseeing his realm. Also, note the use of the word rab in the titles of these officials. You will see below why that word is so important.
Do you remember that Nebuchadnezzar had a dream he refused to tell the magicians and sorcerers? He wanted someone to tell him the dream AND the interpretation. God gave Daniel the dream and its interpretation, something only God could do. With that supernatural event, proving that Jehovah God was the one and only true God, Nebuchadnezzar exalted Daniel and made him chief (rab) of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. (Daniel 2:48) It would make perfect sense that these magoi from the East were Hebrew dignitaries from the eastern lands where Babylon and many other cities existed during the time of Jesus. That could satisfy our search.
Did you know that there was a robust Hebrew or Jewish presence in those towns and cities of the East? Though the info is relatively sparse compared to other timeframes, some kings, queens, and whole areas seemed to have converted to Judaism. See references to the conversion to Judaism from paganism of the Adiabene kingdom in the first century. In the account of the ancient historian Josephus in his writings the Antiquities of the Jews (Book XX: Chapter 2), it shows that there was a substantial Jewish population in the kingdom. It led to the establishment of a prominent rabbinic academy in Arbela. There were Jews in many cities of the Parthian (Arcesid) empire.
One prominent city with many Jews was Babylon. Historically, not all Jews left Babylon after the return to the land of Israel under Ezra and Nehemiah. Synagogues and academies were established in many cities under the Parthian and Armenian Empires. This trend of an increasing Jewish population in the Eastern lands continued for centuries. The largest rabbinical academies were in the East.
I am emphasizing that because students of the Scripture in rabbinic schools would have read and understood the prophetic Word about the star of the Messiah-King rising out of the land of Israel. It would have signaled the coming of this Anointed one. The Jews would have sent their most able and learned leaders to investigate the matter. Now, that makes complete spiritual sense to me, especially when you begin to see that the title rab was given to especially gifted rabbinic leaders or chiefs. Rab was the title of the Babylonian sages who taught in the Babylonian Jewish academies. The titles "Rabban" and "Rabbi" (the root word being rab) are first mentioned in first through fifth century Jewish literature in the Mishnah and the Talmud. The term was first used in the Mishnah for Rabban Gamaliel the elder, Rabban Simeon his son, and Rabban Johanan ben Zakkai, all of whom were patriarchs or presidents of the Sanhedrin in the first century.
The word rabbi occurs fifteen times in the New Testament (in the NKJV) speaking about Jesus or others. Jesus was called rabbi in the first century, and He was THE Greatest of the Great Rabbis! The root word of rabbi is rab! All that leads me to believe that the magoi were not devil worshipping astrologers, but they were the most honored Jewish religious leaders from the East that knew the prophetic Scripture and came to worship the King-Messiah Jesus! Now that agrees with my heart in the Holy Spirit! That I can believe! I can now understand how the strict Jewish family of Jesus and all the Jews of Bethlehem saw nothing wrong with visiting Jewish religious leaders from the East worshipping the King-Messiah. Joseph and Mary probably felt honored and received with great joy these Jewish leaders among the sages in Babylon!
It was all good! Much more info could be included here, but I will let it be for now. Be blessed!
Jesus was born to die in our place and to redeem us. That was the purpose of His birth, to get God’s Son into a human body! Only a perfect human without sin, the Second and Last Adam, could pay the eternal price for a guilty humanity. It was a great plan, one that changed things forever! Have you ever read my 244 page book, The Story of our Great Redemption? This is the link for the free download of the book!
Today’s podcast gives you the story of redemption in a nutshell. Be blessed with the Word!
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!
NOTES:
[1] Downloaded from Thayer's in the Mantis Bible Study app.
[2] BDB p. 916, 7248-49.
[3] Coded to Strong’s numbers, p. 913, and see 7227 for both rab-mag and rab saris. I transliterated the words from the Hebrew found there.
[4] Daniel 1:3, 7 and look up the two titles rab-saris and sar-saris in CWS. Rab-mag and rab-sarisis also found in Jeremiah 39:3, 13. These titles referred to Babylonian princes.
You may have already received Jesus as Lord of your life, but He has more than that for you. That was the first step. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the next step in your spiritual walk with God.
If you are satisfied with the new birth and think that is all God has for you, then you are missing a powerful blessing promised by the Lord to all believers. God has much for you! The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, is what opens the door to infinite possibilities with God. We will show you what the Bible says about it, and then it will be up to you to receive this glorious experience.
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues as of fire splitting off (into individual fires); and these sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:3, 4)
The apostles and all the people that gathered (120 individuals) had already received the Holy Spirit into their lives and hearts. They had already been regenerated and received Jesus as their Lord before Acts 2:4. Can we prove this?
The doors were shut where the disciples were gathered... Jesus came and stood in the middle of them, and said to them, “Peace (shalom) to you!” And after He said that, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw it was the Lord! Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you. As My Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:19-22)
Notice that they received the Holy Spirit at this time. This was before Jesus ascended visibly into heaven. They received the Spirit of Christ as it says in Romans 8:9-11, and the Holy Spirit came inside them, and they were born of the Spirit. Yet, Jesus explained to them that something else was needed from the Holy Spirit to empower them and propel them into the supernatural things of God. Right before His ascension into heaven He said:
I send the promise of My father on you. But stay in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high. (Luke 24:49)
Jesus was saying that receiving the Holy Spirit inside of them (the new birth) was not all that there was to the promise of the Father. God had more in mind for His people. God wanted more for them than only an internal and personal experience with God. Power would come from on high to rest on His people. It would be a glorious external manifestation worn like a coat or a suit of clothes.
The one believing in me as the Scripture said, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water. But He said this concerning the Spirit that those that believe in Him were about to receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:38, 39)
Note that Jesus said that the one that already believed, trusted in, and become faithful to the Lord, was to have something else from the Spirit of God. These verses speak of another experience with the Holy Spirit, one where from your belly flow rivers of living water. The rivers of water speak of this mighty baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said this of the mighty experience with the Holy Spirit they were to receive. When He breathed on them they were birthed from above, but nothing happened externally in their lives until Acts 2:4.
Miraculous power from on High
There was no real show of God's power to the entire world until Acts 2 and beyond. They were good "Christians" but with no evidence to demonstrate to the world about the reality, not just the words, of their God.
...But you will receive (miraculous) power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
Do you see the reference here to the Holy Spirit coming upon you? This is saying the same thing as Luke 24:49. It is a being clothed upon with the power of the Holy Spirit. What is the purpose of this empowering? The purpose was so we would be witnesses to the world. The word witness means one that comes with clear and irrefutable evidence of what they are saying. Jesus told us what we would be doing with this power, and this is exactly what we see the apostles and disciples doing after the Acts 2:4 experience of receiving this power upon their lives.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to everybody. The ones believing, and those being immersed will be saved (delivered or made whole). And the ones that do not believe will be condemned (damned). And these signs (miraculous works of power) will accompany those believing: In My Name (dominion, authority, power) they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)
Look at Acts 28:3-5 for an example of a serpent attacking Paul and he was supernaturally protected from its venom! The serpents and drinking deadly things by accident are a part of supernatural protection from harm. Take a look also at Psalms 91, the mighty protection Psalm, and notice how it totally agrees with this part in Mark 16:17 and 18.
The above verses in Mark mean that when Jesus gave authority and power to heal the sick and cast out demons to His the apostles and to 70 other disciples, that it was localized, temporary, and unique to a limited group of his followers before the cross and the resurrection. (Luke 9:1, 10:1, 10; Matthew 10:1). It was not yet available to all His followers. After His resurrection, that power and authority was extended to ALL His followers! That means that you didn't need to be an apostle or prophet, or some especially selected disciple to walk in power to heal, deliver people, and have supernatural protection that can only be attributed to God. All God's people should be clothed with supernatural power. Each believer should speak in new tongues, cast out demons, and heal the sick in His Name.
For those of you that fuss over Mark 16:8-20 because it is not found in two of the most ancient complete manuscripts (the Vaticanus and Sinaiticus), I have three words for you, "Get over it"! It is found in all other ancient New Testament manuscripts (hundreds), and it is clearly proven as a Bible truth in the book of Acts, 1 Corinthians chapters 12 through 14, and by numerous references in the New Testament. So, get over lame excuses for not being baptized in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues. That is one of Satan’s methods to keep you out of this glorious experience with God. Traditional ignorance, and a theological debate based in unbelief of anything supernatural, has kept many denominational churchgoers from getting in on these glorious truths.
God wants to clothe us with power to do signs and wonders in the Name of Jesus. He wants us to have not just words but power in demonstration in our lives. He is not only interested in the presentation of the Gospel to the world with words but with miraculous signs that no one can deny! (1 Corinthians 2:4) It starts with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
I indeed baptize you with water to repentance. But He who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He (Jesus) shall baptize (immerse) you with the Holy Spirit and with fire... (Matthew 3:11)
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is to come with "fire." That is that power that we have been talking about. It comes upon those that receive this gift of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. As the resurrected Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ is the One that personally baptizes you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He does that for all those that will receive this precious and very necessary gift. Did you connect fire here with the "fire" that showed up on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:3? You should!
Even Jesus did not begin His earthly ministry without the Holy Spirit empowering Him to do the miraculous. (Matthew 3:16)
No miracles, healings, signs, or wonders were done until after He was empowered by the Holy Spirit for His ministry. Notice how He returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit after being clothed with this power from on High. (Luke 4:14) Then, and only then, did the miracles begin to happen. The Holy Spirit in power released the miraculous in His life. Even though Jesus came as God manifested in the flesh, (John 1:1, 14) without this special empowerment, He did not do even one miracle or healing. If Jesus needed the power of the Holy Spirit in His life, how much more do you and I need it!
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. (Acts 10:38)
God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power at the Jordan River. That was when the Holy Spirit came upon Him like a dove, and that was when His ministry began. No one should even think about beginning a ministry without the power of the Holy Spirit upon their lives! That is another subject.
Why all the Emphasis on Speaking in other Tongues?
The first evidence that was manifest when the Holy Spirit and fire came on the 120 in the house where they were seated was speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:4) If this was the only place this happened, then maybe we would have to say that it was something special for them that day, but it was not unique to Acts 2:4.
While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on all those hearing the word. And those of the circumcision, who believed (as many as came with Peter), were astonished because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the (non-Jewish or Gentile) nations also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. (Acts 10:44-46)
This Baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire is here called a gift. In Luke 24:49 it was called the promise of the Father. It is the desire of the Father to grant this promise and gift to you right now.
Much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those that ask Him. (Luke 11:13)
It is a promise and a gift that is yours for the asking and the receiving. The Father will never turn down any born again believer from receiving. It is His perfect will that you receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with this initial evidence of speaking in other tongues.
Why do I say that speaking in another tongue is the initial evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit? I just gave you the second scriptural proof of this great truth in Acts 10:44-46. The people that came with Peter knew these people had received the same gift as they had in Acts 2:4 when they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
He (Paul) said to them, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” And they said to him, “We have not heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “Then to what were you baptized?” And they said, “To John's baptism.” And Paul said, “John truly baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in Him that was coming after him, on Jesus Christ. And hearing this, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. And as Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. (Acts 19:2-6)
This portion of Scripture makes some correction to traditional theology. Paul's question was pointed. "Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?" He did not ask if they got the Holy Spirit when they believed, but since they believed. Paul believed that there was another Holy Spirit experience beyond the believing in Jesus and receiving the Holy Spirit in the salvation experience. If you have doubts that they were already believers (born from above or born again), notice that when Paul told them about Jesus, they heard the Word, they believed on Him, and were baptized in water. They were born again before Paul laid his hands on them. The Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with tongues. In this case, they even prophesied. There you have three places that clearly show that tongues were the initial evidence that the Holy Spirit had baptized or immersed them in His power and fire; Acts 2:4, 10:44-46, and 19:1-6.
The Supernatural Connected to the Natural
Praying in other tongues is supernatural and natural. Tongues come out of the human spirit as given by the Holy Spirit. That is the supernatural side. The words given by the Spirit and coming out of the human spirit must be formed by the tongue, given sound, and spoken by the mouth. That is the physical side.
The benefits of speaking and praying in other tongues are clearly taught in Scriptures, and in this audio message and article, we clearly present the facts that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking with tongues is for EVERY believer. The confusion comes in when people don’t understand the difference between tongues and interpretation of tongues as a manifestation of the Spirit used for ministering to others as the Lord wills (1st Corinthians 12:7-11, 28-30), and speaking and praying with tongues to edify yourself and to speak in mysteries to God whenever you want to (1st Cor. 14:2, 4, 14-17).
Let’s study it with some more details.
Some have thought that not everybody needs to speak in tongues when they get Spirit baptized because they think that Paul didn't speak in tongues. Wrong! Paul makes this statement:
I thank God I speak in tongues more than you all. (1 Corinthians 14:18)
Paul spoke in tongues frequently and consistently.
He also said:
Do not forbid speaking in tongues. (1 Corinthians 14:39)
Again, Paul spoke in tongues frequently and consistently. He also commanded that Christians should not forbid speaking in tongues. Yet, most traditional, denominational churches (Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Church of Christ, and many others do exactly that! They forbid anyone from speaking in tongues, and are so traditionally brainwashed as to think that speaking or praying in tongues is of the devil! No, their refusal to believe the Scripture is of the devil! Tongues come from the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
The Power of Praying in Tongues
1. Speaking divine secrets
For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, for no one understands; he is speaking mysteries by the Spirit... If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels... (1st Corinthians 14:2, 13:1a NET)
You speak divine secrets before God in tongues. Satan has no way of knowing what is happening or what is being said! You are speaking divine secrets or "divine code" that he cannot decipher. It is speaking to God and not to man. God understands them, though you and no one else around you may understand them. Speaking in tongues can be speaking supernaturally the tongues of men or angels, but spoken in a way that only the Lord understands.
2. The door into the spirit
If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. 15 What should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praises with my spirit, but I will also sing praises with my mind. (1st Corinthians 14:14, 15 NET)
Notice that praying in tongues means that you are praying in the spirit. You can't pray in the spirit in your understanding. Regardless of the fervency of prayer in the understanding, it is just that, prayer from your mind or understanding. Though you may frame the prayer in spiritual language according to the Scripture, it is still a prayer stated via the understanding. Though there is a spiritual element to prayer when it is according to the Word, it is still not full blown prayer in the spirit. Do you get that? Prayer in the Spirit is ONLY via tongues.
Tongues open the door into the spirit, into the supernatural spiritual realm. Tongues come from the spirit man on the inside and not the mind or intellect. It bypasses intellect completely. That is why your understanding is unfruitful. Your head just doesn't get it or understand it! We are supposed to pray in the spirit (tongues) and in the understanding. The issue is that praying in the understanding is limited to what you know, which is very limited. Praying in the spirit is unlimited because one gets over into divine secrets when one is praying.
Praises can be sung in the spirit or in other tongues. Praising in the spirit with singing or in other tongues is also a very rich part of spiritual language.
3. Praying the perfect will of God
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will. (Romans 8:26-27 NET)
When I do not know what or how to pray for as I should, I can depend on the Holy Spirit to give me words of the spirit that will pray out the perfect will of God for the saints, which are the children of God or the church. I can be praying for myself as a child of God or for others. That is what I do when I pray in tongues.
4. Building up the inner man
The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. (1st Corinthians 14:4 NET)
Speaking in tongues edifies or builds up the inner man or spirit . We build up ourselves on our most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit or in tongues.
But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit. (Jude 1:20 Amplified)
We make progress as we pray in tongues and rise higher and higher like a building. That is the meaning of the original Greek word used here for "build".
5. Access to wisdom
And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. (1 Corinthians 2:13 Amplified)
Human language is limited to the mind. Spiritual language that comes out of your spirit by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is the combination of spiritual truths with spiritual words. Read the entire portion of Scripture in 1st Corinthians 2:5-13. We have been granted powerful access to God's wisdom through the practice of praying in other tongues.
6. Spirit to spirit communication
God is a Spirit being (John 4:24). Tongues are your human spirit contacting God who is the Father of Spirits in a way that is pleasing to Him (Heb. 12:9; 1st Cor. 14:2). It is spiritual communication.
7. Praying without error, ignorance or unbelief
Since tongues bypasses your mind, this means that you can pray without error, ignorance, or unbelief when you pray in the Spirit (1st Cor. 14:14). Thank God! In Acts 2:4; they spoke in tongues as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. It is the human spirit receiving unction to speak in an unknown language to the speaker. One Greek commentary says that they spoke as they were infused by the Holy Spirit to speak.
Some of these do overlap, but you can see that the Word of God has quite a bit to say about tongues, and that was only a superficial explanation.
Look at some words that will help you understand that this is all talking about this glorious experience.
The Holy Spirit coming upon you
In Acts 2:4, it was the fire of the Holy Spirit sitting upon them. In Acts 1:8, it is the Holy Spirit coming upon them. In Acts 10:44-46 it was the Holy Spirit poured out on them. In Luke 24:49 it was them being clothed with power. In Acts 10:38, it was being anointed with the Holy Spirit. To "anoint" means to rub on (externally) or pour on.
In Matthew 3:11 it is called the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. "Baptism" means "immersion” into something else. For example "water baptism" means to be immersed in water. Sorry all you "sprinkling" folk, but you are mistaken.
When you first came to Jesus, you drank from the fountain of life and life got in you. Now you are being immersed in power, fire, and anointing, to carry out the great commission in Mark 16:15-20. The anointing, the fire, the Holy Spirit upon us is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
If you are not in a church that lays hands on people to receive this gift, then you need to go somewhere else! They should at least pray for you so that the Holy Spirit comes on you just like He did in Acts 2, 10, and 19. Get ready to speak in a language that you do not know with your mind the moment they lay hands on you in faith, or pray for you that you receive this gift.
Speaking the words given to you by the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit will come on you and give you words to speak, but you must speak them out of your own mouth. The Spirit gave them the words but they had to do the speaking. Tongues are not the Holy Spirit speaking. The Holy Spirit does not, nor ever will, speak in tongues. He gives you the words so you can speak in tongues.
Notice these phrases in Acts:
They... began to speak in other tongues... (Acts 2:4)
They heard them speak with tongues... (Acts 10:46)
They spoke with tongues... (Acts 19:6)
Therefore, the Holy Spirit will not force you to speak with tongues. He will not overpower your tongue and make you speak. It may actually feel like that at times, but it happened so strongly because YOU yielded to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will not overpower your tongue and force you to speak if you resist Him. He will give you the ability to speak in tongues, but you must speak them out by faith. They may sound silly, ridiculous, and dumb. Tongues are not mental, so they do not make any sense to your mind. They will not sound necessarily intelligent. Get over that hump. According to 1 Cor. 14: 2 and verse 14, tongues will not make sense to you at all unless God gives you interpretation. From personal experience, I can tell you that many times you will not know what you are saying or for what you are praying. Don't get hung up here.
When you begin to speak in other tongues, at first, there may not be many words. Some people do receive what sounds like an entire language with many different words and variations. Others receive a sentence or two. Some may get a few words. It will greatly depend upon you and your receptiveness. If you have a strong yearning in you for this powerful experience with God, then most likely you will get more tongues than others will at first. Then, please don't stop praying in the tongues the Holy Spirit gives you. Pray in tongues every days and as often as you can.
Turning tongues on when YOU will!
Once you receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues, you can turn tongues on and off anytime you want to. There is no need to wait on some special anointing or feeling to pray in tongues.
"I will pray in the spirit, (prayer in tongues- 1st Cor. 14:14), and I will pray in the understanding." (1st Corinthians 14:15)
Once you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, tongues can be exercised at will just like praying in your own language. Just like you can pray in English, you can also pray in tongues. Don't forget that.
After you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit and begin to speak in tongues, here is Satan's #1 strategy to get you to stop. The devil may tell you that you made them up. Just rebuke his lies in Jesus' Name and begin to speak in tongues right in his face. He will absolutely hate every moment of it, and get out in one piece while he can!
Praying in the spirit- making progress
Once you receive, pray in tongues as often as you can, every single day of your life. As I mentioned earlier, the Amplified Bible in Jude 1:20 says that we make progress as we pray in Holy Spirit. That is exciting to know. The more I pray in tongues, the more progress in the Lord and in life I can make! No wonder Paul said he prayed in tongues more than all the Corinthians (1st Cor. 14:18).
Now, I am going to pray for you receive this wonderful gift of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues. The Father wants to give you this gift, and Jesus wants to baptize you right now in the Holy Spirit and fire!
Are you ready to receive right now?
Over the years, we have seen many thousands of people receive the Holy Spirit after they followed these simple instructions. You are no exception. When I finish praying, the Holy Spirit of God will come on you, and He will give you words in your mouth, and out of your innermost being will come a flow of unknown words to you. Speak them out by faith and enjoy it!
Now say this aloud:
“Father you said, “How much more will you give the Holy Spirit to them that ask you.” I ask you for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I receive this gift from you. Jesus said that these signs would follow the believers. He said that in His Name I would speak in tongues. I am a believer and I receive this mighty gift with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. The moment brother Dan prays for me, I will receive from the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit who is the Lord Jesus this power from on high with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.”
Now hush the English or any other known language. No more words in any known language for now and let me pray over you.
“I pray for you now in the mighty Name of Jesus. Receive the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon you. Receive the Holy Spirit in Jesus Name! Now begin to worship God in other tongues in Jesus Name!”
As soon as you read these words, throw your hands in the air in a receiving mode, open your mouth and speak whatever words the Holy Spirit is giving you right now. That's it. Begin to speak out those words by faith in Jesus' Name. Keep doing it. Relax in Him and in the tongues and let them flow out of you!
All who read these words and follow these instructions will receive without exception and without any delay in Jesus Name!
The audio podcast strongly compliments the article. Don't miss it!
Let me tell you a true story….
I went down, down, down, into what felt like falling into a dark and narrow well. I couldn’t stop myself and the walls were beyond my reach. It was like plunging into a void with no bottom. The longer I fell, the hotter it got.
Suddenly, the fall into the well turned into a cavern that spread into an unending distance in every direction. I descended even further into the deep darkness and suffocating heat.
I saw the gates of hell. It was an entranceway, but it was more sinister than anything I ever imagined. The gates looked so hideous that no one would ever dare to touch it. The creatures portrayed on the gates seemed to move with my approach. Guarding the gate were dreadful demon creatures with many heads and tails. They were there to forbid anyone from getting too close to the gates or from leaving them once someone entered them.
As I approached the gateway, I could see on the other side the masses of human beings in a place of fire like a volcano of molten rock. The wails and screams coming from the people were overpowering. I felt all strength leave my limbs as I approached the excruciating heat. The people kept screaming out my name and telling me not to enter the gates, but I couldn’t stop myself. An unseen evil power forced me forward through the barrier.
People were burning up without dying. Fiery worms were crawling in and out of their never-dying bodies, and the stench of rotten burning flesh was nauseating! I kept vomiting, I didn’t know what the ghoulish goo coming out of me was, but each time I threw up I writhed in excruciating pain, and then I hurled again. It never stopped.
Ominous words above the gate were etched in hideous stones that glowed darkly with the reflection of hellish fire. The words leaped in giant relief, and a strange and utterly offensive substance oozed from each letter to the ground.
I just glanced without reading, but the words read themselves to me and seared my mind like a branding iron.
ALL WHO ENTER HERE WILL SUFFER THE FIRES OF HADES AND A FURTHER SECOND DEATH IN THE LAKE OF FIRE FOREVER AND EVER. YOU ARE ENTERING THE GARBAGE HEAP OF ALL REALMS, THE PLACE OF THE DEAD, THOSE DEAD TO GOD AND TO HIS SON. YOU ARE ABANDONED. NO PRAYERS ARE HEARD, AND THERE IS NO ESCAPE.
I looked closer at the people as I passed through the pernicious gates. My eyesight was failing, and it got so black before me that I could no longer see my extremities. The only light I could see was a momentary glance as the fire burned me and the ghoulish worms ate me up. I could see people in the distance in suffering and torment that was unfathomable. I could hear their blood curdling screams of pain. Oh, the horrors! I could not communicate with them even as I screamed in pain. I felt the horrendous pain shoot through me over and over in never ending crescendos of hate, loneliness, and hopelessness.
In all my life upon the earth, I never felt a chill darken my soul like this place of torment. I never felt the utter despair of eternal torment like I felt at that moment. All hope was gone. I would never see my family or friends, and I was hopelessly lost forever with no way out! Oh God, if only I could warn my family. If only I could tell my friends that there is heaven to gain and a very real hell to shun!
Momentarily, I glanced up and saw the wretched beggar Lazarus that used to sit by my gate and beg for my help. I had so much in life, but I squandered my chance for deliverance by denying God and His commandments. Yet, what is this I see? Lazarus is seated next to somebody up there. Who is that?
Suddenly, I knew! It is father Abraham! Maybe he will have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and cool my tongue! I am tormented in these flames!
I called desperately with all the strength I had, but no one answered. I could see them, and they looked happy. They were not in torment! Lazarus had on the most beautiful clothes I ever saw. “Father Abraham, please send Lazarus to me! Please send Lazarus to me!” I cried and screamed. No help came…. But then, there was a small window opened to me to where Abraham and Lazarus were…
19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ 27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.” (Luke 16:19-31 NKJV)
That was not a parable. Parables were always stated in generalities and personal names were not used when telling them. Lazarus and that rich man were real people. The story was about two men in the area where Jesus was preaching. Jesus saw what happened to them after death in the unseen realm.
Yes, I took creative license with the story and retold it with my own descriptions. Notice that it is still based on the Scriptural teaching about Hades, and then the final resting place of hell and death, the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, the place of eternal punishment. (See Revelation 20:10-15, 21:8.) Hades is a temporary holding cell until the final judgment, and the lake of fire is the eternal abode of the damned. Make no mistake about it, those in Hades will receive their final judgment and be thrown into the lake of fire. Once in Hades, it’s bye-bye for eternity. Eternity has no end, just like it has no beginning. It is a horror beyond all horrors. Nothing can be compared on earth, regardless of the tragedy, to eternity in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. I hear people all the time talk about the hell they went through. Others say they are going through hell. It’s NOTHING compared to eternal separation in the place of eternal torment.
Waiting until you die and are in hell’s flames and torment for eternity are not the place to try to get out of hell! It would be too late to get out! There is no redo! Once a person dies it is judgement time! (Hebrews 9:27) Let me say it again in a slightly different way. There is an immediate judgment for each person that dies, and they are ushered into heaven in God’s presence, or they are incarcerated in Hades. Hades is not the end for them. Something worse is coming that is called the Second Death or the eternal lake of fire and brimstone. People will be finally judged for their lives upon the earth and the records will reveal what they did against God and show that they rejected God’s gift in Jesus.
The way to get out of going to a devil’s hell is by repentance if you are backslid or if you have never received Jesus as Lord and Savior. It all begins with repentance.
Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38 NKJV)
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. (Acts 3:19 NKJV)
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 5:30, 31 NKJV)
Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. (Acts 8:22 NKJV)
As a side note, this was addressed to Simon (Bar Jesus) who had already converted to the Lord. Acts 8:22 was addressed to a “born-again” and water-baptized Christian believer. Simon had allowed wickedness back into his heart and he needed to repent. Let’s get it correctly in our thinking. Initial repentance of sin is a part of believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confessing Him as Lord (Romans 10:9). After that, if a Christian sins, we still have access to the eternal blood of Jesus to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (See 1 John 1:7-10, 2:1, 2.)
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. (Acts 17:30 NKJV)
…But declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. Acts 26:20
Yes, there is a heaven to gain by receiving what Jesus did for us through His sacrifice and by living for Him according to His Word and His moral guidelines. There is also a hell to shun. You do not want to perish and go there! God wants all people to repent so they don’t perish! (2nd Peter 3:9, Luke 13:3, 5)
Choose life (Jesus) so that you and your seed may live! Don’t choose the curse, darkness, and eternal death brought on by rebellion to the Lord and His Word! (Deuteronomy 30:19,20; John 3:16) That is the ONLY way you get out of going to a devil’s hell!
Some may be thinking, “Oh but that is narrow thinking and way too exclusive. Don’t you think that in God’s mercy He provided many ways to get to Him?” Absolutely not! Jesus stated about Himself that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one can come to God except through Him! (John 14:6) Read it and adjust your thinking to the truth. There are not hundreds of ways but ONLY one way to the Father, and His name is Jesus.
Yes, it’s a very narrow way.
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13, 14 NKJV)
It is so narrow that few there are that find it when you compare the broad way of the world of sin and darkness. Sadly, most human beings on the planet will go to hell, but you can be very happy and full of joy with the good news I am sharing with you today. You can avoid hell and gain God and all He provided through Jesus. Then, you can tell others about it if you are still alive on this earth.
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9, 10 NKJV)
After you do that, then there are everyday matters to live the Christian life. You must become obedient to God’s Word and His MORAL commandments in Scripture. Making Jesus your Lord means that you submit to His Word and obey His moral commandments. Too many miss that part about living in obedience to the Word.
7 Those who keep on doing good and are looking for His greatness and honor will receive life that lasts forever. 8 Those who love only themselves and do not obey the truth, but do what is wrong, will be punished by God. His anger will be on them. (Romans 2:7, 8 NLV)
The same verses in another translation:
He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness... NLT
And one more for the road:
…praise, honor, and immortality to those who continue in doing good and seek eternal life; but to those who are rebellious, and reject the truth, and follow iniquity, will come indignation and wrath… NMB
That is not Paul’s teaching on salvation by works, but it is teaching about good works (obedience to God’s commandments) and doing what is right according to God’s truth- His Word (not YOUR truth) AFTER you receive Jesus as your Lord. That is probably one of the most misunderstood New Testament teachings. No, you didn’t receive Jesus via good works. We received God’s gift in Christ as the sacrifice for our sins, but there is more to it than that concerning eternal life. We must lay hold of eternal life so that it doesn’t get away from us. (1st Timothy 6:12)
Here’s the issue.
You stay saved by doing what is right according to the covenant AFTER your first encounter with Jesus as Lord and Savior. You don’t receive Jesus and then live like a sinner every day. That would nullify in your life your initial reception of His salvation. It is a devilish idea that if you practice sin as a Christian that grace will cover your sin and you will still go to heaven WITHOUT repentance. Practicing sin without repentance and cleansing from that sin by the blood of Jesus will keep a person from inheriting the kingdom of God.
Now the deeds of the flesh are clear: sexual immorality, impurity, indecency, idolatry, witchcraft, hostility, strife, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, just as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit God’s kingdom. (Galatians 5:19-21 TLV)
The New English Translation (NET) states the last sentence like this: “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!” I found at least 12 other translations that use the word practice besides the NET, and some use the words indulge, continue, and live that way. That is the correct way that last sentence should be translated. If you have fallen for any of these things as a Christian, IF you repent, then you can still go to heaven or inherit the kingdom of God. These verses warn Christians that practicing or making a lifestyle out of any of these sins will cause a person to be left out of the kingdom of God. There will be no welcoming committee in heaven for the Christian that practices sin without repentance. Paul taught that, but it is not the only place he mentions that truth.
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God. (1st Corinthians 6:9-10 NET)
I’ve heard the Biblically ignorant state, “That was speaking to the unrighteous, and in Christ Jesus I am righteous. So, that refers to the world and not to me.” Wrong! The context of these verses is Paul correcting Christians for defrauding fellow believers, and then it is followed by an exhortation commanding believers to flee from sexual immorality. The unrighteous in 1st Corinthians 6:9-10 is referring to the unrepentant Christian that has yielded to sin and continues to practice it.
But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. (1st John 1:9 NET)
John is speaking to fellow believers and what to do if we sin. After we confess our sins to the Lord, He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all UNRIGHTOEUSNESS. Wait, but I thought that we were the righteousness of God in Christ! Why be cleansed from all UN-righteousness? It’s really simple. The righteousness that a Christian has in Christ, that righteousness they received upon their salvation, is conditional and not automatic. Our right standing with God is always conditional. The Christian’s position in that righteousness will be negatively impacted by unrighteous behavior, lawlessness, or sin. The person that sins must receive forgiveness and cleansing from that which is against righteousness.
It is a dangerous place to remain in sin because it connects a person with the unrighteous. Paul warns that if a person stays there and continues to practice that sin, whatever it may be, they are going to be rejected from the kingdom (rule and reign) of God. That means that the practitioner of lawlessness (not subject and obedient to God’s law or commandments of a moral nature) will hear the terrible words of rejection from the lips of the Lord in Matthew 7:23, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”
In case you have any question about what practicing lawlessness means:
Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. (1st John 3:4)
Get straightened out with the following verses from any heretical mindset. It will work IF you will receive the Word of God on the subject.
And because lawlessness (sin is lawlessness – 1st John 3:4) will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 24:12, 13 NKJV)
Only those that serve the Lord and obey His Word to the end will be saved. Note the condition. He who endures to the end shall be saved. Salvation is conditional. Enduring to the end means that when the end comes, you will not be practicing sin or lawlessness. That should be clear enough, but there are many more verses, so I will give you a few more.
But Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end… For we have become partakers of Christ IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end… (Hebrews 3:6, 14 NKJV)
We are His house IF (it’s conditional) we hold fast to the end! Wishy-washy Christians that die in their sins are left out of this equation. The unrepentant Christian is left out.
The other conditional statement in verse 14 about salvation is as clear as the first one in verse 6. We are partakers of Christ IF we hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. In other words, and so that there are no mistakes in interpretation, it is not only how we began our life in Christ when we first believed, but it is how we wind up at the end of our lives (“to the end”). That is the moment of judgment, either to an eternal separation from God, or to an eternal bliss in the presence of the Lord. Again, note the conditional statements concerning our salvation.
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, IF you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (1st Corinthians 15:1, 2 NIV)
You are saved by the gospel only IF you hold firmly to that Word. If you don't, then your believing is in vain! I feel sorry for those that continue to espouse a damnable once-saved-always-saved heretical theology! Salvation in Christ is conditional! It always has been conditional and always will be.
The next few verses will overturn the devilish thinking that that one can practice sin without responsibility or consequences.
Let me set up the next verse by asking the question, “Is Jesus the author of eternal salvation for everybody?”
…He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. (Hebrews 5:9 NKJV)
Nobody gets eternal salvation except those that obey Jesus!
Here is another statement on the subject from the lips of Jesus:
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV)
You can’t practice lawlessness and expect to hear, “Welcome to heaven and have a glorious eternity!” Be very cautious with these verses. They are no-nonsense. Even if you confessed His Lordship, and even had a part in supernatural ministry, but then reneged on your faith and practiced wickedness without repentance, you will hear the terrible words from the Master, “I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!”
Do we see an immediate example of that in the Gospels? Yes, we see that happening to Judas Iscariot. He was sent and anointed by Jesus as an apostle, ministered supernaturally (Matthew 10:1-8), but he betrayed Jesus and was lost for eternity because he never repented and turned from his wickedness and committed suicide. (See Matthew 26:14-16; 27:3-5) Matthew 27:3 says that when Judas saw what he had done and realized he was condemned that he was remorseful for his sin. Being remorseful or feeling bad over your sin may be a part of repentance, but real repentance turns away from wickedness, turns back to God, and seeks His forgiveness and cleansing from it. I wrote that last part of the sentence in bold and italics to emphasize what real repentance does.
Look at the awful things king David did in the Bathsheba incident (Second Samuel chapters 11 and 12). He committed premeditated murder, theft, adultery, treachery, covetousness, lying, and probably a host of other sins. Talk about being guilty, David messed up in ways that many have never done, and yet he was forgiven and restored. See Psalms 51 for David's prayer of repentance and petitioning God for forgiveness and cleansing. It reminds us of 1 John 1:8-10! Most likely John had Psalms 51 in mind when writing 1 John 1:9. David's restoration and forgiveness were so complete that he married Bathsheba. God blessed the union because Bathsheba was the mother of king Solomon, the very blood line from where Messiah came! Wow!
No matter what sins you committed, there can be complete and total forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration. David and Bathsheba are great examples of that truth. They are a demonstration of the great love, compassion, and grace of God!
Now, compare that to king Saul and how he was confronted on a few occasions for his sins (ex. 1st Samuel 26). There was no real repentance. He only had remorse and the sorrow as the world feels when they do something wrong. He wound up visiting a medium (1st Samuel 28), never repenting of sins, and he died by falling on his own sword (1st Samuel 31).
Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2nd Corinthians 7:9-10 NKJV)
Feelings of sorrow like the world has only leads to death. That is what happened to Saul and Judas Iscariot. Godly sorrow that leads to a real repentance is what works. That is what David had!
Here is an important instruction about those that truly know the Lord.
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. (1st John 2:3-5 NKJV)
Keeping or obeying His commandments is at the center of knowing the Lord when you are a Christian. A Christian that lives in a consistent breaking or violation of God’s commandments does not know the Lord. I am speaking about those commandments in Scripture that reveal living moral or righteous life before God. I am not referring to any commandment in Scripture exclusively given to Israel or commanded concerning the Levitical priesthood, Temple worship, animal sacrifice, feasts and festivals, and other ceremonial type commandments. Do you know what I am referring to?
If you have not been taught about the clear distinction in the Bible between moral and ceremonial commandments, you must be taught it correctly. Here is my Scriptural contribution on this important subject. It’s a free 62-page PDF document. Get it here: Did the Grace of God Cancel Biblical Commandments?
Paul, when writing to the Corinthian church, stated it like this:
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but obeying God’s commandments is everything. (1st Corinthians 7:19 ISV)
The true follower of Jesus is described in Revelation 14:12 (NET) in this way:
This requires the steadfast endurance of the saints—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus.
There you also have the true definition of a “saint”. It’s not one canonized by the Catholic church. A saint is the one that is steadfast and enduring in their obedience to God’s commandments and holds to their faith in Jesus. No canonization is needed!
Once you make up your mind to be a follower of Jesus for the rest of your life, the next thing is to be baptized in water as evidence of your glorious decision for the Lord. (Acts 2:38; 1st Peter 3:21 NET) Then, you MUST find a church that never closed their doors for the Covid tyrannical nonsense and refused to open the door to the spirit of antichrist. If possible, you should be a part of a church that NEVER caved to the Covid mess. (Hebrews 10:26) The only way I would ever go to a church that bowed their knee to the Covid mess would be IF the pastor publicly repents for yielding to the devil!
Here are my non-sanctioned advertisements for two churches in my immediate surroundings that I truly admire and love for their stand on the Word.
In about 5 counties in Southwest Florida, only two churches (out of over 400) never closed, masked, gelled, social distanced, and have completely refused the death jabs (so called vaccines). You can watch these powerful ministries every week online. These are hero churches. All the rest that closed their doors are weak, cowardly, capitulating churches that you can learn NOTHING from them except caving to evil government demands. Unless they repent, avoid them like the plague because they will cave again! Don’t be fooled because many are online speaking naturally without the power of the Holy Spirit. Many were closed for months and have reopened to find out that their congregations are a fraction of what they were.
Get involved with powerful non-caving and non-compromising churches here:
The River Church International
https://www.revival.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/rodneyhowardbrowne/videos
Note: This church closed for 8 weeks at the very beginning of the Covid lockdowns in 2020, not because of fearing a 99.9% survivable disease, but because the pastor refused to cave to local authorities when ordered to close the church, and he was arrested. The lying news media smeared the pastor and the church mercilessly. The church phone lines, email, Facebook page, etc., received about 100 thousand death threats from crazed idiots. The church opened back up eight weeks later with a solid plan to protect its members from the demon-possessed crazies. The church began to grow exponentially, and it has not stopped!
The Foundation Church
https://www.foundationchurchfl.com/
The pastor of the foundation church has 2 Sunday services, and three Bible-based/facts-based/political podcasts weekly. You can get straightened out with the pastor’s well documented programs: The Tom Laipply Podcasts. I watch them on Rumble, but you can also get them through his podcast website here:
https://tomlaipply.com/
https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply
Other ways to connect:
https://tv.gab.com/channel/tomlaipply/
We are at a very big crossroad in America. We must form our own parallel society, band together, and refuse to comply with the totalitarian and communist government mandates at every level. Christians and true conservatives (no RINO’s need apply) that feel led to do so must run for local government offices and get elected. That is one powerful way to remove demon inspired nut jobs in government that believe its OK to murder the unborn in a mother’s womb, believe in open borders, a weak military, vaccine mandates and masking, woke-ness, LGBTQ agendas, and have surrendered to totalitarianism and communism! It is time to rise in defense of America and to fight for our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Our constitutional republic has been sidelined under the Biden regime, and we must take it back! We must defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic!
Leave all social, oligarchy-controlled, and demonic media TODAY! Get on Gab, Frank Speech, Rumble, and on other conservative social media.
Stop listening to the lying communist news media (including all alphabet news media: ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CNN, CBS, etc.) and hook into many non-traditional and conservative news sources. Frankly, with the exception of Tucker Carlson and a few other true conservatives, FOX has also become unwatchable.
Get out of big, woke, ungodly mobile carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc. and get into Patriot Mobile which supports, according to their website, “First Amendment Religious Freedom and Freedom of Speech, Second Amendment Right to Bear Arms, Sanctity of Life and the needs of our Veterans and First Responders”.
Quit buying from businesses that support the lying Biden regime, CDC, the garden gnome with family ties to Gollum-"Antonio Fauccino", CRT, Antifa, Liberal, Communist, BLM, and LBGTQ (etc.) agendas. Buy American and buy local as much as possible. Support your local farmers by buying their products. Don’t give a single penny to those that hate Christians and conservative agendas and concerns. You may not be able to do all that overnight, but you can start right now and have much accomplished within the next few days!
Don't be fooled by the liars in government, big pharma, the CDC, fake news MSM and take their death jab! Get well informed here: nojabforme.info! I used to give my own investigation and sources but this website has over 400 links to source material. No need to reinvent the wheel! Go to that website.
When you see all the vaccine mandates and passports around the world, the restriction on travel, buying, selling, working, etc., does it not shake you up that we are seeing the very beginnings of a system of antichrist global control being pushed upon the world’s population?
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18 NASB)
I am not saying that it is the mark of the beast. I am saying that at least it is a preparation stage for the future mark to be revealed. If we take a stand against this tyranny, Satan will be exposed and have to back off the full global control through his mark preparation strategy. The so-called pandemic is really a planned global false medical emergency to control the masses and bring them under a globalist-elitist control and subservience.
The good news is the world is beginning to resist very strongly and boldly, and Satan’s plan is being restrained. It is not his time yet for global control. It was a test, and the world (including most Christians and churches) bowed to a lie, proving that the planet is almost ready for the antichrist and his mark. The church, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and the rest of the planet’s population that refuses the tyranny being unleashed in the name of a false pandemic, are the earth’s last line of defense. The Church by the power of God is standing in the way of Satan's antichrist agenda, unless we cave! (See 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-12 New International Version- NIV.) If we yield our ground to the enemy, it is all over for the world. The church can advance and take back territory lost by yielding to the enemy when they closed their doors in 2020 and 2021. If we stand as the Body of Christ, we can turn this globalist mess around and restore freedom around us. That is, UNTIL we are done with our mission on planet earth. Once the Lord says the mission is over, a great resurrection of the godly dead and a physical transformation of those alive will occur, and all the ones separated unto the Lord Jesus (saints) will be caught up to meet Him in the air and be with Him forever! (See 1st Thessalonians 4:16-18 NIV, 1st Corinthians 15:50-53.)
By "our mission", I mean that we fulfill the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-19, Matthew 28:18-20, and also in the following verses of Scripture.
12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14 NASB)
Listen to the following podcast about the connection between faith and forgiveness taught by Jesus in Mark 11:22-26. Often, people have stuff in the way of receiving from the Lord, and unforgiveness is one BIG hindrance that must be removed for faith to work! Be mightily blessed with the teaching of God's Word!
Deuteronomy 28:15-68 and Galatians 3:13 should be a mainstay in the Christian life. The first because it reveals what was included in the curse, and the second because it tells us Christ redeemed us from the curse when He became a curse for us on the cross. This revelation from the Word will set you up for victory in so many ways! We can't emphasize these truths too much. They have gotten me out of many bad situations throughout my Christian life.
In this podcast, we look at highlights of this series, and how to answer the world's intrusion with the Word. We also look at the definition of the word "pestilence" from Deuteronomy 28. We are redeemed from sickness and disease, depression and all mental health diseases, terrorism, fear and dread, famine, and so on. We are also redeemed from death in all its forms. Did you know that under the curse was all kinds of business failure? Christ has redeemed us from the curse!
Please feel free to spread these free messages and articles all over everywhere! People will be helped tremendously through these messages, IF they will believe it and receive it! Connect some people with our website.
Be blessed!
Get informed about the truth concerning the death jabs here: https://nojabforme.info. Don’t be fooled by the lying Fauci, CDC, mainstream media, and most governments on the planet! They are liars like their father the devil and they are murderers just like Satan has been from the beginning. (John 8:44)
Get information here that will literally save your life from the vaccine mandates, forced death jabs, and the global tyranny unleashed and masquerading as a health emergency: The Tom Laipply Podcast on Rumble- https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply and also on Gab TV: https://tv.gab.com/channel/tomlaipply
When you see all the vaccine mandates and passports, the restriction on travel, buying, selling, working, etc., does it not shake you up that we are seeing the very beginnings of a system of antichrist global control being pushed upon the world’s population?
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18 NASB)
I am not saying that it is the mark of the beast. I am saying that at least it is a preparation stage for the future mark to be revealed. If we take a stand against this tyranny, Satan will be exposed and have to back off the full global control through his mark preparation strategy. The so-called pandemic is really a planned global false medical emergency to control the masses and bring them under a globalist elitist control and subservience.
The good news is the world is beginning to resist very strongly and boldly, and Satan’s plan is being restrained. It is not his time yet for global control. It was a test, and the world (including most Christians and churches) bowed to a lie, proving that the planet is almost ready for THE ANTICHRIST and his mark. The church, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and the rest of the planet’s population that refuses the tyranny being unleashed in the name of a false pandemic, are the earth’s last line of defense. If we cave, it is all over for the world. If we stand as the Body of Christ, we can turn this mess around and restore freedom around us UNTIL we are done with our mission on planet earth. By our mission, I mean that we fulfill the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-19, Matthew 28:18-20, and also in the following verses of Scripture.
12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14 NASB)
We are redeemed from the curse of sickness and disease, and from death and all its forms as recorded in the major list of the curse in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. We are redeemed because Jesus became a curse for us. (Galatians 3:13) The curse in Deuteronomy 28:15-68, includes everything that kills, steals, and destroys human life. It includes lack and poverty, slavery and bondage, defeat in war, rape and kidnapping, and failure in every realm. The curse includes early death, where a person is not satisfied with long life. (Psalms 91:16) The curse is so pervasive that nothing evil is excluded from it. That is the how deep our redemption runs. We are redeemed from everything the devil was able to bring upon this earth as the destroyer!
Even though the curse is producing death and destruction over all the earth, we can walk free of its effects, NOW! Though we are still subject to physically dying, IF the Lord delays His return, we don't have to die with some stinking disease or because of some demonic accident! We die and go to heaven healed and whole, when our race is finished, and when the Lord and us are good and ready to go. I know that is an extremely controversial statement for the untaught, but it is SO scriptural that you would need satanic help to disbelieve or misunderstand it!
This podcast delves into all these things in some detail with many Scripture references. If you have not heard the other podcasts in this series, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? The list of all the podcast can be accessed from our home page at http://danalanrodriguez.com.
Also take a look at all our articles, podcasts, and books. Then, please spread these around. Be a giver of God's Word by sending these free resources to your family, friends, and acquaintances. Be mightily blessed through the exposition of God's Word!
Get informed about the truth concerning the death jabs here: https://nojabforme.info. Don’t be fooled by the lying Fauci, CDC, mainstream media, and most governments on the planet! They are liars like their father the devil and they are murderers just like Satan has been from the beginning. (John 8:44)
Get information here that will literally save your life from the vaccine mandates, forced death jabs, and the global tyranny unleashed and masquerading as a health emergency: The Tom Laipply Podcast on Rumble- https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply and also on Gab TV: https://tv.gab.com/channel/tomlaipply
When you see all the vaccine mandates and passports, the restriction on travel, buying, selling, working, etc., does it not shake you up that we are seeing the very beginnings of a system of antichrist global control being pushed upon the world’s population?
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is [c]six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18 NASB)
I am not saying that it is the mark of the beast. I am saying that at least it is a preparation stage for the future mark to be revealed. If we take a stand against this tyranny, Satan will be exposed and have to back off the full global control through his mark preparation strategy. The so-called pandemic is really a planned global false medical emergency to control the masses and bring them under a globalist elitist control and subservience.
The good news is the world is beginning to resist very strongly and boldly, and Satan’s plan is being restrained. It is not his time yet for global control. It was a test, and the world (including most Christians and churches) bowed to a lie, proving that the planet is almost ready for THE ANTICHRIST and his mark. The church, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and the rest of the planet’s population that refuses the tyranny being unleashed in the name of a false pandemic, are the earth’s last line of defense. If we cave, it is all over for the world. If we stand as the Body of Christ, we can turn this mess around and restore freedom around us UNTIL we are done with our mission on planet earth. By our mission, I mean that we fulfill the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-19, Matthew 28:18-20, and also in the following verses of Scripture.
12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14 NASB)
Read these verses from Nehemiah 9 and notice the reoccurring pattern.
25And they took strong cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all goods, cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and grew fat, and delighted themselves in Your great goodness. 26“Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against You, cast Your law behind their backs and killed Your prophets, who testified against them to turn them to Yourself; and they worked great provocations. 27Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, who oppressed them; and in the time of their trouble, when they cried to You, You heard from heaven; and according to Your abundant mercies You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hand of their enemies. 28“But after they had rest, they again did evil before You. Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them; yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; and many times You delivered them according to Your mercies, 29and testified against them, that You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, and did not heed Your commandments, but sinned against Your judgments,‘ which if a man does, he shall live by them. ’And they shrugged their shoulders. Stiffened their necks, and would not hear. 30 Yet for many years You had patience with them, and testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. (Nehemiah 9:25-30 NKJV)
Did you see the pattern? God would bless them, they would backslide by disobedience to His commandments. It would anger the Lord, and He would turn them over to their enemies. The Israelites would get a belly full of their enemies, cry out for deliverance, God would send them a deliverer, they would be free for a little while and have rest, and then the whole thing would happen again and again! That is a very important Biblical pattern. It shows us a side of God’s judgment on sin among His people that many prefer not to discuss. Yes, it is also found in the New Testament, even in the epistles of Paul! The key to staying out of judgment over sin, where you are safe from the enemy, is simple. If you sin, JUDGE yourself, and you will not be judged. (1 Corinthians 11:28-33)
In this podcast, we study this clearly in relation to our redemption from the curse. Don’t miss it because it answers many questions and provides numerous scriptural examples for your study. These are waters seldom tread in modern Christianity.
Be mightily blessed with God's Word!
Get informed about the truth concerning the death jabs here: https://nojabforme.info. Don’t be fooled by the lying Fauci, CDC, mainstream media, and most governments on the planet! They are liars like their father the devil and they are murderers just like Satan has been from the beginning. (John 8:44)
Get information here that will literally save your life from the vaccine mandates, forced death jabs, and the global tyranny unleashed and masquerading as a health emergency: The Tom Laipply Podcast on Rumble- https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply and also on Gab TV: https://tv.gab.com/channel/tomlaipply
When you see all the vaccine mandates and passports, the restriction on travel, buying, selling, working, etc., does it not shake you up that we are seeing the very beginnings of a system of antichrist global control being pushed upon the world’s population?
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is [c]six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18 NASB)
I am not saying that it is the mark of the beast. I am saying that at least it is a preparation stage for the future mark to be revealed. If we take a stand against this tyranny, Satan will be exposed and have to back off the full global control through his mark preparation strategy. The so-called pandemic is really a planned global false medical emergency to control the masses and bring them under a globalist elitist control and subservience.
The good news is the world is beginning to resist very strongly and boldly, and Satan’s plan is being restrained. It is not his time yet for global control. It was a test, and the world (including most Christians and churches) bowed to a lie, proving that the planet is almost ready for THE ANTICHRIST and his mark. The church, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and the rest of the planet’s population that refuses the tyranny being unleashed in the name of a false pandemic, are the earth’s last line of defense. If we cave, it is all over for the world. If we stand as the Body of Christ, we can turn this mess around and restore freedom around us UNTIL we are done with our mission on planet earth. By our mission, I mean that we fulfill the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-19, Matthew 28:18-20, and also in the following verses of Scripture.
12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14 NASB)
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. (1 Corinthians 11:28-31 NKJV)
We must understand that we have redemption from the curse because the body of Jesus was bruised and bloodied when He became a curse for us on the cross. These verses in their context reveal that if we don’t judge ourselves as ready and able in Christ to receive the redemption He provided, then judgment would eventually come. The judgment is a reference to the curse; weakness, sickness, and premature death (“sleep”). That is either misunderstood or completely unknown, but there it is, in black and white.
When we partake of the communion table, it is a reminder and a participation of the provisions of Jesus’ death. One of those provisions is Galatians 3:13.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”.(Galatians 3:13 NET)
We continue to look at this Biblical idea of judgment. The bottom line is, IF we will judge ourselves, we will not be judged. Some people bring judgment on themselves because they do not discern the body of the Lord and the Blood that was shed for the forgiveness of sins.
May these podcasts cause many to rightly discern the body and blood of the Lord! May many step into the victory Jesus provided through His death and resurrection!
Be mightily blessed!
Get informed about the truth concerning the death jabs here: https://nojabforme.info. Don’t be fooled by the lying Fauci, CDC, mainstream media, and most governments on the planet! They are liars like their father the devil and they are murderers just like Satan has been from the beginning. (John 8:44)
Get information here that will literally save your life from the vaccine mandates, forced death jabs, and the global tyranny unleashed and masquerading as a health emergency: The Tom Laipply Podcast on Rumble- https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply and also on Gab TV: https://tv.gab.com/channel/tomlaipply
When you see all the vaccine mandates and passports, the restriction on travel, buying, selling, working, etc., does it not shake you up that we are seeing the very beginnings of a system of antichrist global control being pushed upon the world’s population?
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is [c]six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18 NASB)
I am not saying that it is the mark of the beast. I am saying that at least it is a preparation stage for the future mark to be revealed. If we take a stand against this tyranny, Satan will be exposed and have to back off the full global control through his mark preparation strategy. The so-called pandemic is really a planned global false medical emergency to control the masses and bring them under a globalist elitist control and subservience.
The good news is the world is beginning to resist very strongly and boldly, and Satan’s plan is being restrained. It is not his time yet for global control. It was a test, and the world (including most Christians and churches) bowed to a lie, proving that the planet is almost ready for THE ANTICHRIST and his mark. The church, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and the rest of the planet’s population that refuses the tyranny being unleashed in the name of a false pandemic, are the earth’s last line of defense. If we cave, it is all over for the world. If we stand as the Body of Christ, we can turn this mess around and restore freedom around us UNTIL we are done with our mission on planet earth. By our mission, I mean that we fulfill the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-19, Matthew 28:18-20, and also in the following verses of Scripture.
12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14 NASB)
The reason God HAS to allow bad things to happen is because His Word was released in the earth. His Word is spiritual law in Heaven and on the earth. (See Psalms 119:89-91; Matthew 5:17-19; 1Peter 1:23-25.)
God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from a certain tree because disobedience would cause death on every level to invade the planet (Genesis 2:14, 15). They disobeyed and the curse came to steal, kill, and destroy. God reiterated this truth when He stated, “If you disobey Me, the curse will come on you.” (See Deuteronomy 28:15.) It was true with Adam, it was a fact during the days of Moses and Jesus, and it is true today. Obedience brings blessing, and disobedience opens the door to the curse. The only thing that can cancel that trajectory into the curse is repentance, confession of sin before the Lord, forgiveness, and cleansing from all unrighteousness (Luke 13:3; 1 John 1:8-10, 2:1), and then taking a stand on redemption from the curse (Gal. 3:13).
People don’t understand that their choices in life have everything to do with whether they have life or death, or blessing or cursing. (See Deut. 30:15-20; Galatians 6:7, 8; Proverbs 18:20, 21; Romans 1:21-32; Gal. 5:19-23.) We will look further into the legalities of WHY people can either position themselves for blessing or for the curse. The sooner we learn these truths, the better we will lay hold on our redemption in Christ.
We discuss these things and more in this podcast. I can’t begin to tell you how important this subject is for every single believer. Don’t miss this powerful teaching! Hey, please listen to the previous 5 messages or you will hear about the house without first pouring the foundation. Then, be one that sends this Word and blesses others. Forward to your family, friends, or acquaintances.
Be mightily blessed!
Get informed about the truth concerning the death jabs here: https://nojabforme.info. Don’t be fooled by the lying Fauci, CDC, mainstream media, and most governments on the planet! They are liars like their father the devil and they are murderers just like Satan has been from the beginning. (John 8:44)
Get information here that will literally save your life from the vaccine mandates, forced death jabs, and the global tyranny unleashed and masquerading as a health emergency: The Tom Laipply Podcast on Rumble- https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply and also on Gab TV: https://tv.gab.com/channel/tomlaipply
When you see all the vaccine mandates and passports, the restriction on travel, buying, selling, working, etc., does it not shake you up that we are seeing the very beginnings of a system of antichrist global control being pushed upon the world’s population?
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is [c]six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18 NASB)
I am not saying that it is the mark of the beast. I am saying that at least it is a preparation stage for the future mark to be revealed. If we take a stand against this tyranny, Satan will be exposed and have to back off the full global control through his mark preparation strategy. The so-called pandemic is really a planned global false medical emergency to control the masses and bring them under a globalist elitist control and subservience.
The good news is the world is beginning to resist very strongly and boldly, and Satan’s plan is being restrained. It is not his time yet for global control. It was a test, and the world (including most Christians and churches) bowed to a lie, proving that the planet is almost ready for THE ANTICHRIST and his mark. The church, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and the rest of the planet’s population that refuses the tyranny being unleashed in the name of a false pandemic, are the earth’s last line of defense. If we cave, it is all over for the world. If we stand as the Body of Christ, we can turn this mess around and restore freedom around us UNTIL we are done with our mission on planet earth. By our mission, I mean that we fulfill the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-19, Matthew 28:18-20, and also in the following verses of Scripture.
12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14 NASB)
To straighten out doctrine and theology, one must possess the answers to these three questions:
- What happened in the first three chapters of Genesis?
- Why did Jesus have to die in our place, and what did He provide through His sacrifice?
- What will happen at the end of time in the book of Revelation to remove sin, death, the curse, pain, and sorrow from human contact forever?
Get those three questions answered CORRECTLY from the Scripture, and it will begin to move you away from traditional ideas that make the Word of God of no effect in your life (Mark 7:13). This is exactly what we are doing in this series!
Disobedience to God’s Word grants access to the enemy and to the curse. We study this truth in some detail. It will open your eyes to WHY bad things happen on earth.
This study reveals MANY pearls of great price. They are gold nuggets or diamonds of truth! Don’t miss this continuing series. Be mightily blessed!
Get informed about the truth concerning the death jabs here: https://nojabforme.info. Don’t be fooled by the lying Fauci, CDC, mainstream media, and most governments on the planet! They are liars like their father the devil and they are murderers just like Satan has been from the beginning. (John 8:44)
Get information here that will literally save your life from the vaccine mandates, forced death jabs, and the global tyranny unleashed and masquerading as a health emergency: The Tom Laipply Podcast on Rumble- https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply and also on Gab TV: https://tv.gab.com/channel/tomlaipply
When you see all the vaccine mandates and passports, the restriction on travel, buying, selling, working, etc., does it not shake you up that we are seeing the very beginnings of a system of antichrist global control being pushed upon the world’s population?
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is [c]six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18 NASB)
I am not saying that it is the mark of the beast. I am saying that at least it is a preparation stage for the future mark to be revealed. If we take a stand against this tyranny, Satan will be exposed and have to back off the full global control through his mark preparation strategy. The so-called pandemic is really a planned global false medical emergency to control the masses and bring them under a globalist elitist control and subservience.
The good news is the world is beginning to resist very strongly and boldly, and Satan’s plan is being restrained. It is not his time yet for global control. It was a test, and the world (including most Christians and churches) bowed to a lie, proving that the planet is almost ready for THE ANTICHRIST and his mark. The church, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and the rest of the planet’s population that refuses the tyranny being unleashed in the name of a false pandemic, are the earth’s last line of defense. If we cave, it is all over for the world. If we stand as the Body of Christ, we can turn this mess around and restore freedom around us UNTIL we are done with our mission on planet earth. By our mission, I mean that we fulfill the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-19, Matthew 28:18-20, and also in the following verses of Scripture.
12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14 NASB)
Jesus has already redeemed us from the curse that entered into this planet through Adam’s disobedience (Genesis 2:16, 3:16, 17; Gal. 3:13). Deuteronomy 28 gives us a catalog of the blessing for obedience (vs. 1-14), and the rest of the chapter gives us an extensive list of the curse for disobedience (vs. 15-68). This curse is what entered into the earth with Adam’s treason. Once we find out what is included in the curse; we begin to understand the breadth and depth of our redemption in Christ. It is awesome!
This information is VITAL! It can be the difference between life or death, healing or sickness, abundance or poverty, courage or fear, strength or weakness, and victory or defeat. Listen to all the previous messages on the subject. Don’t miss this striking and life-changing revelation! Be mightily blessed!
Get informed about the truth concerning the death jabs here: https://nojabforme.info. Don’t be fooled by the lying Fauci, CDC, mainstream media, and most governments on the planet! They are liars like their father the devil and they are murderers just like Satan has been from the beginning. (John 8:44)
Get information here that will literally save your life from the vaccine mandates, forced death jabs, and the global tyranny unleashed and masquerading as a health emergency: The Tom Laipply Podcast on Rumble- https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply and also on Gab TV: https://tv.gab.com/channel/tomlaipply
When you see all the vaccine mandates and passports, the restriction on travel, buying, selling, working, etc., does it not shake you up that we are seeing the very beginnings of a system of antichrist global control being pushed upon the world’s population?
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is [c]six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18 NASB)
I am not saying that it is the mark of the beast. I am saying that at least it is a preparation stage for the future mark to be revealed. If we take a stand against this tyranny, Satan will be exposed and have to back off the full global control through his mark preparation strategy. The so-called pandemic is really a planned global false medical emergency to control the masses and bring them under a globalist elitist control and subservience.
The good news is the world is beginning to resist very strongly and boldly, and Satan’s plan is being restrained. It is not his time yet for global control. It was a test, and the world (including most Christians and churches) bowed to a lie, proving that the planet is almost ready for THE ANTICHRIST and his mark. The church, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and the rest of the planet’s population that refuses the tyranny being unleashed in the name of a false pandemic, are the earth’s last line of defense. If we cave, it is all over for the world. If we stand as the Body of Christ, we can turn this mess around and restore freedom around us UNTIL we are done with our mission on planet earth. By our mission, I mean that we fulfill the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-19, Matthew 28:18-20, and also in the following verses of Scripture.
12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14 NASB)
Based on our study so far, we can come to some very important conclusions in this third podcast:
- The curse is not the will of God for His people. If the curse ever was God’s will, then why didn’t Jesus ever afflict anybody with any part of that curse? He never made anybody sick, poor, or to die prematurely? He went about healing ALL that were oppressed of the devil! (Acts 10:38)
- The curse was the direct result of disobedience to the commandment of God. We saw it in Genesis 3, and we will see it in many places in Scripture.
- We have redemption from the curse (Galatians 3:13), so we can walk free from it. Faith and trust in Christ’s redemption is essential in order to receive and walk in what was purchased for us.
Allow this podcast to put some “meat” on this “bare bones” outline! Be mightily blessed!
Get informed about the truth concerning the death jabs here: https://nojabforme.info. Don’t be fooled by the lying Fauci, CDC, mainstream media, and most governments on the planet! They are liars like their father the devil and they are murderers just like Satan has been from the beginning. (John 8:44)
Get information here that will literally save your life from the vaccine mandates, forced death jabs, and the global tyranny unleashed and masquerading as a health emergency: The Tom Laipply Podcast on Rumble- https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply and also on Gab TV: https://tv.gab.com/channel/tomlaipply
When you see all the vaccine mandates and passports, the restriction on travel, buying, selling, working, etc., does it not shake you up that we are seeing the very beginnings of a system of antichrist global control being pushed upon the world’s population?
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is [c]six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18 NASB)
I am not saying that it is the mark of the beast. I am saying that at least it is a preparation stage for the future mark to be revealed. If we take a stand against this tyranny, Satan will be exposed and have to back off the full global control through his mark preparation strategy. The so-called pandemic is really a planned global false medical emergency to control the masses and bring them under a globalist elitist control and subservience.
The good news is the world is beginning to resist very strongly and boldly, and Satan’s plan is being restrained. It is not his time yet for global control. It was a test, and the world (including most Christians and churches) bowed to a lie, proving that the planet is almost ready for THE ANTICHRIST and his mark. The church, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and the rest of the planet’s population that refuses the tyranny being unleashed in the name of a false pandemic, are the earth’s last line of defense. If we cave, it is all over for the world. If we stand as the Body of Christ, we can turn this mess around and restore freedom around us UNTIL we are done with our mission on planet earth. By our mission, I mean that we fulfill the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-19, Matthew 28:18-20, and also in the following verses of Scripture.
12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14 NASB)
The creation itself groans and labors with birth pains under the curse and bondage of corruption that came into this world through Adam’s sin. Adam’s disobedience opened the door for Satan to bring everything that steals, kills, and destroys into this planet. The devil is called the destroyer in Revelation. Nothing he does brings life, healing, or anything good. The day is coming when Satan and the curse will be removed from human contact FOREVER. Thank God! In the meantime, we can operate in freedom from the curse on earth because Jesus redeemed us from it! (Galatians 3:13) Hear this revealing podcast. Be mightily blessed!
Get informed about the truth concerning the death jabs here: https://nojabforme.info. Don’t be fooled by the lying Fauci, CDC, mainstream media, and most governments on the planet! They are liars like their father the devil and they are murderers just like Satan has been from the beginning. (John 8:44)
Get information here that will literally save your life from the vaccine mandates, forced death jabs, and the global tyranny unleashed and masquerading as a health emergency: The Tom Laipply Podcast on Rumble- https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply and also on Gab TV: https://tv.gab.com/channel/tomlaipply
When you see all the vaccine mandates and passports, the restriction on travel, buying, selling, working, etc., does it not shake you up that we are seeing the very beginnings of a system of antichrist global control being pushed upon the world’s population?
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is [c]six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18 NASB)
I am not saying that it is the mark of the beast. I am saying that at least it is a preparation stage for the future mark to be revealed. If we take a stand against this tyranny, Satan will be exposed and have to back off the full global control through his mark preparation strategy. The so-called pandemic is really a planned global false medical emergency to control the masses and bring them under a globalist elitist control and subservience.
The good news is the world is beginning to resist very strongly and boldly, and Satan’s plan is being restrained. It is not his time yet for global control. It was a test, and the world (including most Christians and churches) bowed to a lie, proving that the planet is almost ready for THE ANTICHRIST and his mark. The church, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and the rest of the planet’s population that refuses the tyranny being unleashed in the name of a false pandemic, are the earth’s last line of defense. If we cave, it is all over for the world. If we stand as the Body of Christ, we can turn this mess around and restore freedom around us UNTIL we are done with our mission on planet earth. By our mission, I mean that we fulfill the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-19, Matthew 28:18-20, and also in the following verses of Scripture.
12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14 NASB)
Why is there a curse in the earth? What event opened the door for the curse? Who is the author of the curse, and who allowed it to enter the earth? What is the curse? Galatians 3:13 told us that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. Two translations render the verse, “Christ redeemed us from the curse pronounced in the law”. What does that mean? Does redemption affect us automatically when we receive and confess Jesus as our Lord? We begin to answer these questions and more with this first podcast. Don’t miss this 10-part series! Be mightily blessed!
Note of correction: For all you perfect people that never make a mistake in speech (haha!), I made the dumb mistake of saying “Revelations” when referring to the book of Revelation (singular). It is THE Revelation of Jesus Christ. Period! Rev. 1:1! I correct myself on the podcast in Part 2. Then there is the matter of a few scattered “ah” here and there. Quit being a public speaking critic and get the message! I may go back and edit this, but then again, I may not just to annoy the perfectionists.
Get informed about the truth concerning the death jabs here: https://nojabforme.info. Don’t be fooled by the lying Fauci, CDC, mainstream media, and most governments on the planet! They are liars like their father the devil and they are murderers just like Satan has been from the beginning. (John 8:44)
Get information here that will literally save your life from the vaccine mandates, forced death jabs, and the global tyranny unleashed and masquerading as a health emergency: The Tom Laipply Podcast on Rumble- https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply and also on Gab TV: https://tv.gab.com/channel/tomlaipply
When you see all the vaccine mandates and passports, the restriction on travel, buying, selling, working, etc., does it not shake you up that we are seeing the very beginnings of a system of antichrist global control being pushed upon the world’s population?
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is [c]six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18 NASB)
I am not saying that it is the mark of the beast. I am saying that at least it is a preparation stage for the future mark to be revealed. If we take a stand against this tyranny, Satan will be exposed and have to back off the full global control through his mark preparation strategy. The so-called pandemic is really a planned global false medical emergency to control the masses and bring them under a globalist elitist control and subservience.
The good news is the world is beginning to resist very strongly and boldly, and Satan’s plan is being restrained. It is not his time yet for global control. It was a test, and the world (including most Christians and churches) bowed to a lie, proving that the planet is almost ready for THE ANTICHRIST and his mark. The church, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and the rest of the planet’s population that refuses the tyranny being unleashed in the name of a false pandemic, are the earth’s last line of defense. If we cave, it is all over for the world. If we stand as the Body of Christ, we can turn this mess around and restore freedom around us UNTIL we are done with our mission on planet earth. By our mission, I mean that we fulfill the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-19, Matthew 28:18-20, and also in the following verses of Scripture.
12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14 NASB)
Following are two former Pfizer employees that share the truth about the demon jab of death called a "vaccine": Karen Kingston is a former Pfizer employee and biotech analyst, and she brings a huge amount of undeniable proofs using original source material in this Conservative Business Journal program. It is so much info that you will want to pause the video to take notes. There is NO question that the purpose of the death jab is to steal, kill, destroy, and to also CONTROL! You have to be brainwashed by the MSM and Fauci (the evil garden gnome) or dumb as a rock to take the blot clot jab. If you have been jabbed, you need a healing miracle now! God is in the miracle and healing business. Jesus paid an awesome price to set you free (Isaiah 53:4, 5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24), but it will not just happen. You will have to ask the Lord to remove that poison out of your body and receive His healing power. (James 1:6-8) Possibly, get some help from healing believing elders at a healing believing, no compromise church to pray for your healing and deliverance from that poison circulating in your bloodstream. (James 5:14, 15) The place to start is repentance and receiving Jesus as Lord of your life, if you haven't done that already. (Acts 2:38, 3:19, 26:20; Romans 10:9) Use the following link to watch:
https://www.conservativebusinessjournal.com/2021/10/karen-kingston-exposes-the-vaccine-bioweapon-whats-in-it-that-harms-us-how-it-tracks-humans/ On that page you can watch the full interview or listen to it as a podcast. There is also a link to Karen Kingston's downloadable 72 page PowerPoint presentation. The slides will rock your world. Next video:
Dr. Michael Yeadon is former Pfizer Vice President and Chief Scientist. You will want to hear what this man has to say. Arm yourself with the truth and reject the false claims by the garden gnome Fauci, the CDC, the MSM, and the Biden admin on the efficacy or necessity of the death jab! Use the following link to watch: https://www.globalresearch.ca/video-final-warning-humanity-former-pfizer-chief-scientist-michael-yeadon/5756523 These messages should be forwarded "yesterday" to everyone you know! Too many are dying with misinformation, fake news, and lies. Let the truth ring loud and clear!
Here is a MASSIVE resource website with overwhelming info debunking the Covid-19 and the jab of death promulgated by MSM, governments, and big pharma: https://nojabforme.info/ You can download this massive research as an interactive PDF here: https://app.box.com/s/owwjq0bi9cdxqzbdlkfzuz7ut8kt01d9
Love you all in Christ Jesus, Dan A. Rodriguez https://danalanrodriguez.podbean.com
What Jesus said about inheriting eternal life strikes at the heart of most Christian theology. It is a slap in the face to the doctrine of “just believe” and moves it into the realm of doing the Scripture.
16 And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what [essentially] good thing shall I do to obtain eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]?”17 Jesus answered, “Why are you asking Me about what is [essentially] good? There is only One who is [essentially] good; but if you wish to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to Jesus, “Which commandments?” And Jesus answered, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT GIVE FALSE TESTIMONY; 19 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF” [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others]. 20 The young man said to Him, “I have kept all these things [from my youth]; what do I still lack?” (Matthew 19:16-20 Amplified Bible or AMP)
The rich young ruler asked Jesus, “What must I do to obtain (other translations- “inherit”) eternal life.” (Matthew 19:16) Jesus taught the rich young ruler about the qualifications for obtaining eternal life. His answer is like a loaded cannon! His answer will completely confuse most people because it sounds foreign to their evangelical thinking. It sounds like Jesus was telling the rich young ruler about getting saved by good works. The entire assumption is based on a wrong premise if that is what is seen in Jesus' answer. There is nothing weird or out of place with the comments of Jesus. This was not “law or works thinking” as opposed to grace. If you believe Jesus was “under the law” and Paul was “under grace,” you have been subjected to wrong Biblical interpretation!
Firstly, we should understand that the man Jesus was speaking to, the rich young ruler, was not a Gentile. He was far from it. The rich young ruler was a Jewish man, circumcised the eighth day (as all Jewish boys were), and would have entered covenant responsibility between 12 and 13 years of age. He became responsible for covenant obedience according to the Judaism of his day. He had kept the basic commandments (moral ones) from his youth, or from his entering covenant responsibility, what historically became known later as the Bar-Mitzvah. (1)
Why did the rich young ruler ask Jesus which were the commandments He was referring to in order to obtain or inherit eternal life?
The commandments can be divided for the purposes of Christianity into the moral and judicial guidelines categories, and on the other side were those that addressed ritual activity in the Temple of God, priesthood, animal blood sacrifices, feasts and festivals, Sabbath days, food laws, and so on. For simplicity’s sake, I refer to them as the moral commandments and ceremonial or ritual commandments. That is not an artificial division to the commandments because after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 A. D., moral and judicial commandments came to the forefront as the only ones that Jews could continue to observe. (2) All ritual or ceremonial commandments dependent on Temple and priesthood became obsolete and passed away into history.
Judaism was reinvented in the latter part of the 1st century and into the 2nd century without the Temple and priesthood services in Jerusalem. (3) Jewish leaders understood that the 613 commandments of God’s law were reduced to 369 laws when the Temple was destroyed. (4) Other Jewish sources say only 244 commandments or 40% were and are applicable! (5)
Only the moral and judicial laws and commandments were left. Feasts, festivals, and Sabbath observances were reinvented so they could be practiced without animal sacrifices. Even circumcision of a male child on the eighth day was within the framework of the mother offering a sacrifice in the Temple for her purification after childbirth. (6) That was no longer applicable without Temple, priesthood, and animal sacrifices.
Today, Jews continue to practice Sabbaths and the festivals without offering animal sacrifices. According to the apostle Paul’s teaching and the conclusions reached by the Jerusalem church council in Acts 15, Christians converted among the Gentiles were not required to keep Sabbath days, circumcision, or any of the feasts and festivals of Israel. They were required to continue to uphold and keep moral commandments and guidelines.
If you have questions along these lines, and how these historical facts affect your Christian walk today, please see my detailed 62 page PDF by using this link, “Did the Grace of God Cancel Biblical Commandments”. There are many wrong teachings floating among Christians concerning law and grace, and the difference between ritual and moral commandments, and whether we should obey moral commandments or not. Paul was emphatically clear about the subject, but the problem is many have been reading his statements without understanding the historical context. Many have interpreted some verses in ways that Paul never intended while at the same time rejecting some things he wrote about the commandments and the law of Moses. My 62-page mini-book will open your eyes with many Scripture references and a historical background, and it is free of charge!
Let me get back to the words of Jesus to the rich young ruler.
Do you mean to tell me that there could be a connection to eternal life and the follower of Jesus keeping God’s moral commandments? Some would be too quick to yell, “NO!” Yes, there is a connection, according to Jesus. Jesus taught it. What you must decide is whether you will believe the words of Jesus or not. Moral commandments are important eternally, but ONLY for those already in a covenant relationship with the Father! Commandments originated in the Father and Jesus ONLY taught what He heard from the Father in Heaven. (John 7:16)
What does the above mean for believers today? After you come to Jesus and receive God’s gift in redemption, you are expected to live a moral life, that is IF you want to hold fast to eternal life. (1 Timothy 6:12, 19) If you sin, you must confess your sin before God and receive forgiveness and cleansing from UN-righteousness. You need to get it right with God and get sin purged out of your life by the Blood of Jesus! (See 1 John 1:7-10, 2:1, 2)
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Romans 13:9, 10 NKJV)
The love commandment at the end of the statement of Jesus in Matthew 19:19 and Paul's statement above in Romans 13:10 are not a replacement or even a rejection of the other holy moral commandments of God. Jesus nor Paul ever taught that nonsense, though many Christians teach it as the gospel truth! Paul writes that love is a SUMMARY of what it means to live a holy life before God. God’s moral commandments are holy, just, good and spiritual according to Paul in Romans 7:12 and 14. Read the text please and get your theology straight! The commandments of God were NEVER fleshly or carnal or so burdensome that nobody could keep them. That "no one could keep them" is traditional religious baloney! The rich young ruler kept the moral commandments impeccably from his youth, and he did that BEFORE he was a follower of Jesus, and BEFORE the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost! The idea that “God’s commandments were hard to keep” was a Satan-invented lie to get Christian people to live their lives cringing against anything called a commandment and making them feel less responsible for keeping them.
The apostle John taught the exact opposite to the “no one could keep the commandments of God” ignorance, and the “they were too hard to keep” foolishness.
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:2, 3 NKJV)
“Not burdensome” means that God’s Holy guidelines (moral commandments) for living in this world were not a “heavy weight” like a mule carrying a heavy load. No mules here! Commandments are a part of our yoke in Christ, and His yoke is easy, and His burden is light! (See Matthew 11:28-30.) Notice that the love of God is that we keep (obey) His commandments. When you understand that properly, you will get the truth that John was teaching the same thing Paul wrote when he quoted some of God’s moral commandments and stated that all of God’s moral commandments were SUMMED UP in the love commandment.
Jesus said, “ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Matthew 19:18-19 NKJV)
None of those moral commandments were burdensome or “hard to keep.” That was and is true, especially for the born again and committed believer. The moral commandments are easy because we have the power of the Holy Spirit in us to live in holiness. He isn’t called the HOLY Spirit for nothing! The Father is a holy God, and Jesus is a holy Lord that empowers His followers to live holy lives before God.
When you first come to Jesus and make Him Lord of your life, He will accept you as you are, but He does not want you to stay that way. Jesus will forgive, cleanse, heal, and deliver you, but the Lord expects transformation out of us as believers. (See Romans 12:1, 2 in the Amplified Bible.)
But I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds consistent with repentance. (Acts 26:20 NET)
Good works (deeds) are not how we got saved but they do demonstrate repentance AFTER you receive Jesus. “Performing deeds consistent with repentance” is holiness. The behavior of a Christian should be one that breathes and lives holiness. It is the will of God that we live a holy life. (See 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.) Holiness is not bondage. Holy behavior is a prerequisite of the Christian life. We serve a holy God and a holy Lord by the power of the HOLY Spirit.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (1 Peter 1:14-16 NASB)
Once you begin to follow Jesus, there must be a change of lifestyle. It is never “come to Jesus and then sin all you want because He loves you.” Some have espoused the twisted theology that this is what love does. Did Jesus agree with the idea of “love will overlook my sins as a Christian even if I don’t repent?” Not according to Jesus.
“And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God” (Luke 13:3, 5 New Living Translation).
The message of Jesus was one of repentance, turning from devilish lifestyles, and serving and loving God. Not ONE verse in the Gospels ever insinuates acceptance of sin and darkness, but a rejection of sin and evil ways.
Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11 NKJV). He said to the healed (former) blind man, “Go and sin no more so something worse does not come on you” (John 5:14 NKJV). Continuing in a sinful lifestyle is not an option for the follower of Jesus!
The words of Jesus are filled with living a holy lifestyle in obedience to God, His Word, and commandments.
What did Jesus preach and teach everywhere? Here was a huge part of it.
He (Jesus) said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” (Mark 1:15 New English Translation)
The Scriptural pattern of the Christian life is also found in the book of Revelation.
10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.” … 17 And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus. (Revelation 12:10-12, 17 New Living Translation)
I quoted a larger portion than verse 17 so that you would see that all who keep the commandments of God and maintain their faith in Jesus are believers in Christ Jesus that serve and obey Him. Note the two-fold description of true believers in Christ. They keep the commandments (moral commandments) of God AND maintain their faith in Jesus. It is not only keeping the commandments, and it is not having faith in Jesus alone. It is both!
Here is [encouragement for] the steadfast endurance of the saints (God’s people), those who habitually keep God’s commandments and their faith in Jesus. (Revelation 14:12 Amplified Bible or AMP)
Who are the real saints or God’s people? Are they those that have a regard for their church dogma or declaration of faith? Are the real believers those that have a mental agreement with the facts about the life and resurrection of Jesus? Are the real people of God those that made a confession of Jesus as their Lord at some point in their life but now habitually live in sin? No, a thousand times no! The real believers are those who habitually keep God’s moral commandments AND their faith in Jesus.
Jesus answered the rich young ruler, “…But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He (the rich young ruler) said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” The rich young ruler answered Jesus that those commandments he kept from his youth, but he knew that something was missing. Watch this closely.
20 The young man said to Him, “I have kept all these things [from my youth]; what do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered him, “If you wish to be perfect [that is, have the spiritual maturity that accompanies godly character with no moral or ethical deficiencies], go and sell what you have and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].” 22 But when the young man heard this, he left grieving and distressed, for he owned much property and had many possessions [which he treasured more than his relationship with God]. (Matthew 19:20-22 AMP)
Do you see it? What the man lacked in his commandment keeping was obedience to God with his giving (because money or “stuff” controlled him), and becoming a true believer by following Jesus. Jesus taught him that commandment keeping was a part of the equation to eternal life, but there was more to it than that. He needed to fully commit to Jesus and follow Him unreservedly. That was the way he was going to be perfect or have the spiritual maturity that accompanied godly character with no moral or ethical deficiencies. Jesus was calling the rich young ruler to discipleship, and possibly, in his case, to apostleship. That man could have replaced Judas Iscariot as the one that handled the money for Jesus and His staff. He missed his call to become a true follower of Jesus.
Do you see how this meshes perfectly with Revelation 12:17 and 14:12? The true follower of Jesus will obey God’s moral commandments and maintain his or her faith in Jesus.
To believers, Christians, or followers of Jesus, Paul makes this statement:
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping the commandments of God. (1 Corinthians 7:19 AMP)
He was not making that statement to the ungodly but to born-again, tongue talking Christians. After you come to Jesus and get baptized in the Holy Spirit and begin speaking and praying in tongue, the next step is transformation by becoming a doer of the Word. (See Romans 12:2, and James 1:22.) That means that holiness is now on your radar everyday, and you are a practitioner, doer, or keeper of the moral commandments of God.
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NOTES:
(1) Although Bar-Mitzvah today is celebrated differently, we know it has ancient roots as recorded in the Talmud. Jesus was examined by the Temple priests and teachers at the age of 12. (Luke 2:41–52) “All who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.” (Luke 2:47) Most likely, that is the oldest record of a “Bar Mitzvah” or when a child's understanding of Scripture is scrutinized and subject to rabbinical approval in order to become a part of the adult community of observant Jews. Do you understand that this in the ONLY event recorded about Jesus’ youth, and that it happened when he was 12 years old? That means that this was an especially important event in His life. Why were Joseph and Mary not there if it was so important? Could this scrutiny among the priests and teachers have started earlier, and they thought it was finished, so they left thinking Jesus was with the other children that went through the same process of scrutiny? They were surprised that Jesus extended His stay because, “He must be about His Father’s business.” He was already taking his adult covenant responsibility VERY seriously. (2) Jews divided commandments by positive and negative ones. There were 248 “do’s, and 365 don’ts. Without Temple or priesthood, of the 248 do’s only 126 are applicable today among religious Jews. Of the 365 don’ts there were left applicable 243. See http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm , but see article in note 5. (3) Jewish commentaries on the history of Judaism after the destruction of the Second Temple teach it this way. As an example see: http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/1362/forgotten-hero-of-tisha-bav-enabled-judaism-to-survive-exile/ ; also look at the following: http://earlyworldhistory.blogspot.com/2012/01/yohanan-ben-zakkai.html ; https://www.jweekly.com/1995/08/04/forgotten-hero-of-tisha-b-av-enabled-judaism-to-survive-exile/ . For more information, see Jacob Neusner, A Life of Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai (1960). (4) Nobody knows this better than the Jews! See: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/541686/jewish/How-Many-ofthe-Torahs-Commandments-Still-Apply.htm (5) “Of the 613 commandments, only 411 don't require the Temple (202, or about a third, do); of these, only 369 commandments are applicable today (42 pertain to slaves, kings, nazirs, etc.); of these, only 270 apply always, regardless of circumstances (99 require special circumstances, e.g., "don’t be late in fulfilling a vow" applies only if you make a vow; likewise, parapet around roof, paying laborer on time, etc.); -of these, only 244 apply outside Israel. (26 apply only in Israel.) So, for most Jews, only 244, or 40%, of the mitzvot apply.” Quoted from the following article: https://images.shulcloud.com/618/uploads/PDFs/Divrei_Torah/150523-the-613-commandments-shavuot.pdf (6) That would seem to be the implication of Luke 2:21-24 and Leviticus 12:1-7. Many believe there was no connection, but the context in both passages may confirm there was a covenant connection. See the following articles for additional insight: https://www.thetorah.com/article/mother-and-child-postpartum-defilement-and-circumcision ; https://www.algemeiner.com/2012/03/30/the-blood-of-menstruation-is-covenantal-blood/ . I only bring this up because if that was the case, once the Temple was destroyed in 70 A. D. (CE), the covenant rite of circumcision also lost important connections to blood sacrifice and Temple worship. After the Temple’s destruction these sacrifices in Leviticus 12:1-7 that were connected to the purification of the woman after childbirth and covenant circumcision, these could no longer be offered.
Listen to the next podcast in the series: Repentance- Part 9. It will answer many questions for you on the difference between righteousness as a gift, and righteousness as the lifestyle of the believer. There is much confusion in the area of righteousness and what the difference is between Romans 3:25, 26; 5:17 (the gift of righteousness) and what John taught in 1 John 2:29 and 3:7, 8, 10 (the righteous lifestyle- See the verses in NKJV or NET.) Don't miss it! If we are righteous in Christ, and that is supposedly an unchangeable status, why do we need to be cleansed from UNrighteousness if we sin (1 John 1:9)? Get answers in this podcast, and never be confused about the subject again. Be blessed!
** This message was first published April/May 2020, but it is so pertinent that I wanted to present it again. There were a very few additions to reflect the situation today, but the core message remains the same.
Jesus warned and commanded the churches in Revelation 2 and 3. He praised their strengths but held nothing back when telling them to wake up and repent. Do you want a real awakening in America? It all starts with repentance!
Awakening to the lies of government, media, globalist totalitarianism, the Democrat and most of the Republican parties, stolen elections, medical tyranny, treasonous leaders, etc. is great, but it lacks a supernatural element that can only come from God.
“Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Therefore, remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you” (Revelation 3:2-3 NET).
To wake up means that you get strength in the Lord, that you remember what you received and heard through His Word, you obey it or act on it, and REPENT if your actions are contrary to God and His Word. That is the Wake-Up call. Jesus warned us that if a church doesn’t wake up that He will come as a thief in the night. They won’t know what hit them. It won’t be pretty. I didn’t say that first, Jesus did!
America! It’s Time to Wake Up! Church! It’s Time to Wake Up!
“All those I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest (zealous) and repent.” (Revelation 3:19 NET)
The reason Jesus rebuked and disciplined these churches (Christians) in Revelation chapters two and three was because some were practicing evil things. “All those I love” will get rebuked and disciplined when necessary. Do you mean to tell me that LOVE will rebuke and discipline at times? Jesus loved believers so much that He exposed their sins for all the world to see through rebuke, discipline, and by commanding them to repent.
Repentance was not a suggestion then, and it is not a suggestion now. Love includes discipline, rebuke, and repentance. Get that straight in your thinking. The message of “Jesus loves you” has been watered down so much that if Jesus rebuked or disciplined most folks, they would think it was verbal abuse and completely devoid of love.
Here is a message you will not hear from most pulpits in America:
“Jesus loves you so much that He will rebuke, discipline, and command you to repent?” (My very good paraphrase of Revelation 3:19.)
How much of that do you hear or read on social media or on church websites? How many times have you heard that from the pulpits of the land? If Jesus rebukes and disciplines all those He loves, what is happening with all those that have not heard a rebuke and have not been disciplined by Him through their loving pastors or other loving spiritual people? They are missing out on a very real aspect of the love of Jesus Christ for His church.
This message of repentance is extremely important in the love of Christ. Pastors, ministers, and preachers should love their flock by giving them warnings, and even rebuking them when necessary. Why should we be diligent to rebuke when necessary, to discipline, and lead people to repentance? Let me say it in the words of the apostle who wrote Hebrews (whom I believe was Paul):
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate (KJV and others translated “illegitimate” as “bastards”) and not sons. (Hebrews 12:5-8 New King James Version NKJV)
Isn’t that sweet that most modern translations soften the blow by translating “illegitimate” instead of using the harsher word “bastards”? The meaning is the same, but nobody takes kindly to being called a bastard! Illegitimate children were traditionally called bastards, and in the Hebrew language they were called “mamzer”. If somebody called you a mamzer, they were probably looking for a fight! It was an insult to be called a mamzer – bastard just like it is today. The use of bastards in our text was meant to shock the reader, and certainly not sugarcoat anything.
What did the verses above say? If we are not partakers of the Lord’s correction and discipline as children (chastening being the older English word), rebuke, and even scourging (serious spanking that starts in the spirit and only continues to be physical after people consistently refuse to repent), then we would be BASTARDS.
Many churches preach sweet stuff that’s like cotton candy fluff. It’s all puffy marshmallow Christianity. No preaching and teaching are done of the solid meat or food of the Word meant to produce growth. (See Hebrews 5:12-14 in the AMP.) Even the milk of the Word produces some growth, but those churches concentrate on mush that is not fit for spiritual or human consumption! (1 Peter 2:1, 2)
If fluffy cotton candy was all you ate in the natural world, you would get very sick and eventually drop dead. Could you imagine what is happening spiritually in some churches that only preach cotton candy and marshmallow Christianity? They are developing bastard children, and not real sons and daughters received by the Father. Is that something I came up with, or did Paul teach that in his epistles? We saw it in Hebrews, but where else do we see that expressed?
Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial (Satan)? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said: “I WILL DWELL AMONG THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. “So COME OUT FROM AMONG UNBELIEVERS AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord, “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with favor], And I will be a Father to you, And you will be My sons and daughters,” Says the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Amplified Bible- AMP)
That entire portion of Scripture speaks to what I am writing to you about.
God is interested in developing believers into sons and daughters of God that will take a stand against being bound to an alliance with unbelievers, partnering with lawlessness, fellowshipping with darkness, and agreeing with Satan! He is actively looking for believers that reject unbelieving ways and all idols! God is looking for those that will live separated from the junk of the world and refuse to touch the unclean trash heap of the world, the flesh, and the devil!
Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts], nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father, but are from the world. The world is passing away, and with it its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17 AMP)
The Father is looking to receive graciously into power and anointing sons and daughters and not bastard children that want to do whatever the world does and whatever the devil wants, but that will only seek to do the will of the Father.
The above is why Hebrews goes on to teach that discipline, rebuke, and even some serious spanking are completely necessary for spiritual growth into sons and daughters of God that want to be used by Him to shake their world.
Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we submitted and respected them [for training us]; shall we not much more willingly submit to the Father of spirits, and live [by learning from His discipline]? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for only a short time as seemed best to them; but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose]. (Hebrew 12:9-11 Amplified)
Others preach the Word concerning salvation, blessing, healing, deliverance, or some variation of it, without bringing correction and rebuke when necessary. That is not right and missing a very important part of ministry to the people. Part of ministering and preaching God’s word is discipline and rebuke (2 Timothy 4:2).
Some say they are preaching only “encouraging” or messages of “hope” to their congregations. Somebody said to me once to preach "heaven" to the people. Sorry to burst your bubble, but that is not enough. “Hope” preaching without this necessary element of discipline, spiritual spanking, warnings, and repentance is deficient and needs an “iron” supplement in the Spirit, because it is an anemic message. Jesus will rebuke and discipline you because He loves you, therefore, be zealous and repent! (Revelation 3:19) That is tough love, but it is necessary.
God help us learn that sometimes the love of Christ will demand rebuke, correction, spanking (that could get very physical when there is a refusal to repent), and heart-felt repentance that is demonstrated in real actions that are accord with repentance! (See Acts 26:20 AMP.)
What should be our response? Say it and believe it, “Jesus loves me, so I receive His rebuke and discipline.” The rejection of that makes a person a real dumb-dumb. I am being nice about it. Proverbs cuts through the chase.
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof (1) is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1 NET)
Jesus loves me, this I know, so I love discipline and true knowledge because I do not want to be like those that hate reproof and get stuck on stupid! As my Puerto Rico born, but staunchly American dad used to say about right here in old KJV English, “How readest thou?”
Wait a minute. What is “knowledge” according to the Scripture? Is “knowledge” profound revelation, revelation knowledge, penetrating insight, or deep understanding? Though those may be a part of it, knowledge refers to knowing God AND serving Him. Those that have knowledge of God forsake idolatry, immorality, and all that violates God’s moral commandments. Read the first six chapters of Proverbs to see that clearly taught.
The Hebrew language always understood “knowledge of God”, not as revelation or understanding alone, but as living for Him according to His Word-commandments. In other words, you know Him when you obey Him. Those that disobey Him and follow the world’s ways and practices don’t know Him, even though they call themselves Christians.
The Apostle John taught that truth.
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:3-6 NKJV)
THAT should be clear enough!
In the podcast below, we focus on national repentance, but there are truths here applicable to our personal lives. National repentance will not happen without individual repentance.
Though the USA saw better days under Trump than under the perverted and ungodly-to-the-max Obama administration, there is a long way to go. Under Obama, and now the perverted Biden administration, we see the exaltation of homosexuality (LGBT and all its demonic offspring like same-sex marriage), the continued and increasing murder of unborn children (abortion), the empowering of our national enemies (like the Taliban, Isis, CCP) and the condemnation and demonization of Christianity and Christians. We see in America a great divide between believers and unbelievers, and a strong distinction appearing and solidifying between the world and its sinful ways and those that love God, His Word, and His son Jesus. This divided kingdom business is a recipe for disaster (Matthew 12:25), but one that that can be mitigated, and even turned around through individual repentance and a call to national repentance. (Remember what we saw in the previous articles and podcasts according to 2 Chronicles 7:13, 14, Jeremiah 18:7-12, and Nineveh in Jonah 3.) These are crucial to America’s survival, so our country can once again becomes ONE NATION UNDER GOD, and it begins to truly thrive.
What are we up against?
The mainstream media has become a vehicle for heathenism. They have become proponents of all that is contrary to God and His Word. They target Christianity and Christians and attempt to make them look foolish and bigoted. Sadly, on many fronts they have succeeded in their endeavor to make Christianity looks like something to be despised and rejected. They are the main false prophets of our day just like Jeremiah faced in his day. Make no mistake about it, they are on their way to their own destruction. They are like the false prophets that Jeremiah prophesied about that would be dead before long. Their fake news outlets are falling apart even now.
Social media sites have followed the MSM example and are doing everything they can do to stop the spread of Christian thought, morality, and teaching. They have wholeheartedly embraced demon-inspired people and activities that are morally reprehensible. They are in line with the false prophets. Additionally, there are the horrifyingly false prophetic voices coming from most Hollywood actors and actresses, acclaimed singers, and other foolish people in entertainment and sports that are trying to tell the world how to live according to their ungodliness. Well, if you want to go to a devil’s hell, then follow their advice and live according to their perverted ways. If you want to go to Heaven, then receive God’s gift in Jesus and live for the Lord EVERY day! (John 3:16)
So, what do we do as Christians? Do we bow down to the world, the devil, and to his false prophets? Do we cower and surrender? NO way! We continue teaching, preaching, and ministering under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. People’s eternal destinies depend on our never giving up. We don’t quit, and we don’t compromise the Word. We don’t water down the gospel of repentance and forgiveness. We preach and declare uncompromisingly as Jesus did, “Repent and believe the gospel”, and “repent or perish!” That is the true wake-up call of Jesus to the churches today.
Wake up church! Wake up America!
Get more in the Part 4 podcast below about repentance. Be mightily and overwhelmingly blessed!
_______________
NOTES:
(1) Brown, Driver, Briggs: correction, rebuke, chiding, chastisement, etc. See Strong’s H8433b for definition of this word “reproof.”
*This message was first published in April of 2020 but is even more important NOW! Be blessed!
Many believe that “God is in Control” is the Gospel truth. “Brother Rodriguez, that is what the Bible says!” Is it? If it is, then we are stuck with it. Maybe we should look at that idea a little closer before coming to a conclusion.
Following is a verse interpreted to uphold the theology that God ultimately controls all leaders in human government.
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord like channels of water; he turns it wherever he wants (Proverbs 21:1 NET).
Many assume that verse means that all rulers are like puppets on a string, and God is the master puppeteer. That was never a Biblical view but one that originated in the beliefs about mythical gods and their treatment of mankind. Among these mythical gods, humans were like pawns in a game of otherworldly chess played by them. The gods set human fate according to their will. That same thinking infiltrated Christianity beginning in the second century. We could go into a lengthy discussion of how Greek pagan thought supplanted Jewish Messianic Biblical thought of the 1st century church in Jerusalem. I will spare you the details, but ideas prevalent in paganism about their mythological gods and their relationship with humanity had a deep impact on Christian Biblical interpretation as the church moved further west into pagan territory. Historically, the church to the west by the 3rd and 4th century would have been almost unrecognizable to Jesus, the apostles, and the churches that sprang up among the Jewish believers around Jerusalem and its vicinity. Anybody that has done research into the history of the church between the 1st and 4th century knows this to be true. (1)
The idea that God is like a master puppeteer or a divine chess master in control of all human actions, and that all humans must bow to His will, was a part of heathen or pagan mythology. Pagan gods could force their will upon humans at their every whim. It did not matter if their will was immoral or unrighteous. Human beings had no choice in their fate. Whatever the gods willed was to be done even by unwilling humanity.
That posited idea takes away from human beings all powers of decision and makes them automatons that are forcibly subject to the divine will. If God could do that with kings and government leaders, or any human being for that matter, why not do that with the unsaved on planet earth? Why not force everyone to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, and mandate that everyone to go to heaven? We could start the Millennium tomorrow and get on with eternity if that were the case! That is not the case because human beings can choose their eternal destiny, and they have a choice in this life to serve or disobey God.
The right to choose
From the beginning, God gave people the right to choose, and it has never been rescinded. He commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and that IF they did eat of the forbidden tree, then they would die (Genesis 2:17). God gave them a choice, but they chose the wrong thing and suffered the consequences. It was not God’s plan that they chose evil, but they did, and God respected their choice. If God was sovereign as people think, as in full control of all circumstances, why not rebuke the devil and stop sin in the garden? Why not stop the many millennia of the rule of darkness that perverted His creation and brought it a devastating curse?
Many think that God created man to fail and sin. They believe that God in His sovereignty had some purpose in all this damnation and planetary misery. Really? Step back from religion and theology and hear that nonsense for what it is. “Sovereignty” and “God is in control” as taught in much of Christendom is a perverted and twisted traditional religious idea that makes God into an indiscriminate murderer and destroyer that somehow favors evils to strike mankind for some mysterious purposes. Those ideas make human beings into robotic servants subject to the “control” of the “programmer” (God).
Let us get specific.
Those that think that because of God’s sovereignty, He is control of all human actions, what then do you do with Hitler, Stalin, Mao, ISIS, and all the evil rulers, empires, and terrorist organizations that have plagued the planet? God would have to be worse than all of them if this human cesspool of evil and bondage were of His design and under His total control. The idea is so ludicrous and preposterous that only in churches will people believe that nonsense and utter stupidity. I do not have any nice words to describe the foolishness of the “God is in control of everything” crowd.
God sent Jesus. Those that trust and follow Him (believe) will be saved, and those that do not will be damned (John 3:15-18, 36; 12:48; Mark 16:16, etc.). The choice between life and death, blessing or curses, love and hatred, and obedience or disobedience has always been among men. God has never taken it away, and never will!
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live (Deuteronomy 30:19 NKJV- See also Jeremiah 21:8 and ff., and Amos 5:14)
Who has the choice to make? God? God is in control of whether we have life or death, blessing or cursing? No, human beings must choose. What is the problem? Many want it to be God's choice, but God has left it up to us as to what we choose. He does tell us to choose life because He wants us to live, but the ultimate choice is left to us as long as we are on the earth. Granted, once you leave your body, your final fate is set. Eternal life to those that know Jesus and serve God, and eternal damnation for those that rejected the Lord and doing what was right according to His Word. (See Romans 1:16-32 through 2:1-11 for Paul's teaching on the subject.)
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15 NKJV)
God does not choose for you whom you will serve? The choice is left up to YOU and ME!
I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me. (Psalms 119:30 NKJV)
The Psalmist said he chose the way of truth. God did not choose it for him.
Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. (Proverbs 1:29 NKJV)
Who makes the choice here? The person rejecting the knowledge (knowing and doing the Word) of the Lord. Choosing to fear (honor and respect) the Lord is in human hands. It is not in God's hands. It's our choice of whether we revere the Lord or not.
Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings. (Isaiah 7:15 NKJV)
For fun, think about it. Who chose for you that you should eat corn flakes or eggs and biscuits this morning? Was it God? No, you chose what to eat. He calls upon us to fast at times, but it is our choice whether to obey or disobey His instruction. In the same way, we choose between good and evil. God desires we reject the evil and choose the good, but whether we do or not is in our hands.
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24 NKJV)
Whom we will serve is in our hands. God does not make that choice for us.
So that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ. (Philippians 1:10 NET).
You decide what is best! Yes, we follow the leading of the Lord and what His Word says to make the right choices, but no one can take away your right to choose. Even martyrs chose Jesus and refused to deny their faith regardless of the deadly end results.
Here is one more portion of Scripture that blows wrong theology about the life and death of a believer completely out the door.
But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith. (Philippians 1:22-25 NKJV)
What do you think of that? Do you mean to tell me that Paul had a choice in the matter whether to die and be with the Lord or to stay in the body because the Philippians needed to get more from his ministry? Do mean to tell me we can have a choice? YES!
We can do things to extend our days upon the earth. We can also do things to cut our days short upon the earth. Anyone that has read the first three chapters of the book of Proverbs should know that. See Proverbs 1:32-33; 2:20-22; 3:1-2, 7-8, 13-18, and I dare anyone to refute the clear teaching of the Scripture! A part of God's divine protection is that we be satisfied with a long life (Psalms 91:16). Who or what do you believe? Do you believe God or the traditional idiocy of many sectors of Christendom that think all matters of life and death are in God's hands? The Scriptures above prove the massive errors believed in these areas of choice, even in the areas of life and death.
How about this often half-quoted verse? These verses tell us one way to extend our days upon the earth.
“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2, 3; Paul is quoting from Exodus 20:12 -NKJV)
Don't quote the first part without also quoting the second part about living long on the earth.
Here is another portion of Scripture that tells us how we can extend our life upon the earth. The apostle Peter quoted it.
10 It is written in the psalms, If you love life and want to live a good, long time, then be careful what you say. Don’t tell lies or spread gossip or talk about improper things. 11 Walk away from the evil things in the world—just leave them behind, and do what is right, and always seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the Lord watches over the righteous, and His ears are attuned to their prayers. But His face is set against His enemies; He will punish evildoers. (1Peter 3:10-12 -The Voice translation- a quotation from Psalms 34:12-16)
Let’s get our theology straight! The ONLY way to straighten up our ideas is by looking at Scripture after Scripture like we are doing here, but there are many more that prove the point.
Again, and for the record, it is an impossibility to trust and obey the Lord or to distrust and disobey Him unless you have a choice, a right to decide. Believing or unbelief is a human choice. God will not force “faith” (faithfulness, trust, obedience) on you any more than He will force unbelief on you.
Does God control all government leaders?
“But isn’t the obvious meaning of Proverbs 21:1 that, because of His sovereignty, He can control everyone whenever He wishes?” No, it does not mean that at all once you take into consideration Hosea 8:4 and Nehemiah 9:17 and a truckload of other verses!
They enthroned kings without my consent! They appointed princes without my approval (Hosea 8:4a NET)!
They refused to obey and did not recall your miracles that you had performed among them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt (Nehemiah 9:17a NKJV).
Some kings and princes (governmental leaders) disobeyed God and refused to do what He said. Have you read the extensive list of kings that disobeyed God in the Old Testament? Most of the kings of Israel and Judah disobeyed and rebelled against the Lord. Most of these rebellious kings usually died off quickly and were replaced by another that would do worse.
There is no way to read First and Second Chronicles and be oblivious to the fact that most kings did not have their hearts in the hand of the Lord. If God could have turned any of the hearts of these kings whenever He wanted, why didn’t He turn any of the hearts of the evil kings?
Obviously, something is wrong with the way we have understood Proverbs 21:1 and many other verses that would seem at first glance to imply that “God is in control” of all human affairs and events. If God is completely in control of human events, then how do we account for the death and destruction flooding this planet over millennia? How can we say God is in control of everything with a straight face and see the evil at work on this planet? Is God in control when women are raped, children are sold into slavery, young women are forced to be sex slaves, and Islamic terrorist organizations murder, rape, maim, behead, and knife to death men, women, and children? Only idiotic, ignoramus, anti-Biblical, religious, traditional BUNK could blind a person to believe that God is in control of all that bad stuff. He is not!
I know I am repeating myself, and maybe belaboring the point though using different words, but this subject of sovereignty and “God’s control” are too important to give a lightweight answer.
In the sense that God’s prophetic words concerning our planet will happen, yes, He is in control of that! The promised return of Jesus to rule and reign on the earth will occur no matter what anybody decides or chooses against it. The Book of Revelation will happen regardless of who is in government and who is not! Some events will transpire no matter what anybody believes or does because God said it, and His Word will accomplish what He wants (Isaiah 55:11). He is sovereign and in control where these events are concerned, but He is not ruling over the human will when people decide to disobey and rebel against Him and follow the devil. As far as humanity and their right to choose, God is not in control of their wrong choices or their corrupt activities.
We must understand that the word sovereign does not mean that God is in control of all human actions. No, it means that as sovereign He is above all. He is the Creator and He is God! He is THE one and only God, and besides Him, there is no other! He is the highest authority and power! If you find a a Bible translation that renders "Most High" as "Sovereign", it is suspect. If they are trying to say that He is in control of everything, they trying to inject the crass errors of Calvinism into the translation. "Most High" is the Hebrew word Elyon as found in Psalms 91:1 and in other verses. It literally means that God is the highest or that He is above all. It does not mean that He is in control of all!
Jesus said that the thief is the one that comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). To believe that evil comes because God is in control means that you believe that God is the thief! Yes, God does allow a lot of evil stuff because many human beings have rejected Him, embraced the darkness and false religions, and they are in Satan’s territory as the “destroyer.” People choose darkness, and they reap destruction and death. The wages of sin are still death (Romans 6:23). When people choose evil and disobedience against God and His holy commandments, He turns them over to their enemies. As one example among many, read Judges 2:7-23. This truth is taught excessively in the Bible from cover to cover!
There were kings and princes ordained by people that were never in God’s plan. They were NOT God's will! People voted them in” without God approval, as we saw from Hosea 8:4.
We have some kings in Scripture that lived during a time in history where God had His Word on the line concerning His people. Sometimes God put a “decision” in their hearts to do something in line with His will and they obeyed. Other times, judgment came against some of them until they obeyed. He can do that whenever necessary!
One prominent example was Nebuchadnezzar. He disobeyed the Lord and was severely judged to wander the earth for seven years with the mind of an animal. When he recognized God and was willing to obey Him, the kingdom was restored to him, and he was reinstated as King of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar was a part of a greater plan that had to do with God’s people. Because of their sin, God turned over the nation of Israel to Nebuchadnezzar. (See the book of Jeremiah.) He took thousands into captivity, and they were to remain in that land for a minimum of seventy years. The prophet Jeremiah spoke the Word of the Lord concerning Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon, and the exile of the sons of Israel. There was a divine Word in place, and events had to line up to fulfill the Word of the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar was a key player in these developments.
Pharaoh continued to oppose the Word of the Lord that Moses proclaimed concerning the release of Israel from Egyptian bondage. He hardened his heart and God agreed, in turn, allowing the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. Through ten judgments, Pharaoh complied with the Word of the Lord. Again, a Word was spoken to Abraham and his descendants, and it was necessary for the Lord to bring it to pass (Genesis 15:13, 14).
There are occasions like those, but those are not the usual succession of events in the earth. Kings and all government leaders have a choice to make whether they will serve the Lord, and whether they will be a force for good or evil.
If Proverbs 21:1 were taken to refer to kings in the same predicament as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, I could agree on one level. However, this verse makes no mention of supernatural events changing the heart of a king. Supernatural events could be what are necessary to turn the heart and force a leader to obey the Lord. Did it happen often? No. It seems to have been relegated to special events surrounding the deliverance of His people. Other than at those times, nothing happened except the decisions of the individuals, either for good or for evil.
When the Lord started showing me that the Scripture had much to say on this subject of good or evil human government, this verse in Proverbs 21:1 stared back into my face. At face value, one could hardly help giving it the standard interpretation of “God makes kings obey His will whether they want to or not because God is in control of their hearts.” Something was wrong with that interpretation when I compared this verse with other verses on the same subject. Thank God that the entrance of His Word brings LIGHT. (Psalms 119:130 NKJV) Stick to the Word and light will come regardless of how ignorant (simple) we are.
The king in Proverbs 21:1
First, who is the king in Proverbs 21:1? If we can get that question answered, then we can start to unravel this verse in our thinking. Was Solomon speaking of a specific king, or was his statement a reference to all world leaders? People want to make this verse applicable to all kings, presidents, and prime ministers. I believe that is a mistake.
Who was this king mentioned by Solomon? I am convinced Solomon was speaking of himself as the king whose heart was in the hand of the Lord. Solomon gave his heart over to the Lord as a young man. He asked God to give him a wise and discerning heart so he could judge the people of Israel in righteousness. God granted his request in a powerful way.
“Therefore, give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Then God said to him: “…see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you” (See 1 Kings 3:9-12 NKJV abbreviated).
Solomon’s heart was in the hand of the Lord as the channels of water because he submitted his heart to the Lord and received a wise and discerning heart from Him.
The phrase “heart in the hand of the Lord” speaks of someone who submits his or her life to God to do His will and carry out His plan. Though Solomon deviated from the Lord later in life, for many years, he served the Lord and did His will. Solomon’s heart (life) was in the hands of the Lord, and God could lead him as He wanted.
Often Proverbs gives us “stand-alone” pithy sayings that were spoken in the wisdom of God. Other times we see a few verses discussing the same subject before the subject matter changes. Sometimes certain subjects are grouped together. Proverbs 21:1 has been pulled from its context. It is not referring to a wicked king’s heart as being in the hands of the Lord. This verse speaks of a righteous king as the one whose heart in the hand of the Lord.
Let me give you a few verses before and after Proverbs 21:1 to put it in context.
Proverbs Chapter 20 - A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his eyes. V.8 - A wise king sifts out the wicked and brings the threshing wheel over them. V. 26 - The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. V. 27 - Mercy and truth preserve the king, and by lovingkindness he upholds his throne. The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is their gray head. Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, as do stripes the inner depths of the heart. V. 28-30
Proverbs Chapter 21 - The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. V.1 - Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts. V.2 - To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. V.3
Again, Solomon's subject king in Proverbs 21:1 is a righteous king. Only a righteous king can have his heart in the hand of the Lord.
Unrighteous kings had hearts that were far from the Lord. The exceptions to that are kings that did not know God, but they were willing to obey the Lord in whatever He wanted for His people. Good examples are Cyrus and Artaxerxes (Ezra 1 and Nehemiah 2).
Look at some of these references in connection with the preceding statements: Ezra 6:22, 1 Kings 11:2-9, 15:3, 2 Kings 10:31, see 2 Chron. 6:38, 12:14, 15:12-15, 19:9, 26:16, 32:25, 26, 34:27, 31, 36:13.
NOTES:
(1) If you want a book that explores these truths in much more detail with references for further study, I suggest you read the book by Marvin Wilson: Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith. You can get it from christianbook.com and other booksellers. If you want to delve even deeper in historical truth, get the scholarly and classic study published originally in 1960, Hebrew Thought Compared With Greek, by Thorlief Boman. It is very informative at 208 pages plus the bibliography, but I warn you, drink coffee before you read it, or you may snooze. Maybe it was just me when I read it for my university studies back many moons ago. Get it on Amazon.
I trust that this article has helped you understand a controversial subject. Be blessed in your study of the Word with me in the following podcast: Repentance Part 8!
Part 2: A Side of Love and Compassion Rarely Taught in Christianity But it is All Over the Bible
Most of Christianity has a one sided or false idea of the love, mercy, and compassion of God. It has been humanistic, far eastern guru mystified, and it lacks any truth or power. Sometimes love can appear to be harsh, unloving, offensive, unyielding, and downright mean. Sometimes it can be deadly!
If you don't believe that then you haven't read the Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and the Book of Revelation. In them, you will find Jesus offending many people. In some cases, they were so offended that the hound dogs of religiosity made plans to murder Jesus. Sometimes, they picked up rocks to stone Him, and once they tried to kill Him by pushing Him off a cliff!
Jesus threw family members out of a funeral being held for a little girl. He then raised the girl up from the dead. He had to get out the dead heads of religion before raising the little girl up from the dead!
He made a whip to drive out all the greedy traders in the Temple courtyard! He began to beat them and turn over their tables! He was all sweet, right? No, Jesus was extremely angry in that case and ready to rumble! He raged violently against the evil He saw in the Temple! If He was some weak and sickly looking man like you see in many depictions of Him, He never would have gotten to the second table before being given a memorable beat down by the money changers and animal sellers!
Jesus called religious leaders vipers, children of hell, whited sepulchers, and more harsh things! These were unlovely words, according to the humanistic love many preach and teach. Today, if you say things that don't even approach the intensity or harshness of Jesus' words, many Christians cringe and think you are unloving. They would have hated Jesus when He shifted gears and was tough and intense with His tongue or actions!
When Peter tried to rebuke Him, He called Peter Satan! Was that super nice? No, it wasn’t, but it was love in action. Did you know that?
When most of Jesus’ disciples got up and left because His words were too nasty for their religious sensibilities, He turned to the few left and asked them if they wanted to leave too. There was no compromise with Jesus! He loved people by telling them the truth, regardless of what people thought or whether they received it or not.
Even when Jesus’ own mother and brothers wanted to see Him because they thought He had lost His mind, He refused to see them and rebuked them for not following the Word! Sometimes family needs to be set straight according to the Word when they come knocking at your door with unbelief!
None of the above was done in mousey tones of niceness. Some foolishly think that speaking the truth in love should be sweet at all the times. Wrong! It is stinking thinking!
The book of Revelation chapters 2 and 3 reveals how love (Jesus) rebuked His churches when they were backsliding or dead! It is not all sugar and spice and everything nice. Read the chapters carefully and allow all the falsehoods you have learned about "love language" and "walking in love" to be flushed out of your system! When the Lord says, "I will fight against you with the sword of my mouth", and "I will kill your followers with death and cast you into a sickbed" that is not the sweet talk of humanistic love! I wonder if His face was smiling and relaxed when He said all that or if there was fire in His eyes and voice? That would have been the wrong time for laughter. There was nothing funny about what He told them!
Was Jesus stern and unrelenting? Yes, but then He would call all the kids and lay hands on them and bless them! Tough, stern, AND lovable towards all that came to Him for healing and deliverance. He never turned away the humble that would come to receive!
Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will]. (Revelation 3:19 Amplified Bible)
Get your teaching straight. Tender love will rebuke, discipline, show people their faults, instruct people, and call on them to change their sinful behavior!
We serve a mighty warrior King who is also Savior, Healer, and Provider. Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5) and we were put into the new creation IN CHRIST (2 Corinthians 5:17) when we surrendered our lives to the Lord Jesus and began living for Him. We are to be lions with Him, and not little weak lambs! To the world, they may consider us as lambs to the slaughter because of the apparently good and fun side to our compassion, but we are to be more than conquerors, real lions! (Romans 8:36, 37) We are not like the false "roaring" lion that is Satan (1 Peter 5:8), but we are of the conquering lions under the Lion of the tribe of Judah that has already overcome!
The righteous are bold as a lion! (Proverbs 28:1NKJV)
Don't mistake our Christian compassion for the hurting and oppressed as weakness or submission to the enemy. I warn you. If you are sensitive or sissified and the girly beta male type, you will seethe at my comments. You will hate them. They will take away your sleep until you repent and ask for God’s help to get you out of your betahood (an original word) and start becoming a real man.
Do you know what I mean when I say betahood (my made-up word) or a girly-beta-male? Let me show you with two pictures that were published on Gab social. These explain it much better than I could.
A strong and courageous man compared to a sissified beta male!
No, I do not agree with the lying part, but the point is knowing the difference between real men (minus the lying) and pathetic girly beta males.
The bad thought occurs to me from time to time, “Maybe if I slap the crap out of this girly male, maybe “it” will wake up to manhood!" After they cry and roll up in a fetal position on the floor, then you can lay hands on them and cast the devil out of them IF they want help! Then, I would go and wash my hands!
Over the years, I’ve prayed and laid hands on many people to receive healing that had infectious diseases. I’ve never washed my hands after doing that. I believed the greater One was in me as I prayed, and healing was coming through me. These beta dudes, yuk! Bring on the antibacterial soap!
Again, let’s settle it. Our compassion is never weak because it can also be like a mama elephant with her babies. Get too close and suddenly, she goes ballistic! Her compassion for her babies will cause her to squash you like a bug to protect her own whether it’s a real or perceived threat. It makes no difference. It’s clobbering time! It could make you a greasy spot on the ground after you are squashed by the 12-ton mama!
The same can be said of a bear and her cubs! There are many mamas like that today. They are full of love and compassion for their offspring, but try and hurt their babies, and the fight to the death is on. Any threat will be met with extreme violence. It should be.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers. (Psalms 103:13 NET)
It's like a father protecting his wife and kids with every instrument available to him, even to the death of his enemies. At least that is how real men of Godly compassion and mercy will react to protect their loved ones, but as we have seen, not all males are real men.
If you are a beta, squishy toy, pushover girly-male afraid of your own shadow, then you should not get married or have children unless you change drastically. Could you imagine the travesty of being a beta girly male that looks like the sissified “it” in the pictures above, and they reproduce? Just having sex with a woman and getting her pregnant with a child does not make you a man. Betahood submissiveness to the world, the devil, the baby butchering Demonrats, and to lying MSM, will make your kids three times the wuss that you are. That is truly bad! Boyish sissified males like that are not worthy to have children upon the earth. They will not contribute any good thing to the development of future manhood. They may be males by birth, but they are not real men. They're more worried about using the right pronouns, LGBTQrstuvwxyz garbage rights, BLM, CRT, self-hatred, toxic manhood, compliance, white rage, worship of the garden gnome Fauci, and living in their mama's basement rent free. I have nothing good to say about those evil creatures!
These pseudo males are the weakling types that wouldn't say or do anything to the thug trying to feel up his wife on the train, airplane, or bus. Real manhood compassion will violently take out the thug quickly by whatever means necessary. No bones about it. No prayer needed at that point. Not much thinking necessary in that scenario. It would be time to act quickly and decisively, full auto, and no holds barred. The idea is to hurt the perpetrator so badly that he won’t be able to get up off the floor!
Some may be thinking it right now, “And you call yourself a Christian?” I don’t care what you think, I know I am a follower of Jesus. I’m not your traditional Christian that tolerates evil pushed upon my family or children. It would be righteous, and it would be a good thing to defend my woman’s honor, and to take a stand against those that would attempt to hurt my kids.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21 NIV)
That verse is immediately found before Romans 13:1, but many never quote it as it was intended, as part of the intro to Romans 13. Chapter or verse divisions were not a part of the original text!
For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. (Romans 13:4)
Don’t be religious and refuse to see another side to this. We are to rule and reign in LIFE now over sin and death, not just in the afterlife! (Romans 5:17; 8:37) We are those in authority over the devil and demon power NOW! (Ephesians 6:12-17, Luke 10:17, Mark 16:17, 18)
It is not only government or police that can carry a sword or gun, in the same way that we are all commanded to overcome evil with good, whether we are government officials, police officers, military, or civilians! I want you to understand that the command to overcome evil with good is for all believers. It follows then that to carry a sword or weapon to overcome evil with good is not only allowed for all believers, but it is also commanded. This is not a stretch except for the religiously brainwashed mind.
Carrying the sword (or weapon) is not in vain. People that practice evil should be afraid that we carry a weapon for the sake of good! Its purpose is to do what is right and good against evil. Sometimes a weapon is what stands between you and an evil outcome. So, to use a weapon against evil when evil wants to prevail over good would be proper, good, and righteous.
What would compassion do? What would love do? What would mercy do?
Compassion would cause a real man to kill an illegal immigrant perv caught raping his 5 y/o daughter! Remember that story in 2021? The man that beat that pervert to death is a national hero, a real treasure, and an awesome example. He should get a medal and his own parenting show! His main topic: "This is what a real man looks like!"
You have not seen violence until you see what a real man would do to those attempting to hurt his kids. Never come to a real man's door attempting to force the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson or other devil pharma death jabs on him or his family. Big and very permanent mistake for the fools that try that. Compassion in a real man would cause him to "dispatch" the vaccine of death totalitarians trying to force themselves on his family. Forcing a jab is tantamount to at least a rape, and at maximum it is committing murder.
Frankly, in a scenario where we are forced to get a vaccine, guns may have to come out blazing. Civil war or a revolutionary war could happen in the US if we are forbidden to buy, sell, trade, or travel unless we are vaccinated and show our vaccine passports. That all sounds eerily familiar to the mark of the beast in Revelation 13:16-18, and most churches refuse to see any correlation with what is happening worldwide! Read it because it is coming eventually, and we see overwhelming evidence of its encroachment now.
Demons in government in America are starting to push mandatory vaccines. What could happen? The government is playing with the firepower of the American people, and a bloody civil war could happen.I pray that NEVER happens! The truth is that totalitarian thugs will not be able to stop a force of 70 to 80 million strong that rises against them, or the six hundred and fifty million weapons in civilian hands! Totalitarians will wet their pants before their rage and surrender like the cowards they are. We the people will have spoken. We the people are Christians AND non-Christians that are willing to fight for our country and our Constitution. It would be a righteous battle if the necessity ever came for it. We are to control the government according to the Constitution. The government should never control the people. The Constitution is the main governing law of the land. Any law or “mandate” that violates our American constitutional rights should be rejected immediately. Masking, social distancing, the death jabs, vaccine passports, and the rest of the Covid garbage are of the devil and they violate our rights, both human and constitutional!
It is mercy and compassion to fight for our constitutional freedoms, even if the day comes to fight to the death of our enemies. Note how I stated that. Never heard of that side of mercy and compassion? Probably not because the Scripture isn't really studied or taught much in most churches. All you hear in most churches are snippets of the Bible here and there, mostly out of context, severely watered down, or twisted to mean something foreign to the Bible!
Did you know that when God slaughters or commands the slaughter of the enemies of his real and true people that God is demonstrating everlasting mercy and compassion? Ready to get any religious spirit left in you blown away?
To Him Who smote Egypt in their firstborn, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever. (Psalms 136:10 AMP)
The slaughter of all the Egyptian firstborn was an act of God's eternal or everlasting mercy and "loving" kindness! Was God having the firstborn slaughtered show His love? Man, that is hard to swallow if you look at this religiously and watered down by Sunday school at most churches! Yes, it showed to what extent God (who is love, the merciful God) was willing to go to deliver His people. Love allowed the slaughter of the firstborn to get freedom for His family.
Let that sink in. Let it refresh and empower you today. That is the real true God that we serve! He will fight for us and with us to deadly force if necessary!
What else did the God who is love and is merciful do as a demonstration of His eternal kindness?
But shook off and overthrew Pharaoh and his host into the Red Sea, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever. (Psalms 136:15 AMP)
God's love, mercy, and kindness caused Him to drown the enemies of His people in the Red Sea! Death by drowning the enemies of His people was a manifestation of love, mercy, kindness, and just good ole compassion! My God!
More mercy?
To Him Who smote great kings, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever; and slew famous kings, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever. (Psalms 136:17, 18 AMP)
God smiting to the death famous and great kings because of His love, mercy, kindness, or to use another word, because of His wonderful compassion, is an awesome Word we need today.
In your great kindness towards all true believers God, I ask you that our evil dictatorial governmental enemies would be slaughtered. May they be struck down with death and/or drowned in the sea. Lord fight against those who fight with us and may they be subjected to affliction or trouble from every side! (Psalms 35:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:6)
That is a good prayer! I am praying according to the Scripture we quoted above and according to the 2 verses in parenthesis, so don't get offended. Have you ever prayed like that? If you don’t pray that way, you should!
Here is something else that should be understood. God also smote or slew the following kings mentioned by name:
Sihon king of the Amorites, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever; and Og king of Bashan, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever. (Psalms 136:19, 20 AMP)
The context is clear. God slew the kings Sihon and Og, but read the stories in the book of Numbers and note how God used His people to do the slaying. God often uses and backs His own people to fight a battle and kill their enemies. That is also a demonstration of God's love, mercy, kindness, and compassion as He gives His people the victory over the enemy. Diplomacy was applied first. When diplomacy failed, then the sword was unremittingly enforced.
But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border. Instead Sihon gathered all his people together and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz, and he fought against Israel. (Numbers 21:23 AMP)
Big mistake!
And Israel smote the king of the Amorites with the edge of the sword and possessed his land from the river Arnon to the river Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, for the boundary of the Ammonites was strong. (Numbers 21:24 AMP)
Psalms 136:19 tells us it was God's love, mercy, and kindness that did it, and notice that God did it through the armed battalions of His people! Weep all you gutless Christians! Your misunderstanding of the love of God is profound.
What about the slaying of King Og as an act of mercy, love, and kindness in Psalms 136:20?
Then they turned and went up by the way of Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. But the Lord said to Moses, Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon. So the Israelites slew Og and his sons and all his people until there was not one left alive, And they possessed his land. (Numbers 21:31-35 AMP)
Not one of Og and his people were left alive, and Psalms 136:20 calls this a love victory! It was a lovefest, a compassion event, a kindness "concert" to kill them all because God gave His people the strength and ability to destroy their enemies.
Space will not allow me to also look at Samson, David, Gideon, and a bunch of others that were empowered by God's love and compassion to annihilate their enemies.
Has God changed? Has He stopped giving His people power and dominion over their enemies in His love, mercy, kindness, and compassion? Of course not.
I am the Lord. I do not change. (Malachi 3:6 ICB)
God doesn’t change, and neither does the Lord Jesus!
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 NIV)
Look at these verses to finish this section:
Psalm 18:32-42 (NKJV): 32 It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. 34 He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. 36 You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip. 37 I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. 38 I have wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. 39 For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. 40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me. 41 They cried out, but there was none to save; Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them. 42 Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind; I cast them out like dirt in the streets.
That, my brother and sister are right thoughts and correct attitudes. It is the right way to trust and believe God, and if you hook in Psalms 91, you have a perfect portrait! It worked for David against the lion, bear, Goliath, and all of David's enemies.
David was a very important ancestor of Jesus. Jesus was called the seed or descendant of David, and the son of David! (John 7:42, Romans 1:3, 2 Timothy 2:8) If Jesus is my brother (Hebrews 2:11), then David is my great great, great, great, great, (and many more “greats”), my grandpa! I will emulate him as well!
Psalm 144:1: Praise the LORD, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle.
2 Samuel 22:35: He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
Can you see that these are not isolated verses, but the clear teaching of Scripture?
Psalm 44:6-7: I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.
Putting your trust in weapons is foolish at best. Weapons can fail, but God NEVER fails! Yet, that does not mean we don’t own weapons and train, train, and then train some more. The victory comes from the Lord, and that is where we lay our trust.
Though I point these things out, don't think I am a violent person. I am far from it, and anybody that knows me knows I love peace and peaceful resolutions. Let me bring the truth of the matter out clearly once more. I am totally against violence. I believe in going low, keeping my mouth shut when necessary, and I am a firm believer in deescalation when confronted with someone expecting a fight. I am a peacemaker. I hate fights and I hate violence. Violence is the LAST thing on my map. If I have to fight, I have already failed at de-escalation, diplomacy, and communication. There has never been a greater truth than to harden yourself with training and learn to fight and defeat an enemy so that you never have to fight! It is a deterrent. So many years have passed since I first began training in martial arts. I still train, just to a lesser degree. In all those years, I only used my training a few times, and never because I instigated the violence. I did know how to stop the violence. Thank God! I never look for fights and I don't instigate violence. I have learned the "martial" art of talking my way out of potentially violent encounters. That has served me much better than my fists or a firearm. Just a note for those that may want to misinterpret my words in this article and push violent actions, and use me as an excuse. Having to resort to violence is a terrible thing. Never forget it, but also let us never forget our responsibilities and our duty to stand firm for the truth.
Patriotic Quotes from America’s Godly Founding Fathers
Let me give you some patriotic quotes from some of America’s godly founding fathers. Take them to heart. They are extremely relevant today in the mess we are facing in America with totalitarian and dictatorial rulers and their cronies.
Most of these quotes are in their original form so spelling differences will be noticed. Some words were spelled differently back then.
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." John Adams
That is important info for several reasons. Most of the founding fathers of America were deeply religious, and several of them were Christian ministers.
Following, notice how these godly men refer to the use of weapons and what they thought concerning the right to bear arms as ratified in the Second Amendment. Note how they were vehemently against disarming the people as other countries had done.
"The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.... Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." Thomas Jefferson, Commonplace Book, quoting 18th century criminologist Cesare Beccaria, 1774-1776
"Thus the peaceable part of mankind will be continually overrun by the vile and abandoned, while they neglect the means of self-defense. The supposed quietude of a good man allures the ruffian; while on the other hand, arms, like law, discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. The balance of power is the scale of peace. The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, others dare not lay them aside. And while a single nation refuses to lay them down, it is proper that all should keep them up. Horrid mischief would ensue were one-half the world deprived of the use of them; for while avarice and ambition have a place in the heart of man, the weak will become a prey to the strong. The history of every age and nation establishes these truths, and facts need but little arguments when they prove themselves." Thomas Paine, "Thoughts on Defensive War" in Pennsylvania Magazine, July 1775
That entire article should be read. Thomas Paine hits the nail on the head against all pacifism as was practiced by the religious Quakers. He said that Satan and evil people were still on the loose on the planet and we must take up self-defense. I really like it when he says this: “I am thus far a Quaker, that I would gladly agree with all the world to lay aside the use of arms, and settle matters by negotiation; but unless the whole will, the matter ends, and I take up my musket and thank heaven he (God) has put it in my power.”
Do you understand? We want peaceful relations, but when that fails, we have weapons to defend ourselves! Read the updated article here:
https://selfeducatedamerican.com/2013/09/26/thoughts-on-defensive-war-by-thomas-paine
You can also read the original autograph, but you must scroll down to section XII where the essay is found. http://thomaspainefoundation.com/the-writings-of-thomas-paine-vol-i.html
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." Thomas Jefferson, Virginia Constitution, Draft 1, 1776
“This difference is ascribed to our superiority in taking aim when we fire; every soldier in our army having been intimate with his gun from his infancy." Thomas Jefferson, letter to Giovanni Fabbroni, June 8, 1778
“The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is able might have a gun." Patrick Henry, Speech to the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 5, 1778
I really enjoy reading the words of Thomas Jefferson.
"Give about two of them every day to exercise; for health must not be sacrificed to learning. A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercise, I advise the gun. While this gives a moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprize, and independance to the mind. Games played with the ball and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks. Never think of taking a book with you. The object of walking is to relax the mind. You should therefore not permit yourself even to think while you walk. But divert your attention by the objects surrounding you. Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far. "Thomas Jefferson, letter to Peter Carr, August 19, 1785
See it here:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-08-02-0319)
"What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance. Let them take arms." Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Stephens Smith, son-in-law of John Adams, December 20, 1787
"Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every country in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops." Noah Webster, An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution, October 10, 1787
"If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is then no resource left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all positive forms of government, and which against the usurpations of the national rulers, may be exerted with infinitely better prospect of success than against those of the rulers of an individual state. In a single state, if the persons entrusted with supreme power become usurpers, the different parcels, subdivisions, or districts of which it consists, having no distinct government in each, can take no regular measures for defense. The citizens must rush tumultuously to arms, without concert, without system, without resource; except in their courage and despair." Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 28, December 26, 1787
This is exactly what is happening today with the Covid impositions and mandates. Government has betrayed the constituents. We are coming to the point where these usurpers, if they don’t back down, we may have to rise and take up arms to defend ourselves. These are not my words, and truthfully, I hope it NEVER comes to that. I am telling you what our godly founding fathers thought about the betrayers in government that are drunk with power over the people.
"To disarm the people... is the most effectual way to enslave them." George Mason, The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, June 14, 1788
Do you see why the Democrat evil dictators want to disarm the public? They want to enslave the American people! Let us never give up our 650 million guns presently in the hands of the civilian population!
"Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of." James Madison, Federalist No. 46, January 29, 1788
"Americans have the right and advantage of being armed ― unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (The Federalist, No. 46 at 243- 244)
"Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation.... Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (The Federalist, No. 46)
"It is not certain that with this aid alone [possession of arms], they would not be able to shake off their yokes. But were the people to posses the additional advantages of local governments chosen by themselves, who could collect the national will, and direct the national force; and of officers appointed out of the militia, by these governments and attached both to them and to the militia, it may be affirmed with the greatest assurance, that the throne of every tyranny in Europe would be speedily overturned, in spite of the legions which surround it." (The Federalist, No. 46)
Federalist No. 46 was from January 29, 1788. Link:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-10-02-0261
“A militia when properly formed are in fact the people themselves…and include, according to the past and general usage of the states, all men capable of bearing arms… to preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." Richard Henry Lee, Federal Farmer No. XVIII, January 25, 1788
Here is the link to this Federal Farmer essay thought to be written by Richard Henry Lee:
https://leefamilyarchive.org/papers/essays/fedfarmer/18.html
"The Constitution shall never be construed to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms." Samuel Adams, Massachusetts Ratifying Convention, 1788
"If circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude, that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people, while there is a large body of citizens little if at all inferior to them in discipline and the use of arms, who stand ready to defend their own rights and those of their fellow citizens-This appears to me the only substitute that can be devised for a standing army; the best possible security against it, if it should exist." Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 29, January 10, 1788
Go here to read Federalist No. 29:
https://www.consource.org/document/the-federalist-no-29-1788-1-9/
"I ask who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers." George Mason, Address to the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 4, 1788
"The right of the people to keep and bear...arms shall not be infringed. A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the best and most natural defense of a free country...." (James Madison, I Annals of Congress 434 [June 8, 1789])
"What, Sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty .... Whenever Governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins." Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, I Annals of Congress 750, August 17, 1789
"As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people before them, may attempt to tyrannize, and as the military forces which must be occasionally raised to defend our country, might pervert their power to the injury of their fellow citizens, the people are confirmed by the article in their right to keep and bear their private arms." Tench Coxe, Philadelphia Federal Gazette, June 18, 1789
Here it is:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-12-02-0144
"A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined."George Washington, First Annual Address, January 8, 1790
This next one will get you in the gut. It did me.
“Our cause is just. Our union is perfect. Our internal resources are great, and, if necessary, foreign assistance is undoubtedly attainable. –We gratefully acknowledge, as signal instances of the Divine favour towards us, that his Providence would not permit us to be called into this severe controversy, until we were grown up to our present strength, had been previously exercised in warlike operation, and possessed of the means of defending ourselves. With hearts fortified with these animating reflections, we most solemnly, before God and the world, declare, that, exerting the utmost energy of those powers, which our beneficent Creator hath graciously bestowed upon us, the arms we have been compelled by our enemies to assume, we will, in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverence, employ for the preservation of our liberties; being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live slaves. In our own native land, in defence of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it – for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.” Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms. A declaration by the representatives of the united colonies of north America, now met in congress at Philadelphia, setting forth the causes and necessity of their taking up arms-July 6, 1775
Listen up all you tyrannical government players, from top to bottom! Those oppressive forces today against the citizens of the USA are found in you! You don’t want these covid crap impositions, mandates, and forced vaccinations and passports to devolve into a 1776 style war of independence, do you? Do you have the stomach for it? Nobody with any gray matter between their ears wants war, but we may have to defend our freedoms if they come to forcibly take them away.
France is already at the point of a revolution. It’s coming to Australia quickly and it’s getting hot in other countries. Government officials, is that where you want for America? I certainly don’t want it to go there, but there comes a time when there is no other choice but to fight for our Constitutional freedoms. The tipping point has already passed, and the population is agitated by the covid scamdemic, open borders, leaving Americans to be murdered in Afghanistan, abandoning over 85 billion dollars’ worth of military equipment for our enemies, and the severe incompetence of all Demonrat and most Republican government politicians.
"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed." Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Cartwright, 5 June 1824
"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them." Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, 1833
Amen to all that!
Let us pray that we can diplomatically, spiritually, judicially, and by our vote stop the tyranny being imposed by the Biden Administration. Civil disobedience and totally non-compliance need to run its full course before any other actions could even be considered as plausible. There is long way to go before civil disobedience turns into a civil war. We are far behind France and other countries in the protests. There is a lot of work to do, and we have to do it.
Part 1: The Bible’s abundant proofs that self-defense is Godly, and it MUST be learned and sought out.
The Bible was never against self-defense. Some wrongly believe that defending yourself against tyranny is anti-Christian. Self-defense is not only morally righteous, but often God Himself commands it. Sometimes God commands it where not one person among the enemy is left alive. Not only that, but the Bible has references that gives a right to a pre-emptive strike on an enemy preparing itself to attack you. Did you know that?
Don't give me the same dumb excuse and religious garbage I have heard so often, “That was under the Old Testament, but that is not for us today". God has not changed! (Malachi 3:6) Foul religious traditions cause many to believe stuff that contradicts Scripture. Don’t you be one of them.
Look at these versions of what Jesus said in Mark 7:13:
…making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do. NKJV
You revoke God’s word by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other similar things. HCSB
And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others. NLT
Do you really think God will honor your traditions passed down to others, making up rules that nullify God’s Word? And you’re doing many other similar things. The Passion Translation
So that the speechless donkey (in the KJV: dumb ass) naysayers get over their stupid selves, let's begin in the Newer Testament portions of Scripture and work our way into the Older Testament body of Scripture.
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are safe. (Luke 11:21)
Granted that Jesus is using this as an analogy for someone with demonic strongholds, but that is not the only thing that can be learned from the verse. Notice that if this was a strong man, then that strength came through training. Couch potatoes are not “strong” men. Couch potatoes are the little (or fat) sissy boys that can’t even take a punch. They have little muscularity except around their mouth and thumbs as they viciously play their silly little video games and eat trash for food. It is only those that do something to train their body physically that will become strong. There is no way around it. Even at 55 or 65, if you stop training or retire from training, you become a useless blob that is unable to defend or protect themselves, much less anybody else.
In my early 30’s, I was into running. They weren’t long runs, but I was usually doing 4 to 5 miles 4 times a week. At the park I went to, I kept seeing this man that looked old in his face but looked like a 20 y/o athlete in his body. He was in his seventies and began his exercise program 5 years before the time I met him. He had suffered a massive heart attack and had a triple bypass. While recovering, he decided to change his eating habits and began an exercise program. By the time I met him, he was running 4 ten-minute miles M-F, and he would do faster sprints before going to some tall bleachers at the park. The bleachers were not for sitting! He never sat down! He would run up and down those tall bleachers numerous times. After each lap, he would do 30-50 pushups! That went on for about 20 to 30 minutes. I was stunned because I was in great shape, but this man took it to another level at 72 years of age! There is no excuse for you and me as we age!
I was blessed to have a dad that early on challenged me with martial arts, boxing, weight training, and so on. Dad owned a gym when I was a little boy. I grew up in that environment. Even my barely 5’ tall mother could do squats at the time with 400 lbs.! My mom and dad were tough folks, though they were kind and friendly.
When I was about 11, after I got a very bad beat down, my dad found a new Karate instructor from Japan that didn’t even know any Spanish or English, except for a few words. Those were the days when training was done in the tropical heat in Puerto Rico, and there was no padding on the floors or anywhere on our bodies!
I practiced other arts throughout the years, both Japanese and Korean. I also practiced with the Samurai sword or katana, jo, bokken, and some other things. The thing that has been my constant companion in training since the early 90’s are the forms-kata and the additional shorter forms called suburi that I practice with a 5-foot (correction- 4ft.) staff (jo). Actually, the correct height of your personalized jo should be the height from the floor to your arm pit, but who's checking?
I started supplementing jo practice back in 1994 with various weighted metal core bars with an exterior rubber sleeve. I train four or five times a week, so many people in my neighborhood have seen me do these exercises repeatedly. I’ve taught my sons the jo forms. People joke that we are the ninja family!
Inside the house, I sometimes train with weights on my ankles and do katas with weights in my hands. Well, it works for me.
Why did I tell all that? I want to be like Caleb at 85! He's one of my heroes.
…Here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain!... (Joshua 14:10-12 NKJV)
So, what is your excuse? Caleb was 85 when he made that statement. I love this man of God’s spirit, physical prowess, and resolve at an age when most men are dying off or dead! I desire to be like Caleb at 85! We don’t have to be sickly and decrepit just because we are 70 or much older. I’m not in my 70’s yet, but it won’t be too long, and I will get there. The keys here are being an on-fire man of God, right eating, right living, right exercising and training, and as needed, right supplementation.
I’ve had my physical challenges and issues that were difficult. With God’s help every single one was overcome. A few times, I needed medical help because I was in unbelief, but I came out victorious, and I will not quit!
Getting back to our initial text: Being fully armed develops as we train in defensive and offensive tactics. What else do I see in that verse? How are you going to guard your house from thieves or other intruders if you don’t study the layout, perimeter, and set up an alarm system or other device? All that from one verse!
But when one stronger than he comes to attack and overpower him, the stronger one will empty the arsenal in which he trusted. The conqueror will ransack his kingdom and distribute all the spoils of victory. Luke 11:22
How much could we get from that verse?
Look at what Jesus is saying and do not just look at the opportunity He took to use this analogy. Again, look at words like attack, overpower, empty his arsenal, conqueror, ransack, and distribute the all the spoils of victory. All these images of violence (when needed) are coming from Jesus, but not the traditional weenie “bones-with-skin-stretched-over-it” version of Jesus often taught in Sunday school and through Hollywood’s ignoramus portrayals! Their versions of Jesus look like a bad cartoonish figure, a puny, long-haired, unkept freak who could be a drug addict, and one with zero muscularity. It’s deceptive and disgusting. Frankly, I hate those perverted images of Jesus.
Anybody that could walk 15 or 20 miles in a day, and then preach and minister to the entire population in the area was no weakling, hippie-type, love guru! He was strong and He was courageous.
I am not an advocate of living violently. Not at all. I like peace. No, I love peace and quiet. I don't engage in wrangling or fussing and fighting. Violence should ONLY be necessary in extreme cases, and it should never be a lifestyle. So, don't get me wrong, but let's remove any weird ideas about Jesus, self-defense, and our part in all this.
I am going to write something that will trigger a lot of folks, but do I look like I care about offending people with the truth? I don’t!
If you are a real man, don’t hang out with weak men. Hang out with strong and courageous men. I will never hang out with girly beta males! Jesus didn’t either! He didn’t pick flower children for His inner circle of disciples. He picked armed fishermem (remember Peter cut off a man’s ear with his sword and he wasn’t aiming for his ear), a revolutionary zealot that never left home without his sword/knife, two armed tough guys (sons of thunder that could kill evil people and not blink), one tough "hombre" that didn’t care about all the insults and hatred against his elected profession (a tax collector), and his other chosen men that were ready to rumble when they came to arrest Jesus. None of these guys were girly beta males!
Jesus could command crowds of 5000 men and 4000 men (not counting women and children) with His voice and gestures! That was no small feat to command such large crowds of men (let alone women and children) to sit on the grass and quiet down while He prayed, and the miracles of food multiplication followed. He must have had a booming and commanding voice! Girlie betas move over because a real man showed up!
Even after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus you see that Peter faced the government leaders that commanded them to stop preaching about Jesus, and he told them to their faces, “We are going to obey God first, and if you command us to stop preaching or to shut down our church services, we will not obey you!” That is easily understood from Acts 4:18-20 and Acts 5:27-30. Civil disobedience, resistance, and rebellion against the onslaught of tyranny in government was done, but there was obedience towards God and His commands!
Something else you need to see here that dispels the myth that Jesus was some pushover. The leaders that commanded the apostles to stop teaching were shocked because they could tell from these men’s boldness and courage that they had been with Jesus! Jesus was so bold and courageous that the Sanhedrin could see the same things in the apostles.
That was a real man, Jesus my Lord! Bold and courageous! He made a lasting impression! (See Acts 4:13.) Beta-girly-males would have been long forgotten. You were never going to forget Jesus after meeting Him! The boldness, the courage, the command of His presence, His anointed and powerful words, the fire in His eyes, were unforgettable. He was THE true Alpha male, a bold and courageous example to follow into manhood!
Let's talk about a man's man, a real example in Scripture for all believers.
The patriarch Abraham was called the father of our faith or the father of those that believe, depending on the Bible translation you are reading. That verbiage came from none other than the apostle Paul. He also exhorts us to follow in the steps of the faith of Abraham, and that he (Abraham) is the father of us all in Christ. (Romans 4:11, 12, 16)
That will be shocking in a minute.
Rarely mentioned, here is a faith action by Abraham that should be emulated.
When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit… (Genesis 14:14 NIV)
When he was still called Abram, he kept 318 trained servants at his command ready to defend him and his loved ones. Talk about being extremely well prepared for confrontation, this patriarch kept his own trained defense and attack force! That meant that these men were trained in the use of bow, spear, shield, unarmed combat, tactics, cavalry, and whatever they had available at the time. That is the father of the faith of real Christians, and we are heirs to the blessings God gave Abraham, and part of those blessings involves self-defense, armament, tactics, and so on! (Galatians 3:14, 29)
Read it again and weep if you are still hanging on to devilish pacifism dreams of nothingness. Pacifism is NEVER taught in the Bible. Having peaceful relations with people are good until they are not. We will always be peacemakers, until the enemy tries to take us out. Then, and only when peaceful relations fail, actions to defend family and friends may be necessary and righteous.
Part of the curses for disobedience under the law involved defeat by foreign enemies and armies, to the place that you lost your land and everything in it, such as cities, houses, crops, possessions, and even family. There would be no way to protect your daughters and wife from being ravished by foreigners under the curse. See Deuteronomy 28:25-37, 47-52. Though Jesus paid an awesome price to redeem us or set us free from the curses pronounced under the law (Galatians 3:13), people are still the subjects of the curse through disobedience. The redemption was never automatic. It is to be received by faith, or by trust and obedience. Obviously, the blessing for obedience is the exact opposite of the curses. Blessings will include protection, power, preparation for battle, and being armed to the teeth naturally and spiritually! See examples in Deuteronomy 28:1-14; 11:22-25. When God’s people obeyed, everywhere they went, they defeated their enemies in battle, and nobody could stand against them because God was with them.
Today we would include as part of the blessing of Abraham on us training with firearms, hand to hand combat, ordnance, ammunition, transportation (land, sea, air), communications, navigation, and many other things. Unfortunately, most of these things are only taught in military environments, but all believers should include some training in the “martial” or war arts to some level of proficiency. All men, but also any woman that wants should join in. I'm talking scripturally. I think in most cases, we are far behind in this blessing. I know that personally, I am not as far up the ladder as I'd like to be, but I am constantly educating myself. I don't stop.
Sorry to burst your “prayer only” bubble, but prayer is good in its place as communication with God. I ask daily for God’s help and wisdom. If you don’t do that then you are shortchanging yourself because you cannot prepare smartly without His direction. You and I don’t know everything, BUT He does! He will even reveal things to come, things that are hidden, as needed! He will unveil the truth about everything we could ever face, but we must come to Him first. (John 16:13-15) Not only do I know the power of prayer, but I also pray to God daily. Prayer is not a substitute for prep work to defend church, family, friends, county, state, and our country from enemies both foreign and domestic. No sir, we put our trust in God as our Help, Protector, and Defender (Psalms 91). We pray daily. Also, we should already be engaged in preparing the “horses” for battle! We prepare profusely and trust God for the victory!
A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory is from the Lord. (Proverbs 21:31 NET)
We will get valuable insight by preparing to fight, BUT our trust is not in chariots or horses (today armed vehicles, guns, rifles, etc.). We put our trust in God as the one that gives the victory, but we should be prepared to defend our people and families!
Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we depend on the Lord our God. (Psalms 20:7)
A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory; despite its great strength, it cannot deliver. (Psalms 33:17)
Now look at this verse from the lips of Jesus!
He said to them, “But now, the one who has a money bag must take it, and likewise a traveler’s bag too. And the one who has no sword MUST sell his cloak and buy one.” (Luke 22:36 NET)
What? Wait a minute! Do you mean to tell me that Jesus taught that "anti-Christian" and "anti-Christ-like" message? Yes, the real Jesus of the Bible taught that we MUST buy a weapon! MUST is a command and not a suggestion! The sword today could still be a literal sword, but the main weapon in our day is a gun, rifle, or shotgun. Every household MUST have at least one weapon and know how to use it! That is a command of Jesus that is rarely if ever taught as one of the commandments we are told to preach to the whole world.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18, 20a NET)
Oops! The church at large has defiantly and erroneously refused to teach about the command of Jesus to have at least one weapon at your house! Doesn’t all this begin to paint a very different portrait of Jesus than the churchy Jesus?
How many churches have you heard teaching that you MUST own at least one weapon? How many churches teach concealed carry license classes or have a gun range? I know a few. Oh boy, I am really treading on garbage religion now! What do a lot of churches have? Some add to their already dead environment a cemetery next door to bury their dead. So lifeless and weak! Many have silly, sissified, and unscriptural classes that do nothing to prepare people for life and all the dangers out there! No classes on trusting God for protection, healing, anointing, power, AND self-defense!
Jesus was very different than the inert and weakling “Jesus” pushed by the traditional religious hacks. If He was ministering in person today among us, He would have been banned from preaching or teaching at most churches because His message would have been considered too strong, uncompromising, controversial, revolutionary, and too ballsy to be accepted in 99.9% of churches, especially in the West. He would have been de-platformed from all social media, had his accounts frozen and seized on Paypal, Visa, Mastercard, and so on. He would have been maligned for years by the MSM. The government would have brought false charges against him through many lying witnesses. He would be arrested, tried, found guilty, given a death sentence, and finally, they would murder an innocent man.
Sound familiar? It should. That's exactly (without the modern stuff) what happened to Jesus 2,000 years ago! Nothing new under the sun. It was all a religious and secular government conspiracy to silence a powerful, anointed, godly, and highly revolutionary voice! They failed because He was raised from the dead and He became the most influential man-the Son of God, to ever walk on this earth! And He is coming back soon!
This time, Jesus is coming as the conquering King of kings, and Lord of lords, and NO ONE will stop Him or interfere in any way. No world government, not even the Beast's one-world government of the antichrist will be able to stop Jesus. The antichrist and his minions will be cast into the lake of fire, and all those under his control will be killed and cast into hell on the day of the physical return of Jesus. All the armies of the earth will be arrayed against Jesus and His people. They will be killed by the sharp sword coming out of His mouth, and the vultures will gorge themselves on the dead bodies of those that dared to resist Jesus! See it in Revelation 19:11-21. It's going to be more violent than anything this world has ever seen, because it’s going to happen within a few moments of time. The bodies of the dead will be piled up along with their kings, generals, strong warriors, and a huge amount of the world population with them. A vulture Octoberfest is coming, and it will make all other celebrations pale in comparison!
Here is another shocker.
All of that mayhem happens as a manifestation of love! God is love! Remember? (1 John 4:8) God is love and Jesus was and is still love because he was God manifested in a human body. (John 1:1-3, 14) Here’s the real teaching of Scripture that opposes the modern but false Christian thinking and wrong theology. Love is not always nice, nor does it always play nice. Love will sometimes kill its enemies because it has a wrath side to it. It's undeniable and those that don't get that just don't understand love. They are confused because they don’t know the Scripture. If 1 Corinthians 13 is all you think you know about love, then you are woefully ignorant of the wrath side of love.
Yes, you can give an enemy food and water, and that way demonstrate love, fulfilling the words of Jesus to love your enemy. If they turn and attempt to kill you, then you have every right to defend yourself and kill them first. That would also be love, mercy, and compassion.
Sounds like a paradox, but it is crystal clear in Scripture, and you will see it if you stick around.
On Being A Gentleman
In this two part series, I don't discuss much about manhood and integrity and their intimate connection, and I also leave out what it means to be a gentleman. My subject is about manhood and self defense.Being a gentleman is almost a completely lost art in this generation! It is an integral part of what it means to be a man.
So sad to see a women that gets all flustered when you open a door for her, stand up and offer her your seat because all others were taken, or when you are kind or helpful towards her, and she falls stupidly all over herself thinking it was flirting or something improper. No dummy, it was not sexual harrassment or making an unwanted sexual advance to say you look nice or because he served you cup of coffee! It's called being a gentleman, something modern girly males know nothing about, and many modern woman easily misunderstand. Not all, but many.
Hey mister, do you still open the door for your wife or girlfriend? When you pull into the gas station, do you get out and pump the gas for her? No, silly boy, it is not servitude, it's not even being flirtatious, it's being a gentleman.
How about pulling the chair out for a woman to sit at a table before you sit down?
Covering a woman with the coat off your back because she's cold even if you don't know her well, or taking her to her car under your umbrella is not trying to get in bed with her, it's being a gentleman.
I remember in middle school, when I had one of my first real girlfriends. Gentlemanly boys would wait outside the girlfriend's classroom and carry her books to her next classroom! Does anybody out there remember that? Try that today and most girls would think you are a weirdo. So sad to see how far down the toilet womanhood has gone.
Yes, the offense runs both ways! No one is exempt.
How about washing a woman's car even when there are no romantic overtures, and the woman thinks you are out of line and trying to get something from her? It is a sad state of affairs today. The art of being a gentleman has basically perished in much of the West.
I could go on for a very long time.
How about working and having a job and not mooching off people? Yep, it's the gentleman way. That doesn't mean people can't help you along the way. If you are too proud to be gracious when somebody extends a helping hand to you, you have a problem with pride. Gratitude is so important in a man. A gentleman says "please" and "thank you." No it's not just southern hospitality, it's being a gentleman.
I haven't always been perfect at this. There have been many times I have excelled at and a few times I was selfish. Thank God for the Blood of Jesus that washes away our sins when we repent and confess our sins to Him.
A real Gentleman will have morals about him. He would rather die than commit adultery!
For the record, there is no such thing as a whoremonger, thief, party animal, drunkard, or homosexual that could ever be called gentlemen. Gentlemen serve God and would fight to the death to protect family and country.
I know there are some jerks out there that want to take advantage of women and try to butter them up, but those are the perverted. Gentlemen are not like that at all!
I saw a a real gentleman in my dad, and I have endeavored to get that into my sons. Some very fortunate, happy, and blessed women will marry these great boys of mine some day! Those three women (for my triplet sons) will once again enjoy the kind and strong heart of a gentleman. I'm raising real men. No sissies here!
Why did I write all that is what I am asking myself right here. God only knows who will read this and be helped.
Be blessed!
Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon.
Let me bring the truth of the matter out clearly. I am totally against violence. I believe in going low, keeping my mouth shut when necessary, and I am a firm believer in deescalation when confronted with someone expecting a fight. I am a peacemaker. I hate fights and I hate violence. Violence is the LAST thing on my map. If I have to fight, I have already failed at de-escalation, diplomacy, and communication. There has never been a greater truth than to harden yourself with training and learn to fight and defeat an enemy so that you never have to fight! It is a deterrent. So many years have passed since I first began training in martial arts. I still train, just to a lesser degree. In all those years, I only used my training a few times, and never because I instigated the violence. I did know how to stop the violence. Thank God! I never look for fights and I don't instigate violence. I have learned the "martial" art of talking my way out of potentially violent encounters. That has served me much better than my fists or a firearm. Just a note for those that may want to misinterpret my words in this article and push violent actions, and use me as an excuse.
On the gruesome/sarcastic side, there is a "silver lining" for America in the midst of the covid plandemic. I've read articles and seen videos by doctors pointing out that the jab is virtually a death sentence. In a few months to a few years, many of those that got jabbed will be dead or dying terribly because of their severely compromised immune system (comparable to AIDS), spike proteins, and other things will be causing degenerative neurological diseases, circulatory system failure because of blood clots forming in capillaries and blood vessels, and the list goes on.
The fact that a large percentage of America-hating, God-hating, liberals and progressives will be dead soon because of being jabbed is a sobering thought. I'm glad I am far from them. No jab for me! I want to live. How about you?
Many RINO'S will be dead right along with the liberals and progressives because they also jabbed. The jab-caving, surrendering Republicans and conservatives will be in that number.
The saddest part to me is going to be all the young people and children that will die as a result of the mRNA injections! Truly, truly sad.
For the record, FDA approval means absolutely nothing as coming from this compromised agency in cahoots with the devil Fauci and the Biden administration.
Also involved in all injection deaths will be the capitulating Christian leaders and their flocks that caved to the jab or are getting the jab at their church because they are vaccine distribution centers! Some are so deliriously stupid as to think the jab is a gift of god! Yes, I purposely left "god" uncapitalized. The jab that comes to steal, kill, and destroy the lives of people is from the god of this world, Satan! (John 10:10) The jab was never the gift of God! To believe that the jab is from God is sheer Biblical ignorance and total deception. So many church members at jab surrendering churches are stupid lambs to the slaughter, dying for the wrong cause. They will certainly not be dropping dead for the cause of Christ!
Not all pastors caved. I know of two churches in my area (out of the hundreds of churches in 4 counties that closed for months) that never closed, never masked, defied local totalitarian ordinances, refused to social distance, and did not comply with all the rest of the Covid trash. For these two churches and them alone, 2020 and 2021 have been years of massively explosive growth in every area of ministry. One of them more than doubled in size and they had a twenty-five-hundred + member church before the planned Covid mess. The other church had about one hundred people attending before the plandemic, now they have around five hundred (maybe more) assisting! They never lacked anything and their churches increased financially to heights never seen before among them! When a church goes from 40k in the bank to over 650k in less than a year, something supernatural is happening to them! The larger church built a huge and spectacular pavilion that can eventually seat about 11 thousand people, and I have already seen it about three quarter's full during their last convention. They have paid cash for it! The other church is looking to buy cash a larger facility! Their altars are full when they call for people to accept Jesus, and many are healed and delivered. Their outreaches are off-the-hook good! Their churches and their members are blessed! Wow! These pastors and their congregations are an inspiration and are real heroes!
But... I don't know how to say this any other way. There is no nice way of saying it. Some will rebuke me and some will balk at my comments in the next paragraph, if they are not already offended. I am looking at this as a Christian rooted in Scripture that also looks at the reality of the situation.
America may be better off without the caving and surrendering cowards that took the jab because they were asked (or forced) to by a corrupt government! Instead of reading the ever increasing evidence against getting the experimental jab for a virus that is 99.98% (or better) survivable for most people on the planet, they believed lying garden gnome Fauci, the Biden Administration clowns, deceitful Big Pharma, and the MSM stooges.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you... Hosea 4:6 NKJV)
The jab is like the Jim Jones' suicidal Flavor Aid (wrongly attributed to the Kool-Aid brand) laced with cyanide. Most didn't know it was poisonous. 918 men, women, and children died. In that case, they followed their god Jim Jones to their death. Many in America have followed their false gods Fauci and Biden to receive their suicide jab! They wanted the "Kool Aid" and they guzzled it down! There is a mass suicide/genocide coming because of the jab. Millions will be dead within a few years.
Information is readily available on the dangers of the vax. Fauci, the Goebbels mainstream news media, and the government propaganda machine are purposely lying to the American people about the efficacy of the vaccine, and refusing to discuss the deadly side effects. With all the copious amounts of proof out there against jabbing this experimental mRNA trash into our bodies, those that do it anyway are too far gone into deception to be helped. I am sorry, but that goes for all your friends and family that got the jab. They have become stupid people, and stupid people usually can't be corrected, instructed, informed, or changed.
Hopefully, especially these people need to get ready to meet their maker before it's too late.
Once someone is vaxxed, their one and only hope is to repent and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior and then live for Him for the short time they may have left upon the earth. (Romans 10:9, 10) That way, when they die, they will go to Heaven and not go to a devil's hell. Then, if they want to live on earth in their bodies, they need to pray and receive a supernatural intervention from Heaven! They need a miracle! Without Heaven's miracle intervention, once you are vaxxed it cannot be undone.
The vaxxed are, literally, the walking dead. Next stop for them should be buying a burial plot, getting a coffin fitting, and getting their affairs in order. There will be a huge shortage of caskets, morticians, and burial plots. That could be a huge money making opportunity for those in the death and burial business. No open caskets please. Probably cremation would be better for them. Many illnesses will break out on their bodies because of their severely damaged immune system. It will not be a pretty sight.
Think about how this huge population gap because of the deaths of the vaxxed is going to affect businesses, supply chains, transportation, real estate, financial institutions, shipping, agriculture, and industries of every kind. What about education on every level? What about the military? The loss will cause a worldwide gap in engineering, science, R&D, first responders, police, healthcare workers, hospitals, restaurants, grocery stores and at all levels of government. It will affect EVERYTHING! Think about it.
The Holocaust of around 6 million Jews perpetuated by Hitler at his death camps only tells one part of the story. Many Jews saw the Holocaust as the greatest loss of knowledge both spiritual and natural in the history of Israel. It doesn't take anything away from the fact that approximately 6 million men, women, and children were murdered, but there is a rationale here that is worth learning. The deaths of rabbis, Bible students, educators, scientists, engineers, doctors, nurses, artists, lawyers, writers, business people, and those in many other fields of endeavor were destroyed. All their knowledge died with them. It's gone forever. That was the greatest loss, next to the actual loss of so many lives!
Call me and my comments here whatever you like, but time will tell, possibly sooner than later according to some medical professionals.
The globalists, leftists, liberals, and all their cronies thought they had a once in a lifetime opportunity for the Great Reset or for a one world government that controls everything.
How about if the once in a lifetime opportunity is ours that are on the side of the Constitution and truth? Once people start dropping like flies en masse, we can restart our country as our founding fathers envisioned it, a Constitutional Republic.
We will find out in the months to come how fast this jab kills off people or turns them into mindless zombie-like creatures. Ok, that may be going out on a limb, but when their mental capacities start going downhill quickly, what will be their conditions? Yes, they will look and sound like Biden, incoherent and clumsily falling down at every turn! Nothing upstairs!
Meanwhile, people are dying or suffering terrible and crippling side effects from the death jabs, and it will only get worse. Most of the Congress, the House, and Joe and Kamala (the jury is out on whether they have been jabbed or are pretending) could be dead by the next elections because they are double jabbed.
Since the Trump family got jabbed, they are not immune to the jab's horrors. Sorry to tell you that, but they could also be dead.
We will need alternate leadership to take the place of the dead or the dying. Talk about draining the swamp!
Even if the above gruesome scenario happens during the next few years, we the unvaxxed, can't wait around for that or we will lose our country. Look at all the horrible damage Biden has caused in less than a year! Could you imagine what would happen if he stays in office unchecked till 2024? The CCP flag could be flying at the White House!
We need to act quickly! We cannot wait for everyone to wake up. Let's go with those already awake. Maybe the rest will wake up as we go.
The following website: http://nojabforme.info contains a rich and well organized list of research by doctors on why no one should receive the gene altering jab that has been falsely labeled a "vaccine".
"This is the bible on vaccine info. Ignore at your own risk," stated Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, MD.
The website also has much medical proof that using masks is downright stupid for adults, and that it is criminally liable to force masks on children!! The workable links lead to primary sources so you can read the proof documents for yourself. It is very thorough. I'm sending it this info via this article because it has been censored and banned by big tech in many ways. You need all this info now.
I've presented some of these things in my articles using sources I found myself, but I found nojabforme.info recently and it is well organized and fully documented. No need to reinvent the wheel here. None of this deals with conspiracy theories but only with truth that is so solidly documented that it would stand up to scrutiny and cross examination in a court of law! The writer and organizer of all this info is in the legal profession.
After reading, seeing the videos, and hearing the medical professionals, if you still decide to go ahead and get a Covid "vaccine", wear masks, and continue to follow the idiotic Covid mandates, you are blind, deaf, and have signed up for Satan's deceptions. Frankly and sadly, you will be of those on earth that will receive the mark of the beast and be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. (Revelation 13:16-18, 14:9-11) You consistently resist the truth and are already practicing daily the antichrist's deceptions.
Every time you don a mask, you are unequivocally proclaiming, "I'll be one of the capitulating and surrendering lukewarm Christians that will welcome the mark of the beast". Your daily practice in the world's deception will make you a willing participant. It will make sense to you to get the mark. Daily practice in deception is making you walk in perfect obedience to the enemy!
If the above describes you, please let me know who you are so I can take you off my mailing list. You can no longer be helped. You must be spiritually and mentally damaged and without remedy. Nobody, not even God can help you in your condition! What? You didn't know that? God RESISTS (stands against, opposes) the proud and ONLY gives grace or favor to the humble! (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5) Your ONLY hope is to be brutally honest with yourself and repent so God can manifest His mercy towards you. (Proverbs 28:13) Don't try to hide anything and take full responsibility for any wrongdoing. Don't excuse it, don't beat around the bush, and don't pretend it never happened! ONLY real honest and heart-felt repentance gets the mercy! All others will fail!
What happens to those that refuse to repent? Jesus said, "No, I tell you! But unless you repent, you will all perish as well!" (Luke 13:3 NET)
I've been brutally honest with myself when I've sinned and repented from the bottom of my heart and received mercy! If someone like me with my many shortcomings, faults, and sins can get overwhelmed with abundant and amazing mercy from Heaven, anybody can get it too!
For the rest of you that welcome the truth, praise the Lord! I am so full of joy that you can still see and hear truth! The Lord can and will work in you and with you mightily.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. He will always and ONLY lead you into or towards that which is the truth. Jesus is the truth, and the Word of God is truth. The difference between the spirit of truth that leads to godliness and the spirit of error that leads into sin can never be discerned by just "listening to your heart or mind" or following "your truth"! You will be led astray like that. You must have the Holy Spirit, the Word- Jesus, and the Scripture! (John 16:13, 14:6 and 1:1-3, 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 John 2:3, 4) Remove one or the other and it will mess up the equation of truth!
Did you know that the entire book of Revelation is a revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ? (Revelation 1:2) It reveals Him on every page and at every turn! It is very different than our Sunday School version of Jesus, and it is diametrically opposed to anything Hollywood or independent film studios have ever produced to represent Him. Nothing comes close.
Read the book of Revelation out loud and see if it is similar to the vision, picture, image, or idea in you of who Jesus was, and is, and is to come. (Rev. 1:8) I challenge you to do it. I would venture to say that most of our ideas of Jesus have been way off the truth revealed in the Revelation concerning Jesus.
Read what Jesus has to say to the churches and HOW He says it in Revelation 2 and 3. He commands 5 of the 7 churches He addresses to repent. It can be shocking and eye-opening. That is just the beginning of the revelation of Jesus. Wait till you read the rest of that glorious revelation of Jesus. It will shake up your world!
May these truths make you a proclaimer of the truth by forwarding this article to everybody you know. Those that are willing to receive the truth are still reachable.
May the zeal of God for His awesome righteousness and truth come on you mightily and never let you go!! Wear these (righteousness and truth) like a coat or cloak in Jesus' Name!
Blessings on you and yours in the truth,
Dan A. Rodriguez
**Yes I am long-winded but quite informative, and my sons think I am funny at times! I love sharing what the Spirit puts in my heart to share with you! Be blessed!
Now to the podcast:
This article was originally written and published in 2012 but has gone through a few corrections of grammar or sentence structure. It was published again in April of 2020. It has been updated to reflect the current Biden government, but the message has remained unchanged. It was originally published under the title, “Does God ordain all Human Government.” Was this looking to the future in 2012? It fits like a glove today. How many churches disobeyed the Word by shutting their doors when ordered by local government to do so during the Coronavirus lying pandemic?
“They have set up kings, but not by Me (the Lord): they have made princes, and I knew it not” (Hosea 8:4a NASB).
The idea that all government officials are always in authority because God put them there is contrary to what the Lord spoke to the prophet Hosea. Some leaders (like Biden and Harris) were put in power by people outside the will and plan of God, and not by His direction or authority. The prophet Hosea recorded what God said about it, something that literally goes against traditional interpretations of Romans 13.
Most commentators believe Romans 13 teaches that all government leaders and institutions are ordained of God, or else they would not be in authority because all authority is from God. I disagree with most commentators on this subject, but I did not reach my conclusions out of thin air. One must ignore many other Scriptures that oppose the idea that God authorizes all leaders. The truth is that God anoints some to lead, but that does not include ALL. The biggest mistake has been to isolate Romans 13 without looking at numerous other Scriptures that can lead to right interpretation on governmental authority.
Most Christian circles have accepted Paul’s teaching as a blanket statement about all government and officials. Paul carefully outlines the subject by including some necessary limitations.
Let’s read Paul’s statement objectively:
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by Godʼs appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment. (Romans 13:1, 2 NET)
Notice the following statements in these verses, and let’s unravel it some:
- Authority… by God’s appointment.
- Authorities… instituted by God.
- Resists such authority. (That is, those appointed and instituted by God.)
- Resists the ordinance of God. (When God appoints and institutes an authority, to resist that kind of authority is to resist the ordinance of God!)
Paul was teaching about government officials that God puts into places of authority by His appointment. These 4 points clearly highlight the fact that Paul was referring to those leaders in government that were a force for good. I will prove it so don't turn me off.
Paul was not referring to government alone as a separate entity from the ruler. He was not referring to evil individuals that sit in government offices that want to bend the rules and slant them for evil purposes. If a government official is a force for good, then God had something to do with their ordination or appointment. We should respect them and obey them. We should submit to that kind of authority. Paul is correcting and rebuking those that rebel against good authorities ordained and appointed by God.
Look at the verses that follow. Paul qualifies whom he was referring to.
For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil (Romans 13:3, 4 NASB).
What kind of rulers were these? What was the criteria?
• Rulers that cause fear for those practicing evil behavior. • Rulers that are ministers (servants) of God for doing what is good. • Rulers that are ministers (servants) of God to bring wrathful vengeance by the sword on those that practice evil.
How could we have missed the qualifications Paul gives for government officials?
Paul’s lead-in to this entire subject of government officials ordained to praise the good and destroy evil was Romans 12:21, the last verse of the previous chapter. The chapter division between chapters twelve and thirteen was arbitrarily injected into Paul’s consecutive train of thought. This last verse (12:21) qualifies our subject matter in chapter thirteen.
Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21 NASB).
Paul was speaking about government officials that take a stand for good and overcome evil with it. To believe otherwise is pure foolishness and error.
Paul was not telling us to submit to evil rulers that want to impose their ungodly way of life on the people under their rule. He was telling us to obey and respect those God ordained into a position of government authority because they are doing what they are doing to reward the good and punish the evildoer.
If some ruler, like Biden and his administration (and state government officials), told us to make same-sex marriage themed cakes to honor the homosexual lifestyle, should we do that? Absolutely not! Why? That governmental leader and his administration are in opposition to the Word of God. We do not obey that contrary to Scripture and carry out Satan’s wishes! NEVER!
I’ll bring it home in a minute, because the church has disobeyed God and His Word in order to obey government.
To maintain order in the land, certain speed limits are placed to control the speed of vehicles on different roads. Should we obey that? Yes, because they do not violate the Scripture.
What about paying taxes? Who loves to pay taxes? Probably none of us. Should we do it? We are told to do it by Jesus and Paul. (Matthew 22:17-21; Romans 13:7) Should we seek to reform or eliminate our present tax system? Yes!
I am pointing out that there are many parts of law and order we must comply with, BUT there are some parts we should never obey because they violate the Word of God. (Acts 4:19, 5:21) We should be law-abiding citizens and honor leaders in government, but we must NEVER compromise the Scripture. (See 1 Peter 2:13-17.) Get that straight once and for all!
If the government forbids the preaching of the gospel, and orders us to shut our doors, should we obey? Absolutely not! If they commanded us to stop making altar calls, casting out demons, and praying for the sick, should we obey? What about if they tell us it is forbidden to have church services? Again, we must not obey IF we are believers and followers of Jesus! We have the great commission and the example of the Church in the book of Acts. That is our authority. Religious or governmental leaders do not have greater authority than the Scripture. We must do the Word regardless of their rules and regulations to the contrary. (See Matthew 16:15-19; Matthew 28:16-20; Acts chapters 2 through 5.)
The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! (Acts 5:27-29 NIV)
Having the qualifications as presented by Paul
How many of our government officials in America can qualify based on Paul’s criteria in Romans 13:3, 4? There are not many. How many American government officials sit in opposition to God’s moral commandments and what He calls as good? How many have rejected God’s standards for marriage, sex, human life, child rearing, money, education, and business? How many oppose prayer, Bible teaching, and Christianity? How many are pushing to remove all mention of God and Jesus from the government, schools, monuments, and everywhere they can spread their evil influence?
What about people in government that are not a force for good but are evil rulers or governors? What about government officials placed by popular vote that support laws and agendas that favor evil in society? We desperately need them voted out and replaced by good government and godly people.
WOE TO those [judges] who issue unrighteous decrees, and to the magistrates who keep causing unjust and oppressive decisions to be recorded (Isaiah 10:1 Amplified Bible).
The prophet Isaiah pronounced a woe on judges because they opposed God and His commandments. Were they placed in a position of authority with God’s approval and blessing? Hosea teaches that this is not always the case. There are some kings and princes (including judges, governors, mayors, etc.) that God did not appoint or approve. They are usurpers of authority that God neither knew nor anointed for office.
Just because someone wins the presidency or becomes prime minister by popular vote does not mean that God set them into a place of authority. Just because someone wins a Senate seat or governorship (or some local government official) does not mean that God set him or her there. The same can be said for all government appointees everywhere. Again, my foundation for stating this is Hosea 8:4, but there is much more evidence in the Scripture.
A divided kingdom cannot stand
What happens when a kingdom is divided by enforcing some righteous laws, but it then establishes and promotes evil laws that clearly violate God's commandments? Do you know? What did Jesus say about this?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom will not be able to stand (Mark 3:24 NET).
What happens to a divided kingdom? It cannot stand and will eventually be judged. It will be given over to two opposing governments. Do you need an example?
As for peres- your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians (Daniel 5:28 NET).
A divided kingdom that doesn't get its act together will eventually get split apart. There must be some form of agreement between the parties, because a divided kingdom will fall or be destroyed, and at times, it can be split into separate countries. World history gives us numerous examples.
Can two walk together unless they are agreed? (Amos 3:3 KJV)
I know that this is an appalling thought for our great nation of America. Right now, America is, basically, split between those that love God or His moral principles, and those that hate anything related to God. I trust that America comes to repentance and this nation turns back to God and the Lord Jesus.
Let me show you by another prophetic example what we are seeing, and what we could witness in the future in America unless there is drastic spiritual change and renewal.
I am not being pessimistic, and I am far from being a doomsday proponent. America can turn around. 2016 started bringing some godly changes into leadership and our government with the Trump administration, though it was certainly not perfect. Trump and his administration faltered terribly with the Covid response. They truly created an ungodly mess, one that the Biden administration has built upon. All the good that Trump ushered in was destroyed by Biden in a few short months. Evil runs this country from the White House! When Jesus comes to rule and reign on the earth, all those demonic governments and their minions will be banished from the planet for 1,000 years!
What if we fail to vote in leaders that care about Christianity and God’s idea of morality? What if things continue with bad leaders and evil judges? What could happen if America does not repent and come back to God? Here is the terrible truth:
In that you were seeing feet and toes a partly of wet clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay. In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever… (Daniel 2:41-44 NET)
I understand the implications of this text for Babylon, Assyria, Medes-Persians, and ancient Rome with its historic division into the Eastern and Western Roman empires. We can gain prophetic insight into how God sees things because He is always the same. He never changes.
Right now, our country is divided. It is partly strong because of righteousness, and partly fragile because of sin. Everybody can see it today. It is not something mysterious “revelation.” You don’t need prophetic insight to get it. America today is like iron and wet clay that can never mix. The people of God are in a mixed society of righteousness and sinfulness, and one cannot agree with the other (see 2 Corinthians 6:14-17). They are opposed to each other along strict lines of division, and if it continues that way, the nation cannot stand or endure in its present state.
May our country lean heavily towards righteousness and away from immorality, if not, our country will be in BIG trouble.
In the case of Daniel's vision, he begins to see the kingdom of God that cannot be destroyed because it is eternal. It is the only eternal kingdom. All others are temporary and will fail eventually. Babylon, Assyria, Medes-Persians, Greece, and Rome were all destroyed. God's kingdom breaks in pieces the other (ungodly) kingdoms and brings about their demise. That is why we must have a spiritual awakening in America.
God's people are praying and trusting God for revival, repentance, and godly change in the land. It’s happening slowly but surely from sea to shining sea. God's kingdom is a force in our nation that will bring about judgment. America gets with the program, coming to repentance, and serving the Lord, or it could be broken into pieces.
I vote for America getting with the program, coming to repentance, and serving the Lord. How about you? That is what I am praying for, and I trust that you are too!
Once again, let me remind you that God said:
“They have set up kings, but not by Me (the Lord): they have made princes, and I knew it not” (Hosea 8:4a NASB).
Without a question, we have seen that God only appoints good leaders. Men have elected corrupt leaders, and God had nothing to do with it. My statements are correct but too sweeping because it gets much more complicated than that on certain occasions. Sometimes God will do very unusual things to get a task done. He may use very unlikely people. You will see what I mean.
There have been many demon-inspired and evil rulers throughout history.
Take for example Caligula, Genghis Kahn, Henry VIII, Ivan IV (the Terrible), Maximilien Robespierre, Joseph Stalin, Hitler, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot (of Khmer Rouge infamy), etc. How about our present baby butchers (pro-abortion) and totalitarian and corrupt government under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris? Did God ordain them to stand in their positions of authority? Did they have divine, God-given authority, or was their authority coming from people under the direct influence of demonic power?
To all these evil rulers we have to add the terrorist organizations that have taken over cities and countries, such as, Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL), Boko Haram (Islamic State’s West Africa Province), Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, and many others. Did God put those evil organizations in power and ordain them to kill, steal, and destroy (see John 10:10)? Of course not! Many, because they take Paul’s words in Romans 13:1-7 as a blanket statement, would not know how to answer my question.
Spiritual battles in the unseen realm
The book of Daniel chapter ten shows us a spiritual battle in the unseen realm. There were spiritual forces (the prince and kings of Persia) aligned against God’s angelic messenger that came to bring the answer to Daniel’s prayer. These demonic forces opposed the heavenly messenger for twenty-one days. Michael the archangel came to help the angelic messenger fight and open the way so he could reach Daniel. After the divine messenger had finished delivering his message, he was going to return to combat the spirit princes and kings of Persia, and then another demonic “prince” was coming, the wicked spirit, and prince of Greece.
There are authorities, powers, and wicked spirits in high places arrayed against God’s people and His plans on earth (Ephesians 6:12). These demon forces work to set up Satan’s kingdom on the earth. They stand behind the evil governments, rulers, and people on our planet.
Believers have authority in the Name of Jesus over the wiles of the devil as they submit to God (Mark 16:17, James 4:7). As the Lord leads, and by His power, we can exercise influence against these wicked spirits in high places (Ephesians 6:10-18). We do not have authority over every situation on the planet, or over other people, but as the Holy Spirit leads us in prayer, we can have a powerful impact over demonic activity. There are many things to say here about this, and I may address it later.
In the end, at the coming of the Lord Jesus to rule and reign upon the earth, the people of God win it all. NOBODY will resist His rule and reign for a thousand years! He will rule with a rod of iron, and He will be King of kings. It will not be a democracy or some form of totalitarianism. It will be a theocracy and all will serve and obey Him for a thousand years.
For the interim, there are demonic influences in the earth that stand behind certain people, governments, and rulers. Believe it because it is true whether we like it or not!
The ultimate “government official” that will have demonic power behind him will be what many have called the antichrist! Paul called him the man of lawlessness whose coming will be “in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-10).
Deception, wickedness, false signs and wonders, with full Satanic backing, will earmark the government of the man of sin. It will be evil government to the maximum degree! We have the first fruits of this antichrist spirit already operating in many of the politicians governing the world today, and some are right here in America! As far as the world is concerned, the worst is yet to come for them!
Here is another point on this subject of rulers that complicates matters further.
Some rulers began with an anointing and ordination of God.
They started good and right but messed up their rule through rebellion and the practice of sin.
Some examples in Scripture are Kings Saul and Solomon.
Saul lost his anointing and rule over Israel when he disobeyed and rebelled against the Lord. He went so far as to persecute God’s next choice for king, the sheepherder David. Saul ended up following soothsayers, committed suicide, and did not repent.
Solomon was anointed to be king after his father David died. He was, possibly, the richest and wisest king to ever live. In old age, Solomon allowed foreign wives to turn away his heart from the Lord and to idolatry. He came to a sad end and evidently died in sin because there is no record of his repentance.
These leaders started right before the Lord, with a special anointing on their lives but ended up wrongly. (See Ezekiel 18:24, 26.) It’s not how you start your race that counts at the end of your life. How you finish at the end of your life is what counts before the Lord! (See Ezekiel 18:19-31.) Not only was this taught in Ezekiel 18:19-31, but Jesus taught this same truth in the Gospels. I am aware of how tragic that can be, especially if there was a family member or friend that left this life unrepentant. I have lost some former friends that departed this life after refusing repentance and some even denying Jesus. I’ve known some preachers like that. It is an extremely harsh and painful truth, but a very real one. It is inescapable. Read it from the lips of Jesus.
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? ’And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness (Matthew 7:21-23).
Do we know anybody in the ministry of Jesus that started out right with an anointing to heal the sick and cast out demons, and later abandoned the Lord and even was a traitor against Him? Yes, and his name was Judas Iscariot! Judas began with the commission given to the twelve disciples (later called apostles) to go in the authority and power of Jesus to do miraculous works. (Matthew 10:1-4)
Initially, Judas sat at the feet of Jesus and followed Him. Judas became a part of the “inner circle” of disciples and was a recipient of a glorious ministry. Judas was among the disciples that received a powerful anointing to go and represent Jesus. He went with supernatural power to heal every sickness and disease and cast out demons just as the other 11 did. Judas Iscariot was one of them, but he betrayed the Master, committed suicide, and died in his sin.
Judas Iscariot was a classic example of starting out in righteousness, but ending in lawlessness or unrighteousness, as we see in the words of the prophet Ezekiel (18:19-31) and the Lord Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23). Judas will be among those that use the excuse of past supernatural exploits they did for the Lord, but the Lord will reject them because when they died they were rejecting Him. They will be dismissed from His presence because they were practicing lawlessness up until the moment they died. That is the wrong way to be caught dead!
Another type of leader is the one called upon by people to lead them back to bondage.
That happens in the political realm as well as in the religious realm. We could give you many modern examples, but I am sure you can come up with some on your own.
They refused to obey, and they were not mindful of Your wonders that You did among them. But they hardened their necks, and in their rebellion, they appointed a leader to return to their bondage (Nehemiah 9:17 NKJV).
Government officials that God calls and ordains to serve in office:
Kings like David, Josiah, Hezekiah, and others were examples of anointed leaders in Israel. They were by no means perfect, but they were humble and would repent of their sin (as did David in the Bathsheba incident), and these (and some others) did their best to follow the Lord.
Oddballs in Bible history
Nebuchadnezzar found out that God would ordain people for leadership in government, sometimes to everybody’s surprise (Daniel 4:17). Sometimes, they were the most unlikely candidates. Judgment came to Nebuchadnezzar for refusing to do what God ordained. For seven years, he ran around like a wild goat, completely out of his mind. After he had repented for his pride and refusal to obey, he was restored to a sound mind and recognized the God of heaven and His rule over the realm of mankind.
There are certain occasions when the hammer of divine judgment falls because God has given His Word. His must fulfill His promises to His people, via one way or another. Sometimes, when God’s Word is on the line, severe punishments, great miracles, or adverse judgments happen when people refuse to comply. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar found out through a very harsh judgment!
Pharaoh found out in the book of Exodus that terror comes upon those who want to restrain God’s promised outcome! When God gives His Word, He will have His way, and nothing will be able to stop Him.
Cyrus received a special anointing from the Lord to help the people of Israel, and he did not even know God (Isaiah 45:1-5). Cyrus was an oddball! That goes against all conventional understanding of the anointing, but God can do as He pleases, if He does not violate His principles and laws.
God’s sovereignty
That last phrase is very controversial for those that believe God can do as He always pleases, and no matter what because He is sovereign, and nothing can withstand His will. I strongly disagree in the sense that God cannot violate His own Word!
God’s real power as “sovereign” or ruler is not the Calvinist definition of “sovereignty”! Let us settle this issue of sovereignty in our minds. To many the word sovereignty means that your will is immaterial because when it’s God will, it will be done no matter what. Let’s go to the Word to answer that VERY wrong assumption on God’s sovereignty.
God’s will is that not one human being perish and go to a devil’s hell (2 Peter 3:9, Matthew 25:41). How many have died and gone to hell because they refused to line up with God’s will? How many have perished because they refused God’s gift in His Son? (See John 3:16.) God wants to save all men (1 Timothy 2:4), but those that refuse to repent will perish! (Luke 13:3, 5)
Daily, people disobey God’s plan and will upon the earth. Many are disobedient and do not cooperate with the Lord. That means that God is not “sovereign” or "in control of all" as people think. God is not controlling everything. If He was, then He would make everybody receive salvation right now and we would enter the millennial reign before nightfall.
Yet, some things are non-negotiable. God will have His way in some matters. Some things, like the coming of the Lord to rule and reign upon the earth will happen. Nothing will stop it. The book of Revelation declares many end-time events that will be unstoppable. That is God accomplishing His Word, but we must qualify this further.
God is not sovereign like the mythical gods of Rome or Greece that could do anything they wanted to do, even if it was immoral or evil. The heathen gods could commit adultery, fornication, murder, treachery, lie, steal, covet, etc. Regardless of what these “gods” said, they could twist their words at will because they were sovereign and in control of all human actions and activities. People were like puppets on a string or chess pieces on a playing board.
Our God is not like that! Never believe that He is!
Firstly, our God gave us the right to choose between life and death, blessing and cursing (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20). We get to choose whom we will serve and obey (Joshua 24:14, 15). We get to choose between two masters. Either we will choose to serve, love, and be devoted to the Lord Jesus, or we will serve, love, and be devoted to mammon (Matthew 6:24). To believe or disobey the gospel means that we have a choice (Romans 10:9-16).
Secondly, Jehovah God cannot violate the Word that has come out of His mouth. He will never violate His moral commandments, judgments, or ordinances. If He did renege on His Word and did as He pleased in violation of it, then it would make Him a liar like men. The truth is this:
• God is not a man that He should tell a lie (Numbers 23:19). • It is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18). • Nothing can nullify the faithfulness of God (Romans 3:3). • His Word of promise will never return to Him without accomplishing His desired result (Isaiah 55:10). • Not one of His promises have ever failed (Joshua 23:14, 1Kings 8:56). That is why we can always trust Him!
God’s sovereignty cannot include the unscriptural idea that He can violate His Word or promises. He will not fulfill His plan by violating His principles. Get that straight!
Recap
Here is a summary of the five scenarios concerning rulers in Scripture.
- Ungodly rulers put in place by people without God’s approval. (Hosea 8:4, Neh. 9:17)
- Rulers that through murder, war, conquest, or by some other way usurped a seat of authority. Examples are Absalom, Tibni, Athaliah, man of lawlessness-sin-antichrist.
- Godly rulers operating with God’s authority called and anointed to carry out His will and plan. Examples are David, Josiah, Hezekiah, and others.
- Rulers that received the anointing to rule but messed it up through rebellion, sin, idolatry, etc. as did Saul, Solomon, and other kings of Judah and Israel.
- People anointed to rule for a special task ordained by God even though they are not technically followers of God and did not even know Him. Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Hiram (2 Chron. 2:3).
All these facts prove that Romans 13:1-7 has been grossly misinterpreted by many in Christendom. We need to see rulers in government according to all the Scriptures on the subject and not attempt an isolated interpretation.
I pray this teaching sets you free from the lies of the enemy! Not all government is good, and not all government agrees with the Scripture. We MUST obey God and take a stand against government WHEN (and only when) they want to impose something contrary to Scripture on us. At all other times, we should obey rulers. That is the bottom line to all this, but now you are armed Scripturally to take a stand.
Church it is time to repent! Let the Repentance Revolution Begin! Be blessed with the following podcast:
Though it may be an unusual connection for you, the title immediately reminded me of the pirates that roamed the Caribbean, Atlantic, and other oceans of the world. Since I am from the Caribbean, I studied some about the pirates in centuries gone by.
Arrrrr!
No, this is not a history about pirates, though a small sample is included to reveal an eye-opening truth.
What is known as the Golden Age of Piracy from the 1650s to the 1730s were the days of famous pirates like Edward “Blackbeard” Teach, Stede Bonnet, Samuel Bellamy, Calico Jack Rackham, Bartholomew Roberts, Edward England, and others. There were also some feared women pirates such as Mary Reade and Anne Bonny. [1]
One woman pirate that lived just before the Golden Age deserves special mention. The Irish Gráinne Ni Mháille, anglicized as Grace O’Malley, was the legendary “Queen of Pirates.” She was resourceful, fearless, and a vengeful warrior! She was classically trained (spoke Latin fluently) and was of outstanding intelligence. Her maritime and leadership skills were second to none. Hundreds of men followed her into battle and respected her command. Yet, she was obviously, very womanly or feminine. She got pregnant by her husband and gave birth to one of her sons in the middle of a battle! She wrapped the newborn in a cloth and went topside on her ship with the baby in her arms to rally her crew for battle. Grace was one tough cookie! O’Malley’s crew of pirates won that battle though the odds were against them!
Some pirates of the Golden Age like Samuel Bellamy were known for their generosity. He gained the nickname “Prince of Pirates” and thought of himself as a seafaring Robin Hood. His crew called themselves Robin Hood’s men.
Other pirates were known for their extreme cruelty, such as was the case with Edward “Ned” Low. Ned Low violently tortured prisoners he captured on the boats he raided, plundered, and burned. After repeatedly brutalizing his prisoners in his twisted sense of enjoyment, he would murder them mercilessly.
Pirates were often vile and heathenistic, but contrary to all ideas of pirates and their activities, many pirate ships had a code of “ethics” written into a contract that crew were required to sign before coming onboard. It varied some from ship to ship, but the main points had to do with division of spoils and not stealing from your shipmates.
In one contract it was stated that if a pirate forced a woman to have sex without her consent (rape), the perpetrator would be put to death or be marooned on a deserted island. On another vessel there was a death penalty for bringing a female passenger on board.
The skull and cross bones flag came to be called the Jolly Roger during that “Golden” period. It was a flag designed to strike fear in all those that saw it. The black flag announced that the vessel bearing the flag were pirates and that they intended to raid a targeted ship. Sometimes there were variations of the figures of the black flag, and at other times it was just a plain black flag without any symbols. The flag announced to the ship to be raided that if they surrendered immediately, they would not be killed and would be given quarter. The black flag meant “surrender your vessel or die!” It was meant to strike fear in all who saw the flag and get them to surrender their vessel immediately without any bloodshed. If a ship decided to fight the pirates, the black flag would be lowered and a red flag would be raised indicating that no one on the targeted ship would escape death! [2]
On June 21, 1720, the pirate captain Bartholomew Roberts sailed into Trepassey harbor in Newfoundland. His black flag was flying brazenly as he entered the port. There were fighting vessels in the large bay that day, having about forty cannons of various sizes between them. If they had combined their forces, they could easily have defeated Roberts’ ship. Whatever you may think of the pirate Roberts, he had some guts and spine. As the Greeks would say it, and I don’t know why I chose Greek instead of Spanish here, Bartholomew Roberts had “thrásos” (θράσος)! By definition and his action, he had audacity, effrontery, nerve, and even recklessness! What he did was extremely ballsy, but it worked.
When the crews of the armed boats saw the black flag, they freaked out, all the blood drained out of their faces, and they surrendered immediately! The pirate Roberts took control of all 172 fishing and merchant ships at anchor in the bay without a fight because the crews feared the black flag! He then burned 22 of the vessels and commandeered a brigantine [3] from Bristol before departing.
Now it is time to state an inconvenient and unsettling truth, but it is the naked truth. It was the reason for writing about piracy.
A black flag was raised in February/March of 2020 for Covid-19 by government authorities. Churches all over the planet surrendered like those vessels in Trepassey Bay without a fight because they feared the specter of a plague (really a flu bug), though it is 99.9% survivable for most people on the planet. Why not do what has been done for centuries with great success? Let the sick stay home until they recover, but the rest of the world can go about it's business!!
People were so afraid of the specter of death presented by evil government actors, wicked politicians, totalitarian social media, and the perverted mainstream media that they readily obeyed human governments and disobeyed God’s Word. Churches surrendered without a fight on a global scale! From the smallest to the most prominent churches and ministries, they all fell for the black flag event. There were only rare exceptions.
Many Churches and ministers became cowards and wimps kowtowing to the world and their “piracy” demands even though it was only “one ship” against a huge armada! Had we joined forces, we could have easily defeated our enemy! That armada, the church of the living God, supposedly armed with the armor of God and the authority of the Name of Jesus, caved like a bunch of sissies with no strength, no power, and no spine! They just opened wide their legs and they were castrated!
Welcome to your castrated future UNLESS you repent! God can do a miracle on you and give you back your "manhood" ONLY IF you repent!
MANY churches violated Hebrews 10:25. The majority of churches in the Western world caved in disobedience to God's Word without so much as a whimper of protest!
Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching. (AMP)
Read my previous articles. I discuss the many things that led to a worldwide disobedience (rebellion) against the Word of God in the churches. It is the beginning of a great revolt and rebellion, the great falling away, the apostasy of the church against God. (1 Timothy 4:1-5, Matthew 24:12-14)
I first brought all this up in my articles beginning in May of 2020. Since then, I removed those articles and rewrote them to make them stronger, not weaker! I am committed to this message 100% because it is the truth that the church MUST hear at this late hour before the coming of the Lord. You can help get this word out by sending the link to this article.
Here is the truth about what churches did beginning in March/April of 2020.
Churches stopped having altar calls, ministering via the laying on of hands (Mark 16:18), anointing with oil (James 5:14-16), evangelism (Mark 16:15), having communion or the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:25-30), and numerous other things taught in the Scripture that churches are supposed to do. Not only did they stop doing those Scriptural things, but they shut down for months.
The churches quit following this order from the apostle Paul about reading the Scripture in public gatherings, and about preaching and teaching:
Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. (1 Timothy 4:13 NIV)
You do understand that the word “public” means a public gathering, an in-person, face-to-face gathering? A “gathering” via Zoom or some other electronic means does not qualify. The internet is not a substitute for face-to-face ministry.
A huge number of churches were not obeying Scripture anyway because they had a form of godliness but denied the power of God. (2 Timothy 3:5) They didn’t cast out demons, heal the sick, or minister to people to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues. (Mark 16:17, 18; Acts 19:1-6) They were not preaching the Scripture (2Timothy 3:16-4:2), but only mouthed off little mousey sermonettes that confirmed their deadness. With the so-called pandemic, it became painfully and abundantly clear who were the living churches, and who were the dying or dead churches.
Many churches were filled with dead men’s bones before the plandemic. Yep, it was planned by Satan and his henchmen to be a pandemic, but the hand of God turned it into a “nothing burger” with another purpose!
Let’s settle this now. 650+ thousand have not died from Covid-19! If there were that many, why are there no shortages of coffins, and why are burial plots not scarce or selling at a breakneck speed? Why are there no shortages of morticians? Can people actually be so stupid to believe the lying CDC and the Fauci gnome? How could there be an extra 650+ thousand deaths and the yearly death stats remain right at 2.9 million per year in America for 2018 through 2020? If the number of deaths have not grown by any significant amount in 2020, where did the inflated Covid death numbers come from? Here is the truth: Many other causes of death were attributed to Covid. What causes? For one, all the many thousands of yearly flu deaths disappeared and were replaced by calling them Covid deaths. Everything from accidental deaths to deaths from preexisting conditions were called Covid related deaths. The National File and other news agencies not controlled by evil government agendas ran the numbers for Covid deaths. They found that they were inflated artificially by as much as 1000%. The CDC, WHO, Fauci, and evil government minions on the alphabet news channels are a bunch of lying dogs! If you accept or follow any of their lies, then you are deceived and need to repent.
The surrendering of the church to local and state authorities confirmed the true dying state of most churches around the world. The churches looked so prosperous with their beautiful buildings and properties, so blessed, and so hugely successful in many parts of the world. So many were on national TV and were all over social media. Yes, so whitewashed, and beautiful on the outside. They seemed to be reaching the masses via social media outlets and on Television platforms, but truly, they confirmed they were dying or dead!
You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. (Revelation 3:1 NIV)
Most churches were like the church at Sardis. They had a reputation of being alive and successful, but they were DEAD!
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you are like tombs that have been whitewashed, which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything impure. (Matthew 23:27 AMP)
That is where the title of this message came from. Churches were beautiful on the outside when they caved to government mandates and restrictions shutting down Church operations for many months, BUT they were whitewashed sepulchers full of dead men’s bones! The plandemic meant for evil by the governments of the world to gain tyrannical control over their citizens, God has repurposed it to clearly show the fact that most churches are not ready for the coming of the Lord! Most Churches are dying or dead!
The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Ezekiel 37:1-3 NKJV)
Churches were like this valley of dry bones. Can these bones ever be alive? Can they come back to life? The wages of sin is death. Disobedience to the Word of God brought sin and death. God’s gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:23) The only way to make the dead alive is through repentance and putting faith and trust in the Blood or sacrifice of Jesus that cleanses us of all sin and unrighteousness. There is NO other way for any believer! There is no other way for ministers, pastors, and for churches!
But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:7-10 NKJV)
Many have never confessed their sin of bowing to the world and rebelling against the Word of God. Many surrendered like cowards and will perish UNLESS they repent.
The Word of God is speaking to us. Jesus is the Word! (John 1:1-3, 14) The Word of God says the following:
But unless you repent, you too will all perish! (Luke 13:3, 5 NIV)
In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, Jesus commanded 5 of the 7 churches to repent for what they were doing, what they did, or whatever evil they allowed at their churches. Remember that it was Jesus, the Head of the Church universal, THE Word of God, that said all these things and commanded the churches to repent of their wrongdoing, their disobedience to the Scripture!
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Revelation 2:4, 5
Study what this church at Ephesus did at first in Acts 19:1-20. There, you will find the first love from which they had fallen away. People converted to the Lord Jesus, were baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit, and spoke with other tongues. They had mighty healing services and saw demons cast out. Books (handwritten scrolls) on witchcraft were burned! They had a powerful example in the apostle Paul! They preached and taught the Scripture, and the Word grew mightily among them. They were to continue to do everything Paul showed them by example. (See also Acts 20:17-35). In Acts 19 were recorded the mighty things they had forsaken and from which they had fallen away. Jesus wanted them to repent and get busy doing what at first, they loved doing for God!
Obviously, the church at Ephesus had fallen away from being a witness with supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was calling them back through repentance. If they did not repent, then He was going to remove the lampstand. Any light and anointing that was left, whatever they had received that was producing results, was going to be removed!
The church didn’t repent, and their lampstand was removed. Ephesus was destroyed in 262 A.D. by the Goths, and it lay in ruins for at least 130 years. The church at Ephesus that started in the anointing of the Holy Spirit was finished because they never did repent.
The church at Pergamum were told to repent for idolatry and sexually immoral behavior or the Lord was going to fight against them with the sword of His mouth! (Revelation 2:16)
Pergamon was almost destroyed by an earthquake in 262 A.D. and shortly after that it was sacked by the Goths. It never recovered, and today, like Ephesus, it lies in ruins.
Hmmm…
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. (Revelation 2:20-23 NIV)
Time is given for repentance, but if they are unwilling to repent, then the unrepentant will be cast into a bed of suffering. Their ONLY escape is repentance. Again, remember that this is the Lord Jesus speaking to a disobedient and rebellious segment of His church. If they don’t repent, He will repay each evildoer according to their deeds, and not their good intentions!
I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. (Revelation 3:1-3 NIV)
The segment of the church at the town of Sardis had the reputation of being a living church, but they were dead even though everybody thought they were successful. They had a good reputation in the world, but they were DEAD! They were not ready to meet the Lord. They were commanded to repent and wake up! Did they do it? Maybe some did, but Sardis lies in ruins today.
Again, hmmm…
Finally, the church at Laodicea, the lukewarm church, was commanded to repent in Revelation 3:19. Evidently the church never repented of being lukewarm and eventually disappeared from history. The city was destroyed in the 14th century and the church along with it, but the church was a useless religious relic in the city long before the destruction of that city. Laodicea is a "nice" archaeological park today. Only the ruins remain.
Wow, and “hmmm” again!
Could we be seeing the writing on the wall unless churches come to repentance for their evil deeds? Are you seeing where churches are spiritually around the globe, and why they need to repent? It is an ominous warning from the Head of the Church, I know, but let the truth sink in.
You say, “Oh, but many churches are opening back up now. Isn’t that good enough?” Some are opening back up, but did they repent of their rebellion, unbelief, and disobedience to the Scripture? Are they opening back up and acting like nothing happened? Will everything be OK for them? Is it ever OK for the unbeliever, rebellious, and the disobedient in the Bible? Hell no, but hell yes!
The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20, 21 NIV)
“Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obedience to the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed [is better] than the fat of rams. “For rebellion is as [serious as] the sin of divination (fortune-telling), and disobedience is as [serious as] false religion and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22, 23 AMP)
He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (Revelation 21:7, 8 NKJV)
We already can see how cowardly the churches were in all this Covid mess. What about unbelieving? We can see how most churches rebelled against the Scripture. Unbelief or unbelieving is rebellion just like faith is obedience to the Word! The following portion of Scripture proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Take care, brothers and sisters, that there not be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to trust and rely on the Lord, a heart] that turns away from the living God. But continually encourage one another every day, as long as it is called “Today” [and there is an opportunity], so that none of you will be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [its cleverness, delusive glamour, and sophistication]. For we [believers] have become partakers of Christ [sharing in all that the Messiah has for us], if only we hold firm our newborn confidence [which originally led us to Him] until the end, while it is said, “Today [while there is still opportunity] if you hear His voice, Do not harden your heart, as when they provoked Me [in the rebellion in the desert at Meribah].” For who were they who heard and yet provoked Him [with rebellious acts]? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies were scattered in the desert? And to whom did He swear [an oath] that they would not enter His rest, but to those who disobeyed [those who would not listen to His word]? So we see that they were not able to enter [into His rest—the promised land] because of unbelief and an unwillingness to trust in God. (Hebrews 3:12-19 Amplified Bible)
Any takeaways? Yes, there are several. A Christian can yield to having an unbelieving heart. An unbelieving heart is wicked, and it turns away from the living God. That is an apostasy or falling away from the faith. Don’t harden your heart by settling into rebellion because of the deceitfulness of sin. Sin is a deception. You are a partaker of Christ only IF you hold fast to your confidence or faith firmly to the end. That means that the partaker of Christ obeys God’s Word willingly! It also means that you are a partaker of Jesus only IF you stand firm till the end. That means that Christians can lose their participation in Christ through sin and rebellion. (See 2 Corinthians; Hebrews 5:9, 3:6; Colossians 1:22, 23; Matthew 24:12, 13.) God is provoked and gets angry at rebellious acts when they are persisted upon. Does God get angry at sin? Not according to some erroneous theology that claims that God no longer is angry at sin.
God is a just judge; He is angry throughout the day. If a person does not repent, God will wield his sword. He has prepared to shoot his bow. He has prepared deadly weapons to use against him; He gets ready to shoot flaming arrows. (Psalms 7:11-13 NET)
You get it all the time, “Yes, but that was in the Old Testament. In the New Testament we only have mercy and love for sinners.” Sorry, but mercy and love are ONLY for those sinners that repent. The humble get the grace! The proud get resisted! Just in case you still don't understand that, read the book of Revelation and get a better picture of God’s wrath or anger at unrighteousness. He hates it!
Read Paul’s own teaching on the subject. The following verse destroys the pantywaist and sissified teaching that “it is all love in the New Testament”.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness. (Romans 1:18 NET- See also Ephesians 5:6 and Colossians 3:6.)
Check this one out.
Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15 NKJV)
Yes, He still gets angry at sin. He is not the heavenly Teddy Bear of hugs and kisses that many make Him out to be. He is God. He is above all, the Sovereign One! He is Father, not sugar daddy, but the Ruler and Creator! He is THE King! And yes, God gets ticked when people refuse to repent! God calls it sin to be rebellious, unbelieving, disobedient, being unwilling to trust Him, or having a hard heart.
I stated it above, but here is the Scripture reference.
God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble! (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5)
The proud get nothing! Grace comes ONLY to the humble.
Mark it down.
Those that do not humble themselves and repent now, will fall again through the deceitfulness of sin, and shut their doors the next time the government decides to close them down. It will happen again. Bad and evil governments will attempt to shut everything down again and again. They are already attempting to do it under the "variant of the Covid-19 virus". Fauci, lamestream media, and evil governments are pushing the lie of a worse virus!
Not only that, watch ministers and churches that have not repented publicly of their rebellion to the Word of God. Watch how they flounder and flip-flop. They profoundly compromised their integrity to the Lord. They went so far into disobedience that they obeyed men rather than God, and they will do it again UNLESS they repent.
Most churches are in full-blown preparation to take the mark of the Beast!
He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Revelation 13:16-18 NKJV)
Do you understand that right now QR codes and vaccine passports are required to buy, sell, or trade in Europe? Do you understand that this is already starting to spread to the U.S.? Have you heard of the Excelsior pass in the state of New York that limits where the unvaccinated you can congregate, exercise, or eat?
Did you know that some countries are using a vaccine passport to control people’s travel? Denmark has their Coronapas. Estonia has their VaccineGuard, and now the European Union has its Digital Green Certificate! Even Israel has joined the club with the country’s Green Pass system. This information does not come from right wing conspiracy theory websites but from the leftist MSN news. Read the article by using that link. Note that Japan, Panama, Singapore, and Thailand are also doing the same thing or moving quickly in that direction. You don’t think the Biden administration will follow suit sooner rather than later? Don’t you see the clear correlation here with Revelation 13:16-18 and the mark of the beast? Are you still blind to what is happening worldwide, and the fact that this all points to the expansion of Satan’s antichrist plan being released into the earth?
The above is sobering and revealing.
Churches that capitulated and submitted to closing their doors and followed the unscriptural, ungodly Covid mess have passed with flying colors the antichrist test for future branding! They are ready to receive the antichrist’s deception and mark UNLESS they repent and do it quickly so they are not in the category where “God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie”! Many have already fallen for a strong delusion and believe a lie! Read it in 2 Thessalonians 2:11. It refers to the coming antichrist or the beast with his lying signs and wonders used to deceive the world. (See the context in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.)
Don’t leave it for tomorrow! Wake up and repent!
NOTES:
[1] A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson. It is a primary source of information on the golden age of pirates. It is easy to find online and download. It is full of interesting stories, biographies, exploits, and facts about the life and death of those famous pirates.
[2] I got interested in pirate history while living on St. Thomas some 23 years ago. I owned a retail store that carried a few “pirate” related souvenirs. Tourists wanted to take back home a Jolly Roger (skull and cross bones) flag, bandana, key chain, mug, or something like it.
[3] The brigantine was a very maneuverable and fast sailing vessel that was perfectly suited for the needs of piracy.
History is sprinkled with revolts against kings, nations, and governments that were considered oppressive. When studied, it looks like everybody and their mother revolted about something down through the millennia. Some of the revolts were small and localized, others were larger. Some encompassed a nation (or nations) struggling for freedom from a larger and stronger oppressor. The list of historical revolts of one kind or another number into the hundreds.
I am not a fan of Wikipedia because they are generally biased on all things conservative but look under the list of revolts. It is a colossal list of revolts from all quarters of the globe. The list refers to humans revolting against other humans for numerous reasons. The revolts are of this realm or of the natural world.
The greatest revolts and rebellions in history are not referred to by Wikipedia because they have been spiritual and not based on natural concerns, ideology, or politics.
I am writing about the massive revolts against God’s Word that permeate spiritual history. I am referring to the revolt against the Father’s moral authority and order in the universe.
The first great revolt or rebellion happened in Heaven. Lucifer tried to usurp God’s throne. Big mistake! That insurrection was joined by a third of the angelic host that supported Lucifer’s short-lived attempt to dethrone God and set up a new kingdom. Huge mistake! It was an uprising doomed to failure from its inception. No one can dethrone God the Father! (See Isaiah 14:12-17, Ezekiel 28:12-19, and Revelation 12:7-9.) [i]
We know about Adam and Eve’s rebellion and how that affected the planet, and everybody born in it. (Genesis 3) That treason and revolt against God’s commandments required the redemption paid for by Jesus through His death and resurrection.
There was the rebellion against God that led to the worldwide flood in the time of Noah. Wickedness, corruption, and violence filled the earth to the place that it needed a total washing and cleansing. (Genesis 6) Since God covenanted never to destroy the inhabitants of the earth via a worldwide flood, He now has other plans.
The earth is now getting nearer to the time of the melting of the elements and a new heaven and new earth. Don’t worry about a little temperature change here and there because the earth will melt like a snowball in hell, and God will make a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells! All evil will forever be eradicated!
But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men….But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:7, 10-13 NKJV)
Jesus said the condition of the earth right before He returns will be as it was in the days of Noah.
When the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived. (Matthew 24:37 CEV)
Just as it was when Noah lived [in the days of Noah; Genesis 6--9], so it will bewhen the Son of Man comes again [ in the days of the Son of Man]. (Luke 17:26 EXB)
What was it like in the days of Noah?
The Lord saw that the wickedness (depravity) of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination or intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5 AMP)
That means that when Jesus returns that people without God will be extremely wicked (depraved), full of violence, and every inclination of the thoughts of their minds will be only evil all the time. That sounds almost identical to what is supported by the Demonrat political platform: Antifa, BLM, abortion and the sale of murdered baby parts, CRT, open borders, LGBTQ, and the rest of their evil and perverted mess!
The [population of the] earth was corrupt [absolutely depraved—spiritually and morally putrid] in God’s sight, and the land was filled with violence [desecration, infringement, outrage, assault, and lust for power]. (Genesis 6:11 AMP)
Jesus said that it would be like that before His coming back to the earth. The depravity and wickedness we see on the earth today should not be a surprise. The depiction of the world in the days of Noah describes our world today. The days of Noah have begun. There is no question.
Biblical prophecy has come to pass right before our eyes. Something happened March/April of 2020 that had never happened before since the inauguration of the church on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. It caused the most of the church on a worldwide scale to bow down in a revolt against God’s Word, commandments, and the example of the apostles and leaders of the church in Acts.
Again, none of the above should surprise us because Jesus prophesied that a great revolt or rebellion would happen, and Paul clearly taught about it.
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 NIV)
Note the following Bible version:
Do not let anyone fool [deceive] you in any way. That day of the Lord [v. 2] will not come until the turning away from God [great rebellion; apostasy; Matt. 24:11–12; 1Tim. 4:1; 2Tim. 3:1–5; 2Pet. 2:3; Jude 18] happens and the Man of Evil [Wickedness; Lawlessness; probably the Antichrist; 1John 2:18; Rev. 13], who is on his way to hell [the son of destruction; John 17:12], appears. (2Thessalonians 2:3 EXB)
That is an unusual version because the connected references in Scripture are injected into the verse. It’s a little distracting when trying to read a verse, but it is also informative and a quick reference to other verses that have a similar theme.
Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed]. (2 Thessalonians 2:3 Amplified)
Note the word “rebellion” in verse three. Older translations use the word apostasy, but that is a transliteration and not a definition of the original Greek word apostasia. The word apostasia means a departing from, but more importantly here, it means a rebellion or revolt.
Bible versions CEB, DRA, ESV, GW, GNT, ISV, LEB, TLB, MOUNCE, NOG, NET, NLT, and 10 others besides the three I already gave you, translate the Greek word apostasia as either rebellion or revolt. [ii] That means that 25 translations favor revolt or rebellion. I am using the word revolt because it better defines what I am referring to. The great revolt is a massive departure from the Word of God and a rejection of His moral authority.
Here is one of the versions that translates apostasia as “revolt.”
Don’t let anyone deceive you about this in any way. That day cannot come unless a revolt takes place first, and the man of sin, the man of destruction, is revealed. (2 Thessalonians 2:3 GNT)
The great revolt has begun on a massive scale!
Here is a reference to this revolt in the words of Jesus.
And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:10-14 NLT)
That refers to the great rebellion or revolt, and it also signals a great move of God that will shake the earth right before the coming of the Lord! More about the greatest revival this earth has ever seen a little further down in the article.
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV)
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. (1 Timothy 4:1 NKJV)
Many churches showed that they lacked spiritual power in their religious tradition when they closed their door upon the whim of perverted government officials. We are living in the actual fulfillment of these prophetic verses right now.
Yes, the church on a worldwide scale was deceived (with a few exceptions) into a revolt against Heaven! They received the Covid-19 doctrine of demons and shut down their churches in obedience to Satan. Forget all the weak and sissified excuses put forward by some church leaders about closing for the greater good, because of loving your neighbor, and being a community partner. That was all a lie! The truth is they rebelled against Heaven!
The revolt or great rebellion is not something that is coming, it is something that has already begun on a global scale. I've never seen anything like this and neither has anyone else since the beginning or inauguration of the church in Acts 2. No one has ever seen where the entire church on a worldwide scale has shut down operations.[iii] Yet, many pastors and churches are acting as if nothing happened and are not addressing the HUGE deception in every church that shut down. Yes, I know there were a VERY few exceptions of churches that refused to close, but nothing on this scale. It’s like having a wooly mammoth in the room and denying its existence! Pastors and churches are trying to sweep the behemoth under the rug! How can anyone be so blind as to not see it stomping around among them?
I used to have a neighbor living above me in an apartment complex that would stomp around almost every morning to get ready to go to work. I wondered if she was a part of the Broadway production “Stomp” and was practicing her part every morning. This woman may have weighed 120 pounds soaking wet, and yet she stomped around as though she were a 12-ton elephant! I could set my watch by her stomping at 5:30 AM every weekday. At first it was bothersome, but I got used to it. No use in talking to management about it because no one would have believed that such a small woman could be so heavy on her feet!
Christians have a huge prehistoric creature like the wooly mammoth stomping around in their churches and yet they refuse to see it! It truly is a bizarre time in Christianity. Again, I have never witnessed anything like it. Nobody I have asked has lived through anything like this in all their years. I’ve asked people in their 80’s and up and no one has seen it before.
I’ve read books on church history throughout the ages since its inauguration in Acts 2. There is no record of something like this on a global scale. There were city, state, or national persecutions and forced church closures. Churches closing voluntarily in obedience to men on a global scale in a unified revolt against the Word of God, that has NEVER happened before!
Some persecutions were so severe that it led to the beating, imprisonment, and martyrdom of many church leaders and their flocks. Church history is full of stories of small and great persecutions against Christians, Persecution started early in the book of Acts. Sometimes Christians had to flee to get away from the destruction of the wicked against them, but never, no, NEVER, has the entire church shut down operations worldwide!
What could this possibly be other than a GREAT FALLING AWAY, great revolt, or REBELLION?
The church has rebelled on a massive scale. They have rebelled against God's Word and have done so publicly and brazenly. Yes, there were a few exceptions, but when all but a handful of churches in the USA and a few in Canada stayed open, something horrific has happened! This massive revolt against God is being swept under the rug and ignored as though it will go away on its own. It will not go away without heart-felt repentance!
The Great Revolt and Rebellion Against God
All that I am going to mention here requires the public ministry of the church. When churches closed they rebelled and revolted against what God has commanded churches to do.
*Most churches closed operations on a global scale in opposition or in rebellion to Hebrews 10:25 and the example in the book of Acts.
Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25 AMPC)
The more you see the day of the coming of the Lord approaching, should all the churches close their doors? NO! The more we should be faithful to assemble! To assemble is not via video chat but in person ministry. There is no such thing as assembling long-distance. It happens ONLY when the saints get together to worship the Lord, teach and preach, and minister as the Spirit leads.
NOWHERE in the entire New Testament are we told to shut down our churches because the government tells us to. Many in the churches foolishly took their stand and said, “Oh, but we closed because we are supposed to be under the authority of the government according to Romans 13! We were obedient to the governing authorities.” We should be subject to the ruling authorities UNTIL the governing authority commands us to disobey the Scripture! That is the dividing line. We follow the laws of the land UNTIL the laws violate the Word, then we must choose obeying the Word of God without exception. God is first! His Word is our supreme authority. Nothing is bigger than God, and nothing is above His Word, not even His Name! (Psalms 138:2)
The early Church would not stop preaching in the Name of Jesus even after severe warnings, threats of imprisonment, or beatings. The “ruling authorities” commanded them to stop, but they would not do it. They would not shut up or shut down! They were following the Highest authority!
But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” After further threats they let them go. (Acts 4:17-20 NIV)
Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail… “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood. Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!... They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. (Acts 5:17-18, 28-29, 40-42 NIV)
Threaten them, command them not to preach and teach, jail them, and beat them with whips, and they go right back out to continue with their ministry! They NEVER stopped! That is what the churches should have done, but they didn’t! They were told to shut down and they disobeyed the Scripture and the example of the apostles in the book of Acts, and they bowed their knee to Covid restrictions and mandates! Repent! Do it now, and then repent publicly because your actions were public when you surrendered to the world and the devil!
*Churches rebelled and revolted against gathering to continually to hear the Word. (See 2 Timothy chapters 3 and 4.)
*Churches rebelled against ministering from their pulpits and having altar calls for people to be saved, ministers stopped going to [reach and teach, and people were not getting baptized in water. It was a revolt against the great commission in Matthew 28:19 and it was a revolt against Mark 16:17,18 on casting out demons, speaking in new tongues, and laying hands on the sick.
We are supposed to heal the sick, and not be afraid of any disease! Churches allowed the devil to stop their healing ministry to the sick, many of them for months! Ministries with “healing rooms” closed their doors! What? Ministers with healing ministries were afraid of a virus with a 99.97 % survivability post infection rate for most humans on the planet, and they donned their masks and practiced everything the wicked ordered them to do! Could you imagine that? You have a healing ministry but closed because of a virus? What kind of cowards does that make these people? Please, I beg you to repent because the Body of Christ shouldn't have to do without you.
Others in dead or dying churches were not doing the Word anyway with their sissified and corrupted ministries of preaching fluffy cotton-candy messages. They didn’t believe in healing anyway. These must also be confronted with the truth that THEY SINNED, and that they must repent, that is, IF they want mercy and grace from the Lord. If they don’t repent, their fate is already sealed with the enemy. They need to get out of that stinking religious trash and begin to preach the Word without compromise.
*The Church revolted against the Table of the Lord (communion) instituted by Jesus. (1 Corinthians 11:25-30)
*The Church revolted and rebelled against laying hands on people to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak with other tongues. (Acts 10:44-46, 8: 19:6)
*The Church rebelled and revolted in its healing ministry and anointing the sick with oil in the name of the Lord. (James 5:14-16)
*The Church revolted against performing weddings ordained by God between a male and a female. (1Corinthians 7:1-4)
*The church rebelled and revolted against true religion. (James 1:27)
The list could go on.
Instead of the church being a beacon of light on the hill, it became the lamp under the table with all its mask wearing! It became Moses when he came from the glory and presence of God on Sinai, and so much glory was coming from his face that he had to veil it! The world veiled the glory (whatever glory was in it) of the church and masked them as a mockery to the Word!
Do you understand now that a REVOLT or REBELLION has been sustained by most churches on a worldwide scale for the more than a year? Do you realize that most Churches all over the planet are guilty of a revolt and rebellion against Heaven?
Following is what Samuel told Saul when he did not recognize his own disobedience and rebellion to the Word of the Lord.
Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed [is better] than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as [serious as] the sin of divination (fortune-telling), and disobedience is as [serious as] false religion and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you as king. (1 Samuel 15:22-23 AMP)
REBELLION is equivalent to the practice of witchcraft and idolatry. The church worldwide submitted to idolatry and witchcraft when they rebelled globally against the Word of God!
Every single church that closed submitted to rebellion and a revolt against God’s authority, and as such pastors, ministers, and churches must repent by the millions.
Globally, right now, there should be massive repentance, but I don't see it anywhere. Many are acting like it never happened. Do you see massive repentance? Do you see congregations and pastors coming to repentance on social media or on their church websites? Churches are starting to open but without any remorse or repentance. Do you think they will have the presence of the Lord without repentance? Do you think there will be any anointing there? I am sorry to burst your bubble (not sorry at all), but those that rejected the Word of the Lord are rejected by God until they repent.
Why are not churches and pastors repenting for rebellion, witchcraft, and idolatry? Why? Why don't they feel the need to repent? Where is the remorse for sin and unrighteousness?
Yet I am glad now, not because you were hurt and made sorry, but because your sorrow led to repentance [and you turned back to God]; for you felt a grief such as God meant you to feel, so that you might not suffer loss in anything on our account. For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death. For [you can look back and] see what an earnestness and authentic concern this godly sorrow has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves [against charges that you tolerate sin], what indignation [at sin], what fear [of offending God], what longing [for righteousness and justice], what passion [to do what is right], what readiness to punish [those who sin and those who tolerate sin]! At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in the matter. (2 Corinthians 7:9-11 AMP)
What is the condition of a person that refuses to repent or of a person that can’t even see their sin like Saul? Should they expect the presence of the Lord? Will the Lord come to their aid unless they repent? Will the Holy Spirit be among the rebellious that have yielded to idolatry and witchcraft?
Is it the right Biblical perspective to believe the Spirit of the Lord will be among those that resist Him? Are all the non-repentant for their rebellion against the Word of the Lord to expect God's anointing and victory? Are pastors that refuse to repent for their rebellion to believe that they will be OK because of grace? Remember Saul's rebellion!
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV)
For this is what the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.” But you were not willing. (Isaiah 30:15 NKJV)
Many are expecting a great end-time revival. I am too. Great manifestations of God’s glory will come to pass, but will that happen without repentance? Only where there is humility and repentance will grace flow like a river. The prideful and rebellious get NOTHING from God!
Thank God for the gift of repentance! Thank God for His mercy and goodness! He never fails to forgive and cleanse from unrighteousness all those that will humble themselves and repent of their wicked ways and turn back to God!
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9 NASB)
The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy. (Proverbs 28:13 NET)
But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble… Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. (James 4:6, 10 NET)
All over the world, there is a deadness among most Christians of all denominations. Even among those that were anointed, until they repent for revolting against Heaven there will be no anointing. If they don’t repent of their rebellion, they will perish.
I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally. … I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally. (Luke 13:3, 5 AMPC)
There is still as little time to repent, but the time is quickly ending. The reality is I am not holding my breath expecting all those that bowed their knee to repent. I hope they do, but like the false prophetess Jezebel, the Lord will give the rebellious time to repent, but eventually, that will end. Jesus said that!
I gave her time to repent [to change her inner self and her sinful way of thinking], but she has no desire to repent of her immorality and refuses to do so. Listen carefully, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her [I will bring] into great anguish, unless they repent of her deeds. (Revelation 2:21-22 AMPC)
Lord, do Your eyes not look for honesty? You have struck them, But they did not weaken; You have consumed them, But they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to repent. (Jeremiah 5:3 NKJV)
I have listened and heard, They have spoken what is not right; No one repented of his wickedness, Saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turned to his own course, Like a horse charging into the battle. (Jeremiah 8:6 NKJV)
If one does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and taken aim. (Psalms 7:12 NKJV)
This is what the Lord God says: “Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.” (Ezekiel 14:6 NKJV)
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live!” (Ezekiel 18:32 NKJV)
Never postpone repentance! Never! Postponing repentance is like playing Russian roulette consistently with a .44 magnum revolver! Sooner or later, the one who plays will eat a bullet! It could cost you eternity with God and you wind up in a devil’s hell if you postpone repentance.
The great revolt or rebellion has begun! Don’t be fooled! It’s here now for all to see. It is not the time for “nice” preaching. Too much is at stake. “Nice” will not save or deliver anybody! The church NEEDS voices proclaiming strongly and consistently, “Repent, and get ready to meet the Bridegroom! He is coming!”
Have you ever read the parable of the ten virgins?
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish [thoughtless, silly, and careless], and five were wise [far-sighted, practical, and sensible]. For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delayed, they all began to nod off, and they fell asleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! The bridegroom [is coming]! Go out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order [trimmed the wicks and added oil and lit them]. But the foolish virgins said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No, otherwise there will not be enough for us and for you, too; go instead to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves.’ But while they were going away to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut and locked. Later the others also came, and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open [the door] for us.’ But He replied, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I do not know you [we have no relationship].’ Therefore, be on the alert [be prepared and ready], for you do not know the day nor the hour [when the Son of Man will come]. (Matthew 25:1-13 AMP)
Five were devoid of oil for their lamps or the anointing that produces light or the fire of the Spirit. They had no oil for their lamps. They were not ready to meet the Lord. The five alert virgins with oil for their lamps were slumbering but got ready and they went into the wedding banquet with the Lord. The door was slammed shut and the five unprepared virgins were left outside with the words, "I never knew you."
No one in the Church will be able to hang on to anybody else’s coattail and go in to meet the Lord when He comes. That is what the 5 unprepared virgins tried. You will not be able to rest on granny’s, uncle’s, mama’s, dad’s, pastor’s, or your church’s supply of oil. You will need your own “oil”! Get it now and do not wait till the last moment because while you are struggling to get right with God and get the anointing, the Master will come, and you will be left out!
Now, here is something startling about that prophetic Word. Could the five unprepared virgins mean that half of the people that call themselves Christians will be left out because they are not going to be ready to meet the Lord when He comes for them? Yes, I believe that is exactly what that means, but then there is the other glorious side to this.
Could the five prepared virgins mean that even though the church looks basically dead right now because it almost universally shut down in a revolt against Heaven, that the Lord is going to work on the Church in one final moment of time before His coming and that half of all Christendom will be ready to go meet Him? Wow! Could that mean that something so glorious and so powerful is going to happen in Christendom before the Lord comes that out of the 2.5 billion professing Christians 1.25 billion will be ready to meet the Bridegroom? Because of what is getting ready to explode on the scene, what kind of numbers could we be talking about including all the new converts? It is going to be staggering. Glory to God!
What kind of Church is He going to present to Himself? Is it going to be a decrepit, run down, powerless, gutless, cowering, fearful, capitulating, compromising, unfaithful, and whoring Church? NO!
So that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless. (Ephesians 5:26, 27 AMP)
His real and true Church will be a glorious church without the spot or wrinkle of sin or any such thing when it is presented to Him! Something is getting ready to happen that will shake the Body of Christ to its core. In fact, I believe it will shake the planet with God’s power and deliver such a blow to the enemy’s camp that the kingdom of darkness will never recover. Something so powerful and so amazing is getting ready to happen that it will cause people to turn to God by the millions. Many have prophesied about a move of God that will cover the globe right before the coming of the Lord, and I believe we are starting to see it come to pass right now!
Where?
As an example, when churches all over the planet shut down, I know of two churches in my area that refused to shut down and cave to the false prophets of Covid. For these churches, 2020 was the greatest year in their history, and 2021 is even bigger. Miraculous ministry growth and multiplication is taking place. Both churches have multiplied in size, outreach, income, and most importantly, in souls coming into the kingdom! The anointing has increased exponentially in these churches! It has been an amazing testimony that I have had the privilege to watch up close and personal.
If your church closed, NEVER go back unless the pastor repents publicly for rebellion and a revolt against Heaven. Find a church that never closed its doors, and if you are too far away from one that did not surrender to Satan’s lies, ask the Lord if you can start one in your area! The Lord is calling the few and the strong in Him to start churches in their areas that will not compromise the Scripture no matter what happens.
Download a free PDF copy of “A CALL TO RETURN: Restoring the Roots of our Relationship with Jesus” here unless you want to pay for a physical copy or purchase more. Barnes and Noble, Christian Book , Westbow Press have it available. The point of the book was and is to bring to repentance the lukewarm and backslidden in the churches, and to help get the Church ready to be presented to the Lord. I wrote it in 2014 and published it in 2015.
What can you do to help? You can help get this timely message out by sending this article to everybody you know. Forward the podcast. Send them "A Call To Return." Do your part to get this message out. Be like an evangelist and be fervent about it!
If you have any questions on all the false Covid 19 policies and procedures imposed by the CDC, Fauci, and local government officials, please go to my previous articles and there you will find all the info you need debunking it all.
NOTES:
[i] Some reject this interpretation of these verses but there are many reasons to believe it is right.
[ii] The three-letter abbreviations refer to Bible translations or versions. Find them at http://biblegateway.com.
[iii] Only a handful of churches remained open in North America. These are led by HERO pastors, my kind of heroes! All of them were arrested at one point or another, and even now, a few pastors are in jail in Canada for keeping their churches open.
Now on to today's podcast message:
*Published originally in May of 2020 but it is revised and even more important right NOW!
Baaaaaaaaaa!
Some months ago, I saw an elderly man with a head full of white hair holding up a sign on a street corner with a picture of a group of people wearing face masks. He was there like Elijah or Elisha with fire in his eyes! I missed the photo op, or I would have used his image with the sign for this article. As you may have already figured out, the sign read: SPINELESS AMERICAN SHEEP! I was shocked but immediately understood his stern message. It was a glaring truth.
To set the record straight, and so you don't get wrong ideas with my comments, I was born an American citizen on the island of Puerto Rico, as were my parents, and I love my country. I am very patriotic, so I stand for the flag, say the Pledge of Allegiance, believe and agree 100% in our Constitution and Bill of Rights, pay taxes, vote for good government whenever possible, support our military and vets, strongly support law enforcement (as long as they don't try to impose unconstitutional garbage), and obey the laws of the land as long as they do not go contrary to the Word of God! I obey traffic laws (though not perfectly!), and societal and business laws as long as they don't violate Scripture. I am all for America and not against it in any way.
I am against bad government and the violation of our constitutional rights. I am against government on any level ordering the closure of churches and businesses! I am against using useless masks, social distancing, and dangerous vaccines!
If we are going to fix some things in our country, we must face the inconvenient truth that during this Covid-19 crisis people of all colors and creeds, and CHURCHES and CHRISTANS were all too willing to submit to a controlling agenda that was oppressive and enslaved many to stupid rules and regulations. Some state governors and local government officials have showed their true colors by becoming fascist dictators! Many state and local governments went overboard and established laws and rules that were in direct violation of the supreme law of the land which is the Constitution, and of course, the Bill of Rights.
During this so-called pandemic, most Americans acted like sheep and submitted to massive violations of their constitutional rights.
I am sorry to say that for a short time at the beginning of the Covid mess, I acted like a sheep, until the Lord opened my eyes to see the truth! It took a couple of months, but I finally woke up and repented! All the news media was spouting was fear based and grossly out of proportion. I shut them out and turned them OFF! I began to consistently follow ministers and churches that did not shut down in my area and refused the ignorant Covid-19 policies and local government orders. These churches were consistently reporting the truth about the false pandemic. It was so timely and powerful that I can say it was and is life changing. Glory to God!
Here is an interesting fact.
People that lived under the oppression of the Soviet Union (USSR) and communist China have stated that what has happened in America (and around the world) reminded them of their previous lives under communist rule. I’ve never lived in those countries, but those that were under the control of communist regimes tell us that America slipped into a dictatorship mode and totalitarianism, some calling it fascism. Some have equated it to the many restrictions and policies of Nazi Germany against the Jews.
Most Americans acted like sheep in that they followed their local government leaders even if it meant enslavement. Did you notice the mad power grab of politicians to control everybody and everything? Did you also notice that the more controlling and totalitarian dictators have been the Democrat governors and the liberal local government officials? There is nothing democratic, and NOTHING that promotes liberty among them! Liberal and liberty are not anywhere near close to each other in definition and action, and are generally at opposite ends of the spectrum. Democrat, liberal, and progressive are the new titles for a totalitarian, socialist, and communist movement that wants to destroy our American constitutional republic and convert it into communist China, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, or something that resembles the former USSR with a total government control over its populace!
I would NEVER vote for any Democrat or Republican that supports mass murder. I am referring to abortions until the 9th month, with some Demonrats (no, it's not a mistake in spelling) even agreeing to putting the newborn to death as it comes out of the womb!
I will never support anyone that supports LGBT agendas by trying to impose them on the general population, in our education system, or on the military. I would never support a political candidate that generally despises our military and good law enforcement.
The perverted and inhumane garbage that all devil-rat Democrats and some Republicans support is truly demon-inspired. People that vote for these false prophets of Baal are being led by the nose into sin and death.
Have you noticed the hatred and utter disdain among the majority of Demonrats for God, Christianity, and anything to do with Biblical moral principles? They call that which is evil good, and that which is good evil! (Isaiah 5:20) The spirit of antichrist has found a home among their ranks, and many Republican politicians are in the same boat on many fronts!
What have these anti-American, totalitarian, regimes in our state and local governments demanded? People were told what to do, what to wear, where they could go and not go, where to shop, and they sent children home from school without any parental consent. They acted like they owned the populace! Americans, Christian and non-Christian, and all colors and creeds allowed it. The whole country (and around the world) were subjected to the whims of politicians that closed businesses and churches. We were told how far to stand from each other, and to stop shaking hands. Local governments shut down our beaches and parks.
Don't you hate this evil perpetuated against America, and especially against churches and Christians? "Oh but I only love in Jesus. I could never hate," some have foolishly espoused as their official position because they don't know the Scripture and refuse to obey it.
Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. (Psalms 97:10)
To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. (Proverbs 8:13)
Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. (Amos 5:15)
"Oh but that is old Testament", was blabbed out by some ignoramus! How about the words of Paul? Is that enough of the New Testament for you?
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (Romans 12:9)
Did you know Jesus hates doctrines that lead people into sin and darkness? You didn't? Is the book of Revelation in the New Testament? Yes it is, and this is Jesus speaking to one of the churches that had allowed the false teaching of the Nicolaitans to invade their church. Note how Jesus HATED it.
But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Revelation 2:9)
Again, we acted like mindless sheep that simply followed the crowd with no thought about the cost to our freedoms. We were treated like stupid sheep, and we mostly fell for it. Well at least the man with the sign I told you about, and many others like me have refused to buy into their socialist and dictatorial agenda.
What’s next for America when another “plandemic” shows up? Will the future plandemic be related to the other false god of climate change? Watch the world stage because more lying plandemics are coming! When these happen, will they begin to tell us how many children we can have (depopulation is more in line with their agenda), what car to drive (only electric), and where to work because all small and private enterprise will be completely destroyed? Will they chip us like dogs to read our body temperatures or will they make our cell phones their new weaponry to spy on us? Will they forbid churches, tell us the length they want a woman’s dress to be, and order us on what haircuts are permissible, and how to comb our hair? The North Korean regime mandates that for their populace! It is not out of the question for complete totalitarian control of government. The question is, will we simply submit to dictatorial rule and lose the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and Bill of Rights?
For years I joked about some health providers and government agencies wanting too much information. I would complain, "They want your blood type and the temperature of your butt!" It was a joke until recently when the news was reported that a better Covid-19 test result could be obtained by a cotton swab inserted into the rectum! Are you ready for that? They would have to kill me first, and I am not that easy!
A totalitarian regime could be coming to America if we don’t take a stand NOW! Shed the spineless sheep mentality and become bold as a lion, as warriors that refuse to tolerate slavery and oppression. We need to fight for our freedoms and refuse to act like little sheep ready for the slaughter. We need to refuse the herd mentality and think for ourselves.
People have been quick to believe every grossly exaggerated news report through the perverted media outlets. All the media has done is spread fear and cause panic. Turn off their lying news! They made Covid-19 to be the mother of all viruses. They have made it into an excuse to steal our constitutional rights, and it is all based on a lie!
The different yearly flu viruses plaguing our planet have killed multiplied thousands EVERY single year, yet no one puts on face masks and maintains required social distancing, and all the other irritating and economically damaging rules we have been subjected to with the Covid-19 outbreak. Where's the running for a facemask and social distancing for that yearly flu "PANDEMIC"? Covid-19 is 99.9% survivable, but you never hear that from the socialist and communist media!
Study to show yourself approved and don't be taken for a sucker! Face masks allow 100% of viruses passage in and out! In other words, they DON'T protect you and they don't protect anybody around you. There are so many studies on this in the medical realm from 1975 and 2010 that to continue to use masks, is ridiculous and massively stupid! I've seen at least 20 studies on surgical use of masks where the researchers found out that surgical masks do not provide protection from infections, and may actually contribute to the spread of infections!
Mask mandates:
Medical studies on the use of masks reveal a few shocking things:
*Masks are useless at stopping viruses from infecting a person wearing one, and from stopping the virus from escaping the mask if someone is infected. Keep in mind the fact that ALL viruses are much smaller than the microscopic openings in the material used for masks. "It's like using a chain link fence to keep out mosquitos!" I heard someone else say that, but I don't remember who it was or I would give them credit because it really gives you a mental picture of what I am saying here.
*Masks hinder the intake of air for breathing (up to 30%) and hinder the exhaling of carbon dioxide into the air. That means that what you are rebreathing under the mask is partly carbon dioxide (a waste product that is unbreathable) and not the air you need to live! That contributes to the diminished function of a lot of internal organs!
There is evidence that surgeons have decreased mental acuity after 4-6 hours in the operating room after using a surgical mask. The real losers here are the little children being forced to wear masks for hours a day. What do you think oxygen deprivation together with carbon dioxide inhalation is doing to their developing brains and internal organs? It is criminal.
*Studies indicate that continual use of masks will have a detrimental effect on the immune system and will contribute to infections in the gums and lungs.
Look at these articles and videos by doctors, surgeons, medical professionals, and researchers on the subject of useless mask wearing. Wise up America!
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mask-mouth-dentists-warn-prolonged-use-of-masks-leading-to-poor-oral-hygiene
https://www.globalresearch.ca/face-masks-pose-serious-risks-healthy/5712649
https://www.globalresearch.ca/studies-show-dehumanizing-masks-weaken-you-dont-protect-you/5713580
https://www.globalresearch.ca/covid-19-continuous-wearing-of-mask-aggravates-the-risk-of-infection-psychological-terrorism/5719704
You better examine these articles by medical professionals and get the real news about the dangers of wearing face masks! The media, Dr. Fauci, and the governments of the world are lying to the public and causing people severe harm by insisting on wearing masks!
Dr. Lee Merritt on the falsehoods of masks:
https://www.americasfrontlinedoctors.com/custom_videos/mask-myths
A surgeon speaks out on the falsehood of the general population wearing masks:
https://principia-scientific.com/surgeon-destroys-myth-if-masks-dont-work-why-do-surgeons-wear-them/
Penile shrinkage because of mask usage:
https://nationalfile.com/study-chemical-that-causes-penile-shrinkage-found-in-face-masks/
Men, masking up is death to your manhood! Take off that stinking mask! Your wife will thank you!
Right now, many local and state governments refuse to open up economically and socially. 60% of all small businesses will never reopen! They are closed permanently because they could not recoup from the damage caused by the shutdown.
Read my previous article to get the real research on the experimental gene therapies being labeled as "vaccines." Will they attempt to force us to be vaccinated? Talk is in the wind. How about the chip already invented to be inserted into humans to track vaccination, health info, location, and more? What if the government stated that they would force everybody in America to get vaccinated and take this "mark of the beast" chip? That would be a huge mistake. If any attempt is made to coerce people to be vaccinated, all hell could break loose in this country, and blood could be spilled in our streets. I wonder how many Christians would allow themselves to be chipped?
Let's not be spiritually naïve. Everything is pointing to the fact that something way more sinister is attempting to manifest itself. Satan is attempting to establish a one-world government designed by him to rule the world through his antichrist. It's as if Covid-19 is a trial run to see how far local, state, and the federal governments can push the people under their control. It is a globalist demonic agenda. The response to Covid-19 proves that if the pandemic appears to be bad enough, many people will easily give up their rights and freedoms. That is a very bad precedent.
As long as the Body of Christ is here on planet earth, we are supposed to be the salt and the light of the world. I am sorry to write that most of the church showed itself during this Covid-19 shutdown to be saltless and with little to NO light. There were a very few exceptions to that, but mostly, the Church and Christians were weak and lacked the preservation qualities of salt, and had NO light that pierces the darkness. The Body of Christ on earth is supposed to keep corruption at bay and refuse to allow the enemy to take over the planet as long as it is here. The vast majority of churches complied with dictatorial rule and closed their doors with not even a whimper.
Americans of all colors and creeds acted like spineless sheep, shaking and trembling because they saw a wolf. We tolerated the unthinkable in America. Wake up America!
America, it is time to repent and come back to God, but it is also time to take a stand and fight, fight, and fight for our freedoms. America has had enough of the shutdown! Enough with the thuggery of local and state governments! Enough is enough!
Now to today's message:
Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings. (1 Timothy 4:1 NET)
10 And then many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one other. 11 Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 This Good News of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:10-14 Tree of Life Version)
1 Now regarding the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to be with him, we ask you brothers and sisters, 2 not to be easily shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion (the falling away, the apostasy) comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 NET)
Many deserting or turning away from the faith means it will be a great falling away or apostasy, and it is already happening! You are foolish if you don't see it!
That is a subject that my dad, Israel Rodriguez, preached about often. After I received Jesus in December of 1973, I watched and heard my dad preach and minister for 10 years before he passed away and went to heaven in 1983. He must have preached hundreds of times about the great falling away, the antichrist, the mark of the beast, the wrath of God, judgment, hell, and the lake of fire. He preached often from the book of Revelation and the prophetic Scripture that dealt with the end-times. Of course, he also preached about healing, repentance, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and tongues, and the promises of God, but he leaned heavily on the former.
Unfortunately, I did not want to pay too much attention to his messages of hell, fire, brimstone. When he would begin to preach on all that, I thought it was either condemnation or bordering on it, but it was delivering, healing, and saving truth. I often disliked those fiery messages because I thought they weren’t “good news.” How wrong I was! Did you read my previous post on “Gospel Preaching Versus Anemic Sermonettes”? It will straighten out wrong ideas about what is Gospel preaching.
My understanding of “good news” has changed dramatically since my dad preached those mighty sermons, especially over the last 12 years. It was a slow process of learning for me. Mentally, I am pretty sharp, but this has little to do with mental capacity and everything to do with receiving spiritual understanding by the Spirit. It took a while to get this straight in my spirit.
Let me summarize good news preaching by stating this:
“Good news” is whatever the Holy Spirit gives you to minister to the people, based on the Scripture. That is true even when the message is harsh, tough, and offensive. If it comes from Him, then even if it is speaking about God’s wrath and the lake of fire, then that is “good news”, and the anointing will rest upon it.
During the ministry of Hispanic evangelist, Yiye Avila (from Puerto Rico-now deceased), I learned that he often preached and ministered along the same lines as my dad. After a message like that you wondered who could receive Jesus. To my surprise, deaf ears and blind eyes would be healed, and the crippled would walk in every one of his crusades. The miracles were intense, varied, and abundant.
During a Yiye Avila crusade in Miami (around 1980), my Dad and I sat on the platform in the section reserved for visiting ministers. Dad knew Yiye for many years, even before Yiye was saved. Yiye preached for almost two hours about the antichrist, the great falling away, the great white throne judgment, the lake of fire, and the coming of the Lord. He also preached about living holy lives and being a witness. Then he prayed for the sick and the power of God electrified the place. It was like sticking your finger in the electrical outlet! Paralytics walked and many other miracles took place. Wheelchairs, walking sticks, and braces were lifted in the air above people's heads, and the miracles flowed like water. It was awesome to watch and hear the mighty healing and miracle testimonies. After that, he called for people to come to repentance and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Hundreds responded to the call! Some people ran to the front to receive Jesus. The gospel was preached as a witness (undeniable proof or evidence), and people streamed to the front!
John the Baptizer preached “good news” to the people that came to hear him. (Luke 3:18) Have you ever read what he preached? Let me give you a taste of it:
John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Luke 3:7-9)
You won’t hear that in most churches!
Those words came from the fiery neighborhood prophet of God! How would you like to wake up to, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” Then, Luke 3:18 has the unmitigated gall to call ALL he preached GOOD NEWS. It was good news because it woke people up to the truth and brought many to repentance! It also brought persecution and vitriol from the religiously brainwashed people, and those that loved their sin.
It was good news when John rebuked the adulterous relationship Herod had with his brother’s wife! Herodias was still married to Phillip, but she left him and went away and married Herod the tetrarch! (Luke 3:19, 20) It was adultery times two! How could that rebuke and others for Herod’s many sins be good news? In John’s case, the “good news” preaching led to his martyrdom. Herodias deceived Herod. She made her daughter dance sensually before Herod and he fell for the trap. The dancing forced Herod’s hand after he promised the girl anything she wanted. She asked for the Baptizer’s head on a platter! Herod granted the wish.
My dad always gave many Scripture references during his anointed messages. He was an excellent student of the Word. Often, he would stay up most of the night to study and pray. To top it off, my dad was an anointed, passionate, authoritative, Bible preacher. His preaching oozed with zeal, authority, and power. Let me add this: I saw some of the most amazing miracles under his ministry that I have ever seen.
I’ve seen many wonderful miracles and healings as I have ministered the anointing of the Holy Spirit to the people through the laying on of hands. There have been many undeniable proofs! I saw the same and more under dad’s ministry. Many were saved, healed, baptized in the Holy Spirit with tongues, and delivered from demons under that anointing he carried and wore so well. Dad had manifestations of unusual miracles like Paul did. (Acts 19:11, 12)
Now, I am getting ready to tell you a little bit of my story. Maybe you will begin to understand why I take the responsibility laid on me to come down so hard on all the Covid surrendering churches, pastors, ministers, congregations, and telling them to repent. Soon, I think you will understand why I am striking a death blow on compromise, capitulation, and surrender! Others may have their own reasons that God has used in their lives, and some may be copy cats, but here is my “testimony.” It's not a copy cat story!
Some have had a spotless ministry record and an idyllic marriage to one woman for many years. My hat is off to you and I salute you for a job well done. That is truly awesome! Thank God for tried and true ministers that have been faithful all these years and are a shining example!
Surprise!
I wish my story was a sweet story of loving the same woman in marriage and a pure ministry for 50 years or more, but it is far from that. Sorry, if you thought you were reading after some glorious ministry of 60 years! No so here, even though I started very early in ministry.
Are you ready?
My lack of listening with my heart to the WHOLE Word of God that my dear dad was preaching had a part in my falling away from faithfulness to God and His Word. I didn't follow his example. I was missing a huge part of Bible teaching and instruction that could have kept me out of huge problems, misunderstandings, errors, compromise, and sins. I taught some of what he taught about the end times at our Bible school, but I never taught it in public. I didn't like that message for the general public. Without that important information delivered in public as a part of our spiritual weapons of warfare, I wasn’t ready to deal with what happened, and neither were the people of our church family!
I went through major failure in ministry after being an anointed pastor and teacher on radio and TV, one that saw abundant results! From 84 until around 1988, we had one of the largest, if not the largest, or at least the fastest growing church in Puerto Rico. There is a lot of history here since the ministry was established in Puerto Rico in 1978 or so. My dad opened the way through his ministry to establish that church by plowing the field. The field needed plowing with TNT because traditional views contrary to God's Word were entrenched in Puerto Rico. My dad came with the explosiveness of Holy Spirit C-4 that shook churches and people everywhere he went. In late 1976, I started travelling to minister with my dad in Puerto Rico while I continued to pastor a church in Florida. The anointing would come on me heavily and my delivery and ministry to the people would increase dramatically while I was ministering in Puerto Rico. It didn't take long until I realized the Lord was calling to Puerto Rico.
Dad ministered often on radio and at churches in Puerto Rico throughout the 70’s, and I joined him and my mother in 1978 to establish that church, but I will keep it short. As soon as I arrived, I was thrust into a place in the anointing I had never been in. It was tangible, and a ministry of laying hands for healing the sick and for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and tongues burst onto the scene. It is not an exaggeration. So much history, and so many wonderful things to write about, but that may come at a later time.
I was the pastor of Iglesia Fe es La Victoria (Santurce, Puerto Rico) that ministered to the entire island via radio and TV, and to thousands of people every Thursday and Sunday. On any Sunday morning, we would jam about 2,000 men, women, and children into the theatre complex. Though we did not have an official membership roster, we knew from the people tithing and giving weekly that about three thousand or more people were being ministered to in the services alone. That excluded the media ministry and its glorious impact. The Word increased and multiplied EVERY day. Interestingly, the crowd that came on Thursdays was almost entirely different than the people we ministered to on Sundays. The smaller theatres in the complex were for children’s church, Bible school, and for overflow, and we often overflowed!
People were saved (they repented and were converted to God and the Lord Jesus), healed, baptized in the Holy Spirit with other tongues, and delivered from demons during those services and over radio and TV. It was so richly wonderful and glorious!
Dramatically and disgustingly, I missed the Lord’s direction in ministry because of my own hardheadedness and pride, and the anointing of the Spirit that caused all the growth and powerful ministry to the people began to wane in 1988-1989. I remember the day and moment, right in the middle of me preaching, when the anointing crested like a wave and began to decrease like a wave crashing on the shore. It was the sickest feeling in my gut I have ever had. It was painful and distressing because I knew I had grieved the Holy Spirit, but I couldn’t see any way out. I was blinded.
Everybody knew I was destroying the work of the Lord via my own doing, especially when I quit ministering and teaching like I had before in the anointing and power of the Spirit and became like a boring college professor with no power, no results, and no anointing. Yuk! Stick your finger in your throat and gag! It was VERY bad!
After a few months of that kind of dead ministry, Yiye Avila called me personally in early 1989 to see what had happened to me. He told me on that call that he listened to all of the messages I preached as often as he could, but that he saw a stark difference in my ministry starting in 1988. What happened to Dan Rodriguez? He tried to help me and correct me, but I didn’t listen. Dumb and dumber could be a description of me then! Yiye was my elder in the Lord and had been a friend with my dad for some years. I should have respected that association but I didn't. I gave Yiye some ignoramus reasons and hung up the phone as soon as possible. I didn't want to hear that I was wrong. In my heart, I knew I was wrong even while I talked to him, but I was too hardheaded and prideful to repent and get back to ministering like I should. Isn't that amazing? The Lord sent me an anointed evangelist to get me back on track and so I could repent, but I ignored him, and refused to repent, and it cost me the loss of everything. It didn't take long.
I faltered miserably and sinned often in the early 1990’s, though it was nothing reported by the news media. There was no public scandal like skipping town with the secretary, music director, a prostitute, or by going gay! In my case, the secretaries were not available, the music director was a man, I was never involved with a prostitute, and I wasn't a homosexual! I did not steal money and move to Bora Bora! I mention those sins because they seem to dominate church scandals often. The church members were spared of public scandals, but my life was one big dung-filled scandal! I was like Samson in that respect. My sinful activities got my eyes plucked out (blindness), my hair cut off (the key to the anointing), and I was left grinding a very heavy millstone like a burro! My enemies were ecstatic!
I left the ministry in early 1993 totally dazed and confused, and the church that had ministered to thousands of people dwindled away until on good days there were a couple of hundred left. Those that stayed were the stubborn. They should have all left. Every one of them! Today, in the same situation, I would have left early on as soon as I perceived the decline in the anointing. As soon as I would have seen that the altar calls had greatly decreased and finally were non-existent, and little to no results were evident, I would have been gone!
Don’t stick around in a dying church or you will die with them! I’m sorry to say that many of those that stayed, DIED, and as far as I know, never came back!
As a side note: Don't ever return to the Covid-caving churches and pastors that closed their doors for months, and became supporters of antichrist activities, UNLESS they publicly and vocally repent of their sins! Why? They are either already dead or they are dying UNLESS they repent! (Luke 13:3, 5) Any and every church that closed, supported the antichrist agenda of closing down the assembling of the church as a body (Hebrews 10:25), rejected continuing evangelism, baptism in water, (Matthew 28:19, 20), altar calls, laying hands on the sick for healing and anointing with oil for healing and repentance (Mark 16:18; James 5:14-16), the Lord's supper (1 Corinthians 11:25-30), the laying on of hands to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues (Acts 19:6), and just about every other church activity! What about baby dedications, preaching the Word to the saints, visiting prisons, hospitals, and performing wedding ceremonies? It was a suspension of Church fellowship and activities that totally contradict what the church in Acts did when they were commanded to stop preaching in the Name of Jesus and end their meetings! (See Acts chapters 4 and 5!) I will come back to that in a moment.
I spent most of the 90’s refusing to recognize or admit my sins. I fell away from the Lord and I was miserable! I lost everything I held dear, including family and friends, but I refused to repent of my sins and get myself right with God. It was my own doing. It was all my fault. There was no one to blame but me. I refused to see the truth. Yes, I am brutally honest with myself. I learned to do that. It did not come naturally. It’s so very uncomfortable, and it makes me squirm just to retell it, but it is so extremely important! A rude awakening and a brutal honesty about your spiritual condition is absolutely necessary.
Repentance is not possible without being brutally honest with yourself. Blame others for your sins and you will NEVER get out of them!
I have seen people do that. I've done that. It is like Adam and Eve after they sinned. Adam blamed God for giving him "that woman" that gave him the forbidden fruit to eat. Eve blamed the fact that the fruit looked good to eat and it was all the serpent's fault! (See Genesis 3.) There was no excuse. It was their fault, but they refused to admit that they were at fault, and they did not repent, at least not in Genesis 3.
By 1996, I began to seek the Lord consistently, but I had not come to repentance yet. I read my Bible and continually asked for God’s help. I did not need rocket science or "special" revelation to repent, but I was blinded by tragedy, despair, and sin. I was the problem, and no one else was responsible but me. It was good to finally come to that realization, but none of that mattered until I repented.
Many were praying for me. My mother and grandmother never quit praying for me to be restored. There were others that took it upon themselves to pray for me every day. I didn’t know about any of that until some years after I repented.
To set up a story I'm going to tell you, I lived in New York City until early 1999. How anybody can live in all that mess called New York City is beyond me. It's much, much worse now with the hell Cuomo and De Blassio have created for all New Yorkers, especially with all the Covid trash. It's become a totalitarian regime and police state! I know people that have lived in the city their whole lives and don't want to live anywhere else. Now, finally, a large number of New Yorkers are seeing the light and moving to other states! Many are moving to Florida. Please leave your devil-inspired politics up there. You voted in De Blassio and Cuomo and look at what your demon-inspired politics got you. Don't bring your libtard views to Florida or else continue travelling west until you reach sunny California and "enjoy" Gavin Newsom's Marxist hell. Sorry New Yorkers, I don't feel sorry for your predicament! You created your feces and garbage covered streets with your liberal views by voting in devils to lead your government, and now you are "enjoying" the fruit of your support of demon-inspired politics. Hey, you can always repent and cry out to God for mercy! Apply 2 Chronicles 7:14 here!
While in New York, a “dumb ass” (from KJV- 'a speechless donkey') spoke to me from the Lord in 1998! A non-Christian, a sinner, half-drunk, and after smoking a joint, suddenly sobered up and his visage changed. Oh oh! He looked straight into my eyes and stated in a completely sober voice, “Dan, you have to get back to preaching and ministering!” What?! I knew it was the Lord. I could see it in his eyes! He had no clue what he said! Then, he pulled out a fifth of rum from his coat pocket and chugged it down like water! This guy would have never said that to me of his own accord in a million years! The dumb ass spoke to the mad (crazed) and backslidden “prophet”! I am not calling myself a prophet, but you get the message. It’s sad when you are so hard hearted and so blinded by pride that the Lord has to use a dumb ass to get your attention! Yes, I like "dumb ass" better than "donkey" as used in most modern translations. It seems to get my message across better! See the story of Balaam and the donkey that received the temporary ability to speak in Numbers 22:21-33 KJV.
In March of 1999, I finally admitted, confessed, repented of my many sins, and got right with God. I humbled myself before the Lord, as it were, in dust and ashes. It was truly an amazing coming back to the Lord Jesus! He came and forgave me and cleansed me of my unrighteousness, and He set me free! His holy presence and glorious power came into my tiny apartment like a sudden thunderstorm, and the manifestation of His glory stayed there and on me for days. It was truly for me a “WOW” experience!
Listen carefully here because it was a close call for me.
This should put the fear of God in many that are reading this now. This is for you, and never forget it!
After I repented, the Lord spoke to me vividly and clearly. It would not have been clearer or louder if someone were standing next to me and yelled it into my ear. The Lord said to me that 1999 would have been my last year on earth had I not repented. Oh my God! The door for me to repent was going to slam shut in my face by the end of the year! Not only was that a scary and horrifying thought, but a harsh warning that still makes me feel shocked and in awe when I think about it. It makes me shiver. Just a little longer and I would have gone to hell for all eternity! Just now, it hit me again and I stopped typing, and with tears in my eyes I gave thanks to the Lord for His enduring mercy! Glory to God! I almost lost out with God for all eternity, but when I humbled myself and repented, He received me with arms wide open! My God! Yes, an awfully close call. Too close.
The moral of the story is:
Never postpone repentance! Never! Postponing repentance is like playing Russian roulette consistently with a .44 magnum revolver! Sooner or later you will eat a bullet!
It could cost you eternity with God and you wind up in a devil’s hell if you postpone repentance. Hell would have received me had I died in the condition I was in before repenting. I was a mess. I was a sinner, even though I had been an anointed minister of the Gospel. I had gone back to wallow around in the muck and miry vomit of the world.
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:20-22 NASB)
Get it? I was close to going to a devil’s hell for practicing sin or lawlessness! I would have been like Judas Iscariot! He had a powerful ministry among the other apostles and was sent out by Jesus to preach repentance, heal the sick, and cast out demons, (Matthew 10:1-4) but he lost it all when he betrayed the Lord and never repented! Like Judas, I once had a glorious ministry, but I would have lost it forever and gone to a devil's hell and the the lake of fire for practicing lawlessness.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NASB)
Thank God for the gift of repentance! Thank God for His mercy and goodness! He never fails to forgive and cleanse from unrighteousness all those that will humble themselves and repent of their wicked ways and turn back to God! It will work even for backslidden preachers! I am living proof of that!
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9 NASB)
The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy. (Proverbs 28:13 NET)
But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble… Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. (James 4:6, 10 NET)
Maybe now you can understand why I talk relentlessly and harshly about the Covid-surrendering pastors and churches that bowed down to the false prophets of Baal, and many refuse to repent! I was like them in the fact that I fell away at one time and refused to repent, and know what refusing to repent will do. Even at the very beginning of the Covid mess, I was almost led away with all the unbelieving churches and pastors, but it was very short lived because I could see and feel the fear behind it. It was evil and I knew it.
What did I do to get out of that demon-inspired and fear ridden mess that began March/April of 2020?
I quickly turned off all social and the lying news media. Yes, all the alphabet soup news had to go! Next, I hooked into ministries, churches, and pastors that refused to bow their knee, and were propagating the truth. Finally, I quit giving my tithes and offerings to the dead, and ONLY tithe and give to two churches that NEVER surrendered to the lying Covid antichrist spirit. That is what changed me completely! I am getting REFIRED, RENEWED, and REFRESHED every time I go to their services or attentively watch them online!
I didn’t want to be one to speak up now and tell pastor, ministers, and Christians all this via writing. Some of it is really embarrassing and it certainly doesn’t get you invitations to preach! It is too graphic and thorny a reality for most pastors and churches to take in. They lack the fortitude, the “testicles” to face the truth about their compromise and sin during this Covid-lying mess. You better find your "testicles" in a hurry before you are destroyed by the enemy!
I am also specifically addressing the Latin community because I am a part of it! Most people on my mailing list are Spanish speaking people. It’s OK though. Probably 99% read English, and many speak it as well. I know some from the Fe es La Victoria days. Others I’ve met after that time, and a number of them are pastors or ministers. Some I have no clue who they are. One ministry couple already asked me to remove their names from the ministry mailing list. This message is not to their liking.
Unfortunately, the Spanish-speaking and Latin churches folded like a deck of cards when the Covid mess hit. Many of those churches in the U. S. A. are still closed because they lacked the “spine” to take a stand for the Lord! I say, REPENT NOW, all you cowardly Latin pastors and churches that submitted to the lies of the devil and closed your doors, agreed with the wicked Fauci and government lying narrative, and obeyed an antichrist spirit. Closed churches with all their social distancing, alcohol gels, "vaccine" compliance, and masks, obeyed the false prophets of Covid (like Baal)! Many lukewarm Christians in the Latin churches are cowardly afraid of a virus with a 99.97% post-infection survivability rate! Seriously?! That's not even the issue. The issue is your damning unbelief against Jesus being your healer and your refusal to trust in Him in the midst of it all!
Do you remember the scriptural truth that all the cowards and the cowardly submissive will have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone! You don’t? See, I answered for you. Here it is.
But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and faithless, and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the practitioners of magic arts and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) and all liars (those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed)—[all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death. (Revelation 21:8 Amplified Bible)
It is time to repent for being cowards! The unbelieving-faithless are the unfaithful to the Lord and His Word. Right now, many people in Christianity qualify for at least the first part of that verse! They are “scared to death” of a sickness because they don’t believe the Scripture when it tells us that Jesus bore their pains and carried their sicknesses and diseases! (Matthew 8:17; Isaiah 53:4, 5; 1 Peter 2:24) They don’t put their trust and confidence in the Lord according to Psalms 91 and 103:1-5! They have fallen away from the faith or they deny the truths of God’s Word. You are bare and naked before God! (Hebrews 4:12, 13) You can’t hide anymore behind your worthless religion, church, denomination, or pastor. Your façade has fallen off. With you wearing that external mask, your lukewarm spiritual mask is showing! Your true colors are visible. You can’t deny your lukewarm-ness anymore. Everybody knows your true spiritual condition now. You have a form of godliness, but you DENY the power of God! (2 Timothy 3:5)
The great falling away has begun! Don’t be fooled! It’s here now for all to see. It is not the time for “nice” preaching. Too much is at stake. “Nice” will not save or deliver anybody! I know some will disagree and think I am taking this too far, but more teaching along the fire and brimstone type messages are called for now. The church NEEDS this now to prepare to be presented to the Lord. Many need to repent before it's too late.
I was dismayed in 2008 when I saw that many pastors and ministers were falling for the deception espoused by hyper or pseudo (wrongly taught) grace, once-saved-always-saved, Calvinist teachers and prophets. I saw the direction they were headed with that ungodly teaching. I could see that they were leading themselves and those they were teaching into loose living and sinful lifestyles. They were teaching grace without repentance or faith-faithfulness. They were espousing doctrines of demons. At that time, the message of “repentance” flooded my heart and soul. Unfortunately, I didn’t take up the mantle of a “zeal” for repentance. I did not wear it very well. I kept putting it on and taking it off. It was extremely uncomfortable. It was way out of my comfort zone.
“Repentance” for the lukewarm and backslidden lit up my spirit again in 2013 and culminated in January of 2015 when my book, A CALL TO RETURN was published. The Church at large was not ready to hear or read about repentance. The book went over like a lead balloon. Hopefully, many are ready to be called out to repentance, but we must face an unfortunate truth. It could be that many are less likely to hear about needing to repent now that their lukewarm and cowardly façade is visible for all to see it. They could harden themselves. God wants to give them mercy, and He will give it IF they humble themselves! I believe all cowardly Christians will have the opportunity to repent. Whether they do repent or not will be on them. Let me say this. The open door of repentance for the lukewarm and for the rebellious or backslidden in the churches will come to an end. Don't let the door slam in your face!
Have you ever read Matthew 25:1-13? It is the parable of the ten virgins. Five were devoid of oil for their lamps or the anointing that produces light or the fire of the Spirit. They were asleep or they were not ready to meet the Lord. The five alert virgins with oil for their lamps were ready and they went into the wedding banquet with the Lord. The door was slammed shut and the five unprepared virgins were left outside with the words, "I never knew you." Have you ever heard that before? I quoted it above in Matthew 7:21-23 when speaking about the backslidden ministers.
Thank God that many other ministers are stepping up with a message similar to this one. Some ministers are out there telling Christians-in-name-only to REPENT! They took up the zeal for repentance seriously and are running with it. I'm so blessed to see that!
I am the least likely for a mission like this one, at least in my own thinking. It is almost like the Lord is telling a joke by using me for anything in this area of ministry. Haha on the devil! You would think God would choose a “better qualified” candidate with no "history" against him. If you look at my past, it is fraught with stuff that would seemingly disqualify me here. Maybe God does the choosing of the “less likely” on purpose! No one can look at my history admirably! I certainly have NOTHING to offer anyone in my own self. In Christ there is EVERYTHING good and righteous to offer everyone that will receive from Him!
The message presented is very simple. Humble yourself and come to repentance! If you do that, He will show up mightily in your life, pull you out of the miry clay, and set your feet on a solid rock! How this message affects you will depend on you. Reject repentance and you are already signed up for your own horrific death. Accept repentance and God's holy presence will get in you and on you and supernatural change will take place in your life! Take the forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness that Jesus bought and paid for with His own blood! Repentance is the way back to His goodness, mercy, and blessing! It is available right now!
Do you know what is happening in the church right now?
The Lord is sifting His Church like wheat. He started doing that a few years ago. It intensified many-fold in 2020. (Matthew 13:24-30, see below) The lukewarm and masquerading Christians (tares) were forced out of the closet! They couldn’t hide their unbelief and lukewarm-ness anymore. They are being rooted out and will be separated. If they don’t repent, they will finally be gathered up and burned in the fire. Jesus taught that ominous and damning truth. I am just a repeater of His message.
Another parable He set forth before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while he was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed also darnel (weeds resembling wheat) among the wheat and went on his way. So when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the darnel (weeds) appeared also. And the servants of the owner came to him and said, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how does it have darnel shoots in it? He replied to them, An enemy has done this. The servants said to him, “Then do you want us to go and weed them out?” But he said, “No, lest in gathering the wild wheat (weeds resembling wheat), you root up the (true) wheat along with it. Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, Gather the darnel first and bind it in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my granary.” (Matthew 13:24-30 AMPC)
That is a truth that most evangelical, Pentecostal, Word-of Faith, Prophetic, Spirit-filled, or independent churches stopped preaching long ago. Forget the art and seeker-friendly sissified gatherings that many have mistakenly labeled as “churches”. They are pusillanimous social clubs (pubs). They never preach the truth of Scripture because they no longer preach the Bible. You will hear in those weak churches, “We just preach love and acceptance”. Instead, they should be preaching “repentance and the kingdom of God” in the fire of the Holy Spirit like Jesus did!
Now after John was imprisoned, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. He said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” (Mark 1:14, 15 NET)
Repentance for the forgiveness of sins is what Jesus commanded us to preach in His name to all nations, but most churches do not preach repentance. They preach “feel good” messages that never confront sin.
…And repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47 NKJV}
From that time Jesus began to preach this message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!” (Matthew 4:17)
The apostles were authorized and anointed by the Spirit through the ministry of Jesus. Here is what they preached and did.
So they went out and preached that all should repent. They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with olive oil and healed them. (Matthew 6:12, 13)
Have you heard all the sissified monotone voices of some preachers that are more feminine than they are masculine? Have you seen the clown show at the churches with those “pastors” wearing their tight-fitting obscene jeans with holes in them? Are they in their mid-life crisis now? Are they really men or are they conforming more to the world’s gender neutrality abomination and becoming more femininized? Instead of being like John Wayne, they are more like “Jane” Wayne, and that might be pushing it a lot!
Monotone preachers are not the fiery and very masculine hero prophets and preachers like Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptizer, Paul, Peter, James, Stephen, or Jesus. That is only naming a few in Scripture. How about preaching like Whitmore, Dowie, Lake, Richey, Bosworth, Wigglesworth, others from the last few centuries that preached with the fire of God! Many today don't even have the guts or “testicles” that women like Sarah, Deborah, Esther, Rahab, or Jael had. Jael drove a tent peg with a mallet through the temples of Sisera (enemy army general) into the ground while he was hiding under a rug and slept (Judges 4)! That godly woman had no fear of repercussions or even of death! What a woman! What about women like Maria Woodworth-Etter, Aimee Semple-McPherson, Lillian Yeomans, and others? Yep, the sissified monotone preachers are a bunch of “Jane” Wayne’s and don't even come close to having that kind of fortitude!
I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally. … I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally. (Luke 13:3, 5 AMPC)
Getting back to John the Baptizer, remember that he was sent to tell the religious leaders what hell-bound sinners they really were, that they had to repent, and to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord! Tough ministry, but it was righteous. It was not glamorous and was greatly despised by many that were bound by religious demons and going to hell. Their only option was to repent!
Hey John, please pass the locusts and wild honey! Camel’s hair? No. I’ll pass on that. Too itchy. I think I will stick to cotton. Hanes will do fine. T.M.I., I know, but I don’t care. I got over caring what others think about me or this message. Read my lips: I DON’T CARE! I do care about people coming to repentance. I just don’t care if you like me or you don’t. It is liberating when you come to realize that likes or dislikes are irrelevant. Take that to your Fakebook or Twit page! That was on purpose.
You should already understand that NOWHERE in the entire New Testament are we told to shut down our churches because the government tells us to. The early Church would not stop preaching in the Name of Jesus even after severe warnings, threats of imprisonment, or beatings. They would not shut up or shut down!
But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” After further threats they let them go. (Acts 4:17-20 NIV)
Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail… “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood. Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!... They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. (Acts 5:17-18, 28-29, 40-42 NIV)
BIG Haha! Threaten them, command them not to preach and teach, jail them, and beat them with whips, and they go right back out to continue with their ministry! They NEVER stopped! That is what the churches should have done, but they didn’t! They were told to shut down and they disobeyed the Scripture and the example of the apostles in the book of Acts, and they bowed their knee to Covid restrictions and mandates! Repent! Do it now, and then repent publicly because your actions were public when you surrendered to the world and the devil!
We are supposed to heal the sick, and not be afraid of any disease! I’ve laid hands on a lot of sick people. Some had transmittable diseases. I’ve never been sick over any of that. Never! Churches allowed the devil to stop their ministries, many of them for months! Some of them were not doing the Word anyway with their sissified and corrupted ministries of preaching fluffy cotton candy messages. These must be confronted with the truth that THEY SINNED, and that they must repent, that is, IF they want mercy and grace from the Lord. If they don’t repent, their fate is already sealed with the enemy. They need to get out of that stinking religious trash and begin to preach the Word without compromise.
What will it be pastors and churches that have succumbed to the enemy? What will be your next step? Choose this day whom you will serve!
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15 NKJV)
Download a free PDF copy of “A CALL TO RETURN: Restoring the Roots of our Relationship with Jesus” here unless you want to pay for a physical copy or purchase more. Barnes and Noble, Christian Book , Westbow Press have it available. It would be good seed to get extra copies and send them out. It would benefit the Kingdom of God. The church at large needs this message more right now than ever before! Buy a thousand copies and send them out! I receive VERY little per copy sold. Making money was never the reason for the book. The point of the book was and is to bring to repentance the lukewarm and backslidden in the churches.
How tragic that more churches didn’t listen to this message in 2015. Had they done so much of what has happened could have been averted. What can be done now? You can help get this timely message out by sending this article to everybody you know. Forward the podcast. Send them "A Call To Return." Do your part to get this message out. Be like an evangelist and be fervent about it!
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In case you didn’t get the information from my previous articles on useless masks, vaccines, and more, here it is again with some additions:
Canadian doctors and medical professionals reject the closures, lockdowns, quarantines, and masks:
https://medicalkidnap.com/2021/03/10/canadian-doctors-speak-out-against-government-covid-restrictions-masks-and-vaccines-not-needed/
At the end of the article, listen to the 11-minute video presentation.
Doctors from other countries speak out:
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/doctors-around-the-world-issue-dire-warning-do-not-get-the-covid-vaccine/
Mask mandates:
Medical studies on the use of masks reveal a few shocking things:
*Masks are useless at stopping viruses from infecting a person wearing one, and from stopping the virus from escaping the mask if someone is infected. Keep in mind the fact that ALL viruses are much smaller than the microscopic openings in the material used for masks. "It's like using a chain link fence to keep out mosquitos!" I heard someone else say that, but I don't remember who it was or I would give them credit because it really gives you a mental picture of what I am saying here.
*Masks hinder the intake of air for breathing (up to 30%) and hinder the exhaling of carbon dioxide into the air. That means that what you are rebreathing under the mask is partly carbon dioxide (a waste product that is unbreathable) and not the air you need to live! That contributes to the diminished function of a lot of internal organs!
There is evidence that surgeons have decreased mental acuity after 4-6 hours in the operating room after using a surgical mask. The real losers here are the little children being forced to wear masks for hours a day. What do you think oxygen deprivation together with carbon dioxide inhalation is doing to their developing brains and internal organs? It is child abuse and it is criminal. Here follows an article by Dr. Margarite Griesz-Brisson MD, PhD. a Consultant Neurologist and Neurophysiologist with a PhD in Pharmacology, with special interest in neurotoxicology, environmental medicine, neuroregeneration and neuroplasticity on the child abuse and criminal demand to mask up children:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/covid-19-masks-crime-against-humanity-child-abuse/5726059
*Studies indicate that continual use of masks will have a detrimental effect on the immune system and will contribute to infections in the gums and lungs. Look at this article:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mask-mouth-dentists-warn-prolonged-use-of-masks-leading-to-poor-oral-hygiene
Dr. Lee Merritt on the falsehoods of masks:
https://www.americasfrontlinedoctors.com/custom_videos/mask-myths
A surgeon speaks out on the falsehood of the general population wearing masks:
https://principia-scientific.com/surgeon-destroys-myth-if-masks-dont-work-why-do-surgeons-wear-them/
Penile shrinkage because of mask usage:
https://nationalfile.com/study-chemical-that-causes-penile-shrinkage-found-in-face-masks/
Men, masking up is death to your manhood! Take off that stinking mask! Your wife will thank you!
Interviews with Dr. Richard Urso:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4BfPl2EzMI
https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/conservativebusinessjournal/id/17376962
The medical profession is slowly but surely revolting against all the lies of Covid-19, and they are coming from different countries around the world.
In some countries, and in some local socialist governments (NYC and others), they are implementing an ID card to prove you have been vaccinated or you can’t go into a business or eat at a restaurant. That is just like wearing the emblem of the beast!
The same has been done with mask wearing. Sometime back, I tried to get my little boys ice cream at two different shops on Treasure Island (next to St Petersburg Beach) and they would not serve me without a mask! Did I yield? No way! I went through a Chick-Fil-A drive through and got each one of my boys an Ice-Dream! Haha! Trust me, it’s not an advertisement. Chick-Fil-A closed in store service and tripled up on their drive-thru operation. They also capitulated!
“May no man eat fruit of you hereafter forever?” Mark 11 anyone? That may have been Jesus’s attitude and words to a non-productive ice cream shop, I mean, fruit tree. Hmm!
Nazi-like measures similar to those used against Jews in Germany are in place! Jews were forced to identify their businesses with a special emblem (a star) so Germans faithful to the Third Reich would not buy from them or sell them anything.
In many places, you can’t buy or sell unless you have on a mask, and still, churches don't get it and try to defend their closure actions and capitulating ways.
At a SunBank/Truist bank, I was told that to come into their lobby to open an account, I had to wear a mask! Do you know that many states have laws on their books that prohibit wearing a face mask inside a bank and most businesses? It wasn’t that long ago that if you wore a mask inside a bank, you were considered a criminal trying to rob the bank! I refused to wear a mask in their bank, so, I couldn’t open the account there.
Food, money, grocery stores, government buildings, and what else is coming? If that doesn’t sound like preparation for the antichrist's one-world government in training with the mark of the beast, then I don’t know what would!
Saint reading this, are you still yawning and sleeping?
Vaccination, forced vaccinations, vaccination passports:
Article and 55 minute interview with Dr. Kaufman:
https://vaccineimpact.com/2020/censored-dr-kaufman-they-want-to-genetically-modify-us-with-covid-19-vaccine-loses-his-job-and-willing-to-go-to-jail-to-resist/
The associated deaths and side effects from the "vaccines" are running into multiplied thousands and maybe millions all over the planet. Now a new phenomenon is taking shape among the vaccinated as brain function after vaccination in many can begin to go haywire. The root of these dire problems with people passing out, going into an intense mental fog, and losing perception of reality, is being only now taking center stage among the vaccinated. There a huge amount of reports of non-sensical auto accidents because of these issues among the vaccinated. This is no joke and no conspiracy theory. It may take weeks or months before this begins to make headlines, but I have already read many reports about this terrible vaccine side-effect, and here is the science behind it.
Vaccines can modify DNA permanently and contribute to Mad Cow Disease like symptoms and illnesses in humans:
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/science-mrna-vaccines-alter-dna/
https://naturalnews.com/2021-04-08-mrna-vaccines-may-cause-your-body-to-churn-out-prions-eat-your-brain-mad-cow-disease.html#
8 ways that the mRNA vaccine can kill you by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny:
https://www.brighteon.com/3ef68971-87ad-4ac5-9a1c-8552364d8ccd
https://rumble.com/vd0vrj-interview-with-sherri-tenpenny-about-dangers-of-vaccines.html
New medical research reveals that the Pfizer mRNA vaccine can lead to the development of common neurodegerative diseases. I hope the government doesn't bury the research, so I suggest you download it and keep a copy for your records, especially if you stupidly took the experimental "vaccine". That way, when you get crippled from some neurodegenerative disease, you can try to sue Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, or Astra Zeneca for damages. News flash: The government has released big pharma from liability for any injuries or deaths resulting from the "vaccines." Basically, that means that if you get a neurological disorder, a debilitating disease, or die from the experimental "vaccine", big pharma cannot be sued. Below is the PDF of the research paper that recently came to light, though it was accepted by the SciVision Publishers (medical journals and medical research site) January 18, 2021. That was 4 months ago from me publishing this article! News like this can really travel slowly. This should be FRONT PAGE news on CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS and the rest of the alphabet soup devil-inspired news networks! Don't hold your breath because the fake news, mainstream media, are corrupt and in bed with the devil. This paper will not see them light of day on any major news channel or social media. It doesn't fit their agenda or lying narrative. It took Nationalfile.com to report it.
https://nationalfile.com/report-pfizer-vaccine-confirmed-to-cause-neurodegenerative-diseases/
PDF research paper:
https://scivisionpub.com/pdfs/covid19-rna-based-vaccines-and-the-risk-of-prion-disease-1503.pdf
The side effects of these demon-inspired experimental gene modifiers erroneously called "vaccines" will have a huge effect among the vaccinated population. Watch for a huge increase in senseless accidents of all kinds and generally people losing their minds and ability to concentrate and carry out everyday activities. It will be a plague unto itself and demonstrate that the supposed cure is a million times worse than the coronavirus!
More than 52,000 medical professionals worldwide have signed the Great Barrington Declaration at https://gbdeclaration.org/ calling into question the draconian Covid 19 policies, procedures, and vaccinations:
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/covid-has-caused-tens-of-thousands-of-medical-doctors-and-scientists-to-wake-up-to-corruption-in-the-medical-industry/
Israel’s “vaccination passport” and the violation of the Nuremberg Code:
https://vaccineimpact.com/2021/israelis-cry-out-to-the-world-to-stop-mandatory-covid-injections-as-lawsuit-is-filed-in-international-criminal-court-over-nuremberg-code-violation/
Chananya Weissman: 31 Reasons Why I Won’t Take the Vaccine. Some points have to do specifically with what is going on in Israel, but we see the same nonsense in the U. S. A.
New York Teachers for Choice:
https://nyteachersforchoice.wordpress.com/2020/09/20/top-10-reasons-why-a-covid-vaccine-should-not-be-mandatory/
Mandatory vaccines, or forcing people to get vaccinated, is a direct violation of the Nuremberg Code that was established after WW2 to counteract Nazi policies and practices.
These are all signs of the times where the antichrist system is being pushed to set things up for the still future man of sin or lawlessness. This is not funny! Listen to what Bill Gates is doing NOW with injections from this medical doctor:
https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/073/075/235/original/214821d7b2498c91.mp4
Look at the latest official info (May 2021) on deaths and injuries from the experimental gene altering injections falsely labeled as vaccines that are already reported. These numbers are way behind the real numbers but it shows you what all these injections are doing to the people receiving them. There are many more serious injuries and deaths yet to be reported. Of course, as expected, the mainstream lying-devil media is saying that no injuries or deaths can be directly linked the Covid injections. When perfectly healthy people die within minutes, hours, or days after taking the injections, and they complained of severe reactions to the injection, even a moron with little gray matter upstairs could see it was linked. But for the zombies (lukewarm and weak former Christians and the devil worshippers) that mindlessly watch the news media and the lying garden gnome Fauci and believe everything they say, ignore the truth to their own doom.
https://healthimpactnews.com/2021/genocide-in-the-u-s-continues-3848-deaths-118902-injuries-following-covid-injections-children-now-being-reported-as-dying-also/
We must take a stand.
The protests are going on all over the world. There is a complete media blackout on these protests going on worldwide.
Video of just ONE day of protests against the overreach and removal of our human rights by tyrannical governments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvXXgPHyPFE
Why are not churches protesting? The simple truth is that most churches submitted to the Covid lie brought through an antichrist spirit, and they have not repented. Where is all the righteous indignation and anger against evil!
Now to today’s podcast message:
24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self- control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid(became frightened, “trembled” in at least 7 translations, terrified, much alarmed) and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time, I will call for you.” (Acts 24:24, 25 NET- parenthesis- my comment)
Faith in Christ was defined in this passage as a message that expounded on righteousness, self-control, and judgement to come.
What? Really? Does that sound like most modern-day “gospel” messages concerning faith in Christ?
Some would say that there is no need to tell sinners they need self-control or to speak of judgment because that would not be very loving towards them, but Paul did that. Some may think that to speak to sinners about righteousness is a waste of time, or not something that will be conducive to their conversion, and that it may turn them off to the gospel. Tell that to the Apostle Paul. The text calls righteousness, self-control, and judgement to come a “faith in Christ” message. That was the gospel message that Paul preached. Have our gospel messages been missing some things?
Most evangelicals think that John 3:16 is the only gospel message there is! Paul preached more than a "God or Jesus loves you" message. He preached more than a "believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess with your mouth that He is Lord" message! (Romans 10:9) It was more varied and it included themes not generally thought of as pertaining to a gospel message.
Righteousness, self-control, and judgment as the definition of ministering faith in Christ sounds almost identical to what Jesus said the Holy Spirit was sent to do, and it is not even close to an evangelical type gospel message.
“And He, when He comes, He will convict (lit., expose, convict, reprove, rebuke) the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:8 NKJV)
What Paul stated to Felix was identical to what Jesus said to His disciples about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Paul used the term “self-control” when talking about “sin”. The connection between sin and a lack of self-control should be obvious. If you sin, it is because you did not exercise self-control. Self-control is control of your actions by the Word and by the power of the Holy Spirit. “Self” infers that the action starts with you. The Holy Spirit is your Helper. (John 16:7) In other words, the Holy Spirit will not make you obey God’s Word, but He will help you to do what is right according to God’s Word.
The word convict (Gr. elegcho) in John 16:8 is translated in Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon as “reprehend severely, call to account, correct, to show one his fault.” The same word is found in 2 Timothy 4:2, 1 Tim. 5:20; Titus 1:13, 2:15; Hebrews 12:5, and in the words of Jesus:
Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will]. (Revelation 3:19 Amplified)
Rebuke, that is, to reprehend severely, call to account, correct, to show one his fault must come when a lack of self-control is evident. (See also elegcho in John 3:20, 1 Corinthians 14:24, and Ephesians 5:11.)
Sin is the result of a lack of self-control that opposes God’s Word and commandments. James 1:14-16 in the Amplified Bible clarifies the process of sin from lust or some evil desire, to conception, and finally, to execution.
The word elegcho in Luke 3:18, 19 is translated rebuked:
18 And in this way, with many other exhortations, John proclaimed good news to the people. 19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil deeds that he had done.
John the Baptizer was proclaiming the “good news” or the gospel to the people, and it was not at all sugar and spice and everything nice. Go back into Luke chapter three and begin reading at verse three. You will see all the elements of rebuking, such as “reprehend severely, call to account, correct, to show one his fault.” He called those practicing sin “offspring of vipers”! That was not your typical sermonette with all smiles, soft tonalities, and niceties!
7 Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don’t begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 9 Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (Luke 3:7-9 NET)
To top it all off, he called Herod the tetrarch to account because of his adulterous relationship with the wife of his brother. Verse 18 says that John’s rebuke, correction, conviction, exposing, and calling to account was THE GOSPEL, the proclamation of the good news!
And in this way, with many other exhortations, John proclaimed good news to the people.(Luke 3:18 NKJV)
Good news of the gospel? Does Luke chapter 3 sound like our interpretation of what is a good gospel message? No, it does not! Something is missing from gospel messages if they only preach salvation, healing, and the blessings of God! Yes, there is something terribly missing if that is all the people hear out of a preacher or pastor. Sometimes, there must be rebuke, correction, conviction, exposing, and calling to account. These cannot be left out when necessary, that is, IF it is a real gospel message. John was a minister according to the meaning of a true gospel message. It may not seem like everything John the Baptizer preached was good news, but that would be an assessment from a human perspective. From the Scriptural perspective, and therefore from God’s viewpoint, it was all good news because it brought conviction and correction. Regardless of whether the people heard and received the messages, or they rejected them. John’s gospel message called people to account and allowed the Father to work on their hearts so repentance would come, and real change could take place in their lives! Think about that.
A real gospel message is preaching and teaching whatever the Spirit of the Lord gives you. If it comes from Him, regardless of anyone’s feelings or offense at it, it will carry the anointing to set the captives free.
Did you get that?
Even though Jesus was tough and no-nonsense often, He was specifically anointed to announce the good news or gospel message. (Luke 4:18) Power stood behind His messages. The preaching of the true gospel always manifests the power of God in some way. (Romans 1:16) If nothing happens and there is not a message that shakes things and people up, then it did not come from the Holy Spirit.
Look at Matthew 23 where Jesus viciously rebukes the hypocritical among the Pharisees, and slams Jerusalem for killing the prophets sent to it. Read the whole chapter. It's an eye opener concerning “good news”.
Does the following sound like any "good news” message we know of today? Remember, Jesus said this, and it was not "sugar and spice, and everything nice." I say this because many think all Jesus taught was love and acceptance (tolerance), and He was always soft toned, and tame as a little lamb. Nothing could be further from the truth! Here are some excerpts from the fiery preacher and astonishing powerhouse known as Jesus:
"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!... Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation... Fools and blind... You make your followers twice the sons of hell that you are... “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence... For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness... "
And, one more for the road: "Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?" (See Matthew 23.)
Jesus was no pushover, monotone, long-haired, guru of love, sissified, “kumbaya” preacher! He didn’t put up with sin, hypocrisy, unbelief, or talking against God or His Spirit. He was tough, no-nonsense, strong, and never capitulated or quit, and he was THE bearer of the good news of the gospel! He didn’t just say “believe the gospel”. No, He told people to REPENT, and that was first! (Mark 1:14, 15)
In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, His rebukes and calling into account were hard and often harsh. It is true He also praised the churches when they did what was right, but He held nothing back in His messages to the churches when a sharp rebuke was necessary. Go study the two chapters! It will set straight that “good news” preaching from Jesus (Luke 4:18, 19) included much more than “good news” according to our understanding.
In Mathew 11:20-24 one can read the Master's rebuke against the cities of Bethsaida, Chorazin, and Capernaum because even though great miracles were done in them, they refused to repent. He condemned Capernaum to hell (Hades)! That was good gospel preaching but wait because there is more.
So, you want acceptance or tolerance in the words of Jesus? Here is His idea of acceptance and tolerance for those that refuse to repent and continue in their sin. Are you ready? It's a spanking for the backside!
23"And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”(Matthew 11:23, 24 NKJV)
There's your tolerance.
I’ll never forget one brother in the Lord, himself a minister and teacher, that told me before I stood to preach and minister, “Brother, just preach Heaven to them. Give them Heaven!” That sounded really good. Of course, if it came from the Lord, it would be His will done on earth as it is in heaven, but there was something else involved with his statement. I couldn't put my finger on it at the time. I knew something was off, but it took me a while to learn from the Lord what it was. If all you do is preach “inspiring verses” or uplifting and positive messages without the other as the Lord leads we have been talking about, then we have missed Heaven’s idea of good news.
Are you ready for a shift in your thinking? It will shock all those that think “gospel” is sweetie pie and kind preaching. It will shock all those that think we should have sweetness in our gospel message because if it gets too harsh people will leave or tune out the message.
Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, and he had an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.(Revelation 14:6 NET)
Next follows the eternal gospel proclaimed by this angel, but pay close attention to the content. It covers areas not traditionally understood as a gospel message.
7 He declared in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!” 8 A second angel followed the first, declaring: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great city! She made all the nations drink of the wine of her immoral passion.” 9 A third angel followed the first two, declaring in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand, 10 that person will also drink of the wine of God’s anger that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured with fire and sulfur in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke from their torture will go up forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have no rest day or night, along with anyone who receives the mark of his name.” 12 This requires the steadfast endurance of the saints—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: ‘Blessed are the dead, those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest from their hard work, because their deeds will follow them.”(Revelation 14:7-13 NET)
Gospel announcement included revelation, instruction, rebuke, correction, mention of God’s anger and wrath, the lake of fire for the followers of the beast, and the hour of God’s judgment! It pointed out the immorality of those following Babylon’s example. Notice that gospel preaching includes faith in Jesus, but also mentions obedience to God’s moral commandments. It even speaks of the coming judgment where believers will be rewarded for their good works.
Wow, all that and a call to the fear of God to headline that gospel message! Does that sound anywhere near to what many believe to be the gospel message? Gospel includes a whole lot more than salvation, healing, deliverance, and the blessing of God. Gospel can include more than telling people about the plan of salvation and the Lord Jesus.
I am not saying every message has to be the same and include all these elements. What I am saying is that the definition of gospel preaching has been limited and much has been left out because churches have gotten away from preaching anything that could offend or make people feel uncomfortable.
Actually, if a gospel message doesn't make you feel uncomfortable at some point, it is not from the Holy Spirit. (See John 16:8.) When the message is the mighty and unstoppable two-edged sword of the Word of God that divides between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart, there will be discomfort, and the Lord will confront you! (Hebrews 4:12, 13) When you feel your very thoughts and intentions are on display before God as the Word is preached, you will not feel comfortable, and that is good! There should be a fear of the Lord flowing as the ministry of the Word and the Spirit comes forth. (Acts 2:43, 5:11)
Let me tell you something. When anointed ministers preach and teach, the message will get you! My God, I felt that way when my dad preached! When pastors Rodney Howard Browne and Tom Laipply (and a very few others) preach the Word something will shake you up and sometimes the power of God will grip you! Those are the type of messages we need today.
Here is more proof of what I am writing about.
9 Realizing that law is not intended for a righteous person, but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 sexually immoral people, practicing homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers—in fact, for any who live contrary to sound teaching. 11 This accords with the glorious gospel of the blessed God that was entrusted to me.(1 Timothy 1:9-11 NET)
What?
Paul says that these are in accord or agree with the glorious gospel message. That means that within the gospel message there will preaching against these sinful lifestyles and practices. Why, because at times there must be exposing of these things. There must be correction and calling to account even before the lawless, rebellious, ungodly, sinners, unholy, profane, murderers, sexually immoral, practicing homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers and for all those that live contrary to sound teaching. That means that sound gospel teaching will teach people to live contrary to all those things mentioned or inferred.
The references in Luke, Revelation and First Timothy reveal that the gospel includes all these elements usually not associated with “gospel preaching.” What gospel message are you listening to or preaching?
In general, many in the body of Christ have gotten away from such preaching themes. Messages have been watered down to the place they often sound like psychological hogwash and not like the Bible. It is more self-help positivity and affirmation messages rather than messages that preach and teach the Scripture without compromise!
At one church I attended, they brought in some foolish person to teach that women see through pink glasses and men through blue. Could you imagine that instead of going to the Scripture, they were teaching that nonsense to couples at Church? It was all talk with ZERO anointing! It was all an offshoot of the “women are from Venus” and “men are from Mars” psychobabble that is really against the sound teaching of Scripture.
So many churches have moved away from real strong gospel messages, and have embraced messages of self-help, cotton-candy, sugar-coated fluff meant to “inspire” the senses instead of informing, rebuking when necessary, correcting weird and wrong ideas, exposing sin, and revealing the truth of God’s Word. Churches have often become country clubs and entertainment venues with no power from heaven, no anointing, and no conviction. Some started with an anointing, and later lost it by trying to become respectable and likeable.
Some have gotten away from ministering to the sick through the laying on of hands (of course, dead churches don’t do that anyway), and many no longer pray in public for people to be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak in other tongues. I am speaking about so-called Spirit-filled churches or Pentecostal, Charismatic, Full-Gospel churches. Many no longer have altar calls. If they pray for people to receive Jesus, it is done without an altar call. Everybody is led in a prayer and the “saved” no longer make a public confession of their faith in Christ Jesus. Have you noticed that some churches let altar workers pray with those that stay after the service is dismissed? It is disrespectful of the Gospel and the Savior, Jesus Christ! It disrespects the anointing of the Holy Spirit to relegate ministry after a service is dismissed! In those “mickey mouse” churches, the pastor rarely prays for people personally.
Other churches, instead of teaching the saints according to God’s Word, they entertain their audience for an hour! Hollywood style entertainment has invaded many churches with their “broad is the way” (known as Broadway) replacing the straight and narrow way Jesus taught.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.(Matthew 7:13, 14 NKJV)
So, what did Paul preach according to the faith in Christ to Felix and Drusilla? Here it is in a nutshell.
- Righteousness:
The main points:
- It is a gift (Romans 4:23-25, 5:17) received upon initially believing and trusting in what Jesus did and provided for us when God raised Him from the dead and we confessed Him as our Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9, 10).
*The gift can be interrupted by sin, but confessing our sins before the Lord, we can be forgiven and cleansed from all un-righteousness, restoring our relation to God. See 1 John 1:7-10, 2:1,2.
*Righteousness includes righteous living according to God’s moral commandments.
If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him… Little children let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous… In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. (1 John 2:29, 3:7, 10 NKJV)
See also Titus 2:11, 12; and compare it with Titus 1:8, where a leader must be “righteous”. If righteousness is only a gift that has nothing to do with conduct or lifestyle (Christian character) then why bother to list it as a qualification? No, Paul taught that righteousness is also a lifestyle of doing what is right. See also 1 Timothy 6:11-“pursue righteousness, godliness” and 2 Tim. 2:22- “flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”Even after our initial cleansing in the blood and the renewal in the Spirit that placed us in His righteousness, we must pursue righteous living as an everyday reality.
- Self-control
Main points:
Self-control is “self-restraint, temperance, control of one’s passions, desires, and sexual impulses.” It means to control yourself according to God’s word and commandments, His requirements.
You dominate your body’s unruly desires. The Holy Spirit will not do it all for you. He requires your personal and individual participation. He will empower you to have dominion over your body and rule over any passion or evil desire that would try to get you off the Word and holiness.
God’s armor is His personal armor, but we must put it on. God will not put His armor on you. (Eph. 6:10-17)
We are to put off the old man and put on the new man. (Eph. 4: 22, 24)
We cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, and we put on the Lord Jesus (Romans 13:12-14)
The above means that every Christian has a daily responsibility. Every day we are to take up our cross and follow Him. If we do not put on Jesus today, then we are without Him during that day. If we do not put on the armor of light daily, then it never will come on you on its own. Nothing is automatic in God’s kingdom and you have responsibilities, orders, commandments, requirements, duties, and something is demanded of you daily.
Some have said, “Oh, I just couldn’t help it. I just had to do it.” Lies, Lies, Lies! That person didn’t submit to God and did not resist the devil. (James 4:7) They yielded to the unrenewed mind, conformity to the world, and the old man. They yielded to works of the flesh. Nobody made them do anything. They did it!
Examine every time you ever did something wrong. I have and I know that I yielded to sin because I flat out desired the wrong thing. I let the wrong thing get into my mind and work on my flesh, and I sinned! It was not God’s fault but my own.
An admission like that demonstrates spiritual growth when you are willing to admit or confess your faults and receive forgiveness and cleansing from the Lord. (See James 5:16. And 1 John 1:9.) That truly demonstrates humility when you admit your wrongs and come before God in repentance. (See Proverbs 28:13.) The humble are the ones that get the grace (1 Peter 5:5, 6). Examine yourself whether you are in the faith! Isn’t that our main text from 2 Corinthians 13:5?
- Coming Judgment
Main points:
Eternal judgment in Hebrews 6:1, 2 is one of the principal teachings of Christ. Eternal judgment is both for the righteous and the wicked. There is eternal judgment and a judgment that comes on those that refuse to repent and continue to practice sin.
*Judgment on the wicked: Revelation 20:4, 12, 13, 21:7.
*The judgment seat of Christ: 2 Corinthians 5:10.
*Judging yourself so you stay out of coming under God’s judgment while on the earth: See 1 Corinthians 11:29, 34.
First John 1:9 is a great and powerful gift to the followers of Jesus. It is our way out of certain judgment and our way back into cleansing, forgiveness, and the unchanging righteousness of Jesus. For forgiveness and cleansing, all we have is His shed blood for us. He is the propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins (1 John 2:1, 2), and His blood cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)
Much more could be said about all this, but that is sufficient for today.
In case you didn’t get the scoop in my previous articles on useless masks, vaccines, and more:
Canadian doctors and medical professionals reject the closures, lockdowns, quarantines, and masks:
https://medicalkidnap.com/2021/03/10/canadian-doctors-speak-out-against-government-covid-restrictions-masks-and-vaccines-not-needed/
At the end of the article, listen to the 11-minute video presentation.
Doctors from other countries speak out:
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/doctors-around-the-world-issue-dire-warning-do-not-get-the-covid-vaccine/
Mask mandates:
Medical studies on the use of masks reveal a few shocking things:
*Masks are useless at stopping viruses from infecting a person wearing one, and from stopping the virus from escaping the mask if someone is infected. Keep in mind the fact that ALL viruses are much smaller than the microscopic openings in the material used for masks. "It's like using a chain link fence to keep out mosquitos!" I heard someone else say that, but I don't remember who it was or I would give them credit because it really gives you a mental picture of what I am saying here.
*Masks hinder the intake of air for breathing (up to 30%) and hinder the exhaling of carbon dioxide into the air. That means that what you are rebreathing under the mask is partly carbon dioxide (a waste product that is unbreathable) and not the air you need to live! That contributes to the diminished function of a lot of internal organs!
There is evidence that surgeons have decreased mental acuity after 4-6 hours in the operating room after using a surgical mask. The real losers here are the little children being forced to wear masks for hours a day. What do you think oxygen deprivation together with carbon dioxide inhalation is doing to their developing brains and internal organs? It is child abuse and it is criminal. Here follows an article by Dr. Margarite Griesz-Brisson MD, PhD. a Consultant Neurologist and Neurophysiologist with a PhD in Pharmacology, with special interest in neurotoxicology, environmental medicine, neuroregeneration and neuroplasticity on the child abuse and criminal demand to mask up children:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/covid-19-masks-crime-against-humanity-child-abuse/5726059
*Studies indicate that continual use of masks will have a detrimental effect on the immune system and will contribute to infections in the gums and lungs. Look at this article:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mask-mouth-dentists-warn-prolonged-use-of-masks-leading-to-poor-oral-hygiene
Dr. Lee Merritt on the falsehoods of masks:
https://www.americasfrontlinedoctors.com/custom_videos/mask-myths
A surgeon speaks out on the falsehood of the general population wearing masks:
https://principia-scientific.com/surgeon-destroys-myth-if-masks-dont-work-why-do-surgeons-wear-them/
Penile shrinkage because of mask usage:
https://nationalfile.com/study-chemical-that-causes-penile-shrinkage-found-in-face-masks/
Men, masking up is death to your manhood! Take off that stinking mask! Your wife will thank you!
Interviews with Dr. Richard Urso:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4BfPl2EzMI
https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/conservativebusinessjournal/id/17376962
The medical profession is slowly but surely revolting against all the lies of Covid-19, and they are coming from different countries around the world.
In some countries, and in some local socialist governments (NYC and others), they are implementing an ID card to prove you have been vaccinated or you can’t go into a business or eat at a restaurant. That is just like wearing the emblem of the beast!
The same has been done with mask wearing. Sometime back, I tried to get my little boys ice cream at two different shops on Treasure Island (next to St Petersburg Beach) and they would not serve me without a mask! Did I yield? No way! I went through a Chick-Fil-A drive through and got each one of my boys an Ice-Dream! Haha! Trust me, it’s not an advertisement. Chick-Fil-A closed in store service and tripled up on their drive-thru operation. They also capitulated!
“May no man eat fruit of you hereafter forever?” Mark 11 anyone? That may have been Jesus’s attitude and words to a non-productive ice cream shop, I mean, fruit tree. Hmm!
Nazi-like measures similar to those used against Jews in Germany are in place! Jews were forced to identify their businesses with a special emblem (a star) so Germans faithful to the Third Reich would not buy from them or sell them anything.
In many places, you can’t buy or sell unless you have on a mask, and still, churches don't get it and try to defend their closure actions and capitulating ways.
At a SunBank/Truist bank, I was told that to come into their lobby to open an account, I had to wear a mask! Do you know that many states have laws on their books that prohibit wearing a face mask inside a bank and most businesses? It wasn’t that long ago that if you wore a mask inside a bank, you were considered a criminal trying to rob the bank! I refused to wear a mask in their bank, so, I couldn’t open the account there.
Food, money, grocery stores, government buildings, and what else is coming? If that doesn’t sound like preparation for the antichrist's one-world government in training with the mark of the beast, then I don’t know what would!
Saint reading this, are you still yawning and sleeping?
Vaccination, forced vaccinations, vaccination passports:
Article and 55 minute interview with Dr. Kaufman:
https://vaccineimpact.com/2020/censored-dr-kaufman-they-want-to-genetically-modify-us-with-covid-19-vaccine-loses-his-job-and-willing-to-go-to-jail-to-resist/
The associated deaths and side effects from the "vaccines" are running into multiplied thousands and maybe millions all over the planet. Now a new phenomenon is taking shape among the vaccinated as brain function after vaccination in many can begin to go haywire. The root of these dire problems with people passing out, going into an intense mental fog, and losing perception of reality, is being only now taking center stage among the vaccinated. There a huge amount of reports of non-sensical auto accidents because of these issues among the vaccinated. This is no joke and no conspiracy theory. It may take weeks or months before this begins to make headlines, but I have already read many reports about this terrible vaccine side-effect, and here is the science behind it.
Vaccines can modify DNA permanently and contribute to Mad Cow Disease like symptoms and illnesses in humans:
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/science-mrna-vaccines-alter-dna/
https://naturalnews.com/2021-04-08-mrna-vaccines-may-cause-your-body-to-churn-out-prions-eat-your-brain-mad-cow-disease.html#
8 ways that the mRNA vaccine can kill you by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny:
https://www.brighteon.com/3ef68971-87ad-4ac5-9a1c-8552364d8ccd
https://rumble.com/vd0vrj-interview-with-sherri-tenpenny-about-dangers-of-vaccines.html
New medical research reveals that the Pfizer mRNA vaccine can lead to the development of common neurodegerative diseases. I hope the government doesn't bury the research, so I suggest you download it and keep a copy for your records, especially if you stupidly took the experimental "vaccine". That way, when you get crippled from some neurodegenerative disease, you can try to sue Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, or Astra Zeneca for damages. News flash: The government has released big pharma from liability for any injuries or deaths resulting from the "vaccines." Basically, that means that if you get a neurological disorder, a debilitating disease, or die from the experimental "vaccine", big pharma cannot be sued. Below is the PDF of the research paper that recently came to light, though it was accepted by the SciVision Publishers (medical journals and medical research site) January 18, 2021. That was 4 months ago from me publishing this article! News like this can really travel slowly. This should be FRONT PAGE news on CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS and the rest of the alphabet soup devil-inspired news networks! Don't hold your breath because the fake news, mainstream media, are corrupt and in bed with the devil. This paper will not see them light of day on any major news channel or social media. It doesn't fit their agenda or lying narrative. It took Nationalfile.com to report it.
https://nationalfile.com/report-pfizer-vaccine-confirmed-to-cause-neurodegenerative-diseases/
PDF research paper:
https://scivisionpub.com/pdfs/covid19-rna-based-vaccines-and-the-risk-of-prion-disease-1503.pdf
The side effects of these demon-inspired experimental gene modifiers erroneously called "vaccines" will have a huge effect among the vaccinated population. Watch for a huge increase in senseless accidents of all kinds and generally people losing their minds and ability to concentrate and carry out everyday activities. It will be a plague unto itself and demonstrate that the supposed cure is a million times worse than the coronavirus!
More than 52,000 medical professionals worldwide have signed the Great Barrington Declaration at https://gbdeclaration.org/ calling into question the draconian Covid 19 policies, procedures, and vaccinations:
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/covid-has-caused-tens-of-thousands-of-medical-doctors-and-scientists-to-wake-up-to-corruption-in-the-medical-industry/
Israel’s “vaccination passport” and the violation of the Nuremberg Code:
https://vaccineimpact.com/2021/israelis-cry-out-to-the-world-to-stop-mandatory-covid-injections-as-lawsuit-is-filed-in-international-criminal-court-over-nuremberg-code-violation/
Chananya Weissman: 31 Reasons Why I Won’t Take the Vaccine. Some points have to do specifically with what is going on in Israel, but we see the same nonsense in the U. S. A.
New York Teachers for Choice:
https://nyteachersforchoice.wordpress.com/2020/09/20/top-10-reasons-why-a-covid-vaccine-should-not-be-mandatory/
Mandatory vaccines, or forcing people to get vaccinated, is a direct violation of the Nuremberg Code that was established after WW2 to counteract Nazi policies and practices.
These are all signs of the times where the antichrist system is being pushed to set things up for the still future man of sin or lawlessness. This is not funny! Listen to this medical doctor on what Bill Gates is doing NOW with injections:
https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/073/075/235/original/214821d7b2498c91.mp4
I hope that struck your heart and made you shiver. Yes, the mark of the beast and the antichrist are pretty close.
Look at the latest official info (May 2021) on deaths and injuries from the experimental gene altering jabs falsely labeled as vaccines that already reported. These numbers are way behind the real numbers but it shows you where all these injections are doing to the people receiving them and there are many more yet to be reported.
https://healthimpactnews.com/2021/genocide-in-the-u-s-continues-3848-deaths-118902-injuries-following-covid-injections-children-now-being-reported-as-dying-also/
We must take a stand and become the restraining factor against Satan's agenda.
The protests are going on all over the world. There is a complete media blackout on these protests going on worldwide.
Video of just ONE day of protests against the overreach and removal of our human rights by tyrannical governments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvXXgPHyPFE
Why are not churches protesting? Where is the righteous indignation and anger against evil!
Now to today’s podcast message:
I am for America, and I am for the truth, even if it is inconvenient, tough, offensive to feelings, and goes contrary to everybody and everything!
I am against bad government and the violation of our constitutional rights. I am against government on any level ordering the closure of churches and businesses. I am against wearing useless masks, social distancing, and surrendering to extremely dangerous so called "vaccines." I am against "vaccine" passports and restricting access to businesses and government buildings based on vaccination! I am against injectable medical chips.
Many Christians believe that the mark of the beast will be something overt. I agree, but it will come as a deception. In other words, it will be clearly from the devil to those that can see spiritually, but you must remember that Satan loves to transform himself into an angel of light! (2 Corinthians11:14) The devil loves masquerade and playing the part of an angel of light. So do his masquerading ministers and churches! (2 Corinthians 11:15) They are those that "look" righteous but are not because they don't obey the Scripture. They have a "form of godliness but denying the power of God". (2 Timothy 3:5) OK now. Back to the subject.
I don't believe it will necessarily have a literal 666 in it. Why? That would be too clear even for the world. Where would the deception be in a literal 666 tattooed onto your forehead or your right hand? Listen closely and read why I have come to this conclusion.
"He also caused everyone (small and great, rich and poor, free and slave) to obtain a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. Thus no one was allowed to buy or sell things unless he bore the mark of the beast - that is, his name or his number. This calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the beast’s number, for it is man’s number, and his number is 666." (Revelation 13:16-18 NET)
The number 7 refers to God's perfection as in the 7th day after He finished creation with the creation of man. Remember that it was Adam, the creation of God on this 6th day, that betrayed God. The number 666 represents the number of a man. It is something of man, for man, and made by man. “Earthly, natural, and demonic” (James 3:15), and “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are from the world and not from the Father” (1 John 2:16) seem to fit the bill of 666. You can believe what you want, but the mark of the beast is going to be something that will make absolute sense to large portions of the world. If it does have a literal 666, it will be well hidden. It will not be obvious because it will be a great lie and deception from the father of lies, the devil. (John 8:44) The world and many capitulating "Christians" will fall for Satan’s mark because it will be "wisdom" and only plain smart to get an injectable chip, QR (invisible to the naked eye) code, or some other device under the skin that will eventually wind up tracking movement, medical and bank information, personal data such as address, social media, cell number, family, occupation, social security number, driver's license, etc., and allow you to buy or sell.
If you cannot see how all these Covid restrictions and mandates are training the world and preparing weak "Christians" to receive the mark of the beast, then I really feel sorry for you! If you can't already see the similarities between the mark of the beast and all the Covid mess, then even the Scripture above will seem far-fetched to you.
I am shocked by the number of pastors and Christians ignoring this. It is pitiful to watch people grovel before the huge deception of wearing masks, social distancing, getting an unproven mRNA experimental “vaccine,” or one that alters your genes. Many pastors do not want to hear any of this because they caved and surrendered to all the Covid mess and closed their churches without resistance. They are too proud to repent and admit that closing the churches was a demoniacally inspired SIN! Read the previous 3 articles to get the fullness of these comments, and why I am saying this.
Do you know what will happen to all those that wind up taking the mark of the beast? It's not pretty!
"If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand, that person will also drink of the wine of God’s anger that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured with fire and sulfur in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb. And the smoke from their torture will go up forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have no rest day or night, along with anyone who receives the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:9-11 NET)
All these Covid restrictions and mask mandates, the talk of medical chipping, digital passports, and more seem like a trial run for the antichrist. Could the man of sin or lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12) be coming just around the corner? Unless the Church rises up against this evil NOW, the great apostasy already rearing it's ugly head will continue to grow and expand, and our time will be cut short upon the earth. Listen closely to the words of Jesus.
21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. Matthew 24:21, 22 NIV)
The followers of Jesus that serve God and obey His Word, these are the elect. That clarification is just in case you are wondering.
Don’t think that there is no danger of the days being cut short here. They will be cut short because Jesus also said, “As it was in days of Noah so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man.” (Matthew 24:37) The time for the end is fast approaching because of the violence, corruption, and wickedness that has increased exponentially in all the earth. (Compare Genesis 6:5, 9, 10)
Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no-one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Messiah,” and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth-pains. ‘Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Dan’s note: All those that teach an extreme and unbiblical “grace”, a Calvinist theology that espouses the false doctrine of “once saved always saved”, or so-called "eternal security", you are in direct violation of the words of Jesus!) And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. ‘So, when you see standing in the holy place “the abomination that causes desolation,” spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no-one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. Let no-one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equaled again. ‘If those days had not been cut short, no-one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Messiah!” or, “There he is!” do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you in advance. ‘So if anyone tells you, “There he is, out in the desert,” do not go out; or, “Here he is, in the inner rooms,” do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. Immediately after the distress of those days “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.” (Matthew 24:4-29 NIV)
I truly believe that we are in what Jesus called the "birth pangs." Things will progressively get worse for those without God's Psalms 91 protection!
Don't despair! There is good news here because God is moving in the earth! There will be great areas where the anointing and the power of the Spirit will be manifested in consistently greater and greater real “Book of Acts” style signs, wonders, and miracles. The rest of the world will be going from extremely bad to getting even worse. The gospel of the Kingdom will be preached as a testimony, which means with evidence that cannot be denied! It's not over yet because the "fat lady" has not sung her last opera, and the real Church of Jesus Christ will fulfill its mission! We, all the true believers and followers of Jesus, will be covering the earth with the gospel with undeniable testimony or evidence! There is a short period of time for this to happen before the time is cut short and we are out of here!
The Lord sees the condition of the planet with the apostasy of "Christians" that has already begun. Yes, these were real Christians at one time because you can't turn away from faith and your love grow cold unless at one time you had you had a turned on faith and piping hot love for God and His kingdom! (Compare 1 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Revelation 2:4, 5) Because of the exponential growth of lawlessness and believers' love growing cold and turning away from faith-faithfulness, and because of hatred, violence, corruption, and wickedness spreading on the earth, He will finally cut the time short. Suddenly, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 and the catching away of the real Church will happen, and we will be caught up and meet the Lord in the air! Then, after that glorious event, the man of lawlessness or sin (the antichrist) will show up. Things will then unfold quickly in preparation for the physical return of the Lord to rule and reign upon the earth for a thousand years.
During the brief attempt of Satan's leader, the beast, to rule the world, things begin to happen all over the world that thwart his demonic plans. The wrath of God will come upon the kingdom of the antichrist. Everyone that worships the image of the beast and takes the mark of the beast will have horrible days of cataclysmic events.
Many lukewarm "Christians" that weren't caught up to meet the Lord in the air will be on earth at that time. I know that is shocking, but absolutely true. Those "Christians-in-name-only" fell away from the faith and lost their first love. Those masquerading Christians were spewed out of the mouth of the Lord (Revelation 3:14), and they will be here on the earth during Satan's attempt at world domination.
The Covid mess is preparing lukewarm Christians now for the reception of the antichrist and his demonic mandates and totalitarian orders. If you fell for all this Covid mess and closed your church, if you wear useless masks, submit to deadly vaccines, and think Covid passports and injectable medical chips are good ideas, you are already a candidate for the mark of the beast! I have one word for you, "REPENT!" Don't waste another second! Do it now! REPENT because you are already in danger of the lake of fire!
We are so close, so VERY close to the end! I believe the end could still be a little bit further out in the future. BUT, I could be wrong and Jesus could meet us in the air today or tomorrow! We are getting close, and the Lord will come when He receives the order from the Father! Nobody but the Father knows the day or the hour, but it will not be like a thief in the night for God's people! (See Mark 13:32; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-7.) We can tell it is getting closer than its ever been, and we see more and more evidence of His appearing as the days go by. One would have to be spiritually blind and deaf not to see it!
2 Thessalonians 2:7 teaches that believers can be a restraining factor against the manifestation of the man of sin and lawlessness and his attempt to control the planet. By the way, the man of lawlessness will never rule the whole planet. From what I see in the book of Revelation, he will only get about a third of the planet to follow him and take his mark. The antichrist will try relentlessly to get the whole world on his bandwagon, but he will fail miserably. Everything goes south for him pretty quickly after he comes into ruling power. Here are a few of the supernatural events coming upon the antichrist's kingdom:
- Angels preach from the heavens the eternal gospel to the people of the earth that they should only worship God and not follow the beast or get his mark! No internet or social media censorship will work against that! Haha! (Rev. 14)
- The man of sin will have to contend with the glorious ministry of 144,000 Jewish, Holy Spirit-anointed evangelists roaming the earth making great gains for the kingdom of the Lord Jesus on the earth. Haha, again! (Rev. chapters 7 and 14)
- Then, there will arise two fire-breathing prophets that will ruin every day for the devil! If you try to hurt them, whatever hurt you tried on them will boomerang and come on you! Oh, BIG haha! (Rev. 11)
- On top of all that, the world falls apart in many ways with bloody waters everywhere, 100 pound hailstones, skin boils, attack of the scorpion-like creatures that sting people, and the water sources becoming poisonous. Oops and haha!
- Great meteors and other weird unnatural phenomena will strike the earth mercilessly, and the antichrist won't be able to stop or control any of these horrors! The antichrist will be like the screaming guy or girl in a Freddy Kruger or Dawn of the Dead movie when they gets sliced and diced or eaten alive! Oh-oh! The tables will be turned on him! I love it! Victory!
- All the devil's followers will gnaw their tongues in pain, refuse to repent, curse God, go through seemingly endless days of darkness, and they won't even be able to put themselves out of their misery! Death will take a hike! That means suicide will be out of the question. Jumping off a building, mountain, or bridge will bring you back to earth's temporary hell! No way out for the wicked and the woke! Hey, not to worry because it's temporary. Right? Wait for it, because it gets worse with the antichrist and the wicked being thrown into the lake of fire, and that will be forever! (See Revelation chapter 20 and 21. For all the plagues and wrath of God poured out on the earth during the reign of the antichrist, see Revelation 6, 8, 9, and 16.)
2 Peter 3:12 tells us that it is possible to “hasten” or to “hurry up” the coming of the Lord. The real Church has to be made presentable to the Lord as a holy Church without blemish. It is not anywhere near that yet!
To sanctify her (the Church) by cleansing with the washing of the water by the word, so that he (Jesus) may present the church to himself as glorious—not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:26, 27)
The Church is not ready to be presented to the Lord! Frankly, the Church seems further away than ever to being presentable! Jesus is not presenting to Himself a slutty, dirty, despicably dressed, and raunchily ornate Church! He is not presenting to Himself a a surrendering-to-the-enemy, capitulating, crippled, powerless church. There are many that have a form of religiosity but deny the power of God! (2 Timothy 3:5) They are not carrying out the great commission according to Mark 16:15-19 and Matthew 28: 18-20. Most of the church is anemic right now! They are not bringing people to repentance, laying hands on the sick, casting out demons, ministering the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in other tongues, and preaching the Word without compromise. No internet-bought sissy sermons with no spiritual power or substance should be among us! All those art, seeker-friendly, and hyper-grace churches must repent or perish! (Luke 13:3, 5) Denominational churches that capitulated and closed their doors must repent! Most churches aren't ready for the return of the Lord! Most are cold and dead! I know that the Lord can accelerate things (redeem the time) so what could take decades can happen in weeks or months.
Even though Matthew 24:22 tells us that those days before the coming of the Lord will be cut short upon the earth for the sake of the elect, believers can hold back some of the evil things until they get their job done in the earth. Once that restraining is accomplished, the true and real Church can get its job done in the earth with less hindrance from the enemy, and get gloriously ready to meet the Lord in the air!
Paul wanted to get to Rome to minister, but Satan often hindered him. (Romans 15:22) He was also hindered or thwarted repeatedly from ministering to the Thessalonians. (2 Thes. 2:18) Don’t you think Satan is attempting to thwart what the Spirit of the Lord is wanting to do on the earth during these last days? Yes, the devil has already begun, and all this Covid trash is Satan's initial hindrance. We can develop great restraining power and overcome him as more and more of the Church takes a stand against him with the power of binding and loosing (Matthew 16:19), the authority, power, and presence of Jesus in His Name (Mark 16:17, 18), and the agreement of believers in faith (Matthew 18:19).
The mask mandates, church closures, social distancing, etc. all halted much of the work of Churches around the world. Don't you see Satan's hindering hand in stopping evangelism, church services, altar calls, and the ministering to the saints and the world with the power of God? Satan MUST be restrained! In the authority and power of Jesus, we can get it done!
It is true that the dragon (Satan) will try to make war against the saints and overcome them because we do the commandments of God and keep our faith in Jesus. That is the devil's plan, BUT… there is a plan from Heaven!!!
BUT they overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. (Revelation 12:17 NET)
Glory to God!
The way to overcome the mark of the beast and the antichrist attempting to manifest himself even now, is found in the verses already quoted.
I left one out the following verse from Revelation 14 after the quote about what will happen to those that bow down, acquiesce, or surrender to the mark of the beast and worship his idol in 14:9-11. Look at verse 12!
This requires the steadfast endurance (or perseverance) of the saints—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to (who keep) their faith in Jesus (or faithful to Jesus because lexically “faith” can mean faith or faithfulness). (Revelation 14:12 NET, but I added most of the NET notes in parentheses.)
We win as we stay unmovable from God’s Word or commandments and are faithful to Jesus! Churches and ministries closed down all over the planet because they were not following the Word or being faithful to Jesus! That can change, and it all starts with repentance!
Brethren, I pray that the Body of Christ, the real, anointed, on-fire-for-the-Lord, Church, that we unite in faith against the works of hell so we can have a reprieve or a little bit more of time before all hell breaks loose. I pray that we be washed continually by the Word and empowered gloriously by the Spirit of the Lord!
In case you didn’t get the scoop in my previous articles on useless masks, vaccines, and more:
Canadian doctors and medical professionals reject the closures, lockdowns, quarantines, and masks:
https://medicalkidnap.com/2021/03/10/canadian-doctors-speak-out-against-government-covid-restrictions-masks-and-vaccines-not-needed/
At the end of the article, listen to the 11-minute video presentation.
Doctors from other countries speak out:
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/doctors-around-the-world-issue-dire-warning-do-not-get-the-covid-vaccine/
Mask mandates:
Medical studies on the use of masks reveal a few shocking things:
*Masks are useless at stopping viruses from infecting a person wearing one, and from stopping the virus from escaping the mask if someone is infected. Keep in mind the fact that ALL viruses are much smaller than the microscopic openings in the material used for masks. "It's like using a chain link fence to keep out mosquitos!" I heard someone else say that, but I don't remember who it was or I would give them credit because it really gives you a mental picture of what I am saying here.
*Masks hinder the intake of air for breathing (up to 30%) and hinder the exhaling of carbon dioxide into the air. That means that what you are rebreathing under the mask is partly carbon dioxide (a waste product that is unbreathable) and not the air you need to live! That contributes to the diminished function of a lot of internal organs!
There is evidence that surgeons have decreased mental acuity after 4-6 hours in the operating room after using a surgical mask. The real losers here are the little children being forced to wear masks for hours a day. What do you think oxygen deprivation together with carbon dioxide inhalation is doing to their developing brains and internal organs? It is child abuse and it is criminal. Here follows an article by Dr. Margarite Griesz-Brisson MD, PhD. a Consultant Neurologist and Neurophysiologist with a PhD in Pharmacology, with special interest in neurotoxicology, environmental medicine, neuroregeneration and neuroplasticity on the child abuse and criminal demand to mask up children:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/covid-19-masks-crime-against-humanity-child-abuse/5726059
*Studies indicate that continual use of masks will have a detrimental effect on the immune system and will contribute to infections in the gums and lungs. Look at this article:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mask-mouth-dentists-warn-prolonged-use-of-masks-leading-to-poor-oral-hygiene
Dr. Lee Merritt on the falsehoods of masks:
https://www.americasfrontlinedoctors.com/custom_videos/mask-myths
A surgeon speaks out on the falsehood of the general population wearing masks:
https://principia-scientific.com/surgeon-destroys-myth-if-masks-dont-work-why-do-surgeons-wear-them/
Penile shrinkage because of mask usage:
https://nationalfile.com/study-chemical-that-causes-penile-shrinkage-found-in-face-masks/
Men, masking up is death to your manhood! Take off that stinking mask! Your wife will thank you!
Interviews with Dr. Richard Urso:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4BfPl2EzMI
https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/conservativebusinessjournal/id/17376962
The medical profession is slowly but surely revolting against all the lies of Covid-19, and they are coming from different countries around the world.
In some countries, and in some local socialist governments (NYC and others), they are implementing an ID card to prove you have been vaccinated or you can’t go into a business or eat at a restaurant. That is just like wearing the emblem of the beast!
The same has been done with mask wearing. Sometime back, I tried to get my little boys ice cream at two different shops on Treasure Island (next to St Petersburg Beach) and they would not serve me without a mask! Did I yield? No way! I went through a Chick-Fil-A drive through and got each one of my boys an Ice-Dream! Haha! Trust me, it’s not an advertisement. Chick-Fil-A closed in store service and tripled up on their drive-thru operation. They also capitulated!
“May no man eat fruit of you hereafter forever?” Mark 11 anyone? That may have been Jesus’s attitude and words to a non-productive ice cream shop, I mean, fruit tree. Hmm!
Nazi-like measures similar to those used against Jews in Germany are in place! Jews were forced to identify their businesses with a special emblem (a star) so Germans faithful to the Third Reich would not buy from them or sell them anything.
In many places, you can’t buy or sell unless you have on a mask, and still, churches don't get it and try to defend their closure actions and capitulating ways.
At a SunBank/Truist bank, I was told that to come into their lobby to open an account, I had to wear a mask! Do you know that many states have laws on their books that prohibit wearing a face mask inside a bank and most businesses? It wasn’t that long ago that if you wore a mask inside a bank, you were considered a criminal trying to rob the bank! I refused to wear a mask in their bank, so, I couldn’t open the account there.
Food, money, grocery stores, government buildings, and what else is coming? If that doesn’t sound like preparation for the antichrist's one-world government in training with the mark of the beast, then I don’t know what would!
Saint reading this, are you still yawning and sleeping?
Vaccination, forced vaccinations, vaccination passports:
Article and 55 minute interview with Dr. Kaufman:
https://vaccineimpact.com/2020/censored-dr-kaufman-they-want-to-genetically-modify-us-with-covid-19-vaccine-loses-his-job-and-willing-to-go-to-jail-to-resist/
https://healthimpactnews.com/2021/1739-dead-as-cdc-adds-another-200-recorded-deaths-this-week-following-covid-experimental-vaccines/
These are already very old numbers. The associated deaths and side effects are MUCH, MUCH higher running into multiplied thousands and maybe millions all over the planet. Now a new phenomenon is taking shape among the vaccinated as brain function after vaccination in many can begin to go haywire. The root of these dire problems with people passing out, going into an intense mental fog, and losing perception of reality, is being only now taking center stage among the vaccinated. There a huge amount of reports of non-sensical auto accidents because of these issues among the vaccinated. This is no joke and no conspiracy theory. It may take weeks or months before this begins to make headlines, but I have already read many reports about this terrible vaccine side-effect, and here is the science behind it.
Vaccines can modify DNA permanently and contribute to Mad Cow Disease like symptoms and illnesses in humans:
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/science-mrna-vaccines-alter-dna/
https://naturalnews.com/2021-04-08-mrna-vaccines-may-cause-your-body-to-churn-out-prions-eat-your-brain-mad-cow-disease.html#
8 ways that the mRNA vaccine can kill you by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny:
https://www.brighteon.com/3ef68971-87ad-4ac5-9a1c-8552364d8ccd
https://rumble.com/vd0vrj-interview-with-sherri-tenpenny-about-dangers-of-vaccines.html
New medical research reveals that the Pfizer mRNA vaccine can lead to the development of common neurodegerative diseases. I hope the government doesn't bury the research, so I suggest you download it and keep a copy for your records, especially if you stupidly took the experimental "vaccine". That way, when you get crippled from some neurodegenerative disease, you can try to sue Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, or Astra Zeneca for damages. News flash: The government has released big pharma from liability for any injuries or deaths resulting from the "vaccines." Basically, that means that if you get a neurological disorder, a debilitating disease, or die from the experimental "vaccine", big pharma cannot be sued. Below is the PDF of the research paper that recently came to light, though it was accepted by the SciVision Publishers (medical journals and medical research site) January 18, 2021. That was 4 months ago from me publishing this article! News like this can really travel slowly. This should be FRONT PAGE news on CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS and the rest of the alphabet soup devil-inspired news networks! Don't hold your breath because the fake news, mainstream media, are corrupt and in bed with the devil. This paper will not see them light of day on any major news channel or social media. It doesn't fit their agenda or lying narrative. It took Nationalfile.com to report it.
https://nationalfile.com/report-pfizer-vaccine-confirmed-to-cause-neurodegenerative-diseases/
PDF research paper:
https://scivisionpub.com/pdfs/covid19-rna-based-vaccines-and-the-risk-of-prion-disease-1503.pdf
The side effects of these demon-inspired experimental gene modifiers erroneously called "vaccines" will have a huge effect among the vaccinated population. Watch for a huge increase in senseless accidents of all kinds and generally people losing their minds and ability to concentrate and carry out everyday activities. It will be a plague unto itself and demonstrate that the supposed cure is a million times worse than the coronavirus!
Look at the latest official info (May 2021) on deaths and injuries from the experimental gene altering jabs falsely labeled as vaccines that already reported. These numbers are way behind the real numbers but it shows you where all these injections are doing to the people receiving them and there are many more yet to be reported.
https://healthimpactnews.com/2021/genocide-in-the-u-s-continues-3848-deaths-118902-injuries-following-covid-injections-children-now-being-reported-as-dying-also/
More than 52,000 medical professionals worldwide have signed the Great Barrington Declaration at https://gbdeclaration.org/ calling into question the draconian Covid 19 policies, procedures, and vaccinations:
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/covid-has-caused-tens-of-thousands-of-medical-doctors-and-scientists-to-wake-up-to-corruption-in-the-medical-industry/
Israel’s “vaccination passport” and the violation of the Nuremberg Code:
https://vaccineimpact.com/2021/israelis-cry-out-to-the-world-to-stop-mandatory-covid-injections-as-lawsuit-is-filed-in-international-criminal-court-over-nuremberg-code-violation/
Chananya Weissman: 31 Reasons Why I Won’t Take the Vaccine. Some points have to do specifically with what is going on in Israel, but we see the same nonsense in the U. S. A.
New York Teachers for Choice:
https://nyteachersforchoice.wordpress.com/2020/09/20/top-10-reasons-why-a-covid-vaccine-should-not-be-mandatory/
Mandatory vaccines, or forcing people to get vaccinated, is a direct violation of the Nuremberg Code that was established after WW2 to counteract Nazi policies and practices.
These are all signs of the times where the antichrist system is being pushed to set things up for the still future man of sin or lawlessness. This is not funny! Listen to what Bill Gates is doing NOW with injections from this medical doctor:
https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/073/075/235/original/214821d7b2498c91.mp4
We must take a stand.
The protests are going on all over the world. There is a complete media blackout on these protests going on worldwide.
Video of just ONE day of protests against the overreach and removal of our human rights by tyrannical governments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvXXgPHyPFE
Why are not churches protesting? Where is the righteous indignation and anger against evil!
Look at all the protest videos under the hashtag "wewillallbethere"
https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/wewillallbethere .
We are not alone!
Disclaimer: There is profanity in some of the video clips. I didn't record any of these videos. I don't support profanity, though I do support edgy and VERY tough language if it gets the message across! It's important that the Church understands that even unbelievers are rising up against the falsehoods so you will hear some cussing because they are super angry! I am in 100% in agreement that we must stand and refuse to bow down to the world's falsehoods!
Now to the podcast message:
*Published originally in May of 2020. It was completely revised earlier today. It is even more important right NOW! The recorded message is a different one than the one published in 2020.
Baaaaaaaaaa!
Some months ago, I saw an elderly man with a head full of white hair holding up a sign on a street corner with a picture of a group of people wearing face masks. He was there like Elijah, Elisha, or John the Baptizer with fire in his eyes! I missed the photo op, or I would have used his image with the sign for this article. As you may have already figured out, the sign read: SPINELESS AMERICAN SHEEP! I was initially shocked but immediately understood his stern message. It was a glaring truth.
To set the record straight, and so you don't get wrong ideas with my comments, I was born an American citizen on the island of Puerto Rico, as were my parents, and I love my country. I am very patriotic, so I stand for the flag, say the Pledge of Allegiance, believe and agree 100% in our Constitution and Bill of Rights, pay taxes (though we desperately need reforms and to do away with the IRS), vote for good government whenever possible, support our military and vets, strongly support law enforcement as long as they don't try to impose unconstitutional garbage as many have during this Covid-19 mess, and obey the laws of the land as long as they do not go contrary to the Word of God! I obey traffic laws (though not perfectly), and societal and business laws as long as they don't violate Scripture.
I am against bad government and the violation of our constitutional rights. I am against government on any level ordering the closure of churches and businesses! I am against using useless masks, social distancing, and surrendering to dangerous vaccines! I am for America, and I am for the truth, even if it is inconvenient, tough, offensive to feelings, and goes contrary to everybody and everything!
If we are going to fix some things in our country, we must face the inconvenient truth that during this Covid-19 crisis, people of all colors and creeds, and CHURCHES and CHRISTANS, were all too willing to submit to a controlling agenda that was oppressive and enslaved many to stupid rules and regulations. Some state governors and local government officials have showed their true colors by becoming fascist dictators! Many state and local governments went overboard and established laws and rules that were in direct violation of the supreme law of the land which is the Constitution, and of course, the Bill of Rights.
During this so-called pandemic, most Americans have acted like sheep and submitted to massive violations of their constitutional rights.
I am sorry to say that for a short time at the beginning of the Covid mess, I acted like a sheep, until the Lord opened my eyes to see the truth! It took a few weeks, but I finally woke up and repented!
All that the mainstream news media is reporting are fake news based in fear. They have been doing this for years. The Covid mess was tailor made for their fear mongering. Their comments usually have been outright lies or grossly out of proportion or context. I shut them out and turned them OFF! I even axed Fox news from my life in early 2020! Oh the joy of not having the lying Facebook, Twitter trolls, and fake news! As far as CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC and Bloomberg type fake media, I haven't listened to their evil reporting in at least 5 years or more. Every once in a while, I catch a headline by mistake from them, but that's it. They are so completely biased against Christians and conservative viewpoints that no Christian should waste their time with them.
The rotten news media is like standing next to a skunk that sprays you! You want to get out of there pronto! "Bad" doesn't even begin to describe getting sprayed by a skunk. The putrid smell of the skunk news channels rubs off on your clothes to the point you have to burn your clothes! When I was a kid of around 9 years of age, my sister and I were sprayed lavishly by a skunk in the Appalachians, close to the Tennessee state line, about 30 miles from Asheville, North Carolina. The advise that locals gave my parents was to burn our clothes because there was nothing else known to man to get rid of the stink!
The ONLY reason to ever watch the lying and fake mainstream news media would be if you have a ministry where you need to know the devil's news so you can counterattack it violently with the Word and the real news about what is happening in the world. I know a few ministries like that. Thank God for them! They are warriors! Personally, I would probably throw something heavy at the TV if I had to watch that ungodly mess for a couple of hours a day. I'd be going through TV's like a baby goes through diapers! The Lord knows whom He calls for such ministry. Haha! I only listen to a few conservative news outlets. I am terribly picky about what I listen to or read.
What did I do when all this Covid-19 broke loose in March of 2020? I shut off all podcasts and TV broadcasts from the Covid-caving churches, ministries, shows, pastors, and so on! I began to consistently follow ministers and churches that did not shut down in my area and refused to abide by the ignorant Covid-19 policies and local government orders. These anointed and Spirit-filled churches were consistently reporting the truth about the false pandemic hysteria. It was so timely and powerful that I can say it was, and is to this day, life changing. Glory to God!
Here is an interesting fact.
People that lived under the oppression of the Soviet Union (USSR) and communist China have stated that what has happened in America (and around the world) reminded them of their previous lives under communist rule. I’ve never lived in those countries, but those that were under the control of communist regimes tell us that America slipped into a dictatorship mode and totalitarianism, and some are calling it fascism. Some have equated Covid-19 draconian response and regulations to the many devilish restrictions and policies of Nazi Germany against the Jews.
Most Americans acted like sheep in that they followed their local government leaders even if it meant enslavement. Did you notice the mad power grab of politicians to control everybody and everything? Did you also notice that the more controlling and totalitarian dictators have been the Democrat (better stated as Demonrat) governors and the liberal local government officials? There is nothing democratic, and NOTHING that promotes liberty among the Demonrats! Being a Demonrat liberal and real liberty are not anywhere close to each other in definition or actions. Generally, liberal and liberty are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Democrat, liberal, and progressive are the new titles for a totalitarian, socialist, and communist movement that wants to destroy our American constitutional republic and convert it into communist China, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, or something that resembles the former USSR with a total government control over its populace!
I would NEVER vote for any Democrat or Republican that supports mass murder. I am referring to abortions all the way up until the 9th month, with some Demonrats even agreeing to putting the newborn to death as it comes out of the womb! Woe to you murderers!
Have you ever read the "woes" pronounced by Jesus on the world, ungodly leaders, and demon-controlled cities? See Matthew 11:20, 21, 18:7, 23:1, 13, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29, 26:24; Luke 6:24-26; and then continue to read Jude 1:10-12; Revelation 8:13, 9:12, and more! Are these enough for you? They are ALL in the New Testament.
I will never support anyone that supports LGBT agendas by trying to impose them on the general population, in our educational system, or on our military. Woe to you LGBT supporters and practitioners!
I would never support political candidates that generally despises our military, disdain good and fair law enforcement, and a just judicial system. Woe to those kind of political candidates!
The perverted and inhumane trash that all devil-rat Democrats and some low-life Republicans support is truly demon-inspired. People that voted for these false prophets of Baal are being led by the nose into sin and death.
Have you noticed the hatred and utter disdain among the majority of Demonrats for God, Christianity, and anything to do with Biblical moral principles? Those devils call that which is evil good, and that which is good evil! (Isaiah 5:20) The spirit of antichrist has found a home among their ranks, and many Republican politicians are in the same boat on many fronts!
What have these anti-American, totalitarian regimes in our state and local governments demanded? People were told what to do, what to wear, where they could go and not go, where to shop, and they sent children home from school without any parental consent. They acted like they owned the populace! Americans, Christian and non-Christian, and all colors and creeds allowed it. The whole country (and around the world) were subjected to the whims of politicians that closed businesses and churches. We were told how far to stand from each other, and to stop shaking hands. Local governments shut down our beaches and parks.
Don't you hate this evil perpetuated against America, and especially against churches and Christians? "Oh, but I only love in Jesus. I could never hate," some have foolishly espoused as their official position because they don't know the Scripture and refuse to obey it.
Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. (Psalms 97:10)
If you love the Lord, YOU HATE EVIL!
To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. (Proverbs 8:13)
The fear, reverence, and awe of the Lord is to HATE EVIL, pride, arrogance, and evil behavior and speech! It doesn't get any clearer than that!
Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. (Amos 5:15)
"Oh but that is Old Testament and not the New Testament", was blabbed out by some ignoramus! How about the words of Paul? Is that "New Testament" enough for you?
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (Romans 12:9)
Paul stated that!
Did you know Jesus hates doctrines that lead people into sin and darkness? You didn't? Is the book of Revelation in the New Testament? Yes it is, and this is Jesus speaking to one of the churches that had allowed the false teaching of the Nicolaitans to invade their church. Note how Jesus HATED it.
But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Revelation 2:9)
Many thought Jesus was a long-haired, hippie type, soft talking, love guru! No he was tough as nails and His preaching demonstrated it. He was not a preacher of just love, love, and love! He was a preacher of repentance, fire, and brimstone. If you don't believe that, then you probably have never read the Gospel accounts or you have skipped over the often severe portions of His words. There is a large catalog of the toughness and no-nonsense of His words all over the Gospels. Read them sometime!
Here is a recap of the ministry of Jesus in the book of Hebrews that will shock the uninitiated into the truth and those with error along the lines of who Jesus really was and is:
But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. So God, your God, has anointed you over your companions with the oil of rejoicing." (Hebrews 1:8, 9 NET)
Oh, oh! Jesus hates lawlessness? Yes He does! This is what the Father said of the His Son Jesus! Notice something extraordinarily important here. To love righteousness AND hate wickedness or lawlessness were key to the anointing on the life and ministry of Jesus. If you don't like that, then argue with the Father about it! He said it about His Son Jesus.
Why are so many ministers so full of fluff in their ministry and teaching? Some have a good "preach" and may have some good public speaking skills, but if they refuse to LOVE righteousness and HATE lawlessness or wickedness, they are weak in the Spirit of the Lord! If they refuse to HATE that which is contrary to the moral commandments of God, the anointing is weak or non-existent. If people are not being saved, healed, delivered, Baptized in the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and more during each service they minister in, then their teaching or preaching lacks depth in the anointing. It is the anointing that destroys the yoke of bondage. (Isaiah 10:27) It is the anointing of the Holy Spirit that empowers a person to be anointed as they preach and minister to set the captives free! (Luke 4:18) Where does all that begin? With LOVING righteousness and HATING lawlessness! One is impossible without the other.
Again, most acted like mindless sheep that simply followed the crowd with no thought about the cost to their freedoms. People were treated like stupid sheep, and they mostly fell for it. Well at least the man with the sign I told you about, and many others like me have refused to buy into their socialist and dictatorial agenda.
What’s next for America when another “plandemic” shows up? Will the future plandemic be related to the other false god of the wicked called climate change? Watch the world stage because more lying plandemics are coming! When these happen, will they begin to tell us how many children we can have (depopulation is more in line with their agenda), what car to drive (only electric), and where to work because all small and private enterprise will be almost completely destroyed? Will they chip us like dogs to read our body temperatures or will they make our cell phones their new weaponry to spy on us? Will they forbid churches, tell us the length they want a woman’s dress to be, and order us on what haircuts are permissible, and how to comb our hair? The North Korean regime mandates that for their populace! It is not out of the question for complete totalitarian control of government. The question is, will we simply submit to dictatorial rule and lose the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and Bill of Rights?
For years I joked about some health providers and government agencies wanting too much information. I would complain, "They want your blood type and the temperature of your butt!" It was a joke until recently when the news was reported that a better Covid-19 test result could be obtained by a cotton swab inserted into the rectum! Are you ready for that? I don't think so!
A totalitarian regime could be coming to America if we don’t take a stand NOW! Shed the spineless sheep mentality and become bold as a lion, as warriors that refuse to tolerate slavery and oppression. We need to fight for our freedoms and refuse to act like little sheep ready for the slaughter. We need to refuse the herd mentality and think for ourselves.
People have been quick to believe every grossly exaggerated news report through the perverted media outlets. All the media has done is spread fear and cause panic. Turn off their lying news! They made Covid-19 to be the mother of all viruses. They have made it into an excuse to steal our constitutional rights, and it is all based on a lie!
The different yearly flu viruses plaguing our planet have killed multiplied thousands EVERY single year. No one put on face masks and maintained required social distancing for the yearly flu season. No one had to submit to irritating and economically damaging rules like those implemented in many places. Covid-19 is 99.9% post-infection survivable! Why panic? You never hear that from the socialist and communist media!
Study to show yourself approved and don't be taken for a sucker!
I presented numerous articles and videos from medical professionals, doctors, surgeons, researchers, etc., that have much to say about the severe dangers of receiving these vaccine. Check them out, but here is another one.
8 ways that the mRNA vaccine can kill you by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny:
https://www.brighteon.com/3ef68971-87ad-4ac5-9a1c-8552364d8ccd
Face masks allow 100% of viruses passage in and out! In other words, they DON'T protect you, and they don't protect anybody around you. There are so many research studies on this in the medical realm from 1975 and 2010, that to continue to use masks is ridiculous and massively stupid! I've seen at least 20 studies on surgical use of masks where the researchers found out that surgical masks not only do they not provide protection from infections, but may actually contribute to the spread of infections! I found out later that medical literature has around 125 research papers on face masks and that NONE prove this false idea that face masks can stop the spread of viruses.
Mask mandates:
Medical studies on the use of masks reveal a few shocking things:
*Masks are useless at stopping viruses from infecting a person wearing one, and from stopping the virus from escaping the mask if someone is infected. Keep in mind the fact that ALL viruses are much smaller than the microscopic openings in the material used for masks. "It's like using a chain link fence to keep out mosquitos!" I heard someone else say that, but I don't remember who it was or I would give them credit because it really gives you a mental picture of what I am saying here.
*Masks hinder the intake of air for breathing (up to 30%) and hinder the exhaling of carbon dioxide into the air. That means that what you are rebreathing under the mask is partly carbon dioxide (a waste product that is unbreathable) and not the air you need to live! That contributes to the diminished function of a lot of internal organs!
There is evidence that surgeons have decreased mental acuity after 4-6 hours in the operating room after using a surgical mask. The real losers here are the little children being forced to wear masks for hours a day. What do you think oxygen deprivation together with carbon dioxide inhalation is doing to their developing brains and internal organs? It is criminal.
*Studies indicate that continual use of masks will have a detrimental effect on the immune system and will contribute to infections in the gums and lungs.
Look at these articles and videos by doctors, surgeons, medical professionals, and researchers on the subject of useless mask wearing. Wise up America!
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mask-mouth-dentists-warn-prolonged-use-of-masks-leading-to-poor-oral-hygiene
https://www.globalresearch.ca/face-masks-pose-serious-risks-healthy/5712649
https://www.globalresearch.ca/studies-show-dehumanizing-masks-weaken-you-dont-protect-you/5713580
https://www.globalresearch.ca/covid-19-continuous-wearing-of-mask-aggravates-the-risk-of-infection-psychological-terrorism/5719704
You better examine these articles by medical professionals and get the real news about the dangers of consistently wearing face masks! The media, Dr. (miniature garden gnome) Fauci, and the governments of the world are lying to the public and causing people severe harm by insisting on wearing masks! Have you ever noticed that Fauci sounds a lot like Gollum from the Lord of the Rings? I wonder if there is any connection to that devil? Hmm. I had to throw that in there to illustrate my disgust. Ay!
Dr. Lee Merritt on the falsehoods of masks:
https://www.americasfrontlinedoctors.com/custom_videos/mask-myths
A surgeon speaks out on the falsehood of the general population wearing masks:
https://principia-scientific.com/surgeon-destroys-myth-if-masks-dont-work-why-do-surgeons-wear-them/
Penile shrinkage because of mask usage? Oh man, that is a BIG problem! Pun was not intended, but if the shoe fits... well, maybe no more comments from me here and let's go to the article.
https://nationalfile.com/study-chemical-that-causes-penile-shrinkage-found-in-face-masks/
Men, masking up is death to your manhood! Take off that stinking mask! Your wife will thank you!
Right now, many local and state governments refuse to open up economically and socially. 60% of all businesses that closed for Covid will never reopen! They are closed permanently because they can not recoup from the damage caused by the shutdown.
Read my previous articles to get the real research on the experimental gene therapies being labeled and pushed as "vaccines." Will they attempt to force us to be vaccinated? Talk is in the wind. How about the chip already invented by the Pentagon (which they do not deny) to be inserted into humans to track vaccination, health info, and wind up tracking location, and more?
These are all signs of the times where the antichrist system is being pushed to set things up for the still future man of sin or lawlessness. This is not funny! Listen to what Bill Gates is doing NOW with injections from this medical doctor:
https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/073/075/235/original/214821d7b2498c91.mp4
What if the government stated that everybody in America will be forced to get vaccinated and take this "mark of the beast" style chip? That would be a huge mistake. If any attempt is made to coerce people to be vaccinated and chipped, all hell could break loose in this country, and blood could be spilled in our streets and worldwide. I wonder how many Christians would allow themselves to be chipped, which is the next step, since many have already received the so-called "vaccine" (experimental gene therapy)?
Look at the latest official info (May 2021) on deaths and injuries from the experimental gene altering jabs falsely labeled as vaccines that already reported. These numbers are way behind the real numbers but it shows you where all these injections are doing to the people receiving them and there are many more yet to be reported.
https://healthimpactnews.com/2021/genocide-in-the-u-s-continues-3848-deaths-118902-injuries-following-covid-injections-children-now-being-reported-as-dying-also/
Let's not be spiritually naïve. Everything is pointing to the fact that something way more sinister is attempting to manifest itself. Satan is attempting to establish a one-world government designed by him to rule the world through his antichrist. It's as if Covid-19 is a trial run to see how far local, state, and the federal governments can push the people under their control. It is a globalist demonic agenda. The response to Covid-19 proves that if the pandemic appears to be bad enough, many people (including a vast majority of Christians) will easily give up their rights and freedoms. That is a very bad precedent.
As long as the Body of Christ is here on planet earth, we are supposed to be the salt and the light of the world. I am sorry to write that most of the church showed itself as salt that lost its saltiness during this Covid-19 shutdown. Worthy only to be trodden under foot! (See Matthew 5:13-16.) There were a very few exceptions to that, but mostly, the Church and Christians were weak and lacked the preservation qualities of salt, and had NO light that pierces the darkness. The Body of Christ on earth is supposed to keep corruption at bay and refuse to allow the enemy to take over the planet as long as it is here. The vast majority of churches complied with dictatorial rule and closed their doors with not even a whimper.
Americans of all colors and creeds acted like spineless sheep, shaking and trembling because they saw a wolf. We tolerated the unthinkable in America. Wake up America!
America, it is time to repent and come back to God, but it is also time to take a stand and fight, fight, and fight for our freedoms. America has had enough of the shutdown! Enough with the thuggery of local and state governments! Enough is enough!
Now to today's message:
Scriptural and natural truth is coming at you right now that will change your perspective on what is going on in the earth. If anything sounds like rhetoric to you then read to the end and see the many links to information that proves what I am telling you. I am not imagining anything or coming up with things out of the air. There is solid, factual evidence, and you will find it at the end of this article.
Covid-19 was never as bad as espoused by the lying news media because it has a 99% survivability rate! The only vulnerable population were the people over 80 and those with underlying health issues. What Covid-19 did was to provide an open door to huge overreaching by the government, and to restrictions that took away our rights as American citizens. Of course, as bad as it is in America, it is much worse in other countries of the world. Totalitarian, fascist, and socialist government dreams and aspirations received a great push forward through the so-called pandemic. A one-world government takeover received an immense boost through the vehicle of a planned false pandemic.
To top it all off, many churches and ministers capitulated to forced closures. Many churches closed without so much as a whimper of disapproval or resistance. Good little sheep that they are! Many are still closed.
What are we seeing in all this? What is beginning to show its ugly head on the earth? You call yourself a Christian and can’t see it? Are you that blind and hard-hearted? May this message bust it open for you!
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 NASB)
The antichrist man that opposes everything of God and His Word, the one that will force a one world government and religion isn’t supposed to be able to show his ugly head until the true and real Church is removed from the earth. Though that is true, we are seeing the antichrist spirit demonstrating great deception in the earth. Covid-19 is the tip of a humongous iceberg of lies and deceptions that has spread into all the earth. The worst part of it is that Satan has used the Covid mess to stop the church, restrict evangelism, impede laying hands on the sick, stop the preaching of the gospel message, stop having altar calls, and so on. That is the biggest lie he successfully spread into most parts of the world, and pastors, ministers, congregants, and entire denominations ate it up!
Could this be a part of the great apostasy prophesied above in Paul's words? Could this be that falling away from the faith? Could this be the beginning of these churches and ministers believing a lie and conforming to an antichrist system? It has all the trimmings, earmarks, and the massive signage that it is! It's like having the words "Great Apostasy" up in lights as the churches shut down all over the world contrary to the Word of God. You talk about "a deluding influence so that many will believe what is false" (a lie)! This is either that great apostasy or for sure the beginning of it showing up on the world's stage of events because the entire Church was affected by it. Nothing like that has ever happened.
The rest of Satan's plan is well under way with his attempt to remove human rights, make people subservient to governmental orders, shut down small businesses, restrict people’s movement and travel, and bring people to their knees before a tyrannical false god called Covid-19.
Don’t you get what Satan is trying to implement even now? Are we to ignore what is going on because it is too negative to contemplate and just focus on "good stuff" and the presence of God? My Bible tells me this:
So that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes). (2 Corinthians 2:13 NET)
The messages of many ministers online in this crucial time in history are about, for example, "7 steps to a better you" and "Why I lost my mojo"! That is not far from some of the stupid and irrelevant titles to messages you can hear a-dime-a-dozen on the net. It's amazingly stupid stuff that has no bearing on the nature of the hour. It's like many ministers are sticking their fingers in their ears refusing to look at this mess directly in the face for what it is, and recognize the enemy's hand in all these things. They are ignorant of Satan's devices and he is eating them for lunch! They are not standing AGAINST the wiles or schemes of the enemy at all, but instead, they they are acting like they are blind and deaf to the devil's lies. They don't know their enemy and it is costing them dearly! If you are not aware of Satan's tactics, guess what will happen? You will be outflanked and exploited by Satan.
Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11 NET)
The devil is trying to fast-track the beast governmental system of the antichrist and we, the true church, need to stand up and restrain him!
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:16, 17 NASB)
That you can't buy or sell should be disgustingly obvious with all the mask mandates and restrictions. There are many restaurants, stores, shops, grocery stores, government offices, etc. refusing to give you service without a mask!
Any way you slice and dice it, COVID-19 mandates came because of darkness growing in the land. They are not here because of faith, repentance, prayer, and DOING the Scripture. The mandates found an entrance because of a lack of the Church being doers of the Word! (James 1:22) If all the churches would have taken a stand against the lies of the devil and refused to close, America and other countries would not have suffered all the mess of lockdowns, curfews, social distancing, useless masks, and the rest of the perverted mess!
Watch as some of the churches begin opening. Their congregations will be gone or greatly decreased and never return. Church buildings are already going up for sale all over the country.
Remember all the churches that closed when the Covid mess started? Did you know churches are opening up as vaccination centers? They subjected themselves to a lie and a huge deception with masks, social distancing, and much more, and now they are serving as death and injury distribution centers. Death camps?
Church, it is time to repent! America, it’s time to repent! It is time to humble ourselves, pray, seek to please the Lord, repudiate any sinful practices and heresies so the Lord will respond from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land, yes, even from the tyrannical and totalitarian socialists and false pandemics! (2 Chronicles 7:13, 14)
All the churches and pastors in the land that surrendered to the antichrist demands of government need to repent for closing their churches! They received and implemented government orders that were contrary to Scripture.
Nowhere in the New Testament are we told to shut down our churches when the government decides we should. It tells us the exact opposite!
Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25 AMPC)
The Church of the Lord Jesus also has a GREAT commission that didn't expire with the so-called pandemic, or better stated, “lying plandemic.” (Mark 16:15-19; Matthew 28:18, 19) Most churches shut down operations without so much as a whimper. Why? Because most were not following the Scripture and obeying it. They were dead or close to dead anyway so it was natural to cave and bow the knee.
What really shocked me was how most evangelical, word-of-faith, prophetic, Pentecostal, and independent Spirit-filled churches shut down immediately upon orders from their local government. I am not including here the dead denominational churches. They all closed. I am referring here to all the supposedly Bible-believing and Word-doing churches. I am specifically referring to all the churches that said they believed in God’s healing power and espoused the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in other tongues as part of their church doctrine! What happened to the following Biblical instructions concerning healing when churches closed?
14 Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up—and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. (James 5:14-16 NET)
You can’t anoint anybody via internet, and you can’t lay hands on them for healing either!
“In my Name (Jesus)… they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover!” (Mark 16:17, 18)
Water baptism of new believers and participating in the Lord’s Supper or communion cannot be done via video conference! (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:25-31)
Most churches capitulated, submitted to, surrendered, and agreed with local authorities instead of agreeing with God and His Word! “We must obey God rather than people!” was how the Church leaders in Acts responded to calls from governmental leaders (those in authority) to stop what they were doing in the Name of Jesus. (See Acts 5:29, and Acts 4:19.)
We follow the laws of the land UNTIL they violate the Scripture! Then, we follow God’s Word regardless of the consequences. That is DIVINE order! That is the way it is supposed to be for the church!
The church in America (and around the world), almost unanimously, demonstrated how weak, pusillanimous, and sissified they really were. Instead of being the triumphant church, churches were generally a bunch of wusses. Instead of suffering persecution and jail time if necessary, they took the route of disobedience to God.
As I stated in the previous article, there were a few exceptions in the United States, and a few pastors were arrested, fined, or jailed for refusing to bow down to the idol of Covid-19, but they were regrettably VERY few and far between.
Yes, I will state the following things again from my previous comments. It is too important.
For a couple of years before the “pandemic”, I assisted a well-known Word-of-Faith church. I won’t mention their name or location because I still hope that the pastor and church repent publicly. They need to. I had great respect for their ministry. When the so-called pandemic hit, they folded like a deck of cards and shut their doors just like all other sissified churches. I was shocked and despaired temporarily. I couldn’t believe it. That church preached Scripture every Sunday and Friday, but when the test came, they fell for the lies of the devil like every other church in the area. I am talking about a church that had miracles, signs, and many manifestations of the Holy Spirit. They believed in God's healing power and taught it profusely, but they capitulated to government mania over a so-called pandemic just like all other churches did. What a tragedy! Sadly, even after they opened, they opened to masks with all the trimmings of believing a lie, in things like social distancing, alcohol wipes, and disinfecting agents. As far as I’m concerned, they are still closed because they are still under bondage to the lies of the enemy. Where is that mighty church that believed and taught God's healing and miraculous power? They are gone UNLESS they repent! They will be with little to no anointing unless they repent. I left that church and won't go back not even for a visit, UNLESS they repent.
The only two churches that remained open in my area in Florida were the River Church in Tampa with pastor Rodney Howard Browne (https://www.revival.com), and the Foundation Church in Englewood (https://www.foundationchurchfl.com) with pastor Tom Laipply. They didn't just talk the talk but walked the walk! I truly admire these men of God. Pastor Rodney Howard Browne was arrested for a refusal to close his church. Much of what I am saying and writing here are things these ministers have mentioned or spoken about at some point since March of 2020. I am thankful to God for these ministries sharing the truth of God's Word and the truth about Covid, socialism, and bad government. The links and other comments come from my own research.
Don’t miss a single Sunday service and the rebroadcasts of the River church (revival.com) or the Foundation Church, and the Tom Laipply podcast! The River has live services every night but Saturday. Get these services and listen to them closely.
By the way, no leader from the River Church or The Foundation Church has ever authorized me to state these things or to "advertise for them." It's certainly not name dropping because I don't have a personal friendship with either of these pastors, nor am I seeking one. It's what the Lord has put in my heart. It is doing my part to get the word out to you for your benefit.
Listen to the Tom Laipply podcast through Apple podcasts, Rumble, and others. Pastor Laipply is powerful in the Word and has a clear handle on all the lies being perpetrated in the government and so on. Powerful stuff, and he doesn’t mince words! If you are the emotional and sensitive type, you will not like him. You were probably from the group of idiot Christians that voted for the demonrat party and all its baby butchering candidates! At one to two million abortions (murders) per year in the USA, that is genocide! They are baby butchers! Sensitive "Christians" thought Trump was too harsh and mean so they voted for demon-inspired murderers and their leaders Joe Biden and Kamala Harris! Good job Covid caving Christians, pastors, and leaders!
If you love the truth, you will love Pastor Laipply’s fiery teaching every Sunday and his no B.S. podcasts!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tom-laipply-podcast/id1508562859
https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply
https://blubrry.com/tom_laipply/archive/?pi=1
https://podcastrepublic.net/podcast/1508562859
Redundancy is necessary for his podcast because it has been banned on some social media sites.
Facebook, Twitter, Google, and YouTube are controlled by a socialist agenda that restricts and bans freedom of speech. They deny our Constitutional right according to the First Amendment that guarantees all Americans freedom of speech! That each one of their platforms censor conservatives and Christians is not even in dispute anymore. The oligarchs of technology don't want us to question their devil inspired narrative. They want us to conform to the mainstream media’s talking points and the lying government narrative, or they will censor you or ban you if you state anything to the contrary. We refuse to bow down to their false god of lies and deception, and we will not conform to their world view! We will not conform to this world but we will be transformed by the renewing of our minds to the truth! (Romans 12:2)
Frankly, I will not go to or visit CCC’s (coined by Tom Laipply), "Covid Caving Churches"! Guess where I go to church now? Guess where I send my tithes and offerings? These two churches and these two alone! No others need apply! "Forget the capitulating churches pastored by skinny jeans, latte sucking, boot licking, Covid-caving pastors, UNLESS they repent!" Thank you, pastor Laipply, for the visual with those reality-based words! If you go back into churches like that after they weakly open back up with all the trimmings of believing a lie, I pray you will not be lost and go to hell, because you will be one of those that bow down to Satan's mark of the beast whenever it shows up. You are already training fervently for the mark of the beast if you wear masks, social distance, submit to tyrannical government Covid-19 shut down policies, and their insistence on vaccinations!
As a side note, Pastor RHB published two books that address the Covid and socialist mess the country finds itself in. I suggest you get every one of his books and read them, particularly The Phantom Virus and Socialism under the Microscope. Go here: https://store.revival.com
All the Covid-caving Christians need to repent! Pastors that yielded to the lying, antichrist, anti-Great Commission, and unconstitutional government demands, need to repent for their heretical actions! They need to repent for submitting to government idolatry and allowing them to rise above the orders and commands of the Lord Jesus in Scripture! I heard pastor Tom Laipply say something to this effect first, and it is the absolute truth!
Don't think for a moment that you closed your church publicly in disobedience to God's Word, and that now you are going to open without public repentance because it will not work. You closed publicly and declared government as your Lord by obeying it instead of obeying the Bible, and now you must repent publicly to gain your footing and place back in God and the anointing. The humble get this. The proud will refuse to repent to their own demise.
To help with repentance, I again give you the following list of my short studies on repentance. It is time to face the truth and repent. God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud that refuse to repent of their sins! See 1 Peter 5:5, Proverbs 28:13, and 1 John 1:7-10. I've gone to these Scriptures when I've sinned and received forgiveness and cleansing by the Blood of Jesus. The time for repentance is now!
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/q2dz2i/Repentance-_Part_1-REV.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/uwz5c9/Repentance-_Part_2REV.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/99ifp4/Repentance-_Part_3REV.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/dfea9s/Repentance-_Part_4REV.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/h3xq8q/Repentance_Part_5_REV_2020.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/x2ukz5/Repentance_part_6.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/xg76p5/Repentance_Part_7.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/bc9w6n/Repentance_Part_8.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/kxne52/Repentance_Part_9.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/889xtz/Repentance_Part_10_REV.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/fla92h/RepentancePart119u30j.mp3
What you need to know about Covid-19 government mandates on masks, social distancing, quarantines, vaccines, vaccine passports, closures, curfews, blah, blah, blah:
Canadian doctors and medical professionals reject the closures, lockdowns, quarantines, and masks:
https://medicalkidnap.com/2021/03/10/canadian-doctors-speak-out-against-government-covid-restrictions-masks-and-vaccines-not-needed/
At the end of the article, listen to the 11-minute video presentation.
Doctors from other countries speak out:
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/doctors-around-the-world-issue-dire-warning-do-not-get-the-covid-vaccine/
Mask mandates:
Medical studies on the use of masks reveal a few shocking things:
*Masks are useless at stopping viruses from infecting a person wearing one, and from stopping the virus from escaping the mask if someone is infected. Keep in mind the fact that ALL viruses are much smaller than the microscopic openings in the material used for masks. "It's like using a chain link fence to keep out mosquitos!" I heard someone else say that, but I don't remember who it was or I would give them credit because it really gives you a mental picture of what I am saying here.
*Masks hinder the intake of air for breathing (up to 30%) and hinder the exhaling of carbon dioxide into the air. That means that what you are rebreathing under the mask is partly carbon dioxide (a waste product that is unbreathable) and not the air you need to live! That contributes to the diminished function of a lot of internal organs!
There is evidence that surgeons have decreased mental acuity after 4-6 hours in the operating room after using a surgical mask. The real losers here are the little children being forced to wear masks for hours a day. What do you think oxygen deprivation together with carbon dioxide inhalation is doing to their developing brains and internal organs? It is criminal.
*Studies indicate that continual use of masks will have a detrimental effect on the immune system and will contribute to infections in the gums and lungs. Look at this article:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mask-mouth-dentists-warn-prolonged-use-of-masks-leading-to-poor-oral-hygiene
https://www.globalresearch.ca/face-masks-pose-serious-risks-healthy/5712649
https://www.globalresearch.ca/studies-show-dehumanizing-masks-weaken-you-dont-protect-you/5713580
https://www.globalresearch.ca/covid-19-continuous-wearing-of-mask-aggravates-the-risk-of-infection-psychological-terrorism/5719704
You better examine these articles by medical professionals and get the real news about the dangers of wearing face masks! The media, Dr. Fauci and the governments of the world are lying to the public and causing severe harm!
Dr. Lee Merritt on the falsehoods of masks:
https://www.americasfrontlinedoctors.com/custom_videos/mask-myths
A surgeon speaks out on the falsehood of the general population wearing masks:
https://principia-scientific.com/surgeon-destroys-myth-if-masks-dont-work-why-do-surgeons-wear-them/
Penile shrinkage because of mask usage:
https://nationalfile.com/study-chemical-that-causes-penile-shrinkage-found-in-face-masks/
Men, masking up is death to your manhood! Take off that stinking mask!
Interviews with Dr. Richard Urso:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4BfPl2EzMI
https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/conservativebusinessjournal/id/17376962
The medical profession is slowly but surely revolting against all the lies of Covid-19, and they are coming from different countries around the world.
In some countries, and in some local socialist governments (NYC and others), they are implementing an ID card to prove you have been vaccinated or you can’t go into a business or eat at a restaurant. That is just like wearing the emblem of the beast!
The same has been done with mask wearing. This past week, I tried to get my little boys ice cream at two different shops on Treasure Island (next to St Petersburg Beach) and they would not serve me without a mask! Did I yield? No way! I went through a Chick-Fil-A drive through and got each one of my boys an Ice-Dream! Haha! Trust me, it’s not an advertisement. Chick-Fil-A closed in store service and tripled up on their drive-thru operation. They also capitulated!
“May no man eat fruit of you hereafter forever?” Mark 11 anyone? That may have been Jesus’s attitude and words to a non-productive ice cream shop, I mean, fig tree. Hmm!
Nazi-like measures similar to those used against Jews in Germany are in place! Jews were forced to identify their businesses with a special emblem (a star) so Germans faithful to the Third Reich would not buy from them or sell them anything.
In many places you can’t buy or sell unless you have on a mask, and still, churches don't get it and try to defend their closure actions and their "bowing the knee" to lies and the father of lies, the devil!
At a SunBank/Truist bank, I was told that to come into their lobby to open an account, I had to wear a mask! Do you know that many states have laws on their books that prohibit wearing a face mask inside a bank and most businesses? It wasn’t that long ago that if you wore a mask inside a bank, you were considered a criminal trying to rob the bank! I refused to wear a mask in their bank, so, I couldn’t open the account there personally, though I found out you can do it online.
Food, money, grocery stores, government buildings, and what else is coming? If that doesn’t sound like preparation for the antichrist's one-world government in training, then I don’t know what would!
Saint reading this, are you still yawning and sleeping?
Vaccination, forced vaccinations, vaccination passports:
These are all signs of the times where the antichrist system is being pushed to set things up for the still future man of sin or lawlessness. This is not funny! Listen to what Bill Gates is doing NOW in Africa with injections from this medical doctor:
https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/073/075/235/original/214821d7b2498c91.mp4
Article and 55 minute interview with Dr. Kaufman:
https://vaccineimpact.com/2020/censored-dr-kaufman-they-want-to-genetically-modify-us-with-covid-19-vaccine-loses-his-job-and-willing-to-go-to-jail-to-resist/
Look at this false reporting by the CDC and the complicit news media and as this author rips it apart:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/cdc-admits-5800-fully-vaccinated-people-became-infected-covid-19-74-died/5742861
https://www.globalresearch.ca/beware-pcr-testing-you-may-unknowingly-vaccinated-instead-tested/5742819
Frankly, you should read all the articles written by medical professionals and skilled researchers on the so called Covid-19 "vaccines" at globalresearch.ca. Educate yourself so you are not fooled!
8 ways that the mRNA vaccine can kill you by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny:
https://www.brighteon.com/3ef68971-87ad-4ac5-9a1c-8552364d8ccd
Here's one from Doctors for Covid Ethics:
https://doctors4covidethics.medium.com/rebuttal-letter-to-european-medicines-agency-from-doctors-for-covid-ethics-april-1-2021-7d867f0121e
Vaccines can modify DNA permanently and contribute to Mad Cow Disease like symptoms and illnesses in humans:
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/science-mrna-vaccines-alter-dna/
https://naturalnews.com/2021-04-08-mrna-vaccines-may-cause-your-body-to-churn-out-prions-eat-your-brain-mad-cow-disease.html#
https://www.globalresearch.ca/what-not-said-pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine/5729461
https://www.globalresearch.ca/trump-covid-19-experimental-vaccine/5739817
Dr. Steven Hotze reveals that Covid-19 "vaccines" should be called what they are, an EXPERIMENTAL GENE THERAPY! They are dangerous, to say the least. They don't even qualify to be called a "vaccine", according to the CDC's own definition of the word "vaccine." This is a very informative video. The video was transcribed so you can also read the information on the same page.
https://www.hotzehwc.com/2021/02/dr-hotze-on-the-dangers-of-the-covid-19-vaccine/
More than 52,000 medical professionals worldwide have signed the Great Barrington Declaration at https://gbdeclaration.org/ calling into question the draconian Covid 19 policies, procedures, and vaccinations:
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/covid-has-caused-tens-of-thousands-of-medical-doctors-and-scientists-to-wake-up-to-corruption-in-the-medical-industry/
Israel’s “vaccination passport” and the violation of the Nuremberg Code:
https://vaccineimpact.com/2021/israelis-cry-out-to-the-world-to-stop-mandatory-covid-injections-as-lawsuit-is-filed-in-international-criminal-court-over-nuremberg-code-violation/
Chananya Weissman: 31 Reasons Why I Won’t Take the Vaccine. Some points have to do specifically with what is going on in Israel, but we see the same nonsense in the U. S. A.
New York Teachers for Choice:
https://nyteachersforchoice.wordpress.com/2020/09/20/top-10-reasons-why-a-covid-vaccine-should-not-be-mandatory/
Mandatory vaccines, or forcing people to get vaccinated, is a direct violation of the Nuremberg Code that was established after WW2 to counteract Nazi policies and practices.
Look at the latest official info (May 2021) on deaths and injuries from the experimental gene altering jabs falsely labeled as vaccines that already reported. These numbers are way behind the real numbers but it shows you where all these injections are doing to the people receiving them and there are many more yet to be reported.
https://healthimpactnews.com/2021/genocide-in-the-u-s-continues-3848-deaths-118902-injuries-following-covid-injections-children-now-being-reported-as-dying-also/
These are all signs of the times where the antichrist system is being pushed to set things up for the still future man of sin or lawlessness.
We must take a stand.
The protests are going on all over the world. There is a complete media blackout on these protests going on worldwide.
Video of just ONE day of protests against the overreach and removal of our human rights by tyrannical governments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvXXgPHyPFE
Why are not churches protesting? Where is the righteous indignation and anger against evil?
Look at all the protest videos under the hashtag "wewillallbethere"
https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/wewillallbethere .
We are not alone!
Disclaimer: There is profanity in some of the video clips. I didn't record any of these videos. I don't support the profanity, though I do support edgy and VERY tough language if it gets the message across! It's important that the Church understands that even unbelievers are rising up against the falsehoods so you will hear some cussing because they are super angry! I am 100% in agreement that we must stand and refuse to bow down to the falsehoods!
I wonder how many will have the guts to forward this message to all pastors, leaders, family members, and friends regardless of feelings and what they think? Will you be that bold even it is costs you friends and family? Are you going to rise up or cower to the lies? Are you a Christian or a pipsqueak mousy person? Are you a lion under the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Jesus) or little sheep led to slaughter? What are you?
"I am the righteousness of God in Christ," some are quick to say.
Really?
The righteous are as bold as a lion. (Proverbs 28:1b)
That should be us! Not only that. Those that dwell in the secret place of the Most High "will tread upon the lion and the cobra, and the young lion and the serpent will they trample underfoot." (Psalms 91:13) We are MORE than conquerors though Him that loved us! (Romans 8:37) None of that is for little weak lambs but for LIONS!
Now to the message:
I continually update an article like this. There are also corrections and other links added to this message.
Scriptural and natural truth is coming at you right now that will change your perspective on what is going on in the earth.
Covid-19 was never as bad as espoused by the lying news media because it has a 99% survivability rate! The only really vulnerable population were the people over 80 with underlying health issues. What Covid-19 did was open the door to huge overreaching by government and restrictions that took away our rights as American citizens. Of course, as bad as it is in America, it is much worse in many nations of the world. Totalitarian, fascist, and socialist government dreams and aspirations received a great push forward through the so-called pandemic. A one-world government takeover received an immense boost through the vehicle of a planned false pandemic.
To top it all off, many churches and ministers capitulated to forced closures. Many churches closed without so-much as a whimper of disapproval or resistance. Good little sheep that they are! They are still closed.
What are we seeing in all this? What is beginning to show it's ugly head in the earth?
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 NASB)
The antichrist man that opposes everything of God and His Word, the one that will force a one world government and religion isn’t supposed to be able to show his ugly head until the true and real Church is removed from the earth. Though that is true, we are seeing the antichrist spirit demonstrating great deception in the earth. Covid-19 is the tip of a humongous iceberg of lies and deceptions that has spread into all the earth. The worst part of it is that Satan has used the Covid mess to stop the church, restrict evangelism, impede laying hands on the sick, stop the preaching of the gospel message, stop having altar calls, and so on. That is the biggest lie he successfully spread into most parts of the world. The rest of Satan's plan is an attempt to remove human rights, make people subservient to governmental orders, shut down small businesses, restrict people’s movement and travel, and bring people to their knees before a tyrannical false god called Covid-19.
Any way you slice and dice it, COVID-19 mandates came because of darkness growing in the land. They are not here because of faith, repentance, prayer, and DOING the Scripture. The mandates found an entrance because of a lack of being doers of the Word (James 1:22) in the churches of America and around the world! If all the churches would have stood against the lies of the devil and refused to close, America and other countries would not have suffered all the mess of lockdowns, curfews, social distancing, useless masks, and the rest of the perverted mess! The reality is this: many churches will never reopen, and those that do will find out that their former congregation has fizzled away or gone elsewhere! Watch some of the mega churches when they start opening back up. Their congregations will be gone or greatly decreased and never return! Church buildings are already going up for sale all over the country. Watch what happens!
So what is the truth regarding all this Covid-19 supposed pandemic that is really a non-pandemic? What do we need to know now?
You really MUST hear these Canadian doctors and medical professionals reject the closures, lockdowns, quarantines, and masks. It’s epic!
https://medicalkidnap.com/2021/03/10/canadian-doctors-speak-out-against-government-covid-restrictions-masks-and-vaccines-not-needed/
At the end of their monumental article, listen to the 11 minute video presentation in line with everything I have been telling you about this whole Covid mess. Also listen to this video on what doctors are saying from other countries. Wow!
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/doctors-around-the-world-issue-dire-warning-do-not-get-the-covid-vaccine/
The lies the world has been subjected to are massive. Yet, the mainstream media continues to dish out their lies and deception with great swelling words of fearful stupidity, and a large portion of the world has swallowed them hook, line, sinker, the fishermen, and the boat!
I personally read dozens of medical studies on the use of masks and found out a few shocking things:
*Masks are useless at stopping viruses from infecting a person wearing one, and from stopping the virus from escaping the mask if someone is infected. Keep in mind the fact that ALL viruses are much smaller than the microscopic openings in the material used for masks. "It's like using a chain link fence to keep out mosquitos!" I heard someone else say that, but I don't remember who it was or I would give them credit because it really gives you a mental picture of what I am saying here.
*Masks hinder the intake of air for breathing (up to 30%) and hinder the exhaling of carbon dioxide into the air. That means that what you are rebreathing under the mask is partly carbon dioxide (a waste product that is unbreathable) and not the air you need to live! That contributes to the diminished function of a lot of internal organs!
There is evidence that surgeons have decreased mental acuity after 4-6 hours in the operating room after using a surgical mask. The real losers here are the little children being forced to wear masks for hours a day. What do you think oxygen deprivation together with carbon dioxide inhalation is doing to their developing brains and internal organs? It is criminal.
*Studies indicate that continual use of masks will have a detrimental effect on the immune system and will contribute to infections in the gums and lungs. Look at this article:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mask-mouth-dentists-warn-prolonged-use-of-masks-leading-to-poor-oral-hygiene
See this video by Dr. Lee Merritt on the falsehoods of masks:
https://www.americasfrontlinedoctors.com/custom_videos/mask-myths
Here is another article from a surgeon on the falsehood of the general population wearing masks:
https://principia-scientific.com/surgeon-destroys-myth-if-masks-dont-work-why-do-surgeons-wear-them/
Shrinkage is coming to America and around the world by continually being masked up. ALL compliant, clueless, mask-wearing-men need this info right now! Are they doing this purposely to the male population to feminize them by shrinking their manhood?
https://nationalfile.com/study-chemical-that-causes-penile-shrinkage-found-in-face-masks/
That should make every real man reading this to cringe and rush to remove their penis-shrinking masks! If you are OK Mister Moron with becoming more girlie, and you have no issue with your manhood shrinking, then go ahead and wear your death-to-manhood mask!
Watch these interviews with Dr. Richard Urso, an ophthalmologist from Texas with drug development background that has a lot of medical training under his belt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4BfPl2EzMI
https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/conservativebusinessjournal/id/17376962
These are by no means a complete catalog of doctors, nurses, and clinical studies that prove the world has been subjected to myths, outright lies, and falsehoods being spread by the mainstream media, giant social media outlets, and governments. The medical profession is slowly but surely rising up against all the lies of Covid-19, and they are coming from different countries around the world.
I wore the masks for a very short time to go into some stores at the beginning of this whole mess, but quickly removed them, repented, and have refused to wear them except on rare occasions. As an example, I wore one when I had to enter a government building to get a license plate and registration for a vehicle. I took it off once inside and no one said a thing to me, so I left it off.
I go everywhere mask-less and refuse to social distance. Occasionally, I have been refused entry or service without a mask. It happened at one of my favorite stores, “Bass Pro-Shop”, so, I haven’t returned since! Other places, I simply ignore posted signs, and disregard any worker asking me if I have a mask or offering me one. If asked, I say emphatically, “No!” and just keep walking. Generally, they leave me alone. If they ask, I will tell them masks don’t work and are detrimental to one’s health. Also, I ask if they are a Christian. If they are, I can tell them what they are doing and yielding to. You say, “What are people yielding to?” Don’t you get what Satan is trying to implement even now? He is trying to fast-track the beast system of the antichrist!
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:16, 17 NASB)
You can't buy or sell is coming at some point. Already, Gov. Inslee of the state of Washington stated in an interview that people would not be able to buy groceries unless they were vaccinated!
People of God, we are at a crossroads here. We must stand up and resist the devil.
Look, I understand that employees at many businesses are stuck with wearing masks or they risk losing their employment. I feel for you and your predicament. I understand that businesses can require patrons to wear a mask or ask them politely not to enter or to leave the premises. I understand they can do that legally. They have the right of admission. It's time for Christian workers to seek employment elsewhere or start their own businesses. Yep, it's time to suck it up and suffer a loss for Jesus than to capitulate and perpetuate a lie by staying with a lying emblem on your face!
In some countries, and in some local socialist governments (NYC and others), they are implementing an ID card to prove you have been vaccinated or you can’t go to a business or eat at a restaurant. That is just like wearing the emblem of the beast!
The same has been done with mask wearing. Recently, I tried to get my little boys ice cream at two different shops on Treasure Island (next to St Petersburg Beach) and they would not serve me without a mask! Did I yield? No way! I went through a drive through! Haha!
In many places you can’t buy or sell unless you have on a mask, and still, churches don't get it.
At a SunBank/Truist bank, I was told that if I came to the lobby I had to wear a mask to open an account! I refuse to wear a face diaper! Food, money, grocery stores, and what else is coming? Wow! If that doesn’t sound like preparation for the antichrist's one-world government in training, then I don’t know what would!
For the record, I WILL NEVER BE VACCINATED! Why? Check this article written about Dr. Andrew Kaufman and then on the same page watch a 55 minute interview with Dr. Kaufman:
https://vaccineimpact.com/2020/censored-dr-kaufman-they-want-to-genetically-modify-us-with-covid-19-vaccine-loses-his-job-and-willing-to-go-to-jail-to-resist/
Have you read about all the crap that is in those vaccines? Have you read about all the deaths and massive side effects from all the vaccines around the world? Here are 8 ways that the mRNA vaccine can kill you by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny:
https://www.brighteon.com/3ef68971-87ad-4ac5-9a1c-8552364d8ccd
There are medical reasons why vaccines should never be fast tracked. You better wise up. Vaccines can modify DNA permanently, and contribute to Mad Cow Disease like symptoms and illnesses in humans!
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/science-mrna-vaccines-alter-dna/
https://naturalnews.com/2021-04-08-mrna-vaccines-may-cause-your-body-to-churn-out-prions-eat-your-brain-mad-cow-disease.html#
Don't believe the lying media on this issue, but actually, don't believe them on ANY issue!!
Did you know that over 52,000 medical professionals worldwide have now signed on to the Great Barrington Declaration (see their website: https://gbdeclaration.org/) calling into question the draconian Covid 19 policies, procedures, and vaccinations?
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/covid-has-caused-tens-of-thousands-of-medical-doctors-and-scientists-to-wake-up-to-corruption-in-the-medical-industry/
Did you know that the Barrington declaration was originally signed in the US Otober 4, 2020 calling for the stop to the Covid-19 nonsense presented by the news media and our own government, both nationally and locally? The three original signers were not lightweights! They are: Dr. Martin Kulldorff, professor of medicine at Harvard University, a biostatistician, and epidemiologist with expertise in detecting and monitoring infectious disease outbreaks and vaccine safety evaluations, Dr. Sunetra Gupta, professor at Oxford University, an epidemiologist with expertise in immunology, vaccine development, and mathematical modeling of infectious diseases, and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, professor at Stanford University Medical School, a physician, epidemiologist, health economist, and public health policy expert focusing on infectious diseases and vulnerable populations. All these and I didn't even tell you about the 44 co-signers that were also very qualified physicians and medical professionals! Over 52,000 medical scientists and practitioners have signed on, and the medical professionals are coming forward with the truth all over the globe!
Quit believing the lies from the communist mainstream news media and those that have a vested monetary interest in the vaccines, like big pharma and miniature doctors. Don’t believe the miniature man, the medical garden gnome Fauci. Rodney Howard Browne had a garden gnome made of him, and it is hilarious! Don't pay attention to that person that buys his clothes in the children’s section (a favorite description of Fauci by RHB) that is supposed to be the authority on these medical things nationally, but Fauci is lying through his teeth to the American people!
Some airlines are pursuing having a vaccination passport to prove you are subservient to the system, and some countries are beginning the process to implement them for any form of travel. Even the nation of Israel has fallen to this “vaccination passport” nonsense and requiring forced vaccines, but look at what's happened:
https://vaccineimpact.com/2021/israelis-cry-out-to-the-world-to-stop-mandatory-covid-injections-as-lawsuit-is-filed-in-international-criminal-court-over-nuremberg-code-violation/
Don't forget to watch the associated video and Rabbi Weissman's reasons he won't take the vaccine. Here is the original article from Rabbi Chananya Weissman: 31 Reasons Why I Won’t Take the Vaccine. I agree with him 100%! It makes no difference that he is not a Christian! I say that for all my prejudiced Christian brethren! He is right about this. I understand that some of his points have to do directly with what is going on in Israel, but we see the same nonsense in the U. S. A., so it is appropriate and timely here. There are not 1 or 2 reasons to NOT take the vaccine, but a solid 31 reasons you should not submit to vaccination! Read them and learn them well. It's an essay, and all easily verifiable.
Here is another important article by the New York Teachers For Choice:
https://nyteachersforchoice.wordpress.com/2020/09/20/top-10-reasons-why-a-covid-vaccine-should-not-be-mandatory/
Mandatory vaccines, as clearly stated in this article above, or forcing people to get vaccinated, is a direct violation of the Nuremberg Code that was established after WW2 to counteract Nazi policies and practices! We need to oppose forced vaccinations NOW, spiritually, physically, and politically!
These are all signs of the times where the antichrist system is being pushed to set things up for the still future man of sin or lawlessness. This is not funny! Listen to what Bill Gates is doing NOW with injections from this medical doctor:
https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/073/075/235/original/214821d7b2498c91.mp4
Remember all the churches that closed when the Covid mess started? Did you know churches are opening up as vaccination centers? They subjected themselves to a lie and a huge deception with masks, social distancing and much more, and now they are serving as death and injury distribution centers! Death camps?
Church, it is time to repent! America, it’s time to repent! It is time to humble ourselves, pray, seek to please the Lord, repudiate any sinful practices and heresies so the Lord will respond from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land, yes, even from the tyrannical and totalitarian socialists and false pandemics! (2 Chronicles 7:13, 14)
All the capitulating churches and pastors in the land need to repent for closing their churches! They received and implemented government orders that were contrary to Scripture. Nowhere in the New Testament are we told to shut down our churches when the government decides we should. It tells the exact opposite! We are never to forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25), and much less as we see the day of the Lord's return approaching.
The Church of the Lord Jesus also has a GREAT commission that didn't expire with the so-called pandemic, or better stated, “lying plandemic.” (Mark 16:15-19; Matthew 28:18, 19) Most churches shut down operations without so much as a whimper. Why? Because most were not following the Scripture and obeying it. They were dead or close to dead anyway!
What really shocked me was how most evangelical, word-of-faith, prophetic, Pentecostal, and independent Spirit-filled churches shut down immediately upon orders from their local government. I am not including here the dead denominational churches. They all closed. I am referring here to all the supposedly Bible-believing and Word-doing churches. I am specifically referring to all the churches that said they believed in God’s healing power and espoused it as part of their church doctrine! What happened to the following Biblical instructions when churches closed?
14 Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up—and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. (James 5:14-16 NET)
You can’t anoint anybody via internet, and you can’t lay hands on them for healing either!
“In my Name (Jesus)… they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover!” (Mark 16:17, 18)
You can’t baptize in water any new converts, and you can’t have communion via video chat!
Most churches capitulated, submitted to, surrendered, and agreed with local authorities instead of agreeing with God and His Word! “We must obey God rather than people!” was how the Church leaders in Acts responded to calls from governmental leaders (those in authority) to stop what they were doing in the Name of Jesus. (See Acts 5:29, and also Acts 4:19.) We follow the laws of the land UNTIL they violate the Scripture! Then, we follow God’s Word regardless of the consequences. That is the way it is supposed to be for the church!
The church in America (and around the world), almost unanimously, demonstrated how weak, pusillanimous, and sissified they really were. Instead of being the triumphant church, churches were generally a bunch of wusses. Instead of suffering persecution and jail time if necessary, they took the route of disobedience to God.
There were a few exceptions in the United States, and a few pastors were arrested, fined, or jailed for refusing to bow down to the idol of Covid-19, but they were regrettably VERY few and far between.
For a couple of years before the “pandemic”, I assisted a well-known Word-of-Faith church. I won’t mention their name or location because I still hope that the pastor and church repent publicly. They need to. I had great respect for their ministry. When the so-called pandemic hit, they folded like a deck of cards and shut their doors just like all other weak and sissified churches. I was shocked and despaired temporarily. I couldn’t believe it. That church preached Scripture every Sunday and Friday, but when the test came, they fell for the lies of the devil like every other church in the area. I am talking about a church that had miracles, signs, and many manifestations of the Holy Spirit. They believed in God's healing power and taught it profusely, but they capitulated to government mania over a so-called pandemic just like all other churches did. What a tragedy! Sadly, even after they opened, they opened to masks with all the trimmings of believing a lie; social distancing, alcohol wipes, and disinfecting agents. As far as I’m concerned, they are still closed because they are still under bondage to the lies of the enemy. Where is that mighty church that believed and taught God's healing and miraculous power? They are gone UNLESS they repent! They will be with little to no anointing unless they repent. I left that church and won't go back not even for a visit, UNLESS they repent.
The only two churches that remained open in my area in Florida were the River Church in Tampa with pastor Rodney Howard Browne (https://www.revival.com), and the Foundation Church in Englewood (https://www.foundationchurchfl.com) with pastor Tom Laipply. They didn't just talk the talk but walked the walk! Much of what I am saying and writing here are things these ministers have mentioned or spoken about at some point since March of 2020. I am truly thankful to God for these ministries sharing the truth of God's Word and the truth about Covid, socialism, and bad government. The links and other comments come from my own research.
Don’t miss the Sunday services and rebroadcasts of the River church (revival.com) or the Foundation Church, and the Tom Laipply podcast! Get them all and listen to them closely through their websites.
Listen to the Tom Laipply podcast through Apple podcasts, Rumble, and others. Pastor Laipply is powerful in the Word and has a clear handle on all the lies being perpetrated in the government and so on. Powerful stuff, and he doesn’t mince words! If you are the emotional and sensitive type, you will not like him. You were probably from the group of idiot Christians that voted for the demonrat party and all its baby butchering candidates! At one to two million abortions (murders) per year in the USA, that is genocide! They are baby butchers! Sensitive "Christians" thought Trump was too harsh so they voted for demon-inspired-murderers and their leaders Joe Biden and Kamala Harris! Good job Covid caving Christians, pastors, and leaders!
If you love the truth, you will love Pastor Laipply’s fiery teaching every Sunday and his no B.S. podcasts!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tom-laipply-podcast/id1508562859
https://rumble.com/c/tomlaipply
https://blubrry.com/tom_laipply/archive/?pi=1
https://podcastrepublic.net/podcast/1508562859
Redundancy is necessary for his podcast because it has been banned on some social media sites.
Facebook, Twitter, Google, and YouTube are controlled by a socialist agenda that restricts and bans freedom of speech. They deny our Constitutional right according to the First Amendment that guarantees all Americans freedom of speech! That each one of their platforms censors conservatives and Christians is not even in dispute anymore. The oligarchs of technology don't want us to question their devil inspired narrative. They want us to conform to the mainstream media’s talking points and the lying government narrative, or they will censor you or ban you if you state anything to the contrary. We refuse to bow down to their false god of lies and deception, and we will not conform to their world view! We will not conform to this world but we will be transformed by the renewing of our minds to the truth! (Romans 12:2)
Frankly, I will not go to or visit CCC’s (coined by Tom Laipply), "Covid Caving Churches"! Guess where I go to church now? Guess where I send my tithes and offerings? These two churches and these two alone! No others need apply! "Forget the capitulating churches pastored by skinny jeans, latte sucking, boot licking, Covid-caving pastors, UNLESS they repent!" Thank you pastor Laipply for the visual with those reality based words! If you go back into churches like that after they weakly open back up with all the trimmings of believing a lie, I pray you will not be lost and go to hell, because you will be one of those that bow down to Satan's mark of the beast whenever it shows up. You are already training fervently for the mark of the beast if you wear masks, social distance, submit to tyrannical government Covid-19 shut down policies, and their insistence on vaccinations!
As a side note, Pastor RHB published two books that address the Covid and socialist mess the country finds itself in. I suggest you get every one of his books and read them, particularly The Phantom Virus and Socialism under the Microscope. Go here: https://store.revival.com
All the Covid-caving Christians need to repent! Pastors that yielded to the lying, antichrist, anti-Great Commission, and unconstitutional government demands, need to repent for their heretical actions! They need to repent for submitting to government idolatry and allowing them to rise above the orders and commands of the Lord Jesus in Scripture! I heard pastor Tom Laipply say something to this effect first, and it resonates in the Spirit as being the absolute truth!
To help with repentance, now I give you the following list of my short studies on repentance. It is time to face the truth and repent. God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud that refuse to repent of their sins! See 1 Peter 5:5, Proverbs 28:13, and 1 John 1:7-10. I've gone to these Scriptures when I've sinned and received forgiveness and cleansing by the Blood of Jesus. The time for repentance is now!
Don't think for a moment that you closed your church publicly in disobedience to God's Word, and that now you are going to open without public repentance because it will not work. You closed publicly and declared government as your Lord by obeying it instead of obeying the Bible, and now you must repent publicly to gain your footing and place back in God and the anointing. The humble get this. The proud will refuse to repent to their own demise.
Access the first message with the podcast button below, but I give you the links to all of them here in order, starting with Part 1:
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/q2dz2i/Repentance-_Part_1-REV.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/uwz5c9/Repentance-_Part_2REV.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/99ifp4/Repentance-_Part_3REV.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/dfea9s/Repentance-_Part_4REV.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/h3xq8q/Repentance_Part_5_REV_2020.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/x2ukz5/Repentance_part_6.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/xg76p5/Repentance_Part_7.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/bc9w6n/Repentance_Part_8.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/kxne52/Repentance_Part_9.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/889xtz/Repentance_Part_10_REV.mp3
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/fla92h/RepentancePart119u30j.mp3
Be mightily and overwhelmingly blessed with the truth from God’s Word and the truth about the ongoing lying plandemic! We must take a stand.
The protests against all of this nonsense are going on all over the world. There is a complete media blackout on these protests going on worldwide. The lying, stinking, fake media says nothing about it!! Look at this video of just ONE day of protests against the overreach and removal of our human rights by tyrannical governments. Please pardon the profanity on some of these. I didn't record any of these videos. I don't support the profanity though I do support edgy and VERY tough language if it gets the message across! It's important that the Church understands that even unbelievers are rising up against the falsehoods so you will hear some cussing because they are super angry! I am in 100% in agreement that we must stand and refuse to bow down to the world's falsehoods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvXXgPHyPFE
Why are not churches protesting? Where is the righteous indignation and anger against evil!
Look at all the protest videos under the hashtag "wewillallbethere" https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/wewillallbethere .
We are not alone!
Now on to the recorded message:
Read part one or you will miss a bunch, because I am not really reiterating anything!
Jesus taught that lawlessness would increase as His coming draws near, but that should be for the world and not the church! (Matthew 24:12, 37-30) Jesus is not coming back for a morally corrupt church! No!
He has given Himself so that He can present the church as His radiant bride, unstained, unwrinkled, and unblemished—completely free from all impurity—holy and innocent before Him. (Ephesians 5:27 The Voice)
Four things are required for moral purity:
- The desire and willingness to obey moral commands to please the Lord.
- A consistent overdose of the Word of God in your life.
- The anointing or fire of the Spirit that purges immoral trash from the heart and mind.
- Hang out with other people that practice moral purity because “bad company corrupts good morals.” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NET)
This anointing and fire of the Spirit isn’t yet found everywhere because many churches have never experienced it or deny it completely. One good thing that the Covid-19 pandemic has done for the Body of Christ is to point out the difference between weak and gutless churches, and those that will go on for God in the power of the Spirit, regardless of circumstance or the attempt of governments to shut down churches. Right now, and since about April of 2020, a purging and a sifting has been going on! After this whole mess blows over completely, watch what happens. Many churches will never again reopen their doors even though some of them had thousands of people attending their services. They were dead (or nearly dead) before the so-called pandemic (non-pandemic) broke out and they are completely dead now. Only those that mean business with God, even unto death if necessary (Revelation 12:11), will be the ones that that overcome and will show and demonstrate the presence and power of God. Yes, it clear in the book of Revelation, and we are fast approaching the fulfilment of all things written there. There is a whole lot of sifting and shaking going on! Frankly, it will only increase from here on out till the coming of the Lord. A distinct difference will be seen between the righteous and unrighteous, between the holy and profane. (Malachi 3:16-18; Ezekiel 44:23) Get used to it!
Is the Church supposed to ignore behavioral problems and only deal with heart issues? Let us dive back into this important and timely subject. Let’s settle this once and for all.
The apostle Peter taught:
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth” (1 Peter 1:14-17 NASB).
According to Peter, external conduct and behavior are essential for all that call God their Father. Holy behavior is demanded and required! God will impartially judge everyone’s work. “You shall be holy for I am holy” refers to holy behavior. It does not refer to positional or received holiness, but to one’s external lifestyle. “Be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy,” should answer this forever, but there is much more in the New Testament on this subject.
Does the New Testament exalt “heart issues” and minimize external lifestyle? Only someone that has not read the New Testament, or is blinded by a doctrine of demons, could come to that conclusion.
Behavioral issues are discussed in every book of the New Testament! Let’s look at a few representative examples from First Corinthians.
- Chapter 5 addresses the incestuous relationship a man was having with his father’s wife (5:1-5). That is behavioral any way you slice it!
- Chapter 6 addresses lawsuits against fellow believers, fornication, and gives us an entire list of unrighteous behaviors (6:1-8, 9, 10, 13-19). Again, all these have to do with external behaviors and lifestyle.
- Chapter 7:1-40 addresses Christian behavior relating to marital sex, marriage, divorce, and virginity. This chapter is loaded with behavioral issues in these areas.
- Chapter 8:1-13 discusses not eating food offered to idols so as not to be a stumbling block that may cause your brethren to sin. This chapter discusses an idolatrous eating disorder behavior!
- In Chapter 10:1-11, Paul instructs the Corinthians not to do the things that the Israelites did in the wilderness and judgment came upon them. Specifically, Paul mentions craving evil things, immorality, grumbling, and testing the Lord. Thousands were judged and died because of those evil behaviors.
- I hesitated to include First Corinthians 11:1-17 because it deals with hair length, male and female roles, specifically relating to the married couple, and also eating food and drinking alcohol. This portion has been the source of a lot of controversies over the years, but I am pointing it out because something as natural as “hair” and eating and drinking are mentioned. Again, these are behavioral issues that Paul had to deal with in the churches. Paul discusses your haircut, how you stuff your mouth with food, and getting drunk! These are probably as mundane (external) as you can get!
Then, after discussing hair, Paul shifts the conversation to a rebuke against people causing divisions in the church of Corinth by eating and others getting drunk (1 Corinthians 11:21, 22)! Could you imagine some people coming to church to stuff their faces and get stumbling, bumbling drunk? Sorry, but you don’t get drunk on grape juice. Do you mean to tell me that alcohol was allowed in the church services? That will blow some traditional, religious, evangelical circuits! Read the text and note that Paul says if you are going to drink (not get drunk because drunkenness is a sin), do it at home for goodness sake! So, drinking fermented grape juice at home was OK in Paul’s view as long you did not get drunk! See also Galatians 5:19-21 where the practice of drunkenness is mentioned as keeping a person from inheriting the kingdom of God. Paul never condemned drinking a fermented beverage with alcohol content at home.
Do you think Jesus ate the Passover with grape juice and not fermented wine? Think again. According to Jewish tradition, the Passover Seder (order of service and retelling of the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt- (Haggadah) was celebrated with 4 cups of wine (not grape juice)[1], each with at least 3.3 oz. of, you guessed it, fermented, alcohol containing, WINE! I don’t keep wine at home, so don’t get bent out of shape here, though I could, and it would be fine, but I don’t, but I could, but, it is really none of your business! I just had to throw that in there! Haha!
The first miracle was Jesus turning water into wine (not grape juice) for a wedding feast! God’s miracle-working power made fermented wine containing alcohol!
I understand many are intolerant of anything fermented or with alcohol content in evangelical Christianity. I also understand that if someone had substance abuse problems (or demons) because of alcohol then they should always and forever abstain from it. My issue against most evangelical thoughts and beliefs on the subject is when they make it a sin if someone has a cold beer with their pizza, and THAT is not right. Personally, I like a cold soda with my pizza! For Christians, honestly, if you must do it, refrain from doing it in public so as not to offend other believers that are weak or even to give the appearance of evil before anybody saved or unsaved. (Romans 14:21, 1Thesaalonians 5:22)
Anyway, enough of that, but I enjoy busting silly traditional views on the subject. Sometimes, I wonder if some people can even read. Quit judging those that do and those that do not! Read Romans 14 and get over it!
Behavior, oh behavior, you continue to appear, and we were just looking at one of the books of the New Testament! Behavior and behavioral issues are found in EVERY New Testament book!
How readest thou? That is good, centuries old, KJV!
- Chapter 14:40 summarizes Paul’s correction of abuses in spiritual manifestations that were happening at this church. All things were to be done decently and in order. That is behavior baby!
Ephesians chapters 4 through 6 deal with behaviors or what you do in your body.
Colossians chapter 3 deals with behaviors, and so does First Thessalonians 4 and 5!
The apostle Peter deals with behaving right in First Peter 1:14-17, as we saw above. He teaches the correct behavior for husband and wife in First Peter 3:1-7. He again deals with behaviors in 3:10-12, 16, 4:1-5, and Second Peter 2:6-9.
What about the apostle John? Read these short five chapters and identify all the places he refers to your behavior. He deals with the confession of sins, the lust of the flesh and eyes, the pride of life, practice of sin or righteousness, a love demonstrated in deed and truth, keeping the commandments, etc. All of these, and more deal with moral behavior.
Jude 1:7, 8, 15, and 16 deals with, yep, behaviors!
How about the book of Revelation, penned by John, the apostle? Read chapters 2 and 3 and see how many things come up in the words of Jesus concerning behavior. At no time does Jesus say, “I know your heart issues, motivations, intentions, or desires!” No! He repeatedly says, “I know your works.” Of course, the Lord knows everything about a human being because nothing can be hidden from Him, whether in the thoughts or our actions (Hebrews 4:11-14). He has and will address evil thoughts on certain occasions (Matthew 9:4; 12:25).[2]
The focus of Jesus in Revelation was on: “I know your works” (Rev. 2:2, 19; 3:1, 8, 15), “you need to repent of her (Jezebel’s) works” (Rev. 2:22), and “I will give to each one according to your works” (Rev. 2:23). He addressed their works (actions or deeds) continuously in those chapters, but that is not all. See also Rev. 2:26; 3:2. If you study the rest of the book, you will see works mentioned. (Rev. 14:13; 16:11; 18:6; 20:12, 13). Behaviors or works are mentioned fourteen times! [3]
Need I go on? Behavior issues are dealt with in every epistle! Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John all deal with behavioral issues.
It is too bad Paul didn't know that he only needed to deal with the heart issues and not all that behavioral stuff! Sarcasm here! Yes, it is necessary at this point for the benefit of those that still cannot see the abundant emphasis on behavioral issues in the New Testament.
So, should we now think that dealing with behaviors is to be minimized? Should we deal only with "heart issues" as a priority?
Disobedience to God’s moral commandments is at the root of all behavioral issues. We must impose, require, demand, and teach obedience to God and His moral commandments as the standard we are to follow in our churches. Period!
It is tragic. Many churches concentrate on being blessed, delivered, redeemed, dealing with bad circumstances, your self-esteem and vision, healing, giving, gifts and fruit of the Spirit, end time prophecy, etc. Some teach about resisting worry, but what about fleeing from fornication? Teaching on kindness is good, but what about training to live a holy life? Some want to be motivated into success as Christian business owners, but what about encouraging people into strong moral principles? That is a real “life” coach! Some teach on forgiveness and faith, but what about teaching on resisting covetousness, idolatry, adultery, lying, and theft? The way things are happening in Christianity, and the perversions we are seeing proliferating among churches, we need a major shift to an emphasis on Biblical moral principles. What about the subjects of dedication, faithfulness, consecration, obedience and loyalty to God and His moral commandments, humility, repentance, and the fear of the Lord?
To concentrate only on the redemptive work of Jesus and its benefits, without also teaching about the moral conduct required by the Lord, will severely weaken a church. A church that learns about their “rights and privileges in Christ,” but doesn’t hear much (if at all) about moral responsibilities, will consistently experience immorality in its ranks. Churches that preach the benefits without the emphasis of moral requirements are severely curtailing spiritual growth. We are seeing the fruits of decades of this kind of teaching and preaching sweeping through the Church right now! Sin, darkness, perversion, and all kinds of evil are constantly seen and reported from many sectors of the Christian church. Many emphasize a “bless me” gospel with little to no importance given to moral behavior according to God’s Word. Christian morality has been relegated to a backburner, and in some churches, morality equals bondage! That has to change, or the vicious cycle of the practice of sin and wickedness will continue and even increase.
I believe in and preach and teach often on the redemptive work of Jesus and all its mighty benefits, BUT I also emphasize the moral side of the covenant! We cannot preach redemption without also teaching the moral responsibility of the saints!
For the world preaching is different. We should only preach redemption to them in the Blood and sacrifice of Jesus. Moral principles are useless for the ungodly as far as making it into the kingdom of God and going to heaven! The ungodly must first receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. For the believer both are absolutely essential. Let's get our doctrine straight!
NOTES:
[1] Drinking of wine symbolized gladness and joy, and the four cups were sort of a “toast” corresponding to the four deliverance statements of Exodus 6:6-7. See “To Be A Jew,” page 231, by Hayim Halevy Donin. This book is a good resource for getting a handle on Jewish practice. What many don’t understand is that Jewish orthodox and conservative practice has changed little in 2000 years. Most of what Jews practice in their feast and festivals today was already practiced before the initial compendium of Jewish oral law was written down in Mishnah (c. 200 A. D.) and later discussed among the rabbis in the Talmud (c. 500 A. D.). That is an amazing revelation because we don’t have to go far to sit with Jesus during the Passover meal. We know what they ate, drank, and the story they read of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, and the blessings spoken as they retold the story. We know about the 5th cup left un-drunk at the head of the table. It was called the cup of Elijah reserved for the Messiah because Elijah was to come before the Messiah showed up. “And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:20 NET) There is no question in my mind that this final cup Jesus raised was the cup reserved for Messiah! It was a miracle that no one wound up in the floor overwhelmed by it all!
[2] According to Matthew 15:19, “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts,” and so on. Peter rebuked the new convert named Simon (Acts 8:13) because he allowed wickedness, bitterness, and the bondage of iniquity to reenter his heart. It caused his heart not to be right before the Lord! Do you mean that it is possible to have your spirit defiled by wickedness after you are birthed of the Spirit or “born again?” See Acts 8:20-23. Peter rebuked Simon for the wickedness he displayed with the ungodly offer to pay money for the authority to lay hands on people, so they receive the Holy Spirit. Peter called it the evil “intention of your (Simon’s) heart.” The intention of his heart was displayed by his action. Peter called the wickedness displayed, the intention of the heart. There is a close parallel between intention, thought, and desire of the heart and the action. These cannot be separated too far because what you intend is what you will do, and what you do is what you intended. The only thing that interferes with this connection is when a person that intends to do evil stops the process by repentance. This verse tells us what to do when the spirit or body are defiled by sin: “Therefore, since we have these promises (see 2 Cor. 6:14-18), dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God (2 Corinthians 7:1).
[3] Based, again, on Matthew 15:19, it would be foolish to say that Jesus rarely dealt with behavioral issues. What does, “do not sin anymore” (John 5:14), and “from now on sin no more” (John 8:11) mean? Jesus instructed them that they keep their behavior according to God’s commandments. Jesus mentioned the commandments “you shall not murder;” “you shall not commit adultery;” “you shall not steal;” “you shall not bear false witness;” “honor your father and mother;” and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:18, 19 NASB). That all started with a question and the answer of the Master concerning what to do if you want to enter into (eternal) life. Jesus responds with that it was necessary to keep (obey) the commandments. To be complete, Jesus said that the questioner had to walk away from possessions that possessed him, selling them, and giving the proceeds to the poor, and following Jesus! That is what we are taught in shortened form in Revelation 14:12 and 12:17. What about the teaching of Jesus on adultery, murder, fornication, and divorce? (See Matthew 5:21-32.) There are other references in the words of Jesus, but these should suffice.
Some deny the importance of dealing with behavioral issues in our churches because these are “external.” Does this mean that we are to ignore external behaviors and not bring correction or rebuke? Some say that if you deal with the heart, then the external behavioral issues will go away.
What is at the heart of all behavioral issues? Is it a lack of understanding grace, God’s love, the sacrifice of Jesus, etc.? Is it a lack of a revelation of Jesus? Is it a lack of revelation knowledge? I have heard many reasons for why people engage in immoral activities, but the most prominent one is “heart issues.”
To begin, many completely overlook the huge amount of verses in the New Testament that deal with; you guessed it, behavioral problems. We will look at some of them later.
Does the Lord deal with behaviors? Does the Lord deal with the exterior, or is He only looking at the internal, the heart?
People are quick to quote the statement the Lord made concerning His choice for a king. Usually, the second part of the verse is quoted. It states God doesn’t look at the appearance but at the heart. Because this verse is quoted partially almost every time I have ever seen it in print or heard someone quote it, many strange ideas have developed around it. Look closely at the verse:
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Donʼt be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”(1 Samuel 16:7 NET).
What happened here? God sent Samuel to Jesse’s house to anoint one of his sons to be the next king over Israel. God warned Samuel not to look at the physical appearance and think that height was a qualification necessary for a king. He already had that experience with Saul. Saul was head and shoulders taller than anyone in Israel. The Lord needed for him to forget that, and make the right choice. The next king was to be the youngest son of Jesse, a ruddy (maybe red hair and fair skin with freckles) sheepherder!
The outward appearance that the Lord was referring to had everything to do with height and physical appearance. It was not an excuse for overlooking evil actions or sin. “The Lord looks at the heart” had NOTHING to do with dismissing sin and unrighteous acts in the body because those are external or of the flesh.
God was not telling Samuel that if outwardly the one anointed for king was sinning, that He would look beyond that external evil and see something good in the heart. That would be utterly absurd! But, that has been what I have heard people say about backsliders living a sinful lifestyle. They say, “Oh, even though he or she is backslid, the Lord knows his or her heart, and they will be OK if they die in their sin.” Some say it differently, but it all boils down to providing an excuse for people’s sins.
I heard the above said by prominent ministers after the singer Whitney Houston died tragically. She died because of alcohol abuse and a drug overdose, and then drowned in her own bathtub. Those are the tragic facts! Whitney Houston was living in fornication, and yet many sought to excuse her sinful lifestyle. “Whitney knew Jesus as a child,” according to one respected prophet, so all their sins would be overlooked “because it was all external” and “God knew Whitney Houston’s heart.” I take issue with those highly ignorant statements because they violate a plethora of Scriptures!
Some think that the Lord will overlook and ignore what people do in their bodies as Christians, even if it is contrary to God’s moral commandments. No, He won’t ignore it!
The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks, “God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.” (Psalms 10:4 NET)
To believe that God doesn’t hold us accountable for sin in the body is equivalent to the way a wicked and arrogant person thinks.
Paul had a vastly different view than is often expressed in modern namby-pamby, sugar coated, spineless, sissified, marshmallow, cotton-candy, Christianity. The descriptors are to make sure you got what kind of Christianity I am referring to, one that is totally different than BIBLE Christianity! Here we go.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them … Therefore, God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason, God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them. …And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! He will reward each one according to his works: eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness. There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek. (Romans 1:18, 19, 24-32, 2:3-9 NET)
Can some people that deny Christian accountability for their sin and evil deeds even read? God's wrath is revealed from Heaven against ALL unrighteousness, and that includes Christian unrighteousness! Paul, the great apostle of, as some say PURE GRACE, wrote that! The only way out of judgment is through humility and repentance where we as Christians confess our sins and receive forgiveness and cleansing from UNRIGHTEOUSNESS through the blood of Jesus. See 1 John 1:7-10, 2:1-3.
How readest thou?
We will all have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of what we did in our bodies.
In time we will all stand in judgment before the throne of the Anointed, the Liberating King, to receive what is just for our conduct (whether it be good or bad) while we lived in this temporary body.(2 Corinthians 5:10 VOICE)
The Lord will not ask you on that day what you really had in your heart as good intentions, but He will ask about what you DID in your body. Paul wrote that verse by the Spirit of the Lord.
Before David was anointed to be king, the reprobate King Saul reigned over Israel. Why did God want Saul removed from office? Was it because God looked at His heart and saw something evil there even though externally he may have been all right? No! The reason Saul lost his place and anointing to be king was because of his disobedience to God’s commandment. That is what made his heart unfit.
Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you” (1 Samuel 13:13, 14 NASB).
Why did Saul lose the kingdom? Saul acted foolishly when he disobeyed the commandment of God. The condition of Saul’s heart was demonstrated by his actions, so God sought for a man that would have a right heart before Him by DOING His commandments.
Closely read this next paragraph.
Who is the person after God’s own heart? The one that obeys God’s commands is the person after His heart! God was looking for that. Obedience was what God saw in the heart of David. God saw that David would be obedient to Him. Obedience from the heart was what Saul lacked when he disobeyed the Lord.
One more point: One cannot have obedience in the heart and disobedience in one’s actions. That is a fallacy! If you disobey God, it is because you decided to disobey from the heart. If you obey the Lord, it is because you decided to obey the Lord from the heart. The determining factor of your heart is whether you obey or not. A heart after God obeys Him. A heart that is not after God disobeys Him!
Then Samuel said, “Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as a king” (1 Samuel 15:22, 23 NET).
Obedience or disobedience to God’s commandments is what determines the condition of the heart after you come to Christ. Christ made it all right in you when you first came to Him. He put in you the will and desire to obey the Lord (Philippians 2:12, 13). Now it is your obedience or disobedience that will dictate the condition of your heart in Christ. You don’t think so? Remember what God said through Samuel? Disobedience leads to rebellion, and rebellion is as the sin of divination. There is also involved presumption, which is like the evil of idolatry. Each of these will contaminate the heart or spirit with filthiness that must be cleansed. Look at Second Corinthians 6:14-18 through 7:1!
So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. …But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out- he will be blessed in what he does (James 1:21, 22, 25 NET).
James was teaching the brethren in Christ that the way this works is to:
- Put away all filth and evil excess. That means that you become obedient to the negative commandments of Scripture. When I refer to negative commandments, I am not saying they are “negative” in the bad sense of the word, but that they are commandments that contain a prohibition against an evil action or deed. Everywhere the Word commands you NOT TO DO something; you obey it. For examples: “You will not murder,” nor covet, nor commit adultery, are some of the “negative” or the “do not” type commandments we must obey. (See Romans 13:9, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Galatians 5:19-21, etc.
- Humbly welcome the message implanted within you.That refers to receiving the message of Christ and obeying the positive moral commandments. We should obey “love your neighbor as yourself”, “obey your father and mother”, “be filled with the Spirit,” “forgive,” “be kind”, “be angry and do not sin”, “be holy as I (God) am holy,” etc.
- Live out the message!We must be doers of His Word and His holy moral commandments!
Are these compatible with the message of Jesus or do they oppose each other? The book of Revelation teaches that ‘children’ of God are those that “keep God’s commandments and hold to the testimony about Jesus” (Rev. 12:17 NET). Who are the real saints, meaning those called out by God to live holy lives? The book of Revelation says, “Those who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus” (Rev. 14:12 NET).
Peter taught that if we address God as our Father, we should remember that He judges each one according to their behavior, not according to intentions, desires, or motivations of the heart.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth” (1 Peter 1:14-17 NASB).
Living out the message, being obedient to the Lord, and being holy in all our behavior, is living in the reverential fear of the Lord. (See also Second Corinthians 7:1.) There is no such thing as fearing the Lord in your heart but doing evil or sin externally. To sin is to walk away from the fear of the Lord, even if it is for a moment.
Notice again that judgment is not be based on the intentions or motivations of the heart. To say that your heart was right though you did wrong will not matter.
There is an exception to the above. If you did something wrong but were ignorant of the truth in the matter, God will correct and instruct you to get you out, and keep you from sinning against Him.
God did that with Abimelech in Genesis 20:1-7. Abimelech took Sara to be his wife. He believed her to be Abraham’s sister. Abimelech did not know Abraham and Sarah lied about their marriage relationship. God intervened and told Abimelech he was a dead man because he was planning to take another man’s wife. Abimelech was innocent and had integrity in the matter, and the Lord came to him in a dream to stop him from sinning.
The difference is that if you know what you are doing is wrong, and yet do it, you will be held responsible and accountable for your actions. Not doing the right thing when you know it is right is a sin.
Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.(James 4:17 NASB)
The only way out of this mess is repentance and confession of our sins before the Lord. He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness! See First John 1:9. Thank God for the Blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7)!
There is more to say about this, and I trust you will be looking for Part 2 of this message!
The title of this article is a provocative question. It was meant to be confrontational and challenge long-held ideas, but it will end on a positive note. Sometimes you have to dismantle some things to build them up correctly. Old run down buildings will have to be gutted to fix them up. Construction often begins with destruction of the old before something new and beautiful can be built. Spiritually, that is sometimes required. (See Jeremiah 1:10.)
Plowing always comes before planting, watering, and harvest. Consider this article plowing, so that the seed of God’s words can be sown, and a mighty harvest can be produced! (See Isaiah 28:24-29, Mark 4:14-20.)
Many quote the words in the book of Hebrews, "I will never leave you or forsake you"(Hebrews 13:5). Jesus said at His ascension, "I am with you always"(Mathew 28:20). He also taught us in John 14:16 that the Helper or Advocate (the Holy Spirit) would be with us forever (John 14:16). These are glorious and powerful truths, and I treasure them. As blessed as these promises are, they do not stand-alone or exist without context, accountability, or zero responsibility.
The way many Christians use these promises leaves a very wrong impression.
Most Christians believe that the presence of the Lord will continue with a person regardless of their persistently wrong lifestyle of sin. I am not referring to you if you sin as a believer and repent of your sin according to Luke 13:3, 5 and 1 John 1:9. On those occasions, we have the grace or provision of God in the blood of Jesus available to us. I am not referring to the follower of Jesus that may sin, but the sin is not their lifestyle. I am specifically referring to those that have made sin a lifestyle even though they call themselves Christians. That is my question. Will the Lord abide with Christians forever even if they are practicing lawlessness?
Let’s study this.
According to Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus will tell those practicing lawlessness to depart from Him because He never knew them.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" Matthew 7:21-23 NET)
What does that mean? The Lord will say those terrible words of rejection to the practitioners of lawlessness, even though at one time they were used miraculously. How did the Lord use them miraculously? Obviously, these were at one time followers of the Lord Jesus, but later in life, they followed a path of breaking God’s moral laws. I know that this does not fit in with much of modern theology evangelical Christianity, but Jesus said that. Are we going to believe His words or man-made theological ideas?
Do you know that we have numerous biblical examples of those that started out with God, but began practicing lawlessness, and finally wound up in the “dung heap.”
Judas Iscariot is a case in point. He began as an anointed disciple of Jesus sent by the Master to heal the sick and to cast out demons. (See Matthew 10:1-8.) He was a minister anointed to do a supernatural work on behalf of the Lord. Judas Iscariot actually walked in supernatural power for a time. Something changed in him. In the process of time, Judas turned to covetousness and theft, and betrayed the Lord Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Judas finished his life by committing suicide. He died in his sin. (See Acts 1:15-19; Matthew 27:3-10.) He will be one of those mentioned by Jesus in the passage quoted above. Judas will one day stand before the Lord and attempt to use his past supernatural ministry as an excuse to be accepted, but the Lord will reject him with those terrible words, “I never knew you; depart from me.” He died as a practitioner of lawlessness, and for eternity he will perish away from the presence of the Lord. (See 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9.)
Something is way off with our charismatic, evangelical, and protestant theology if we think that Christians practicing lawlessness can enjoy God’s presence now, or if they die in their sin without repentance. Judas didn’t get away with it, and he won’t get away with it at the judgment! He will be rejected for eternity. According to Jesus, believers that die being practitioners of lawlessness will be rejected. That applies to this life on earth as well as to the future judgment to come...
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“Pues si ustedes, siendo malos, saben dar buenos regalos a sus hijos, ¿cuánto más su Padre celestial dará el Espíritu Santo a los que le pidan?” (Lucas 13:11 RVA 2015)
¿Has recibido el Bautismo en el Espíritu Santo con la manifestación de hablar en otras lenguas desde que creíste en Cristo? Si lo has recibido, estás listo para ministrárselo a otros? Todo creyente puede ministrarle el Bautismo del Espíritu Santo a otros creyentes, pero hay un fundamento Bíblico que necesitas para hacerlo efectivamente. ¿Sabes como contestar escrituralmente las preguntas que te puedan hacer al respecto? Aquí tienes la oportunidad de oír la Palabra ministrada sobre el tema y entonces oír la ministración del Bautismo del Espíritu Santo a persona tras persona en un servicio público.
Es importante saber que no es necesario ser ministro ni es necesario estar en un servicio para ministrarle a otros. Yo he visto a personas recibir esta gloriosa llenura o bautismo del Espíritu Santo CON la manifestación de hablar en otras lenguas, en la calle, en negocios de muchas clases, y en hogares, además de verlo tomar lugar numerosas veces en servicios en las iglesias donde he tenido el privilegio de ministrar.
Muchas iglesias que se llaman “llenas del Espíritu Santo” han minimizado este acto sagrado “para no ofender a nadie,” y otras nunca ministran en público esta recepción del Espíritu Santo y las lenguas. Otras iglesias lo esconden en un cuartito alejado de la congregación. Esto de recibir el Espíritu Santo y la manifestación de hablar en otras lenguas es un acto glorioso y sagrado que, cuando posible, se debe hacer en público a la vista de todos.
El Señor Jesús dijo:
"Pues si ustedes, siendo malos, saben dar buenos regalos a sus hijos, ¿cuánto más su Padre celestial dará el Espíritu Santo a los que le pidan?" (Lucas 13:11 RVA 2015)
¿Has recibido el Bautismo en el Espíritu Santo con la manifestación de hablar en otras lenguas desde que creíste en Cristo? (Hechos 19:5, 6) El día de Pentecostés fue solo el comienzo, y esto lo comprobamos en esta grabación en vivo del mismo libro de los Hechos. (Hechos 2:1-4)
Si lo has recibido, estás listo para ministrárselo a otros? Todo creyente puede ministrarle el Bautismo del Espíritu Santo a otros creyentes, pero hay un fundamento Bíblico que necesitas para hacerlo efectivamente. ¿Sabes como contestar escrituralmente las preguntas que te puedan hacer al respecto? Aquí tienes la oportunidad de oír la Palabra ministrada sobre el tema y entonces oír la ministración del Bautismo del Espíritu Santo a persona tras persona en un servicio público.
Es importante saber que no es necesario ser ministro ni estar en un servicio para ministrarle a otros. Yo he visto a personas recibir esta gloriosa llenura o bautismo del Espíritu Santo CON la manifestación de hablar en otras lenguas en la calle, en negocios de muchas clases, y en hogares, además de verlo tomar lugar numerosas veces en servicios en las iglesias donde he tenido el privilegio de ministrar.
Ciertas iglesias que se llaman “llenas del Espíritu Santo” han minimizado este acto sagrado “para no ofender a nadie,” y otras nunca ministran en público esta recepción del Espíritu Santo y las lenguas. Otras iglesias lo esconden en un cuartito alejado de la congregación. Recibir el Espíritu Santo y la manifestación de hablar en otras lenguas es un acto glorioso y sagrado que, cuando posible, se debe hacer en público a la vista de todos.
Por supuesto, están los tradicionalistas reventados y sumamente enredados que rechazan esta experiencia gloriosa y/o tienen sus versos sacados de contexto donde intentan refutar la manifestación del Espíritu Santo y las lenguas. Otros enseñan que esto de las lenguas no es para todos. Dicen en sus graves errores que es solo para aquellos que es la voluntad de Dios. Los que creen esta idea anti-escritural siempre son aquellos que nunca es la voluntad de Dios recibirlo. Esas ideas tradicionales son súper fácil refutar escrituralmente.
No te dejes llevar por doctrinas anti-Bíblicas que niegan esta realidad gloriosa que es para TODO creyente. Si vas a una iglesia donde niegan esta realidad Bíblica, oye este mensaje y convéncete a ti mismo de lo que dice la Escritura, y entonces prepárate a recibir a través de esta grabación.
Aquí tienes una garantía:
Si rechazas y desestimas tus ideas tradicionales, si eres obediente a la Palabra de Dios y cambias tu forma de pensar y creer, y cedes al Espíritu Santo, sin duda alguna, vas a recibir esta bendición de parte de la Cabeza de la Iglesia, el Señor Jesucristo.
¡Garantizado!
Juan el Bautista dijo acerca de Jesucristo, “El es el que bautizará con el Espíritu Santo y fuego.” (Mateo 3:11) ¡El nunca ha cambiado! El es el mismo ayer, hoy, y por los siglos! (Hebreos 13:8)
Four times was Genesis 15:6 quoted in the New Testament. It is insinuated a number of other times. This verse is especially important in the epistles of Paul.
Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3, 9, (v.23 is a partial quotation), Galatians 3:6, and James 2:23 NKJV).
Two major doctrines of the New Testament are stated in that verse: believing and righteousness. These are BIG theological words, and we want to look at them briefly.
Righteousness
Righteousness is a gift through trust and faithfulness (faith) in Jesus’ blood (His sacrificial and substitutionary death on our behalf). Many will agree with that statement.
Though the above is true, many will reject the notion that righteousness, from Genesis to Revelation, refers to righteous living. Righteousness includes righteous behavior according to God’s Word, dictates, and commandments. There is no such thing in Scripture as being only righteous on the inside (spiritually) without also being righteous in one's actions (physically). Internal-only-righteousness is a fantastical and imaginary doctrine taught by pulling verses out of context and reinterpreting Paul’s teaching according to a relatively modern theology!
That may be contrary to what you have believed and heard taught, but don’t be so quick to dismiss it. Read the next paragraph and look up the Scripture references. Convince yourself if it is true or not.
Internal and external righteousness are inseparable in the Bible. Bible righteousness refers to relationship, both with God and with others. There are vertical and horizontal dimensions to righteousness in Scripture. Paul and John taught both and so should we! Look at the following verses in the New English Translation (and others) to begin to get a picture of Biblical righteousness-justification. You will see doing, practicing, and living in righteousness as well as receiving the gift of righteousness. These are two sides of the same coin, and they are inseparable! See Matthew 3:15, 6:1, 11:19; Romans 3:25-26, 4:22-25, 5:17, 6:12-23; 2nd Corinthians 6:14; 1st Thessalonians 2:10; Titus 2:11-12; James 2:20-26; 1st Peter 2:24; 2nd Peter 2:21; 1st John 2:29, 3:7, 10; Revelation 22:11, Deuteronomy 9:4-6; Ezekiel 18:1-32, and there are many more. [1] Please read the notes.
Some are quick to reply, “But Brother Dan, it is by believing in the heart that we come into righteousness. Paul said, “With the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10). I agree with that verse fully, but I am telling you that our interpretation has been incomplete and we need some exposition-interpretation.
Why so much interpretation?
Recently on my Facebook feed, one pastor stated (maybe as a rebuke?), “Some want to give you Biblical interpretation instead of just accepting what the Bible says.” It was written in another language, so that is my loose version. The pastor’s statement sounds spiritual, but it’s not. It shows huge ignorance concerning Biblical language studies. If you were only dealing with modern English or Spanish, then the pastor’s statement could be applicable. When you are dealing with ancient languages and texts written thousands of years ago, that is when you are confronted with issues of interpretation.
Let me give you some examples from the English and Spanish languages. Sometimes if you look at things in more familiar terms, it may help.
Before I refer to older texts, I have been to places in the world where the English of the region was like hearing an unknown foreign language! Even in the U. S., when I first heard the people in the Appalachians speak in the mid 1960’s, I couldn’t understand ¾ of their words! I was in the car with my parents in 1964. We got lost in the mountains, so my dad stopped along a mountain road and called to a man plowing his field. When the man began to speak in answer to my dad, we were shocked. It sounded like a foreign language. Once the man finished, my dad politely thanked him, and got back into the car. My mother asked him, “Do you have any idea what he said?” Dad answered, “Wha wha wha to the right, and wha wha wha to the left.” That was all he understood after about a minute or two! We needed an interpretation!
Have you tried to read English or Spanish documents from a few centuries ago? Please try it. Suddenly, you will be faced with the fact that the language, spelling, and grammar were different than they are today. Sometimes these will be so drastically different that you will not be sure what you are reading. For the modern English or Spanish speaker, in order to get a proper “interpretation” of the text, they must go beyond reading and simply accepting the text the way it’s written. We must go further or we will misinterpret and misunderstand the text unless we find out what the words meant in their historical setting.
Unless you are an 11th or 12th century student or scholar of ancient Spanish, the oldest known poem in Castilian Spanish, El Cantar del Mio Cid, will leave question marks all over your face. Here is an excerpt:
“De los sos ojos tan fuerte mientre lorando tornava la cabeça y estava los catando vio puertas abiertas e uços sin cañados alcandaras vazias sin pielles e sin mantos e sin falcones e sin adtores mudados sospiro mio Çid ca mucho avie grandes cuidados fablo mio Çid bien e tan mesurado grado a ti señor padre que estas en alto esto me an buelto mios enemigos malos”
I am fluent in Spanish, but it doesn’t look much like it. The poem had no punctuations in the original text. That alone is a problem, but what in the world is, “uços sin cañados” or “adtores mudados”? Even if one could translate most of this poem, would their interpretation be correct? Probably not without quite a bit of study!
How about in English? Do you know the words euene, forsothe, weren, borun, watris, or erthe? They are very unfamiliar, aren’t they? All those words are in a familiar portion of Scripture from the 1395 A. D. Middle English translation in the Wycliffe Bible:
In the bigynniyng God made euene and erthe. Forsothe the erthe was idel and voide, and derknessis weren on the face of and derknessis weren on the face of depthe; the Spyrit of the Lord was was borun on the watris.
That is Genesis 1:1-2, but if you read an original copy, get ready for a real chore! The lettering style Wycliffe used is h-a-r-d to read. Do you see all the strange words I was telling you about? If you were not familiar with the text, would you have understood it? I don’t think so. I know I would be scratching my head. I would need interpretation!
A more drastic need for interpretation applies to ancient languages that existed long before Jesus walked the earth! The further back you go into the history of any language, the more you will need to study and interpret. Some words and phrases in the ancient texts make no sense to the modern reader unless you have interpretation AND historical context.
Misunderstood words and phrases
The idiomatic peculiarities of a language can be translated word for word, but unless they are explained, or interpreted, you will misunderstand the word or phrase. One short list of Hebrew idioms is found on the website: Ancient Hebrew Research Center. Here are the idioms mentioned on their list from Psalms and Proverbs. In the parenthesis to the right, I added what these idioms are not referring to. You would be surprised at the funny ways people often misinterpret these idiomatic expressions. Some I have heard are roll-in-the-floor funny!
Ps 3.7
Break teeth
make powerless (not a reference to losing teeth in a fight!)
Ps 4.1
Enlarge space
set free (not a reference to getting a bigger space!)
Ps 5.9
Their throat is an open grave
they speak deceitfully
Ps 6.7
Eye is consumed
vision is blurred
Ps 7.3
Iniquity in my hands
guilty
Ps 7.9
Hearts and kidneys
thoughts and emotions (not a reference to your blood pump or kidneys!)
Ps 10.5
Snorts
scoffs
Ps 11.6
the portion of their cup
their destiny
Ps 12.2
double heart
duplicitous
Ps 17.8
Little man of the eye
pupil
Ps 24.4
Clean hands
act purely (not a reference to hygiene after toilet use!)
Ps 25.1
Lift up my soul
pray (not a reference to coming out of depression!)
Ps 27.8
Seek my face
seek me (not a reference to seeking the face as opposed to the hands!)
Ps 33.18
Eyes are upon
watches over
Ps 41.9
Lifted heel against
turned against (not a reference to kicking someone!)
Ps 73.9
Tongue struts through the earth
arrogantly order everyone (not a reference to gossip or slander!)
Ps 75.5
Lift horn
defy God (not a reference to becoming great without God!)
Ps 89.13
Right hand
might (not a reference to being right-handed!)
Ps 89.22
Son of wickedness
wicked person
Ps 90.12
Number days
use time wisely (not a reference to length of life!)
Ps 94.9
Planted
created (not a reference to being solidly built on a foundation!)
Ps 102.2
Hide your face
refuse to answer (not a reference to being ashamed!)
Ps 121.1
Lift up eyes
look up toward (not a reference to vision!)
Ps 124.3
Swallowed alive
killed (not a reference to eating something that’s still alive!)
Pro 17.22
Dries bones
drains strength (not a reference to osteoporosis!)
Pro 22.9
Good eye
generous (not a reference to good or clear eyesight, good luck, or wishing goodness on people!)
Pro 23.6
Bad/Evil eye
stingy (not a reference to being single-minded, bad luck, or putting a curse on someone!)
Pro 18.20
Fruit of the mouth
what someone says
Pro 24.20
lamp will go out
will die (not a reference to a lack of light at one’s house!)
Go to the link and read the idioms from the other books of the Hebrew Bible. There are hundreds more idiomatic expressions that are not included in that list. Any of these could be easily misunderstood unless explained.
Did you know that many words in English meant one thing years ago that today mean something completely different? Nice used to mean silly, foolish, and simple. Silly was something worthy or blessed. Something awful was something worthy of awe, and naughty used to be one that had nothing! Gay used to mean light-hearted and joyous! My, my, my, how gay has been highjacked and misrepresented! To be a husband originally meant you owned a house or land and had nothing to do with marital status. To broadcast was the way you swept your hand to sow your seeds in the field! Buxom was not related to female anatomy, but meant that someone was meek and obedient! The list could go on for many pages! [2]
If you only look at the English language in the last few hundred years, you will see that word order, grammar, definitions, and punctuations have changed. New words have been added, and many words have gone into disuse.
Some words from 1960’s and 70’s have disappeared! Do you remember words like: groovy, having a gas (nothing to do with passing gas!), bug, crash (nothing to do with automobile accidents!), pad (not a reference to your iPad!), and far out. Did you ever get the question, “What’s your bag, man?” Did you hear the expression, “What a bummer”? If you remember any of these, then we dated you! Most reading this need interpretation from just 40 or 50 years ago! How much study and interpretation do you think we would need for languages 2 to 3 thousand years old? It is ludicrous to believe you need to accept the text as it is written without explanation or interpretation.
If you follow the logic of the pastor that thought interpretation was not necessary, and that we should take the verses as they are written, then many Scriptures could be misinterpreted.
When the New Testament Quotes or Alludes to the Old Testament
Besides reading and studying ancient texts in their historical, cultural, and linguistic context, we must look at verses in the right context when they are alluding to other passages of Scripture.
Here is an example that will hit you like a ton of bricks because of the implication for dearly held evangelical ideas:
“For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it (Deuteronomy 30:11-15).
First, did you notice that God’s commandments were not too difficult? That flies contrary to Christian teaching that says that the law of God was difficult, harsh, or cruel!
Paul quoted part of this portion of Scripture in Romans 10:6-10.
But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation (NASB).
Generally, people think that our salvation in Christ is only based on believing it and saying it alone. They miss Paul’s intended and fuller meaning. The complete passage reveals something more than believing and speaking alone. Paul’s statement about believing in the heart and confessing with the mouth was also stressing that God’s moral commandments were within reach of every covenant person. God’s moral commandments were not burdensome, harsh, or cruel. (See 1st John 5:2, 3 in different translations.) They were not too difficult or out of reach, as stated in the context of Deuteronomy 30:11-15!
Come on, let’s read the context! It was as close as a word spoken in the heart or by the mouth, so that you may observe it or do it. The Word wasn’t in your heart and mouth for the purpose of agreement with Church dogma, or so that others may call you a Christian. “Believing in the heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confessing Jesus as your Lord with your mouth” was emphasizing obedience to the Gospel of Christ, and receiving His Lordship over your life (see Romans 10:16).
The Lordship of Jesus over our Lives
Jesus taught us concerning the meaning of having His Lordship over our lives, and it is not based on spoken words alone!
“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built” (Luke 6:46-48 NASB).
Speaking or confessing Jesus as your Lord, and even doubling up on it (“Lord, Lord”), is incomplete. Note the three things Jesus mentions as those that truly are under His Lordship:
- You come to the Lord Jesus.
- You hear His words.
- You act on His Word, or you DO it!
Notice that all three parts stated together. It is a threefold cord, if you would, that cannot be broken. Confessing His Lordship over our lives was always a reference to OBEDIENCE to Him whom is Lord! It always meant obedience to His Word and will. His message to the Gentiles was that, through the gospel of Christ, they were to be brought into the obedience of faith (Rom. 1:5, 16:26).
“Not everyone who says to me, ʻLord, Lord,ʼ will enter into the kingdom of heaven - only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21 NET).
Just as important, we must understand that practicing the things that are in opposition to God’s Word (commandments) is a denial of His Lordship over our lives.
“On that day, many will say to me, ʻLord, Lord, didnʼt we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?ʼ Then I will declare to them, ʻI never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!ʼ” (Matthew 7:21, 22 NET)
Others translate lawbreakers as “workers of iniquity.” Another translation says, “those that practice lawlessness.” For us in Christ, the lawbreakers are the ones who rebel against God’s Word and His will, and live based on some past work of God in their lives. Disobedience and rebellion are at the very core of lawlessness. Frankly, even if you were at one time used by, or had a relationship with God, if you have fallen away, only repentance will bring you back (2nd Peter 3:9; Luke 13:3, 5).
Those that live in the obedience of faith in Christ right now will not hear those terrible words, “I never knew you”, and “go away from me, you lawbreakers”! Thank God! Those that live in disobedience and rebellion will hear them. It will be a horribly bad day for those that were once believers, but now live in lawlessness. Don’t get angry with me over this. I didn’t say it. Jesus said it, and I am only a messenger repeating what He said.
Look at few verses down from Romans 10:9-10, and notice the connection between believing and obedience in verse 16.
But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” (NET)
To obey the good news is to believe the report! Did you get that? Paul made the connection, and so should we.
Abraham “believed”
If you look at the Greek word επιστεσευσεν [3] translated as "believed" in Romans 4:3, it is defined as; to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in, to place trust in Jesus or God, and so on. It would be incomplete to think believe means only that Greek definition because the quote came from Genesis 15:6.
As we saw in previous articles in this series, Paul usually quoted from a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scripture known as the Septuagint (LXX). The Septuagint was a word-for-word translation that kept the original Hebrew word order. Therefore, to stop with a Greek definition of a word in the Septuagint or New Testament that quoted from it is to partially interpret the Scripture. Actually, it is worse than that because sometimes the Greek and Hebrew are opposed to each other. Their concepts were often worlds apart. That is why looking at the Greek alone can be VERY misleading.[4]
Paul was not thinking pisteuo alone. If he was thinking believing alone, then why quote Genesis 15:6, a Scripture reference from a Hebrew source- the Old Testament? What was the word in Hebrew? What was running through Paul’s heart and mind as he used this Greek word pisteuo? He was quoting the Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew text, but he knew what the Hebrew text said and meant.
The Hebrew word translated believed in Genesis 15:6 is heemin, from the Hebrew root word aman.[5] It does not mean Christian beliefs or to believe alone. The word is used in the sense of support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, be established, be firm, sure, lasting, confirmed, sure, verified, reliable, to trust, and to believe- in the sense of trusting that what someone has said can be relied upon as the truth. The word faithful means loyal, constant, staunch, steadfast and resolute. [6]
These Hebrew concepts and definitions are at the center of Paul’s teaching and interpretation of believing in Romans 4 and Galatians 3. Let’s not forget the exposition of James 2.
After looking at the emphasis in Hebrew in comparison to Greek-only definitions, these questions must be asked of every follower of Jesus after studying the definitions. I got them after reading the synonyms for the word faithful and the powerful synonym discussion on the Merriam-Webster dictionary site:
- Are you a support to the cause of Jesus, the kingdom, and the Father in Heaven? Do you have the Lord’s interest in your mind and heart, or are you after your own way and will? Is it your will be done or is it His will that you want for your life?
- Are you faithful to God’s Word and His moral commandments? Are these a description of your life since you declared your sworn allegiance to Jesus as your Lord? Or are you the kind of “Christian” that says “Lord, Lord” but refuses to do what He says (Matthew 7:21-23)? If you love Him, you will obey His Word/commandments (John 14:15, 21, 23, 1John 2:5)!
- Are you firm, sure, and lasting in the things of God and the Lord Jesus or are you an indecisive (or wishy-washy) Christian with no moral backbone? Are you one day an upright example of Christian moral principles according to the New Testament, and the next day you act like a heathen with your words or actions?
- Can the Lord depend on you? Are you reliable? Can the Lord expect you to live according to His Word and obey His dictates for your life?
- Do you trust (rely fully) in Jesus and His sacrifice for you? Do you have an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of God and His Word?
There is much more to discuss, but this should reveal that to believe in Jesus or the Gospel is not to have a mere belief, conviction, assurance, or credence. It is much more than believing alone!
I often summarize what I have learned about this pregnant word by saying it is better defined by trust, faithfulness, loyalty, and obedience to the Lord and His Word. Like righteousness, it is a covenant term used of the faithful, loyal and obedient, and it describes relationship with God and with others. There is no believing without trust. There is no believing without faithfulness and loyalty. Don’t say you believe the Gospel and yet disobey and rebel against the Lord and His Word because these are completely incompatible!
The obedient to God and His Word/commandments are the ones that truly believe. All others are pretenders and need to repent!
Notes:
[1] For “a fresh look at the old doctrine of justification by faith”, see Dunn and Suggate, The Justice of God (W. B. Eerdmans: Gran Rapids; 1993) pgs. 31-42. I will email you a 22-page PDF on this subject by James D. G. Dunn. Request it at dr@danalanrodriguez.com. There is no charge for the PDF.
[2] Read an interesting article, Is English Changing? ; https://www.linguisticsociety.org/content/english-changing. Also see: http://mentalfloss.com/article/54770/15-words-dont-mean-what-they-used; and http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/words-literally-changed-meaning-through-2173079
[3] From πιστευω- See Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, G4100- pisteuo; Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon 511a.
[4] If you can handle a scholarly, difficult, and sometimes boring book, see Thorleif Boman: Hebrew Thought Compared to Greek, (SCM Press LTD, 1960) for further study. The differences between these two languages and their ways of thinking are truly monumental! For the benefit of any detractors; I am not saying that Hebrew is to be preferred above Greek as a language, or that Hebrew is in general better than Greek. The Greek language brought us science, mathematics, philosophy and many other things. Greek has value in its proper place. It would be ridiculous to deny the clear influence and contribution of Greek culture to most of the world. In these studies, I am only referring to the importance of the Hebrew language insofar as Biblical interpretation goes. In the case of Biblical thought and interpretation, Hebrew is highly preferred, and should be primary. If you haven’t done it, read the previous articles in this series.
[5] H539- See Brown, Driver, Briggs- אמן
[6] See the definition for faithful, the synonyms, and the synonym discussion at: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faithful.
Please listen to the short audio message: Living Healthy vs. Living in Anxiety. Be mightily blessed!
Our Westernized meanings of faith (beliefs, believing, conviction) were not what Paul had in mind when quoting the Hebrew Old Testament from Habakkuk 2:4 in Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11! Read the first two articles because we cannot repeat all we studied previously.
The word emunah, erroneously translated “faith” in Habakkuk 2:4 in most translations, does not refer to what you believe or your beliefs alone. According to the Brown, Driver Briggs Hebrew-English Lexicon of the Old Testament (BDB), emunah means firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, faithfulness, trust, and steadiness. When speaking of our faith in God and Jesus, the most accurate definition of faith portrays how you live your daily life in the Lord. Real Bible faith describes our character and our relationship with Jesus. Faithfulness describes firmness in relationship-fellowship with the Lord that is unmovable from the Covenant in His blood, steadfastness that will not quit on Him, and a steady lifestyle of trust and obedience to Him demonstrated in our words and by our actions.
What about injecting those powerful definitions into every mention of faith in the New Testament? If you separate any of these from faith in the New Testament, you are subscribing to either an erroneous idea of faith, or at best, an incomplete definition.
The subject of faith is not a side issue, when you consider that it is mentioned hundreds of times in Scripture. Not only does that make the subject a central teaching of the Bible, faith in God is also a foundational teaching of Christ (Hebrew 6:1, 2; Mark 11:22).
So that we get a revelation of what emunah means in Hebrew, and therefore what Paul had in mind by quoting Habakkuk 2:4, look at a powerful word picture in Exodus.
Moses commanded Joshua to gather Israel’s warriors and go defeat Amalek. Moses sat on a hill overlooking the battle, and as long as he kept the rod of God in his hand held high, Israel won, but when he dropped his hands with the rod because of weariness, Israel lost. So, what did they do?
But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun (Exodus 17:12 NKJV).
Aaron and Hur were helpers to Moses and made sure that his hands were steady until Israel won!!
Do you see the word “steady”? It is the same Hebrew word (emunah) wrongly translated “faith” in Habakkuk 2:4! Remember that one of the definitions of emunah is steadiness. Moses’ hands stayed firmly (emunah) in the air until the victory was won.
Here is another translation of emunah:
Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure (Isaiah 33:6 NKJV).
Emunah is stability in that verse.
Emunah is often translated in the Psalms as faithfulness (33:4, 36:5, 37:3, 40:10, 88:11, etc.). Faithfulness is stability or staying power. It doesn’t change.
God is our supernatural ROCK, and therefore He is faithful (emunah) in Deuteronomy 32:4 because He doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6, 2 Timothy 2:13). In the same way, Jesus is stable and faithful because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
Faithfulness is abiding power. In John 15:4-10, Jesus taught us to abide in Him. To abide refers to staying, enduring, continuing and remaining in His sphere of influence through obedience and yielding to His commandments, Word, and Spirit (John 8:31, 32, 14:15-17, 21-23, 15:7, 10; 1 John 2:3-6, 17, 3:6, 9, 24 NET).
Are you ready for this?
Stay calm. Kick over those sacred cows of traditional interpretations. Let them crack, break apart, be ground to powder, and may the wind of the Spirit of God blow it away forever. Let that traditional nonsense be like Humpty Dumpty. Let it fall from the wall, crack, and don’t put it back together again!
Let these truths bring God's light to you! Allow the Holy Spirit to minister this to you. Don't resist the truth. Renew your mind to God's Word (Romans 12:1, 2).
Take as an example one of the words BDB used to translate emunah. Let's look closely at the word fidelity.
Synonyms for fidelity are: adhesion, allegiance, attachment, commitment, constancy, dedication, devotedness, devotion, faith, faithfulness, fastness, fealty, loyalty, piety, steadfastness, and troth.[1]
Note that faith is stuck in the middle of the synonyms given by this dictionary, but it is surrounded by words that describe something different than believing or the general idea of faith.
Here is Merriam-Webster's rich synonym discussion on fidelity found under this word, and note that faith and believing are nowhere to be found:
Allegiance, fealty, loyalty, devotion, piety means faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty. Fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty. Allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country. Fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow. Loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray. Devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication. Piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental.
That is what emunah is all about: allegiance, fealty, loyalty, devotion, piety, faithfulness, obligation, duty, trust, zeal, service, dedication, and steadfastness! Wow! The synonym discussion, without trying to, has given us a powerful description of emunah in Hebrew.
Did you notice the word allegiance? Citizens of our country pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. It is a pledge of loyalty and respect for our country and flag. We pledge allegiance, standing up at attention, and certainly NOT as some kneeling fools are doing today! I despise and reject disrespect and dishonor for our country and flag. I reject all disrespect for our military and police officers. You may hear me say it strongly, without compromise, and no apology: “If you don’t like our country, LEAVE IT!” I mean that with all the sincerity I can muster. I don’t agree in the least with everything happening at the hands of some ungodly people in our country, but I love our country. I pray for our leaders and the USA (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
Though I honor and pray for the President and the First Lady, my first allegiance is to the Lord Jesus, His Father, and to the Word of God! It’s similar to what President Trump said, “In America, we don’t worship government; we worship God!” Our first allegiance must be to the One that created the heavens and the earth, that is, IF we call ourselves Christians!
Now proceed to apply these truths about the word fidelity to your Christian life and your relationship-fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Does the above synonym discussion describe you in the Lord? If not, maybe it is time to repent and grow up in Jesus. Don’t look at someone else. Look at and examine your faith (just like I do mine), but now, you (and me) are armed with the proper understanding and definition.
Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you - unless, indeed, you fail the test! (2 Corinthians 13:5)
Here are some questions to stir you up based on the synonym discussion of fidelity above:
- Is my allegiance firstly to the Lord Jesus? Is my life pledged to Him?
- Am I loyal to His cause, kingdom, and gospel message? Am I loyal to His orders and commands? Am I devoted to prayer, holiness, and the love of God and love towards others?
- Is my faithfulness to the Lord and His Word so firm that I am duty bound to obedience?
- Do I consider myself under obligation to be faithful and to trust Him, or is my Christianity the kind that requires nothing of me?
- Does my allegiance to the kingdom of God suggest adherence to the rules of the kingdom like that of the citizens of a country?
- Does my fealty to God, Jesus, and His Word compel me as much as to a sworn vow?
- Is my loyalty so firm that it is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray the Lord or His Word?
- Does my devotion stress zeal and service amounting to self-dedication?
- Does the piety (godliness) in my life stress fidelity to the Lord Jesus and God’s Word? Do I see fidelity as stressing obligations regarded as natural and fundamental as a member of the Body of Christ, the kingdom of God?
Now you are equipped with a fuller definition of faith, as Paul understood it. Plug these definitions into every mention of faith in the New Testament, but especially in Paul's writings.
How do these definitions change our outlook, our responsibilities before the Lord, and what we are accountable for in Christ?
It is time to take inventory!
NOTES:
[1] See Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online, 2017, s.v. “fidelity,” http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fidelity .
Following is message #30, "Do not Worry or be Anxious about Tomorrow" from the audio series: Removing Doubt from the Heart.
Be blessed!
“…When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8b NET)
Evidently, real, vibrant, Bible faith will be in comparatively short supply when Jesus returns. Will we have the genuine kind of faith He is looking for? (See 1st Peter 1:7 in the NKJV.) I pray that we do. That is the purpose of these articles, to examine our faith as Paul stated in 2nd Corinthians 13:5.
I now feel compelled instead to write to encourage you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints (Jude 1:3 NET).
We are contending earnestly for the faith once for all entrusted to the saints in these articles!
Grandma, grandpa, your mother or father, or your denomination probably never taught faith quite like you will read in these articles.
“Well, I was taught that faith is just believing God, and that is all there is to it.” Have you ever heard that?
Many believe firmly that their particular Church doctrinal statements are their faith. Then, you have a multitude of people that ask, “What is your faith? To what faith do you subscribe?” Of course, they are asking you about the particular Christian group you associate with or belong to.
Others take faith into the realms of believing and trusting, full persuasion of God’s promises, speaking the Word, or believing (trusting) that you receive your answer to prayer. There are sound Biblical truths to be studied in those areas, but faith is much broader in scope in Paul’s epistles and the rest of the New Testament than these definitions alone.
Did you know that obedience is an intimate part of faith? How often do you hear from today’s pulpits that obedience is an integral part of faith? Paul connected them forever.
Through Him we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name… and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith (Romans 1:5, 16:26 NET).
Did you know that there are teachers today that reject the idea that obedience to God and His Word are essential parts of your faith in Christ? Can they read? Paul began and finished his great epistle to the Romans with the principle of obedience of faith. Obeying the Lord is not an option in Scripture in the Old and New Testaments, that is, IF we want God and the Lord Jesus by His Spirit working in our lives (John 14:21-26; 1 John 2:3-6 NET).
These articles will tear down some traditional interpretations, but they should not be construed as a denial of other areas of faith not covered in them. Faith is a BIG subject! For that very reason, I am adding audio messages to these articles that give you some other sides of Biblical faith. I hope you listened to the audio message, “Only Believe” with Part 1 of this series of articles. I suggest you listen to all the 37 audio messages in the series, “Removing Doubt from the Heart.” Only Believe was #28 from this series.
Bible faith as Paul understood it, was solidly based on the Old Testament or the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:14-17). He also based his understanding of faith on the words and example of Jesus in the Gospels. Jesus was the Word of God made flesh, so He and the written Word must agree (John 1:1-3, 14). That must be included in any assessment of Paul’s view of faith.
As we saw in the first article, Paul used the Scripture profusely in his epistles, either by direct quotations or by allusions. By allusions, I mean that he was constantly hinting at Scripture even though he was not necessarily quoting verses or naming the books where they were found.
Here is an oft-quoted verse used to establish Paul’s teaching on faith. There is no guessing game here!
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17 NKJV)
“The just shall live by faith” is a quotation of the second part of Habakkuk 2:4.[1]
Where did Paul’s definition of faith come from?
Was it from some special revelation only given to him? Paul’s definition of faith was confirmed by his choice of a proof text from the Old Testament, written almost seven centuries before he wrote Romans 1:17.
Paul almost exclusively used the Septuagint (LXX) Greek when quoting the Old Testament. The Septuagint was an ancient Jewish translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek. The language was analyzed and the conclusion is that the Pentateuch was translated near the middle of the 3rd century B.C., and the rest of the Old Testament was translated in the 2nd century B. C.[2] The Greek of the New Testament reflects the Septuagint in hundreds of places.[3]
Gustav A. Deissmann (1866–1937), the renowned German Protestant theologian, said it like this:
"A single hour lovingly devoted to the text of the Septuagint will further our exegetical knowledge of the Pauline Epistles more than a whole day spent over a commentary… Every reader of the Septuagint who knows his Greek (New) Testament will after a few days’ study come to see with astonishment what hundreds of threads there are uniting the Old and the New."[4]
Follow me in this. I am not splitting hairs here. It’s information every single believer should have.
Paul quoted Habakkuk 2:4 in Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11 by using the Greek word for faith (pistis) as it came to him from the Septuagint, but that was not its origin. The Hebrew original text was standing behind the Greek Septuagint and Paul’s usage. Hebrew has to be the place to look for the original meaning. That makes perfect sense to me, yet many prefer to see only the Greek, and do their best to dismiss the Hebrew standing behind it. That, my friends, is a huge lack in judgment!
Going back to the original Hebrew that stands behind the Greek is not only necessary, but it is doing an honest word study, whether you are a scholar, preacher, teacher, or a student of the Word. If one refuses to admit or rejects the Hebrew that stands behind all Greek Septuagint quotations (and word usage) in the New Testament, then one subscribes to a dishonest form of Biblical study. I don’t think any of us want to be accused of dishonesty.
What is the Hebrew word translated faith in Habakkuk 2:4, quoted by Paul in Romans 1:17 and in Galatians 3:11?
Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (BDB) is relevant today, even though newer dictionaries are in circulation. The Hebrew word that is generally translated faith in Habakkuk 2:4 is emunah, and BDB states that it means: firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, and steadiness. (See H530, 53b.) Those definitions are the ones found in the summarized version of the BDB on the Bible software on my cell phone. When looking at the definition of emunah (H530, 53b) in the full BDB, [5] we see that faithfulness and trust are added to the definition.
On page 53, column b, under entry #530, around the center of the page, we come to the BDB translation of Habakkuk 2:4: “a righteous man by his faithfulness liveth.” Pay close attention to the code right after the translation: (>faith LUTH AV RV). The list of abbreviations at the front of the dictionary is the place to decode it. The parenthesis means that the preceding translation of emunah as faithfulness is preferred to how Luther, the Authorized KJV, and the Revised Version translated it as faith! Luther, the KJV and the AV (among others) did not translate emunah. They injected into Habakkuk 2:4 their translation from the Greek New Testament back into the Old. That is backwards!
I am suggesting that we do the exact opposite, take the Hebrew definitions and inject them into the New!
Faithfulness is not “by faith alone” or “believing alone”. Not even close! Oops! That is contrary to centuries of protestant theology that began with Luther emphasizing “by faith alone”, one perpetuated by the KJV, RV, and the majority of versions.
Look back at these definitions of emunah. The words faith and believe are completely lacking in the Hebrew definition. “By faith alone” is missing in the BDB translation of Habakkuk 2:4.
Look at the NKJV translation of Habakkuk 2:4, one basically in agreement with the KJV and RV:
“Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith.” (NKJV)
Translations like the NKJV are simply bringing into the Hebrew original text a translation of the verse according to the Greek New Testament that came from the Septuagint. They paid NO attention to the original Hebrew text!
Now, watch what happens when you don’t take the Greek as the final word or inject it back into the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. The Hebrew original text of Habakkuk 2:4 gives us a completely different picture.
“Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness” (NET).
A few other translations have the better word faithfulness: God’s Word, Good News Translation, Lexham English Bible, New International Revised Version, NIV, New Living Testament, Voice. Young’s Literal Translation has steadfastness. The Common English Bible has live honestly. The Complete Jewish Bible has trusting faithfulness. The Message has loyal and steady believing. All of these are much better than the word faith.
The New English Translation in Habakkuk 2:4, under note 15 says about the traditional translation of emunah as faith that it “nowhere else refers to ‘belief’ as such.” “Honesty, integrity, reliability, faithfulness” define emunah when used in reference to human conduct and character, as in this verse.[6]
Belief, faith, and believing are not even in the equation!
Here’s where it really gets messy.
Even though the NET gets it right in Habakkuk 2:4, they ignore the Hebrew background in Romans 1:17. They honestly believe it is the best scholarship to translate the text from the Greek and let it stay that way without elucidating the Hebrew behind it. They missed the point of Habakkuk 2:4 in Paul’s reference.
Don’t misunderstand me. Translators are working with the texts in front of them to the best of their abilities. They translate a word, generally, looking for a word or words that convey the meaning clearly into their target language. I believe translators are doing an excellent job, as far as word-for-word translations go, especially in the newer translations like the New English Translation and others. The issue I am referring to is in the realm of looking at the original language behind the Greek when Old Testament verses and allusions are found in the New Testament.
When the original emunah is translated from the Greek pistis as faith in the New Testament, without further explanation, it is misleading and woefully incomplete. It has to be elucidated based on Habakkuk 2:4, and other Old Testament verses we will get to. That is especially true if the verses are quoted in the New Testament!
Translators could include a footnote next to the word faith (and many others) in the New Testament. There should be a fuller explanation and definition based on the Hebrew original, but these are nowhere to be found! It’s better to translate faith (and believe) as a phrase based on the Hebrew definition. My God! That would have enhanced richly our faith in Christ in so many ways, and kept the church out of many strange and unfruitful interpretations.
If I had known that Bible faith was, and is, correctly defined by faithfulness, steadfastness, loyalty, obedience, and trust, it would have made a huge difference in so many ways. Fidelity, firmness, and steadiness are not primarily (nor secondarily or even thirdly) your beliefs, but your Covenant relationship-fellowship with Him, your lifestyle, and actions according to His Word. Glory to God!
I learned some powerful lessons in the realm of faith from 1974 until 1986 (and I am still learning), such as trusting in the promises of God, speaking to the mountain to be removed, speaking of things that are not as though they were, getting your words to agree with God's Word, and so on (Romans 4:17-22; Mark 11:22-26).
When I first learned some of the things I am sharing in these articles, sadly, I started to discard many of the things I learned earlier. I did not realize that what I was learning was not to take away from my faith, but to tweak and adjust me in it. God’s purpose was to take me further into the realm of faith than I had ever been. I threw out the baby with the bathwater! That was not a good idea!
Now in 2017, I can look back, grin, and laugh at how ignorant I was, but it was no laughing matter then. It was havoc and sheer hell! That is one story that I will spare you from. I stepped away from the Lord and His Word over my errors (and sins) from 1989-1999, but (PTL) I came back to Him through repentance and renewal in April of 1999.
Looking back, since my initial commitment to Jesus in early 1974 (under the big tent of R. W. Schambach, Tampa Florida), I can truthfully say, that I am finally getting a clue! As I continue to study, finally, I am receiving from the Lord some understanding on how all these areas of faith complement each other and work together. They are not contrary to one another.
I trust that these messages will take you much further in Him, and in faith, than I have ever been. I also trust that it will happen for you in a whole lot less time.
Be mightily blessed!
NOTES:
[1] Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38 also repeat, “the just shall live by faith.”
[2] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Septuagint
[3] An interesting question is, which Hebrew text stands behind the Septuagint (LXX)? According to the evidence of the Dead Scrolls, there were a few Hebrew manuscript traditions. One agreed more with the MT, one was like the LXX, and another like the Samaritan text of the Pentateuch. Then, there was the one that was different than those, like the one reflected in the great Isaiah Scroll, and there were more. This is important because scholars believed, until the Dead Sea Scrolls were found and examined, that the LXX had many Christian additions. The DSS proved that assumption wrong because they were pre-Christian! They found clear evidence of a textual tradition similar to the Septuagint. See Ostling, Richard N., “Dead Sea Scrolls” yield “major questions” in Old Testament understanding, (University of Notre Dame; https://news.nd.edu/news/dead-sea-scrolls-yield-major-questions-in-old-testament-understanding/, accessed 10-26-17); Tov, Emanuel; Searching for the “Original” Bible, (https://members.bib-arch.org/biblical-archaeology-review/40/4/10, accessed 10-26-17), and Tov, Emanuel. Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible. 2nd Rev. Ed. Fortress Press: Minneapolis, 2001, 114-117; where he states that Qumran-specific texts were 20%, Proto-Masoretic texts – 35%, Proto-Samaritan texts – 5%, Proto-Septuagint texts – 5%, Non-Aligned texts – 35%.
[4] Deissmann, The Philology of the Greek Bible, its Present and Future, (1908, Hodder and Stoughton, London), pp. 12, 13.
[5] The BDB Hebrew and English Lexicon, (Hendickson Publishers, Massachussetts, 1996) coded to Strong’s numbers. Reprinted from the 1906 ed.
[6] The Lumina NET at Bible.org, translation note 15 in Habakkuk 2:4, https://lumina.bible.org/bible/Habakkuk+2 (accessed October 17, 2017)
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The audio message that follows is #29 from the series, “Removing Doubt from the Heart.” The name of the message is: Light Burden vs. the Devil's Heavy Weights. Messages 1-28 are already published on our website.
On our website, you will find teaching on different areas of faith. The audio podcast series, “Removing Doubt from the Heart,” addresses numerous vital aspects of faith. These articles address another part to faith, one that is by no means less important. Why are we doing this? We are contending earnestly for the faith!
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 1:3-4 NET).
There was a faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, and in these articles, we are contending earnestly for it. Do you know how faith was viewed in apostolic times? You may think you know, but allow this series to challenge you, and possibly, to bring you additional light to whatever concept of faith you may have.
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified (2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV).
These articles have to do with examining and testing yourself to see whether the faith you and me have is genuine.
…That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ… (1Peter 1:7 NKJV)
We need some solid information properly drawn from the Scripture to know about this genuine faith in order to function and live by it.
For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” (Romans 1:17 NET)
Real Bible faith is not commonplace. Actually, before the coming of the Lord, it may be in comparatively short supply.
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? (Luke 18:8 NET)
What a question! It's there as a challenge to you and me in Christ. I want to be among those that Jesus says when He comes, “I found faith in him.” Don't you?
I am doing my part earnestly so that the message of faith gets out to the Body of Christ. Are you doing it too? You can help spread the word by forwarding these articles and the audios on the subject of faith on our website. We need this message of faith today because we are closer to His coming!
The key that unlocks Paul’s own views and interpretations
Here is how we will begin to study this side of the subject of faith. We begin with a question.
How did the great apostle Paul (and others) use the word faith?
How can we be 100% positive as to the apostolic interpretation of that word 2000 years ago? Wouldn’t that be the most important consideration when reading the epistles? We do not want to take our modern idea of the definition of faith and read it back into the New Testament. Yet, that is precisely what is done on many fronts.
The key that unlocks Paul’s own views and interpretations can be found in the many quotations, references, and allusions from the Old Testament in his epistles.
But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14-17 NKJV).
Paul was not filling up space when he quoted Old Testament Scripture. It was the basis for his teaching. Paul’s doctrine (teaching) was centered on the Old Testament, the Holy and inspired-by-God Scriptures. The New Testament wasn’t yet written in his day. All that existed in his day was the Old Testament.
For some reason, many believe that Paul’s doctrinal position came uniquely via a special revelation unrelated to the Hebrew Old Testament. Paul’s doctrine or teaching was constructed out of that already revealed in Holy Scriptures, according to 2nd Timothy 3:15 and 16. The Hebrew Bible was his foundation even though he wrote in Greek, and quoted from the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament. We will say much more about all that in the next article.
To make it even harder to swallow for those in the grip of modern interpretations, Paul stated that the OLD TESTAMENT Hebrew Bible (The Holy Scriptures) was “able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Paul was solidly basing the salvation message he taught through faith in Christ Jesus on the Old Testament Holy Scriptures. What? Paul was preaching Jesus and salvation through faith by using the Old Testament? That alone, throws some traditional thoughts into a tailspin, and we are just getting started!
Paul’s doctrine was rooted and grounded in the Hebrew Holy Scriptures. Yet, some foolishly throw out the Hebrew Holy Scriptures in favor of Paul’s epistles viewed according to new interpretations that have nothing to do with the apostle’s doctrine.
Some even throw out the words of Jesus in the Gospels, and have proclaimed Paul the “savior” of the Gentiles. It is truly disgusting how some deny the words of our Lord today. Not only is it repulsive, it is deeply anti-Christ to reject the words of our Master, Jesus.
If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words… (1Timothy 6:3, 4 NKJV)
We must consent to the words of Jesus in the Gospels (and Acts and Revelation), and to the doctrine which accords with godliness. [1] Those that reject these are full of pride, they don’t know anything, and they are obsessed with disputes and arguments. Have you come across any people like that? They believe that the words of Jesus and the Old Testament are irrelevant for believers today because they believe His words were contrary to grace and were under the law. Is that teaching anti-Christ and anti-God? Yes it is. It is also anti - the Holy Scriptures.
To present this study properly, a few things must be addressed before we begin a discussion on the subject of faith and believing.
It is vital to understand the immense importance of the Old Testament to New Testament word studies.
According to David H. Stern’s translation, The Jewish New Testament, there are 695 verses of the Old Testament quoted from Matthew to Revelation.[2] Those are direct verse quotations (or parts of verses), but there are many more references and hints to Old Testament passages in the New Testament.
Roger Nicole, in the The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, [3] stated that some of the quotations and references in the New to the Old Testament could be as high as 4,105:
“The New Testament contains an extraordinarily large number of Old Testament quotations. It is difficult to give an accurate figure since the variation in use ranges all the way from a distant allusion to a definite quotation introduced by an explicit formula stating the citation’s source. As a result, the figures given by various authors often reflect a startling discrepancy…. C. H. Toy lists 613 such instances, Wilhelm Dittmar goes as high as 1640, while Eugen Huehn indicates 4105 passages reminiscent of Old Testament Scripture. It can therefore be asserted, without exaggeration that more than 10 per cent of the New Testament text is made up of citations or direct allusions to the Old Testament. The recorded words of Jesus disclose a similar percentage. Certain books like Revelation, Hebrews, Romans are well nigh saturated with Old Testament forms of language, allusions and quotations.”[4]
Did you get that? Certain books like Revelation, Hebrews, and Romans are well nigh saturated with Old Testament forms of language, allusions, and quotations. My question is simple. How could we possibly understand books like Romans, Revelation or Hebrews without looking closely at the Old Testament verses quoted and alluded to in them? If we don’t study the Old Testament, especially the sections or verses quoted in the New, we are left with a huge doctrinal and interpretational void.
Many have made up new interpretations because they have completely ignored the Hebrew Biblical text. So that we are clear, ignoring the original Hebrew of the Old Testament is not a new problem, but one that has dogged the Church relentlessly for centuries. We will tackle that issue on a basic level in these articles.
If so many verses, references, and allusions to the Hebrew Scripture are all over the New Testament, does that make the Old Testament obsolete, or does it grant the Old Testament a place of prominence in the New Testament? Yes, the Old Testament has a highly visible and prominent place in the New Testament. It has a place of honor and respect, and it is indispensible to gain a right doctrinal perspective in the New Testament.
Since Paul quoted profusely from the Old Testament Holy Scriptures, should we pay close attention to these quotations?
Here’s a verse I quoted above to start our study of faith. Paul cites an Old Testament verse as a proof text for what he was teaching.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17 NKJV)
Paul quoted a part of Habakkuk 2:4 in the second half of Romans 1:17.[5]
Where was Paul’s definition of faith coming from? Was it from some special revelation only given to him? No! His definition of faith was from the Old Testament, written centuries before he wrote Romans 1:17. If Paul quoted from an Old Testament verse, then he was relying on its definition and message.
More to come!
NOTES:
[1] Doctrine is the same Greek word in 2nd Timothy 3:16 and 1st Timothy 6:3.
[2] Lederer Messianic Publications; 1st edition (September 1, 1989)
[3] Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1979, Vol. 1, p. 617
[4] Roger Nicole, “New Testament Use of the Old Testament,” Carl F.H. Henry, ed., Revelation and the Bible. Contemporary Evangelical Thought. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1958 / London: The Tyndale Press, 1959. pp.137-151. See also: https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/rev-henry/9_ot-in-the-nt_nicole.pdf .
[5] Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38 also repeat, “the just shall live by faith.”
So you hear another audio teaching on "Removing Doubt from the Heart", here is Part 28: "ONLY BELIEVE."
Este es el segundo mensaje ungido sobre lo que pasó durante los tres días y noches entre cuando Jesucristo murió en la cruz y cuando fue resucitado de los muertos. Algunos de los puntos mas importantes son acerca de la resurrección doble de Jesús (la espiritual y la física de la tumba), la palabra profética de tres días o el tercer día, el día en que el Padre inauguró a Su Hijo y le llamó Dios, el significado del Nombre de Jesús, el sentido de “Consumado es,” cuando fue que Jesús venció a Satanás e hizo espectáculo público de el, y mucho mas. No te pierdas estos poderosos mensajes que transformarán tu vida.
Gratis: Documento portátil (PDF)
Despues de oir el mensaje, vas a querer leer el libro publicado en el 2014 con 291 páginas sobre este tema. Nuestra redención en Cristo se establece con muchas escrituras. Si esto fuera solo una "revelación" personal sin fundamento, eso sería un error gigantesco. Pero esto no es "interpretación" privada que carece de fundamento sólido en las Palabra de Dios. Se prueba una y otras vez usando las mismas palabras de Jesús, Pablo, Pedro, Juan, y los profetas del Antiguo Testamento como David, Isaías, y Jonás. Este es mensaje transformador y que SIEMPRE te llevará a victoria en Cristo Jesús. ¡Aquí está! ¡Prepárate para una aventura en la Palabra de Dios que nunca te dejará igual!El PDF, igual que el impreso, es mi libro de 291 páginas publicado en el 2013. En sus páginas encontrarás un lujo de detalles sobre el gran sacrificio de Jesucristo, porque fue necesario, y porque sufrió por 3 días y 3 noches en el corazón de la tierra (Mateo 12:40, Hechos 2:27, 31). También hay incluidos capítulos sobre el bautismo en el Espíritu Santo y las lenguas, y como recibir sanidad. No te pierdas este libro repleto de escrituras sobre estos temas.
Cuando el Señor me empezó a mostrar estas verdades acerca del sacrificio de Jesucristo en el 1976, nunca pensé que este mensaje correría a través del mundo. En el 1977 y 1978 publiqué el mensaje en ingles y luego en español. Eran libros de 100 páginas o menos. ¡El Señor me ha dado mas! Oye este mensaje grabado abajo que resume el tema poderosamente.
Despues de oir el mensaje, vas a querer leer el libro publicado en el 2014 con 291 páginas con el mismo titulo de este mensaje este tema. Usa este eslabon para verlo. Nuestra redención en Cristo se establece con muchas escrituras. Si esto fuera solo una "revelación" personal sin fundamento, eso sería un error gigantesco. Pero esto no es "interpretación" privada que carece de fundamento sólido en las Palabra de Dios. Se prueba una y otras vez usando las mismas palabras de Jesús, Pablo, Pedro, Juan, y los profetas del Antiguo Testamento como David, Isaías, y Jonás. Este es mensaje transformador y que SIEMPRE te llevará a victoria en Cristo Jesús. ¡Aquí está! ¡Prepárate para una aventura en la Palabra de Dios que nunca te dejará igual!
El PDF, igual que el impreso, es mi libro de 291 páginas publicado en el 2014.
Grabamos en el estudio de Hands in Motion Music (Brandon) la Parte 6, la final de la serie “¡La Bendición de Abraham es Tuya!” Enseñamos acerca de la verdad de ser hijos e hijas de Abraham por la fe (Gálatas 3:7, 9, 14, 29) y del hecho que también hay responsabilidades envueltas con la herencia de la bendición. Ejemplos de estas son echar fuera la contienda, la mofa, y la burla. Otra parte tiene ver con obediencia y fidelidad (y lealtad) a Dios. Estas cosas se ven claramente en la vida de Abraham. Pablo enseñó que somos hijos de Abraham, y que el es padre de todos los que son de fe, y que debemos de andar en sus pisadas de fe (Romanos 4:12). Hay revelación divina fuertísima en esta grabación. No te la pierdas. ¡Que seas ricamente bendecido (a) con esta enseñanza ungida! ¡Son amados!
Grabamos en el estudio de Hands in Motion Music (Brandon) la Parte 5 de la serie “¡La Bendición de Abraham es Tuya!” Enseñamos acerca de la verdad de ser hijos e hijas de Abraham por la fe (Gálatas 3:7, 9, 14, 29). Jesús le dijo a la mujer encorvada, “Eres libre de tu enfermedad.” Puso sus manos sobre ella, e inmediatamente se enderezó, y quedó sanada. Cuando se enojaron porque la sanidad tomó lugar el día del sábado, Jesús le dijo a todos que esta mujer debía de ser soltada de esa atadura de Satanás porque ella era hija de Abraham (Lucas 13:10-16). Sanidad, ser liberado(a), Y MUCHO MAS, nos pertenece en Cristo Jesús porque somos en El descendientes de Abraham. Tienes una cita para oír esta enseñanza que te ayudará. ¡No faltes!
¿Es bueno ser vegetariano? ¿Es aceptable comer carne o beber vino? ¿Está bien si en mi iglesia prohíben que los sacerdotes tengan esposa? ¿Está bien si una pareja de varón y hembra viven juntos y sin casarse? ¿Puede el cristiano practicar yoga? ¿Y que con oír la música de artistas que no son cristianos? ¿Estamos bajo obligación guardar el sábado? Muchas preguntas que me han hecho son contestadas en esta grabación basadas en estas escrituras. Hay mucho mas que decir de estos temas, y por esto incluyo este próximo articulo para profundizar mas sobre el tema de la grabación. ¡Aquí viene luz sobre estos temas que tienen a muchos confundidos! Otros piensan que saben la respuesta, pero en realidad no saben lo que dice la Escritura y no tienen el trasfondo histórico acerca de estas cosas. Queremos ayudarte para que puedas explicar tu fe de manera convincente.
“La exposición de Tu Palabra alumbra; hace entender a los ingenuos.” (Salmos 119:130 RVA- 2015)
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La Diferencia Entre Las Leyes Rituales/Ceremoniales y Los Mandamientos Morales de Dios: Parte 1
El tema central del libro de Gálatas gira alrededor de corregir un error que se estaba propagando en aquella iglesia a través de los judíos creyentes en Cristo. Estos querían imponerle a los gentiles convertidos a Cristo a que cumplieran con las leyes y ordenanzas dadas por Dios a través de Moisés para Israel.
En palabras de Pablo dirigidas a Pedro y los de la circuncisión (judíos creyentes): “¿Por que obligas a los gentiles a vivir como judíos,” y porque “les obligan a ser circuncidados”? Vea a Gálatas 2:15 y 6:12. Estas mismas preguntas se pueden hacer hoy de todos aquellos en el cristianismo que demandan que gentiles convertidos a Cristo guarden las leyes rituales y ceremoniales únicamente requeridas de Israel nacional. Preguntémosles: “¿Por que obligas a los gentiles a vivir como judíos?” La versión RVA 2015 dice, “Por que obligas a los gentiles a hacerse judíos?”
Hay aquellos que enseñan hoy que todos los creyentes están bajo obligación guardar el Sábado, las fiestas (Pentecostés, Día de Expiación, Pascua, Tabernáculos, etc.), la circuncisión, y que deben guardar leyes acerca de comidas limpias e inmundas. Debemos mirar esto de las escrituras y así eliminar cualquier duda. Hay mucha confusión entre cristianos sobre este tema.
¿Que estaba pasando en Galacia? Los judíos convertidos a Cristo enseñaban a los gálatas el error que para ser salvos los varones necesitaban circuncidarse. Recibir la circuncisión, para el judío, indicaba entrar en el pacto de Dios y someterse a las leyes dadas en Sinaí que fueron únicamente e exclusivamente para Israel. Pablo entendía que ningún gentil convertido a Dios por medio de Cristo tenía necesidad de la circuncisión. Para un gentil entrar en una relación con Dios vía la circuncisión, después de haberlo hecho por medio de la fe en Cristo, era negar y rechazar lo que ya habían recibido. Vea a Gálatas 5:1-12, 6:12-15.
Pero no era la ceremonia de la circuncisión la única parte de las leyes ceremoniales/rituales que no se debía demandar del gentil convertido a Cristo. Habían muchas mas.
Pero ahora que ustedes han conocido a Dios, o mejor dicho, ahora que Dios los ha conocido a ustedes, ¿cómo es posible que vuelvan a someterse a esos débiles y pobres poderes, y a hacerse sus esclavos? Ustedes celebran ciertos días, meses, fechas y años (Gálatas 4:9, 10 NBLH).
Los gentiles creyentes se estaban sometiendo a lo que los judíos cristianos querían imponerles, y Pablo se opuso. ¿Como iban estos gentiles convertidos a Cristo someterse a estos mandamientos rituales que tenían que ver con guardar días (como el sábado), meses (lunas nuevas), tiempos (fiestas israelitas), y años (como Yom Kippur –Día de Expiación; Rosh Hashannah- año nuevo- “cabeza” o “comienzo” del año). Para los gentiles convertidos a Cristo, estos mandamientos ceremoniales tenían poco significado porque no fueron criados en ellos, eran débiles, y los esclavizaban a algo que no entendían.
Acuérdate que Pablo fue principalmente enviado como apóstol a los gentiles, y no a los judíos (Romanos 11:13). Pablo enfatizaba que cristianos de procedencia gentil no estaban bajo obligación a estas leyes ceremoniales/rituales porque eran solo aplicables a la nación de Israel. Pero hay otra verdad aquí, y fue que con la venida y sacrificio de Cristo vino cumplimiento eterno de aquellas leyes ceremoniales/rituales que empezaron en Sinaí y terminaron con la venida de Cristo (Gálatas 3:17-25).
Por tanto, nadie los juzgue en asuntos de comida o de bebida, o respecto a días de fiesta, lunas nuevas o sábados. Todo ello es solo una sombra de lo porvenir, pero la realidad pertenece a Cristo (Colosenses 2:16, 17 RVA-2015).
El apóstol enseñaba que todas las observancias impuestas bajo la ley de Moisés acerca de comidas o bebidas, días de fiesta, lunas nuevas, y sábados eran la sombra de lo verdadero y eterno que fue provisto en Cristo a través de Su sacrificio. Cristo cumplió con el sacrificio de la oveja ofrecida en la Pascua cuando el sufrió la muerte y derramó su sangre en nuestro lugar (1ra Corintios 5:7). El se ofreció una vez y por siempre, un sacrificio eterno (Hebreo 9:9-15)! No hay necesidad de otro sacrificio de sangre o holocausto. Jesús fue el cumplimiento total de todo sacrificio y holocausto ofrecido por el sacerdocio de Israel.
Para el apóstol, ningún creyente en Cristo debía estar bajo obligación guardar leyes ceremoniales/rituales porque Jesús trajo la realidad eterna que cumplió con la sombra que existía bajo la ley en estos asuntos ceremoniales/rituales. Este es el gran tema de Hebreos, especialmente en los capítulos 7, 8, 9, y 10. Jesús fue hecho el Sumo Sacerdote eterno, no conforme al orden de Aarón sino al de Melquisedec (Hebreos 6:20-7:28). Cristo es fue ultimo sacrificio. Jesús fue el Cordero sin mancha que vino de Dios (1 Pedro 1:19), y su sacrificio cumplió con la sombra, que fue todo lo relacionado con el Templo, sacerdocio, sacrificios, y lo que ya hemos mencionado. Ahora, el Cuerpo de Cristo (la iglesia) y el creyente individual llegan a ser el Templo de Dios (1 Cor. 3:16, 6:19, Ef. 2:21), y somos sacerdocio santo con sacrificios que NO son de sangre (1 Pedro 2:9; Hebreos 13:15).
Hay aquellos cristianos que insisten que todo creyente debe guardar estas fiestas rituales porque Cristo se encuentra en cada una de ellas y El fue su cumplimiento. Si, hay verdades que el creyente puede aprender de ellas. Hay realidades importantes que se pueden aprender de las raíces hebreas del cristianismo en el primer siglo. Hay versos en el Nuevo Testamento que son incomprensibles en los idiomas occidentales y del griego, y solo tienen sentido cuando se miran en su trasfondo hebreo-judío del primer siglo. Yo reconozco esto, y he sido estudiante de estas cosas desde el 1985. Pero se puede lograr aprender mucho sin tener que sentirse uno bajo la obligación de guardar las fiestas, sábados, y leyes rituales dietéticas (guardar kosher) como lo hace el judaísmo. Acordémonos de lo que Pablo dijo de estas cosas judías: “¿Por que obligas a los gentiles a vivir como judíos?” Esa es mi pregunta a todos aquellos que insisten erradamente que todo creyente debe guardar leyes ceremoniales/rituales.
El Efecto de La Destrucción del Segundo Templo en Jerusalén
El Segundo Templo y su sacerdocio existían en Jerusalén cuando Pablo escribió las epístolas. Después de la destrucción del Templo en el 70 d. de C. el sacerdocio desapareció del escenario con sus sacrificios diarios. Alrededor de 400 leyes (o mandamientos, ordenanzas, y estatutos de tipo ceremonial/ritual relacionados con el Templo, sacrificio, sacerdocio, fiestas, sábados, lunas nuevas, etc.), se hicieron obsoletas con la destrucción del Templo y la desaparición del sacerdocio y los sacrificios/holocaustos.
Hoy oyes a cristianos dándole latigazos al caballo muerto de “no estamos bajo la ley.” Muchos ignoran que esa frase, y otras como “las obras de la ley,” son básicamente anacrónicas porque tenían que ver con un contexto histórico que no existe hoy. Ya no hay que enfatizar esto como era necesario en el día de Pablo mientras existía el sacerdocio, Templo, los sacrificios, etc.
Siempre hay alguien que dice algo como, “Hermano Dan, pero el judaísmo sigue existiendo hoy, así que tenemos que decir que no estamos bajo la ley.” Cómo les dije, la gran mayoría de los mandamientos ceremoniales/rituales se hicieron obsoletos con la destrucción del Templo. Hoy, NADIE puede cumplir o guardar la ley como dada a Moisés. ¡Punto y se acabó!
Aquellos que insisten en guardar las fiestas dadas por Dios SOLAMENTE a Israel, lo hacen de una manera que Moisés no las enseñó. En TODAS las fiestas (Pentecostés, Día de Expiación, Tabernáculos, etc.) y sábados habían sacrificios de sangre y holocaustos que les acompañaban en el Templo. Cada sábado, y durante cada fiesta, el sacerdocio de Israel debía ofrecer ciertos sacrificios. Hoy no hay sacerdocio, sacrificio, ni Templo, así que cualquier intento de cumplir con estas leyes rituales es un cumplimiento incompleto. Personas practican las fiestas hoy basados en una interpretación judía rabínica que solo cumple en parte con los mandamientos rituales Bíblicos.
Me explico.
Después de la destrucción del Segundo Templo, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai logró mudar el Sanedrín al pueblo de Yavne, como 12 millas al sur de Jaffa en Israel moderno. En Yavne, Rabban y otros rabinos reconocidos dieron nacimiento al judaísmo rabínico que se practica hoy de una manera u otra entre todos los judíos religiosos (y muchos mesiánicos). Fue realmente ingenioso lo que hicieron. En Yavne, la religión judía fue esencialmente transformada y reestructurada para poder perdurar hasta el día de hoy sin las ceremonias/rituales, sacerdocio, sacrificios, y sin el Templo en Jerusalén.
El judaísmo rabínico entendió la realidad de que solo les quedaban como 200 mandamientos de los 613 originales. Sin Templo, sacerdocio, ni sacrificio diario, mas de 400 mandamientos asociados con los ritos y ceremonias quedaron obsoletos. Los judíos rabínicos empezaron a enfatizar que el estudio de la Escritura, la oración, y hacer lo bueno y justo (tzedakah) tomaba el lugar de las leyes ceremoniales que no podían cumplir. Por supuesto, esto era una excelente innovación, pero dejaba incumplida la ley de Dios como fue dada a Moisés.
Para el cristiano, de esos 200 mandamientos sobrantes, hay unos cuantos mas que no se deben imponer como obligación. Por ejemplo, Pablo nunca enfatiza la necesidad del gentil convertido guardar el sábado o cumplir con las leyes dietéticas acerca de los animales limpios e inmundos (kashrut). Romanos 14 enfatiza que estas cosas no se deben imponer como obligación, aunque si personas QUIEREN guardar el día y abstenerse de ciertos alimentos tampoco debe de ser razón para juzgarlos negativamente. No debemos juzgar a los quieren guardar los sábados y leyes sobre comidas, ni tampoco se deben juzgar a los que no ven la necesidad de cumplir con estas cosas. ¡Este es el mensaje de Romanos 14! Lee el capítulo entero en varias versiones-traducciones, y que tu consciencia te guie en esto como enseñaba el apóstol.
Tanto guardar el sábado como las leyes rituales sobre los alimentos solo aplicaba como mandamiento a Israel, y nunca fue la intención de Dios que fueran requisitos para el resto del mundo. En Éxodo 31:14-16 vemos que guardar el sábado era SOLO aplicable a Israel. Nunca fue el sábado dado como mandamiento a los gentiles. Levítico 20:23-26 muestra que animales limpios e inmundos eran solos aplicables a la pureza ritual de Israel y NO a la del resto del mundo. ¡Mas claro no canta un gallo!
En la Parte 2, veremos mas acerca de porque enfatizo esto. Del resto de menos de 200 mandamientos, los únicos aplicables a toda persona, sea judío o gentil, son los mandamientos morales. Esto lo veremos porque Pablo y todos los apóstoles enfatizaban mandamientos morales. No te pierdas estas enseñanzas sobre este tema que ha estado sujeto a gran malinterpretación en el cristianismo moderno.
Para resumir lo que se dijo en esta enseñanza bajo unción del Espíritu Santo:
La dignidad y respeto que le asignamos al diezmo, si vemos el diezmo como algo santo (sagrado), cuando es de las primicias de nuestro ingreso, entonces el sumo sacerdote nuestro, Jesucristo, lo recibe de nuestras manos, y ahí es donde se desata Su bendición, la de Abraham.
Esa oración larga dice lo que tomó más de una hora enseñar con pruebas escriturales de ambos el Antiguo y el Nuevo Testamento. Si has oído enseñanza sobre este tema antes, o si has tenido dudas, ideas contradictorias, o tradiciones acerca del diezmo, oye este mensaje. Te abrirá el entendimiento a ver el diezmo como Dios lo ve. Vas a ver porque es que muchos en la Iglesia lo están haciendo con malas ganas, mal ánimo, y con un corazón lejos de esta verdad escritural, ¡y digo esto acerca del porcentaje bajito en las iglesias que diezman!
Hay algo sumamente sagrado en nuestra participacion del diezmo que MUCHOS fracasan en ver porque se les ha enseñado mal o de manera incompleta. Confiamos que este mensaje será de gran bendición para ti! En adición, confiamos que los ignorantes de los propósitos de Dios con el diezmo sean reprendidos por el Espíritu Santo, se arrepientan, y vengan al conocimiento de esta verdad. Cuando entiendes el valor del diezmo delante de Dios, cambiará tu actitud entera para siempre. ¡Es gloriosamente wow!
¡La Bendición de Abraham es Tuya! (Parte 3) La bendición de Abraham incluía una relación personal con Dios, dirección divina, salud, larga vida, demostración de actividad milagrosa de Dios, prosperidad, victoria contra enemigos, protección divina, y mas. Todas estas cosas son evidentes en la vida de Abraham y sus descendientes desde Génesis capítulos 12 hasta el 25. Jesucristo nos redimió de la maldición pronunciada bajo la ley para que en El tuviéramos el privilegio de operar y funcionar con y en la bendición de Abraham. Esta promesa/bendición de Abraham le pertenece a TODOS en Cristo (Gálatas 3:14, 29).
Mira esta lista honestamente:
- una relación personal con Dios,
- dirección divina,
- salud,
- larga vida,
- demostración de actividad milagrosa de Dios,
- prosperidad,
- victoria contra enemigos,
- protección divina, y mas.
¿Donde puedes tu subir en estas cosas, o piensas que ya llegaste al pináculo de todo? Tienes que ser brutalmente honesto contigo mismo. Dios le instruyó a Abraham, "Alza los ojos y mira desde el lugar donde estas," y le mostró algo mas grande y glorioso. (Gen. 13:14) No te puedes quedar mirando donde estás actualmente. ¡Tienes que alzar los ojos! Puedes mejorar dramáticamente en TODO en Dios y en Cristo Jesús. De eso se tratan estas enseñanzas. Son para ayudarte a alzar tus ojos, mirar mas allá de donde estás, y poder ver como veían Abraham y Sara. ¡Dios tiene mas para todos nosotros! Debemos aprender de que roca fuimos cortados y de la cantera que fuimos extraídos.(Isaías 51:1, 2) Debemos mirar de cerca a Abraham y Sara y aprender del ejemplo de las pisadas de su fe. (Romanos 4:12; Hebreos 11:8-19) Necesitamos estas verdades hoy mas que nunca. Aún si tu has oído enseñanza sobre esto antes, no te pierdas esto ministrado con una unción fresca y reveladora para echarle mano a lo que Cristo proveyó por ti.
¡Que seas ricamente y extraordinariamente bendecido(a) con esta Palabra de Dios grabada recientemente.
¡La Bendición de Abraham es Tuya! (Parte 2) La bendición de Abraham es parte de TU herencia en Cristo Jesús. La bendición incluía una relación personal con Dios, dirección divina, salud, larga vida, demostración de actividad milagrosa de Dios, prosperidad, victoria contra enemigos, protección divina, y mas. Todas estas cosas son evidentes en la vida de Abraham y sus descendientes. Decir que alguna parte de lo que Dios demostró en las vidas de Abraham, Isaac, y Jacob no es para nosotros hoy es igual que decir que Pablo mintió y estaba en error cuando dijo que todos los que son de Cristo son herederos de la bendición/promesa de Abraham (Gálatas 3:7, 9, 14, 29). La verdad es que la mayoría de cristianos han vivido muy por debajo de lo provisto en Cristo. Es tiempo de subir y adelantar a pasos gigantescos. Hay mucho mas disponible en Dios. No debemos conformarnos con poco en esta hora. Hay mucho trabajo que hacer en el reino antes de la venida del Señor. Necesitamos estas verdades hoy mas que nunca. Aún si tu has oído enseñanza sobre esto antes, no te pierdas esto ministrado con una unción fresca y reveladora para echarle mano a lo que Cristo proveyó por ti. ¡Gloria a Dios!
(Perdonen que hubo problema técnico con los últimos minutos de este mensaje. Le subimos el volumen para que lo pudieras oír. Se entiende bien si prestas atención. No queríamos que te perdieras ni un suspiro.)
¡La Bendición de Abraham es Tuya! (Parte 1) Esta grabación anclará TU alma y espíritu en la realidad bíblica de que la bendición de Abraham es parte de TU herencia en Cristo Jesus. Pero va a hacer mas que eso por ti. Te abrirá los ojos para ver que la bendición incluía una relación personal con Dios, dirección divina, salud, larga vida, demostración de actividad milagrosa de Dios, prosperidad, victoria contra enemigos, protección divina, y mas. No te pierdas esta introducción al tema. La verdad es que la mayoría de cristianos han vivido muy por debajo de lo provisto en Cristo. Es tiempo de subir y adelantar a pasos gigantescos. Hay mucho mas disponible en Dios. No debemos conformarnos con poco en esta hora. Hay mucho trabajo que hacer en el reino antes de la venida del Señor. Necesitamos estas verdades hoy mas que nunca. ¡Gloria a Dios!
Aquí tienes mis notas. Le añadí un poco mas información conforme a lo grabado en vivo en los servicios. Este resumen gratuito está diseñado para que se use como bosquejo de estudio para tu iglesia, predicas, enseñanzas, clases de seminario o instituto bíblico, o sencillamente para tu estudio personal. Como quiera, se deben oír cuidadosamente las enseñanzas en conjunto con las notas para entender mas claro algunos puntos. Muchos puntos se mencionan en estas notas con poca explicación. Esto que les presentamos se puede considerar como los “CLIFFS NOTES” de las enseñanzas partes 1 al 8 (mas de 12 horas de enseñanza en audio). Ejemplo de estas notas, de la página 4:
Libro de Job es claro. Ver capítulos 1, 2, 3, 31-42. Muchos piensan que Job fue entregado en mano del diablo porque Dios quiso probarlo, afligirlo, por alguna razón misteriosa de la voluntad de Dios, o por la soberanía de Dios. Fue el diablo que mató a sus hijos, ganado y sus siervos, y lo enfermó de cabeza a pies. Habían razones reales de porque Dios lo entregó en mano de Satanás.
- Arrogancia (Job 33:17,34:7, 8, 35:12)
- Culpó Job a Dios de que le había quitado Su derecho y que Su juicio fue injusto (34:5, 6, 10-12, 17,37).
- Job se justificó a si mismo mas que a Dios (32:1, 2, 33:9-11, 35:2).
- Job no pidió ayuda a Dios en Su aflicción (34:32, 36:13, 15, 16). Dios te muestra donde pecaste (36:8-13,23, 37:23), y entonces espera arrepentimiento y que uno se corrija a si mismo.
- Dios dice en 40:8-“¿Acaso invalidarás mi juicio? ¿Me condenarás a mi para justificarte tu?” Job se arrepiente: 40:3-5, 42:1-6.
- En cap. 1, Job ofrece sacrificio para hijos una y otra vez, pero nunca ofrece ni uno para el mismo. Empezamos a ver su arrogancia.
- Sus tres amigos solo lo condenaron sin darle respuesta clara. (Discusión entre ellos y Job entre capítulos 4-31.)
- Elihú, el mas joven que no era parte de los tres amigos que condenaron a Job, se indignó de lo que oyó entre Job y los tres amigos. Elihú fue el que el Señor usó para traerle corrección y mostrarle sus pecados y errores verdaderos. Ver capítulos 32-37.
- Capítulos 38-41Dios reprende a Job por su ignorancia y por culparlo de injusticia.
- En cap. 31 Job trata de justificarse basado en mandamientos morales de Dios, pero el no violó ninguno de los que menciona allí. No fue fornicario, adúltero, ladrón, idólatra, injusto contra huérfanos, viudas, y siervos, y no amó al dinero, etc.
- Tan pronto obedeció a Dios, se arrepintió de culpar a Dios por ser injusto contra el, se humilló, etc.- recibió restauración completa y Dios lo bendijo con dos veces mas lo que tenia (cap. 42).
Puede obtener el PDF de las notas gratuitamente usando este eslabón.
Abajo está el último mensaje de esta serie impactante, la parte 8. ¡Esta contiene 1 hora y 44 minutos de enseñanza de la Palabra de Dios! En esta, miramos con detalles a Deuteronomio 28:15-68. Hay mucho mas allí que con solo una lectura. El idioma hebreo del texto original. tiene mucho que decir. No te lo pierdas.
¿Qué haces cuando no tienes ayuda de un doctor? ¿Que haces cuando lo único que puede salvar a un ser humano en una emergencia es un milagro de Dios? En este mensaje, entre mucha enseñanza escritural, el pastor Dan A. Rodríguez cuenta esta historia verídica de su propia vida:
“El motor diesel se apagó porque le entró agua salada. Las baterías se agotaron. Estábamos sin manera de navegar el velero porque el viento era demasiado fuerte para usar las velas. El oleaje nos arrastraba rápidamente hacia una pared de roca en la costa. En el medio de esa tormenta que apareció de repente, mi amigo trató de amarrar el “boom” de la vela principal (un velero de 37’). De momento, el viento cambió de dirección y el boom violentamente giró en dirección opuesta y le dio un golpetazo en la frente. El golpe lo hizo caer duramente sobre la proa. Se le abrió tajo como de 4 o 5 pulgadas en la a frente y pensé que el golpetazo posiblemente lo había matado. ¡Nadie podía sobrevivir un golpe como el que el recibió de un boom que pesaba por lo menos dos veces mas que el! Sangre salpicó sobre la vela y se hizo un charco de sangre donde cayó en la proa.
Tan pronto vi lo que pasó empecé a orar en otras lenguas y a pedir la ayuda sobrenatural de Dios, y lo vi moverse. ¡Estaba aún con vida! Aunque yo estaba “verde” del mareo por el oleaje impetuoso, me moví rápidamente antes que mi amigo se deslizara de la proa y cayera el mar. Logré agarrarlo por un brazo y arrástralo de la proa hasta la popa donde estaba el timón. Mi amigo estaba apenas consiente y empezó hablar incoherentemente. La sangre fluía copiosamente de su frente. Le di una toalla para ponerle presión a su frente y oré por un milagro.
Dios hizo un milagro porque, aún con el trauma que sufrió mi amigo, no tuvo conmoción cerebral, no quiso que le cogieran puntos, y como a las dos semanas lo único que se le veía en la frente era una línea pequeña. Como al mes, si no sabías nada de su trágico accidente, ni lo hubieras notado a menos que examinaras su frente de cerca. ¡Fue un milagro en vivo y a todo color!
Ese atardecer vimos varios milagros. Entre ellos, milagrosamente la novia de mi amigo y mi esposa vinieron a nuestro rescate en un bote con motores grandes. Le tiramos soga y nos pudieron remolcar hasta una bahía. Ellas oyeron nuestro mensaje de auxilio por un radio marítimo que nunca estaba prendido a esa hora. Por “casualidad” entraron al negocio donde estaba el radio y oyeron nuestro mensaje de emergencia. ¡A Dios sea la gloria!”
¿Qué haces cuando no tienes ayuda de un doctor? ¿Que haces cuando lo único que puede salvar a un ser humano en una emergencia es un milagro de Dios? En ese momento, mas que nada, es necesario uno tener una relación con Dios (y el Señor Jesucristo) y tener confianza en El. Lo primero que haces espiritualmente en una emergencia puede ser la diferencia entre la vida o la muerte. En el medio de una tormenta uno no debe derretirse del miedo sino clamar por la ayuda divina de Dios, ¡aunque le tiemblen las rodillas! Si te olvidas de orar y pedir ayuda divina en el medio de la tempestad, te quedarás solo con tu habilidad limitada y probablemente tendrás una tragedia dolorosa.
Dios milagrosamente liberó a Asá y a su reino del enorme ejercito Etíope y Libio de un millón de soldados (2da Crónicas 14). Increíblemente, el rey Asá se olvidó de Su Dios y de cómo lo había liberado de esa crisis nacional.
Unos años mas tarde, el ejercito del rey Baasa de Israel atacó el reino de Asá. El hizo trato con el rey de Siria, Ben-adad, para que lo ayudara. Asá no oró ni buscó la ayuda de Dios como lo hizo cuando fue enfrentado con el ejercito de los Etíopes y Libios. Si Asá hubiera orado, y el Señor le hubiera dado instrucción de hacer trato con Ben-adad, entonces eso es exactamente lo que debía hacer en obediencia a un mandato divino. Pero lo que Asá hizo no fue dirigido por el Señor. No fue la sabiduría de Dios. Este acto de Asá fue el comienzo de un patrón que se estableció en su vida. En vez de buscar ayuda de Dios cuando se encontraba en necesidad, dejó de hacerlo. Dios le envió a Asá el profeta Hanani para reprenderlo por apoyarse en la ayuda del hombre y no la de Dios. En vez de recibir con gozo el mensaje de corrección por boca del profeta, se encolerizó con el y lo puso en la cárcel (2da Crónicas 16:1-10).
Esto le costó muy caro a Asá. Tres años mas tarde el sufrió una terrible enfermedad.
A los treinta y nueve años de su reinado, Asá enfermó gravemente de los pies. Sin embargo, tuvo más confianza en los médicos que en la ayuda que Dios podía brindarle. En el año cuarenta y uno de su reinado, Asá murió (2da Crónicas 16:12, 13 TLA- Traducción en Lenguaje Actual).
Asá nunca buscó ayuda de Dios en su enfermedad. Su búsqueda estaba únicamente apoyada en los médicos. Esto verso no se debe entender como que enseña que es malo o un pecado ir al médico, pero si señala el error y pecado de uno en pacto con Dios ir a un médico sin PRIMERO buscar la ayuda de Dios. ¡Asá tuvo mas confianza en los médicos que en Dios! Aunque la sanidad ya había sido ofrecida en el pacto de Dios con Israel, Asá rehusó buscar la ayuda de Dios (ej. Éxodo 23:25). Como escribimos, le costó muy caro.
Si vas a ir a un médico, hazlo después de BUSCAR a Dios en esa enfermedad. Su poder sanador esta disponible. Si aún no puedes recibir sanidad por fe en el hecho que Cristo te redimió de la maldición y llevó tus enfermedades y dolencias para que seas sanado (Gal. 3:13;Mateo 8:17; Isaías 53:4, 5), PRIMERO consulta con tu Padre Celestial y vete al médico con tu fe firmemente puesta en Dios. Acuérdate que Dios creó el cuerpo humano y El lo entiende mejor que nadie. Los médicos no lo saben todo, y algunas veces están equivocados. Los cementerios están llenos de personas que solo confiaron en la ciencia médica. Aunque la ciencia médica ha ayudado a multitudes también ha fracasado en salvarle la vida a muchos. Si pides ayuda de Dios y sigues Su instrucción, aún cuando vayas a los médicos, saldrás mucho mejor que si solo vas por tu cuenta sin contar con ayuda divina.
Este mensaje grabado te será de gran ayuda y te traerá gran entendimiento. Saca tu Biblia y estudia la Palabra de Dios con nosotros y ven y visítanos en la iglesia ASAMBLEA VENCEDORES. ¡No te quedarás igual!
De momento, el mensaje de la Palabra de Dios por medio del pastor cambió, ¡y nos dejó a todos sumergidos en la presencia de Dios! Cuando terminó el servicio, nadie quería irse. Este servicio fue uno de esos momentos inolvidables en la gloria del Señor Jesús.
Este mensaje te agarra y no te suelta. Empieza con un corto repaso de algunos puntos principales de la serie, pero de momento cambia a hablar del verdadero significado de tener a Jesucristo como Señor de tu vida (Romanos 10:9). Si realmente El es tu Señor, lo amas con la obediencia a Su Palabra y mandamientos (Juan 14:21-23, 14:15), estás dedicado a El, y le sirves (Mateo 6:24). Jesucristo como Señor de tu vida indica que El es tu dueño, has humillado tu voluntad para hacer la del Padre (Mateo 7:21), y has determinado obedecerle en todo lo que te dice (Lucas 6:46).
Hay testimonio en el mensaje de cuando el Señor sanó al hermano Dan en el 2006 de una enfermedad devastadora que ningún médico pudo diagnosticar. Sin diagnóstico ni tratamiento apropiado por varios meses, Dan seguía bajando de peso, no dormía, rehusaba comer, y tenía unas ojeras del tamaño de toronjas. No salía de su dormitorio por días y lo pasaba acostado en la cama en posición fetal. Ya no podía hablar, y lo único que le salía por la boca eran las lenguas. ¡Pero, el Señor lo liberó gloriosamente!
Pero Cristo prefirió recibir por nosotros la maldición que cae sobre el que no obedece la ley (Gálatas 3:13-14 Traducciónen Lenguaje Actual TLA).
La Nueva Traducción Viviente rinde este verso, “Pero Cristo nos ha rescatado de la maldición dictada en la ley.”
La maldición dictada en la ley en Deuteronomio 28:15-68 fue la misma maldición que fue desatada en toda la tierra con la desobediencia de Adán y Eva en el jardín del Edén.
Al hombre le dijo: —Como le hiciste caso a tu mujer y comiste del fruto del árbol del que te dije que no comieras, ahora la tierra va a estar bajo maldición por tu culpa; con duro trabajo la harás producir tu alimento durante toda tu vida (Génesis 3:17 Dios Habla Hoy).
Adán dio entrada a la muerte (Génesis 2:17- Heb. “en morir morirás” – que es muerte de todas clases, en todas las áreas, y en todos los niveles de la existencia humana; Romanos 5:12) y Dios le llama a esta muerte la maldición. La palabra maldición describe la actividad de la muerte en la tierra. La culpa de que la tierra estuviera bajo maldición la tenía el hombre. No fue la culpa de Dios ni fue por “causa” de Dios. Muchas traducciones en español indican que fue por causa y culpa del hombre que vino la maldición.
Dios no es el culpable ni es el autor de la maldición. Esa declaración es problemática para la tradición porque aparenta contradecir a un sin número de escrituras que indican que Dios es el que enferma, mata, y destruye. ¿Que hacemos con todos estos versos que aparentan contradecir el Nuevo Testamento que enseña que Satanás es el que viene para enfermar, oprimir, matar, hurtar, y destruir? Vea a Juan 8:44, 10:10; Apocalipsis 9:11; Hebreos 2:14, 15; 1 Juan 3:8; Hechos 10:38- TODOS los que Jesús sanó fueron oprimidos por el diablo (no Dios) y El sanó multitudes de todas clases de enfermedades, etc.
Una de las revelaciones mas importantes para el creyente entender esto se encuentra en los libros de Job y Jueces. Enseñamos en este mensaje de ambos libros.
La historia de Job ha sido enseñada a través de ideas tradicionales que están en error craso. Lo que decimos y mostramos acerca de Job (especialmente de los primeros 3 y últimos 10 capítulos) del libro te estremecerá.
El libro de Job da un vistazo tras bastidores en el cielo durante un tiempo en que Satanás tenía acceso delante de Dios. Job trata de justificarse ante Dios en el capitulo 31 conforme a los 10 mandamientos y mas). Pero no cumplir con estos mandamientos morales no fue la razón porque Job fue entregado en mano de Satanás. Fue este diablo el responsable de matar a todos sus hijos y siervos (cap. 1). El diablo fue el que lo enfermó de cabeza a pies (2:7).
¿Porque fue entregado Job a Satanás para la destrucción de todo lo que tenía? Conforme a la tradición esa fue una “prueba” de su carácter e integridad porque Dios a veces prueba a seres humanos de esta forma. Otros piensan que Dios quiso afligir a Job por alguna razón misteriosa de Su voluntad. No, no fue por algún capricho divino. No fue porque Dios es soberano y le dio la gana entregar a Job a Satanás. Todas esas ideas y un gran número mas que he oído en predicas, libros, y entre creyentes, están en error.
Oye la enseñanza y oirás razones reales y bíblicas de porque Dios tuvo que entregar Job a Satanás. Esta enseñanza corrige muchas ideas anti bíblicas y abrirá tus ojos a lo que es la ira de Dios y Su justicia, y cuando es que el Juez Justo sobre toda la tierra debe emitir sentencia.
Pero Cristo prefirió recibir por nosotros la maldición que cae sobre el que no obedece la ley (Gálatas 3:13-14 Traducciónen lenguaje actual TLA).
Aunque la redención de toda maldición fue provista en Cristo por Su gran sacrificio, es por la fe que le echamos mano. Por esto el apóstol continúa en el verso 14: “para que la bendición de Abraham llegara por Cristo Jesús a los gentiles, a fin de que recibamos la promesa del Espíritu por medio de la fe” (Gálatas 3: 14 RVA-2015). Tanto la redención como la bendición es por medio de la fe. Demanda tu participación, confianza, y obediencia.
No hay tal cosa como recibir de lo que Dios proveyó en Cristo sin la activación de fe.
La Reina Valera Actualizada (2015) traduce a 1ra Timoteo 1:4b: “Al plan de Dios, que es por la fe” (RVA 2015). La versión en ingles New English Translation dice: “El plan de redención que es por la fe.”
TODO lo provisto por Cristo a través de Su gran sacrificio y redención se recibe y se activa por medio de la fe! No te cae encima como los cocos de una palma o como aguacates maduros! No vienen por un acto de la misteriosa voluntad o la “soberanía” de Dios sino que es por la fe en lo que El dijo e hizo por nosotros!
Somos salvos por medio de la fe (Efesios 2:8). Fue el regalo de Dios (gracia) pero vino a ti por la fe.
Tenemos acceso o entrada a la gracia (Gr. regalo, don, favor) de Dios por medio de la fe (Romanos 5:2 RVA, NBD, NVI, RVC).
La sanidad viene por la oración de fe (Santiago5:14, 15).
La oración no funciona sin la fe (Santiago 1:5-7).
Victoria en Cristo es por la Fe (1ra Juan 5:4).
Es imposible agradar a Dios sin fe (Hebreos 11:6).
Todo lo que no proviene de la fe es pecado (Romanos14:23).
Muchos versos mas se refieren a esta verdad!
El problema mas grande es una interpretación errónea de lo que es la fe. La fe no es tus credos o creencias. Una interpretación incompleta de lo que es la fe es común en el cristianismo moderno.
¿Qué es la fe? Ante todo, la fe es mantener una relación con Dios y Cristo Jesús. La fe incluye creencias, confianza, certeza, seguridad, y una convicción de que Dios es fiel a Su Palabra, pero hay mas. Fe también es cedera Dios y Su Palabra y no rebelarse o desobedecerle. Fe es estar sometido a Dios, obedecer Su instrucción personal a ti (ser dirigido por Su Espíritu), y cumplir con mandamientos morales. Es imposible operar en fe y a la misma vez vivir en pecado. Fe es también alinear tus palabras y acciones conforme a la Palabra de Dios. Fe se humilla a Dios, se arrepiente, y confiesa sus pecados al Señor (los reconoce y no los esconde).
¿Quieres empezar a entender mas sobre que es la fe? Estudia la lista de los héroes de la fe en Hebreos 11 y empezarás a ver que se incluye en la fe. Incluye todo lo que te mencioné en el párrafo anterior y mas.
Este mensaje hará que tu fe rompa a través de barreras y ataduras. Vendrá a ti revelación de lo alto de autoridad y poder en el Nombre de Jesús. ¡No te pierdas esta enseñanza!
Lee lo siguiente cuidadosamente y no llegues a conclusiones erróneas antes de leerlo por completo. La escritura no dice que Cristo nos redimió de la ley. Baja la piedra y sigue leyendo.
La escritura no dice que Cristo no redimió de la ley porque la ley era una maldición. Sabías que hay aquellos que enseñan que la ley era mala, horrible, una maldición, y que nadie la podía guardar porque era tan difícil. Es mas, mucho de este error ha estado con la iglesia por siglos, pero en nuestros días ha resurgido y se ha propagado con las ideas de una gracia que no es escritural. ¿Que dice la Palabra de Dios?
Pero Cristo prefirió recibir por nosotros la maldición que cae sobre el que no obedece la ley (Gálatas 3:13-14 Traducciónen lenguaje actual TLA).
La Nueva Traducción Viviente rinde este verso, “Pero Cristo nos ha rescatado de la maldición dictada en la ley.” No, la maldición no era la ley de Dios dada exclusivamente a Israel, ni tampoco era la maldición los mandamientos que imponían reglas morales de conducta santa. La redención fue de la maldición que vino sobre este planeta por causa de la traición y desobediencia de Adán (Romanos 5:12, Genesis 2:17, 3:17). La redención de Cristo fue de la maldición dictada (y detallada) bajo la ley como vemos en Deuteronomio 28:15-68. De todo lo detallado allí fue de lo que Cristo nos rescató.
Conforme a Romanos 7, la ley no es pecado (v. 7), y el mandamiento de Dios era para vida (v.10). El problema nunca fue la ley de Dios o Sus mandamientos. El pecado era el problema porque el pecado produce la muerte (v. 11; Romanos 6:23). El capítulo 7 continúa destrozando muchas ideas erróneas acerca de la ley de Dios. En el verso 12 dice: “Así que la ley es santa, y el mandamiento es santo, justo y bueno.” La ley no era una maldición, mala, horrible, injusta, y desagradable. Conforme al apóstol Pablo la ley era santa y el mandamiento de Dios era santo, justo y BUENO.
Como si fuera para darle un tapaboca a todos los que piensan y enseñan que la ley era carnal, solo tenía que ver con obras hechas en la carne, y que los que estaban bajo la ley existían en un nivel bien bajito espiritual, Pablo insiste y corrige a muchos cuando escribe, “La ley es espiritual” (v.14). ¿La ley de Dios era espiritual y no carnal? ¡Que bofetada a todos los que enseñan que la ley era “obras de la carne,” “obras,” u “obras de la ley”! Obviamente estas frases han sido seriamente malinterpretadas por muchos. Si el apóstol Pablo hubiera oído algunas de las sandeces que se predican hoy en nombre de la gracia, se echaríaa correr entre todo el pueblo, se rasgaría la ropa, y gritaría, “¡Herejía y doctrinas de demonios!”
Las leyes ceremoniales que fueron dadas exclusivamente a Israel se cumplieron a cabalidad por la venida, sacrificio, y exaltación de Cristo Jesús. Esto incluye todas las leyes referentes a el sábado, sacrificios-holocaustos, sacerdocio que ministraba en el Templo, el Templo terrenal, fiestas, reglas de comidas, circuncisión, etc. Ningún cristiano está bajo obligación cumplir con estas leyes de tipo ceremonial. En estos estudios hacemos referencias a muchos versos en el Nuevo Testamento que prueban estas realidades.
PERO, (y es un “pero” en mayúsculas y con gran énfasis), el sacrificio de Cristo no deshizo ni eliminó la necesidad de cumplir con los mandamientos morales como resumidos en el mandamiento de amar al prójimo (Romanos 13:9, 10). Esta es una distinción enfatizada por Pablo. El apóstol Pablo demanda un carácter cristiano que se aleja de TODO lo que era prohibido (idolatría, inmoralidad sexual, adulterio, incesto, robo, homicidio, odio, codicia, homosexualidad, hechicería, la mentira, etc.) y TODO lo demandado por los mandamientos morales de Dios (honrar padre y madre, amar al prójimo, hacer bien a la viudas y huérfanos, etc.) en el Viejo Testamento. Esto muestra una continuidad entre los Testamentos en áreas de la moralidad y carácter íntegro y ético. Escribo esto sin ni mencionar a Pedro, Juan, Santiago y el resto del Nuevo Testamento que enseña sobre estas verdades.
Que nadie te engañe diciéndote que ya no hay mandamientos demandados de cristianos. Lee las epístolas por tu cuenta y subraya todas las ocasiones que hace alguna referencia a como debe vivir el cristiano.En todas sus epístolas, Pablo insiste que los creyentes en Cristo deben vivir una vida santa basada en los mandamientos de Dios. Solo los espiritualmente cegados por un espíritu de error pueden negarlo.
Recomiendo que también oigas los primeros dos mensajes de esta serie. ¡Que seas ricamente bendecido(a) por la Palabra ungida de Dios!
Pero Cristo nos ha rescatado de la maldición dictada en la ley. Cuando fue colgado en la cruz, cargó sobre sí la maldición de nuestras fechorías (desobediencia y rebeldía). Pues está escrito: Maldito todo el quees colgado en un madero. (Gálatas 3:13 Nueva Traducción Viviente- NTV- mi adición a esta versión para aclarar que no fueron solo actos desagradables sino que fueron la desobediencia y la rebeldía en contra de los mandamientos de Dios.)
La Maldición Como Obra del Diablo
Estamos viendo que la maldición es obra del diablo y no es obra de Dios. Usamos numerosas escrituras y traducciones para comprobar esta verdad y corregir la idea que Dios es el autor de la maldición. Dios mismo le dijo a Adán que fue su culpa que la maldición vino sobre la tierra por causa de su desobediencia y rebeldía (Génesis 3:17 RVA).
Cristo se manifestó para deshacer las obras del diablo (1 Juan 3:8) y nos redimió de la maldición, así que la maldición no puede ser la obra de Dios. Cuando se estudia la maldición dictada en la ley en Deuteronomio 28:15-68, suena como si Dios es el autor de la maldición. Esto es un problema para el que cree las ideas tradicionales sin estudiar mas a fondo. En Deuteronomio 28 hay claves y respuestas.
Aquí tienes puntos importantes que empiezan a desenredar todo esto:
- La maldición viene por causa de desobediencia a los mandamientos. Deut. 28:15, 47, 62
- La maldición viene por causa de Dios entregar al rebelde y desobediente al enemigo. V.25- Asi pasó con Job, igual a 1ra Cor. 5:5, Nehemías 9:27-30, Mat. 18:34, 35; 1ra Tim. 1:20.
- La maldición es expresión de la muerte y el pecado. Gen. 2:17, 3:17- Dios llama toda expresión de la muerte en la tierra la maldición- Rom. 5:12; Heb. 2:14, 15; 1ra Cor. 15:26; Apoc. 22:3.
- Toda enfermedad y dolor está bajo la maldición (Deut. 28:61). TODA enfermedad viene por causa de la opresión del diablo. Ver Hechos 10:38. Entonces mira a Mateo 4:23, 24. TODOS los que Jesús sanó fueron oprimidos por el diablo (Hechos 10:38). Ni una sola persona que Jesús sanó en TODO Su ministerio fue oprimido por Dios. Jesús sanó a multitudes enteras de toda enfermedad y dolencia. Jesús nunca le dijo ni a uno de entre multiples miles de personas que Dios era el autor de su enfermedad o dolor.
Oye este mensaje y empieza a enderezar tus pensamientos conforme a la Palabra de Dios. Muchos no reciben sanidad o un milagro hoy porque culpan a Dios por sus problemas, dolencias, y/o enfermedades. Mientras uno siga culpando a Dios uno no puede recibir ayuda de El. Asi hay muchos hoy entre cristianos. La exposicion de la Palabra te trae luz de Dios hoy (Salmos 119:130).
La Redención de Toda Maldición (Parte 1) es el comienzo de una serie estremecedora, reveladora, y transformadora ministrada bajo la unción del Espíritu Santo por el pastor Dan A. Rodriguez. Se basa en Gálatas 3:13: “Cristo nos redimió de la maldición de la ley al hacerse maldición por nosotros (porque está escrito: Maldito todo el que escolgado en un madero (Reina Valera Actualizada RVA-2015). Esta verdad se ministra a través de muchas escrituras que han de abrir tus ojos como nunca antes a nuestra redención en Cristo. Muchas preguntas son contestadas en este proceso de enseñanza. ¡No te pierdas ni una sola enseñanza! (Sabemosque el volumen salió mas duro de lo normal, pero estamos corrigiendo elproblemita. Si ajustas el volumen puedes solucionar parte del problema.)