UCG Raleigh: Recent Episodes
Craig Scott
In this message we’ll explore God’s guidance on how attitude, character, and ethics drive governance. We’ll review governing systems at work among the people of God... from the earliest times right up to [but not including] the inauguration of the Church at that first Pentecost.
Pentecost is not a picture of the final victory over sin and death which we will experience upon resurrection.Pentecost is a picture of the beginning of the long march to victory that is promised to us. We know that promise is good, it will come to pass, because the power of God's holy spirit has been given to us. Victory will be ours because He is in us and we are in Him. We have been placed within His Church, a body filled it with His holy spirit... so we may grow in grace, and knowledge, and love.
There is raw energy and power, that energy is organized [information], expression of God’s personal will. This is the power of the universe… this is the holy spirit which God wants to put in you.
…or did only His body die? Was Jesus… actually alive during the three days and three nights His body was in the tomb?
The worthiness of Jesus Christ is the solution He provides for sin... which is more than better laws more better enforced. It is a matter of heart. To be part of the solution you must have this change of heart.
Psalm 32... this is a song about the relief and joy a person feels flowing through them when they face up to their sins, confess them to YHWH, and are forgiven. Because of the benefits of these positive thoughts and emotions... the song implies "why wait"... yet it also says "don't delay".
Today, we expect and anticipate an answer to every limitation or problem to come through technology. Our idolatrous faith in technology even extends into the realm of life after death.
What human scientists have started to conceptualize God has been talking about from the beginning. God says: I can do this. I proved it through the resurrection of my son Jesus (witnessed and explained in my bible).
The consecration and redemption of the first born through the payment of a ransom price is built into the memorial meaning of the biblical festival of unleavened bread. It is something we are to remember and teach to others as one of the many lessons of the festival of unleavened bread.
Request a free copy of - God's Holy Day Plan https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-study-aids/gods-holy-day-plan-the-promise-of-hope-for-all-mankind
The Church of God’s understanding of the spiritual lessons built into the festival of unleavened bread are built upon the words of Jesus Christ and the apostles.
So let us keep the festival… the the spirit of the new covenant. Putting out the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness and eating instead the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
The time has come for Moses to return to Egypt. God intended for Moses to have face to face interaction with Pharaoh. What’s really going on is that through Moses God would have His demand delivered directly to the man at the top. But God warned Moses that Pharaoh would refuse to listen. Jesus gave us the same warning, “if they reject me, they will reject you", "you will be persecuted for teaching what I tell you".
Exodus is part of an unfolding story. It's a continuation of the Genesis account of Abraham's family. But their history is also your history.
Jonah’s story challenges assumptions. Assumptions about what it means to be “chosen”… not a free ticket but a responsibility. Assumptions about the power of human freedom within the framework of prophecy and the will of God.
The account we have of Jonah sticks out as very unique within the 12 minor prophets. Putting Jonah among the 12 minor prophets asks us to consider it in relation to those books and their message. The story of Jonah questions overly simplistic ideas some people, may have about prophecy. Placement among the 12 minor prophets offers a thoughtful antidote to false assumptions held by people in 500 B.C. … the 1st century A.D. … even 2024 A.D.
l Particularism - the idea that God only cares about the people of Israel [in our day we might apply it to the Church of God].
l Determinism/Fatalism - the idea that outcomes cannot change. Which can lead to pessimism and apathy about the future.
Jonah 1:1 this verse allows us to find Jonah in 1 Kings 14:23-25. He came from a town in northern Israel on the south coast of the sea of Galilee near Nazareth. He appears to be a part of the company of prophets surrounding the king of the norther tribes… Jeroboam II. The time frame would be 780 BC.... about 50 years before northern Israel would fall to the Assyrians.
Why was Jonah giving Jeroboam II prophecies of victories at the same time Amos and Hosea were dishing out such hard criticism?
Why Proper Teaching About the Holy Spirit Matters
Teaching the holy spirit is a third person in a trinity causes confusion. What the bible actually reveals is a better, and more functional, explanation about how God is at work within you… of how you can and will be at one with God… how you can become like Him in mind and character… and how you can enter into the universe ruling God family.
The trinity teaching makes God more remote, self contained, and strange than actual scriptural teaching. The scriptural way in which God presents Himself is as a family. A family which achieves oneness through a unity of mind, will and purpose. A family that you can be part of… but if you do want to be part of it you have to change the way you think and behave.
You can join a family… you cannot join a trinity.
The roles of Father and Son clearly present God as a family. The inclusion of a holy spirit a third divine person doesn't fit... what is it? An eccentric uncle? A cousin? No, the holy spirit is not presented as part of any recognizable family member.
The family pattern also portrays the importance of authority and submission as the means whereby peace and harmony will be achieved (now and in eternity). The Father and the Son are easily understandable pictures of authority and submission balanced with love and respect
Including the Holy Spirit as a third person gets us off track. Not only does it not have a clear place in any family pattern... it does not fit any recognizable pattern of authority or submission.
Knowing & Understanding God
Jeremiah 9:23-24 God wants us to know and understand Him... and He wants us to then pattern our lives after what we know. Because that is how we will get joy and pleasure from the gift of eternal life.
We know and understand Him through 1) what He does (hesed, exercises kindness, grace, mercy) and 2) what He says (guidelines for justice and righteousness).
What He Does: the record of Israel's history... is there to show YHWH in action… ready to bless with every good thing, but also ready to judge righteousness and justice, but with mercy. The Psalms & Prophets could be seen as reflections on what we come to know about God through His actions.
What He Says: God has given us a foundation of laws, statutes, and behavioral case studies. These are God's ideals for human interaction.
Then… God revealed Himself to us even more powerfully through the life and ministry of Jesus. God became a human being so that we might know God better (and visa versa).
The Trinity
However, most professing Christians (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox) insist that God must be understood in a very different manner... the trinity.
We proclaim the coming kingdom of God... like Jesus did, like the apostles did… and the early Church did. We know the rule of God on earth does not come about by human efforts or pretensions of progress... the rule of God on earth begins with the return of Christ preceded by clear signs and events foretold by Jesus and the prophets. Like the disciples we ask and wonder... when will it come?
Joel uses a contemporary plague of locusts to issue a general call to repentance in light of the coming Day of the Lord.
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the trumpet calls the believers to the sacred assembly. To consider the terrifying things they have heard and seen... to repent and seek deliverance. Those who minister before God have a special task... to lead the entire community in a prayer of repentance, to seek forgiveness, to confess the many ways they had failed in their commission to live as examples of God's way for others. And God will hear!
Photos by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
This is the longest and most detailed of the visions given to Daniel. It adds detail to previous visions but without the symbolism or riddle. The focus of the vision is the person who will rise up at the end time... a.k.a. the man of lawlessness, the anti-Christ, the beast.
The coming of this person is one of the key pieces of information Jesus gave His followers in answer to their question "what will be the sign of your return?" ... the one who invades Jerusalem and sets up the abomination of desolation.
Here is a link to the handout used in the message - https://www.ucg.org/system/storage/serve/1524411/daniel\_11\_verse\_details.pdf
- The sins covered in this message are:Wickedness G4184 - poneria 7xMaliciousness G2549 - kakios 11xMalignity G2550 kakoethia - 1xMurder G5408 phonos - 10xProud G5244 huperephanos 5xBoaster G213 alazon 2xHatred G2189 echthra 6xWrath G2372 thumos 18xAnger G3709 orge 36xWithout Natural Affection G794 astorgos 2xImplacable G786 aspondos 2xUnmerciful G415 aneleemon 1x
Holiness can be undermined by bitterness… leading to defilement… leading us to becoming godless and profane. Along the way I’m going to add definition to:
- Holiness - set apart for a God given purpose
- Bitterness - focusing on the negative
- Defilement - caused by disobedience
- Profane - unable to see, unwilling to acknowledge God’s purpose
The path from holy to profane, is a path from life with purpose to a life with no purpose.
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Sexual SinsWhen I first introduced the sin lists of Paul I pointed out to you that sexual sin seemed to be at the top of most of the lists. If order is a form of ranking then overcoming sexual sin is a priority issue.
Regulating our sexual behavior according to biblical lines is challenging. Desire and promiscuity seem to be written into our genetic code... acknowledging that raises hard questions:
if we are designed that way isn't placing limits and establishing boundaries going against nature? Wouldn’t it be more natural to simply let human sexuality operate without interference? Why would an all-knowing creator design us one way and then expect us to over-ride some of the basic programming on a regular basis?
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The 70 weeks prophecy is the essential prophecy of the bible: ◾ It ties into Persian history with the proclamation which allows us to figure out the start of the countdown ◾ It provides numbers that allow us to predict when events would happen ◾ These numbers correspond to the time of the crucifixion which then mesh with the 3 days and 3 nights, the holy day sequence, and the lunar solar calendar ◾ It provides a quick summary of God’s goals for both Israel and the Church
All these details of the 70 weeks prophecy validate our trust in the bible as God's word.
Get a FREE copy of our eBook "What Really Happens After Death?" Full details are at this link: http://eepurl.com/ddB0yb
On all these sins of the tongue I hope that looking into the meaning helps you identify and avoid “sins of the tongue”. They are...
Deceit Whispering Backbiting Reproach Reviling Clamor Hater of God Evil Speaking Filthy talk Foolish talk Jesting
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Intro Paul’s Sin ListsDigital media company Buzzfeed made a billion dollar business out of click-bait headlines like “10 things you must do now if you want to…” or “7 Reasons You Shouldn’t…”. People love lists! You’ll even find lists in the bible [ex. the Women’s discussion group is going over the “7 things God hates”].
The apostle Paul is known for providing interesting lists of spiritual virtues and vices commonly known as “the sin lists”. There are 8 of them. Your bible contains other such lists but I’m limiting myself to these 8.
I have compiled the 40+ sins or vices on these lists and categorized them in 5 basic groups: Sexual, Bad Temper, Greed, Quarreling, Speech. Each list contains vices from multiple categories. Sometimes, the way Paul groups and orders them shows a cause and effect relationship [this, leads to this].
SPS: today, I would like to address the sins and vices from Paul’s lists by category. Limiting myself to the category of quarreling: strife, self-ambition, sedition, heresy, conceits, and tumults. Note: I will be spending more time on words mentioned multiple time in the bible than I will on words only mentioned once.
The multiple and different word in the category reveal different facets of this problematic behavior. Such as; what do we tend to quarrel about, what motivates quarreling, what are the outcomes of quarreling, and how do we confront it. So, let’s begin:
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The biblical holy days are presented to us as 3 seasons of harvest, two grain harvests in spring and early summer, then a produce harvest in the fall. The first festival season is Passover and Unleavened Bread, the second is the Feast of Weeks, the final is the Festival of Tabernacles.
The United Church of God teaches that the second grain harvest… the harvest of wheat which happens at the same time as the festival of Pentecost … is a picture of the great spiritual harvest taking place NOW. The sowing and reaping of this harvest is the current work of the Church, placed upon us by the Father and Jesus Christ.
The 7 holy days give us God's timeline for bringing humanity into eternity… a timeline that spans thousands of years... At this present moment we are in the phase of the great spiritual harvest, the harvest of the first-fruits. So let's go through what the bible has to say about the great spiritual harvest pictured by the Feast of Pentecost.
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Christ as Head of the 7 Churches of Revelation
Revelation chapters 2 & 3 contain messages written for and sent to the 7 Churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
l Each receives its own short, personalized message from the head of the Church, the resurrected Jesus Christ.
l Each message follows a pattern of noting their accomplishments, their faults or shortcomings, their trials, and they are reminded of the glorious outcome for those who overcome and persevere.
l At the start of each message He mentions one or two things about Himself which relate to His role as head of the Church. This serves to remind them that what the messenger brings to them is actually from Him
Most of these attributes of Christ are mentioned in Revelation 1:10-20. These verses serve as an introduction to the letters written to the churches and in certain cases adds some insight to what the symbols mean.
SPS: Let’s look into these attributes of the risen Christ and consider how they relate to His present role as the living head of the Church… actively working within His Church!
Leaving Sin
Just as Israel was commanded by God to march boldly out of Egypt… you have been told [and are being reminded today] to come out of sin. Sin is violations of God holy perfect commandments… but beyond actions and trespasses, sin is also a way of thinking and acting that has no positive future.
It has no future because through sin you have become separated from God… and separated from the tree of life… cut off from the potential of entering eternal existence. So, you need to get back into a right relation to God… but that means you have to leave some things behind.
Mark 16:9-11 as a human being… Mary Magdalene was nobody special really. What made her special is Jesus’ appearance to her... Likewise, you are nothing special, [not a gathering of the beautiful, the rich, the elite] what makes you important, significant, noteworthy is that you have been brought into the body of the resurrected and living Christ.
Jesus’ Baptism Matthew 3:13-17
1. Jesus came to John to be baptized even though He had no sins to be forgiven and washed clean from.
2. When John questioned Him about submitting to baptism Jesus said that it was necessary to establish an example “let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness”.
3. This was a full immersion baptism, Jesus “ came up out of the water”
4. Jesus received the holy spirit [represented by a descending dove].
In this way Jesus teaches us that baptism is an act we should do to fulfill all righteousness. It was not a fulfillment of any old covenant requirement. Baptism was something new… [its actually a new covenant replacement of circumcision]… and baptism is expected for all believers and followers of Christ.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2023/04/discerning-body-of-christ.html
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-sin-we-must-remove-from-our-lives.html
Sin is an action of a sort that is likely to be strongly condemned.
Outside the bible, the specific behaviors we condemn are constantly changing. What was unacceptable 50 years ago could today be considered morally neutral... or even migrate from the category of sin to the category of virtue. So... outside of the "biblical context" sin is what we say it is. The spirit of political correctness in not new.
God’s word is where we must look for a definition of right and wrong that is not subject to the shifting sands of human opinion.
Did Jesus Death By Crucifixion Really Happen?
Since the very beginning there has been opposition to God's truth and His church. Some opponents even make the bold claim that Jesus death by crucifixion never happened.
God put the first Passover in place among the people of Israel just days before they would gather up all their stuff leave behind the slavery they had known in Egypt. Egypt did not want to let them go… God fought the Egyptians for the freedom of His people. He did this through a series of devastating plagues attacking everything the Egyptians held sacred. The last of these plagues was the death of every precious firstborn in the land. This final blow took place on the night of the Passover.
The 3.5 year period Jesus spent preaching and teaching was filled with amazing activity. He healed the sick, raised the dead, quieted the storm, cast out demons, and proclaimed the coming kingdom of God... Yet, out of the tens of thousands He reached, He was misunderstood and rejected by almost everyone. Only 120 people were there when the Church of God began with the receipt of the holy spirit.
Some of that misunderstanding was cleared up by the NT writings of the apostles… some remains with us today… and some new ones have developed along the way: The wise sage… the fighter for social justice… the welcoming and accepting friend.
Our purpose today is to review the biblical statements about Jesus mission and purpose as Messiah.
The Rebellion That Causes Desolation
Daniel 8:1 Most bible reading people agree that Daniel chapter 8 is a vision providing greater detail concerning the Greek empire that will follow Persia in the succession of gentile kingdoms. So it expands upon Neb's dream of the metal statue [focusing on the transition from the arms and chest of silver to the belly and thighs of brass... and Daniel's own vision of the 4 savage beasts where the bear gives way to the leopard.
The details provided concerning the Greek empire line up with the records of history. They line up so well that some say they are a remarkable proof of the divine origin of scripture... whereas others say the vision must therefore have been written after the events happened.
Did Elijah Really Go to Heaven?
2 Kings 2:11 The average person reads about the fiery chariot that swoops down and takes Elijah up into heaven and assumes it means that Elijah was taken up into the spiritual realm where he would then live forever in the presence of God. It seems like a logical conclusion… especially for people who believe that human beings possess an immortal soul which never dies.
But its a false conclusion that is inconsistent with many clear statements found in scripture.
Jesus said something that should make you stop and think twice about what 2 Kings 3:11 says about Elijah... Let's read John 3:13. We appear to have reached a point where scripture is contradicting itself.
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What Is a Human Being?
Is it a spiritual soul temporarily encased in a physical material body... is the spiritual soul good while the flesh and blood material body is bad?... What happens at death? ... The material body obviously disintegrate into atoms and molecules... But does a spiritual/soul live on? Does it suffer consequences for what was done in the flesh... can it experience bliss... where does it live?
What does the bible say? Do you know?
What do most people think the bible says about these questions? Does what people teach about what they assume the bible says match the actual words of scripture? The answer is no, and its a serious problem... false teaching leads to doubt, which leads to disobedience, which leads to missing out on the good things God has prepared for us.
God's plan for salvation and eternal life involves a confrontation with evil. Our confrontation with through a 7 step program of repentance, forgiveness, overcoming, spiritual discernment. Then the final two steps are direct intervention by Christ, and destruction of the source of evil.
But Why Is There Evil in the World?
We all know and acknowledge there is evil in the world but how did it get there? Was it a mistake, or fatal flaw?
Some point to the presence of evil in the world as their reason for disbelief in God. If a good God exists why would He allow evil to continue?
If there is no God and we are just products of evolution then calling something evil makes no sense either. All events that happen are just part of our fight for survival as individuals or as a species in an evolutionary process. We murder, lie, steal, in our personal or communal drive to survive. We commit adultery to spread or perpetuate our DNA... etc.
If the struggle for survival is the only true purpose we have… and then I murder a rival so I can steal his food and survive… then I have not committed evil… I have fulfilled my purpose in life. We could even say that murder serves a good purpose in weeding out the weak leaving more resources for the strong.
Evolution, survival of the fittest, and materialism are a way of thinking that can be used to justify horrific atrocities… if you do not believe in God what basis do you have for saying one type of action good… and another type of action evil.
What About People Who Believe in God?
Those who believe there is a God… who believe He created and sustains all things… also have to answer questions about where evil comes from:
1. If God is the creator of all things then is He responsible for creating evil? – therefore meaning He had evil within Himself and is the ultimate source of evil.
2. If God is all powerful and sustains all things does God also sustain evil? – because He causes or allows it to continue is He is ultimately responsible...
We know these two propositions are not true… but they are reasonable questions that deserve an answer.
Did God Create Evil?
God did not create evil… murder, lying stealing, war… but He did create the OPPORTUNITY for evil because he allows free will within His creation. He made human beings with minds capable of thinking our own thoughts and making our own choices.
Before creating man God created other spiritual beings with minds and freewill [commonly called angels]. He made them beautiful, with amazing gifts and talents. These spiritual beings were there with God when He created earth…. He gave some of them tasks to perform to prepare the earth for something very special yet too come in His creation plan.
At some point a large portion of these beings decided they didn’t agree with what God had planned. Perhaps it was the idea that He was planning to create other spirit beings (spirit born human beings) who would, when completed and matured, be superior to angels Hebrews 2:5-8, 1 Corinthians 6:3. Whatever the reason was, these angels figured things would be better if they were in charge… and a full third of them rebelled against God.
Isaiah 14:12-14 evil begins with exercise of free will against God’s person, His commands, His authority, His way
The Rebellion Failed… As It Had To
God is all powerful, far above all rule any authority, power and dominion. The angel’s rebellion never had any hope of success - Luke 10:17-19, Rev 12:3-4
Why Didn’t God Get Rid of Satan Permanently?
God did not destroy the rebellious spirit beings the seraphim and cherubim we call angels… He could have thrown them into the abyss where they could do no harm… instead they were hurled out of heaven and landed KABUMP… on earth.
On earth, the fallen and disgraced angels are free to roam the planet alongside human beings… the very ones God is preparing for sonship in the family of God.
Revelation 12:9 the rebellious Lucifer brings with Him his way of thinking and infects the minds of human beings.
AHA you say! So, once again God appears responsible for the presence of evil in our world! God could have gotten rid of Satan but He didn’t… he banished Satan to earth. God could have stopped evil but He didn’t. WHY?
God’s Present Purpose on Earth is Creating Spirit Born Children
God’s children are to become like Him in mind, spirit, character… then they receive the full rights of sonship!
Our experience with physical children teaches us and important lesson: Our children have some traits they get from us through their DNA, other traits they get from us from our instruction. So it is and will be with the begotten and spirit born children of God. We have may qualities that are like God [created in His likeness], but we are incomplete, immature, in a state of flux… Who we are spiritually is determined by our exercise of free choice… which can be good or bad.
Genesis 1:31 Did God create humans with evil built into their very nature? No, God declared His creation is good not evil… that includes human beings who He created.
Romans 8:5-10 without the assistance of the holy spirit and God’s word we don’t know how to make good choices. Note: the vast majority of those who have ever lived have never had access to the understanding of truth and the holy spirit… that is the great question we address through a good understanding of the Great White Throne Judgment… the message of the final holy day of the biblical festivals [Last Great Day].
Matthew 26:41 the flesh, human nature, is not evil… but it is weak. God might ask you to do certain things and your flesh doesn’t want to do them because the flesh is wired to think first and foremost about its own survival. For example, God commands us to fast on the Day of Atonement. The spirit might be willing but the flesh says “whoa, what are you talking about”, that’s crazy. Eating and drinking are essential to survival and top priority for the flesh. Fasting is an exercise of choosing to rule over the flesh through the spirit.
The priorities of the spirit are not the priorities of the flesh. In this way your flesh can be an working against the spiritual, an enemy of God… but still not be evil. For example; rabbits might eat up all the nice lettuce I planted … but I don’t consider them evil. That’s just what rabbits do. The flesh is simply responding to circumstances the way it was designed to. But for the children of God, the spirit must rule over the flesh.
Ezekiel 28:13-17 in similar manner, the cherubim and seraphim were not created with evil as part of their nature. They were created perfect. But also free to choose John 8:44.
Before God gives mortal humans, like you and me, everlasting life He wants to know your heart and mind…. What you will do with that eternal life…. Would you end up just like Lucifer? Would you choose to become the enemy and adversary of God?
That is why from the very beginning God has exposed humans to Satan, to the fallen angels, and the evil they promote. We all must choose and there is great suffering as a consequence. We have to hear, weigh and judge the arguments for and against Godly righteousness. These arguments don’t always come in the form of words and discussion… but in the form of experience and temptation. “To the one who overcomes I will give the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God”.
God also exposes those whom he love to adverse conditions for the purpose of testing and perfecting their character by allowing them to suffer. Deuteronomy 8:2-6
Note: God may test or lead you into tribulation BUT He does not tempt or lure anyone to sin… Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire [James 1:13-14].
Satan is Under a Partial Restraining Order From God
Job 1:6-12 Satan can only do what God allows
Luke 22:31-32 Satan has to ask permission to mess with Peter
God the Father wants all to learn that the only kind of life that really works is the one that He reveals in His word. There is no alternative way that works… and to prove that God lets humanity live out many alternative ways… in this present evil age… and we don’t just get a taste, we have to drink the whole bottle down to the dregs. By the end of this evil age humanity will have tried just about every alternative to God’s way… and experience its total failure.
After that, God will treat the earth to 1,000 years of doing things His way. Free choice will still be allowed but the way of God will be taught… and it will be enforced.
But I Already Trust God at His Word Why Must I Suffer?
There is a lot we can learn by hearing, being taught and so forth but there are some things that can only be learned by experiencing them. You can tell a toddler that touching a hot stove element means lots of pain… they’ll hear the words… they might even believe you… but they won’t really understand what the pain of a burned palm is like unless the touch the stove. And for some children that’s the only way they will believe.
By believing and trusting in God you are way ahead of most of the world. God will provide you with the faith and spiritual strength you need but you still have to live your life in this present evil age. Hardness in life is part of your preparation to assist Christ during that 1,000 year period and beyond. When endured with patience and faith it prepares you to experience eternity in a successful, joy filled way.
[comfort = encouragement] 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 we learn compassion and empathy through the temptations we endure and through suffering… so that we might help others. God plan is for us to join Him in future creative projects in the age to come.
Your Personal Confrontation With Evil
At present the great confrontation with evil in our world is being worked out in the lives of individuals… people like you and me. We address evil through repentance, forgiveness, overcoming, spiritual discernment of what is evil… what is good… and what is better!
What Comes Next? Is There A Final Solution to Evil?
God has a plan... and at a certain time He will switch gears. When Satan was thrown down he was mad… because he knew his time was limited. There is a time limit on this whole experiment of allowing humans to have dominion over the earth with Satan among them.
After centuries and millenia of allowing humanity to pursue dead-end paths… after thousands of years of allowing them to be mentally and spiritually dominated by Satan… God is going to turn everything upside down and show humanity what a 1,000 years of living His way looks like.
To get that started:
1. God installs a new authority on earth who is good, namely Jesus Christ the Messiah Daniel 7:13-14
2. Ordains the resurrected firstfruits to assist Him Daniel 7:22, 26-27
3. Removes one who stirs up evil, namely Satan. Rev 20:1-3
With the influence of Satan completely removed God will demonstrate what a world without evil looks like. Which of course is the point of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Then finally all men who have ever lived will arise again to life to see and compare and choose. For most this will be their first opportunity to make an informed choice. Some will choose eternal life and others will choose eternal death. Which of course is the point of the Last Great Day.
God did not create evil. He created choice. Would you really have it any other way?
Deuteronomy 30:19
Choose wisely… Choose Life.
The 7th chapter of Daniel is the turning point in the book. The first half of the book gave us the story of Daniel's life and background: a man of impeccable character, a man of great wisdom, great skill, a trustworthy spokesperson of Israel and the one true God of heaven.The second half of the book [chapters 7-12] switches from Aramaic to Hebrew and is a record of the prophetic visions delivered to Daniel rather than the king of Babylon Daniel 7:1.
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Philippians 4:1-3 Now we get to the real-life circumstances that caused Paul to write this letter to the congregation in Philippi. Up to this point Paul has given instruction on unity, and positive interactions among the members of the congregation. He covers these themes in great detail because there is friction between two women in Philippi, Euodia and Syntyche.
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We live in the age of technology, or science applied to solving the practical problems of life. Discoveries in physics, chemistry, math have allowed us to develop complex machines, to invent powerful drugs, to peer into the structure of atoms, and to discover truths about the vast universe.Human knowledge and ingenuity have accomplished much. And because of the huge success of technology in addressing the comfort, convenience and needs of human beings... we assume that physicists, chemists, and mathematicians have better answers to questions about life’s origins and purpose.
And scientists seem eager to offer their opinions about big questions: Is there anything beyond the material universe? Where does life come from? How did matter become organized and structured? Does God exist? Their speculations have deeply influenced modern thinking.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/11/creation-issues-in-new-testament.html
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How Spiritually Mature People ThinkPhilippians 3:1 we begin with a call to rejoice which is one of the over-arching themes of the letter. Because we understand the truth of what God is accomplishing in the world we can have a positive, uplifting outlook on the events and circumstances life throws at us. Hebrews 12:2 the joy Jesus had was not based on material circumstances, rather it was based on knowing that what He was experiencing had purpose and was leading toward a positive outcome.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/10/how-spiritually-mature-people-think.html
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Living Lives Worthy of the GospelIn the 1st chapter of Philippians, Paul lets the members know about the dangerous situation he finds himself in. He might be put to death for preaching the gospel, although he expects a better outcome.
Paul considered the situation as a net positive for getting the message out to more people. In the next section He offers us some life lessons. Regardless of the circumstances we should always work towards living our lives in a manner worthy of the kingdom of God.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/10/living-worthy-of-gospel.html
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Christ's second coming to planet earth is announced by a mighty trumpet blast Matthew 24:31-32.Two long awaited event take place at His coming: 1) the resurrection of those who are in Christ 2) the time when he will take up His rule as king of kings announcing condemnation upon the governments, cultures, and false religions of humanity.
1 Corinthians 15:52 Paul tells us this trumpet blast is "the final one" indicating there are some other trumpets sounded prior to this final blast.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-three-woes-of-seventh-seal.html
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What Will Be The Sign of Your Coming?First let’s review Jesus’ first coming…
Scripture tells us the Word [who was God and was with God] set aside His glory to come to us in the form of a flesh and blood human being. Furthermore, we are told that He did not come into the world to condemn it. His purpose was to save those who were willing to listen and heed God's call to repentance, baptism, and the receiving of the holy spirit. Through His own life and death He opened up the doorway to life eternal so that people, like you, could walk through.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-5th-and-6th-seals-of-revelation.html
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Chapter 6 is one of them most well known stories in the Bible - Daniel in the Lion's Den. The setting is the aftermath of the Persian conquest of Babylon. A new government was being formed... very likely within the first or second year 539-537 BC. Daniel was over 80 years old but God still had a few more things for him to do.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/09/daniel-and-darius-mede-thrown-into-den.html
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The Handwriting on the WallDaniel 5:1 according to the historians Xenophon and Herodotus this feast happened October 12 539 BC. 30 years had passed since the death of Nebuchadnezzar… a new king was on the throne… and Daniel the prophet was an old man [probably 80 years old].
We know the date of the feast because it is also the night the Persian army broke into the city of Babylon and conquered the kingdom. As prophesied Babylon's days were ended [compare with verse 30].
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/09/belshazzars-feast-handwriting-on-wall.html
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A great and horrible lie taken root in our society... the lie is this: "human life has no purpose". We are not created beings with a great destiny to fulfill. We are a highly improbable accident that came about by a series of random events. We come from nothing and our end is nothing. In between the best we can do is grab a bit of pleasure and enjoyment until the day we die.
God's message to you is that your life does have purpose... and knowing that purpose is the way to find great joy... no matter what your circumstances.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/08/knowing-gods-purpose-for-your-life.html
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The 4th chapter of Daniel is unique... it is the personal testimony of one of the great Gentile kings about his personal encounter with the living God. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had an intense experience that changed his way of thinking and he wants you to know about it.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/08/repentance-is-answer-for-nebuchadnezzar.html
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The Woman of Wisdom - the Proverbs 31 WomanAt the end of the book of Proverbs we find a character sketch of a woman… she’s a good woman, she’s a wife, she’s a mother. Through her we are given a short summary of the practical wisdom presented in the book of Proverbs interpreted in the setting of a happy home.
In biblical thought, true wisdom is pictured by contentment with diligent work in a safe, peaceful, structured family setting…. We must actively teach this Godly wisdom to our children. We must do this in word and in deed.
In a world that tells them “its not enough”, we must tell them, and show them “this is the way”.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-proverbs-31-woman.html
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Seek First the Kingdom of GodJohn 3:1-2 Nicodemus “you are a great teacher sent from God”
Verses 3-8 Jesus reply seems enigmatic… why wasn’t He more straightforward?
Why not something like:
“Nicodemus… actually I am God. Technically the Father and I together are God, we are one, we are a family. You are correct in that I was sent here, you see the Father sent me. You haven’t met the Father yet… I’m here to reveal Him to you, to show you what He’s like and what He’s all about. As I mentioned before… the Father and I are one. So, if you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father and I’m only going to say what He would have me say, so if you hear my words you’ve heard the Father’s words.”
Jesus could have said all that to Nicodemus…
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/07/seek-first-kingdom-of-god.html
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Daniel the Interpreter of DreamsDaniel was placed, by God, into an important position within the court of the Babylonian King. He was put there to witness to God's sovereign power over all nations. The lesson for you and me is this: because God controls and directs the affairs of the earth kingdoms we should be mindful that He can and does control the events of your life.
Daniel 1:17-21 God was working with Daniel and his companions through the power of His spirit. God gave Daniel spiritual and intellectual gifts. He understood the literature, culture and wisdom of Babylon... but it would be the interpreting of dreams that would cause Daniel to rise to power in the king's court... where he would serve as God's witness.
Daniel had proven his obedience through the simple test of not defiling himself with the royal food [either unclean or having been offered to idols]. This is why the book of Daniel begins with a test of obedience! Acts 5:32 "God gives His spirit to those who obey Him"
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/06/daniel-and-magicians-of-babylon.html
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Daniel 3:1-3 Just before this section of the book Nebuchadnezzar had experienced a dream of a golden statue which Daniel, the man of the true God in heaven, interpreted for him. That dream foretold the sequence of worldly kingdoms that would dominate the earth from the time of Israel’s demise, until the return of the Messiah at the end of the age. In that vision Nebuchadnezzar had the flattering position of the head of gold while the subsequent kingdoms were of lesser value.
Later we’ll see that he might have let this go to his head…
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/07/god-is-able-to-deliver-shadrach-meshach.html
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Christ [the second member of the God family] has a role to fulfill within that God family. He assumes the role of a Son while the first member of the God family assumes the role of Father. The Son is as much all powerful, all knowing, and eternal as the Father… yet he takes on the subordinate role. He is a servant, He is a Son, He is a messenger.
The Son does not consider equality with God the Father a matter to be contested. They work together as one… yet they are unique.
The Father and the Son have big plans for you… who are to be part of the first resurrection. When Christ returns He will give you a new role to fulfill: you will be His bride, you will wield authority [kings], you will teach on matters eternal and spiritual [Priest], and you will dispense mercy and punishment [judges].
All of these are roles which have responsibilities… and boundaries.
For now we are like school children. In the flesh we are given simple tasks intended to teach big lessons. Faithfulness in small matters indicates readiness to take on the weightier matters that will be given to us when Christ returns.
One of these simple lessons is to accept, and operate within the roles God has given us based on gender… And to do so in a Christ like way. Today, I would like to discuss how marriage, family, and gender help us better understand God.
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The day of Pentecost focuses on the first-fruits of God's plan of salvation. Through the imagery of harvest the bible teaches us that God's plan is rolling out in waves.
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There is a first harvest [the offering of a single wave sheaf of the early barley crop], that is Jesus Christ the first of the first born
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Then there is a small second harvest of the winter wheat [Pentecost] - the first fruits
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Then there is a large final harvest of all the various produce of the land [ the festival of in-gathering or Feast of Tabernacles]. When "the rest of the dead" are raised.
What is important for now is that the first fruits of Pentecost have been given a job to do. Let's talk today about the purpose of the first fruits... what we have been given to do, and why.
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Daniel in the Court of the KingGenesis 11:1-3
In 605 BC the army of Babylon moved into Palestine and subjugated the kingdom of Judah. They carted off the treasures of the temple and took much of the nobility and skilled tradesmen of Judah as captives to Babylon. Daniel, the prophet was among those captives.
The Hebrew text of Daniel calls Babylon by its ancient name... Shinar. A name that points us back to the plain where people first sought to unify themselves under one government and magnify themselves before God.
Babylon in the time of Daniel was not a new kid on the block... it was only the most recent version of an ancient civilization between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Babylon had risen and fallen many times. From the biblical perspective it is the place where wickedness dwells Zechariah 5:5-11.
Babylon remains the biblical label for the wicked nature of human self government from the time of Daniel... to Zechariah... to our own day and the prophecies of the end time. Babylon is a cultural, social, and political model of human self government with its own standards of righteousness... standards that are presented as the alternative to the righteousness, and authority of God.
· Daniel lived in a Babylonian world --> You and I live in a Babylonian world
· Daniel had to find a way to survive in culture hostile to God --> You and I must survive in a culture hostile to God
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/05/daniel-in-court-of-king-nebuchadnezzar.html
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The Life & Times of Daniel the ProphetDaniel was a teenager who was taken captive by Babylonian army in the year 605 B.C. He would be used by God to record important prophecies concerning the course of human history from the fall of Israel through to the end of age and the return of the Messiah.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/05/life-and-times-of-daniel-prophet.html
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Your Part in God's Master Plan of Spiritual CreationThe biblical festival of Unleavened bread follows immediately after the biblical festival of Passover. There is no separation between the two. The nanosecond the Passover ends at sundown the first day of unleavened bread begins. Perhaps this is to tell us how closely inter-related the spiritual meaning of both festivals are.
Step 1: Jesus' sacrifice makes possible forgiveness of sin and provides atonement for it. He who was God and was with God came in the flesh to do for us what we could not ever do for our self.
Step 2: After Passover, comes the festival of unleavened Bread which tells us about:
l First, the contribution we must make towards God's great purpose for us
l AND it points to the help God extends to us through the living risen Christ
My purpose today is to explore both of these aspects of the festival:
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A repost from the archives...
Passover is a time of spiritual renewal and rededication. We get more out of it if we prepare ourselves mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. What better example can we look to that Jesus and how He approached the Passover. #christ #passover2022
Why Should We Keep the Biblical Holy Days?
God’s Holy Days Are Full of Meaning, Instruction & InsightGod created human beings for an amazing/eternal purpose! Every man, woman, and child here has been made in God's own image... a physical being made of dust, clay, molecules.... yet with a spiritual component built into us.
That spirit within humans distinguishes us from all the other creatures on the planet... it takes humans to a different level of being and thinking.
That spirit God has placed within us is designed to interact with and work with the holy spirit of God to bring about a new creation... each completely unique... yet conforming to a righteous pattern. Humans are designed for spirit-born life... and all have the potential to be born into the family of God Himself.
The chart referred to in this message can be downloaded at this link - https://www.ucg.org/system/storage/serve/1371366/slide5_1.jpg
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Jesus Himself put in place a new Passover service for His followers. He changed the practices of the old Passover service and gave us a new purpose for observing the Passover. This is a message from 2016 that is appropriate for the present season. I am re-posting it to our podcast feed. I hope you find it helpful for understanding why Christians ought to observe the biblical holy days and festivals as outlined in Leviticus 23. This message starts with the first of these observances found in Leviticus 23:5.The original post with full text can be found here: Passover Observance for Christians
Betrayed By A FriendThe Messiah/King entered the gates of Jerusalem in the spring of 31 A.D. The Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread of 31 AD. were about 2 days away... there was excitement and expectation in the air. To many the signs looked like the restoration of Israel was about to unfold.
But, over the course of the next few days, that same Messiah/King would be rejected by the very people God had chosen to represent His name on earth. Even as Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem [riding on a donkey... greeted with shouts of joy], the chief priests and leaders of the Jewish people were plotting for a way to arrest and kill Jesus.
They wanted a way to do it that would not cause Jesus' crowds of followers to rise up in revolt. They did not know it yet, but their plans would be fulfilled though a man names Judas who would betray his friend, master and teacher... Jesus... for a handful of silver coins.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/03/jesus-betrayed-by-judas-for-30-pieces.html
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Prophecies of The King of PeaceToday we are going to survey the prophecies made about Jesus as the Messiah who would come to bring peace and reconciliation. BUT… would be rejected by humanity.
The Messiah Would Be Rejected[ca 740-700 B.C.] Isaiah 52:13 - 53:3 Jews who knew the scriptures were eagerly expecting a powerful Messiah figure to restore Israel to its former position of honor, Godly purpose, and dominant status on the world stage. They understood “the servant of the Lord” to be the Messiah come with great ruling power. For example; Isaiah 42:1-4.
Embedded in these prophecies of the Messiah were a subtext of suffering and death which confused the Jews. These prophecies of the suffering and rejected servant only made sense after Jesus first coming. Jesus had prepared the disciples for this. He told them the rejection would come and the contempt would come Luke 17:25, Matthew 16:21, Mark 10:34. Yet like so many other prophecies they only really got it after it came to pass.
The holy spirit would later help them to recall and understand all these events and fulfilments... but their understanding began with clear, literal statements from Jesus which they would be able remember... and record for future generations.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-king-of-peace-comes-humbly-and.html
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The Care & Feeding of Your ConscienceTo have a conscience means "to know better"... a child caught stealing candy might be scolded by a phrase like "you should know better than that". Which begs the question: just what were they taught? Were they taught at all? Were they expected to figure it out on their own?
The English word conscience comes from the Latin conscientia which is two words joined together con and scio... meaning "to know together", or "joint knowledge with others". In the new testament conscience is used to translate the Greek word syn [together] and eidenai [to know]... to have common knowledge together with someone.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-care-and-feeding-of-clean-conscience.html
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Christ & the Church: Together We Are a TempleThe bible often compares spiritual realities to features of our day to day existence to draw out some feature of that spiritual reality... Jesus compared the work of the holy spirit to the wind "you can't see the wind but you can see the results of the wind". Sometimes a variety of different comparisons are made about the same thing. Each drawing attention to a different aspect of the spiritual reality.
The relationship of Christ and the church is just such a subject. It is compared to a marriage, it is compared to human anatomy, it is compared to a shepherd with his flock, it is compared to a city with citizens, and it is compared to a temple.
Today we will look at the relationship of Christ & the Church through the analogy of the temple where they come together.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-church-is-temple-of-god-and-christ.html
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What is Your RewardThe subject of reward should be very important to Christians because it is the time when all good fruit of your life are shown to have made a difference. Everyone who enters the kingdom of God at Christ’s return receives the gift of everlasting life… but what you experience and enjoy within the kingdom of God is unique for each individual AND depends on what you do in this life.
We don’t often dwell on the subject of reward because it gets all tangled up in the various misunderstandings about “trying to earn your salvation”. Understanding the biblical teaching on reward means understanding the difference between the judgment of your sin (which leads to salvation unto eternal life or eternal death) versus judgment of your works – (which leads to reward).
Here is a link to a pdf version of the chart referred to in the message - https://www.ucg.org/system/storage/serve/1361046/judgment_chart.pdf
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/02/your-reward-from-god-what-is-it-and-how.html
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Today we are going to take a close look at blessings in the bible: who blesses who, how we receive blessings, how we give blessings, physical versus spiritual blessings, and finally how the flow of blessing can influence our prayers.Blessings can be understood as the free flow of good things [both spiritual and material] from God to human --> from human to God --> from human to human.
Read on our blog 📢 https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/02/what-are-spiritual-blessings-from-god.html
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In this message we will review the responsibilities of Godly parent. I have a listing of 6 things that you owe to your child.Read this message on our blog https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/02/what-parents-owe-to-their-children-flip.htmlKeep Reading »
We are in the midst of a decades long sexual revolution. Many see this as a liberating process of throwing off the shackles of shame and taboos... inherited from the influence of the bible on western culture.Actually, the bible teaches that human sexuality is a good thing and that it is only the wrong applications and uses of sex which cause shame and feelings of guilt. But that’s a technicality to most.
In western culture the dominating perspective is to regard human sexuality as primarily pleasurable activity with a somewhat inconvenient connection to actual reproduction. Its a rather lame human attempt to come to grips with trying to interpret sex as something good… the bible does a better job but does a lot of restrictions on a person’s sexual activity.
Read this message on our blog - https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/01/conception-birth-coming-of-age-in.html
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Jesus Sacrifice For SinGod shows His great love for the created world through His great acts of love. This love is demonstrated, seen, and experienced through His great plan to save human beings... who have all brought upon themselves the penalty of eternal death for their sins... through the life death and resurrection of His only begotten Son... Jesus Christ.
Although He [Jesus Christ] was without beginning or end... He was God... and He was with the other who was also God... He submitted to being born as a human being named Jesus. This Jesus live a perfect human life... without any sin whatsoever... although experiencing temptation on all points. Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice to pay the penalty of death for all humanity.
Read this message on our blog -- > https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/01/how-does-jesus-sacrifice-save-us-from.html
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We Begin With RepentanceRepentance is where the message of Christ and His church begins. When John the baptist came to lay the groundwork for Jesus he taught a message of repentance.
Repentance is how we begin the process of self examination, self correction, and self awareness. Repentance is the process whereby we change the direction of our life towards life rather than death. Repentance has real psychological and spiritual benefits. Repentance has an ongoing role in the life of every believer!
Today we will discuss repentance using this same outline: 1) the message 2) self examination 3) changing to a life giving direction 4) benefits of repentance 5) the enduring role of repentance in your life after baptism.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/01/we-begin-with-repentance.html
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How False Worship Takes RootThe book of Judges gives us insight into the struggles of Israel as they moved into the promised land. The central theme of Judges is confusion, and failure to fulfill the mandate of YHWH to move into the territory and drive out the present inhabitants [Canaanites]. We mostly learn about what went on in those days through the exploits of the judges and deliverers, Samson, Jephthah, Gideon etc. [the Great Man Theory of history].
But at the end of the book... starting with chapter 17... you'll find a series of episodes that give a glimpse into the spiritual and moral condition of the people in the towns and villages. Today we are going to read through the first of these episodes, which is found in chapters 17 and 18. The account of Micah, Jonathan, and the warriors of Dan.
I want to focus on: how false worship takes root. I’ll itemize these as a series of “lessons”
Read on our blog 👉 https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2021/12/how-false-worship-takes-root-idols-and.html
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The Authority of God the FatherThe United Church of God believes and teaches that God is the sovereign of the universe, existing without beginning or end, and supreme above all. God is spirit and cannot be contained or described in terms of atoms, molecules, or mechanical processes like math or physics. God exists in a different realm from human beings, who are flesh, made up of atoms, molecules and subject to mechanical processes like physics John 4:24 “tells us God is spirit”… 1 Corinthians 15:50 “tells us flesh and blood cannot inherit the KOG”.
There is a vast difference in who and what we humans are, compared to who and what God is. Full comprehension is out of reach… what understanding we do have, our ideas, and our experience of God are based on God's revelation to us through the written word of the Bible.
The bible shows God as "the Father" and "the Son" [which/who is Jesus Christ]. This is how God wishes to be understood… through the means of a family relationship. But not who came first: father or the son... rather it is to be understood in terms of authority... authority that is expressed in love and obedience that is filled with love and respect.
That there is a Father, and Son, was not previously understood in the OT scriptures. It is a teaching transmitted to us by Jesus and from the Church of God.
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God's Law - The Only Way to Happiness, Peace, and JoyThe Commandments, laws and statutes of God are spiritual, perfect, holy, just, and good. They provide a foundation for defining, understanding and living God's love. The law of God reveals the only way to true everlasting life, and the only possible way to achieve happiness, peace, and joy.
God created human beings to ultimately become members of His family, to inherit immortality and live in harmony with Him and with one another. To dwell with God in harmony we must also agree with, embrace and share His way of thinking. These values are revealed to us in His law… which have been carefully recorded in scripture. Those who God chooses also are given understanding through the power of the holy spirit.
We are given understanding of the application of God’s law… but also its meaning and purpose. Which is simply: that anyone who seeks this ultimate relationship with God must make every effort to heed the directives of God's law.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2021/12/gods-commandments-are-good-for-you.html
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The revelation of God's will for humanity is found in the written word of God... the ideas expressed and the words used in the original writings and languages are inspired by God and without error... the old testament and the new testament are the final authority in all things pertaining to faith and in life... they are the foundation of all truth.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-old-testament-vs-new-testament.html
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Around the late 40s and into the 50’s and perhaps 60’s AD. there was a controversy within the Church of God which cause a lot of upset. That controversy revolves around the question… how should church members deal with meat offered to idols.
The issue first comes up at the first Church council recorded in Acts 15. I delivered a sermon on what was decided at this first council of the Church of God [ April 2020]. If you have questions about the issues and decisions made by the council you might find that message helpful. In a nutshell: it addressed whether gentiles needed to adopt Jewish cultural traditions. For our purpose today I only want to look at what is decided about meat offered to idols Acts 15:28-29.
Why would this be a controversy? The bible gives a very clear message about avoiding participation in all forms of idolatry. Isn’t that sufficient instruction on the matter!
Today we are going to review the context and application of this instruction.
https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2021/11/meat-offered-to-idols-bare-with-one.html
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The United Church of God believes and teaches that human beings are created in the image of God... and that human beings have the potential to become partakers of the divine nature [to share in/to participate in the properties and/or characteristics of God].
📚 Dig deeper into your bible with this helpful bible study guide:https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/jesus-christ-the-real-story
📚 Dig deeper into your bible with this helpful bible study guide:https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/who-is-god
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Deborah And BarackThe interaction between Deborah the prophetess and Barack the deliverer expose the spiritual and societal crisis in Israel during the days after Ehud the Judge. There is much we can learn today from the record we have of these days in scripture.
Judges 3:31 based on the name Shamgar is not a man of Israel, its an Egyptian name. Probably included to introduce the next section: which addresses the sad state of leadership in Israel. He is considered part of the Deborah and Barack saga…
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The Commission of the ChurchMatthew 28:19-20 is a scripture you should have committed to memory: 1) you should know what it says 2) you should know where to find it 3) you should know what it means.
Lets knock off points 1 and 2 right away... [got to verse and read]
My purpose today is to go through the meaning of this scripture so you can add it to your storehouse of knowledge... but also so you renew your sense of purpose from these word of the risen Christ.
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What Christ's Government Will Look Like
At the appointed time Christ will return to earth to establish and administer the rule of God on earth for a preliminary 1,000 year period. He will overthrow every established form of human government. Every humanly devised institution will have been judged... and at His return condemned to the garbage heap of the universe.
Monarchies, dictatorships, democracies, nations, states, economic systems will disappear... but that does not mean the beginning of a world without government, or without structure.
Government and authority are spiritual in nature. Eternity itself will have structure. Order, government, and authority are of the mind of God.
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The Final Festival of SalvationBillions of people have lived and died without hearing the true proclamation of the coming kingdom of God. Neither have they heard the path to personal salvation as marked out by the Creator of all things. They have never had access to the bible which contains all that important information. Nor have they had anyone to teach them.
Some have heard or read the words contained in scripture but have not understood. They have many teachers yet they teach without understanding. They have knowledge of language, history, and human reasoning... but the truth is not with them.
What is to become of all these people?
Are they condemned and doomed, to either an eternity of torment, or destruction in a lake of fire? Some people say yes... that's exactly what God intends to do. Others hear that and reject the God of the bible as mean and unfair. It is not a satisfying answer... people can point to certain scriptures to try and prove it... but their interpretation is without understanding.
God has given us His word in a way that allows humans to hear and read the plain truth but not understand it.
A Fundamental Truth Hidden in Plain SightThere is a resurrection for the rest of the dead who are not in Christ at His return. They rise again to life following the 1,000 year rule of Christ on earth. So we also have a final holy day following the 7 day Feast of Tabernacles... the eighth day... the final feast... the final step in God's plan to bring many children to glorious everlasting life.
Leviticus 23:34-36, 39 the final biblical festival comes immediately after the 7 day festival... there is no gap between the two. You could easily think of the eighth day as simply the conclusion of the feast of tabernacles... but it signifies a unique event that comes after the FOT is complete.
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In the present age Satan has been allowed access to humanity. He has used that access to undermine and interfere with human being's development into fully spirit born children of God. Humans are guilty of allowing Satan's influence to lead them into disobedience towards God... but Satan' guilt is unique... it is not shared with any other... no one led him astray... His rebellion against God was of his own imagination.When Jesus Christ returns to administer the rule of God on earth His first executive action is to depose Satan and confine him so that he has no ability to access or influence humanity for 1,000 years. The source of deception and evil thinking will be removed and the earth will experience what it is like to live without Satan for that 1,000 years.
Satan’s role in introducing sin into our world will be addressed. The binding of the strong man will happen.
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Satan & The Power of DeathThe central message of the NT is salvation from death and the means whereby it happens. Christ's sacrificial death, His moral instruction, prophecies of a coming kingdom... are all meaningless if there is no salvation from death. We may leave the world better or worse that we found it... You may have morally improved your soul... but who cares if there is no future hope of conscious being?
Hebrew 2:14-15 Christ saves us from the power that Satan, the devil, has over us. Today we are going to look into the power he has over us, how he got it, how he uses it, and how we might be saved from it.
Get our free booklet Is There Really a Devil?
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God's instructions for the feast of Tabernacles appear in three places:Leviticus 23 gives the responsibility of proclaiming the time of the biblical festivals to the priests. Numbers 29 itemizes specific sacrifices and offerings for each biblical festival. Deuteronomy 16 instructs where the biblical festivals are to be conducted
The Place Which The Lord Your God Shall ChooseDeuteronomy 16:13-15 for many this means Jerusalem. But, Jerusalem only became the place to keep the festival many centuries after these instructions were given. Jerusalem became the place around 960 BC. in the days of Solomon… But was rejected and destroyed in 70 AD.
Prophecies of the millennial rule of Christ tell us Jerusalem will be restored as the geographic center of God's government... but that is not NOW. Jerusalem is NOT the place for God’s people to keep the Feast of Tabernacles in this age.
Today we’ll review the places God has placed His name and how He designates any given place. We’ll finish with a quick look at how the present day Church of God fulfills this instruction to come before God in the the place He will choose.
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The Church of God teaches and proclaims a coming 1,000 year millennial rule of Christ on earth. We consider it an important phase of God's plan of salvation and spiritual birth into His family. This fall we will celebrate the biblical festival called the Feast of Tabernacles. That celebration will include plenty of talk and instruction about this interesting 1,000 year time period called "the millennium".Christ’s return is spoken of throughout the bible. The specifics of a 1,000 year earthly rule is built upon a reading of Revelation 20:1-6.
Pointing believers towards the expectation of a 1,000 year millennium may seem like an obscure interpretation of prophetic verses particular to the modern age. Not so, the millennium has been part of the teaching of the Church from the very beginning.
However, teachings concerning the millennial rule of Christ have been systematically suppressed over the centuries and classified as heresy. Yet, the church of God not only teaches about a millennial rule but considers it essential to sound biblical proclamation of the kingdom of God.
📚 Dig deeper into your bible with this helpful bible study guide: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/christs-reign-on-earth-what-it-will-be-like
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How Should We Worship God?A great way to answer this is to quote Jesus Himself who says "worship God in spirit and in truth". Lots of information is packed into that short phrase. Let's investigate more closely and see what we find.
One day Jesus was travelling through a region in Judea known as Samaria. The region of Samaria roughly aligned with the region once occupied by the 10 northern tribes after they split away from the rest of Israel. The people who lived in this region of Samaria had a curious collection of beliefs and practices that were similar to what the Jews practiced but definitely not the same.
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The biblical ideal of love is so big and all-encompassing that no single word in any language can fully communicate the revelation of love we find in God's word.
The English word love is too vague and used in too many different ways to be adequate. With the same word we say " I love ice cream", "I love my boy friend", "God so loved the world". BUT… The bible does not try to teach us what we need to know about the love of God through a vocabulary lesson... be it English, Greek, Hebrew, or Chinese.
We are going to build a biblical definition of love:
- with love that takes place in the mind of a person
- then love that shows itself in actions of a person
- love that flows back and forth from person to person.
Love is Your Top Priority1 John 4:7-8 your present purpose is to put on the mind of God. So, understanding Godly love is worth your time and energy.
📚 Dig deeper into your bible with this helpful bible study guide: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/who-is-god
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Pride is a way of thinking which leads to bad results:· Pride is a source of tension with our fellow human beings
· Pride puts us in conflict with the living God
· Pride leads us into temptation and sin
· Pride tricks us into leaving the pathway to eternal life
Unless it is your goal to actively reject God's gift of eternal life you should be engaged in a spiritual battle with pride. To spin it from the other direction you should be actively seeking to develop humility. Our goal is not only to empty our self of proud thinking and proud action... but to fill that empty space with a spirit of humility… and the works of humility.
Many scriptures tell us we should... "seek humility"... "clothe our self with humility" ... "humble ourself before God". These point us toward the goal but not necessarily the methods we use to get there. What does humbling myself look like?
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God's commandments tell us to rest on the 7th day of each week. But the Sabbath rest is more than just a "day off". It is a day for spiritual instruction and fellowship with other believers.
In addition to being a day of rest from our regular work, the 7th day is a day we are commanded to gather together for a “holy convocation”, see Leviticus 23:3. If you would like to learn more about the 7th day Sabbath found in the bible request our free booklet Sunset to Sunset: God’s Sabbath Rest: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/sunset-to-sunset-gods-sabbath-rest Locate a United Church of God meeting near you: ➤ http://ucg.org/congregations/ Popular Playlists:1️⃣ The Purpose of the First Four Commandments https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlHrYqLEsi04x0eu3p3Erq1BnJuRaXllG2️⃣ Heaven & Hell: What the Bible Really Says https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlHrYqLEsi06EXMCnqEfCYeids3jCUTAK3️⃣ Remember the Sabbath Day https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlHrYqLEsi05EzhV6rXCUbqHRUtnYXMwi4️⃣ Where is the Church Jesus Established? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlHrYqLEsi05pOIcCZBB4S9-qZ-taNhjJ
Voluntary fasting is recorded in both the old and new testament. In addition to general references to fasting, scripture specifically mentions that David fasted, Jesus fasted, and Paul fasted.
What does the scriptures say about how biblical fasting can help us grow in grace and knowledge?
Booklet offer: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/what-happens-after-death
The bible is not a long list of do's and dont’s... that is a popular misunderstanding of scripture’s purpose. Listing and condemning all the possible ways a person can sin would have tens of thousands of entries... and then the human mind would simply dream up some more. How could the bible have explained the problem of addiction to prescription drugs, or cyber-crime, to people living 3,000 years ago?Your Creator is more interested in helping you get at the root causes of sin... problematic ways of thinking that do not change over time.... then it is up to you to figure out how it applies to your situation, or your era in time.
Our purpose today is to discuss the root sin of LUST and its antidote, self control. First, by defining what it is and is not, second by looking at four ways lust can lead to sin: sex, drunkenness and gluttony, and laziness….finally by recommending its antidote: SELF CONTOL
The spirit must train itself to rule over the flesh… with God’s help and guidance.
Lust of the Flesh - A Root Cause of Sin and Evil
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A bad tree yields bad fruit… good fruit comes from a good tree… out of the abundance of the heart so a person speaks… and so they act. Jesus words tell us that sin happens because of bad thinking which leads to bad behavior. The big culprits are lust of the flesh, covetousness, and the pride of life.
Today we are going to look at pride. We'll try to define pride, we’ll explore 5 areas where pride sprouts up, and 5 of the forms it takes... finally considering how a realistic self image can help us combat pride.
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Pride: A Distorted View of Reality
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