Last Days: Recent Episodes
Steve Jones
““Holding the Head” is the conclusion of Paul’s discourse. Recall how Paul comes to this conclusion. In chapter 1, he displays the all sufficiency of this rich Christ.In chapter 2:9 he says Christ displayed all these riches as the fullness of God when he was on earth bodily. 2:10 states we have received all of this fullness. 2:11-13 describes how we have received this fullness, through faith in the operation of God. That operation is the cross, the burial, and the resurrection. 2:14-15 provides us with the assurance that God at the cross dealt with all the guilt and condemnation, and he removed any authority that says otherwise. This is our eternal warranty that nothing can ever change what his Son did on the cross. This means Christ is our life and he is in us eternally and nothing can prevent us from enjoying his fullness.In between all of these verses Paul mentions the kind of things that try and keep us from enjoying this fullness. This is why he puts the little word “not” in front of “holding the Head “ (2:19).This little word “not” is saying, “You’ve got the fullness in you, through the operation of Almighty God at the cross and He has provided His eternal Warranty that it all is true, and yet you are living by something other than the fullness!?”That is NOT holding the Head! So the obvious response should be “Hold The Head!”Everything else is a shadow, the food, the drink, the Sabbath, the Jewish celebrations, etc. (16-17). They all pointed to Christ, but He came. He’s now installed in you as your life, as the fullness, the Head (10), you are complete in him. Hold the head! He is the reality of all those things. Or some say, “don’t handle that, touch that, or taste that” (21). They attempt, even with good intentions, and even Bible-based principles to govern your Christian life. These things have no value in dealing or curbing the indulgences of your flesh (22-23). Hold the Head! You’ve got the one who did it all, conquered it all, and perfectly pleased the Heavenly Father now living in you as the Head. You are complete in him, and he in you!This is why Paul says that these other things will rob you of your prize, which is Christ (18). To the lay hold of this prize is to lay hold of this Reality which is to lay hold of the Head. Saints, there is no other way to live the Christian life. Christ, as your H ead is in you sending constant signals regarding every aspect of your daily life. This is the rich supply that the Head gives you. And this rich supply is not simply for you as an individual, No! These impulses are a supply intended so as to knit us together with all the saints, nourishing one another, that the church might grow with the growth of God.Living by this revelation produces the church. Just consider, when you come in to physical contact with other saints, who have been living by this Head supply, there is a spiritual knitting together. We can’t just talk about the weather or how are you doing? I’m good, etc. We’ve been living by the Head! This living, holding the head, gushes out and into all of our conversation and worship. This is the growth of God.Paul will reveal this more in the next two chapters. For now let us enjoy the revelation that the Head is actually in you. And then let us seize hold of our head, Jesus, as we live by the constant supply of his impulses in every aspect of our living. Amen.
"Stripping off the rulers and the authorities, He made a display of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2:15) The cross is not only an erasing of all that condemns us but it is also a stripping away the power of all opposing rulers and authorities once and for all. Any future dealings with powers that oppose God have already been defeated on the cross. This is why Paul was able make such statements in Romans chapter 8: “What shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay any charges against Gods elect? Who, or what can separate us from the love of God?”Nothing!These rulers and powers, however, are able to manifest themselves through a speaking. They seek to delude us with persuasive speech (vs4) spoil us through philosophical reasoning (8) judge us by telling what we should do (16), defraud us by telling what we shouldn’t do (18-21). It is all a “reasonable” speaking that seeks to nullify the fullness we have in Christ. This is why in Colossians.2:10 he says we are “complete in Christ, who is head over all rule and authority”This means Christ is head over all of the speaking. The “speakers” can be Satan (the accuser of the brethren), religion, teaching, culture, government, worldly wisdom etc. It is a false speaking that seeks to usurp the Headship of Christ. It appeals as a reasonable speaking but seeks to deny that Christ is our life and that he is enough.We need to recognize that this speaking, manifests itself as a reasoning in our mind. It is a speaking over us, about us, a speaking that seems true about ourselves, or about our environment, or about the situations that we are dealing with, about the times we live in, about things that occur in our daily and in our worldly life. However “reasonable “ it is not according to Christ (8) nor does it hold him up as the Head. (19)What we need to realize is that the power of the cross includes the removing of this speaking, this authority that seeks to rule over us. God took this authority out of the way when Jesus died on the cross. Through Christ, he triumphed over them once and for all.Why does he still allow them to have breathing room? I can’t answer that perfectly but I do know in His wisdom all of it is used to wake me up and drive me to Christ, to his fullness!Know that “in all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us.” And be persuaded that nothing, “no principalities, nothing present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)What happened on the cross has solidified our relationship with the father, and has terminated the “wanna be” power of any kind of ruler or authority that would seek to infiltrate our reasoning and dissuade us from the fullness we have in Christ.
"Wiping out (or erasing) the handwriting in ordinances, which was against us, which was contrary to us; and He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:14) The operation of God eternally puts us In Christ, thus we are said to be complete in Him (2:10).This is an unbelievable yet true operation (11-13), but there’s more!While Jesus was on the cross bleeding for our offenses God was nailing something else to the cross: The handwriting of ordinances. What is that? When a criminal was crucified, it was customary to identify their guilt. A placard often followed with them on their journey to the cross, and then was nailed on the cross with them. On that placard was their guilty charges and reasons why they were being crucified.I do not know about you, but I am guilty. Like Paul said in Romans 7 there is something good in me that wants to keep the law, but oh wretched man, that I am, who can deliver me ?! The handwriting of the law exposed Paul’s, guilt and condemnation. This is the purpose of the law. Let the law expose your wretchedness. Say God, “I am wretched! The law reveals it. I am condemned, and I am guilty. The placard is not big enough to display my guilt.”But look what God did, he nailed that placard on the cross with Jesus. It says here in verse 14 in effect that our failure to keep those ordinances were contrary to us or against us. In the context of Colossians 2 this means our guilty verdict was opposing our opportunity to enjoy the fullness described in verses 9 and 10. That means whatever was happening on the cross could not be ours because of what was written on that placard. But then read…”He took it out of the way. It was hanging around our neck, condemning us, but He removes it out of the way and nails it to the cross of His Son. Now look at it! Erased, Wiped clean! The charges aren’t just dropped, but the debt is fully paid for, satisfied, and all God sees is a pure white placard. There’s nothing there!No wonder Paul continued to say in Romans 7, “thanks be to God, who has delivered me through Jesus Christ his Son. Therefore, there is no condemnation, ever, to those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom.8:1)The blood has cleansed us from all unrighteousness.The Father then erased the hand writing of ordinances that would otherwise indicate us as guilty, and He nailed THAT to the cross! Oh praise the Lord!
It is one thing to realize that in Christ, all the fullness of God dwelt. (2:9).It is quite another thing to see that we are complete in Christ. (2:10). We have received the fullness. But, it is still another huge thing to allow this fullness to operate in our lives. In other words, are we living by the Christ who is in us? Is he the "Head of all (other) rule and authority” in our daily living?Verse 12 says there is a requirement of faith on our part in this operation of God. God has done something in our being through Christ that this fullness might be ours. Do you believe it?At first glance, we might categorize verse 11 through 13+ as verses describing our ability to identify with what Christ done. He died. We died, he was buried. We were buried, and he arose, so we arose, however, this is more than simply doctrinally or historically, identifying with Christ.These verses describe the operation of God. This operation of God are not things that only happened in the past through Christ, but they are the fullness that is in us. He is the means whereby we enjoy him as our fullness. Verse 11 says he circumcised us. Our flesh has been cut away entirely through the work of Christ on the cross. This circumcising Christ lives in us, as the one who’s freed us from our flesh, our self. We no longer need to reference our self at all. Christ is our source. He is our fullness through what he has done upon the Cross. This is why Paul says I am crucified with Christ, and I, my flesh, no longer lives. Then he says we are buried together with him (12). The operation of God has taken us to the grave. What else are you going to do with something that has died? The operation of God discards the dead flesh once and for all. Christ took our sinful flesh to the grave. According to the operation of God, Christ, who knew no sin, officiated over the burial of all of it. That which has died, has life no more.And then most wonderfully we go with him into resurrection. This resurrection is a living. It is His life now constantly supplied as our life. This operation of God after cutting us open, so to speak, dealing with our sinful flesh, officially burying our offensive flesh, then brought us together with Christ into the newness of his life. This life of Christ has been installed in us. This is the fullness that we have received! This is the operation of God! Do you believe it?This is why Paul could say, "As therefore you have received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in Him," (Colossians 2:6). How? Through faith in the operation of God! You received this life now walk in this life. Walking in the life, the fullness, is the evidence of our faith in the Christian life.We live the Christian life through faith in the operation of God!
Colossians 2:9-10 are certainly verses for the believer to know and recall. More than that they are a reality that we live by. They actually summarize what we’ve learned in Colossians. They are the riches we are to enjoy, the treasure we need to find, and the prize we need to run after.Verse 9 declares that all the fullness was seen in Jesus when he was on the Earth. This means all the riches, the treasure, and the prize are in this fullness. This Fullness was on display when Jesus was on the Earth, and then verse 10 says that this Fullness is now in you. You are complete in him. And in the context of chapter 2, you are not to add anything to that Fullness! How could we and why would we?!Read John chapter 1 the first 16 verses. Get into the excitement of John. We saw Jesus! He was the very speaking of God in the flesh, the word! And in him was life, and his life is the light to all mankind. Verse 16 we have received his Fullness. What does that mean? The Fullness IS the word, the life and the light all compacted in this Fullness that we have received. What we saw is now in us as the Fullness!And then John adds we are receiving this Fullness grace upon grace, upon grace, meaning that Grace is a Supply of the Fullness. Saints, just wake up and breathe and I guarantee you you’re going to need the the grace of God, which is the Fullness that we have received through the Christ that now lives in our spirit. This is how we live! Grace upon grace upon grace. The supply of the Fullness becomes a never ending fountain of life.He tells the Colossian Saints don’t live by anything else. In this episode, I have asked you to politely examine the preaching and teaching that you’re hearing today. At the end of most messages, we are being urged to do something, to be something, to get something more, to be more relevant in this day and age or even to have a new experience. I understand this. There is an urgency on the part of any good minister to challenge the people of God in these last days, however, I don’t hear much that directs saints to get to the fullness in you. They may even direct you to depend on the power of God, but do we know that this power comes from the Fullness that’s deposited in our spirit?To not urge saints to live by the Fullness means death. That simply means there’s a lack of life in those challenges. We need life!We need to live by the Fullness. Do you realize Jesus,bodily, as a man , completely lived by the Fullness of the father. In other words, the father was enough. If he lived by the Fullness, why should we not live by the Fullness that is in us?All the things that we are asked to do, all the changes we are asked to make, and all the challenges presented to us through preaching are in the Fullness. Find the Fullness, live by the Fullness grace by grace by grace, and all of these things preached to us will be added unto us out of His Fullness.
“The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him.”This dilemma was put to DL Moody to which he added, “By God’s help, I aim to be that man.” This has been the noble response of many believers. Let’s clarify. Firstly, the world HAS seen such a man fully consecrated to God and secondly He is the only man who has ever pleased God fully. His name is Jesus."For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” (Colossians 2:9)“Fullness” means completeness, abundance, perfection , nothing lacking This was Christ in the flesh. A man fully consecrated to the Father. The world has indeed seen such a man!Moreover we are wretched men and women who need deliverance."Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death?”(Rom. 7:24). Who?! Oh “Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:25)Through Christ, the wholly consecrated One, we find deliverance.“And you have been made full in Him, who is the Head of all rule and authority." (Colossians 2:10)Read that! You’ve been made full out of His fullness!. As a spiritual runner in this race, that Paul is referring to , you are equipped, you’re in good shape, and extremely qualified to run this race. You’re made full!. If you are saved, you have Christ in you and he has successfully completed the work that God gave Him to do for mankind. And He now is in you. You were made to run in this race. Get to the Supply, Jesus, who fully and completely and perfectly lived this Christian life. Wake up, don’t be according to anything else, and lay hold of Christ in all things because you have been made complete in Him, and the one who is in you is head and authority over all of those things that seek to usurp Him as having first place. Amen.
Verses on thankfulness in Colossians:"Having been rooted and being built up in Him, and being established in the faith even as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:7) "And let the peace of Christ arbitrate in your hearts, …; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)"And whatever you do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17)"Persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving," (Colossians 4:2) The biggest danger for believers is to find ourselves “not after Christ” (2:8). If we live after anything else but Christ, we open ourselves up to discontentment, disillusionment, and frustration. After salvation, we need to discover that we were meant for one thing, and that is to find Christ in us and then live supplied by his life. In short “Christ our Life” (2:4). This is God’s eternal purpose: the life of His son expressed through the Saints in the church and throughout eternity. A person who lives with such a Supply it’s not discontent or frustrated in this world, but rather thankful. Paul says here “abounding with thanksgiving”. Where? In prison, in chains, restricted and limited. Why? Because we are “rooted and being built up in Him. How?Because if we live “in Christ” no matter the circumstances we can be content. (Philippians 4:11). This means that living literally “in Him” has the consequence of abundant thanksgiving.Thanksgiving is not simply a holiday or an obligation at prayer time or affered when we receive good food or gifts. It is rather a spontaneous response to our environment from a saint who is living in Christ. Unlike the world, we can thank God for everything! Remember, Paul said, I rejoice in my suffering’s. That is not the flesh speaking. This is a man who was captivated by the life of Christ within him, and realized Him as All and in all things .Certainly difficult things happen. The world, at best, can only come up with logical reasons why such and such happened and hopefully feel better about the situation. The believer has the realization that there is another Life in them. This Life is also touched by our earthly circumstances and can supply us with His life as we pass through all things. This Life has a purpose through every circumstance. Thanksgiving then is a practical way that enables us to receive the Supply of His Life in us. It requires faith and typically an open mouth as we call upon His name. It is possible, therefore, to abound with thanksgiving, no matter what we face. Let us not utter frustration, discontentment and dissatisfaction over this earthly life, but whatever we do in word or deed do it with thanksgiving; whatever erupts in our life, family and relationships may the peace of Christ arbitrate over us with all thanksgiving; and may we continually persevere in prayer, opening our mouths, abounding with thanksgiving. Amen.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us." (2 Corinthians 4:7) "I pursue toward the goal for the prize to which God in Christ Jesus has called me upward." (Philippians 3:14)"But what things were gains to me, these I have counted as loss on account of Christ. But moreover I also count all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as refuse that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:7-8)"Do you not know that those who run on a racecourse all run, but one receives the prize? Run in this way, that you may lay hold." (1 Corinthians 9:24) “Run this way”, because you cannot run any other way. There only one way to the Father for salvation, and there’s only one way to run in this Christian life. All of our struggles in this sense are the same, all of our races are the same. And all of us can obtain the prize laid out for us. Jesus is not simply our future prize but He is our prize right now as a present possession in us.To run the race any other way is not normal. Paul said not all that run will obtain this prize. This certainly does not mean a person is not saved, but it means they chose not to run after Christ in their daily life. The way to obtain the full enjoyment of Christ at the end of this age is to enjoy Christ in all things now. This is an unusual race. The treasure or the prize has already been received, We “have this treasure in earthen vessels” our bodies. You have been fueled, set up, equipped for this race upon your salvation. Spiritually, get up and hit the ground running. Open up this treasure . Pursue this Christ in you. Find Him in everything. Getting to this prize and living your daily life for this prize is the end of the race prize!Paul said "I therefore run in this way, not as though without a clear aim; I box in this way, not as though beating the air;" (1 Corinthians 9:26)So get up, get to Jesus, take this Jesus into everything today, and lay your head down at night being found in Him. Do this by faith, believe regarding the Christ in you, pursue Him as your constant supply for all things. Don’t run in any other way. Of course, don’t let the world, self, besetting sins etc. interfere with the way you run. These things are obvious, but we often run by religious exercises, by good common sense and cultural living, and by letting the routine of daily life become our race course. Paul stated that he ran in a clear way with purpose. He found Christ in all things. He counted everything but loss that he would lay hold of Christ and Christ would lay hold of him. If you want to obtain the prize, literally grab hold of the prize, every single day . To run any other way through your day is to allow some other thing to cheat you of your prize. Run this way! So you might lay hold of Him in that day. This means at the judgment seat of Christ we are going to be judged! This judgment is before the 1000 year reign.We do not talk or teach much concerning this judgment of believers. Let’s change that! Let’s believe we will give account. You’re not given multiple jobs or works or religious things you must accomplish. You’ve been given Christ and he is your life and he is in you right now. You’ve been given the means to enjoy him. He lives in your spirit as Spirit. He wants to be your all in all and in everything. This is the basis of your reward. Christians must give an account. Before we all enjoy living together in the New Jerusalem, we will serve with the Lord according to our reward in the Millennial kingdom. Your reward, your prize is in you right now for you to enjoy right now. For us to live otherwise means we will be disapproved or found unworthy of reward in the coming kingdom. This is the meaning of well done thou good and faithful servant. Do not be beguiled or cheated or defrauded of your prize today.
"For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those in Laodicea, even all who have not seen my face in the flesh," (Colossians 2:1) "I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7) Paul could have said here “I have struggled the good struggle”. This is the same word he uttered in Col.2:1 "For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you”It is also the identical word in Hebrews 12:1, "Therefore let us also, …run with endurance the race (or struggle) which is set before us," Paul was a spiritual athlete. This word “struggle” means the place of contest, the arena or stadium where the Greeks would gather and watch athletes contest for a prize. Paul writes this word from his unnatural arena, prison, where he is restricted in chains between guards, but he considers this a “vantage point” in spiritual engagement. His arena audience is all the saints who have never seen his face in the flesh. What an unusual image! How does he contend for the prize? He prays without ceasing, rejoices in his “arena” , receives this rich word regarding Christ, and delivers this word to us. Yes to us! Because this is a contending word meant for “even all who have not seen my face in the flesh.” It is Gods eternal purpose and word for all the ages. This contending word is Christ, to know Him as the mystery of God revealed. Not only for salvation, but now living in you. The prize/treasure, therefore, is Christ Himself who contains all the riches of knowledge and wisdom. (Col. 2:2-3). This word is a real word. It contends that Christ is really in you. Christ is really in all believers. Oh, don’t only receive this Christ, but walk and live in Him. (Col.2:6). Let us join in this contending word that our “hearts may be comforted, as we are being knit together in love” with all the saints who also have Christ in them. Let’s contend to know all the “riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the full knowledge”. That means we all are athletes with Paul receiving this word and we are struggling, wrestling, fighting and running to obtain the treasure, the prize, Christ as our life in everything.
This is a hard word for some, but please listen. Just consider that God has an eternal desire from the ages that is culminating right now in these last days. The church represents that culminating desire. We are not to simply be waiting and watching but are urged to be ready and watching. Growth and maturity in the church where Christ is formed in us is how we are ready, whether we die or are raptured. The eyes of the Lord are searching for this maturity, for the presentation of “every man full-grown in Christ;" (Colossians 1:28) To the the Galatians Paul described this process as travailing "again in birth until Christ is formed in you," (Galatians 4:19)“Again” means that they went after something other than Christ so “again” he struggles for them to mature which includes: Christ in you, being full grown in you, formed in you, and even “again”formed in you if we have wandered away from maturity. Where is this full grown, mature Christ in your community? "And she brought forth a son, a man-child, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne." (Revelation 12:5) ((you can read Revelation 2:26-27 assuring us this is also overcoming believers)This full grown Christ is the man-child in Revelation 12. The great woman is all the believers throughout all the ages. All of her is not going to be complete or mature, but out of her this “man child” is the desire of God through the ages: “Christ in you…formed in you…full grown in you, the hope of glory!” The arrival of this man -child in the heavens, prompts Michael and the angels to cast Satan and his followers from having any more access in the heavens. He can no longer accuse us because there we are standing before the Father fully formed in Christ. Satan is speechless. Praise the Lord! This is what God is longing for as a culmination of all things.Satan and his host are angry, the antichrist is possessed and havoc ensues during the last 3 1/2 years. God will care for Israel and believers that remain on the Earth who were not mature. He has a whole millennium to care for them and eventually deal with the enemy. Then every man will be brought into the new Jerusalem as a ready, mature, woman bride.Most believers don’t like this interpretation.The goal here is not that you agree with a particular interpretation, but that we see that God’s desire/purpose will be wrought out in time. This means to mature, to be full grown, and to grow up into him in all things is needed now. Regardless of an interpretation, we should set our mind to think upon this need for maturity as believers.He is looking for this maturity and we will all stand before the judgment seat. May we be found watching and ready.
"And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us (and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only Begotten from the Father), full of grace and reality." (John 1:14)"This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and I heard the voice of someone speaking." (Ezekiel 1:28)Christ in us has a Hugh Hope. It is the hope of glory! Glory is a word we use to describe the expression of God. We can’t just put this glory in a future tense as if it’s something we’re going to experience one day in heaven. Nor can we file it as the doctrinal endgame: justified, sanctified, and then glorified! Glory is not simply part of a process. Glory is a Person (Christ) and glory has a place for His shining (You)!. Christ in us has a present day active hope that has a moment by moment goal of conforming us more to the image of God’s Son. That is Glory! Paul rejoiced in sufferings, prayed, struggled, admonished and taught every saint not only for a future glory, but for a present day manifestation of that glory. He said to the Corinthians: "But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18) The glory comes from the beholding of the Lord in you. Just sit yourself frequently in front of this Christ in you! Talk, cry out, love, rest in Him. We will start to reflect Him, His glory in our living. What does this glory look like? Well, Ezekiel had a strange way of describing the glory of the Lord, but it’s really an awesome example. Please read Ezekiel chapter 1. What we see is heavenly creatures before the throne moving by God’s Spirit with the impulses of God, without hesitation. What we see according to verse 28 is the appearance of the glory of God in the heavenly’s. Praise the Lord we can see this glory of God in a human being, Jesus. No human being ever has moved perfectly on the Earth with every impulse according to the Father. Jesus did! And now this Christ, with all of his impulse to please, the Father, in every thought, every feeling, and every will, this Christ is in you the hope of glory! Surely you see this. Christ in you is your only hope of glory! While walking in this godless world, there is one distinct way to glorify God before you leave it. It is Christ in you the hope of glory. Do not miss out on this wonderful, glorious revelation.
Christ in you the hope of glory. I would say most believers have this underlined. Why is it underlined or highlighted? What does this mean to you? This meant everything to the apostle Paul. This is why he prayed without ceasing and rejoiced in all his sufferings, this is why he was “announcing, admonishing to every man and teaching every man in all wisdom “ This is why he “labored and struggled” (Colossians 1:28-29)He wanted the saints “to know how great a struggle” he had for them. (Colossians 2:1). That this Christ would be known in them, and grow in them.Christ is actually not a name but a title. It means the anointed one or the Messiah. Think about what it meant for Paul, who was historically a devout, pharisaical Jew, to utter these words, the “Messiah in you, the hope of glory!”No Jewish person would ever think that way religiously. They were looking for the outward Messiah. And then who does he say this to, gentiles! Gentiles to the devout Jewish religious person, even to this day are dogs and swine, unclean. To even think that the Messiah could live in a gentile would be heretical. What transformation took place in Paul’s life! He was no Jonah for sure. Jonah was told to go to Nineveh and proclaim repentance to the gentiles, or God’s wrath would fall upon them. Jonah ran away from God, he didn’t want to go, and finally we know, God got a hold of him in a dramatic way, and caused him to go preach repentance to the Gentiles of Nineveh. And guess what? They repented and God spared them. Oh this made Jonah feel sorry for himself and his situation. Paul, on the other hand, not only shared the revelation of Christ in the gentile, but he labored, admonished, wrestled and struggled that the Gentiles saints might know that the Messiah has come to live in them.Christ, coming and living in the believers spirit is such a foreign concept to Christianity even today. They want the Saving Jesus but resist the Christ who wants to be all and in all. That costs too much. We may want to give up the struggle. Oh saints, don’t give up. Christ in you is the only hope of glory. Christ in you and in all the believers around you is the only hope of glory. Fight the good fight, announce Him, admonish every brother or sister at every opportunity. Speak in all wisdom and revelation of the full knowledge of Jesus Christ. Not just a partial knowledge. Not just a saving knowledge. But a knowledge that this Christ in you is the hope, is the joy, and is the life of every believer in all things. Labor, wrestle, struggle that Christ might be formed in your life and in the church
"So then we, from now on, know no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him so no longer." (2 Corinthians 5:16)This verse indicates that Christ “from now on” is not merely known historically. And actually, from now on, we don’t know any man merely according to the old creation. Now that we are in Christ, we are new creations, and we perceive everything from that perspective. (2 Corinthians 5:17).The new creation is that we are in Christ and he is in every believer. Praise the Lord for the historical manifestation of Christ! We need the Gospels, but the Christian life is more than merely imitating the historical example of Jesus. Paul’s apostleship to the churches, therefore, reveals that Jesus is actually in the Saints. Paul’s apostleship began unlike the other apostles. He saw Christ in the body, in the spirit. The way this apostle knew Christ is the way we know Christ. Of course all the apostles experienced Christ in this way after his ascension, but this was Paul’s exclusive, subjective enjoyment of Christ. And, this is mine! Yours! And this is what he shares with all the churches to enjoy! He describes this enjoyment as the riches of ChristIf we are to know Christ today, according to the revelation of God‘s word, we must know him in our spirit, and in the body. This is the way God intended for us to know him from eternity past. This revelation, Paul says therefore, completes the word of God.This means there’s nothing else that can be added to the church for us to experience the church. There is no new expression of the gifts, no new manifestation of the Spirit, no new, charismatic, preaching,no new revelation, no new program, no emotional experience, etc. that can exceed what Paul reveals to us.This is why he says "To whom God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory," (Colossians 1:27). This is why he says he labors diligently and prays fervently that the eyes of the Saints would be opened. This is the goal of the new creation, you in Christ, and Christ in you! It is not only Paul’s writing, and sharing that completes the word of God, but it is also our appreciation, our enjoyment, and our living out this rich truth that completes the word of God. This revelation is intended to capture you and catapult you to live in the realm of this new creation thus manifesting our part in the completing of the word of God.
It is certainly “Pauline” of Paul to write about suffering. You can find a laundry list of his personal sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11, and in chapter 12 regarding his “thorn in the flesh” the Lord responds, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness”. Most gladly therefore I will rather boast in my weaknesses that the power of Christ might tabernacle over me." (2 Corinthians 12:9). Here in Colossians 1:24 he rejoices in his sufferings. That’s not natural! Who talks like this? But this is his declaration especially after sharing the revelation of our Christ in chapter 1. Notice he says “Now”. This is a present tense statement meaning right now while writing this, in this environment, in prison, in chains, NOW in the middle of this suffering I just rejoice because out out of this present suffering I see it is for your sakes so that the life of Jesus may be imparted to you .Did you know that as a believer, living under the revelation of this Christ in you, all of your suffering is a supply for the body? ALL suffering! Of course the big items are what we think of in regard to suffering, but Saints, as long as you remain in this flesh, and like Paul seek to crucify it, you will suffer daily. The flesh and Satan will oppose such a Christ life. Just recognize every frustration , every obstacle, every reaction to life’s problems that exposes the flesh is a suffering in this present world, and in the middle of it just say Now, right now I rejoice in this struggle because this will turn into a supply for the body. This is not a natural response for our flesh, but this is normal for the gaining of Christ in all things. Dear brother and sister,, everything that comes your way, is an opportunity to take the cross, and say, NOW I rejoice in this suffering, I take it, I die to this self, and thus turn a suffering loss into a joyous occasion because life is supplied in you, and to the Saints, Amen. “To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death," (Philippians 3:10)
"By faith Enoch was translated so that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had translated him. For before his translation he obtained the testimony that he had been well pleasing to God. But without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to Him, for he who comes forward to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:5-6) So God is well pleased, happy with the saint who lives by faith. Jesus said his desire is to find such persistent, diligent faith on the Earth when he returns. (Luke 18:8)Faith is our response to revelation. Paul’s ministry was opening the eyes of the sinner to receive Jesus. Then he spends 13 epistles opening the eyes of the church that they would see that the Christ in them is their hope of glory. Faith should be our response. In Colossians 2:5-6 Paul states he is joyous in his spirit as he is seeing their order. The order means what we see in verse 6, which is the Colossians saints having a steadfast faith in Christ, evidenced in their receiving him as Savior, and now that same steadfast faith is needed in their Walking in Him. Colossians 1:23, “continue in faith”follows on the heels of what Paul just revealed in the previous verses: the incomparable Christ who is all, and in all, and desires, to have preeminence in all things, especially the Saints and the church. In other words, they are to walk by faith in light of this revelation.Hebrews 11 says Enoch by faith, lived in light of what was revealed to him. Well, he did not have a Bible, but he had family members who were living almost up to 1000 years old. This means he knew it was important to outwardly cover our naked bodies. Or more importantly, he knew that blood had to be shed for the remission of sins inwardly, as seen with Adam, Eve, and Able. And then he saw, when Enos was born, that men began to call on the name of the Lord. Surely he did all of these things. He also had revelation from Adam‘s testimony. Did you know that when Enoch was born Adam was 782 years old?! That means Adam was able to share revelation about God with his great x6 grandson for over 150 years. God had a walking fellowship with Adam in the garden. Is it possible with the blood offering that man can walk with God every day even outside of the garden? He began calling on the name of the Lord, not just at the altar, but in every step of his life. Enoch by faith walked for 300 years in his daily life. Whatever revelation God gave him, by faith he diligently pursued God. This please God so much that God raptured him off the earth. Wow!Enoch is highlighted for a reason. Well, we certainly have revelation. Christ is showing us that he is in us and he is our only hope of glory! The church today knows that Christ is in them objectively. At salvation, we describe the need to ask Jesus to come live in our heart! Where has he gone. Nowhere. Subjectively we need to believe that he’s in us to live out of us. We need to continue in faith , do not be moved away from the hope of the gospel.The same way you received the Lord, walk in him , by faith, because without faith, it’s impossible to please Him, and God is a rewarder of those who steadfastly are walking in the light of the revelation he has given unto them. We have so much light , so much revelation. Do you believe it? Walk in it!"Therefore let us ( after looking at all, the brothers and sisters, who lived by faith) … put away every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and run with endurance the race which is set before us, Looking away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…" (Hebrews 12:1-2)
"For in Him all the fullness was pleased to dwell" (Colossians 1:19-23) God is so happy that there is a place on the Earth where his fullness can be expressed. Oh, that all the saints would see that they express His fullness. And as the body enjoys this fullness the church surely is built. This is the hope of the gospel. This is why we’ve been reconciled unto God, this makes him so happy. Oh, I pray that you have light to see that every, every disruption, every trial, every conversation, every interaction, every thought, and every emotion, etc. is an environment to help open your eyes to see this wonderful word of reconciliation. Romans 5:9-10 says If we have been reconciled to God by the death of Jesus, how much more shall we be reconciled by His life. II Corinthians 5:20 tells the church “Be reconciled to God” We are admonished to enjoy the life of constantly being reconciled, going deeper into the Father, pressing from the Holy place where we have been forever washed by his blood, and are saved, now going forward into the Holy of Holies where we enjoy his constant presence. All things are meant to ignite the reconciliation of His life in you . When this happens He’s happy, I’m happy, You’re happy! The church is happy in the Lord! Praise the Lord. Open the eyes of the saints around us, through us. May this continue in us all, through His life.
There is a place on the Earth where Christ can be expressed. Yes, your individual life can have an expression, but we alone are not His full expression. He is the Head, and just like your head needs a full expression so does He. It’s the Body! A head without a body would not just be lacking, it would be monstrous!. The body is the completion, expression and the fullness of a person.The church (the body) is the full expression of Christ (the Head) on the Earth today (1:19). This is quite a revelation of the church. This alone should stir us to examine what is it that we call the church, what are we bringing into it, what do we expect from it, and to what degree do we live in it. Instead we have seen the church simply become a part of our culture and community life.Paul’s urgency is for the saints to see that Christ has a Location on the Earth, and it is in the town of Colossae. They are his body, his expression, his fullness, and they all are to be cohesively joined together in him (1:17).Today, Christ has such an expression where you live. Where saints are gathered together in His name there is an expression of his body. Do not just doctrinally check this off and toss it into the “OK I know that” box in your brain. This is the ongoing life of the church. The hope of the gospel is that he would be fully expressed and known in Colossae. Where? His body, the church, where His body is living and gathering to display the riches of Christ to one another and the world. This is what your individual enjoyment of Christ and all your life is all about. We come together and we enjoy and share this life in Christ. This then becomes his fullness in whatever city, town, village you live in. There is a place on earth today where Christ can be exalted and expressed. Where Him practically having first place in all things (1:18) in our daily practical life is shared, testified, sung about, praised, preached etc. This is the church! Not a preacher , group of elders, or a worship team. The Body is meant to bring and be the full expression of the Head. Anything else becomes a monstrosity.
Jesus, as the Firstborn of Creation, (15) did what Adam could not do. He lived by God as His life in all things. Adam could not properly multiply and fill the earth with many brothers and sisters and neither could he have proper dominion over the earth. He did not do it , he instead brought sin and death. Jesus, however, demonstrated real dominion over the earth and Heaven, both visible and invisible powers. Political and religious powers, Satanic and demonic powers. (16)Jesus also multiplied His life and became the firstborn of many brothers and sisters. We have received his life and have been brought into his identical relationship with the father. Praise the Lord! (Romans 8:29).He is also the first born from the dead end (verse 18). This is how he did it. He brought that life that pleased the father in all things to the cross, was resurrected, ascended, as a man presented his accomplishment to the father, and thus has dispensed this life into the Holy Spirit, who now lives in us Enabling us to be the many brothers and sisters. This, we shall see, is how he is gaining first place in all things in the universe through the church! Amen!
Paul did not simply preach Christ in you, the hope of glory, but he enjoyed the Christ in him. He said in Galatians 2:20 “I’m crucified with Christ. It is no longer I,but Christ lives in me.”Our inner being longs to live such a life, but on the surface, it appears too costly , too difficult. Especially if you look at Colossians 1:18 At the very end of this verse Paul shares the goal of Christ living in us, which is “ that he might have the first place in everything!” Our flesh certainly says, whoa!, this is impossible. Paul shares with the Colossians how this is not only possible, but this is the normal , natural life of the church. There is no other kind of living that will produce the church.So it is important we dig in here to see what Paul is saying: first, do you not know that the one in you is the image of the invisible God? Jesus said if you’ve seen me you have seen the father. We know that Jesus is the son of God, divinity himself, but listen to what he says in Philippians:"Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider being equal with God a treasure to be grasped, But emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in the likeness of men; And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and that the death of a cross." (Philippians 2:6-8)Although the image of the invisible God, Jesus became flesh and dwelt among men as a man. As a man fully, he did not just live an exemplary, perfect life for you to emulate, but he lived by the father in absolutely everything as a man. This is why he is called in Colossians 1:15 the firstborn of creation. not Adam, Adam did not live by God as his life, the tree of life. Adam is the first born of sin and death, which we all share. Creation is longing for the firstborn of creation, which means the one that will restore creation to what it was made for. Sin and death does not match what God made all things for. Jesus matches the goal of all creation. He is the man who lived by God’s life in all things perfectly. In other words, Jesus gave God the father first place in absolutely everything as a man.Now, saints, where does this Christ live? He lives in you! You cannot live a life that lives by God in everything and gives him first place in absolutely everything, but you need to rejoice because there is one. a man, who lives in you that accomplished the impossible. We can therefore live by him. Amen.
"As therefore you have received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in Him," (Colossians 2:6) What a verse! It sums up the commission that Paul was given to share with the whole world. Two big items: 1) open the eyes of the world and tell them they need to receive Jesus, salvation. This is primarily shared by Paul in the book of Acts. 2) Paul, you also need to help open their eyes that they might see that I am in them to “walked in” or enjoyed as their rich inheritance in their daily life. This burden we see primarily expressed in the epistles. In Colossians 1:15 Paul begins to share the believers rich inheritance, but before we explore these riches we need to make a clear connection between these two items. Today we preach the good news of salvation and receiving of Christ! Amen! However preaching among saints today does not often make the practical connection that the indwelling Christ is meant to be our daily supply and enjoyment for the building of the church. Preaching in these last days urges us to wake up! Read the Bible more, pray more, be filled more, exercise the gifts more, and participate more. The challenge given to us is to strive to live the kind of life as Jesus lived, just ask God to empower you through the Spirit. In short we need to start living the Christian life! These sincere things are being uttered with passion, fervor, and urgency in these last days.But, dear saints, we need to make a connection between the Christ we have received and the Christ we can now walk in and enjoy. Jesus said the Spirit in us is “the Spirit of truth” or reality. Jesus also assured the brothers that he would not abandon them, but he would come and be with them, and the Spirit would be with them. This would be their new reality, and instead of walking around bodily with them He plainly said, “I am going to come as the Spirit of reality in you, so you, (and millions more), can just abide in me and I will abide in you.” We know He says “I will never leave you or forsake you.” And while ascending He cried “ Look, I am with you always even to the end of this age” He’s saying “You may see Me ascend into the heavens, but I will be in you, as the Spirit.” Saints, Jesus is really in our spirit as the Holy Spirit! Paul saw this revelation and he uttered to the churches that the Spirit of Christ must be in us, and that Jesus became a life-giving Spirit, and that he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit, and “for me, to live, is Christ”, and that Christ in you is your life and is the hope of glory! IS CHRIST IN YOU OR NOT? HE IS!These are the two basic items on God’s heart Jesus gave to His steward, Paul, to share with the world. Are you in the world? Of course you are! May you receive Jesus and then make the connection and realize He is really in you supplying his life as your rich inheritance on the Earth today. When the church sees this, Christ becomes the church! What a lampstand! What a testimony! Open up your heart to this vision. Speak to this reality that Jesus is in you right now. Thank you Lord, I love you Jesus, and just rest in this revelation and pray “Lord I’m blind, open my eyes and help me see what brother Paul saw. Thank you! You are my Savior, I have received you, now, help me Lord to just live by your life that is in me and enjoy you as my constant Daily Supply” What a relief! The pressure is off with the revelation that you cannot live the Christian life. The Christian life is not a life that you live. He already lived it, and this life is now available as a moment by moment by moment bountiful rich supply from the Christ that is living in you. This is your inheritance, Your portion of which you are qualified to enjoy. This is what you’ve received. Now make this connection and live according to this revelation.
"To open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me." (Acts 26:18) "Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you for a share of the allotted portion of the saints in the light; "Who delivered us out of the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love," (Colossians 1:11-13)Get into these verses, and you will see that what Paul utters to the Colossians was exactly what Jesus uttered to Saul at the beginning of his ministry. Saul, or Paul, got a lot of light in Damascus. And Jesus gives him the burden and commissions him to be an apostle and steward, who opens eyes that the hearers might receive his identical vision, which is simply summarized as, get Jesus in you, (salvation) and allow this Jesus to live out of you (enjoy your inheritance).For our eyes to be opened, light needs to have a way to shine into us. That way is Jesus. He gets into us, and he is deposited as the very light and life of God. We are now called saints in the light. This means, if we are a saint darkness should not in anyway be allowed as a controlling factor in our living. Do you know what darkness is? It is anything that is not Christ. Anything saints! Do not justify anything. Find Christ in your morning find him all day long and in everything in every relationship because this is what it means to truly enjoy our inheritance which is Christ. Then this enjoyment is truly what makes the church enjoyable. That’s why believers gathering together are called a lampstand. We are light bearers. When you have multiple saints gathering together to enjoy and share their inheritance with each other you have a bright shining Lampstand. We may attend a place, a time, and enjoy religious things, but do we find open enjoyment of Christ being expressed in a fellowship. Is there a care for the Christ in them? There’s a teaching, there is activity, there is a good motive, there is a Christian culture and social construct in the name of Jesus, but is the very real Christ enjoyed, and expressed and testified amongst the members. Most fellowships won’t allow any open sharing. There’s a risk to that, but that is the church. And the reason it cannot be allowed much is because so much is shared other than Christ. That practically makes sense, but this is so sad. Revelation of the light in us causes us to beg for an open sharing of Christ enjoyed.Just ask yourself, how many believers do you know actually care for Christ in their daily life? Cultivate and weave his life into everything.? Share, rejoice and deliver the person of Christ upon encountering them? Or conversations with other believers is often in the realm of things in the world. Saints, the whole world lies in the hands of the evil one. He is the dark one. He wants to devour mankind. The deceiver wants us to exclusively share our good life and enjoyment of this world. The liar also wants to condemn us and tell us we are failures. Saints, he no longer has control or authority over true believers, but he is a schemer. He uses the very pleasant things of this world and normal things of this world to hide the light. This is the warfare in Ephesian 6. Wake up oh sleeper and Christ will give you light! Win the first battle of the day. Spend time with Jesus. Put Jesus on, and Take him into your life and call on him at every juncture that you face. Then take that enjoyment to the fellowship and share the spoils of Christ and victories over the enemy with the Saints. This means share our enjoyment of our inheritance. This is to live as a saint in the light. This was the light that was seen on the road to Damascus, this is the light that Paul is sharing with the saints in Colossae (1:9-14) and the light that we are to enjoy today. Let us say with Paul, that we are obeying that heavenly vision!
Giving thanks to the Father (1:12) is the natural response if we are God’s children , especially upon seeing His Big Will for us.John says, "Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and we are.” (1 John 3:1) . In other words , “Just longingly look at the quality of love the Father gives us!” It is the identical quality of love that the Father and Son enjoy! Because we have the Son we have this love life in us. This love in us unequivocally qualifies us to receive our inheritance—Jesus! He is the reality of the Good Land full of milk and honey! Our allotted portion full of riches that we can enjoy in our daily living. The Father has "delivered us out of the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love," (Colossians 1:13) The church is in this realm - A kingdom of the Son of the Father’s love. Our realization of the church is in the content of this Divine love, so for us to practically handle all the saints and situations in this Love-Life deems us as “Saints in the Light” Beloved, may we long for constant opportunities to express this love- life the Father has given us! Thank you, Father!
As a Christian and student of the Bible you have to see that Paul’s burden and prayer is not simply meant for an ancient group of believers in a forgotten village, but for you today! That statement may seem like “duh, we know that already” but saints often enjoy Paul’s writings historically or seek to only apply principles from his writings. But like Colossae we need such an unceasing prayer over us. A prayer according to Paul’s vision of the church. Do you meet and handle all believers as actually handling Jesus Himself ? Do you live daily in the light that Jesus is really living in you? Religion has robbed us of this reality and Satan has certainly been busy. So, when Paul heard that the Colossian saints shared love in the Spirit, he knew they were abiding in the love of the Son in them (John 15:9-10) , and enjoying a inward reality that we often miss. Having heard Epaphrus’ testimony He then could pray for them without ceasing for further revelation. Such things that Paul prays for are covered in this book of Colossians and are mentioned in Ephesians 1:15-23 where he also prayed without ceasing for the church. He’s praying that God would open their eyes to see His big will over the universe and how this big will is centered in Christ and the church, and then he prays that they would walk in light of this revelation, and that Christ would become their subjective experience in all of their daily living, and finally he prays that God would strengthen them with the mighty power and endurance to not give up. Hope to the end. Fight to the end, because this life, this church life will cost something, and Satan hates the church in this realm where Christ is being enjoyed and expressed amongst the members. Don’t shrink back, certainly don’t go back to the world, but don’t become satisfied with religions idea of the church. After Seeing the church in the light of Paul’s revelation do not become fooled with the emptiness of the easy religious church experience. Paul’s praying is for us to be strengthened according to the might of His glory! What language! Glory means expression, so contextually this means the power is for the expression of His big will, which means the expression of His Son in you through the church because this Christ in you is the hope of Glory! (1:27) See it and don’t give in, don’t cave! Enduring for this expression results in unspeakable joy flowing out of saints, the church, who live in the light of this prayer. Amen.
The church happens when I discover that Jesus is really in me. As I abide, stay and enjoy His life in me His love -life fills my whole being. A longing rises up in me to gather with likeminded saints where His life overflows into our meeting. When the church is simply Christ, The church simply emerges. Amen.Paul says “for this cause since we heard of it” (1:9). What is the it? Paul heard about their faith, their hope, and their love. According to revelation in I Corinthians 13 what is the greatest of these three? Love! "Now there abide faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13) Specifically the “it” that Paul is referring to is the love in the Spirit we see in verse 8. This is huge, because this initiates in Paul a desire to pray for the Saints in Colossae without ceasing! This love in the spirit is the foundational root and building block of the church. "That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love," (Ephesians 3:17). Paul is excited to hear that they are living out of their spirit and that love is its manifestation. Seeing and understanding this revelation means the saints in Colossae we’re getting to their spirit and Christ was making home in their hearts. His love was overflowing and this formed the church. This is so significant for all the churches. Actually, if there is no love in the Spirit in the churches, the church becomes lifeless. There is no way to go forward in the church. We settle for something religious, social or commercial in the way we meet or operate. Genuine Salvation is present, Doctrine is spoken, the good works are there, there’s an eschewing of evil practices, Jesus is named, and even the gifts may be there. But Is there Love in the Spirit? Now it is your turn: The church happens when you discover that Jesus is really in you. As you abide, stay and enjoy His life in you, His love -life fills your whole being. A longing rises up in you to gather with likeminded saints where His life overflows into your meeting. When the church is simply Christ, The church simply emerges. Amen
May the Lord give us an Epaphras in all of our fellowships. A brother or sister, who always brings us to Jesus, as the answer to all things.The highlight of his testimony was that the Saints in Colossae demonstrated love in the Spirit. This church did not have the problems that Paul addressed in many of the others in his letters, but praise the Lord for this dear brother, who intercedes on behalf of the Saints, seeks Pauls counsel that other things would not creep in and nullify their life in Christ."Even as you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow slave, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, Who also has made known to us your love in the Spirit." (Colossians 1:7-8)"And I have made Your name known to them and will yet make it known, that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:26) "No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, who is (continuous action) always in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." (John 1:18) "And He said, Abba Father, all things are possible to You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will." (Mark 14:36) "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed."(Mark 1:35)"For you have not received a spirit of slavery bringing you into fear again, but you have received a spirit of sonship in which we cry, Abba, Father!" (Romans 8:15) "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father!" (Galatians 4:6) Paul’s prayer for Ephesian saints:"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man, That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, May be full of strength to apprehend with all the saints what the breadth and length and height and depth are And to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God. But to Him who is able to do superabundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power which operates in us," (Ephesians 3:16-20)Jesus, to the church in Ephesus:"I have one thing against you, that you have left your first love." (Revelation 2:4)
Besides grace as the beginning and ending of all of Paul’s epistles, here are some other verses that share how that Grace is to be the constant supply of the church:John 1:16And of his fullness we have received, grace upon grace. Acts 6:8 (NLT)Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.Acts 20:32 (NLT)“And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.Acts 13:43 (NLT)Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God.Acts 20:32 (NLT)“And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.Romans 5:20 (NLT)God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.Romans 5:21 (NLT)So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.Romans 6:14 (NLT)Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.1 Corinthians 15:10 (NLT)But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me--and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.2 Corinthians 1:12 (NLT)We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.2 Corinthians 8:9 (NLT)You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)So let us come boldly to the throne of grace. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.2 Peter 3:18 (NLT)Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.Revelation 22:21 (NLT)May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.
"And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us (and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only Begotten from the Father), full of grace and reality. … For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and reality came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:14-17) Paul declares us all as Saints, holy ones, concentrated ones, made to contain Gods treasure- Christ! Then he says to us “Grace to you” This is how he begins all 13 epistles, with grace. Specifically, to all the churches, he says “grace to you.” Also, in all 13 epistles, he ends by saying, “Grace be with you . This is not an accident or just a Pauline characteristic. This is Gods word to the church.Grace is certainly Gods unmerited favor or as God’s riches at Christ expense, but these are only doctrinal definitions. John chapter 1 tells us how the disciples saw grace. Upon watching Jesus they concluded that He was the expression of Gods glory. What did they see? Jesus was full of grace and reality. This means they just weren’t seeing Jesus demonstrate grace, but they were seeing Grace itself. God’s life was in all the living of Jesus. Jesus was the gift of Gods life for mankind and they were witnessing this Jesus living the Fullness of Gods Life on earth. Then John goes on to say we also have received this Fullness. This grace Jesus, lived Gods life perfectly on the Earth, went to the cross, resurrected, ascended, and then this Grace was plunged into our spirit upon salvation. We received the Fullness! Amen. We are saints! We have been made containers of this treasure called Grace (Jesus ) and we are made to continue enjoying this Grace upon Grace.This Grace never stops. And unlike the law that condemns us Grace is our constant supply of His life. Now Paul, the faithful steward, says, Grace to you. He says this to all of the churches. He is saying that all the saints in all the churches with all their unique problems and situations, need to enjoy the same continual supply—Grace! And so while addressing, for example the problems of Corinth, the circumstances of the Galatians, or the cultural conflicts in Colossae., what he is actually dispensing to all of the churches is Grace! Grace to you! Whether it takes three chapters, six chapters, 16 chapters, etc. he supplies the Saints with Grace.Then, at the end of all the epistles, he says, “Grace be with you, or Grace be with your spirit! “ This means what I just shared with you, Grace (Christ) let it just stay with you, dwell in you, fill you, permeate you, and flow out of you! Grace be with you says “Stay in the realm of this grace, this Christ, that I just shared as a faithful steward to you” Amen.Saints, this is not simply Paul’s letters that were given to ancient churches, but this is the Grace and reality, the Fullness that Paul is supplying the churches today. That the churches must express today. May we take this grace presented by Paul and may this grace, just Christ, simply stay with us in these last days. We need such a word. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen. (Revelation 22:21)
"To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, the called saints, with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, who is theirs and ours:" (1 Corinthians 1:2) I use this verse because we know the church of Corinth is famous for its many problems. Even in Corinth Paul calls them the Saints.The word Saint literally means holy ones, sanctified ones consecrated ones. We have been set apart, uniquely, and only for God to use. We are containers of the treasure of God, which is Christ in us. We often read the Bible religiously , hermeneutically and doctrinally, and we study and consider the way Paul greets believers, and the way he concludes his epistles that it’s just the way he writes his letters. No! This is the word of God to the churches from the apostle that had the vision that reveals to us God’s unique desire for the church today. We are not merely reading letters from Paul, we are reading the word of God from God through Paul to the churches. And remembering that all these writings are based upon his revelation that God gave to him in Damascus . So for Paul to say “to the Saints in Colossae” is not merely a greeting. In the New Testament, saint is use 61 times , one time in the gospel, two times by Jude, 14 times in the book of revelation and the rest are exclusively associated with Paul’s epistles or experiences, such as in Acts. Paul takes this word saint, which means a holy one of God, and makes it common for all believers! It is first used in Acts chapter 9, where Paul is blind after seeing Jesus on the road to Damascus. Ananias is told to go help Paul and Ananias says, “but Lord he’s the one persecuting the Saints in Jerusalem” As if to say, now, “he’s here to persecute saints like me in Damascus! “ After Paul’s revelation, he takes this word saint, this sacred word, and makes it common to all receivers of Christ. He applies this word to whatever location believers are found. Colossae, Corinth, Rome, Philippi, etc. you are saints wherever you are located! Does not matter your location or situation, it does not matter where you are geographically, what era you are in, the environment you are in, the mess you got yourself into, it matters not, if Christ is in you than you are the Saints . This word is not in the realm of religion, or high spirituality or of ones personal accomplishment. It is simply in the realm of who we are and wherever we are! This is who we are in Christ Jesus. Now, with this revelation, Paul can build and speak to all the churches, he can speak to us, no matter who we are, or where we are, if we can realize this, that Christ is in us and this has made us Saints unto God! Paul has a way to move forward. Amen.
"Christ…His Body, which is the church; "Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship of God, which was given to me for you, to complete the word of God," (Colossians 1:25)Note what Paul says, at the end of this verse: he says that what he was sharing to the churches as Gods faithful steward to be the completion of the word of God. It wasn’t that his word was the final word, but as far as the church was concerned, this was all that the church needed to complete the word of God during the church age before Christ return. This revelation was enough! There is nothing else needed in this church age to fulfill Gods desire for what the church ought to to! This should sober His church. That’s an awesome thought! Paul’s words to the saints is finality on this matter. We do not need new revelations or further evolution regarding the way the church goes further. What God gave Paul for the church to hear completes His Word in this matter. This also implies that our participation and living according to this revelation verifies the completed word regarding the church. We, the church, are to be a testimony on earth of God’s eternal goal today. Think of it! Paul like a good steward completes the written word regarding the church as simply His body on earth, and then we, through faith, complete the expressive word as we walk in it. What can we add or what does the church need outside of Paul’s revelation? Nothing. We become His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10) meaning His composition, His finished work of art that’s expressing Him. Yes, there will be a future appreciation of that masterpiece But that’s another age. We are to be his masterpiece on the Earth for the world to see in this age! The New Man on earth today is his masterpiece. Let us walk simply in that, today, and not be beguiled by anything else. Amen"But I fear lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your thoughts would be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity toward Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3)
"Christ…His Body, which is the church; Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship of God," (Colossians 1:24-25) "Here, furthermore, it is sought in stewards that one be found faithful. A man should account us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God." (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)Praise the Lord, for Paul’s, unique apostleship, and this apostleship was manifested through Paul’s faithful stewardship. A steward dispenses the family wealth. We certainly live in a wealthy family, the household of God, and our primary riches are Christ himself. Paul’s burden as the steward of God was to dispense the riches of Christ to all the members but also to teach the body of Christ how they can enjoy all the riches. We enjoy the riches of Christ in everything, in whatsoever we do in word or deed, doing all to the glory of God as we experience Christ as our life between all the members to where we simply live in the realm of the new man which is the church. The church should be an environment where you find Christ as all and see Him in all. This is the reality of the New Testament church that is under the stewardship of God. May we all be faithful stewards enjoying Him in all our living and dispensing Him to one another.
"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads." (Acts 26:14) "…I persecuted them (saints) even as far as foreign cities." (Acts 26:11) "And I persecuted this Way unto death, binding and delivering to prisons both men and women," (Acts 22:4) By looking at these verses, we can see the connection between persecuting Jesus, and persecuting the Saints. The persecuting “Me” is the persecution of believers. This is a Revelation we all need to see. It will truly revive our fellowship and change our living. This is the revelation that was the basis of Paul’s apostleship. To the Colossians he urges them to see that Christ is their life. He is in them as the hope of glory, and their understanding and experience of this produces the new man where Christ is the head and is all and in all. To practically experience this in our fellowship would be quite a transformation. It was quite a transformation for Saul or Paul to see this truth. Previously, he had tortured many believers before he was headed toward Damascus. Evidently his conscience was spoken to, but He kept kicking against the pricks of God, and he would not listen. So finally, God gets his attention to see this magnificent truth. Deep inside, all along he was pricked as God was speaking to him, and kicked at His speaking’s, but on the road to Damascus he stops kicking and sees Christ. This vision qualified him for his distinct apostleship, and his epistles unveil his ministry for all believers to see this identical vision of Christ and the church. If you see this truth that Paul saw as you go through Colossians you are going to come under a conviction in your consciousness as a believer. This conviction will be to live in the reality of what the church really is. To make this transition cost Paul everything. For you to live in the realm of this revelation, brother, sister will cost you, if you ignore it, you are likely kicking against the pricks. It is far too easy to just stay in the realm of our religious understanding of the church. But what the Lord requires is a living out of the church where he is everything to us until the new man is visible in our midst. May the Lord urge us, and may we respond: Amen Lord, whatever you want, whatever it takes for you to be all and in all. Here I am!
Do you know the significance of the apostles.? Sent ones, directly by Christ, who personally bore witness of Christ in his living, his crucifixion, his resurrection, and his ascension. Such were the 12 minus Judas and their testimony as apostles. Now Paul, on the other hand, has a unique apostleship. His claim and testimony of apostleship however, is legit, he refers to his apostleship and defends it, no less than 20 times in the scriptures. His apostleship was directly related to the vision he saw on the road to Damascus. He then received a vision of the resurrected Christ, and he received a vision of the church. It is that vision that riveted his entire life. He told Agrippa that to date he had not been disobedient unto that revelation throughout his whole ministry. Paul is uniquely an apostle to the church to declare the reality of who Jesus Christ is, our very life to be expressed and known as the body as we hold the head, that we might present the new man on earth today before Christ return. This is the Revelation given clearly to Paul and it is the heart of his apostleship. Seeing it will revive you and your fellowship in these last days. Here are a few verses declaring his apostleship: "Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?" "If to others I am not an apostle, yet surely I am to you; for you in the Lord are the seal of my apostleship." (1 Corinthians 9:1-2) "Paul, a called apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God," (1 Corinthians 1:1) "Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead)," (Galatians 1:1) "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope," (1 Timothy 1:1) "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy the brother," (Colossians 1:1) "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace unto me did not turn out to be in vain, but, on the contrary, I labored more abundantly than all of them, yet not I but the grace of God which is with me. And last of all He appeared to me also, as it were to one born prematurely." (1 Corinthians 15:9-8)
God has a clear desire throughout time. He wants to put his life in man that man might have uninterrupted fellowship with him. Like an arrow He has shot this out from eternity past, and He will surely reach his mark in the future. In the garden, we see the tree of life was planted. Satan entered into the world to stop Gods desire. God then gave an altar and a lamb to man that through sacrifice, Life with God could be enjoyed. Then the law and the tabernacle were provided to his people, Israel. He eventually gave them a land with a city, Jerusalem, and in Jerusalem there is a Temple, where man can come and bring a sacrifice, and have life with God. All of this was according to God’s eternal timeline. There was no deviation on His part. Ultimately He gave them the reality of it all -the Messiah , yet many of God’s people rejected him. They deviated. But God‘s purpose kept flying straight on through Christ Jesus through the cross, nullifying sin and Satan. Then through his resurrection, his ascension and the dispensing of Himself into mankind through the Holy Spirit Christ’s life was deposited. Now in the church there is the opportunity to enjoy Christ as our life (Colossians 3:4). When the members of the body choose to enjoy Christ as their life What do we have ? The new man! (Colossians 3:10-11). The new man is where Christ is the head and we all are enjoying his life in all things. Christ is all and end all! This life then is flowing in the Body between all the members. This is what God desires, and this is what we should be after. Everything else is a deviation from that straight line that was shot out from eternity past. This is how we watch and make ourselves ready in these last days. Now this line is still flying straight through the church expressing the New Man. Then there will be a rapture, a tribulation, a bringing the remnant of Israel into this new man, when Christ comes again. And then into the millennium, where this new man will visibly reign with Christ as our Head. This arrow will land finally in God’s eternal target, which is the new Jerusalem! He will reach his mark. Christ in you becoming your all your living will manifest as the new man, and the new man will eventually be manifested as the new Jerusalem where God will hit His target, He will come down and dwell with us and we will share His life and enjoy God as our Father in this family forever. Amen!
We need to get a general overview of the false teaching in Colossae in order to understand Paul’s message. Note these verses: “If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast and not being moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I Paul became a minister." (Colossians 1:23)"Beware that no one carries you off as spoil through his philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ;" (8)"Let no one therefore judge you in eating and in drinking or in respect of a feast or of a new moon or of the Sabbath," (16)"Let no one defraud you by judging you unworthy of your prize, in self-chosen lowliness and the worship of the angels, dwelling on the things which he has seen, vainly puffed up by his mind set on the flesh, And not holding the Head, out from whom all the Body, being richly supplied and knit together by means of the joints and sinews, grows with the growth of God." (18-19)(Colossians 2:8-19)
The Riches of Christ in Colossians (His resume’)He is: Chapter 1 Our inheritance, allotment Our light The king, He has a kingdom. RedeemerForgiverGod, His very imageFirstborn of creationCreator of all things (16-17)Source of all things Object of all things He Existed eternally Center of all thingsHead of the Body /church (18)Firstborn of the deadHas First place in all things (18, see 2:19)The Full expression of God. (19)ReconcilerPeacemakerRedeemer Incarnated oneDeath conqueror Sanctifier Hope of the gospel The mystery revealerThe container of all Gods riches The Life in me (27)Our hope of glory Our source of maturity The operation of divine power in meChapter2The mystery of GodThe treasure house of all knowledge and wisdomSolid basis of our faith He is who we receive and walk inFullness of God Our fullness (9-10)Head of all other headsCircumciser of my heart Resurrection Life giverForgiver of all offenses Divine eraser of my failures Divine blocker of all that condemns meDivine killer of all that would kill meThe Victor over all my enemiesThe reality of all things that speak of Him The practical Head of the body (19, see 1:18)The life that flows through the body and holds it togetherChapter 3Worthy one on the throne My relationship with the fatherMy hiding place in God (3)He Is OUR LIFE (4)Appearing or coming oneNew man (10Unifying manHe is all (11)He is in allHe is All my relationships He is the oneness the peace, the love the bond of perfection and the ruler of all our hearts in the church (15)He is the indwelling word in our spiritThe Name above all we speak or do. (17)He is the cause of our thankfulnessHe is the submission to my husband, the love to my wife, the obedience to my parents and my integrity towards my masterHe is a goal of why I do everythingMy reward and my rewarder Chapter 4He is the reason for the bond with all the brothers and all the sistersThe Grace that is with us. "And I fell before his feet to worship him. And he said to me, Do not do this. I am your fellow slave and a fellow slave of your brothers who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of the prophecy." (Revelation 19:10)
Colossians gives us a Grand Canyon view of the objective truth about the person and work of Christ. This is truth we must believe, but Paul’s thematic verse in Colossians 3 urges the church to live beyond objective truth! "When Christ our life is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4) Paul’s declaration is that the Christ majesticly presented in this book, is to become our life! Our living! Paul says in verses 1-3 that we died with Him, and since we died with Him then we should surely live with Him. Our mind can now be constantly set upon His life because He is our Life! Then one day His life will be manifested in full glory before the universe. Do you see the progression? He died, so we died with Him. He lives, so we too can live His life. Then His life will be manifested in glory, so we will appear in glory with Him manifesting His glory! Saints, we are not just hoping to be there, declaring “Whew, I made it!” no! But our hope is to be with Him revealing His full dimensions as described in Ephesians 3 where we first see the objective truth which is "That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith,” and then we see the subjective expression is “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be full of strength to apprehend with all the saints what the breadth and length and height and depth are and to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ,” and lastly we see that this will be the glorious eternal expression, “that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17). His life, available in His church today as our subjective enjoyment is what will be manifested with Him in glory. He became our life on earth, and in glory His rich life that we enjoyed will be on eternal public display. We are His masterpiece, not only because we believed in objective truth, but because His Life flooded our daily living. This is what will appear with Him in glory, all else will fall away. Paul’s burden is for us to set our mind on such a living today (Colossians 3:1-2).
"When Christ our life is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:4) There are really only two choices for you to make every single day as a believer. You will either enjoy Christ as your life which is God’s intention or you will live out of yourself. Handling everything, planning everything, responding according to your own thought and feeling, Seeking amusement and satisfaction through what this world has to offer, and filling up the moments of your life with something other than Christ. It is not even a matter of something that is right or wrong, but it is being led along by something other than just a Christ, This is the natural life. Then, there is the Christ life. This life is so rich and unfathomable. Yet God has made it possible that we can enjoy his life through Christ. Colossians tells us all about the riches of Christ. About his person and his work and how that this life is to be the norm for believers. Do not settle for the natural life, but seek that which is above where Christ is seated on the right hand of the father. Set your mind on the reality of who you are in Christ. Read this book of Colossians over and over. Mark every word that describes who Christ is and highlight every verse that describes your relationship with this Person. Enjoy this book together with me and see Paul’s clear presentation of Christ and the church. This is truly our simple need in these last days.
"But you, go your way until the end, and you will rest and rise again in your lot at the end of the days." (Daniel 12:13) who is telling Daniel to go his way? The man in Linen, above the river of Waters, Christ! To “go thy way” literally could mean, Daniel it is your time to leave this earth, die, but there is a great spiritual supply here. Just go back and read Daniel 1 through 12. It begins with him being uprooted from his home and taken away from his family as a young man, thrown into captivity, standing often before and against kings who could end his life, fiery furnaces, lions dens, and it ends with him as an old man engaging with angels of God, witnessing the darkness that opposes God, seeing Israels fateful future and even seeing Christ Himself. But Daniel once again begs to see more (12:8) he wants to understand what will happen and what the end of these things be! And the Lord says Daniel “go thy way, rest” Daniel had actually spent his entire life learning to rest in God‘s purpose and plan. This word rest means to settle down, relax, no matter the environment that’s turning you upside down. Can you relate? He goes on to say Daniel rest and rise. Not only am I your rest Daniel, I am your resurrection and I am your life. I saints, Christ is certainly our rest and our Resurrection /Life in these last days. I trust you are living in this reality.
Water, especially a river of water, is of a great significance in the Bible. The river of water indicates the supply God desires for us: his purpose, his building, and his eternal plans for us…this River of water in general supplies His life to mankind. Actually, the whole book of Daniel is not simply a book of history, but it is an unveiling of how God is carrying out and will pour out his economy over the people of Israel. God is going to do it, it is unalterable, so God tells Daniel twice in chapter 12 to seal it up and rest in what God has revealed. Standing at the source of this river of water Daniel sees the man in Linen… this is the same Christ that he saw in Daniel chapter 10, when he was standing beside the river. Saints, Christ is our high priest thus the linen garment. He is able to mediate between God and man. He is also able to supply mankind with God’s river.God is the Source and Jesus is the Course. This means He is the way that we receive Gods life and understand what God is doing. The whole book of Daniel is a big river flowing from the heavens revealing what God wants to do on earth towards mankind specifically Israel. Babylonian captivity, Nebuchadnezzar, the fiery furnace, Medo/Persian empire , the lions den, king Cyrus, the Greek empire, the Roman empire, the last seven years on earth with the antichrist…all of it is the flow of God’s River!Hallelujah today this river is not outside of us, but according to revelation in John, chapter 4, John chapter 7, and the book of revelation we see that this river is flowing from the throne of God, through the Lamb of God, and into our inner most being, and can be our daily supply of life. Do you know this man above the river? Are you living by His supply? I trust you are!
"And those who have insight will shine like the shining of the heavenly expanse, and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars, forever and ever." (Daniel 12:3) "Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand." (Daniel 12:10) "If therefore you were raised together with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things which are above, not on the things which are on the earth." (Colossians 3:1-2) Daniel was certainly one who set his mind on the things above rather than things of the Earth . I think for most of us to set our mind on things above as opposed to things below brings us into the realm of asceticism. The realm of good versus evil. Focus on spiritual practices rather than the cares of this life. No! Paul was instructing the saints in chapter 2 of Colossians against asceticism. Get your eyes off of yourself and what you can do or are failing to do. Get your eyes rather on the throne! Where Christ is! Just look-He has made us alive with Him, we share His life!This connects us directly, boldly to the throne of God where our Divine Connector is seated at his right hand. Praise the Lord Daniel had visions that God gave him in the old testament economy to guide the saints in that day. Praise the Lord we have this simple vision of Christ, who has brought us into himself and we can daily enjoy whatever is coming from the throne . Purpose and building comes from theThrone, God’s intentions from eternity past come from the throne, immeasurable love for us comes from the throne, and life is constantly being poured out through Christ to us from the throne. Hallelujah! So what do we do? We set our minds there. What are you looking at today? Tomorrow? What’s troubling you ? What in this world has drawn you away from Him? Just pivot. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Stop the religious, earthly , down below view. Look instead to the things that are true about you. Those are the things above. Nothing, and I repeat nothing can keep you from life that flows from the throne. There He is on the throne… just like that. Now stay there, live there constantly supplied by him for every moment of your living. This is , beloved, genuine insight.
"And those who have insight will shine like the shining of the heavenly expanse, and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars, forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end; many will go here and there, and knowledge will be increased." (Daniel 12:3-4) “ Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (Matthew 13:43). Daniel was certainly a shining one! This was because he desired insight from The Lord: he longed to know His plans. We also are to be the shining ones. John 1:4 says, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." To let our light so shine before men is to let the inner life of Christ as our light come out of us. It is not to hold a little candle out for men to see. It is to let the shining from our inner enjoyment of Christ beam out of us ! The church should simply express Christ, having God's glory shining through it (2 Cor. 4:6-7). When people touch the church, they should be able to touch Christ in all the members.
God is not in the realm of “tit for tat.” The enemy does this and God responds and does this, no! God has an eternal purpose that he is carrying out upon the Earth in every age, and he knows the beginning from the end. Chapter 12 of Daniel primarily deals with the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation. We see in verse 1 that MICHAEL has already been assigned almost 2500 years in advance to come to the aid of Israel. You can read about this in Revelation chapter 12. This is amazing! God is doing what he’s going to do and mapped it out from eternity past. Satan is constantly reacting to everything that God is doing to seek to thwart to stop and diminish what God is doing. He uses the sword or war, famine or economic hardship, and he uses pestilence or death. His aim is to kill and destroy and stop gods eternal plan from being fulfilled. Satan, that’s impossible! For example, God has already prepared MICHAEL to defeat you at the midway point of the tribulation. This is absolutely thrilling to see. In the whole book of Daniel, we see in the first six chapters deal with the earthly plane where evil is opposing good. That’s the Earthly view, but in the last six chapters, the heavens are revealed. God’s angels are fighting against the princes of Satan. Satan is responding to what God is doing on the Earth, and God is always there and it’s always reigning. In Revelation chapter 4 and 5, we see the throne of God with the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders surrounding the throne sitting on smaller thrones with crowns. These are the elders or leading angels that are carrying out, gods eternal purpose. They are administrators to that end. Gabriel is there and Michael is there. Lucifer used to sit on one of these thrones. In chapter 4 and 5, in anticipation of the coming messiah Prince, Jesus, they cast their crowns before the Throne of God. Do you know why? The administration is now handed over to the son of God, who became the son of man and Conquered it all. Now, God can still use a Angels and Will use them in whatever capacity he sees fit, but do you not realize that the one who is greater than angels has come to live in your spirit? His name is Jesus Christ. You don’t need a guardian angel, and I’m not seeking to deny that or debate that, but you have Christ in you!. And now the administrator Christ is administrating victory over the enemy through the church, through the Saints, over Satan. Oh how the church needs this revelation. God is looking for you to wear the crown for you to administrate with Christ over the church, and eventually ride with him in white on those horses in the battle of Armageddon, leading the way, not the angels, wearing those crowns and wedding garments into victory over the host of Satan. What revelation this is for us to see!
"Then there will arise in his place a despicable person, to whom the honor of a kingdom will not be given; but he will come in a time of security and will seize the kingdom by smooth and cunning words and actions." (Daniel 11:21). Daniel chapter 11 unveils the constant depression that Israel is going to experience in future days. Specifically with the Greek empire trampling across Israel. Antiochus Epiphanies will rise up and exponentially oppress Gods people and the land. Daniel 11 describes him as that despicable one who speaks smooth and alluring words and commits degrading acts in their temple. Struggle is not new to Israel. We know that Jeremiah prophesied about the 70 years occurring with Israel’s captivity in Babylon, but did you know that his message was greatly rejected? They tried to kill him, imprisoned him, beat him and shut him up! The king of Judah, Zedekiah, listened to false prophets saying “no, it won’t be that bad it’ll just be a couple years…what Jeremiah says is not true”. Well, they were in captivity for 70 years. He tried to help and prepare them, but they would not listen, do you know what else what we find in the book of Jeremiah? Jeremiah told them at least 15 times Your judgment is going to be “by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence”. 15 times! The three words, sword, famine and pestilence, appear in a group in 26 different Bible verses. That's not an accident. I think Israel, as well as all of God’s people throughout the centuries have experienced these three elements. This is actually the eventual behavior of all human governments throughout the ages. Babylonian, Medo/Persian, Grecian, Roman, and the world empire underneath the leader ship of the antichrist during last days. The reason for this is because Satan is the prince and the power of the air and he and his princess have a strong reaction to the purpose of God. There is a Satanic desire to stop, destroy, and even kill in order to thwart the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. In Matthew 24, Jesus described such a reaction as birth pains. In revelation, chapter 6 Christ Ascended into heaven, and as a result of his accomplished work and release of the gospel the sword, famine, and pestilence, (or death) ensued, and this trio has done so throughout the ages. Satan has always sought to stop God’s purpose from going forward upon the Earth, whether it involves Israel or his church. I believe this is important for Christians to see. This is a hard revelation, but without it believers are asleep in last days. This is a serious matter and it is not just to consider another view, but it is a wake up call in last days to be vigilant watchful and alert, rather than anticipating an escape from these things. Much like Jeremiah‘s Prophecy we may not like such a message, but if this is what the Lord is doing, we need to take heed, watch, and be ready, because we do not know the hour of our Lord’s coming. Consider these things amen.
Gabriel speaking to Daniel says, "there is no one who holds strongly with me against these ones except Michael your prince." (Daniel 10:21). Then in chapter 9 he told Daniel, "Know therefore …until the time of Messiah the Prince will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;… And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah will be cut off (crucified) and will have nothing;" (Daniel 9:25-26). These verses indicate that God assigned during Daniels day, Michael to be there prince and do battle against Satan’s dark minions (the prince of Persia, and the prince of Greece) along side of Gabriel. What a tremendous, heavenly insight Daniel gives us. No matter what is taking place on the Earth, even if we think God is not aware, He is! Heaven is battling to fulfill, God’s , eternal purpose, no matter what age we live in. In chapter 11 we see this continues. Daniel sees the prince of Greece (Javen) will cause so much turmoil to the land of Israel, multiple warring s between the nations of the north and the nations of the south using Israel as their trampling ground. The poor people of Israel have been so trample upon through the ages. I encourage you to read the first four versus of Psalm 83. The Psalmist says. "behold, Your enemies are in tumult, …They devise crafty counsel against Your people, …They have said, Come and let us destroy them from being a nation, That the name of Israel may no longer be remembered." (Psalms 83:2-4). Verse 1 wondered if God was aware or awake. Do you see what’s happening to Israel , your people? Saints, after reading these few chapters of Daniel, and seeing the princes of darkness that Satan has put in place to stop Israel, how can we not see that he is still busy turning the world against the nation of Israel. Do you know what God‘s goal is? That they would see their true prince. Not Michael the angel, but God has sent the Messiah prince, who was cut off and crucified, Jesus . O would we pray that the eyes of Israel would be open to see Messiah Jesus as their true prince, Amen. It surely will happen in the future, but may God start opening more eyes of Jews and gentiles in these last days.
Chapter 10 of Daniel reveals what we typically do not see. That is the spiritual warfare in the heavenly realm on behalf of what is taking place here on earth. In this chapter, there is a temptation to focus on that subject matter. We do not need to study Satan or his minions, nor do we need to have a full comprehension of God’s angels and their activity in order to live this Christian life. We simply need to know that it’s there and it’s happening, God allows it, the warfare is constant, and God is in control. What we need to keep our eyes upon is Christ and that God is looking for precious ones to cooperate with him in regard to what he is doing on the Earth. It was long prophesied that Cyrus would be Israel’s deliverer. Satan knew this and did everything he could to stop it. Satan will not prevail, no matter what because God will do what God is going to do! And God will use even angels to do his bidding if need be, but what God longs for in every age are precious ones who are cooperating with what God is doing. The angels are not the precious ones, Daniel has that designation. In this scene, it’s almost as though Gods predetermined operation of setting God‘s people free is dependent upon Daniel praying for God‘s purpose and plan, and while he is interceding God sends angels to do battle with the prince of Persia. God longs for us to be precious ones cooperating by praying for and living for what he desires. Amen. I don’t know how to say it, but here goes: “God doesn’t need us, but he has made it so that his purposes and plans are dependent upon our cooperation.” May you and I be such a precious one that will cooperate.
I challenge you to just read the Bible with this thought; “God is longing to dwell,without interruption, with man.”. You can go from Genesis to Revelation and see this preeminent theme. Of course, it’s interrupted by man’s rebellion over and over again, and Satan is there, jealously, disrupting, and seeking to stop any effort of mankind to get close to God. This desire of God is really clear as we look at the dwelling places that God has provided throughout time. The garden (Adam), the altars (patriarchs), the tabernacle, Solomons temple, Daniels Rebuilt temple, the temple, during Jesus‘s day, the temple that will be built during the tribulation, and finally the full realization of Jesus, being Israel’s temple during the millennium. God will bring Israel into this reality. All of Israels built temples are symbolic of God’s desire to dwell with man. John chapter 2 reveals the reality of God’s house. Jesus cleanses the temple with a whip and then later says, destroy this temple, (or the fathers house) and I will raise it up again in three days . We know that he is referring to his body being resurrected. This indicates that Jesus Christ is the real dwelling place of God. He is the true house of the father! He is the ideal man that God can live within! But that’s not all… through the work of the Cross, Resurrection and the Spirit all believers have been brought into Christ. The church therefore is Christ. This means that we in Him and He in us are the real house of God, both Jew, and gentile. But it doesn’t end here …after the millennium all believers become the prepared wife of the Lamb and will become the final dwelling place of God called the new Jerusalem. We need to pray for Israel as they go through their troubles, we don’t want to see the these things happen, but these troubles are what will draw them with chords of love to see Jesus as their true dwelling place with God, enable them to experience Jesus as their ability to dwell with God,(Millennium), and ultimately realize with all believers their eternal dwelling place of God in the new Jerusalem. To pray for the peace of Israel is not to simply pray for a easier, better day, or to pray for a situation now on earth where they are free from oppression, but it is to pray for this ultimate realization where they will say to Jesus you are the Christ, the son of the living God. This is the only peace that Israel can ever have, and the only peace that we can ever have. The Father longs for the day when we with Israel become His Home forever. “My dwelling place shall be with them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Ezekiel 37:27) “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them”. (Revelation 21:3)
"In the third year of Cyrus the king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the word was true and concerning a great distress. And he understood the word and had an understanding of the vision." (Daniel 10:1) Daniel saw great distress, happening in Israel’s future from chapter 9. It tells us here that he lacked understanding. Chapter 10, 11, and 12 is the understanding that God gave Daniel, but we must note before we go any further that Daniel could not receive understanding about anything until he saw this Jesus, in all glory conquering everything and standing victoriously in the heavens. This is the identical vision that John saw in revelation chapter 1. Saints, if we cannot see Christ today, who is what he has done, and where he lives, then we can have very little understanding about anything. Understanding does it mean anything apart from Christ. Colossians 1 : 16 - 17 says, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. All understanding is hollow and pointless apart from seeing the reality of Christ. The disciples who were walking on the road to Emmaus, were seeking understanding, what happened to Jesus who was crucified? They could not even find his body as it was gone from the sepulcher. Then Jesus appeared, but they did not know it was him. He walked with them for a while and reviewed them that they did not know their old testament, which spoke about him, and the events that were distressful to them. Then he sat down to break bread with him, and they urged him to keep talking, and as he broke bread, he vanished from their site. One of them said didn’t our hearts burn within us, telling us that this was Jesus? Scripture says their eyes were opened! This means they could understand everything in the Old Testament everything about their present condition and things to come because they saw Jesus. Are you seeing Jesus in your daily life. Do you go to the Bible looking for him, his life, his purpose. If not, you’re reading, your praying, your religious activity is hollow. We need to see Jesus in all things if we are going to understand anything about today, tomorrow, or things to come. Amen.
Daniel experienced the identical vision that John had in Revelations chapter 1. Both saw Christ glorified yet they saw him glorified as a man. Daniel saw a “certain man.” This is significant. We need to know that all old testament saints from Adam to Daniel need this certain man, the incarnated Christ. Israel was looking for a Messiah prince, who would deliver them from all their troubles. What they need, is a certain man called Jesus, who would deliver them not only outwardly but inwardly. Every age, and every move of God is dependent upon this certain man. In Daniels age of rebuilding the temple, he needed to see this vision of Jesus. In our age of the church, we absolutely need to see the significance of this certain man who lives in us, and because of his incarnation can supply his life within us. Christ appears multiple times in the book of Daniel And each time we see the significance of the incarnated son of God. God’s eternal purpose relies upon the word becoming flash and dwelling among us. Paul said I am crucified with Christ. I no longer live yet Jesus Christ lives in me. Our ability to experience and enjoy this certain man in our daily lives is the Reality and Testimony of the church in this day that God desires.
God is moving in every age he desires, something in every age . We call this God’s moves. In Daniels day. It was the move of allowing Israel to be in captivity. Daniel prayed in chapter 9 for their readiness to be released from captivity. Then at the end of chapter 9, God gives him more revelation of what God is going to do in the future, Daniels 70 weeks. God’s going to rebuild the temple, God is going to send the Messiah prince, God is going to allow the antichrist to have his way during the tribulation for a short time. And then we know it before the tribulation occurs, the age of grace has emerged, the church age, which we live in now. In all of these moves, God is looking for saints on earth to Express His move, to be interested in what he’s doing, and to be according to what he’s doing. In chapter 10 Saints were released to go back to Jerusalem. Not all of them, just a remnant. Daniel, due to his old age remained under the reign of king Cyrus. But he continue to pray, earnestly for God‘s people to go back to Jerusalem and express what God’s doing. Now what did that look like? It simply was believers, who were passionate for what God wants. Rebuild Jerusalem! What age do we live in? The Church age! Now what does a believer look like who is expressing God’s move on earth today. Quite simply we live in a wonderful age where Christ has come to live in us and the church should simply be an expression of Jesus Christ rather than ourselves. Unfortunately, most Christians do not know the reality of the church . They treat it like a building, a program, a time, a place, a club, an event, etc. We need to cry out like Daniel in chapter 9 God forgive us we’re blinded by our religion. The church is simply Christ in us! If you find the church in your locality, you should find saints who are living for the expression of Jesus Christ in their daily life. And when they come together, it is a glorious expression. Day by day all things happen and come to us for the expression which is the building of the church. Yes, we are Building Something… It is the holy habitation of God, which is Christ, who has brought us into him, and,he into us , and on earth we are to be a constant expression of him until that glorious day we are all gathered as the new Jerusalem. There we all will have been processed through time to be his eternal expression. May we participate today in the building of the church, the new Jerusalem. Whatever happens to you today turn away from it and turn to Christ and say, Lord Jesus you are the Christ,, build your Church amen .
"Seventy weeks are apportioned for your people and for your holy city, to close the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make propitiation for iniquity, and to bring in the righteousness of the ages, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the Holy of Holies." (Daniel 9:24) Daniel was such a precious saint to God because Daniel was fervent for God’s move upon the Earth. The big move of God was seeing Israel released from captivity and return to Jerusalem.(Daniel 9:1). He prayed so fervently because it seemed Israel was in no condition to go back to Jerusalem. In his exhaustion, Gabriel came to him and informed him of Gods next big moves upon the Earth. 70 weeks were appointed for the restoration of Israel. 7 weeks or 49 years would occur, and then the temple would be rebuilt. 62 weeks or 434 years would then take place until the Messiah Prince would come to Jerusalem. And that time would be marked by the crucifixion, or cutting off, of Christ. The Jewish people eventually would reject him and crucify him. The last week or seven years is the tribulation period still to come. These are all the years or weeks that God has determined to deal with the people of Israel, and restore them unto himself and his kingdom. Now there is an obvious gap between the 69th week and the 70th week. This was a Mystery to Daniel but it’s known to us as the age of grace. During all these major moves, God is looking for saints like Daniel, that he can call precious which means they are riveted to whatever God is doing. For example, during the 49 years of rebuilding the temple, what should a saint do?! They should live exclusively for the rebuilding of the temple. Now , what is God’s move today? It is the building of his real temple. It is the church the dwelling place of God. God’s move today is that believers Express Christ in anticipation of his coming. The appropriate dwelling place for God on earth today is a fellowship that is filled up with Christ expressing Him. It is so easy in these days to live for ourselves, to focus on our needs, and to become enmeshed with the cares of this life, The Lord is looking for saints, who have given over them selves to live for this Christ, to pray for this expression on the Earth in the church, and in essence to be living for God’s move upon the Earth in this age. These are Overcomers. These are precious saints in these last days. When we see what God’s move is on the earth today, and we live for it and pray for it everything else falls into place. Everything that is happening is happening for the building of God’s habitation. Your frustration, your struggles, your problems, your dead ends., And on and on and on everything is for God’s purpose, which is Christ, expressed in you, and thus in his body locally. Pray for that revelation that we might see what is the fellowship of this mystery called the church. Amen.
"At the beginning of your supplications the command went forth, and I have come to tell you, for you are preciousness itself. Therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision." (Daniel 9:23) Daniel is called, not only preciousness, but he is called preciousness itself. This means that Daniel was so infused with a vision for God’s economy that from God’s point of view Daniel is the epitome of what is precious to God. I think we struggle so much to try and please God and become Worthy in his sight. We find ourselves trying to do something or be something for him. We consequently are found living in the realm of condemnation, failure, and looking at our mistakes. Do you know what God wants? If you could just describe his eternal purpose for the next three minutes, what would you say? Every Christian should have a vision for Gods, eternal purpose. Then that purpose of God should be the passion of all of our praying and our living. To the Ephesians, Paul prayed that God would open the eyes of the hearts in the church. "The eyes of your heart having been enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling," (Ephesians 1:18). If you and I could pray longingly for what God desires to see fulfilled on the Earth this kind of prayer would garner the attention of the Heavens. This kind of prayer sent Gabriel‘s to the side of the Saint Daniel. This kind of prayer commands God to perform his will on the Earth. This kind of saint is preciousness itself to the Lord.
""For he who has entered into His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His own. So then there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience." (Hebrews 4:10-11). Rest is a person. It is the revelation of that person which is Christ Himself. Daniel and Israels ultimate hope was in the coming Messiah, however, the kingdoms of the earth would continue to be manipulated by the enemy to overcome God’s eternal purpose, specifically wrought out through the Messiahs coming to Israel. Daniel lived through Babylon and a portion of the Medo- Persian empire, and he is seeing how the Heavens rule not Satan. Daniel chapter 8 reveals a most evil attempt of Satan through the Greek empire. Daniel would not see its emergence so the Ancient of Days gives him a vision, which will later be seen by Israel prior to the initial coming of Christ. This vision reveals the most glaring revelation of the spirit of the antichrist through Antiochus Epiphanies. This evil Greek general will commit fornication and abomination in the temple of God prior to the coming of Christ. He will press the people of Israel. But this revelation of Daniel provides a genuine rest for the people of God to know that the heavens rule, no matter what you see. God will provide overcomers who will defeat Satan‘s attempts to thwart God‘s eternal purpose on the earth which is manifested through the Christ child in Israel. This revelation of the Greek empire supplied rest for the people of God in that day. They knew according to Daniels prophecy that God already knows all about the struggle. The heavens rule, brothers and sisters. What are you worried about today? The actual antichrist is coming, and he’s going to commit great abominations that will again be manifested and culminated in the temple of God. Today, however, the spirit of that antichrist is prevailing on the Earth. How is that affecting you as you see such an evil advance? Anxiety, worrying, laying up materials to fight against the coming onslaught? Brothers and sisters we have revelation given to us ahead of time in the word of God. Rest in that revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ prior to his second coming. Amen!
"But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, indeed, forever and ever." (Daniel 7:18). The Ancient of Days always has a burning churning purpose from eternity past.His sits on the throne with the books. (Vs.9-10). This desire is centered in His Son who ascends before His throne (vs. 13-14) and takes the book from the Ancient of Days and administrates Gods purpose upon the earth. Revelation, chapter 4 and 5 complement this passage. Then we see the ancient of days is mentioned again in verse 18 down to verse 28. The ancient of days is focused on the Saints. Who are the Saints? Certainly Daniel saw them as the Jewish people being connected with the Messiah and the Kingdom. But we know the Saints include the church. The son of God ascended before the throne in verse 13 To what end? To administrate the kingdom of God to who? The Saints! The word saints means, set apart, sanctified holy ones. That’s who we are not because of who you are, but because of who he is! He has made you saints who now possess this burning desire of God in our spirit to be an expression of his glory, just like that temple in Jerusalem was to express his glory on the earth, we are to be that expression today, and into the future Jerusalem, the glory of God on the earth. As a saint this is our desire today in the church. The new Jerusalem is the culmination of what we are enjoying today in the church. Oh, may we be a present day participant enjoying the life of a saint. But let me warn you according to Daniel chapter 7 human government, energized by Satan culminating in the antichrist, will make a war against the Saints, and it says will seek to wear out the saints. That’s why the Bible says do not be weary in well doing. Just get in touch with that desire of God. Start thinking about God’s, eternal purpose, his burning wheel doing something moving toward something … pray with of you, for that, and get in line with that! The enemy cannot touch it, and the enemy will be devastated. Amen! Identify as a saint, identify with the saints. He’s chosen us to dwell in us, and we are expressing him in every place full of Jesus ‘ love and grace. This is the church. This is the desire of God on earth today.
The “Ancient of days” that Daniel sees sits down upon the throne with the books in his hand. I think Daniel is seeing here what John saw in revelation, chapter 4. God on his throne, ready to pour out his eternal purpose on the earth. But no one was found worthy to open the book. Then in chapter 5, the worthy One appears. Don’t weep John, the Lamb of God has appeared! Both Daniel and John are seeing the Ascended Christ as the one who is qualified to open the book that is in the hand of the ancient of days. Daniel, however , did not see what John now reveals. The Messiah would come to earth, live the Christian life for us , take it to the cross, rise from the dead, ascend before the Ancient of Days, take the book out of the Father’s hand and administrate Gods purpose on the earth first through the church. This was a mystery to the Jewish understanding. . Of course this began with the church receiving His life through the dispensing of His Spirit. This initiated the kingdom of Heaven coming on the earth before crushing Gods/ Israels foes. Daniel could not have understood the inclusion of the church, but this is what he sees in his dream. This stone cut out of God (Daniel 2:35) is Christ. But Before He crushes His enemies He was “cut but not with human hands” meaning He came out of Ancient of Days for a purpose. That word “cut” literally means to be determined. God purposed or determined beforehand that this Christ would carry out His will. Not just to crush the enemy at Armageddon, but to do it all! He was “cut out” to administrate Gods kingdom on earth through the church. He ascended before the Ancient of Days and this happened: "And to Him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, / That all the peoples, nations, and languages might serve Him. / His dominion is an eternal dominion, which will not pass away; / And His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:14) Jesus did it all, ascended, and was the Worthy One who to this day is administering the kingdom on earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJUtAw21qAM “Though the nations rage, kingdoms rise and fall There is still one King reigning over all So I will not fear for this truth remains That my God is, the Ancient of Days None above Him, none before Him All of time in His hands For His throne it shall remain and ever stand All the power, all the glory I will trust in His name For my God is, the Ancient of Days Though the dread of night overwhelms my soul He is here with me, I am not alone O His love is sure, and He knows my name For my God is, the Ancient of Days Though I may not see what the future brings I will watch and wait for the Saviour King Then my joy complete, standing face to face In the presence of the Ancient of Days None above Him, none before Him All of time in His hands For His throne it shall remain and ever stand All the power, all the glory I will trust in His name For my God is, the Ancient of Days For my God is, the Ancient of Days”
"And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and on his heads names of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority." (Revelation 13:1-2) The fourth Beast in Daniels vision is the same one we find here in revelations. It is the antichrist, super energized by the dragon himself, Satan. It is Satan‘s goal throughout the ages to defeat God‘s people so that the eternal purpose of God, which is his kingdom appearing on the earth, might not take place. In Daniel 7, we see the second vision of the governments of the earth. The first vision of the metallic statue was quite magnificent, and stately. Governments do serve a purpose on the Earth but they are destined to fall. Here, in chapter 7, all of the governments of the earth will culminate in violence and cruelty, under the leader ship of Satan’s antichrist dragon. Have you seen the degradation of the government where you live nationally and locally? Many of us have been privileged to be under a governmental system that has allowed us our freedom to enjoy our faith. America may have been an exemplary government in its beginnings, However, in these last days, we are seeing our governments become cruel and violent. This is the enemies ultimate goal . His goal is to wage war with the Saints on the Earth through the kingdom of men and stop the purpose of God from happening! Soon, following Jesus will not simply be tolerated, but it will be fought against. Open your eyes, and realize that we are not destined to be saved by a government on the Earth but by a kingdom that is coming down from heaven to the earth, led by Jesus Christ the Messiah. The church today is to overcome our current environment and stand against the opposition of the enemy. Overcome the age you live in 24/7. Live in the realm of desiring God’s purpose to be fulfilled on this earth. Realize that it is the Saints that overcome on earth, while they live, that will overcome with him when he rides down into that final battle against the Dragon and destroys him. Overcome now that you might overcome then!
The first six chapters of Daniel, we see are stories that stair step together, one building up on the other, and give us a strong case for the need to overcome. The last seven chapters contain revelation given to Daniel regarding future events. These seven chapters are to old testament saints like the book of revelation is to us today. In order to enjoy, comprehend and see the revelation that God has for us, we must overcome. The church must overcome. Those that overcome the age they live in are engaged with what God wants in the book of revelation, not in their own personal expectations, or fantastical ideas, but look at revelation and see the person of Christ and the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose and desire through Him.
"Be sober; watch. Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8). Daniel 6 completes the first half of this book. It is fitting that these stories end in the lions den. Darius already had insight as to the character of Daniel because this is what he said when he realized he had to obey the law and allow him to be cast into the lions den, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you." (Daniel 6:16) . He recognized Daniel as such a one who had uninterrupted fellowship with God. He saw Daniel unequivocably as an Overcomer for the Lord’s economy, The first six chapters are certainly more than enjoyable Sunday school stories. They reveal the ongoing attack of Satan against God’s purpose being carried out on the earth. The stories culminate with Daniel, old and weathered, but still overcoming and facing the lions. These stories have built a case for believers to overcome in whatever age they live. The enemy is the same, the objective of God is unaltered with guaranteed achievement, but the unknown factor is whether or not we will overcome with the Lord.
We must remember Satan is always seeking to establish a kingdom that disrupts, discredits and destroys Gods desires over the earth. It often looks like he is winning such as in Daniels day, but God will obtain His testimony! His purpose and plan is like a mighty freight train rolling through time. He is simply looking for men and women, He only needs a few, to overcome whatever age they live! Overcoming saints provides the rails upon which this freight train can roll. Daniel was such a man. He not only stood apart from the world in which he lived, but he he was constantly after what God was after. Yes, he knew the prophecy regarding their captivity and return to Jerusalem, but Daniel just did not hope for it but he actively and constantly was praying for it to come to pass. Three times a day he opened his windows and poured out his heart to bring God’s People back to God’s purpose in Jerusalem. He overcame the age. He lived in by constantly praying for God‘s purpose to come to fruition. This was Daniel and his companions. They rejected Babylon and longed for Jerusalem. We have seen Daniel stand apart from Babylon. Now Here in chapter 6 we see his constant cooperation with God manifested through his prayer life. Constantly talking with God, calling upon Him and believing that this is what should consume a Jewish man in Babylon. What consumes you in these last days? You know the general prophetic word about what God is going to do, but do you know that God is still longing for the new Jerusalem, Revelations 21, 22? Your prayer life will reveal it! Did you know this is God’s hearts desire at the end of all the ages, his eternal purpose? To be an Overcomer in these last days means that there is such a zeal for what God wants, not for what you want, not for where you want to go , not for your prophetic interpretation of events to play out, but for the simplicity that God wants the New Jerusalem! This should be our constant prayer and desire. Discover what God wants, the new Jerusalem, what the new Jerusalem is and who it’s made for, God! May the zeal of God’s house, just eat us up like it ate Daniel up! Pray and fast, stretch out our hands and call upon God Towards God’s eternal purpose, the new Jerusalem. We see in Daniel chapter 1 this verse: "And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king." (Daniel 1:21) This means he lived a consistent life of prayer for over seventy years. He eventually saw king Cyrus aid in assisting Gods people return to Jerusalem with plans to rebuild and restore Gods eternal purpose on earth. He overcame! You and I may know the prophecy, but are we praying for it to come to pass like we’ve never prayed before? This is what it means to be overcomer in these last days.
Here are some tremendous verses that are referred to in this episode. We know Daniel, his 3 brothers and eventualy, many of the Jewish captives were influenced by these prophetic words: At the dedication of the temple Solomon said, “When they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them; Then hear in the heavens, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers. When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they turn to You and confess Your name and pray and make supplication to You in this house;…whatever prayer, whatever supplication, which will be made by any man of all Your people Israel, when he spreads out his hands toward this house;… if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is …whatever prayer, whatever supplication, which will be made by any man of all Your people Israel, each knowing the plague of his own heart, when he spreads out his hands toward this house; Then hear in the heavens Your dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each man according to all his ways, whose heart You know; for You, You alone know the hearts of all the children of men;" (1 Kings 8) Then Jeremiah prophesied, “this whole land will become a desolation and a waste, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years." (Jeremiah 25:11) “Daniel, understood by means of the Scriptures the number of the years, which came as the word of Jehovah to Jeremiah the prophet, for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, that is, seventy years." (Daniel 9:2). And Isaiah prophesied to King Hegelian, "The days are now coming when everything that is in your house and that your fathers have laid up as a treasure unto this day will be carried away to Babylon; nothing will be left, says Jehovah. And they will take away some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will beget, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." (2 Kings 20:17-18). Daniel knew of the prophetic word in his day. Do you know the prophetic word of God in these days? Is this prophetic word influencing your life? If not get into the word found in Revelation. It begins with: "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things written in it, for the time is near." (Revelation 1:3). It ends with : "And behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this scroll." (Revelation 22:7) These two verses tell us that we need to allow this book to saturate our lives. Do not leave it to the preachers and teachers to extol this word! Get out of that realm! This indicates in order to have a blessed life in these last days we must be such a one like Daniel who not only believed, but lived a life controlled by his faith in the prophetic word of God!
Daniel chapter 1 - 5 is the history of God operating on the Earth through the Babylonian empire. (The golden head from the image in chapter 2). Daniel and his friends are certainly older by now because Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson is the ruler. However, we are brought back to the lesson in chapter 1. We see again Daniel being offered the dainties of Babylon. The king Belshazzar is living it up with the lords of the land. They’ve got food and wine and women and are having a feast, enjoying all the pleasures that Babylon has to offer. They even retrieved utensils from the king’s treasury made of gold that were dedicated for use in God’s temple in Jerusalem. "They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and of silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone." (Daniel 5:4) Today, if we are not careful, we can find ourselves lost in the pleasures that this world is offering. Even Christians are often found engaging in the cares of this life, occupying themselves with what is afforded by this world, mingling that which has been sanctified and set apart for his purpose (their life) with the pleasures of this world. God has a word for Babylon. He has already spoke to them through Daniel, through his 3 companions and even through Nebuchadnezzar! The word of God was prevailing over Babylon. Now God interrupts their party. His hand wrote on the wall a message etched into the plaster. Belshazzar saw the hand writing on the wall. He literally saw Gods word and what was going to happen to him as a result of his debauchery. Daniel was called to interpret Gods word and in exchange for doing so guess what he was offered? Pleasurable position and riches of Babylon. He refused! Belshazzar died that night and we see the beginning of the Medo-Persian empire (the silver arms and chest of the image in chapter 2). Daniel, once again, stands for God and not Babylon. Oh saints the hand writing is already on the wall. God has already spoken to us in His Word regarding what He’s going to do in these last days. Are we going to wait until what He reveals has us shaking in our boots?That I fear May be too late! Do not allow that which is set apart for His use, your life, to be used by the enemy. May the Lord draw us away from the temporal pleasures of Babylon in these last days and may we heed His word according to what he has already written, and may we have a ready testimony for Him on the earth as we see His coming draw near.
steve.jones@ccofqc.org Having vision for what God is doing and what He wants is crucial in these last days. Think of it, Daniel and his 3 friends had vision for God’s purpose, and God would use them to direct 3 gentile kings and bring Israel back to His house and His testimony. If we do not have God’s vision then we have nothing controlling us. To live in this current age without His heavenly vision is to become vulnerable by default to whatever else is available in society. Man's thoughts, concepts, values, and degraded morals will gradually take us over. Do you see His purpose? He as with Israel desires a house but not one made with hands. We the church are to become the New Jerusalem, humans like you and I must conform and be living stones for His eternal temple. We are not simply going to a place but we are becoming something. What is governing you in these last days? We are no different than all the saints: i.e. Noah (controlled by vision of Ark), Abraham (governed by Gods vision of the land) Moses (by vision of tabernacle, back to promise land), David (…restrained by vision Gods house) , Daniel (fixed on getting back to Jerusalem and the Gods house ), Jesus (governed by the Father’s good pleasure) and the Apostles (controlled by vision of Christ and the church as Gods real house), All controlled by revelation received by God. That’s vision! When we have vision, we have meaning, we do not live for this age but instead are controlled by His purpose. Learn Gods eternal purpose and let it govern you. So many believers are distracted. They are attending church meetings on Sunday, but practically speaking there is not much reality in their daily life. Why? Because they lack vision. “Where there is no vision the people run wild “Proverbs 29:18
"… among the inhabitants of the earth…there is no one who can resist His hand Or say to Him, What are You doing?" (Daniel 4:35) "be humbled under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time," (1 Peter 5:6) The mighty hand of God is constant whether you feel it or not. Our natural response is to refer to and trust ourselves. Depend on our ability and resources. This is pride! All Sin originates from pride which is Satan himself. Pride means I do not need any supply from God. Peter mentions anxiety in the context of pride and tells us to cast anxiety away like trash. Throw it away and do not pull it back out of the garbage can. Anxiety is always Satans opportunity to show up and say, “you cannot rely on God, you are self sufficient, trust in your own understanding. PRIDE! There he is, Satan, manifesting himself in any attempt to handle life apart from God. Peter says God stands against pride, but He will supply grace (that’s Jesus) to the humble. He also says that Satan is sneaking around like a lion waiting to pounce upon you and devour you. This means every moment of every day we must stay with Jesus. Babylon today will seek to cause anxiety regarding your situation. This is meant to produce a care for this life that is unhappy with Gods hand upon you. You then become dissatisfied and rebel over your situation. Pride is so subtle young people. This is where those angry, unsettled, and rebellious feelings arise from in your life. Do not give power to such thoughts. Pride is there., Satan is there and he is hoping that these struggles will cause you to rely on yourself and not Jesus. Daniel and friends teache us a lot about pride vs trusting in God. We will see this unfold in the following chapters. For now recognize that Gods mighty hand is operating over the earth regardless of what we may see or feel, and Satan’s sneaky plot is to distract you, cause anxiety, rebellion towards what God is doing. This is pride, Don’t allow Satan to disrupt the supply of God’s mighty hand during these last days.
"He answered and said, Look, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not harmed. And the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods." (Daniel 3:25) If we stand with Jesus in all of our living, we can be assured that we will see him standing with us. Of course, He’s always with us, but He is looking for a testimony on the earth of saints who are standing for His purpose. Israel had a purpose! They were to be a testimony of God for the whole world to see. That’s why they were in Babylon because they were engrossed in idolatry rather than being a testimony. God was getting His testimony back and how is He doing it? Through these 4 young men! There had to be many of Israel who were starting to repent and inwardly did not want to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, but they were fearful and bowed down outwardly. Not so with these three young Hebrews. No matter the consequences they were going to stand with God, and before the day was done Nebuchadnezzar saw the son of God (Jesus) standing with these three men in the fiery furnace. We see here that God wants a testimony on the earth for what he is doing and where he is headed. He will have His testimony! The question is, young people, will you be a vessel for God’s eternal purpose on the Earth? God needs human vessels to display His purpose. Guess what young person? He’ll take you! He will use you! You may never be seen and you may face consequences, meaning you may not get rescued from the fiery furnace, so to speak, but He wants you! He is looking for believers to stand with him every day, every hour, living for his desires. You can be assured that he will be standing right beside you, whatever you may face. Daniel and his brothers determined daily and prayed together as often as they could, that they would stand for God in Babylon, and they believed assuredly that God would stand with them through it all. You can rest in the fact, regardless of the situation, regardless of how you feel and regardless of the outcome, that if you stand with Jesus He will assuredly stand with you.
"At the time that you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up" (Daniel 3:5-6). The music was played as a prompt or as a means of conditioning the people to bow down before the image of gold. Of course, this is idolatry, and no God-fearing Jewish person should bow down to the idol. Daniel was no doubt protected with his position in the kings court, but Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah we’re not protected and we’re in fact, supposed to lead others into worshiping this idol. Young people need to see that today we are being conditioned that when the music plays, we are to bow down, capitulate and accept without question whatever philosophy or belief is presented to us as normal, no matter how immoral, no matter how anti-Christian, and even no matter if it goes against basic scientific principle or logic. We are being prepared to bow down to whatever the antichrists of this age present to us as truth. To stand against this presentation will eventually mean we are anti-democratic, and in fact terrorist to society. We must compassionately stand today against this “music” that the world is imposing upon all society. Babylon, in last days will have its own form of music, not necessarily literal music, but a philosophy and a system of beliefs that are established in order to eradicate our basic belief in Jesus Christ. Lovingly stand with Jesus, and do not allow yourself to be mystified by the philosophical tunes that are being played today to set us up for a day that we must bow down or face the consequences. Stand now!
"You were watching until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the image at its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed all at once, and they became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." (Daniel 2:34-35) This dream was given to the world leader, king of Babylon for a reason. God was seeking to get Nebuchadnezzar’s attention. Daniel was able to see God’s heart and interpret the dream. All kingdoms and governments since creation to Armageddon are included in that image and all will crumble. Do not trust human government!! Daniel sees a Stone cut out of Heaven crushing all the kingdoms of the earth. This Stone is Jesus. He was cut out by the Father to come to mankind, live the human life, go to the cross, resurrect from death and satisfy the Father. He is the stone the Jews rejected and stumbled upon. They were offended at the idea that He was the Messiah. He is the Cornerstone for all believers. We line up with Him and become living stones for His eternal holy habitation that will culminate into the New Jerusalem. And here in Daniel 2 we see Him as a crushing stone that will destroy all kingdoms of the earth which will visibly be gathered at Armageddon. How are you related to this Stone? Are you stumbled, offended by Him? Will He crush you as you stand with mankind against Him? Or are you joined with Him, allowing Him to cut and form you to line up with Him for Gods building?
"I And the king said to them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream." (Daniel 2:3) Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that was from the Lord that stirred his spirit, but he evediently couldn’t recall it’s details. He asks all of his wise men to not only interpret the dream but remind him of its details first! Of course they cannot and the king says, "If you do not make the dream and its interpretation known to me, you shall be cut into pieces and your houses shall be made a dunghill." (Daniel 2:5). What an impossible task!All of the kings wisemen are in trouble including Daniel and his three Jewish brothers. This vision is revealed to Daniel, and he is able to interpret it to the king we see again how important it is to not be for Babylon. He. Daniel was able to see what God is doing. When we are in Babylon and we are of Babylon, our vision is restricted. Spiritual blindness is a significant sign that we are in last days. As a result, we find ourselves, not only in the world, but of the world. The dream that Nebuchadnezzar had is revelation regarding all the human constructed governments of the world. Daniel had eyes to see the consequences of trusting man’s kingdoms. While we are here in these last days let us not hope for a better day in earth, or for a human leader to save us. It all belongs to the god of this world and will topple over in the end. "Do not trust in princes, / In a son of man, with whom there is no salvation." (Psalms 146:3)
"But Daniel set his heart not to defile himself with the king’s choice provision…" (Daniel 1:8). What revelation these young boys must’ve had regarding God’s desire and testimony. Out of all the captives, they purposed to maintain Gods testimony, even while in Babylon. Daniel purposed in his heart! He did not set his affections on the provisions supplied by the king of Babylon. He set his desires on what God needed: His people Israel were to proclaim God to all the nations. Jerusalem was Gods dwelling place in the Temple. His name was there as a testimony on the earth! God is looking for such a testimony today. Saints need revelation that God is determined to have dwelling place and it is in the church. Yet have saints set their hearts upon having such a testimony? Have we purposed not to defile ourselves with the world’s provisions. These young overcomers received this revelation from prophets like Jeremiah and they were determined not to pollute that vision with the provisions from the King of Babylon. We need revelation of Gods purpose. God needs a testimony on the earth today. Who will set their heart upon His purpose rather than the temporal dainties of this world? This is the requirement of overcoming in these last days. This is the calling placed before our young people today. Who will answer such a call? The church needs a Lampstand, a testimony and He will get it irregardless of our personal decision, but Oh how He loves and is longing for our participation. Young Christians, set your heart upon Him! Find His purpose and jump into His desire!
The testimony for the Lord on the earth in Daniels day was Israel, specifically Jerusalem and His house the temple. Humanly speaking Israel failed and Satan had won. God seemingly now has no testimony with their destruction and captivity. So Israel is brought back to the land of Shinar where she was formed out of Abram, out of idolatry. Why? To stir up a testimony for Himself on the earth. Israel had a poor testimony because of their idolatry. These young overcomers are standing in the home of the King of Babylon, Satans choice city, yet they stand boldly and effectively for the Lord. They will not submit to the Devil’s diet. This may seem trivial to us, but the Lord is concerned about what we take in because our daily appetites indicate what we treasure. If we treasure anything but the Lord, this can become idolatry. Daniel and his brothers regained God’s testimony so much so that they were renowned throughout Babylon. They were known as having a name associated with God. In the king of Babylon‘s house, where Satan‘s throne was established God now had a testimony! They tried to attach Babylonish names to them but they were not known as being idol worshipers, but God worshipers. The name of Daniel, which means “God is the Judge,” or “God is my Judge,” was changed to Belteshazzar—“the prince of Bel,” or “the favorite of Bel” (Isa. 46:1). The name of Hananiah, which means “Jehovah is kind,” or “the favorite of Jehovah,” was changed to Shadrach—“enlightened by the sun god.” The name of Mishael means “Who can be like God?” but his name was changed to Meshach—“Who can be like the goddess Shach?” The name of Azariah, which means “Jehovah is my help,” was changed to Abed-nego—“the faithful servant of the fire god Nego.” They may have called them by their Babylonian names, but their character demonstrated names that associated them with the Lord. What are you known for.? An athlete ? A gamer? Miss Social media? Mr. YouTuber? Etc. what do others recognize you as treasuring? This is the name they associate with you. May the person of Jesus be associated with you when your name is said!
"If you have tasted that the Lord is good." (1 Peter 2:3). Have you tasted the Lord and found him to be good? We can make the Bible so complex, perhaps rightfully so, but God often gives us such a simple presentation. He begins in Genesis with our need to have a proper appetite for his life in the garden of Eden. The Bible ends in Revelations with the river of life and the tree of life, supplying food and drink for all the nations. God placed Israel under such dietary restrictions but for spiritual reasons. What is our instruction today? Eat and drink Christ.! Daniel and the other children were instructed to eat and drink the king of Babylon’s food, and drink. If we are going to stand in these last days and overcome, we must not eat and drink what Satan is offering us to eat and drink. This book of Daniel did not start in the lions den or in the fiery furnace, but it started at the dining table. What are you eating ? What are you drinking? As young people the world is so appetizing and it is a challenge to control our appetites, yet this is where the Lord begins in his call to come out of Babylon and stand with him. This simple matter of eating and drinking properly while you are in this Babylonian atmosphere is where we begin. I am concerned that many believers do not know how to eat and drink the Lord. They think this consists of Goodworks, reading their Bible, praying, attending a youth group or fellowship, etc., these are all the products of eating and drinking the Lord. Everyone needs to know that since the ascension of Christ and provision of his Holy Spirit, he now lives inside your spirit as your food supply. We overcome this world, this age, these appetites, by simply turning to him inwardly and eating and drinking him by calling on his name. At every lure and temptation to feast upon the worlds, food and drink, come and dine upon him instead. Daniels proper appetite was the basis of his ability to overcome Babylon. What is your appetite today? Satan has quite a menu for you to dine upon today. Learn how to take Christ in your life moment by moment day by day. This is having a proper appetite while living in Babylon.
It says here in verse two that Nebuchadnezzar was given Jerusalem. He was permitted by the Lord to take it, take the people, take the king, take the temple and all of its treasures. He could not do anything without Gods permission. This will turn out to be an awesome lesson in the book of Daniel. It looks like Satan is winning, because out of hundreds of thousands of Israelites only 4 apparently stood for him in the beginning. 4 young people. We are living in an age in which the king of Babylon, Satan, is about to emerge. We see his influence everywhere. Satan and world powers could not do this, unless God allowed it. He is allowing it in order that he might produce some thing, and that he might bring his eternal purpose to fruition. In the process he is going to call saints to overcome in these last days. Most believers will probably stay engaged with the world, but the Lord is going to get his victory, and bring about his plan by using, maybe just a few Overcomer’s. He needs all of us to overcome, but young people are the vitality, the reality, and the testimony that needs to be seen in these last days. We as parents and grandparents, instead of longing for our children to be successful in this world, economically, professionally, athletically, etc. But if. we need to long for them to overcome this age, find Christ, and forsake all else to be a testimony on the earth for Jesus. He may use all of that other stuff, but if Christ is not the life of young people they will be sucked up into this age . Oh, Lord, give us young people like Daniel, who will stand for you, overcome this, Babylonians age, and bear forth a testimony in the church up until Your coming. When young people clearly stand in such a Babylonish age this is precious to all of us, and it is certainly precious to the Lord. We pray for our children and our grandchildren in these last days. Amen.
In Revelation chapter 19 John speaks of the mystery Babylon. This means Babylon in God’s economy means something. He has kept the meaning hidden, but with the writing of Revelation, we can see what Babylon is all about. Babylon is exposed in the book of Revelation. It is evil, immoral, lawless, adulterous and deceptive, as it falls Jesus crys out and says, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great! And she has become a dwelling place of demons and a hold of every unclean spirit and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird;" (Revelation 18:2) In Revelation it is not just a place. It is the atmosphere that is ruling over the whole earth. It does not only appear at the end of the tribulation, but it is growing right now on the earth into an ultimate manifestation. It is everything that is against God. It is the culmination of every human government throughout the ages, of every human system, it ultimately is becomes a garbage heap, but it is Satan’s pride and joy. There is an atmosphere of Babylon manifesting itself even now. We can now look back because of John’s Revelation and see that Babylon has had an intention. We can see it in Genesis chapter 10 and 11. We can see that God called Abraham out of this atmosphere, and saved mankind through Abraham, who left the plane of Shinar, left idolatry, and out of Abraham, the earth is blessed in Israel. We can see at the end of the old testament. Israel is brought back to Babylon in Daniel chapter 1 This city is located in the plains of Shiner.! This is not just a coincidence becausethe mystery of Babylon is unveiled. In the book of Daniel, we see that every single human government that has been raised up on the earth since Babylon is a tool of the enemy . Babylon is the head of it all and everything else is connected to it throughout the ages heading all the way into the Babylon we see in Revelation. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came down and besieged the city of Jerusalem. That word besieged means to corner, trap, and control the people of Jerusalem like Daniel and his brothers. They had no choice it seems. Today our young people are besieged by the spirit and atmosphere of Babylon that is coming upon us. it is inevitable, but saints there is a way for victory. That way is the person of Jesus Christ. In spite of what we see going on around us, God has provided streams in the desert. He has provided protection from the fiery furnace, and he has provided salvation from the mouth of the lions. Praise the Lord it is in Christ Jesus. This is what we see in the book of Daniel. We see Daniel and his brothers were besieged, or trapped on every side., Seemingly with no way out but as Paul said. "We are pressed on every side but not constricted; unable to find a way out but not utterly without a way out;" "Therefore we do not lose heart; but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For our momentary lightness of affliction works out for us, more and more surpassingly, an eternal weight of glory," (2 Corinthians 4:8, 16-17). Paul said we have this “treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us." (2 Corinthians 4:7) May we learn to combat the atmosphere of Babylon with the treasured life of Jesus Christ within us. He is the victory that overcomes the world. Amen.
"Now among these from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah." (Daniel 1:6) Who among us desire to see our children taken into captivity by our enemies? What young believers among us are excited about having their hopes and dreams for the future come crashing down? This is the situation for these 4 young men, (students of scripture determine them to be between the age of 12-17 years of age) and this is going to be the situation during last days on earth. There will be young believers on the earth whose lives will be turned upside down. This word is for all ages but especially for the Jr High through College age. The Lord needs young overcomers in last days. Daniel and thousands of youth were thrown into Babylon. Our youth are currently being thrown into satan’s Babylonish system. The enemy seeks to take them captive in these Last Days. We can surely see that human governments, educational systems, social media, news and entertainment, sporting industries, the arts, science, medicine, cooperations and economic system, etc are all in the hands of the evil one and are cooperating globally to capture the souls of young people. Daniel is such a wonderful word for all of us but especially our “children” in these difficult times. Daniel and just a few others stood against Babylon. They were in but not of the world. They overcame! Certainly we all need to overcome whatever age we live in and no matter how old we are, but the Lord needs young overcomers! We can try and teach the youth how to survive physically and economically, and how to fight patrioticly against the evil, but are the youth ready to stand as Daniel and his brothers. I’m afraid there will not be many who dare to stand in such a fashion in these last days, but Jesus is not looking for how many, He is simply looking for you! 4 young men stood for God in Babylon and prevaled. This book reveals that Nebuchadnezzar nor any other earthly government that follows his reign will succeed, but all must eventually bow before Him who will reign eternally. Young person, Babylon is coming! Jesus wants you to overcome Babylon and be a precious testimony on earth of His life like Daniel and his few friends May it be you. "Young children, it is the last hour; and even as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come; whereby we know that it is the last hour." (1 John 2:18)
The book of revelation is a revelation of Jesus Christ. The church needs a testimony, or a lampstand of Jesus Christ in these last days. The book of Matthew reveals the kingdom of heaven. There needs to be a testimony of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, in these last days. These are certainly evil days, and any parent or grandparent would be remiss as a believer if they were not concerned about their children, grandchildren. You can hope for a better day and for things to turn back to the way they used to be. You can teach them how to be stalwart patriots and fight against the system. You can even teach them to be survivalist and outsmart and outlive the enemy. But I think the more things progress on the Earth the more we see that that such thinking is vanity. What we see happening on the earth is an invitation to join Babylon. The Babylonian system is the system of the enemy Satan. In these last days it will have a prevailing atmosphere. And this is why we need to look at the book of Daniel. Daniel gives us great encouragement and instruction to us but especially to young people on overcoming the spirit of Babylon that is emerging on the earth today. This message is so urgent for all of us who are concerned about young people in the days ahead. I would encourage you to listen to these messages on Daniel, absorb them and pray over them for your children. If they’re old enough have them listen to the first half of the book of Daniel especially because Daniel and his brothers share with us the young life that overcomes and stands for the Lord in these last days
"And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel to announce to those dwelling on the earth, even to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give Him glory because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who has made heaven and earth and the sea and the springs of waters." (Revelation 14:6-7) it is so good to see these two chapters Matthew 24 and 25 are speaking to three distinct groups of people, (Israel, the church, and the nations) and what’s going to happen to them in the future. Starting at verse. 32. It is clear he is speaking to the nations gathered at the end of the tribulation. He is a good shepherd to the nations, and those that have responded to his eternal gospel by fearing God, and not taking the mark of the beast, and here we see by caring for the little brothers and sisters, that remain on the Earth. God has a way to bring the sheep of the nations into the Millennium and eventually into the new Jerusalem. Many Christians don’t see this … I think because we have a self pleasing view of how the Lord is going to deal with believers in last days. Therefore they don’t study this out. The nations are also part of God’s plan since before the foundation of the world., Verse 34. Have you ever seen this before!? I know Israel is chosen, I know God has a plan for the church, but to see that the nations are prepared from before the foundation of the earth to do such a thing. This is God’s economy. All we can do is say amen! These are all the constituents of the kingdom of heaven on earth, Israel, the church, and the nations. We have a Kingdom! How did these of the nations get there? What’s hard to see here is that they helped the least of the brothers of Christ. The word least means at minimum. Paul said in regard to his apostleshipI am at minimum compared to the other apostles, called an apostle because I persecuted the church. I don’t deserve such a title, but this is what the Lord has called me. At minimum we are all brothers and sisters of Christ, because of the wonderful blood of Jesus Christ. But the Lord wants us to be more than minimal brothers and sisters he wants us to be wise, watchful virgins, and faithful slaves. Again, I say you may not like my understanding here, but do not simply disagree. At least you should live as though it is true! Get into the word of God and consider what he is going to do. We’ve already seen the truth of “one will be taken and one will be left.”These ones who are left are at minimum the little brothers and sisters of Christ. He loves them, but they were not ready when he called and harvested his first fruits. The seventh trumpet in revelation is the last trumpet and at the last trumpet before the wrath of God is poured out the dead in Christ will rise, and the little brothers and sisters on earth will be raptured and we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Then Armageddon will take place and these nations will be judged. This is a judgment of the living at the end of the tribulation. Then there is the judgment of all the dead, and that is at the end of the millennium before the new Jerusalem. Three thrones and three judgments we need to see. Praise the Lord for his supply of the nations who take care of the Saints like they’re taking care of Jesus, giving food, water, medicine, comfort, clothes, shelter, visiting them in prison. These are not words for Christians today, this is not how we are saved. This is the Eternal gospel to the nations. The shepherd is going to care for these sheep. Hallelujah what a eternal gospel and Shepherd. And during the millennium, he’s going to continue shepherding us all to bring us in as that complete bride into the new Jerusalem …praise the Lord, do not become blinded by a teaching, that does not prepare us for what lies ahead. When we submit ourselves to his divine administration , we can lay aside our vain desires and say, just do what you do Lord, Amen.
We have seen two groups of people that are going to manifest the kingdom of heaven. Israel and the church, but there is a3 group that is needed. The kingdom of heaven was initially seen in Israel through the Jewish believers. Christ Ascended and his kingdom was revealed on the earth in Jerusalem. This is not how the religious crowd expected to see the kingdom., But the small band of Jewish believers were hated, persecuted, and even killed for the sake of the true Messiah, Jesus. Since the ascension of Christ, that has happened to all who follow him. There is a reaction from Satan towards the kingdom of heaven’s manifestation. This reaction is seen as wars, rumors of wars, nations battling one another earthquakes, famine, and pestilence. Satan is trying to stop its manifestation. Israel will experience during the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation such a realization that Jesus is indeed, the Messiah. Satan will be so angry. The abomination of desolation will take place. But Jesus will restore Israel and keep covenant with them and bring them into that millennial kingdom. The second group of people that should manifest the kingdom are the church. The church needs to be ready. They should not be enamored with this age. As in the days of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah, we should be ready and not living for this world. Do you realize that one will be taken and one will be left behind? Could you entertain the thought that the one left behind could be a believer? Could you consider that the foolish virgins are believers who aren’t ready? Could you consider that the evil and slothful slave is a Christian‘s? Most have not considered this, and do not want to consider this. Let us ask ourselves are all Christians going to be wise virgins and good and faithful servants when Christ returns? Of course not! If this is true, then, who is the foolish? And who is the slothful? This is not in regard to salvation, this is in regard to our having neglected the manifested of the kingdom of heaven in our life. We must deal with these verses, according to their context, and according to the people to whom he is speaking about.. And then the third group of people is the nations. The kingdom of heaven is going to be seen with Christ on the throne, andfaithful slaves, ruling with him, wise, virgins sitting next to him, and the remnant of Israel ministering as faithful priest unto the messiah. Who are we ruling and ministering to? The nations.! Every kingdom must have its subjects, and the nations that have come through the tribulation are the constituents of this kingdom. This is marvelous to see in the remainder of Matthew 25.
What treasures have you received from the Lord? What riches or talent(s) of Christ has He entrusted to you.? Now, What are u doing with his talents? To those who spend their lives enriching and multiplying His riches in others he says “well done” But are all Christians going to hear those words!? Unfortunately No. This one slave buried his in the ground and instead the Lord says “you evil and slothful slave…”” This implies that we allow the dirt of living in this age to bury it. Luke 19 is a similar parable. The unfaithful one covers his treasure in a napkin and hides it safely away. This speaks of one who possess his riches objectively but burys it in religious activity. Either way what you you doing with his treasures he has given you !We see here that there is an expectation to multiply what riches He has given us. This multiplication will call upon our gifts /abilities and will use all our energy to see an increase ..new believers …edifying the church etc. The slave, with one talent made this excuse:I know you’re a hard Master with exact and high expectations. Knowing this I did not want to lose it So I buried it so I could bring it to you today intact. The Lord is a loving, caring bridegroom . But here to the slaves the Lord is serious master and he has a purpose. He is an exacting Lord to us as well. He has a plan. He is unswerving in that purpose. He is exact in his desire is to use all of us to multiply his rich life into the lives of others and to be faithful.We all, I believe, know this about the Lord but make excuses. Stay busy in the cares of this life, burying our lord’s treasures in the dirt of this world, or we hope a little ceremonial activity will suffice and we hide his treasures in a napkin of religiosity. What are you doing with the riches the Lord has given you !?O when we stand before him, will the refiners fire, burn up our works Or will we bear forth fruit.?If he does not say “we’ll done thou good and faithful slave” he will say “O Evil and slothful slave.”Christians can be evil and lazy slaves. We don’t like to hear this.! We think How can we experience darkness weeping and gnashing of teeth. ? This is not hell but describes what it’s like to not enter into the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is not heaven! We make these two mistakes in our interpretion of this verse. This joy prepared for us is the millennial kingdom. Do not put you hands up to your ears. The scripture describe those that have itching ears meaning ears that seek pleasant speaking only for their own pleasure and enjoyment. only wanting to hear what we want to hear. This is why it says in the last book of the Bible revelation, chapter 2 and 3, turn your ears on! Have an ear to listen to what the spirit is saying to the churches in these last days.. " So we need to be watchful virgins caring for their inward life ready for their loving bridegroom and we need to be faithful slaves, receiving the Lords treasures and outwardly investing them in in the church, to the lost, until he comes. He’s is a serious and exacting Master! He has placed his treasure in our earthen vessels. This treasure is such a light for the church, and for the world May the Lord break our earthen vessels that we might tell out the virtues of him who called us out of darkness into this marvelous light. Let us use all the gifts and all abilities we have until your last earthly breath to tell Out His riches! Amen!
"His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave? You were faithful over a few things; I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master." (Matthew 25:23) These are the words that we all want to hear. Well done. Do you think that all Christians will hear those words? If all Christians will automatically hear these words, then what is the point of the parable.? The parable of the talents reveal the need to be faithful. The virgins were to be wise and watchful caring for their inward love for the bridegroom, staying supplied with oil, constantly at every opportunity being filled up with Christ in anticipation of that day. The slaves are to be Faithful to that which they are called, because we are slaves we are all purchased with a price, and we all belong to him. We are not merely hired servants. All three of these slaves in this parable belong to the master. Each one is given a talent or talents. A talent is not your natural ability or spiritual gift. It is rather the Lord’s riches that he bestows to his slaves to use and invest. Now, He will use your ability, your gifts in order to share and invest his riches, but the word talent simply means the measure of a treasure it’s weightiness. All of us who have been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ, have been entrusted with his riches. Our Christ is so rich he has blessed us with spiritual blessings such as the precious gospel … he has given us a place in his rich body the church and he has deposited his truth in us. What are we doing with all of his riches. are we spreading the glorious gospel of his kingdom? Are we loving and caring and edifying the saints in the church? This is the basis of all of our abilities and gifts. For example: One day as a pastor of many years I saw the rich truth of my human spirit, made by God in order that Christ may come and live in my spirit and express Him. I have not been the same since. I trust I have used all of my ability and gifts to invest this talent in the lives of those around me. I love to talk about Zachariah 12:1, I Corinthians, 15:45, John chapters 4, 7, 14-16, 21, the word to the Ephesians, etc. all extolling the rich virtues of Christ, coming, living and operating in my spirit. Oh, Lord, give me grace and more time to use my abilities and gifts to extol this one talent. Give me more talents more riches. I thank you, that we are slaves that you bought us and purchased us with your precious blood, but Open our eyes and may we see you, see the ripe white harvest, see the reality of the church, and may you give us your riches and allow us to spend our days, investing your riches into the lives of others until you come. And May you say to us well done thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord. This should be our desire to rule and reign with him in that millennial day. The criteria for doing so is being a watchful and wise virgin, and a good and faithful slave.
"Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord comes. (Matthew 24:42)We will struggle with this parable if we do not see the church as the audience and being watchful for our Groom as the main truth. All 10 are virgins, all 10 have oil in their lamps, and all 10 are to be watchful for their bridegroom’s coming. This tells us that they are the Lords possession (virgins), His Spirit (oil) is in all of them, and all of them have the capacity to be ready because He is their possession (their Groom).Concerning the bride in these last days: Are there any wise ones? Any foolish ones? Of course! Our Groom is coming so let us all learn to be wise watchful virgins.The wise ones had flasks with extra oil and the foolish had empty. Oil is the supply of the Spirit in our daily life. All believers have oil in their spirit received upon salvation, but His intention is that this Life fills up our whole being. When the midnight cry announced the grooms coming they all trimmed and lit their lamps. The foolish ones panicked seeing they needed more oil. They did not faithfully and prudently prepare. “Go to the sellers of oil and buy for yourself.” What does that mean? All of life’s environments are sellers of oil and opportunities to call on the Lord, my wife and I are sellers of oil to each other. Your children, your trials, your work, your school , your troubles, etc. pay the price and buy His life. Buying oil is not salvation, which is free. This is paying the price by dying to the self and handling everything with His life which will fill your soul up with Him. This is what it means to be a ready bride in these last days.To be a “wait till the last minute” foolish virgin has consequence: For the Lord to say I do not know you does not mean they are unsaved, but means they are unapproved and they are not recognized as being able to enjoy this wedding feast. This speaks to all believers to be watchful before we die or before the rapture. We do not want to suffer loss in the kingdom. This means we will not hear the Lord say, “enter into the full joy of the Lord” in that millennial kingdom. Are we busting at the seams like an excited new bride diligently, daily preparing for our Lover, the Groom? Or are we complacent, foolishly fickle, waiting to get serious about this marriage thing when it gets closer? Do we think the Groom won’t notice? The message to this bride is You should have been watching daily, because you do not know the day nor the hour your groom may come!” The Groom does not recognize such a foolish bride! He loves her deeply but she is not ready for the marriage feast, but Oh what a Groom! He will spend a millennia binding her and drawing her with cords of love and will bring her into the New Jerusalem as a prepared, ready wife. (Revelation 21:2-4).It is very possible to be His bride, his virgin, and not be ready when he comes. Cry with me. “Lord, forgive me and make me ready and watchful!” "Can the virgin forget her ornaments, / Or the bride her attire? / But My people have forgotten Me / For days without number." (Jeremiah 2:32)
There are two little parables that are related to the household. The household is a picture of the church. These little parables are preceded by the encouragement to be ready.. The first little parable is like any homeowner we are subject to a thief coming in and robbing us of our possessions. Of course, we don’t know at one hour. The thief would come, but if we did, we would triple check and triple lock and put away every prized possession and be on guard. We’d be ready! well Jesus is not a thief, but he’s coming for his treasure, his saints who are ready for him and we do not know the day or the hour, but we are prepared. And then inverse 45 to 51 he gives a parable, describing himself as the master of the household. The household, of course, is the church, the household of faith. The master goes away and places, one of his servants in charge of the household. And notice the charge is simple. Nourish all of the other servants. Provide food for all the members of the household until I return care for them. How happy the master is when he returns and finds that servant nourishing the other members of the household. You see the members are the treasure of the master. Care for them. Then he shares another scenario. He leaves that servant with the same responsibility. Much like Peter, feed my sheep, feed my lambs. Well, the master delays. This means he gets lazy, And he starts thinking to himself that he has time he can enjoy this position, and rather than nourishing his fellow servants, he beats them he robs them of nourishment, and he eats and drinks with the drunkards, the world. The master returns at a time when he thinks not, he’s caught. Like a thief his master returns to his own house, to resume his care over all of his possessions,. The master separates him from his household, cut him off, the servant experiences, great regret, weeping, and gnashing of teeth
"For we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body according to what he has practiced, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10) There are three stories or parables that we will see. The householder and servants, the virgins and the bridegroom, and the servants given talents. All of these relate to believers. There is no question there. All of them are encouraging us with keywords to be watchful, ready, faithful, prudent, and wise, servants or virgins. All of these servants and virgins, and again I say, all of them, have a relationship to the primary character, Jesus, who is called their Lord, their master and their groom. All of those who are watchful, ready, faithful, prudent, and wise are rewarded appropriately. Then we see those who are not watchful, ready, etc. will be rewarded negatively. Common teaching associates these as unbelievers. I find my past teaching on this to be arrogant. I asked two questions: 1. Are all Christians before they die or before the Lord comes, watchful, ready faithful, prudent, wise servants? the answer appropriately is “ NO.”. 2) Then I ask what happens to those Christians who are not watching,ready, faithful, prudent, and wise? We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give account to that which we have done in this lifetime. We can associate being watchful and ready to the gold, silver and precious stones. This merits reward for believers. What about those who have Wood hay, and stubble at the judgment of believers ? They will be saved yet, so as by fire, their works are the consequence of not being watchful, ready, faithful, prudent, wise, servants, or virgins. I think we must agree on this matter, yet when we go back to the parables, we don’t like the negative consequences so we attach them to unbelievers. Saints, these stories are not about being saved, or not saved, or getting into heaven, but they are matters pertaining to enjoyment of the kingdom of heaven at its manifestation. This is the millennium. The words are very harsh. They indicate not being approved, they indicate separation , darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth, etc. There is an expectation in preparation for the kingdom of heaven. If we are not ready and watchful, I do not know the details, but we will not enjoy fully reigning, ruling and working in that millennial day. But assuredly the Lord will bring everyone of us into a loving relationship with him during that thousand years and present us as a mature completed bride in the new Jerusalem. These are harsh words to apply the negative consequences to believers, but I will tell you this, you may not like or agree with this understanding …that is fine, but your living ought to be such that it is true. "If anyone’s work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:15)
"But he (Lot) lingered; so the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city." (Genesis 19:16) They all lingered. Lot and family are the righteous ones Abraham prayed for God to spare. So the messengers from God grabbed them by the hands and ran them out of Sodom. It’s one thing to linger, we all are prone to linger and languish in the world, that’s why we need the hand of God to save us. But it is something else to look back. To rivet you heart in the world after having tasted His grace is not normal for the believer. Imediately after Jesus said, "Remember Lot’s wife.” He said, “Whoever seeks to preserve his soul-life will lose it, and whoever loses it will preserve it alive." (Luke 17:32-33) . Jesus said the same thing to Peter when he sought to discourage the Lord from going to the cross. He said to Peter, get behind me, Satan! Any attempt to live for this world is to merge with the thoughts of the demons. The life of Christ in you demands death to the self, a crucifixion. This is a hard word, it is a narrow way, but this is what it means to lose your soul life. With Christ in your spirit the soul now has purpose. Your soul is the very conduit from which his life flows. The River in you is meant to erupt from the soul. Therefore what we want, what we think, what we feel must die that this life might live. The outer man (soul) broken so the inner man (Christ) can flow! This should be the normal Christian life. This is why we need to remember Lots wife. She reminds us not to live for this age. What a waste to have His life, His fullness in us, yet allow our soul to be filled up with ourself and this age. That’s not what your soul was made for! Don’t preserve it, lose it, lose it for Jesus Christ that he might live out of it. Amen!
"And even as it happened in the days of Noah, so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man: They were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day in which Noah entered into the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, even as it happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building;" (Luke 17:26-28) What’s your answer for believers who claim that they are saved but they are no longer living according to the Lord? They are not living a life ready for his coming? I’ve heard many say they are false Christians, or they’ve lost their salvation, or they were never the elect, etc. I know so many confessing Christians who’ve walked away from him, and from the Fellowship of the body of Christ. I am simple and believe the blood of Jesus has saved them to the uttermost. that blood will be effective to bring them into his kingdom eventually. These are the saints that will not be ready either in death or rapture, but contextually the Lord is talking about being ready for the rapture where one will be taken and one will be left. Saints, you cannot live a life full of this earth, and expect the Lord to rapture you out of future judgment upon the earth. If we are not ready when our Lord comes, if we are not full of this Christ, and walking, according to the kingdom of heaven, we will be as Lots wife. She turned to tasteless salt because her heart was full of the things associated with the days of normal comfortable living in Sodom. As in the days of Noah, or of Lot indicates that we are all in for this world, marrying, working, planting, reaping, trading, building our family, etc.. those like Lots wife are living for all of these things , they will die or be left behind in rapture in these last days, because although a believer, they are full of this worlds cares. May we be full of Christ as we are in this world. The Lord is looking in these last days for a testimony of saints who are full of Him, and these will be those Saints that are initially taken. Those left behind did not lose their salvation, or lack qualifications to be elected, they will be caught living as in the days of Noah and Lot loving the world, . Living for this life, and not watching for their Lord to come. Israel will go through the great tribulation and many believers will be right there with them. Then what? Then these saints with Israel will find and see the Lord and will declare their salvation, loud and clear. There is a great harvest harvest, prepared for those believers towards the end of the tribulation before the great wrath of God falls upon the earth. Then 1000 years will be set up on earth for all of us to either reign with him and /or learn to live according to this kingdom life. Saints, God is going to get what God is going to get and you and I need to watch now and be ready and go along with his plans. Much better it will be to be taken than to be left to finally cling to Christ-would not you say?
There is an urgency in these verses for the church to watch, and to be ready because we do not know on what day our Lord will come ( vs. 42). Then we see the parables, such as the 10 virgins, the three with talents, the householder and especially the two brothers that are in the field or the two sisters at the mill grinding (one is taken, and the other is left), these all indicate consequences if we are not watching and ready. We need to remember that Jesus, in general, is speaking of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. The gospel of the kingdom of heaven is very much related to our enjoyment of the rapture. Both have to do with His coming, or as we’ve learned, His presence. To be a person who is ready for His coming we simply need to be such a one who is living now in his presence. This is how we watch and this is how we are ready. We are full of Christ in all of our living and this fullness becomes the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; Nor will they say, Behold, here it is! or, There! For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you. Luke 17:21-20) This kingdom is not something outside of us or an event on a prophetic calendar. The kingdom comes with the person of Christ being in our midst. Find Him and you have found the kingdom! In the manger, the kingdom is there; casting out demons, the kingdom is there; on the cross or in the grave, the kingdom is there; resurrection and ascension, the kingdom is there! And now where is He? He’s living in your spirit and the kingdom is there! The day of the rapture is unknown to us, but the Lord is looking for saints who while they are grinding, while they are farming, etc. are just full of Him rather than being full of this age.. He is looking for believers who are just filling up with him daily. This is what it means to preach the gospel of the kingdom in these last days. He’s looking for his presence in the church, and when he finds such a full expression, these overcoming Saints will meet him in the air in the clouds. Those left behind? The Lord is going to get them too, They will suffer loss but He’s going to gather them, and he is going to cause them to live by his life during some difficult days ahead. The Lord will get us all but may we have the revelation in these days to be full of him, living, according to this kingdom on this earth, not filled up with the cares of this age, that we might be ready on that day and not left behind.
Israel provides the church with one of the biggest signs of his coming. "And seeing a fig tree on the way, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only. And He said to it, May there no longer be fruit from you forever! And the fig tree was instantly dried up." (Matthew 21:19) Jesus, called Israel, a unbelieving and perverse generation. "O unbelieving and perverted generation! How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?" (Matthew 17:17) that sounds harsh! Actually, this describes Israel over the last 1900+ years. They still have not accepted as a nation Jesus as the Christ. They are that cursed, dried up fig tree. This generation will not pass away, that means this stiffnecked, unbelieving generation, until all the things that we saw in the first 31 verses take place. This is why we need to keep an eye on Israel, because they are a sign to the church that the end is near. In Matthew 21 Jesus rebuked the fig tree, which is typified as Israel, because it did not have any fruit. It dried up. This perfectly typifies Israel. But here in verse 32 of Matthew 24 we see Jesu foretold that she will one day start to show small signs of early growth. This means we will see activity in Israel. In 1948 they became a nation, a tender twig! In 1967 they regained the city of Jerusalem, a green branch! Now we are starting to see them further define their borders, and we are going to see a rebuilt temple, signs that Israel (as far as God is concerned), is having life again! We saw they will go through the great tribulation, and brothers and sisters, it is there that the fig tree will blossom again when they see their Messiah. That unbelieving, perverse generation will die and fruit will abound! Praise the Lord! Watch Israel and look for the twigs and sprouts. Heaven and earth may pass away, but Jesus will keep His word with Israel, which means He will keep his word with you. Get your eyes off of what is passing away. Keep your eyes on what Jesus said, and what He is doing in these last days with Israel. His word will never pass away. Can you see all the little twigs of growth? Then we know that His presence is near, and even at the doors."(Matthew 24:33)
"Lift up your heads, O gates; / And be lifted up, O long enduring doors; / And the King of glory will come in." (Psalms 24:7) Whenever we see the Lord so clearly, we see what his purposes are, we see where he lives, we see who he is…death will follow. We read Matthew 24 it says that the buzzards are going to come and dine upon the dead bodies of His enemies after Armageddon, it says the, sun, moon and stars and heavens have fallen. It says the heavens are shaking. Why?, The revelation of Jesus Christ coming in power and glory! Do you know who else also dies? Israel! They upon seeing His reality after the Abomination of desolation experience death to their religion their temple and rituals, to their ideology, death to themselves, etc., the last 3 1/2 years enable them to see the Christ and death will follow. Here at the end of the 3 1/2 years, they Really see the Son of God coming in power and glory. Death follows real revelation! They mourn meaning they weep and lament, and they beat their chest. But you know the Lord has come not to condemn but gather them, he lifts up their heads and brings them into that millennial kingdom. Praise the Lord. Remember Peter had such a clear revelation in Matthew 16 when he said you are the Christ, the son of the living God, and minutes later, his flesh rose up. Jesus rebuked him and taught the disciples that if you see who I am , that revelation will produce a denying of the self, taking up the cross, and a following of me. Revelation will produce the dying process. Oh saints this is why we need to see Christ clearly in these last days. Did you know we 100% have the Christ living in us today? You are Do you see Him? Mourn and cry “I want to know you Lord! I want to know your reality and I want you to guide all my living. I deny this self I just take up your cross for this day and I follow you. Oh let the buzzards have the self, have our desires for this world, have our lust for this age and may we long for this Gospel, according to the kingdom of heaven. Amen."Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24)
"For just as the lightning comes forth from the east and shines to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be." (Matthew 24:27) The word “coming” is translated “presence”. To say you are looking forward to the Lord’s coming, may simply means you are anticipating an event. But to understand and say that you were looking forward to his presence has far more intimacy. Actually, the believers enjoyment of his presence right now is what prepares us for his coming or his visible presence. Those of Israel, who survive the last 3 1/2 years will start looking for the Christ, even believing Jesus as the Christ. Their discovery of Christ Jesus, however, will be filled with much deception, much of it like the New Testament Jesus , who was in an upper room or out in the wilderness.,or performing a sign or miracle. These are all attempts by the evil one to keep Israel away from the truth. "Therefore if they say to you, Behold, He is in the wilderness, do not go forth; Behold, He is in the inner rooms, do not believe it." (Matthew 24:26) simply don’t believe it because the appearance of Christ is going to come like lightning. Boom! And there He is. At the end of the great tribulation his presence will be the proof of his coming. Are you ready for his coming? The best way to be ready is to be in his presence today. I don’t know to what degree a Jewish person could know the inner Christ during the last half of the tribulation, but Jesus said, if you seek me, you will find me if you search for me with all your heart. They will not find him outwardly until they see his presence, but perhaps the Lord will supply an inward enjoyment of his presence, as they begin to turn to him, through the testimony of the witnesses, and the missionaries that the Lord has supplied on the earth.
The last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation will be the great tribulation. Read verse 21 and you cannot deny it from the lips of Jesus. This is Satan‘s last gasp to stop the kingdom of heaven from Prevailing. Satan will fail. We see here that Satan even desires to set himself up through the anti-Christ in the holy of holies in Jerusalem, after Israel rebuilds the temple? God’s not in the temple, but that is a symbol of Gods throne, and Satan will setup an image of the Beast there. This is the great abomination that will lead to much desolation or the great tribulation. Satan will cause the antichrist to break his peace treaty which Israel enjoyed for the previous 3 1/2 years. What we see in verse 15 is the revelation of the lawless one. All the stops are pulled. “If I can’t have my kingdom, God can’t have his!” We need to connect this event of great lawlessness with the absolute lawlessness that we cannot understand today. Paul called it the mystery of lawlessness. Everything that you see happening that is so bizarre and evil is connected to this person. This event is the culmination and reason for all the lawlessness. This is why it is so important that we do not tolerate it. We do not give it ground. "For it is the mystery of lawlessness that is now operating, but only until the one now restraining goes out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed (whom the Lord Jesus will slay by the breath of His mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of His coming), The coming of whom is according to Satan’s operation in all power and signs and wonders of a lie" (2 Thessalonians 2:7-9). May we confess with the apostle Paul, "And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh, / Justified in the Spirit, / Seen by angels, / Preached among the nations, / Believed on in the world, / Taken up in glory." (1 Timothy 3:16). In opposition, there is a mystery of godliness on the earth today. And this is revealed through the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore, through his church. Get ready to stand up for this Christ in the face of increasing lawlessness, which is the manifestation of great godliness, the witness of Christ life in you!
I have struggled with sharing verse 15 and I cannot tell you why, except that the Lord directed me to go back to verse 14 and realize that these are two huge spiritual awakenings on the earth. Israel will have the greatest revelation and revival when they see Jesus Christ as the messiah, it will take 3 1/2 years of a false peace while they are allowed to worship in their rebuilt temple. That temple, and those 3 1/2 years of peace, they will think are a wonderful realization and awakening of Israel for the whole world to see! God is not in any of it! He is not in the temple. He is not in their sacrifices, and he is not in their peace. The antichrist energized and animated by an angry, Satan, will commit the abomination and place an image of himself in the holy of holies. And then there will be desolation meaning destruction of Israel and their temple. Much hardship will follow during the next 3 1/2 years, but God will wake them up. Praise the Lord, he will lead them into his kingdom that he has desired for them from the beginning. There is another awakening here that we need to see in verse 14 and it is awakening of all believers before the midway point of the tribulation. It is the greatest spiritual awakening that the church will ever realize. In verse 14 it says that the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom will be a testimony to all the nations. Then the end will come. This means that as many things wax worse in last days, this will drive a remnant of the church to wake up and be a testimony to the nations. How? The awakening, will happen as believers See their great need in the midst of all this persecution is to deny the self take up the cross and follow Jesus, no matter what it cost. Such a visible desire to live in the reality of Jesus Christ will be seen by the whole inhabited world. This testimony itself will be a preaching to all the nations. I believe it has been quite some time since the United States of America has seen such a testimony or Lampstand. When the nations all see such a testimony, then the end will come. What is happening in Kentucky at Asbury University is full of mixed reviews. The Lord will reveal its true nature. What the Lord is looking for, in his awakening, is surely full of repentance, and a testimony that we are one with Christ no matter the cost, and we stand against the god of this age. This is the needed preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, this is the real spiritual awakening that will be seen and then the end will come. Amen.
You cannot help but compare the Revelation 6 horsemen with Matthew 24 birth pains. Most teachers agree that Matthew 24 describes a summary of history from the ascension of Christ up until the midway point of the tribulation. However, when one gets to chapter 6 of revelations, many believe that this describes only the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation. Failure to connect these two passages is primarily due to the fact that most insert a rapture as happening somewhere after chapter 3 and before chapter 6 so therefore the white horse must be the antichrist, and the other three horses are the escalation of things that we do find in Matthew 24, such as war, famine, and death. However, if we see the white horse as the gospel these two passages correlate perfectly. This also helps us understand chapter 5 of revelation, what John was seeing was the freshly slain Lamb right after his ascension into heaven. Of course, all of these things eventually will escalate right before the midway point of the tribulation. Many ask, but what about the 25% of the worlds population dying with the pale horse? Historically this has happened before with a smaller world population, and I believe it could be happening right now all over the world with accumulated deaths as a result of escalating war, famine , and pestilence. Note it says authority was given to death to touch 25%. That’s negative, but let me encourage you! Satan cannot destroy mankind. His desire is to stop the kingdom of heaven from going forward. He is constantly using evil men and women to kill mankind , to decrease the earth population, but no than 75% of the worlds population is not going to die!Satan is not going to win , but since Christ ascension there have been such fervent efforts on his part, and on the part of his minions to stop the kingdom of Jesus from occurring on the earth. Seeing this view of the gospel in revelation 6 will absolutely rivet you to see the battle that is occurring right now and will challenge you to live for this gospel today rather than hoping for a better day, Yes, things are going to escalate right before the midway point of the tribulation, but we’re not waiting for things to happen, they are now happening! God will care for the rapture, He knows when the antichrist will emerge, ours is simply to be watching and ready by spreading and living according to the gospel of the kingdom right now. Amen. (Listen to Season 2, Episodes 22-24 for further discussion on Revelation 6 and the Gospel as the White Horse rider).
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14) The gospel must be preached to the whole inhabited earth…Then the end will come. It is important to see that this is the gospel of the kingdom. The things we saw in the first 13 verses of Matthew 24 were a response to this gospel. Rejection by religion, the birth pains of war, earthquakes, famine, and pestilence. The persecution, hatred, and even martyrdom of believers. Many false teachers, and antichrists. Divisions amongst believers,, including a falling away and lawlessness abounding in the world. This will lead to the love of the brothers and sisters, growing cold and hopeless. All of these negative things are a response to the gospel, but not simply the gospel of grace but the gospel of the kingdom This gospel is the identical living of early Christians which cost them everything. THIS kind of Christianity is the preaching of the gospel that alerts the world that the end is near.
"And because lawlessness will be multiplied, the love of the many will grow cold. But he who has endured to the end, this one shall be saved." (Matthew 24:12-13). Do not be a defeated believer. Seeing lawlessness will lead to hopelessness. Do not allow your love to grow cold. The kingdom of Heaven gospel is expressed through the the believers endurance in the face of this lawlessness. The temptation in these last days is to have exasperation and desire God to come and just take us out of here and deal with such lawlessness. Jesus says endure, Saints, let us endure in these last days with the Love of Christ prevailing. "But I have one thing against you, that you have left your first love." (Revelation 2:4)
"And at that time many will be stumbled and will deliver up one another and will hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray." (Matthew 24:10-11) These disciples, just by walking with Jesus away from the temple, took steps that are necessary if we are to walk on this kingdom pathway. Walking away from religion and following the King. Then they hear that this path is identical to His: persecution, hatred and even death. Your own family and friends may disassociate from you. Even believers will fall away in last days choosing a softer gospel. Do not be lead astray. This path of the kingdom will always require a cross and denial of the self. Just ask “Christian” in the Pilgrims Progress. He found the broad way much softer and easier. But returned to the narrow path that leads to Life. Praise the Lord for these eleven who followed this Christ even after hearing the cost of following Him.
Matthew 24, the first nine verses are so striking, because Jesus not only turned his back on Jewish religion, but the disciples followed him. Talk about a constricted , narrow way! This was the pathway to the kingdom of heaven on earth. Then he began to explain what this would mean. Many birth pains were described in the first few verses, Then he got personal with the disciples and all of us, and he says, the kingdom of the world, and this age is going to persecute you, hate you, and kill you, just like they are doing with me. And did that not happen to these disciples? Did this not happened to the Jewish people who followed christ? And has this not happened to all believers and will escalate in these last days? Why does this happen? Because of the name of Jesus. This is not just because we say his name, we write his name we read his name or have symbols of his name on our walls or in our fellowship halls and cathedrals. This means all these things happen to them because of the person of Christ. The same warning was given to the disciples in John 15 in the very context that his life would come and abide in them. I will abide in you and you will abide in me. This is not just to know his name, but this is to know his person, to live by his person, to bring this person into every environment. When you call on the name of Jesus who lives in you, you get his person. Saints to live according to the reality of this person in your life today will bring persecution, hatred, and maybe even death. Oh, Lord, may we stay with you with your person and live by your person in these last days no matter the cost this is what it means to live in the kingdom of heaven on earth.
Matthew 24: 8 tells us that all of these things that are retaliating and fighting against the kingdom of heaven are referred to as birth pains. The attack of many antichrists, Wars, earthquakes, famine, even death these are all to be expected as the earth winds down and the kingdom emerges.. All of these birth pains are like a woman giving birth to a child. This means that there is a desire to produce some thing. That’s something is the manchild we read about in revelation 12. Romans 8 calls this the manifestation of the sons of God. The universe is groaning, and the Holy Spirit is in travail to produce saints that are conformed to the image of Christ. All these things you see happening in last days, these birth pains, are seeing to se Christ emerge out of you and out of this church. Oh, may we groan with this Spirit and let it happen!
"For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray. And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for it must happen; but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places." (Matthew 24:5-7) The gospel of the kingdom of heaven has provoked a response from the kingdoms of this earth. The kingdom of this age is always in opposition to the kingdom of heaven. As Christians, we often try to live in both realms, but it is impossible when the kingdom of heaven has such requirements. The response is similar to Revelation chapter 6 with the first 4 seals. Consider these things will not just happen in the future, but since the ascension of Christ, they have escalated in response to the kingdom of heaven. The king of this earth does not want the kingdom of heaven to succeed. He does not want you to succeed., Therefore, he sends much opposition and many false Christs to distract , confuse, and combat against the kingdom of heaven.
Yes, we know the gospel of grace, but do you know the gospel of the kingdom of heaven? This is what Jesus was preaching to the disciples as they sat there in the mount of olives, and he had been preaching it all along. The disciples needed revelation regarding this kingdom. They followed him and were willing to hear it to see it, and most of them live it. The gospel of the kingdom of heaven is problematic for the king of this earth, who is Satan. It is not easy to live, according to the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, but this is the gospel that is needed in these last days. It’s preaching will bring about the end. It’s preaching is necessary for believers today. Not just to hear it but to live it. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)
"Enter in through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it. Because narrow is the gate and constricted is the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." (Matthew 7:13-15) The disciples asked Jesus to reveal the kingdom of heaven. These Jewish men walked away from the traditions and religious mindset with Jesus. They had committed themselves to what he would reveal about the coming kingdom. He says to them. "See that no one leads you astray." (Matthew 24:4). This is an urgent message to all of us. Do not let anyone or anything distract us from the kingdom of heaven. Once we see the kingdom of heaven we are ruined for everything else. It is a constricting path that leads to life. We may be saved, but have we entered the narrow gate and are we walking on the narrow path? Inwardly, we know the kingdom of heaven has such a requirement, but many are led astray by the broad way. Religion says we can have the Christian life and the broad life at the same time. Do not be deceived. The earth will see what it looks like to have Christ on the throne and followers that are solely living for him. This is during the millennium. The kingdom of heaven, however, is inward right now and the church is to be, a lampstand of that kingdom today. Where is such an expression.? This constricted way does not require multiple laws and rules. It is simply finding the reality of Christ within you and living by this Christ- King moment by moment, supplied with his life. Allow the Lord to constrict everything, every thought, every feeling and every decision. This is the way that leads to life. This is the kingdom of heaven on earth today that the world needs to see in these last days.
Forsaking the temple meant forsaking Israel. He opened his arms like a mother hen, receives her chicks, but they would not come underneath this Christ. No! This Jesus is not going to be their Messiah! God has an eternal purpose and unfortunately it includes the rejection of Christ coming from Israel, but we feel the grief as Jesus turns his back and walks toward Gethsemane. The Messiah didn’t come as they expected. What’s your expectations? What if he doesn’t come? According to your expectations? Revelation of the kingdom of heaven shows us what the Lord is going to do and what his expectations are for his constituents. Because of Israel’s rejection, the kingdom of heaven is enlarged according to God’s plan, which not only includes Israel, but also the church, and even the nations of the earth. This is the enlargement of the kingdom of heaven.
Christ is the glory of God. ”Who, being the effulgence of His glory and the impress of His substance and upholding and bearing all things by the word of His power, having made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" (Hebrews 1:3) "And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us (and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only Begotten from the Father), full of grace and reality." (John 1:14) When Jesus left the temple in Matthew 24:1, the glory of God was departing. This was revelation that we all need to see regarding the kingdom of heaven. The disciples struggled, and sought to distract Jesus with the glory of the temple buildings, but if we are going to enjoy the kingdom of heaven, we must leave religion behind. This is what it means to say that entrance into the kingdom of heaven is a narrow gate or a restricted way. We like religion because it offers us Christianity plus the world. The kingdom of heaven is not in that realm. We need this kind of revelation, and when we see the kingdom of heaven the Lord is able to open up to us a fresh understanding of things in last days.
3 groups followed the King: the Disciples, the crowd and the Religious. The Religionists sought to test and discredit Him. They were the gates of hades that seek to destroy this Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Jesus muzzled them and cut them off in chapter 23. They are hypocrites, outwardly pretending to be righteous but filthy inwardly. This is where the King is seeking to establish His kingdom, in you! "For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you." (Luke 17:21) wherever the Savior is, the kingdom is. He was standing in their midst, and they did not even recognize him. "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17) It is His life dwelling in us! This is the goal of the kingdom, to rule from within us. Religion will always be outward and rob us of this enjoyment. Do not let this happen in these last days.
We all know Matthew chapter 16 verse 18 says that the church is built upon the revelation that Jesus is the true Messiah, or we could say recognizing that he is the rightful king. Isn’t it interesting that the reality of the Messiah, that the Jewish leaders rejected, is now associated with the church? The church is simply built upon the realization that Jesus is the king who has come down to earth, has brought his kingdom from heaven, and that Jew and Gentile can now enjoy. The kingdom of heaven is initiated through the church! Peter‘s recognition of this Jesus as the King granted him the keys of the kingdom of heaven. What are these keys? These keys have to do with the kingdom, so they are the unlocking of the realization to mankind that they can participate in this kingdom. The first key is when Peter lead the way at Pentecost, where the Spirit of God entered into the believers at Jerusalem. The second key was when Peter went to Cornelius and unlocked the Spirit of God, coming into the Gentiles. This means that the kingdom of heaven has come to the church through the Holy Sprit, imparting the King and the kingdom life into our inner being. Yes, the kingdom of heaven is bigger than just the Jewish people, it includes all those who believe in this king Jesus, and live by him as their life. The gates of Hades will try, but Satan‘s kingdom cannot stand against the kingdom of our Lord, and of our Christ. Amen
Did you know that the entire book of Revelation is actually the presentation of the kingdom of heaven coming down to earth ? Before we look at the prophecies in Matthew 24 and 25, we need a quick background of the book of Matthew. Jesus is presented as the king and much of his ministry is presenting the kingdom of heaven to His constituents. The Kingdom of heaven comes with the presence of Jesus Christ. It extends from the completed ministry of Christ when he was on earth until the end of the millennium and entrance into eternity future. The nature of this kingdom is organic, which means it is all about receiving the inward life of Christ. It was not the Jewish idea of the Messiah’s kingdom, and quite frankly, it’s not our typical view. We tend to look for an outward manifestation of the kingdom as well. The kingdom of heaven is on the earth today secretly, and inwardly. It will be manifested outwardly at his second coming and into the millennium. Appreciating and living in the realm of the kingdom of heaven is important if we are to understand the things that will happen and last days. Our living today should certainly be governed by this organic truth that we are citizens of the kingdom of heaven on earth.
Found this little chorus to share. Quit promising God you wil do better. Rest in Him!. “No, more looking at myself, put my failures on the shelf, no more looking at mistakes, it’s a waste of time. For the Lord, he does not see, anything of me. All he sees is the blood that was shed up on the tree. And I don’t have to change myself. It isn’t up to me. No more making resolutions To do better next time. Hallelujah, I am free! "Come to Me all who toil and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
I trust your rest during the Christmas season was enjoyable, yet the holidays of the world have a tendency to draw us back into the worlds system if we are not careful. Remember the book of Revelation ended by saying: "And he said to me, Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this scroll, for the time is near" Revelation 22:10. We can't put the words of prophecy back on the shelf until a more convenient time. The end is certainly near and He also says in verse 12, "Behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me to render to each one as his work is." There is an ever present need to watch and be ready. During the First coming of Christ those Jewish leaders who had their Bibles missed Him. Pagan Magi, on the other hand, saw the prophecy concerning the King of the Jews and sought Him and found Him. Let us keep looking for Him and His second coming. Join me for fellowship in the book of Matthew which we will call the "Matthew Prophecies."
At the end of Revelations there is a tremendous conclusion "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! And let him who is thirsty come; let him who wills take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17). To appreciate this we have to remember what was said in the first three chapters. Jesus is walking amongst the churches exposing their lack. In short they were lacking Him. They had sought to add something else to the church. Something of the world, some false teaching, some religious form, or they had just subtracted Him. He was no longer the chief love or He was bottled up and they needed to answer the door and let Him come into the church. We certainly see this in churches today trying to be more relevant or more woke and add some thing, take away something rather than just simply Christ. Saints, Christ is enough for the church. Remember He also said to those churches in chapters 2 and 3 “he that has an ear let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches”. Now fast forward to Revelation 22 : 17. The Spirit and the bride say Come! Finally after having revelation the bride and the Spirit are one! Do you realize and see that the church is just Christ.? Would you agree that Christ is sufficient for the church. Nothing else is needed. The church is Christ! It is Christ plus nothing! May we agree with the Spirit and say one simple word. Come! When this word of Revelation awakens a portion of the bride other believers will see, hear their cry and join in and also say, Come! Not only that, but unbelievers will see such a testimony that they will hear this as a invitation to come and drink of this Living Water. This means that they see something in the church. What they see is the church enjoying and drinking this Christ as their all and in all and they desire this living water. Oh Lord Jesus come! I trust this book of Revelation has revealed to us that He is all the world needs, that the Messiah/Jesus is who Israel needs, and of certainly He is all that the church needs. Amen!
To say that He is the Alpha and Omega is to declare that "in Him all things were created, and all things have been created through Him and unto Him. And He is before all things, and all things cohere in Him; And He is the Head of the Body, the church; that He Himself might have the first place in all things; …And through Him He will reconcile all things to Himself — through Him, the things on the earth or the things in the heavens." (Colossians 1:16-20) By, In, To, Through, and Unto Him, Everything!. 7x’s in 5 verses we see such prepositions pointing to Jesus. We objectively know that Jesus is central to Gods plan, but do we realize how much?! “All things” is quoted 6 x’s in these 5 verses. EVERYTHING from beginning to end on the earth is handled by the Son. Paul saw this. Jesus Himself did not declare this so clearly until the last book of the Bible. “I am the Alpha and Omega.” He can say it clearly because it is true according to the eternal purpose of the triune God who chose us In Him before the foundation of the world, and we see in revelation 21,22 Everything is brought into eternity future By Him and through Him and unto Him! He therefore is able to declare by the authority of the Trinity that He is the Alpha and Omega! Even the Father Himself handles everything with Christ. And the Spirit is only able to operate in us because of Christ. His movement in us is the not only because of Jesus but it is the very life supply of Jesus’ life. He is producing Christ’s life in us, in the church. The Father and the Spirit are thus giving way, deferring to Him that He might have the first place in all things. If the Godhead choses to handle all the universe with Christ and do nothing apart from Him, should we not subjectively in our daily life have such an ongoing experience with every item in our lives ? Yes, whether it be large or small He should be our Alpha and Omega throughout our living.
"Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things written in it, for the time is near." (Revelation 1:3). We have made a mistake in the churches - we have kept this book for our prophetic series and enlightenment. We have reserved it for the ” experts “ to come in and explain it for us. No Saints, it is for you, you are the qualified ones. Praise the Lord for preachers and teachers that bring it to our attention but this book it is for your daily enjoyment, it is there to prepare you not only for his coming but to enable you to see him today. To enjoy him as your life today. He says here “behold I come quickly and I bring my reward with me.” We need this revelation the day after we’re saved! This book is necessary to really understand the entire purpose of God‘s word. After going through it with me I pray that we will make it a part of our Christian living. "And he said to me, Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this scroll, for the time is near." (Revelation 22:10)
These few verses in chapter 22 Symbolically describe eternal life’s enjoyment in that day. How would you describe it? How do you describe the life that is enjoyed between the Father, Son, and the Spirit for eternity? You can’t. It’s indescribable. But it is wonderful. It is perfect love and mutual enjoyment forever. Thus we have images to help us see: A crystal fountain flowing through the lamb from the throne of God supplying the tree of life with its vine along the sides of the river and all the participants expressing this life with his name on our faces. What an image! We will enjoy eternal life. But did you know we are to participate and enjoy this eternal life in this earthly temporal environment. We can start today quite easily. Amen
John chapter 14 Jesus prophesied that he would go and prepare a place for us so that we could be where he is at. Where is Jesus! Religion says that he is in heaven and he will prepare a place in heaven. The scripture says in John 14 I am in the father and the father is in me. And he says I am going to prepare a way for you to be in me and I will be in you. He more clearly said the father and I will come and make our abode in you. This has happened on the cross, it happened in resurrection, it happened in ascension and it is happened by his imparting his life into us through the spirit. And it will be a grand reality as defined here in chapter 21 and 22. Our perfect enjoyment of being in him and the father and they in us. Amen
I realize we are spending much time looking at the new Jerusalem in chapter 21 there is so much to see. There are so many misrepresentations. Even today fellowshiping with saints the references made at looking forward to going to heaven and being in this city. I understand And I do not correct saints, but this is the fulfillment of Jesus‘s prayer : Thy kingdom come thy will be done on the earth as it is in heaven. Do you remember that?! It starts in the millennium and it’s absolutely fulfilled in this kingdom of God on earth dwelling with his people. Dwelling in his people. Here in this city we can see all the people of the earth from the patriarchs to Israel unto all the believers in the church that have come together as one mutual unique habitation. Until then may our fellowship wherever we meet be a miniature representation of that new holy city. May those who experience the church where you fellowship say Christ is there! Everyone you meet just wants to talk about Jesus. May these last days and it’s coming trials drive us to that representation on the earth until he comes.
I hope you are reading this chapter and the next chapter and praying over them. They are a wonderful picture of God’s eternal habitation in the bride the lambs wife. Have you ever considered that this foursquare city is actually the holy of holies that God desires to live in eternally. The tabernacle was Square but small. The temple holy of holies was square a little bigger but inadequate. The church today is certainly the holy of holies of the spirit of God on the earth but she needs to mature and overcome. God wants all his people Gathered together as one as his eternal expression in the holy of holies. This is the dwelling place of the glory of God forever in his bride. Amen
In Revelation 21 we see materials such as gold that is transparent like no one has ever seen. Precious stones like Jasper that are also clear with a greenish hue and other stones. We see giant pearls as the gates of the city. What do all of these have in common? They all were formed out of difficult environments. Gold we know is not naturally gold as we see it, but it is refined in the refiner‘s fire. Pearls are produced from a grain of sand that irritates the oyster until it gives up its prized gift. And precious stones do not come out of the ground like we see them in our jewelry, but rather are selectively chosen chiseled out of rock and cut to perfection. Do you see how in our life in Israel’s life and every believers life that God has brought irritations, fire and testing, and chiseling and cutting that we might be suitable material mature and complete as we march through time, through the tribulation, and through the millennium prepared as a perfect bride for his habitation?Did you know that in the garden of Eden there were four rivers and on the shores of those four rivers these three things could be found: "And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there." (Genesis 2:12) Bdellium is a pearl like substance along with precious stones/onyx and gold. These are the seeds for God‘s eternal purpose. Do you think this is accidental that these are mentioned in Genesis or just coincidence? By no means. God has an eternal purpose, he plants all the seeds, and he has watched them grow into reality here in Revelations the last two chapters.
"You then pray in this way: Our Father who is in the heavens, Your name be sanctified; Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." (Matthew 6:9-13)
If you remember back in Revelation chapter 4 a primary characteristic of the God On the throne was Jasper. Is God really made out of Jasper? Of course not. Jesus is not really a lamb with seven eyes and seven horns. Satan may act like a dragon but he’s not a literal dragon. We know that revelation has many signs and symbols. Revelation 1:1 We need to examine from our spirit every aspect of revelation and be open to what the Lord is showing us. The new Jerusalem is primarily composed of jasper stone walls. This is a key verse that tells us that His people have now come to be an appropriate dwelling place for this “Jasper” God. Neither are real Jasper but this is a symbol That indicates we have grown with the growth of God and now match his disposition and are qualified by him to be his habitation. The people of God on earth today are called his church, his building in which he dwells. Today does He really dwell in cathedrals made of brick and mortar? No, WE are his habitation, really! And we will really be his habitation in that eternal city, not an elaborate structure. That reality will not change it will just be Glorious!
God has a desire that will be completed at the end of Scripture. He will obtain His purpose. His final destination is succinctly a bride and a building. These 2 themes have been seen throughout the Bible. They come together as reality in the church: Are we His bride? Are we His building? Of course.! We see them come together as one reality in Revelation. This book, contrary to religious thought remember is not about where we are going but about who we are becoming. To see this requires us to step out of our natural concepts and into our spirit. Get alone with Jesus and pray over these 2 chapters at the end of the Bible. We will see what God Is doing and wanting. He is coming down from heaven to dwell with us, not us going to heaven to dwell with Him.
This means the old heaven and the old earth has passed away. It has fulfilled its purpose and brought about Gods eternal desire: His bride and his building. Both are the same. God wants His eternal habitation and that eternal habitation is the bride of the Lamb. God‘s people have matured to become his tabernacle and his bride. Beyond our time on earth he has used 1000+ years to mature and bring her to his purpose. And then everything comes to this new earth. We are so fixated on going up yet God is determined to come down. He is at last on earth to dwell with us. This is his desire and goal. Do we not want to be after his desire? Of course we do and this is what we will want. Religion and traditional thinking has put our thoughts in the wrong realm. our thoughts are riveted on where we are going. His thoughts are fixed on who we are becoming. May we find ourselves open to what he is doing and what he is wanting in these last days. A mature bride and a habitable city for our holy God.
Somehow many people will survive the tribulation. We call them survivors, preppers, etc. Jesus calls them the nations of the earth who did not take the mark. Many will be born during the millennium and the nations will grow, Satan will be released for a short time to draw away the nations against Christ. Millions will follow Satan, if you can believe it. Paradise with Christ on the throne is not enough. Self wants to rule apart from Christ. The lie of Satan. They will die, Satan and the opposers will be cast into the lake of fire with Satan. Eventually all the dead from creation to that day will stand before the great white throne and be judged. These are they whose names are not in the book of life. What they did with their life is exposed and declares them guilty before God. I trust you will by faith receive Jesus Christ even today. Do not wait any longer. If you do not know Christ as your life turn to him today. I can say assuredly that my name is in the book of life. Can you? If you need help with this contact me at steve.jones@ccofqc.org or call at 602-540-3994
When it comes to gaining the prize or earning rewards we have to be careful that we do not have such a earthly business like concept. You cannot apply that kind of understanding to heavenly things. In Philippians chapter 3 Paul gives us a clear Appreciation of what it means to gain the prize. By contrast Peter in Matthew 19 Exposes our earthly logic "Then Peter Says to Jesus,”Behold, we have left all and followed You. What then will there be for us?" (Matthew 19:27) . Read the rest of that chapter and then the following parable of the Vineyard in chapter 20. The conclusion is “the first will be last and the last will be first” Then read Philippians chapter 3 and see Paul’s clear understanding of reward. Paul said I count everything as refuse, or dung that I might obtain the prize. The prize is Jesus Christ. Do we realize that there is not one thing we can do, nothing we can forsake for the Lord, no good work at all etc. that could ever earn us any reward. The Lord is going to do what the Lord wants to do. Quite simply Paul tells us that the prize, Christ, is obtained in the future by absolutely pursuing him in all of our living today. This is what we’re after. We are after Jesus in all things Therefore everything else we consider loss. It doesn’t matter when we come into the millennial situation whether we are first whether we are last in the sphere of time we all desire that one reward Christ himself. Amen
The millennial age is also the time For the restoration of all things according Acts 3:21. Most saints are familiar with the external aspects of restoration during the millennium. The old testament prophets spoke of this millennial reign where creation would be restored, the Messiah would sit visibly upon the throne, all enemies would be defeated, and God‘s covenant with Israel would be universally enjoyed. The nations will also be restored. Gods intentions were for the people of the whole earth, not just Israel, to know him as the totality of their life. He will use Satan to expose those hearts that are not after him at the very end of the millennium. The nations will be given every opportunity to receive the good news of Christ in that day. The church will also experience restoration. We all are saved and enjoying the reign of Christ, however we know that the rewards of the Lord will be according as he sees fit. Our desire should be more than just a citizen of that millennial kingdom but a reigning with him. There is more than just an external Restoration of all things, there is also an internal. Isaiah 30 speaks of this saying that during the millennium the Teacher will no longer hide Himself in a corner, but their eyes will see their Teacher. Also, when they turn to the right or to the left, their ears will hear a word behind them, saying, "This is the way, walk in it" (Isaiah 30:20-21). Saints, according to I John 2: 27 this should be the enjoyment in the church today! we have the anointing. This word anointing is the Greek verb form for Christ. This means we actually have Christ in us moving, operating, or if you will Christing! Moment by moment we can follow that voice. Turn this way or that way. All day long we come to crossroads in our mind in our feelings in our volition. Which way should we go Lord.? That still small voice within us is the anointing. This will be the millennial enjoyment for Israel. Consider, So much of what they looked forward to will be external, so much of what they enjoy today is still external. God’s intention is for all of mankind to know Christ inwardly. This is why it is so important for the church in this day and age, not waiting for the millennial age, to enjoy the Inward working of Christ. This kind of living prepares us to rule and reign with him in that millennial day. Here is a link that will take you to a video that provides an earthly illustration of following the voice of the Lord in your life. https://www.facebook.com/764669872/posts/pfbid027JtNz1jLG2HKWiJ9G9U9KeHio4eU9srY6MqMLraME2CvfvRSgirWkY1MTUkkSaAql/?mibextid=hwfN5w
“Unto an administration of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in Him." Ephesians 1:10 The fullness of times? There are several “times “ or ages in history. The age of creation to Israel is an era of time. Israel to Christ is a time. Christ and the church age to Armageddon is a time. The Millennial reign is the fullness of all times! Then time will be no more. The admistration of God until time is completed (the millennium) is for Christ to Head up all things. The 1000 years is the last era of time on earth for God to complete His eternal purpose through Christ. He will use this period to prepare believers as His wife. "And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (Revelation 21:2) "And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, Come here; I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." (Revelation 21:9). Christ and His wife will be one. This will be the suitable dwelling place of God who will come down to dwell on earth eternally. The millennium is the fullness of the times to prepare the wife for this.
When we look at the battle of Armageddon it appropriately conjures up many negative images. Negative because this is a culmination of Satan, the antichrist, the demonic horde, and all those who have taken the mark of the beast. Can you believe it the earth is making war against God.! But did you know that Armageddon is such an intimate affair. Jesus can certainly deal with all his enemies by himself., but he brings an army with him. This army comes bringing no weapons, but wearing their wedding garments. There is such an atmosphere of God‘s unconditional love that is represented by his bride who rides with him. Armageddon happens because the Groom has gotten into the bride due to the unconditional love of God and she rides with him as an eternal testimony to end this earthly age.
Your wedding garment is also your battle uniform. "And the armies which are in heaven followed Him on white horses, dressed in fine linen, white and clean." (Revelation 19:14) The Lord is followed down to Armageddon not simply with an army of redeemed saints, but with those who lived by Him, who intimately loved Him while on the earth. They are wearing wedding gowns. Lovers of Jesus. They are a display of His glory and wisdom to the dwellers of the earth. Those who walked with Him in white now ride with Him in white. Amen.
This is a hard word for Christians. In Revelation 19:7 the judgment seat of Christ has happened and then the marriage dinner of the Lamb. Are you prepared to sit at this table? If you’re a Christian you have the robe of Jesus Christ righteousness. This is the objective truth that his righteousness covers all your sins and you can stand before Him. This was given to you the moment of your salvation and cannot be taken away. Amen. Now, there is a second robe. IT IS NOT YOUR ROBE OF SALVATION! This is the wedding garment and the bride SHOULD (19:8) make herself ready by preparing her wedding garment while she is on earth. This garment is the righteousness’s of the Saints. Righteousness is plural because it indicates opportunity after opportunity after opportunity that we have to weave the righteousness of Jesus Christ subjectively into our daily living! There are helpful parables of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 22, the wedding garment, and in Matthew 25 the Ten virgins. Believers have a hard time applying them to themselves because of the results of not having a wedding garment and of not having reserve oil for your lamps. Saints, you cannot live this life for yourself, fail to lovingly prepare your wedding garments and foolishly neglect to buy oil and expect post rapture enjoyment in these things. Initially we will experience regret and disappointment. Yet we still have 1000 years of time, think about that , for the Lord to operate His love into us and for us to dry our tears, and lovingly serve him on that millennial throne, until we all ultimately come down out of heaven in Revelation 21 as the Lambs wife. Oh saints you might not like this understanding. We fantastically and improperly think everything is going to be as we imagined heaven would be right after the rapture. No, You are cheating yourselves and need to adhere to the holy scripture and realize Christ wants something, He wants a loving wife, He’s going to get it, and He’s going to get it His way. You won’t have to look very far into your day, but right now start looking for sellers of oil. They are everywhere. Look at every opportunity as one in which you can subjectively embroider the life of Jesus into your living. They are wherever your flesh, your self tries to live. Be a ready bride. Many are called to this wedding feast but few are chosen to enjoy it. Other reading Matthew 22:11-14, 25:1-13
The criteria for believers at the judgment seal of Christ is simply: What have you done with Jesus? He is the judge. He is the measurement. He is the only foundation on which we are to build upon and He is the material we lay upon that foundation. His treasured life dwells in you. What have you done with Him? What are you doing with Him? This judgment occurs between Revelation 19:6 and 7 and must happen after the rapture and before the marriage supper of the Lamb, before the Armageddon battle, and before the Millennial reign. The best reference to it in Revelation is found in Revelation 11:18, And the nations became angry, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give the reward to Your slaves the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Your name, to the small and to the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth." It is also implied in the rewards promised for overcoming saints in the churches of Revelation 2 & 3. Paul speaks clearly of this judgment in Corinthians: “For we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body…” (2 Corinthians 5:10) and “If anyone’s work which he has built upon the foundation remains, he will receive a reward; If anyone’s work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire “(1 Corinthians 3:11-15). This is a matter of reward, not salvation. Lack of reward according to His judgment is to suffer loss. We will all face the Lord and He will fairly judge our heart, motives, and living. The “suffering loss” aspect is often ignored or it is a hard realization for many believers. We cannot cavalierly live as though we will be satisfied that we have obtained a heavenly situation, that we are saved as by fire and will just suffer loss. “Therefore girding up the loins of your mind and being sober, set your hope perfectly on the grace being brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:13
The word “hallelujah” has 2 parts:“Hallelu” is a exhortation for us to offer praise. “Jah” is God. Hallelujah is a response to what we see. We see what God is doing and we respond, Praise the Lord! The 4 New Testament uses are all right here in chapter 19. And what are they regarding? Our heavenly situation? No. They are in response to the final destruction of the Babylonian system. No more will man live by Satan‘s system on the earth. No more dependence on earths economy. Satans tool of deception, the love of mammon, is destroyed. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! This is the Revelation given to John to give to us in chapter 17, 18, and 19. So we need to see Babylon, apply Babylon to our living today and open our mouth and say “Hallelujah!”How many of us have found ourselves tied up with the affairs of this life? This is Babylon . We also need to come out of her, especially her monetary allurement. Our spiritual eyes need to see this and our literal lips need to affirm this revelation with “Hallelujah!” Listen, and may the Lord deal with us regarding this matter in these last days.
A tale of 2 cities. We need to be for one of them. You cannot be for both. Babylon or Jerusalem. Also included is how we handle “signs of the times” as learned by a tale of “88 reasons why the Lord did not come back in 1988.” And finally The new Jerusalem is typically thought of as a place that we are headed towards. It is more of a description of who we are becoming. We will see this as we get into the final three chapters of revelation.
Babylon in revelations 17 and 18 represents the system of the world that Satan will use through the antichrist to draw mankind away from the Lord. He has always used this system. It’s called Babel or Babylon because God will confuse it. He will frustrate it! He has done this throughout the ages. He allows Satan to operate, we know this. He allows war, economic failure and famine, he even allows death. We saw this in the first four seals and we see it today, But he put a parameter over it all. Especially since the release of the gospel he gave authority that not more than a quarter of the earths population could be destroyed by these negative things. Satan means them all for evil but God means them sovereignly for good and they will drive men to the gospel throughout the ages. Satan has always sought to get into mankind, he lures them with the riches of Babylon, and seeks to set up his kingdom against God through this. He’s tried this so many times through all the empires, and He references the Roman empire to John here in chapter 17. All these Cesars were gods upon the earth. But God thwarted all of it. He will frustrate the antichrist in every age. The message here is to say no to Babylon. Babylon speaks to all of us to set up a worldly system and bring glory unto ourselves. Pull away from it. It is impossible for us alone to say no to the system but listen and find out how we have a big NO within us so that we can we can overcome satans temptation.
The term Babylon is not a name identified by Satan or the antichrist, it is a name indicated by the Lord. He marks this system of Satan’s kingdom as of Babel. It means confusion. It started at the tower of Babel when after the flood mankind tried to build something in opposition to God and make a name for themselves. God disrupted this tower and caused confusion thus the name Babel forever marks Satans efforts against God. In chapter 17 and 18 we see the ultimate glory of Satan‘s confusion. Satan is the author of confusion. We see the religious aspect of this in the first seven verses of chapter 17. The religions of the earth will join together with the antichrist and sell their soul like a harlot. The antichrist will use this religious system to coerce the nations of the earth to rise up against God. Their message will be “Look, God is not a God of love but of wrath. Believe in the antichrist, take the mark!” And this religious system will demand the nations fornicate with her and drink the sacrament which is her cup filled with the blood of the Saints. These nations will then root out those who follow Christ and turn them over to the antichrist. What an awful, abominable religion. Religions on the earth today are being groomed to deny Christ alone as our hope, accept all religions as one, join up with world leaders for the good of the planet, and a message to join them and stand against those who think otherwise. This is religious fornication. The church is just Christ. If you are in some thing that is other than Christ come out of it, and receive the inward Christ. "Therefore its name was called Babel, because there Jehovah confounded the language of all the earth, and from there Jehovah scattered them over the surface of all the earth." (Genesis 11:9)
"And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And I marveled with great marvel when I saw her." (Revelation 17:6) We realize that since creation Satan has attempted to establish himself Over God. His desire is to thwart the eternal purpose of God. Throughout the ages he has been unrelenting in his efforts. In Revelation 17 and 18 we see the emergence of Satan’s empire. This is Satan‘s zenith and this is the best that Satan is going to do after all of his attempts throughout the ages. It is called Babylon. This name represents Satan‘s effort to get into man and cause them to build their towers and make a name for themselves in opposition to God. Satan achieves limited glory, even John is awestruck at this system. But the same angel will take John in chapter 21 and show him the reality of the new Jerusalem. Babylon is fleeting, a fraud, a façade, and just like the Tower of Babel. it implodes upon its self and God utterly destroys it from the face of the earth. The best that Satan can do is in these two chapters and it is exposed For what it is, a dwelling place of demons. "And He cried with a strong voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great! And she has become a dwelling place of demons and a hold of every unclean spirit and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird;" (Revelation 18:2)
"(Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments that he may not walk naked and they see his shame.)" (Revelation 16:15) When we say or hear the phrase “I come as a thief, you do not know the hour” we typically apply that to watching and being ready today. This verse is found in Between the sixth and the seventh bowl of his wrath. This is right before the battle of Armageddon. Tribulation saints, you would think, by this point know every nuance of the prophetic calendar. They see things happening all around them in such horrific fashion that like us they are tempted to focus on events and not on the Lord himself. Even though they may sense his coming is near, kind of like you, he tells them keep their eyes on Him. Behold me, Yes I’m coming but you do not know the hour. I am coming like a thief. I will steal you away from the enemy. Focus on me! If that is the encouragement for the Saints during that time frame, how much more should we overcome in this age by watching and being ready because we don’t know the year, the month, the day, or the hour. Let us behold Him today. "Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and keep it and repent. If therefore you will not watch, I will come as a thief, and you shall by no means know at what hour I will come upon you." (Revelation 3:3)
"Seek Jehovah while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near." (Isaiah 55:6) God has given mankind the capacity to receive him and to know him. Most people walking around on the earth do not Realize that they have a human spirit placed in every human being as a reservoir for the spirit of God. these versus reveal the absolute defiance of mankind and resistance in using their mouth to call on the name of the Lord and receive him and glorify him. "The burden of the word of Jehovah concerning Israel. Thus declares Jehovah, who stretches forth the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth and forms the spirit of man within him," (Zechariah 12:1). "And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
Whether it is the negative things we see in revelation or the positive things, we need to say “Lord you are doing what you are going to do according to your purpose.” Yes Lord! We may not like what we see, Yes Lord! We may not agree with even the positive things, the things regarding the rapture, the things regarding the tribulation, the details of how the Lord handles Israel or the church. Yes Lord! Should be our response. And today as we watch what is happening on the earth that negatively affects us we should say, Yes Lord! Even to what you are facing in your personal life and struggle we should sing this song: “I’ll Say, “Yes, Lord, Yes” To Your Will And To Your Way I’ll Say, “Yes, Lord, Yes” I Will Trust You And Obey When Your Spirit Speaks To Me With My Whole Heart I’ll Agree And My Answer Will Be, “Yes, Lord, Yes”
What do yo look like when you are angry? I think we all have experienced those out of control moments when our situation brings out the worst in us. The wrath of God is seen after the 7th trumpet which initiates the release of the 7 bowls of wrath. This vision reveals the Lords fury is measured, necessary, and final. And More importantly it is sacred!
Here in chapter 15 we see Saints standing before the throne on a glassy sea singing the song of Moses and the and the song of the Lamb. Who are these saints?! We have talked about the strongman in chapter 12, the first fruits in chapter 14, and this looks like a different set of believers who died during the tribulation because they did not take the mark of the beasts. All of these Saints have something in common even if we do not agree on exactly who they are or how they got there. They all have overcome their situation on the earth. If anything we’ve learned by these challenging passages it is the principle of overcoming. This was the demand over all the churches in chapter 2-3. Overcome! In light of this principle we can not live nonchalantly regarding the Christian Life and His coming.. May we be overcomers in these last days.
There are three harvests in the book of revelation chapter 14. Two wheat harvests and one grape harvest. I hear many believers urging Christians in light of what’s going on around us to be ready for the Lord. What does that mean to be ready. If the Lord comes tomorrow and I’m not ready today how can I be more ready? And what if I’m not ready what does that mean? This view is not popular that I share. But we need to understand the basic principle that to be ready means to be ripe. God is the farmer and he’s going to reap his harvest. We are wheat and we need to be ripe. For wheat that means we need to be dry, dry from this earth that we live on. Wet wheat can not be harvested. Oh Saints are you dry meaning are we still watered by the world, supplied by the world or are we lovers of Jesus like the first fruits. The first fruits are ripening early and are gathered into the farmers house For his enjoyment.. Then those who remain on the earth will go through a trying time. A literal furnace on the earth that will dry us out. The last trumpet will sound and the Lord will gather saints up because they are dried out from this earthly life. The Lord will make us ready. Let’s not debate the time of the rapture let’s just consider that he is going to gather his harvest, a wheat harvest, and we need to be ready. Dried out from this world. And then he’s going to gather the grape harvest. These are the inhabitants on the earth that have tormented believers both Jew and Christian. They are big fat juicy grapes because they have lived by the world supply. They will be cast into the wine press of God‘s wrath and pressed. This refers to the battle of Armageddon which we will see later. It is placed here in this passage so that we can see the contrast between the wheat and the grape harvest. Let us be wheat , Let us be ready by brig ripe, dried out early for the Lords enjoyment.
The word gospel is primarily associated with the good news related to Jesus Christ. He truly is the only way to have fellowship with God. Everything in the Old Testament points to Christ, and everything in the in the New Testament until the new Jerusalem points back to Christ. This I believe is the Eternal gospel. For Adam and Eve it was manifested as partaking of the tree of life and not that other tree, for the Israelites in the wilderness it was look at the brazen serpent or die. All of those things were a type of Jesus Christ. Of course today the gospel message is the epitome of God’s desire. Partake of redemption by the blood of Jesus Christ, and enjoy his life in you. This is the glorious gospel. However, in the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation the eternal Gospel is manafested as not taking the mark, which is fearing God and worshiping him and giving him glory. What a difficult gospel. To take the mark means to live comfortably. Do not take the mark means probable death. But this is the eternal gospel and it has that basic goal of being able to be with God. It will go forth into the millennium and God will expose those who have a heart that does not want to obey him, And it will ride forth into the new Jerusalem. There will be no heart that is contrary to him. All inhabitants of that eternal city will be drinking living water, eating the tree of life, living by God and the Lamb as their supply. The eternal gospel will prevail.
"Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred sixty-six." (Revelation 13:18). During the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation those who are on the earth will have to make a choice, take the mark of the beast or endure with the mark of the Lamb. Revelation 13:18 it states we are instructed to have wisdom and understanding that we might be able to calculate the number of the beast. This word Calculate is found one other time in the Bible in Luke 14:28 in the context of considering what it cost to follow the Lord. Here in Revelation 13 it is in the context of counting the cost of following the Beast. If we take this mark we may be able to buy, sell, and live life comfortably for a short season, but those who receive this mark are doomed to be separated from God for all eternity. So, herein is wisdom and understanding: 666 is the number of man who is imperfect and incomplete apart from Jesus, and it leads to destruction and separation from God. It is a number that says I will not follow God I will do that which is right in my own eyes and care for myself. Seeing this, therefore, I will not receive this mark but rather take the mark of the Lamb upon me, The mark of the Father and the mark of the new Jerusalem. Revelation 3:12, 14:1) I will not choose that which is temporary but that which is eternal in the heavens. You do not need to search any further for the meaning of the number 666. To receive it means you are for that which is against Christ. To see this is to have great wisdom and understanding. Do not wait until that day when you must choose the mark of the beast or lose your life. Right now calculate the cost. "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, wanting to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?" (Luke 14:26-28)
"These are they who follow the Lamb wherever He may go. These were purchased from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb." (Revelation 14:4) The first fruits unto God are so precious. They are his early enjoyment before the great harvest. Yes they are virgins, they are blameless, and they are also followers of the lamb. What does it mean to follow the Lamb wherever he goes. We should know that Jesus lived the life of a lamb, the human life, for 33+ years. Look at these descriptive verses of his life while he was on earth : "The Son can do nothing from Himself except what He sees the Father doing," (John 5:19). "I can do nothing from Myself; as I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent Me." (John 5:30). "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me." (John 14:24). "Saying, Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet, not My will, but Yours be done." (Luke 22:42) He lived exclusively by the Father. He lived the Christian life. This is the Lambs life. This Life is now in every believer and this is how we can follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
As we go through revelation we tend to draw little denominational lines about how we view things, how we interpret things etc. the first 5 verses of Revelation chapter 14 are very intimate. It doesn’t matter who we think these saints are who are gathered on Mount Zion with the lamb. What matters is that we long to have the disposition thy had while they were on earth. Verse 4-5 tells us that they were purchased from the earth as firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. What does that mean? First fruits are the early ripened fruit that had to be picked before the harvest. The farmer and his workers would take these first fruits in their own home and enjoy them while they waited for the Big harvest. This was an early enjoyment. How did the Saints get there on Mount Zion or how did they become first fruits? They were virgins unto the Lamb. They weren’t perfect but at some point in time on earth they decided they were all in for the Lamb. They didn’t want anything else but Jesus. Where are saints like this on the earth today? Where are believers who want nothing, nothing of this world to fill in their spare time.? That just want to spend time with Jesus? They don’t even care about the rapture so much. They’re spending time seeing Jesus every day! They’re not debating views or varied interpretations. They’re enjoying the Lamb constantly. Where are these saints? They are out there. The Lord of the harvest see them. I am so convicted after looking at these five verses I don’t want anything of the world. I don’t know how I can stop it from coming in my life but I just say “Lord today make me willing to be such a virgin for you. I don’t care so much about when the rapture occurs. I just want to see you today. “Amen
"Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints." (Revelation 13:10) yes, Saints are going to be on the earth during the second half of the tribulation and Satan is pulling out all the stops to make war with the Saints. He calls the beast out of the sea, the antichrist. Displaying the nature of Satan to devour mankind.Then he calls the false prophet, a beast out of the earth who performs wonders with the antichrist to win over the inhabitants of the earth. He even places a image of the anti-Christ in the temple the abomination of desolation. He displays Satan’s nature of deception. There is a demand to worship the beast, and to take the mark of the beast. Follow the beast or you will die. This is the negative side of this chapter. Hallelujah there is the endurance of the Saints. They are filled with their faith in Jesus Christ. There are 144,000 witnesses who are following the Lamb where ever he goes. And there are two witnesses for 3 1/2 years that will encourage the Saints to overcome and follow this lamb. We all are put to a choice in our life to overcome and follow the lamb. Every saint before they die Needs to make the choice to overcome. Saints on the earth and last days before the rapture can Choose to overcome and follow the lamb. And there are those saints who will be on earth during the last 3 1/2 years the encouragement to them is to endure, overcome the deception of that age, and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen that God gives us choices throughout our life, before we die, before the rapture, and before the His second coming. Whatever situation we find ourselves in May we overcome that age and follow him. "These are they who follow the Lamb wherever He may go. These were purchased from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb." (Revelation 14:4)
There is the nature of the beast revealed in Chapter 13. His nature is identical to the nature of Satan through the ages. His nature is that of all empires that have sought to dominate and control the earth, ignoring God, and degrading mankind. The nature of the antichrist, the beast is to devour mankind and keep God from obtaining his hearts desire. “And there was a fourth beast, dreadful and frightful and exceedingly strong; and it had large iron teeth; it devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns." (Daniel 7:3-7) Praise the Lord there is the Lamb. , The Lamb has an entirely different nature. He is the reality of the Passover lamb, and rather than devouring us his nature is that of being devoured. He wants us to eat him. "As the living Father has sent Me and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me." (John 6:57) In these last days even during the rising spirit of antichrist all around us, may the Lord protect us from the nature of this beast and may we rather partake of the Lamb.
If we do not care to overcome in this age, we WILL overcome in last days. The Lord will deal with us all. He will obtain His desires. Matthew 6 describes this choice as “laying up treasures on earth or in the heavens”, having a “singular eye for the Lord or an evil eye” for this life, or trying to “serve 2 masters” simultaneously. Praise the Lord if we are saved, but we must really agree with Paul when he said “ I am crucified with Christ therefore I no longer live, and the life I live…”. This “life I live” is more than simply being saved and through rapture or death arriving in heaven. The “life I live” now is crucial. It is to be a life of crucifying the self and living unto Him. So how do I live it? I live by "the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." That means I am living off of His life infusing me with even His faith as I spend time with Him. I live gazing at Him. I live looking away from everything, my troubles , my failures, my foes, my self and instead gaze at this Christ who loves me, who gave Himself for me. He did it all for me. And as I am looking and beholding, He becomes the supply of faith right into me--the faith of the Son of God. This Faith enables me to look away from everything else, to participate in this crucifixion of all these other things and enjoy the life of Jesus on the earth right now in my daily living. This living by Christ as my constant supply overcomes everything else. This is a choice I have as a Christian every day to live by this vast supply. We may not like a differing view other than a pre-tribulation rapture, but th realization of a mid tribulation rapture of His “overcomers ” is sobering. If we see this then we can’t unsee it! It restrains or governs our living. It alters us. It causes us to overcome this old life. If we see this we should be, laying up treasures in heaven, having a single eye only for the Lord, and only serving him as our master. If we reject to live unto the Lord in such a full way the Lord will care for us but He will still demand such a life and we will have no choice but to overcome in those last 3 1/2 years. The events that happened during that time will drive us to long for and live such a life with Christ as our constant supply. Even if we do not see this understanding of the rapture we should live today as though it could be His means of accomplishing His purpose in us. Again, If we do not care to overcome in this age, we WILL overcome in last days.
It’s good to know that Satan is becoming ancient, old, and his time is short. Revelation 12 is a detailed description of how God is going to deal with Satan. This is not something we are detached from, this is something that we can participate practically in right now. "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they loved not their soul-life even unto death." (Revelation 12:11) Jesus and the angels can defeat Satan at any time, however it is God’s desire to use you and me as his body to defeat the enemy. This gives us a clear understanding of Ephesians 6 . Our struggle in this life is real and it is against this invisible enemy. We can realize that our struggle against this enemy is to prepare us for that day in revelation 12. Stand now that you might be able to stand in that day before the throne of God with Christ executing the destruction of our enemy. Ephesians 6:11 Put on the armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the artifices of the devil: 12 because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against principalities, against authorities, against the universal lords of this darkness, against spiritual power of wickedness in the heavenlies. 13 For this reason take to you the Armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having accomplished all things, to stand.
A helpful word on how the Lord dealt with me in my understanding of the rapture. Let the Lord deal with you not in a dogmatic way or in a effort to debate. But rather seeking the Lord especially as we see him moving in these last days. Lord, you are sovereign, and you will handle everything according to your plan and your desires. Cause us to seek You rather than a another View. "Because you have kept the word of My endurance, I also will keep you out of the hour of trial, which is about to come on the whole inhabited earth, to try them who dwell on the earth. "I come quickly; hold fast what you have that no one take your crown. He who overcomes, him I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall by no means go out anymore, and I will write upon him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven from My God, and My new name." (Revelation 3:10-12)
We see in revelations 12 a Great woman, a Strong man -child and an Old serpent. This great woman is The Lord‘s bride. The Lord desires for us as his bride to produce something, to birth something. What needs to come out of the woman is simply Christ. This is the mark of strength and maturity. Sad to say all believers will not be ready and watchful when the Lord calls us, But in his perfect plan he just needs a strong portion of this woman to be mature in Jesus Christ. These Saints will be caught up to the throne of God and used by the Lord to defeat the accuser of the brethren, Satan, and cast him out of heaven. "But take heed to yourselves lest perhaps your hearts be weighed down with debauchery and drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day come upon you suddenly as a snare. For it will come in upon all those dwelling on the face of all the earth." "But be watchful at every time, beseeching that you would prevail to escape all these things which are about to happen and stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36)
"And she brought forth a son, a man-child, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne." (Revelation 12:5) "And he (overcoming believers) will shepherd them with an iron rod, as vessels of pottery are broken in pieces, as I also have received from My Father;" (Revelation 2:27)
"And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon underneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; And she was with child, and she cried out, travailing in birth and being in pain to bring forth." (Revelation 12:1-2) Who is this great woman in revelation 12? Some say she is Mary others say she is Israel. The context and time of this vision makes those interpretations very difficult. There is a greater woman than Mary, and a greater woman than just Israel. Consider these words from Paul,"But the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother (Galatians 4:26) this a glorious verse to dig into. We know that the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven is all inclusive in that every single believer from all the ages will be gathered together as the bride. This vision governs us, and is where we are headed. Consider all the verses that refer to Israel in the Old Testament and believers in the New Testament as being joined to the Lord through Jesus Christ. "Return, O apostate children, declares Jehovah, for I am a Husband to you; and I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and will bring you to Zion." (Jeremiah 3:14). …”and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:30-32). "Come here; I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." (Revelation 21:9) These are just a few verses. There is a wooing love that God demonstrates throughout the Bible for His people, as His bride. Even though we may be so unfaithful the Lord is going to bring all believers into this intimate relationship and he’s going to do it HIS way, not our way. This is who we see in Revelations 12 , this great woman at the midway point during the tribulation represents all believers constituting his wife.
Before we look at the second half of the book of revelation let us ask this question again. The very nature of the Lords return invokes a response from all of us. Especially if we truly believe we are in last days. Consider these verses: "For just as lightning flashing from one end of heaven shines to the other end of heaven, so will the Son of Man be in His day. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. And even as it happened in the days of Noah, so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man: They were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day in which Noah entered into the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, even as it happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building;" (Luke 17:24-28) Our response to this question hopefully is not just desiring everything to go back to a norm, which means loving the cares of this life. Really believing that we are in last days should make the cares in this life as a hindrance to us. Overcome in these last days. "Remember Lot’s wife." (Luke 17:32)
One day the Morning Star will really come and dispel the darkness that is overtaking the world. Until then Peter reminds us that “we have the prophetic word made more firm, to which you do well to give heed as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;" (2 Peter 1:19) We are waiting for His glorious appearance outwardly by enjoying His glorious appearing inwardly. This is the result of staying in His Word and allowing its prophetic nature to rise up in our being and shine His light in these dark and murky last days. Stay in the Word, stay in this prophetic word of Revelation.
This is the revelation of Jesus Christ. "The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to Him to show to His slaves the things that must quickly take place," (Revelation 1:1) We must see Him in this book. Revelations has two major divisions: Chapters 1 - 11 provide a general overview of what Christ is doing from his ascension into eternity future. And then chapters 12 - 22 provide us with details of events that happen during the great tribulation,(the last 3 1/2 years) all the way into the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven in eternity future. I hope you see how the first 11 chapters reveal the completed purpose’s of God through Christ. It’s amazing to see this! In this episode I recount the focus of Christ in each chapter. To receive a blessing from this book I would encourage you to reread these 11 chapters and be able to re-count the events as I have done. What you see may vary a bit but I challenge you to hide THIS word in your heart, remembering these words in Revelation:, "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things written in it, for the time is near." (Revelation 1:3) We will start looking at the second half with 2 reminders: 1. Christ is our focus, 2. Do not let varied views get your eyes off of that focus.
Do you realize what is included in the 7th Trumpet? Look at these verses: "And the seventh angel trumpeted; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever. And the nations became angry, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give the reward to Your slaves the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Your name, to the small and to the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth." (Revelation 11:15 & 18) These 2 verses summarize all things from the end of the great tribulation to eternity future: the last plagues of the seven bowls (ch. 16); the resurrection and great harvest of the saints on the earth; the rewarding of the saints; the coming back of Christ to the earth; the destruction of the great Babylon (17:1—19:6); the marriage of the Lamb (19:7-10); the destruction of Antichrist, the false prophet, Satan, and their followers (19:11—20:3); the millennial kingdom (20:4-6); the final judgment upon the earth and Satan (20:7-10); the final judgment of the dead (20:11-15); and the new heaven and new earth with the New Jerusalem for eternity (21:1—22:5). All of it at the blast of this 7th Trumpet! Amen!
Who are these 2 witnesses? I’ll let you ponder that, but we do know their focus."And I will cause My two witnesses to prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth." (Revelation 11:3-4) These 2 are olive trees,lampstands (testimonials) reminiscent of Joshua and Zerubbable at the 2nd rebuilding of the temple in Zechariah 4. This is no coincidence! These 2 are on earth to prepare believers for the coming of the Real house of God. Weep not for the one just destroyed, The eternal house of God is coming in that eternal city where Jew and Gentile can come as one unto His throne where we ARE the house of God! Many saints will be gathered up as a great harvest during this end time. The last trumpet will sound and the Christ will come and His kingdom will come! “Lord prepare me, To be a sanctuary Pure and holy, Tried and true And with thanksgiving,I'll be a living Sanctuary, for You”
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4LiTy7ndOzw
"And there was given to me a reed like a rod, and someone said, Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship in it. And the court which is outside the temple cast out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months." (Revelation 11:1-2). John measures 3 things: Inner temple, golden altar, and the true worshipers. To measure means to plan, to mark out. Israel is now making meticulous plans to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, (templeinstitute.org/) however much to their dismay it will quickly be destroyed by the Antichrist. But how wonderful it will be to see that God has marked out His plans of the temple preserved for eternity future. Here we will see Spirit filled worshipers coming to Him in the Holy of holies (His throne) through Christ (our golden alter) This is His plan for that eternal city: "And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple." (Revelation 21:22) "For Christ did not enter into a holy place made by hands, a figure of the true, but into heaven itself, to appear now before the face of God for us;" (Hebrews 9:24) "Let us therefore come forward with boldness to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help." (Hebrews 4:16) Amen!
Read Revelation 10! What good news we see in this vision. This is the 1st of 3 revelations between the 6th and 7th trumpets. All 3 have to do with hope for the eternal purpose and building of God. This is good news for all! Practically eat this word with John and allow this revelation to saturate your being letting Him take possession and Do it all today! "And (He) swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there shall be delay no longer, But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he is about to trumpet, then the mystery of God is finished, as He has announced the good news to His own slaves the prophets." (Revelation 10:6-7)
The focus of this book is The Lamb, not locusts with scorpion tails, horses with lion heads, or Satan or the Antichrist. Look to Lamb and live! Repent! But after 6 trumpets are completed (half way through the last 3 1/2 years) this is the earth’s response to the Lamb. “And the rest of the men, who were not killed by these plagues, still did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship the demons and the idols of gold and silver and brass and stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; And they did not repent of their murders or of their sorceries or of their fornication or of their thefts." (Revelation 9:20-21)
"And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel to announce to those dwelling on the earth, even to every nation and tribe and tongue and people," (Revelation 14:6) This verse reminds us that God still has a purpose that will carry all the way through the tribulation, through the millennium and settle eternally in the new Jerusalem. That purpose is expressed as the eternal gospel. The first 4 trumpets damage the earth but not man directly. This is not like the flood when Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and only 8 souls were saved in the ark. Jesus is our ark and we are headed to Mt Zion . These first 4 trumpets ruin man’s ability to use the earth for their evil purposes. For Satans purposes. The heathen in general will rage. But will some find grace in the Lords eyes? I believe so. Get in the ark now. Do not wait another day.
Christ at this point, before the seven trumpets start to blow, has done everything he has promised. His life bears witness that he has done it all for mankind! His God pleasing life is an incense that is mixed in with the fire on the altar before the throne of God and He hurls it on the earth. This Declares that he has done it all, and they are without excuse and must receive judgment. But look! Something else is mixed with that incense. Your prayers! God desires our participation to cry out for the coming of the Lord. “O Lord Jesus come!” He is listening for such a prayer as things wax worse. Is it time to utter such a prayer? Or are we still clinging to this life? May we join John, "He who testifies these things says, Yes, I come quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20)
The silence in Revelation 8:1 indicates the solemness of its opening.. This seal initiates the end of God’s eternal purpose going out through the gospel to mankind. The 7 seals have revealed his plan to bring mankind unto himself through Christ. I hope you have seen these 7 seals In such a positive way. They display His care for the earth as he administrates his desire through Jesus Christ. To see the 7 seals is to see Christ revealed. It is to see how God loves you through Christ. In the following verses Jesus warned the disciples that as last days approach to not be led astray. Let astray from what!? Do not be led astray from Christ himself. I enjoy listening to several other podcasts, most of them very positive on how good patriots such as ourselves can turn everything around. After spending time with Jesus one morning I was convicted. “Stop listening to that one”. One specific podcast was leading me astray, causing me to hope in something other than Jesus. Saints do not be led astray by seemingly good things, by seemingly good prophetic analysis, not even by prophetic events like wars, rumors of wars, famine , earthquakes etc. things that you see happening don’t let these lead you astray. Remain riveted on the true Shepherd. Amen “And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, When will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming and of the consummation of the age? And Jesus answered and said to them, See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray. And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for it must happen; but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these things are the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations because of My name. And at that time many will be stumbled and will deliver up one another and will hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray." (Matthew 24:3-11)
In Revelation 7 we see a lot of saints gathered before the throne with the Lamb in their midst. This looks a like the throne scene in chapters 4 & 5 but includes an innumerable gathering of redeemed saints! This is the kind of scene we would expect to see after the rapture of believers. Regardless of our opinions of when the rapture takes place this passage displays an initial fulfillment of Gods eternal purpose: "Unto an administration of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in Him." Ephesians 1:10. This is the desire of God for Christ to be central to all things in heaven and in the earth and we see the reality of this happening in revelation chapter 7. We see a wonderful description of Jesus here as our tabernacle, our dwelling place, he is the lamb but we see him as our shepherd and guide, leading us to food and drink that constantly satisfies. What a contrast to living in this world where nothing satisfies. So why waste our time on any of it? Yes I know we’re in this world and to an extent we have to live in its system. But I think we all would agree we allow it to swallow us up, consume us and rob us of The good Shepherds supply. Pray, “Oh Lord today I know I need you more and more to be my living water my bread of life that I might be ready for this scene we see in revelation 7. Help me Lord to stop wasting my time in these Last days!”
Have you seen Jesus in chapters 1-6? I hope so. I do not know what you have seen before when you read the book of Revelation, but He is certainly the key to enjoying this book. I’ve heard many saints say they can’t understand Revelation so they hesitate to look at it. What if I told you this book reveals the present day Christ? It is a Revelation of the Coming Christ?You know what we see here in chapter 7? We see a pause before the 7th seal. And in this pause we see that our Christ cares for creation (1-3), cares for Israel, (4-8) and He cares for His Redeemed ones from the ages. To read this book of revelation is to see a Christ who cares for the whole earth. No one has ever cared for you, for the earth, or for people on the earth like Jesus. “
When we see this 6th seal we think of the birth pains of the earth and wonder how much more the Lord is going to tolerate before this great event takes place. The temptation is to start counting earthquakes and see if things are getting worse, and start watching the wars and rumors of wars etc. I’m not sure about all that but I do know that there’s no way of easing into this earthquake described in revelation 6. It is going to be massive. This earthquake is an answer to the cry of martyred saints (5th seal), Yet this is not THE answer. That is seal number 7. Here, in His mercy, he silence’s The earth with this massive earthquake causing many to turn to Jesus. The gospel is still going forth but Christ will tolerate no more of the vile wickedness of mankind and executes The 6th seal, His air raid siren, warning that the wrath of the lamb is coming. What does it take for us to hear the voice of the Lord? May we hear him clearly today While he is speaking softly and tenderly. “Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me; see, on the portals he's waiting and watching, watching for you and for me. Refrain: Come home, come home; ye who are weary come home; earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home!
Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading, pleading for you and for me? Why should we linger and heed not his mercies, mercies for you and for me? (Refrain) Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing, passing from you and from me; shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming, coming for you and for me.” (Refrain)
The Lamb opens the 5th seal. John sees and hears the cry of the martyrs throughout the centuries. “How much longer Lord? “Is their cry! These souls are no doubt the consequence of all the war, famine, and multiple deaths for the sake of the gospel. The Lamb wants us to hear this cry. To “follow the lamb wherever he goes" (Revelation 14:4) will cost something. We need to see that living a life according to the gospel cost something. What price are you willing to pay for following the gospel? Note these verses : For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, both to Jew first and to Greek." "For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel as we grow in faith as it is written, “But the righteous shall have life and live by faith.” And the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold down the truth in their unrighteousness, (Romans 1:16-19)
"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they loved not their soul-life even unto death." (Revelation 12:11)
In Revelation 6:1-8 note the four living creatures one at a time one of them call John to see a horse and it’s rider released upon the earth. The four living creatures represent God’s creation and purpose. Up until the ascension of Christ I believe their job was to fly around the throne of God Worship and represent His earnest hearts desire and eternal purpose towards God’s creation which is to pour out his Life through His Son on the earth. With the arrival of the ascended Christ they now attend to the commands of the Lamb. With the first four seals they all as thunder shout “Come!” Is this an invitation to John or to the four horses? I believe more so an invitation to John which in turn is a loud invitation to us! What John sees we need to see. We need to see this horse race. We need to see it not just in the context of Revelation but we need to see that this is what is occurring on the earth today and will culminate with intensity during the tribulation. Come! Do you see God’s gospel as the most important news in the universe!? Have you seen and are you seeing these other 3 horses riding hard especially in these last days to stop the gospel!? May we have John’s revelation of this Horse Race. "And when He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, another horse, a red one, went forth; and to him who sits on it, to him authority was given to take peace from the earth, and that men should slay one another; and to him a great sword was given. And when He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he who sits on it had a balance in his hand. And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, A choenix of wheat for a denarius and three choenixes of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine. And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature, saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a pale horse, and he who sits upon it, his name is Death; and Hades followed with him. And authority was given to them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with the sword and with famine and with death and by the beasts of the earth." (Revelation 6:3-8)
Seeing the Rider on the white horse as the gospel messes up our Prophecy charts. I encourage you to hang with me and let the Bible speak as we look at some verses regarding the gospel : "Those therefore who were scattered went throughout the land announcing the word as the gospel." (Acts 8:4)
"Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel, that is, the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which has been kept in silence in the times of the ages" (Romans 16:25)
"And for me, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known in boldness the mystery of the gospel," (Ephesians 6:19)
"Now I want you to know, brothers, that the things concerning me have turned out rather to the advancement of the gospel," (Philippians 1:12)
"Only, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, that whether coming and seeing you or being absent, I may hear of the things concerning you, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving together along with the faith of the gospel," (Philippians 1:27)
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)
"And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel to announce to those dwelling on the earth, even to every nation and tribe and tongue and people," (Revelation 14:6)
"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying like the sound of thunder, Come. And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he who sits on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer." (Revelation 6:1-2) Just remember and consider The ascended Christ in chapter 5. Recall the scroll with seven seals and its contents: Not just wrath but God’s purpose and the dispensation of his life. And now in chapter 6 that Ascended Christ is opening these seals upon the earth. Amen. You can reach out to me at steve.jones@ccofqc.org. for any comments.
"And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." Colossians 1:18 There is practical application to our daily lives when we see this lamb with seven horns and seven eyes in revelation 5. Do you realize that he is the firstborn of many brethren? This means the ascended Christ standing here is the first human being to stand before the throne of God. He is bringing us in through his completed work. And now He is handed the scroll with seven seals and able to open it up which means he is able to head up all things in the universe through the church and certainly through your individual lives. As a matter of fact the way he heads up the universe is through you and me which is the heading up of the church and ultimately the heading up of the universe. This is the unfolding of the seven seals that he might have the preeminence in all things. "And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing as having just been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." (Revelation 5:6) "For here is the stone that I have set before Joshua — upon one stone are seven eyes. I will engrave its engraving, declares Jehovah of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day." (Zechariah 3:9)
Our traditional thought is to view the 7sealed book as primarily containing negative things. God‘s wrath being poured out on the earth. However, the benefit of enjoying the book of revelation with a view of seeing Jesus Christ revealed enables us to appreciate why He is absent in chapter 4. We can realize that the unveiling of this major portion of God‘s eternal purpose requires the appearing of an ascended Christ. The ascended Christ is the one who is worthy to take and open this book. The Christ who has conquered Satan and conquered sin is qualified to open the seals. I would encourage you that this seven sealed book is not just about Judgment but it’s contents also contain the steps taken to pour out his eternal purpose on the earth through Christ. Here are some verses referred to in this episode. "Immediately I was in spirit; and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne there was One sitting; And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone …" (Revelation 4:2-3) "And before the throne there was as it were a glassy sea like crystal; (Revelation 4:6). "And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, Come here; I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And he carried me away in spirit onto a great and high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, as clear as crystal." (Revelation 21:9-11) "And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street." (Revelation 22:1)
"For the anxious watching of the creation eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God." (Romans 8:19). This verse comes to mind when I read Revelation chapter 4. Literally all creation is up on tippy toes anticipating The fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose. This is the atmosphere of chapter 4. There is such excitement and electricity in anticipation of God pouring out his good pleasure upon the earth. No wonder John wept when no one could open the book in Gods right hand. God has such a plan! But who is worthy of opening the scroll to administrate his purpose on the earth.? To see and properly understand the “things that are to come “we need to comprehend the throne of God. Even in our own individual Lives what revelation we have when we know that God is on the throne. In these last days Oh what peace is ours to know He is administrating from his throne. This also shows us that God is very particular and purposeful in pouring out his eternal purpose and plan. And we will see next episode that there are not multiple ways of comprehending the eternal purpose of God but there is just one way and that way is Jesus.
"Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth." (Matthew 6:10) Revelation chapter 2 and 3 reveals to us the desire of Christ for the the kingdom of heaven and the will of God to be on display through the churches. Now, how does this happen? Revelation chapter 4 and 5 Shows the perfect kingdom of heaven with God on the throne with his eternal will sealed up in a book in his right hand. How does that wonderful scene get into the churches? Jesus! The lion of Judah! The lamb freshly slain! Ascends up into the throne room, And through his redemptive work is able to take the book with its 7 seals out of the hand of the Father. He is uniquely qualified because of his redemptive work to open the book and the will of God and the kingdom is able to be known on earth through the churches as it is in heaven. Hallelujah! Enjoy these verses in Ephesians to help see this glorious picture: "Making known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Himself," (Ephesians 1:9) "In order that now to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenlies the multifarious wisdom of God might be made known through the church," (Ephesians 3:10)
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20) Often I’ve heard this verse used to help unbelievers realize how the Lord wants to come into their heart as Savior. We may borrow this as an illustration for the gospel but we need to make sure we put it back where it belongs. The Jesus described in revelations chapter 1 is knocking on the door of the church. How inappropriate for him to be outside of the door. But we can see in these last days that the church has become so many things other than just the life of Jesus Christ enjoyed among the members. This church lacks revelation of Jesus Christ. It has many good works, much organization much even in the name of God. At the judgment seat of Christ many believers will say “but Lord…” in response to the declaration that He must spit this out of his mouth. In closing the chapters on these 7 churches I hope we realize how serious the Lord is about his church. My prayer is for you and me to consider that the Lord is walking amongst the churches even today, measuring, tasting, and looking for what is compatible with his life and for his purpose. May we consider that we will stand in judgment one day. So let us drop our ideas of what we want, or our opinion that He would never judge us in this way and really just see that the Lord is determined to accomplish his goal. We are under a time constraint, he is not. Let us redeem the time in these evil days and therefore may we hear what the spirit is saying to these churches.
"But the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother;" (Galatians 4:26) What an interesting verse. What this verse tells us is that as believers we are all born unto God to become that new Jerusalem which we will see in Revelation chapter 21. In this sense she is the mother of us all who know the Lord. It is the eternal desire of God for his people to become his dwelling place. The church of Philadelphia obviously had this light and were men and women who like King David were after Gods heart to see His dwelling place on the earth. “The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people," (1 Samuel 13:14,) And when he had removed him, (Saul) he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.' (Acts 13:22,)
“I know your works, that you have a name that you are living, and yet you are dead." (Revelation 3:1) evidently the church of Sardis had a reputation that was known in the city, it wasn’t that they were following false teachings, or that they loved the world, that they were idolatrous, or that they were losing their best love. They no doubt received the apostolic teachings and formed a church, and they were probably right in their teaching, but they were dead in their rightness. The Lord told them to complete what was started in them. (vs 2) and to "Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and keep it and repent." (Revelation 3:3). Come out of your “defiled” grave clothes and put on the white resurrection clothes of Christ. Enjoy Him as your life. This is the church. We have so many denominations and traditions and groups in these Last days. The church is just Christ, no other name, Just Jesus, no more and no less. Just stand on that ground. May He be our identification and our life that we enjoy.
A summary of Revelation chapter 2 and a preparation for chapter 3. We need to realize that those who rule and reign with Jesus in the Millennial age is connected to those who overcome during the church age. Not all believers will overcome and their millennial situation will involve significant reflection regarding their lack of enjoyment prior to the rapture of the Saints. Overcoming is related to our enjoyment of the Lord‘s life now. May we no longer be satisfied with anything less. To just continue living according to the world , according to our own selfish soul life, or according to our own ideas about the church is improper and needs to be dealt with that we might be ready when he comes. “Behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me to render to each one as his work is." (Revelation 22:12) "For the Son of Man is to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will repay each man according to his doings." (Matthew 16:27) "But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God," (Romans 14:10) "For we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body according to what he has practiced, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10)
This particular church indicates corruption and false worship In history it may represent the formation of the Catholic organization , but it has manifested in many other forms and most certainly describes the harlot, one world church in the book of Revelation. There are many religious “churches” that put an emphasis upon priest, cathedrals, temples, ordinances and practices that are not of God . Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. It has led countless astray. There are saints who have found Christ that find themselves under this apostate church. They are what Jesus calls “the rest in Thyatira” and they must come out from this kind of apostasy and be separate. Jesus speaks strongly against this outward form of worship and says "Behold, I cast her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her, into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works; And her children I will kill with death; and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the inward parts and the hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your works." (Revelation 2:22-23) They that worship the Lord “must worship him in spirit and in reality.” May the Lord give grace to those who in these last days have been caught in such a religious persuasion. To those who come out he promises to be the “ bright and morning star. “
The enemy uses the world to invade and attack the church, duh! We surely know that. But it is more dangerous to know this and not deal with it. Jesus say, "Repent therefore; but if not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war with them with the sword of My mouth." (Revelation 2:16) "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Absolutely not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute is one body? For He says, “The two shall be one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit." (1 Corinthians 6:15-17) In these Last days let us not join ourselves to anything but the Lord. This is the church of His choosing.
"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they loved not their soul-life even unto death." (Revelation 12:11) "Blessed is the man who endures trial, because when he has become approved by testing, he will receive the crown of life, which He promised to those who love Him." (James 1:12)
This church represents the first century church which is so desirable and precious however overtime they left their first or best love. Listen and see what it means to lose that best love for the Lord. Compare this with Paul’s words regarding the Ephesian church’s love for the Lord. "That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, May be full of strength to apprehend with all the saints what the breadth and length and height and depth are And to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19) “To him who overcomes, to him I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7)
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.“ (All the churches ) "For the heart of this people has become fat, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and their eyes they have closed, lest they perceive with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart, and they turn around, and I will heal them.”" (Matthew 13:15)
"…Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone; In whom all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; In whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit." (Ephesians 2:20-22). The goal of Christ is to build his church. In John chapter 14 we see that Christ is going to prepare a place for us so that we can participate and live in Gods house. Our natural view of John 14 1-3 is that Jesus is going to create a place in heaven with materials made with hands. But Gods abode is produced through the work of Christ going to the cross and bringing us into Himself in resurrection to produce this building. Christ has paved the way for us to become a dwelling place of God culminating in that eternal city coming down out of heaven at the end of revelation. This is God‘s eternal purpose and desire. So this is why we see the Christ in Revelations 1 walking among the churches In Revelations 2-3 urging them to overcome in this age that we might be transformed into the eternal dwelling place of God. Jesus, referring to his resurrection said to the disciples. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again (Resurrection)and will receive you to Myself, so that where I am you also may be." (John 14:3). And where is Jesus? “In that day (Resurrection) you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you." (John 14:20) So Saints we’re not just waiting on Jesus to complete some future mansion in the sky, His preparation was on the cross and in resurrection. And we can know assuredly that Jesus is in the Father and that we are Abiding in Jesus and He is in us. We are therefore the dwelling place of the Father. It behooves us to overcome anything that is not fitting for God‘s building and know practically that We can daily participate in the building of God’s house.!
"The mystery of the seven stars which you saw upon My right hand and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches." (Revelation 1:20) Lampstands are a testimony, a light for Gods House: In the Tabernacle, In the Temple In the Rebuilt Temple And then Christ the light of world And then the Church is the light in the world And so 7 lampstands significant as as a testimony on earth to His building Note the vision in Zechariah 4. “And he answered and spoke to me, saying, This is the word of Jehovah to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says Jehovah of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain, and he will bring forth the topstone with shouts of Grace, grace to it! Moreover the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it; and you will know that Jehovah of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice when they see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel; they are the eyes of Jehovah running to and fro on the whole earth. Then I answered and said to him, What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left? And I answered a second time and said to him, What are the two olive branches that are by the side of the two golden spouts, which empty the gold from themselves? And he spoke to me, saying, Do you not know what these are? And I said, No, sir. And he said, These are the two sons of oil, who stand by the Lord of the whole earth." (Zechariah 4:6-14)
Very important. Pay attention, for this description is the Christ that is in the midst of the churches. This is the Christ speaking to the churches in chapter 2&3. The same Lord here is walking amongst the churches today caring for us, encouraging us, warning us, exhorting us to Overcome this age and listen to what His Spirit is saying to churches. Especially in these Last Days in view of His coming.
"Behold, He comes with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the land will mourn over Him. Yes, amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, He who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty. I John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in spirit on the Lord’s Day and heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, Saying, What you see write in a scroll and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamos and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." (Revelation 1:7-11)
"Behold, He comes with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the land will mourn over Him. Yes, amen." (Revelation 1:7) I think this is the succinct summary goal of the book of revelation, every eye seeing Christ. Beholding him! We don’t have to wait until his second coming to see him, we can behold him today in our spirit because "the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
SEVEN? 7 years, 7 churches, 7 Spirits, 7 lamp stands, 7 Stars, 7 seals 7 trumpets, 7 Bowls of wrath, …. Why seven?
"The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to Him to show to His slaves the things that must quickly take place; and He made it known by signs, sending it by His angel to His slave John, Who testified the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, even all that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things written in it, for the time is near." (Revelation 1:1-3)
Introductory remarks on approaching the Book of revelation. We no doubt come into this book with preconceived notions. When it comes to studying this book it is a challenge to leave those things at the door. Our prayer should be Lord, we want to see you, we want to know you, as we read this revelation about you. Usurp the enemy and use this book to get us ready for your coming. Amen.
It’s so easy for most of us to talk to people, family, young, old, little kids, colleagues and even strangers for some of us. But we struggle to talk to God. Not only do we fail to talk to him alone, but I think what’s even worse is we can’t pray to him with in the church. Brothers and sisters prayer is one of the greatest ministries of the church. I don’t mean the encouraging of individual prayer, or a prayer chain nor a once every now and then prayer and share meeting. But regular corporate praying in the body has been neglected. What has happened to corporate prayer being an essential normal part of our gatherings? It is the means whereby we put on Christ, our armor, in the body! Eph. 6:18 By means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit and watching unto this in all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints, Eph. 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known in boldness the mystery of the gospel, Eph. 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I would speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mark 14:38)
Ephesians 6:13-17 The armor of God Is for the corporate body. Individually we may experience Christ and enjoy Christ but what’s it for? It’s for the building. It’s for the body. And more than that it fortifies the church as this corporate expression of Christ becomes the armor of God. This is what the enemy cannot stand against. If we stay divided, worldly, and continue to experience the church as merely a segment of our lives We become like the church of Sardis where Jesus said "'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. (Revelation 3:1-3 ESV)
Read Ephesians chapter 6 and note verse 14 down to verse 17 each piece of the armor. Each piece of the armor is Christ. He is our truth, our righteousness, our peace, our faith, Our salvation and He is the word of God! You can prove each one of these out as you search the scriptures. How easy it is to put on this armor once we realize we’re not facing the enemy alone but this armor is for the body of Christ, and this armor it’s just Christ himself
If you’re like me I’ve always thought the armor of God was for me as an individual Christian to put on. However this armor is for the new man, the body of Jesus Christ. If we’re going to do battle with the enemy in these last days we must see the church putting on this armor. You cannot stand against the enemy alone. It is the church that stands against this ancient foe who in these last days is intensifying his efforts to thwart God‘s eternal purpose, which is the manifestation of The building of God,the body of Christ on earth. 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV)
5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
Ephesians 6:5-10
Obedience is hard even for adults. It’s the main instruction for children. The Word “0bey” literally means to listen intently, to put your hands not just around your ears but around your heart and really strain to find out what your parents desire. May we realize that this isn’t just a law it is a matter of life. It is the greatest opportunity that a Christian has to share the gospel with another human being. Parents bringing their children to Jesus. Don’t Get frustrated with all of your attempts to get them to follow your instruction, instead look at them as another opportunity to tell them the significance of having Christ as their life. 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:1, ESV) 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our tutor until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. (Galatians 3:23, ESV)
Marriages since the beginning of time are all under the ordinance of God. Two shall become one flesh, Husbands as the head and wives following the leadership of husbands. Satan certainly opposes the ordinance of marriage and anything that God has created, especially in these last days we see chaos in the realm of what a marriage should be. But the Christian marriage goes beyond an ordinance. Christians can express the marriage relationship as outlined in Ephesians 5:18-33, Colossians 3:15-19, and I Peter 3:1-7. This is expressing through our marriage the very life of Christ in our homes. This revelation defeats the efforts of Satan to attack God’s purpose for married life.
In Ephesians 5:22 -33 we have these famous versus “Wives submit to your husbands As the church submits to Christ and husbands love your wives as Christ loves the church,”. We have all too often taken these verses out of context as good principles for married couples. I beg all husbands and wives to look at these verses in the context of the church that is filled in spirit. (Ephesians 5:18) See how our married life is to be an expression of the church life, and much more than this our marriageI is to be an expression of God’s eternal purpose. This is the great mystery that Paul talked about in verse 31 and 32. Take the time to listen, read this passage and consider these words. Lord, open our eyes to see that our daily life with our spouse is to be an expression of Christ and his body on the earth. And may we take this expression and enjoyment to all of our meetings for a glorious church life.
There is really only two realms on earth that we can be in as a Human. Just look around at everybody you see on any given day. They’re either According to the world or they’ve been called out of the world to be according to-the body of Christ. That’s the Ekklesia, the church. This is why the church needs to be realized not as a place a time or a building. The church is rather an alteration in our living. As Jesus said we may still be in the world but we are not of the world this is because we’ve been called out of the world. Not just on Sunday or Wednesday but every day and everywhere. This is the Ekklesia!
What would it look like if you walked into a Church meeting where all the saints are filled in spirit? You might wonder “ who’s in charge here?” or “what’s gotten into these people?” Or “What or who is influencing them…?” We can be so blinded by our traditional view of worship that a spirit filled meeting where Christ is the head challenges our reasoning. There has to be a logical explanation as to why they’re acting this way. In these verses Paul describes a body of believers filled in spirit and enjoying His life together. Ephesians 5:18-21. 18 And be not drunk with wine, in which is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 giving thanks at all times for all things to him who is God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.
Comprehending the Will of God is Paul’s hope for the Ephesians and for your local fellowship. This is how we walk wisely in these last days and Redeem the time. Ephesians 5:15 See therefore how ye walk carefully, not as unwise but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 For this reason be not foolish, but understanding what is the will of the Lord.
We’ve all heard the big three Faith Family Freedom! This has been our American Christian concept. Our understanding of the church in the Christian life has been divided leaving us frustrated. All of our living as believers should be for life in the church. This is where the nature of God is expressed: in the body of Jesus Christ, in the new man. Do you realize everything in your life is for the building up of the body of Jesus Christ. The way you handle your spouse this week is for the church life, the way you handle your children it’s for the church life. The way you respond to your parents is for the church life, the way you react to your boss is for the church life, the way you treat your employees is for the church life. Everything is for his life being expressed through his body, the church. Everything that comes your way is for this! This is where the world sees God, His love and His light. Read Ephesians 5 and 6.
This little phrase is tucked away between putting off the old man and putting on the new man, “being renewed in the spirit of your mind!” We need to know what this means. Paul told the Corinthians to take captive of every thought lest Our opinions become a stronghold of reasoning impairing not only our own lives but hindering a way for us to go on as the body of Christ. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (2 Corinthians 10:4, ESV)
This new man is the body of Jesus Christ which in eternity becomes God’s dear expression of His Son and his eternal abode. Read Ephesians 4:17-32 and see all the intricate details of how God is working with each one of us to prepare us as this new man. Take everything you face as an opportunity to gain Christ for the body, for the new man. Colossians 3:20-11 “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”
Ephesians 2:15-16 “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; …for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross”
We often ask if we are ready For his coming in an individualistic way. But are we ready corporately. Is there an expression of Christ in your fellowship.? Is there a lampstand burning? There should be.
Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Revelation 2:4 but I have against thee, that thou hast left thy first love. Ephesians 4: 12 for the perfecting of the saints; with a view to the work of the ministry, with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ; 13 until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at the full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ; 14 in order that we may be no longer babes, tossed and carried about by every wind of that teaching which is in the sleight of men, in unprincipled cunning with a view to systematized error; 15 but, holding the truth in love, we may grow up to him in all things, who is the head, the Christ: 16 from whom the whole body, fitted together, and connected by every joint of supply, according to the working in its measure of each one part, works for itself the increase of the body to its self-building up in love.
Are we the church of Last days?We should be. Paul gives us not a pattern or principles to follow in the book of Ephesians. He’s simply telling us what Christ looks like flowing through the members. The grace of God has landed in all the members. That Grace flows, with the lubricant of Christs love, to all the other members as a gift of grace supplying the body of Christ to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ Ephesians 4:7-12 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." 9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ
7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (Ephesians 4:7, ESV)
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, (Titus 2:11, ESV)
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'") 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:14, ESV) Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, (Romans 5:20, ESV)
You were dead in your trespasses and sins…walked by world , prince nature children of wrath but by grace …For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (Ephesians 2:8, ESV)
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. (Revelation 22:21, ESV)
The church in last days should be very conspicuous. This is due to the fact that God beckons the church to walk worthy of His calling. And this mean that the church would certainly appear out of place in contrast to this world. Ephesians 4:1 I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you therefore to walk worthy of the calling wherewith ye have been called, 2 with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love; 3 using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, as ye have been also called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all.
Please open up to Ephesians chapter 3. Start at verse 4 and read along to fully enjoy this word…….. key verses 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith-that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)
The mystery of his will is revealed here in Ephesians 1:9-10 “having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself 10 for the administration of the fulness of times; to head up all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth; in him,”. But it’s not just something we read and know. We experience it in eternity future, and we need to experience it in the church today. In Colossians 2:19 Paul warned the churches that their religiosity stood in a dark contrast to not Holding the Head from which the church receives nourishment and unity. To not hold the head Paul says is to allow ourselves to be cheated! May this not be true of our Fellowship here in these last days.
1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles- 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, (Ephesians 3:1-4)
Romans 16:25 (KJV) Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
1 Corinthians 2:7-14 (KJV) 6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"- 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
Colossians 1:26 (KJV) [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Colossians 2:2 (KJV) That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Merry Christmas! Luke2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
We are in the dispensation of the fullness of times. The kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ is upon us. Dispensation can mean stewardship, administration, governing, and economy. This word implies that God is in charge and over all things and he is dispensing his life to his church in these last days through Christ the Head of the Body. And ours is just to cooperate with this administration or dispensation.
Lions and tigers and bears oh my! I think that describes us sometimes when we read things in scripture that are challenging. Mysteries, dispensations, fullnesses of times! Oh my! Paul, you are so deep sometimes. Thank God for Paul because the Lord is using him to bring to light what is on the heart of God from eternity past. And Paul’s plea is that we need to have vision for what is on gods heart. So for the next few podcast I’d like to use this passage in Ephesians as a springboard to define some terms and help us see the excitement Paul has for the Church Ephesians chapter 1:9-10 “ Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him”
What is governing you in these last days? We are no different than all the saints: i.e. Noah (controlled by vision of Ark), Abraham (governed by Gods vision of the land) Moses (by vision of tabernacle, back to promise land), David (…restrained by vision Gods house) ,even Jesus (governed by the Father’s good pleasure) Apostles (controlled by vision of Christ and the church ), etc They all we’re controlled by revelation received by God. That’s vision! “When we have vision …the scales are taken off our eyes to see directly into God's heart the way Paul saw, the way John saw, and the way Peter saw. The apostles lived under a heavenly vision. They had revelation. They had the full knowledge of God. Their ministry brought enlightenment to people…In these last days “Why are so many believers distracted? They attend church meetings on Sunday, but practically speaking there is not much reality in their daily life. Why? No vision. No revelation. No ministry from Paul's, Peter's, or John's revelation. Brothers and sisters, we need to be in the identical revelation of the apostles. We need to see what they saw. We do not create something new. Rather, in our spirit we see the same things they saw. This is revelation.” (Quote from the Supplied Life, B.Freeman) Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision the people cast off restraint” Acts 26:12-19 12 "In this connection I journeyed to Damascus … 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' 15 And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles-to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' 19 "Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision”
The church in your community should be a testimony of the Oneness of God. We do not create oneness, we don’t come up with a statement to agree to disagree, and we don’t conference together to find it! It’s already in you! It’s in all the church members. It’s in your wife. It’s in your husband. It’s in all those that know the Lord. This is our hope and the basis for unity among the saints. Psalms 133:1 How pleasant and good it is for the brothers to dwell together in unity. Ephesians 4:3 Be eager using all diligence to KEEP the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace. -John 17:21 That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." Ephesians 4:13 “until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at the full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ” Are you recognizing this unity in your relationships with saints? Just realize the oneness that you need has already been installed in your spirit upon salvation. His Oneness is in you. Just say amen to it. When you recognize the lack of oneness, be diligent! Be eager! And jump into Their Oneness. Just say “Lord I’m one with this person as you are one with this person. Help us to live in Your oneness” For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." (Matthew 18:20.) Amen!
Living Stones 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation- 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:2, ESV)
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw- (1 Corinthians 3:11, ESV) 9"Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 …he showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. (Revelation 21 ESV)
For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc.org
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2 Timothy 3:1). From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." 23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." (Matthew 16:21-26)
Read these verses and follow along.: Matthew 16:13-18 13 “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 ¶ And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 ¶ He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 ¶ And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 ¶ And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc. org Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
The Lord has a purpose, He has a good pleasure and it culminates in His church. The church is Christ. His Body. His hearts desire. 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12, ESV). 10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you,… 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ." (1Corinthians 1:10, ESV) 20 "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:20, ESV)
An example of how the Lord desires to take us on even in the little things that we might be conformed to the image of his Son. How is your experience in the “all things” of your life? Can you share any examples? To share your experience or For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc.org
Are you according to God‘s purpose? Did you know that God is governed, controlled by his own good pleasure? Throughout history it is his good pleasure that has got us into these last days. And here we are able to join in with him day by day. Be challenged by his Example! (Actually a six minute challenge rather than five , I tried :-) )
Do you love God enough? Are you called? Yes! You are if you have the Son. Listen to hear More about this purpose of God for you. Romans 8:28b-29 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc. org Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
Romans 8:28 says “we know that all things work together for good”. What is the good? Compare this to Ephesians chapter 1:4-5. The good is the good pleasure of God determined before the foundation of the world. In Genesis chapter 1 during creation, at the end of each day God said “and it was good”. Yet according to these verses in Ephesians his first declaration of good was before creation. The triune God determined to place us in the Son. That’s why each day of creation is good because creation is predicated on the eternal good pleasure of God before the foundation of the world. And to think that we can have daily participation in that is amazing!
Romans 8:28 and 29 reveals the basic ingredients to God’s eternal purpose for your life. We may know these verses but do we see them? This was Paul’s burden for the church, “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery”, (Ephesians 3:9)and that “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling” (Ephesians 1:18 )Here the purpose of God branches out into the church but Romans 8:28 and 29 are at the root of this purpose. For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc.org Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
Understanding these two trees in the garden of Eden will set us up to comprehend God‘s eternal purpose for our lives. The tree of discerning good and evil is just another source of life. It’s the default source of living that we are subject to unless we know the Good Shepherd I Peter 2:25 says “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” Listen to this word about how Jesus shepherds our souls and gives us purpose for living. John 10:11 I am come that they might have life, (Zoe)and might have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life (pseuke) for the sheep:
John 12:25 He that loves his life (pseuke)shall lose it, and he that hates his life (pseuke ) in this world shall keep it to life (Zoe) eternal.
Jhn 15:13 No one has greater love than this, that one should lay down his life (pseuke ) for his friends.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the wordof their testimony; and they lovednot their soul life unto the death.
Listen to this song…Song on Living by the Tree of life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seaFedUt_gk There are Three words for life in Scriptures: -Bios (physical or external life) -Pseuke (soul or natural life comprised of your mind, will, and emotions) -Zoe (Gods life displayed on the earth by Jesus Christ Who became the life-giving spirit. This is the innermost Abundant life) Did you know the tree of life is at the beginning of Bible and at the end of the Bible? It is God’s intention that we live by and enjoy this tree of life (Zoe) rather than the other source, our soul life (pseuke) Examples of the word life in scripture. Matt 6:25 Take no thought for your life (bios)what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on… (33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; II Tim 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; (bios) Luke 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, (bios) John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life(Zoe). John 10:10-11. I am come that you might have life (Zoe), and that you might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life (pseuke) for the sheep: John 12:25 He that loves his life (pseuke)shall lose it, and he that hates his life(pseuke )in this world shall keep it to life (Zoe)eternal. For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc. org Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
That is certainly the question of the day. What is truth?That’s what Pilate said to Jesus before he released him to the mob to be crucified. What is truth? Jesus didn’t answer. Pilate was asking philosophically and rhetorically as if to say “what do You have to offer the people in this day of chaos and pandemonium? If he only knew, truth is not a teaching but truth is a Person. The Person standing right in front of him was the embodiment of truth.. -John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. -John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. -John 1:28 No one has seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is (continuously pressing)into the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. -I John 1:1-3 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. -Eph 4:20-21 But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus." -John 4:24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. -John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc. org Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
The Bible does not say much about Enoch but Scripture uses him to explain how that it is impossible to please God unless we have faith. Judgment, the flood, was coming. Enoch was Raptured. May that be our experience And may we have faith in these last days. Hebrews 11. . 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Genesis 5 22 Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
Your love for the Lord is evidenced by your time spent with the Lord especially in his word. Loving the Lord by spending time with him in his word is crucial In demonstrating to our children the reality of the Christian life. Read these verses in Deuteronomy: Deuteronomy 6: 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 11:18 “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 20 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc. org Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
Not are you studying the word of God, not are you reading the word of God, not are you are having devotions, but are you spending time with Jesus when you are in the word. This is the way we feed up on the word of God when we pray and read the word with him in our spirit..John 6;63 The words which I have spoken unto you are spirit and are life. Jeremiah 15:6 Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy words were unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; Revelation 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door and am knocking; if any one hear my voice and open the door, I will come in unto him and sup with him, and he with me. Psalm 34:8 (KJV) O taste and see that the LORD [is] good: blessed [is] the man [that] trusteth in him. Matthew 4:4 (KJV) But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Are you excited about these last days?At the end of revelation there is mutual excitement on the part of the Spirit and the bride. This excitement can stir up the world around us and cause unbelievers who see this excitement to turn to Christ for hope. Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come; he that will, let him take the water of life freely. Matthew 4:19 and he says to them, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all ye who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Mark 10:14 Suffer the little children to come to me; forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. John 5:40 and ye will not come to me that ye might have life. John 6:37 All that the Father gives me shall come to me, and him that comes to me I will not at all cast out. John 7:37 In the last, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no one can come to me unless it be given to him from the Father. Revelation 22:20 He that testifies these things says, Yea, I come quickly. Amen; come, Lord Jesus. For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc. org Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
How is your time in the word of God? Did you know that what you read this morning freshly came out of the mouth of God? Spending time with the Lord In his word is your refuge from your self and from all the turmoil going on in these last days. We desperately need to learn how to enjoy the word of God ***Remember the Christian life is not a life that you live, it has already been lived out! Christ lived the Christian life, he IS the Christian life, And this life is supplied to you daily from within your spirit!
Matthew 4:4 and Deuteronomy 8:3 it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God. Hebrews 4:12 The word of God is alive and powerful and sharper than a two edged sword… John 6:31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc. org Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
The most natural way to spend time with God is through prayer. May our prayers be more than simply learned behaviors and phrases but Simply praying in the realm of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a realm, just like our flesh is another realm. What’s in the realm of the Spirit in our spirit ? His love is there! This means his intentions toward us are there, his thoughts about us are there and our real identity in Christ and standing before the Father is there in the Spirit. Let us pray in the Holy Spirit! “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 20-21. “when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily (Amen) I say unto you, …when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret…” Matthew 6:5-6
If we’re not spending time with the Lord, We are probably not enjoying the unconditional love of God. Read: Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God…and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Mark 14:36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things [are] possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Praise the Lord this love life is in us. May we spend time with him more and more and may his love life flow in and out of us. For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc. org Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
The world certainly wants to get ahold of your children. May the Lord reveal to us in these last days how to Bring our kids to Him that He might lay hold of them instead! “And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.” (Mark 10:13-16)
Redeeming the time because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:16. What’s the first thing you turn to in the morning? What’s the last thing you turn to before you go to sleep? All too often we are turning to something other than the Lord himself. Consider these verses: Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed" (Mark 1:35); "So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed" (Luke 5:16); "Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12); "Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on a mountain by Himself to pray. And when evening had come, He was alone there" (Matt. 14:22-23); "And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, Who do the crowds say that I am?" (Luke 9:18); "And it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening" (Luke 9:28-29); "And it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples" (Luke 11:1); "And coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. . . . And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed" (Luke 22:39, 41).
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc.org Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
Mary chose the very best and most needful thing that one could possibly do if Jesus was in their home. Is Jesus in your home? Yes he’s in your spirit now! Don’t let today’s activities wrap you up like Martha. Learn to sit at Jesus’ feet. Luke 10:38-42 “And it came to pass as they went that he entered into a certain village; and a certain woman, Martha by name, received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also, having sat down at the feet of Jesus was listening to his word. Now Martha was distracted with much serving, and coming up she said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Speak to her therefore that she may help me. But Jesus answering said to her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; but there is need of one, and Mary has chosen the good part, the which shall not be taken from her.” For help in this Christian life: Email steve.jones@ccofqc.org Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
Is Jesus real? Can we actually interact with him 24/7 for anything and everything? Of course! In these last days It behooves us to help our children find Jesus more and more. Teach them to call on His name of the Lord. Jeremiah 33:3 call upon me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things that you do not know. For help on finding Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc. Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
How do you practically draw water from this living river inside of you? One of the simplest ways I know is to call on his name. Colossians 2:6 says As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, (when you first called on Him) so continue to walk in him.” Romans 10:13 says Whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Verse 12 also says the same Lord is rich to all who call upon his name. Isaiah 12:3 says “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the LORD [is] a strong tower: the righteous run into it, and is safe.” Practically learn to draw from this water by calling on the name of the Lord in your daily life! For help on finding this Christ contact me: Email steve.jones@ccofqc. Telegram https://t.me/gstevenjones Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
John 4:24 “God is Spirit , and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” This is a pivotal verse in God’s plan. It’s important to know who Jesus spoke it to, what “worship”means, discover where we worship Him, and find out what it means to do it in spirit and in truth. Don’t pass up this challenging episode. Psalm 2:12. “Kiss the Son lest He be angry…”
As a Christian there is a river flowing from your innermost being. We need to know what this river is and how to access this water. Read John 7:37 “In the last, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. 38 He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 But this he said concerning the Spirit, which they that believed on him were about to receive; for the Spirit was not yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.”
In heaven! In my heart! Good answers, but we know God has created a special place in us for His Son to live. Zechariah 12:1 I Corinthians 15:45 Listen to what my grandson had to say about this. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
The Christian life is a supplied life. Christ’s Spirit comes into your human spirit when you are born again and desires to supply His life 24/7. Spreading out in our soul (mind, will, emotions) What a treasure we have in us. Knowing Christ in our spirit unveils Gods purpose for our lives. Verses: Psalm 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Zach. 12:1 …Lord formed the spirit of man within him. Genesis 2:7 God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. I Corinthians 15:45 the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving spirit. John 20:22 Jesus first appears to disciples after resurrection saying Peace be still…Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Romans 8:9 Remember those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all. Matthew 28:20 Lo! (Look at me , this Christ you see ascending) I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Contact me for help on finding Christ steve.jones@ccofqc.org telegram@gstevenjones https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000457181803
Jesus Christ is the Christian Life! There is no Christian Life apart from Him. In fact He is the only one who has ever lived it. We cannot live it, but He has deposited this life into us that we might live His life. To enjoy this Christian Life we need to understand how this Christ has come to get inside of us: Verses: I Thessalonians 5:17, I pray God your whole spirit soul and body be preserved blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:12, The word of God is alive… like a two edged sword dividing between soul and spirit. Zachariah 12:1, God stretched forth the heavens, laid the foundations of the earth, and put a spirit in man. I Corinthians 15:45, the last Adam, Christ, became a life-giving spirit. 1 John 5:12 He that has the Son has (the) life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God has not (the) life. steve.jones@ccofqc.org. Please contact me for more help and information on how to know this Christ.
All of us have missed His mark and fall short of God’s glory, (Romans 3:23) Thankfully Jesus was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, (John 1:14) and now Christ getting in us is our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27) So that when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then we shall also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4) steve.jones@ccofqc.org
The word “Christian” is poorly defined by the world. 2.4 Billion claim this title. It Is loosely explained as those who follow the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and is categorized as a popular religion. In these last days it is Imperative to have a clearer and more personal understanding of what it means to be a Christian.
Are you seeing what’s going on in the world? Unprecedented mind boggling events and changes are occurring globally. It makes even the skeptics scratch their head and ask, “Are we in the last days?” That question has been presented to Me on numerous occasions. As a Christian let me encourage you to use these things that are occurring today as a catalyst to wake us up as believers, and as an opportunity to further spread the good news of Jesus Christ.