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basicsofislam · 5 years ago

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ISLAM 101: Your Faith: Part 8

The Messengers’ Signs and Miracles

Allah I supported His messengers with a number of signs and miracles to prove their truthfulness and prophethood. A miracle, or mu‛jizah, is an extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers. It is performed by prophets, by Allah’s command, for its credential value, to accredit them as Allah’s true messengers

Examples of miracles include:

-Moses’s rod turning into a snake

-Jesus’s informing his people of what they ate and stored in their houses

-The splitting of the moon for Prophet Muhammad (saw)

A Muslim’s Beliefs regarding Jesus u

1) He was one of the greatest of Allah’s messengers and one of those held in high esteem. Indeed, he is one of the messengers Allah describes in the Qur’an as having ‘firm resolve’, namely, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon all of them. About these prophets, the Qur’an states, “We made a covenant with all the Prophets – with you and with Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus son of Mary – We made a binding covenant with them.” (Soorat Al-Ahzaab, 33:7)

2) He was a mere human being with no divine attributes whatsoever, whom Almighty Allah sent to guide the Children of Israel and supported with a number of miracles, as the Qur’an states, “He is only a slave on whom We bestowed Our blessing and whom We made an example for the tribe of Israel.” (Soorat Az-Zukhruf, 43:59) He never ordered his people to take him and his mother, Mary, as gods besides Allah; he only told them to do as Allah commanded him to tell them: “Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” (Soorat Al-Maa’idah, 5:117)

3) Muslims believe that Jesus Peace be upon him was one of the greatest of Allah’s messengers, that he had no divine attributes whatsoever and that he was neither killed, nor crucified.

4) He was the son of Mary, a chaste, pious and truthful virgin who entirely devoted herself to the worship of Allah. She gave birth to Jesus after miraculously conceiving him without a human father, his likeness in this being as that of Adam, as the Qur’an states, “The likeness of Jesus in Allah’s sight is the same as Adam. He created him from earth and then He said to him, ‘Be!’ and he was.” (Soorat Aal-‛Imraan, 3:59)

5) There was no prophet between him and Muhammad r. In fact, Jesus u gave the good news of the advent of Prophet Muhammad r, as the Qur’an states, “And when Jesus son of Mary said, ‘O Children of Israel, I am the Messenger of Allah to you, confirming the Torah which came before me and giving you the good news of a Messenger to come after me whose name is Ahmad.’ When he brought them the Clear Signs, they said, ‘This is downright magic.’” (Soorat As-Saff, 61:6)

6) We believe in the miracles he performed by Allah’s permission, such as his ability to heal the lepers, bringing dead people back to life and informing his people of what they ate and stored in their houses, all by Allah’s permission. Allah gave him the ability to perform such miracles to prove he was a true prophet who came with a divine message from his Lord.

7) A person will not be considered a true believer unless he believes that Jesus u was Allah’s servant and messenger and strongly rejects the false statements Jews make about him and which Allah dismiss as untrue. He must al strongly reject the Christian beliefs about Jesus, who have gone far astray for taking him and his mother as gods besides Allah, claiming that he was the son of God or adopting the doctrine of the Trinity, referring to Allah as “the third of three”. Glorified is He and High Exalted above what they say!

8) He was neither killed, nor crucified; instead, he was raised up by Allah to heaven. In fact, Allah gave someone else Jesus’ appearance, causing everyone to believe that Jesus was crucified. The Qur’an says about this, “And their saying, ‘We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.’ They did not kill him and they did not crucify him but it was made to seem so to them. Those who argue about him are in doubt about it. They have no real knowledge of it, just conjecture. They did not really kill him. Allah raised him up to Himself. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. There is not one of the People of the Book who will not believe in him before he dies; and on the Day of Rising he will be a witness against them.” (Soorat An-Nisaa’, 4:157-59) In this way, Allah I protected him and raised Him to heaven. He will eventually return to earth towards the end of the world, rule by Muhammad’s law; then he will die and be buried, and will eventually be resurrected, like all human beings, as the Qur’an states, “From it We created you, to it We will return you, and from it We will bring you forth a second time.” (Soorat Taa Haa, 2o:55)

Belief in Muhammad (saw) as a Prophet and Messenger

-We believe that Muhammad May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him was Allah’s servant and messenger, that he is the best of all mankind without exception, the seal of the prophets and so there will be no prophet after him. He Fully delivered the divine message assigned to him, discharged his prophetic duties, sincerely counselled the Muslim community, and strove hard for the cause of Allah to the best of his ability.

-We believe what he said, obey his commands and avoid the acts he prohibited and warned us against. We must worship Allah according to his guidance (Sunnah) and take none but him as our example. The Qur’an says, “You have an excellent model in the Messenger of Allah, for all who hope for Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much.” (Soorat Al-Ahzaab, 33:21)

-We must show more love for the Prophet r than for our own parents, children and indeed all humankind. “None of you will be a true believer,” the Prophet r once observed, “until he loves me more than his parents, his children and all mankind.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree: 15 and Saheeh Muslim: 44). However, true love for the Prophet r can only be realised by following his Sunnah. Indeed, true happiness and complete guidance cannot be attained without obeying him, as the Qur’an states, “If you obey him, you will be guided.’ The Messenger is only responsible for delivering the message clearly.” (Soorat An-Noor, 24:54)

-We must accept everything he has brought to us from Almighty Allah, adhere to his Sunnah, holding his guidance in high esteem, as the Qur’an states, “By your Lord, they will not be true believers until they seek your arbitration in their disputes and find within themselves no doubt about what you decide and accept it wholeheartedly.” (Soorat An-Nisaa’, 4:65)

-We must avoid disobeying his orders, for doing so is bound to lead to trials, misguidance and a severe punishment in the hereafter, as the Qur’an states, “Those who oppose his command should beware of a testing trial coming to them or a painful punishment striking them.” (Soorat An-Noor, 24:63)

Characteristics of Prophet Muhammad’s Message

Prophet Muhammad’s message has a number of characteristics which distinguish it from the previous divine messages. These include:

-It was the final divine message, as the Qur’an states, “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but the Messenger of Allah and the Final Seal of the Prophets.” (Soorat Al-Ahzaab, 33:40)

-It abrogated all previous messages and laws, and thus no religion will be acceptable to Allah after Muhammad’s mission except Islam. This can only be done by following Prophet Muhammad’s guidance. Similarly, no one will be admitted into Paradise without following in his footsteps, for he is the most honourable of all Allah’s messengers, his community (ummah) is the best community that has ever been brought forth for the good of mankind and his law is the most comprehensive of all divine laws. The Qur’an says, “If anyone desires anything other than Islam as a religion, it will not be accepted from him, and in the next world he will be among the losers.” (Soorat Aal-‛Imraan, 3:85) The Prophet r also said, «By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, any person of this Community, Jew or Christian, who hears of me and dies without believing in what I have been sent with will be among the inhabitants of Hell.” (Saheeh Muslim: 153; Musnad Ahmad: 8609)

-It is addressed to both the jinn and mankind. Recounting the statements of some of the jinn who embraced Islam, the Qur’an states, “Our people, respond to Allah’s caller and believe in Him.” (Soorat Al-Ahqaaf, 46:31) Addressing Muhammad r, the Qur’an also says, “We only sent you for the whole of mankind, bringing good news and giving warning.” (Soorat Saba’, 34:28) In this connection, the Prophet r said, “I have been favoured over the other prophets in six ways: I have been given the gift of concise yet comprehensive speech; I have been supported with fear [which Allah cats into my enemies’ hearts]; war booty has been made permissible for me; the entire earth has been made a means of purification and a place of worship for me; I have been sent to all of mankind; and the line of Prophets ends with me.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree: 2815; Saheeh Muslim: 523)

Benefits of Belief in Allah’s Messengers

Belief in Allah’s messengers has a number of benefits, including the following:

1) Awareness of Allah’s care for His slaves for sending messengers to them to guide them to the right path and show them how to worship Allah. Indeed, the human mind cannot possibly do this. Addressing Prophet Muhammad r, Allah I says, “We have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds.” (Soorat Al-Anbiyaa’, 21:107)

2) Showing gratefulness to Allah for this great blessing.

3) Showing love for Allah’s messengers, holding them in high esteem and adequately praising them for delivering Allah’s message to their people and giving them good counsel.

4) Following the guidance contained in the message which the messengers have brought from Allah, namely, to worship Allah alone without associating any partners with Him in worship and adhering to the dictates of this message. This will bring about happiness for the believers in both this life and in the life to come. The Qur’an says, “Those who follow My guidance will not go astray and will not be wretched. But whoever turns away from My reminder, he will lead a miserable life.” (Soorat Taa Haa, 20:123-24)

Parts 1-7:

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627183884732416000/islam-101-your-faith-part-1

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627229326084079616/islam-101-your-faith-part-2

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627356113398022144/islam-101-your-faithpart3

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627412366835990528/islam-101-your-faith-part-4

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627486614749315072/islam-101-your-faith-part-5

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627594227450298368/islam-101-your-faith-part-6

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627715253328838656/islam-101-your-faith-part-7

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dailyaudiobible · 5 years ago

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10/16/2020 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 28:1-29:32, 1 Timothy 1:1-20, Psalms 86:1-17, Proverbs 25:17

Today is the 16th day of October welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I'm Brian it is wonderful to be here with you today as we continue our journey and, yeah, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover today. In the Old Testament we’re gonna cover, probably if not the most, one of the most famous passages in the Scriptures right now. And then when we get to the New Testament, we’ve got a brand-new letter in a whole new kind of series of letters that we’ll talk about when we get there. So, we’re reading from the New International Version this week. Jeremiah chapters 28 and 29.

Introduction to first Timothy:

Okay. So, now we come to our New Testament portion for today and we enter this new grouping of letters, three letters. They are known as the pastoral letters or the pastoral epistles, and the first one is known as first Timothy and the other two are second Timothy and…and then the letter to Titus. Now these are highly disputed letters of Paul. There's very few biblical scholars who would affirm that Paul wrote these letters, much like we’ve talked about before, like the letter to the Hebrews. We…we don't know who the author actually is. There are those that say these are letters from Paul, there Pauline in their kind of ethos, but this is not like a new debate. This is a centuries old thing that’s been going on for a very long time, whether or not Paul wrote these letters, which letters Paul actually wrote, which came from Pauline influences but maybe later than Paul. And that kind of debate is a vigorous thing until this very day. And, so, those that would favor that Paul didn't write the pastoral letters would say that in these letters there's church structure, right, polity church governance. There's ways of things being done that…that’s being said in these letters that were later inventions after Paul's lifetime. And as a side note, I mean Paul has only ever been a controversial figure, I mean from the beginning of his ministry. And, so, we've talked about why, especially the Jew, Gentile, kind of rub there, the tension that existed but Paul's still controversial today. And if he's controversial today, it's around church governance things that get said in some of his letters that then get hotly, hotly debated and vigorously defended. And, so, for those that are like, yeah, these things that were laid down, they came after Paul, Paul did not put these in place then we’re looking at like just a little bit after Paul, how as the church grew, how structures were put into place. And there's pretty much no scholars out there that…that don’t affirm the fact that the language in the pastoral letters is a bit different than the language in any of the other letters but then those would be more persuaded to for Paul's authorship would…would like, you know, they authenticate themselves, the author claims to be Paul in the letters, these letters were referred to by the early church fathers. And then maybe that the language differences are because these weren’t circular letters, like these weren’t letters to be performed in front of an audience at church to be sort of read as a word of encouragement directly to a church. These are personal letters. And, so, they weren’t supposed to be passed around even though they obviously were passed around or we wouldn't have them today. But that's kind of what's…what’s going on around these three letters, the pastoral epistles. They are correspondences to two different pastors who were very, very close to Paul, - Timothy and Titus - who had under Paul's leadership become pastors themselves. And, so, they were directly caring for churches that…that had been established by Paul. And the churched needed leadership, strong leaders who understood the doctrine or the teachings of Paul regarding the faith, the faith itself and how to live into it in community. So, you know, we’ll talk about Titus when we get to Titus. But the very first pastoral letter is to Timothy. And Timothy is somebody we know. We’ve been hearing of his name a lot. He is a protégé. He grew up in the shadow of the ministry of the apostle Paul and we met him in the book of Acts. So, we know a little bit about Timothy. His mother's name was Eunice, his grandmother's name was Lois, they were from the city of Lystra, they were some of the early believers. And Lystra is now in modern-day Turkey. Paul introduced the faith the Timothy. Timothy received that faith, believed in Jesus and became a loyal follower and…and disciple of Paul. Paul loved Timothy enough to call him a son, like a spiritual son in the faith, and not just like a son in the faith that was distant. Like, Paul directly mentored Timothy in the faith and in church leadership for that matter. And Timothy was kind of Paul's go to messenger. So, we hear Timothy mentioned in six of the other letters of Paul in the New Testament and often in the context of Paul sending Timothy with a letter or Paul sending Timothy to a church, and Timothy returning with news of how things were going. So, Paul's kind of a stand in, a representative…or I’m sorry…Timothy’s a representative of Paul during his ministry. And, so, Timothy knows the churches. He’s been around church leadership enough to know people. So, he's got some skill and he's got some experience. And when this letter is written it is near the end of Paul's ministry if…if Paul wrote this. I mean, the context of that it's set in. And Timothy’s a pastor. He’s a pastor of the church in Ephesus a strong church where…where Paul spent a lot of time. And it’s just a spiritual father writing to his spiritual son, guiding him, giving him counsel, giving him encouragement. And there's a lot of personal personality, like love and hope. It's personal to Timothy, not just to the entire church itself. This is the letter where Paul says to his son in the faith Timothy to fight the good fight of faith. And, so, we begin the short letters, personal letters, known as the Pastoral letters. First Timothy chapter 1.

Commentary:

Okay. So, you probably recognize the very, very famous Scripture that we passed through in the book of Jeremiah today and maybe even when you heard it in its context you were like, wow, that's a different story kind of like the one I've been thinking or quoting. And if you’ve been, you know, one or more revolutions around the sun hear the Daily Audio Bible then you kinda know this. But this is one of the greatest examples of how context matters while reading the stories in the Bible as there are. And…and really, really one of the most helpful examples because this is one of the most famous Scriptures, “for I know the plans I have for you says the Lord,” right? “And there plans for good and not for harm or disaster. They are plans to give you a future and a hope.” Chances are you can quote that. It’s like one of the most memorized verses in the Bible, one of the most quoted verses in the Bible. And, I mean, those couple of sentences they’re actually lifted out of a letter that Jeremiah had sent. So, Jeremiah is in the holy city of Jerusalem that is basically a conquered land that is now deporting people. Many, many people, like all of the aristocracy, the royalty, the best laborers, the smartest thinkers, kinda like the cream of the crop best of the best, these people have already been sent away into exile in Babylon. And Babylon’s not like just a town, it's an empire. So, people are being dispersed all over the place. Families are being broken up, people have died, there's a bunch of stuff going on in the disruption and dislocation of people. There are those who are left in Jerusalem. Jeremiah the prophet is still in Jerusalem prophesying from Jerusalem. And there are those who are speaking for God in Babylon. There are people, prophets, who are speaking for God in Jerusalem. And since there are still people in Jerusalem these profits are like going, “you know, this is all gonna be over soon. This is all gonna be over really quick. Within two years all the stuff that's been taken from here is coming back. It's not gonna take that long. It’s gonna be a quick thing.” Jeremiah, on the other hand, has been saying all along, “it's not. It's not gonna be as quick of a thing as what you're saying anyways. And there were all kinds of points where this story could have turned, the plot could've shifted. You were warned. You were warned.” Of course, we've already talked about how difficult of a scenario this is, the faith that the people would have to put into the surrender to the Empire that they saw as their enemy - Babylon. Babylon is coming. So, they looked at this invading nation, this invading Empire as the enemy, when Jeremiah is prophesying, “they're not really the enemy. They will be your protector ultimately. They're kind of going to be used in my master plan as a bulldozer. We are starting some things over. It's gonna take a minute, we gotta build new foundations, we gotta start this thing over because the trajectory is only evil and I'm not putting up with it anymore. The covenant has been broken for the last time”, basically. So, this is what Jeremiah’s kind of been saying, but there are other prophets who are saying, “no it's not gonna be like that at all. The mighty arm of the mighty God is gonna do some mighty arm mighty God things and He's gonna use that mightiness and this is all gonna be over quickly even though it never had to happen.” And even though God's saying through Jeremiah, “that’s not the plan. These quick fixes these Band-Aids, they're not working anymore. You keep returning to only evil. So, we’re gonna do something different and it's gonna take a little longer.” Okay. Are you with me? Because that's the backdrop for this very famous passage. Jeremiah from Jerusalem writes a letter to the exiles who have already been taken away to Babylon. This letter is supposed to be distributed and…and move around kind of like Paul's letters only much earlier. And, so, now I read from the letter placing our famous passage in context. “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. Build houses, settle down, plant gardens and eat what they produce, marry and have sons and daughters, find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there”, right? So, in exile. “Increase in number there. Do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it because if it prospers you too will prosper. Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says. Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them declares the Lord. This is what the Lord says. When 70 years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” These people did not specifically particularly want this message. They would have very much preferred the two-year plan that other prophets were prophesying in the name of the Lord about how quickly this plague, this exile was gonna be over which ironically is…is sort of the general use of these famous sentences, “behold, I know the plans I have for you”, right? Somehow embedded into our quotation of this is a short time span, that God knows the plans that He has for us and they are coming quickly, which is not the context for this verse or what's being said here at all. What God is saying to those people is it’s gonna take 70 years. So, basically a generation. And what God says is, and I'm quoting, “build houses and settle down, plant gardens and eat what they produce, marry and have sons and daughters, find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters.” In other words, like the next generation. “Increase in number there. Do not decrease. Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it because if it prospers you to will prosper.” And then basically goes on to tell the people. “Don't let people lie to you. This is what I'm saying.” So, for those of us who like quote, “behold I know the plans I have for you” to ourselves or to others who are in or like basically feel like they're in exile. Some of us feel like we’re just…we…we've been in exile forever, but this is not where we believe, we need to move out from here, we need you to be moving in some other direction, the path has to lead somewhere other than this. We feel trapped. We feel stuck and we keep telling us God's got a plan. God does and He did have a plan here. What he told him was, “settle in. This is gonna take a minute. You don't have to be upside down in all this. You don't have to be only longing for what you no longer have. You don't have to be all anxious and all uptight about what you…you don't have right now. You can settle in. We are restarting something. It's gonna take a minute. I have plans and they are good, and they don't have to start in 70 years they can start now. You can prosper where you are while you wait. And then you will fully bloom and fully prosper later, right where you are while you wait, you can prosper.” That is the message of Jeremiah 29:11. That is not as flashy of a prophecy as some of the other prophets were speaking which is like “this is all gonna be over so quick. You’re gonna barely remember it even happened. Within two years all the exiles, all the stuff’s coming back.” The problem is that just wasn't true and is not the context of this verse. God is giving His people though permission to thrive where they are, even if they don't want to be where they are. They can thrive. The thriving doesn't have to start when they finally get to where they want to be. It can start now and continue as God's plan unfolds. Some of us, yeah, we'd still like the two-year plan, right? We’d like the six-month plan. We’d like the 30-day plan. Like we just want this all to go away when actually what’s being invited here is a shift of internal focus, a settling down, a ceasing of striving towards something that we just keep bashing our head against over and over and over. Maybe it's gonna take a minute but maybe we can thrive. Maybe we can prosper where we are while we wait. I mean, if we’re honest isn’t this really kind of the backdrop of life itself. Like haven't we come to a place of the now and the not yet? Haven’t we come to a place in our faith where we are living into it? And yes, we fall down, and we get up and we fall down and we are continuing to press forward. But ultimately, we’re waiting. We’re waiting. We’re waiting for God to do what's next; we’re waiting for Jesus. Same as the people that we’re reading about in the letters in the New Testament. So, maybe we can prosper where we are while we wait.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit we invite You into that. We don't like waiting. It's hard. It can be really, really, really hard sometimes knowing that the best is out in front of us, but not being able to get anything but a glimpse once in a while. It's hard. And, so, You are inviting us to stop worrying about what is out in front of us because that isn't happening. It has not yet happened, but things are happening now. And when all of our focus is out in front of us on things that are not happening, we are missing what is happening, that You have given us permission to thrive. And, so, come Holy Spirit and help us appreciate with deepest gratitude where we are. And may we settle in as You have said and follow Your time and follow Your plan instead of the anxiousness of our own. Come Holy Spirit we pray. In the name of Jesus we ask. Amen.

Song:

While I Wait - Lincoln Brewster

Deep within my heart, I know You've won I know You've overcome And even in the dark, when I'm undone I still believe it

I live by faith, and not by sight Sometimes miracles take time

While I wait, I will worship Lord, I'll worship Your name While I wait, I will trust You Lord, I'll trust You all the same

When I fall apart, You are my strength Help me not forget Seeing every scar, You make me whole You're my healer

I live by faith, and not by sight Sometimes miracles take time I live by faith, and not by sight Sometimes miracles take time

While I wait, I will worship Lord, I'll worship Your name While I wait, I will trust You Lord, I'll trust You all the same

You're faithful every day Your promises remain You're faithful every day Your promises remain You're faithful every day Your promises remain You're faithful every day Your promises remain

Though I don't understand it I will worship with my pain You are God, You are worthy You are with me all the way

So while I wait, I will worship Lord, I'll worship Your name Though I don't have all the answers Still I trust You all the same

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updcbc · 6 years ago

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January 6, 2019 - “The Path of Godliness” Psalm 1

Click KEEP READING to read the full sermon.

Introduction

Our solitary life is in a balance. Who we are and what we may become is a personal choice. We make desperate measures we think for our good but do much damage to our souls. It is not a dead end when we make a wrong choice. The great lessons in life are painfully discovered in our breaking points. Amidst the maze of life we can be redeemed from our frailties and failures. In the agony of our souls we search our hearts to sort out the noble from the mundane. We come to our own senses and find our home back to God. In solitude we dwell in the presence of the Lord and listen to his still voice. In darkness we nurture our souls in light of the Scriptures. We embrace and cherish the Bible that we have so long taken for granted. In coming back to God and in obedience to his Word, we can learn our lessons well in life and make a fresh start.

I grew up as a religious person. Despite my religiosity, my whole being could be summarized in one word: restless. When I was thirteen years old, my aunt gave me a strange gift. It was a New Testament Bible. I would rather have received any other gift for I wondered what good this book could ever do in my life. Four years in high school, the Bible was a closed book to me. Four years in college, the Bible was a dead book to me. Yet, through all those years I wrestled with the agony of my soul. I knew what was good but was bound with guilt. My motives were defiled expressed in secret misdeeds. In my sinfulness I was restless! In the malady of my soul amidst my utter restlessness I welcomed to end it all by placing my life into my bare hands. In that desperate moment I looked up to heaven and uttered a short prayer, “God if you are real, show yourself to me.” In 1980 during my fourth year in college, I heard of the gospel of Jesus through the ministry of the Campus Crusade for Christ. The core of the gospel truth that spoke to my heart was John 3:16. In response to the great love of God who gave his Son for my behalf, I turned away from my sin and yielded my life to Jesus Christ.

That unexpected crossroad of knowing Jesus Christ defined my life. At last, I found rest for my soul! The first thing I did was to go home to find the book I despised. When I found the Bible, I pressed it hard into my heart with a word of deep gratitude, “This is the best gift I ever received in my life.” Since then I learned and still do to walk with God every day guided by his Word. That was almost forty years ago. To this very day I hold in my hands this Book of Life. And I have no room for regrets.

The Bible is the final authority of the Christian faith and life. Our knowledge of God and how we conduct our lives rest upon our attitude to the Holy Scriptures. Our destiny, here and now and for eternity, is determined on how we handle the living and enduring Word of God. It is for this reason that we remind ourselves of the historic account when Moses gave his final word to his own Hebrew people.

In the renewal of their covenant to the LORD their God prior to entering the Promised Land, Moses gave this solemn charge to his own people. The essence of his parting word applies to every people of the world.

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (Deut. 30:19-20a)

The covenant of God for Israel is binding for us. A blessed life is governed by the Word of God. To this noble end we are called to “listen to his voice.” This noble call is echoed by the psalmist for all of us.

There is a clear distinction that sets apart those who treasure the Bible from those who do not. The very first chapter of the Book of Psalms is a song of prayer that defines the great contrast between the righteous and the wicked. The righteous are blessed for they live by the Word of God (1:1-3). And the wicked who despise it are unfortunate (1:4-6).

A. The Righteous (1:1-3)

Who are the righteous in the sight of God? The righteous walk in godliness, delight in the Scriptures and live a fruitful life.

1. The Path of the Righteous

Those who are right with God walk in the path of godliness.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” (1:1)

Blessedness dispels the notion of shallow happiness based on favourable circumstances. Rather, the biblical thought of blessedness speaks of the highest good bestowed by God to whom he extends his sufficient grace. To be blessed is to experience the fullness of life being assured that God works all things together for our ultimate good and for his glory. A blessed man can be poor but remains grateful and generous in life. A blessed woman in the bed of sickness despite her pain enjoys the sweet communion in the abiding presence of God. A blessed person under severe persecution finds his solace in the safekeeping of God and learns to repay good for evil. Blessedness is to have inward stability and restful peace in whatever circumstance in life. Anchored upon this biblical perspective, the psalmist declared a defining stand of blessedness.

First of all, a blessed person does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. In the time of the judges in the Old Testament, this was the awful description of the Hebrew people, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit” (Judg. 21:25). In such condition of lawlessness, every man or woman was right in his or her own perspective. The people disregarded their covenant with God and each one became a law to his or her own self. The same attitude of lawlessness is applied in our own time in the name of human rights. On this premise, each one is entitled to his own opinion and we need to respect our own differences, sad to say, on the ground that everything is relative and there is no such thing as absolute. In a secular world each one is entitled to his own opinion and no one has the right to persuade others of his own convictions. And in a pluralistic society we hear many voices with a common argument, “We can speak about anything under the sun, but leave me alone in my belief about God.” We live in perilous times where we create our own gods and define our own standards on what is true or false and on what is right or wrong. The counsel of the wicked defies and distorts the authority and absoluteness of the Bible as the Word of God. In the New Testament, Apostle Paul gave his final instruction to Pastor Timothy. This prophetic word is true to our day.

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Tim. 4:1-3)

Secondly, a blessed person does not stand in the way of sinners. In the period of the judges, each person was entitled to one’s own opinion and had the freedom to do his or her own thing. What does this mean? Israel broke their covenant with God and disobeyed the Ten Commandments. When we see ourselves in our own generation, we are not better than the Israelites. The way of sinners defies the commandments of God. There is a steady moral breakdown in the land manifested in religious hypocrisy. The solemn warning of Paul to Timothy is staggering.

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5a)

Paul gives us a strong word, “Have nothing to do with them” (v. 5b).

Thirdly, a blessed person does not sit in the seat of mockers. We go back to the days of the judges. There was no law in the land for each one became a law to his or her own self. Their brazen lawlessness was an outright rebellion against God in defiance to his commandments and mockery to his warnings. There was no fear of God in Israel. We, too, need to answer a serious question for ourselves, “Where is the fear of God in our land?” The seat of mockers speaks of those who are in authority who see themselves above the law and untouchables driven in their greed for money and power. Are we not also guilty of making a mockery of God when our conscience becomes dull to entertain the thought that it is alright for us to live in sin as long as we can make it a secret for ourselves? We only wear out ourselves in despair when we wear masks to portray a good image in betrayal of our true selves. No one can play with God without facing its dire consequences. Apostle Paul gives us a stern warning, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Gal. 6:7).

As in the period of the judges, our present world reflects the spirit of lawlessness where every person is entitled to his own opinion and conviction and not bound to the authoritative and absolute Word of God. In this dark and sinful world, we brace ourselves to be maligned and destroyed in our uncompromising stand for what is true, right and just. Blessed are those who do not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. This is the narrow path and less travelled road of the righteous.

2. The Delight of the Righteous

What sets apart the righteous before God?

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” (1:2)

To delight literally means to rejoice in one thing with inner contentment. Above all things, the great joy of the righteous is the Holy Scriptures. The righteous anchor their whole being in the Word of God. In intimate communion with God they meditate upon the Law of the LORD day and night. The Bible is the daily bread of the righteous to govern their lives.

Throughout the historical revelation of God, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, the LORD upholds the primacy of the Scriptures as the absolute rule of life for his covenant people and the firm foundation of life for all nations. The sovereign LORD, the God of heaven and earth, made this clear to Joshua, the successor of Moses, to lead the Hebrew people. This divine instruction is for all of us.

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Jos. 1:8)

This solemn charge defines our life. It is a command with a promise. We ought to anchor our lives upon the Scriptures and to obey it with all our heart. And we can be assured that God will graciously bless our lives to make a godly difference in this world.

Every Hebrew must treasure the Law of the LORD. Every Christian must live by the Holy Scriptures. And every human being must be governed by the Word of God.

3. The Legacy of the Righteous

Does it really make a difference for us to abide in the Scriptures? Here is a beautiful portrait of a blessed life anchored upon the Word of God.

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (1:3)

This is a delightful metaphor. Like a tree planted by streams of water, a righteous person is rooted upon the living Word of God and established upon the inexhaustible sufficiency of God. Like a tree which yields its fruit in season, a righteous person bears the fruit of godly character to be a source of joy and channel of blessing for others. And like a tree whose leaf does not wither, likewise, a righteous person receives the gift of eternal life and enjoys the grace of living in its fullness.

In summary, like a living and a fruitful tree, the psalmist described a righteous person with this statement, “Whatever he does prospers.” What does this mean? Anyone who delights in the Scriptures will grow in spiritual discernment to ascertain and do the will of God under divine blessing. We do understand not all things go well with us. Yet, in all our experiences in life, good or bad, nothing will be laid to waste if we learn our lessons well. At times we can have a firmer grasp of the goodness of God and can better appreciate his blessing for our lives when he disciplines us of our sinfulness and affirms his great love for us. Down the road of life we all go through a humbling process so we can learn the redemptive lessons in life. In this way we learn to swallow our pride and walk in the humility of Christ. And so we yield with a humble heart, “Father, not my will, but Thy will be done.”

A. The Wicked (1:4-6)

The righteous live in godliness and find their delight in the Law of the LORD. The righteous are like a tree which is much alive with bountiful fruitfulness. The works of the righteous are under the blessing of God. On the contrary, the wicked gratify their sinful desires as they defy God and spurn his Word. The psalmist speaks on the irreconcilable contrast of the wicked from the righteous.

1. The Vanity of the Wicked

How did the psalmist portray the wicked? Here is the awful plight of those who turn away from God and disobey his commandments.

“Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.” (1:4)

The chaff or the husk is the seed coverings and other debris separated from the seed in threshing grain. On the outside, the chaff appears to look like a grain. In the inside, it is empty and without a seed in it. The chaff is comparatively a picture of worthlessness.

What does this disheartening imagery has to do with our lives? Unfortunately, there are those who set their hearts on earthly goods and think they can buy anything in life. There are those who embrace a humanistic view of life and perceive they have the freedom to do what they like. And there are those who desire for authority and use their power to influence others for their selfish ends. What does the Bible say into all these? We always need to remind ourselves of the word of God.

“‘This is what the LORD says: Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the LORD.” (Jer. 9:23-24)

The beloved Apostle John wrote a close parallel of this revealing truth.

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 Jn. 2:15-17)

We, in our fallen nature, are proud. We are inherently and deceitfully proud. We are inclined to take pride of anything under the sun. Sad to say, we even boast of our knowledge about God. This should not be. Our true knowledge of God should teach us to walk in the innocence of a little child. Such lowly attitude is a despised virtue for those who have no heart for God and who disregard his decrees. The wicked declare their freedom outside of God. They are free, indeed, without a moral compass that leads them to nowhere like chaff blown by the wind.

2. The Judgment of the Wicked

If we rebel against God and treat his Word as garbage, we deserve our own disgraceful and dreadful lot.

“Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.” (1:5)

God hates those who are proud in their heart. The wicked may boast in their wisdom, power and riches. They may see themselves invincible and indestructible for they are in control over the affairs of man. Yet a time is coming when their mockery and laughter will turn into weeping and mourning. In the end, the wicked will stand before God in dread and be cast away from the company of the righteous in disgrace.

3. The Destruction of the Wicked

We only make fool of ourselves when we think we can play around God.

“For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (1:6)

God holds everyone accountable for he makes a clear distinction between those who fear him and to those who despise him. Here and now, the God of heaven discerns our hearts and watches over the affairs of every human being on earth. The righteous are wise to search their hearts and make things right with God. The wicked are defiant and carefree to go on with their evil ways that lead them to their irreversible destruction. Such was the dreadful path of Cain who murdered his own brother Abel. Cain was restless throughout his life and for all eternity. The path of the wicked is open and wide for men loved darkness instead of light. Indeed, our life is in a balance. We can choose our own eternal destiny with the kind of life we choose. We can delight in the Scriptures and live in godliness. Or we can choose to despise the Bible and live in sin. In this crucial crossroad of life, the final decision is ours.

Conclusion

Where is our life leading to? It is time for us to watch our steps on what kind of road we trod. Few would dare to walk in the path of the righteous for it involves total submission and sacrificial obedience. The road of the wicked is much more appealing and many would follow it for sin is a pleasure. Now what must we choose? Sin is enjoyable but distasteful. Righteousness is painful but delightful. If we truly care for our souls, we would rather stand for what is righteous for our good than wallow in the mud of sin for our disgrace. In the narrow path of blessedness, how then should we nurture our souls?

Define your moral standards. The psalmist says it well. Do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. Do not stand in the way of sinners. And do not sit in the seat of mockers. Our lives are established upon the seat of authority that defines our moral stand on how we conduct ourselves. In our waywardness it is much easier to conform to the allurements of this world and satisfy our carnal desires. In our pursuit for our ultimate good we hate every form of evil. And the best safeguard is intimacy with God.

Deepen your biblical convictions. The psalmist gives a nonconforming stand. Delight in the Law of the LORD and meditate on it day and night. What we feed our mind nourishes our heart and transforms our being. Never take for granted the Word of God. Godliness and greatness anchor upon the authority and power of the Scriptures. The Bible nourishes our souls and refines our character. A righteous and stable life is seasoned through daily meditation of and grateful obedience to the Scriptures.

Influence with godly impact. The psalmist makes a powerful portrait. The righteous are like a tree planted by streams of water bearing fruits in season and whose leaves do not wither and whatever they do prospers. Apart from God and his Word there is nothing we can do that satisfies and lasts. God can do great wonders in our lives if we cherish the Scriptures in our hearts. To this ultimate end we have no greater joy as fathers and mothers but to see our beloved children walking in the truth.

#updcbc #dcbc #God #Christian #blessed #blessedness #psalm of david #psalm #Bible

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michaeljopetro · 4 years ago

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Perdition in the Church

During the last month and a half I have been preaching about the end times, the son of perdition, the wrath that will be poured out on the false church and the glory that will be revealed through the remnant. I have made it a point to drive this home so that everyone is prepared and not caught off guard. We need to understand how the church is going to be judged (1 Peter 4:17). We need to know so we can be that sounding trumpet to warn others: our loved ones, friends, neighbors, and those who we know are a part of the religious system...those whom the Word warns will receive the wrath of God if they don’t repent.

Paul prophesied that in the last days people will depart from the faith to follow deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1). We see that today in the church more than ever. People don’t want to hear the truth; they just want their ears tickled. It’s dangerous to receive a different doctrine, because if you do, you’re actually receiving a different spirit that isn’t the spirit of God. All false teachings are demonic, and are imparting demons into those who receive them. You can tell a person has opened the door to a false doctrine because very quickly you’ll see their attitude start to get worse. Paul says their conscience becomes seared, meaning they’re not willing to change - they don’t want to pick up their cross. They no longer want to die to themselves and let the Lord have His way.

Three years ago the Lord told me that He was going to start exposing things in the church system. He showed me that churches were going to be shut down. At the time I didn’t know how it would happen, but Saints, it’s here now...So many churches have shut down because of “Covid” and most will never reopen their doors. We have also seen many well known Christian denominational leaders submit to the Pope including but not limited to Lou Engle, Todd White, Kris Vallotton, Heidi Baker, and Kenneth Copeland. They have all met with the Pope and said what a sweet and anointed man he is. Why would Lou Engle kiss the feet of a Catholic priest and come into covenant with him? What does light have in common with darkness? It shows that many “Christians” have opened themselves up to a different doctrine. Monk Malachy prophesied this in 1139 - the Lord showed him that the current Pope (the 112th Pope) would be the last one and that he would lead the church into perdition. Saints, it is here.

While all this deception is going on, the Lord is raising up His remnant. The Early Church taught that the remnant would be taught and raised up by Elijah at the end of the age to bring in the final harvest. The Word says that Elijah has to come back to restore all things - he is going to restore truth. The Early Church taught that Elijah was going to prepare the remnant by his teachings, to be able to receive the glory of God, and to be partakers of it. While many of us have been taught that no one can touch His glory, Scripture tells us that Moses was bathing in God’s glory, and that it shone from his face (Exod. 34:29-30). Jesus prayed that we would be one with Him, just as He and the Father are one. So when we become one with the Father, we’ll be in His glory.

We’re at a crossroads right now. The things that are going on in the world are only a sign of where we’re at and what God is about to do. Every move of God happened during times of war and turmoil. Now more than ever we need to be in our Word, in prayer, in fasting. Immerse yourselves in His presence. We need to be ready for what’s coming. Amen.

Sincerely,

Apostle Michael Petro

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johnchiarello · 7 years ago

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My 1st book

'HOUSE OF PRAYER, OR DEN OF THIEVES'

a critical look at the modern prosperity gospel.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 ‘YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON’

CHAPTER 2 ‘TWISTING THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER’

CHAPTER 3 ‘WHAT IS THE ABRAHAMIC BLESSING ?’

CHAPTER 4 ‘WHAT DID JAMES SAY ?’

CHAPTER 5 ‘WHOSE MINISTRY, JESUS OR OURS ?’

CHAPTER 6 ‘1 TIMOTHY 6’

CHAPTER 7 ‘WERE JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES RICH ?’

CHAPTER 8 ‘COVENANT THEOLOGY’

CHAPTER 9 ‘SOWING INTO GOOD SOIL’

CHAPTER 10 ‘IS THERE HOPE FOR FALSE PROPHETS ?’

INTRODUCTION

It all started a few years back when I was regularly listening to certain ministries who taught the prosperity gospel. Over the years I subscribed to a few of these ministry magazines and truly enjoyed their teaching, but every now and then while reading through the bible I would come across certain passages of scripture that seemed to contradict the themes of the prosperity movement. I also found it strange the way they interpreted certain passages of scripture, it was almost as if when they were done explaining them, that these passages meant the exact opposite of what they were plainly teaching.

During this season of learning, while the Lord was dealing with me about these various doctrines, I would find myself at times saying 'something needs to be done about the extreme teaching coming from this camp'. I would also deal with some of the unbalanced teaching through the small avenues of influence I had through a local radio program and various speaking opportunities. I would even go through stages where I was so upset over some of the more extreme elements of this teaching, that I would avoid dealing with it at all because of the emotional baggage that comes with having to disagree with a brother in Christ.

Then why write this book? Each time I would determine to drop the whole matter and never deal with this issue again, something would happen, or be said on Christian television or radio, or be written in a new book, that was so off base that I would ask the Lord again if He wanted me to do more in bringing about a more balanced view of biblical prosperity. The most recent incident was while watching Christian TV one night, the preacher who was speaking is a well-known prosperity preacher. Before he preached he invited another prosperity preacher to share a 'special' revelatory word the Lord had given him, as the preacher came to the pulpit he began to lead the people in a series of confessions/actions that he told the audience to imitate in order for them to experience breakthrough in their finances. As he stood on the stage he then went through the motions of pulling down an imaginary lever on a slot machine while confessing in a very loud voice the words 'MONEY COMING'. He did this three times while the audience followed. When they got to the last shout, the preacher emphasized the importance of this last shout, and as he led them in the pulling down of the lever they all shouted at the top of their lungs 'MONEY COMING TO ME'

Well to say the least this was another one of those 'incidents' that caused me to ask the Lord if I should do more about such obvious abuse in the church. A few days later, while driving to work one morning, I remembered this incident and asked the Lord if he wanted me to write a book on this subject. Later on in the day during a lunch break, while reading through the bible during a regular devotional time, I just happened to be reading through the book of revelation, and when I came to revelation 1:19 where Jesus tells John to 'write the things which thou hast seen', it hit me like a ton of bricks. So here I am today, believing that this book will serve a definite purpose in the Body of Christ and cause us to return to a more balanced view of the 'things of this world'.

CHAPTER 1 'YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON'

It has been said that the best way to spot a counterfeit is to know the real. So let’s begin with a biblical look at true prosperity. In the past, while trying to deal with this subject, I would often find people responding in defense of the prosperity gospel by saying things like 'oh, but you don't know how good the Lord is' or 'you don't know how much God wants to meet our needs' or, 'the bible doesn’t say money is evil, but the love of money'. To which I would reply 'AMEN', I agree with you. But the bible also gives us many warnings against materialism, seeking to be rich, and living for material things.

So while trying to deal with the false prosperity gospel, I would like first of all to establish the truth that God is good, he does want to meet our needs and give us the desires of our heart, and yes, he even wants to bless us financially and materially. God promises not only 'heavenly' or 'spiritual' blessings, but also earthly or material blessings as well. If you go through the bible from Genesis to Revelation you will find instances of Gods people being rich, prosperous and blessed in every way. You will find many promises of Gods provisions for us, not only spiritual but also financial and material. There is no doubt that God can, and does bless His children in all areas of life if they are obedient to Him.

We also know that there are many warnings in the N.T. against seeking to be rich, living for material wealth, and the like. So how do we harmonize these two truths?

Let’s look at the overall purpose of God for his church. We are commissioned by Jesus to tell the whole world about His love for us, so we can make disciples of all nations. The message from our lips, [and hearts] is to overflow with who Jesus is and what He’s done for us. As a matter of fact, Jesus tells us that as we proclaim and talk about Him, and seek first His kingdom, that He will take care of all the other less important things. MATHEW 6:19-24 ' LAY NOT UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES UPON EARTH, WHERE MOTH AND RUST DOTH CORRUPT, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK THROUGH AND STEAL: BUT LAY UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE NIETHER MOTH NOR RUST DOTH CORRUPT, AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK THROUGH AND STEAL: FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO........ NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS: FOR EITHER HE WILL HATE THE ONE, AND LOVE THE OTHER; OR ELSE HE WILL HOLD TO THE ONE AND DESPISE THE OTHER. YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON. THEREFORE I SAY UNTO YOU, TAKE NO THOUGHT FOR YOUR LIFE, WHAT YE SHALL EAT, OR WHAT YE SHALL DRINK; NOR YET FOR YOUR BODY, WHAT YE SHALL PUT ON. IS NOT THE LIFE MORE THAN MEAT, AND THE BODY MORE THAN RAIMENT? BEHOLD THE FOWLS OF THE AIR: FOR THEY SOW NOT, NIETHER DO THEY REAP, NOR GATHER INTO BARNS; YET YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDETH THEM. ARE YE NOT MUCH BETTER THAN THEY? ...... THEREFORE TAKE NO THOUGHT, SAYING WHAT SHALL WE EAT? OR, WHAT SHALL WE DRINK? OR, WHEREWITHALL SHALL WE BE CLOTHED? [FOR AFTER ALL THESE THINGS DO THE GENTILES SEEK;] FOR YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KHNOWETH THAT YE HAVE NEED OF ALL THESE THINGS. BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND ALL THES THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU. TAKE THEREFORE NO THOUGHT FOR THE MORROW: FOR THE MORROW SHALL TAKE THOUGHT FOR THE THINGS OF ITSELF. SUFFICIENT UNTO THE DAY IS THE EVIL THEREOF' Jesus is making a distinction between material things and the kingdom of God. He is saying if we seek first His kingdom, then all these material needs will be met. If the kingdom is about material things, then Jesus contradicted himself. The plain meaning and thought of this passage is that if we put God first, He will take care of us. Now say if the disciples took this to mean that the primary message of the gospel was 'God will add all these things unto you'. And say if they went around teaching all nations to quote 'all these things shall be added unto you'. And then all over Jerusalem and Judaea and unto the uttermost parts of the earth they had people quoting 'all these things shall be added unto you'. And after a lifetime of ministry they taught the people how God would give them things if they kept quoting and meditating on the passages of scripture that speak about material wealth. What do you suppose Jesus would say when He comes back? First of all the plain teaching of Jesus in this passage is to get their focus [meditation, confession] off of material things. He plainly says that the 'gentiles seek these things', and that the disciples are not to be thinking about these things all the time like the gentiles. He tells us to focus on the kingdom as opposed to focusing on material things. He tells us that as we go forth by faith to proclaim his gospel, that he in turn will meet our needs. After all, the disciples left their jobs in order to follow Christ, and he was reassuring them that they would be taken care of materially if they forsook all to follow him.

I find it troubling that some teachers use this very passage in order to justify materialism, while the plain meaning of Jesus words are the opposite. Jesus says you cannot serve God and money. So we must take our minds and thoughts and meditations and focus them on God, not worldly things!

So true prosperity can be defined as God meeting all the needs of his children as they proclaim him in all nations. True prosperity is God meeting our needs while our focus is on him [not on our needs being met!]. True prosperity is being able to preach the word of God without a covetous motive [1 PETER:5:2].

I should make note that there are some who teach that this passage of scripture [MATT. 6:19-24] actually teaches that we have a bank account in heaven with real money credited to our account! And every time we sow [give into] the kingdom of God, that we are actually building a fund in this account. And that by faith you can claim a withdrawal on your account and receive your financial harvest now. But if this is what Jesus was teaching then the entire passage is twisted into turning our attention towards money once again! Jesus plainly warned us against focusing our thoughts on the material things in life, he told us not to be like the unbelievers who have all their possessions in this life only. Jesus told us to build up treasures in heaven, which meant a life lived for eternal purposes as opposed to temporary rewards. I believe that if we get our priorities right, that God will meet our needs, and we will be so excited about God and his kingdom that we wont even have time to think about serving mammon!

CHAPTER 2 'TWISTING THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER'

While a new Christian, enjoying that early honeymoon period with the Lord, I’ll never forget the joy I experienced while learning the bible for the first time. The clarity, pureness and unity of scripture were a sure foundation for a long road ahead. While working as a house painter and listening to Christian radio all day long, it was an early introduction to the various 'streams' of teaching that were being produced in the church. One day my job foreman, who often heard me listening to Christian radio, thought I would enjoy listening to a new tape series that he had just been given. So I popped the cassettes into my radio and listened with the excitement of a new believer in Christ. The cassettes were a new teaching on the parable of the sower. MATTHEW 13:1-9, 18-23 ' THE SAME DAY WENT JESUS OUT OF THE HOUSE, AND SAT BY THE SEASIDE. AND GREAT MULTITUDES WERE GATHERED TOGETHER UNTO HIM, SO THAT HE WENT INTO A SHIP, AND SAT; AND THE WHOLE MULTITUDE STOOD ON THE SHORE. AND HE SPAKE MANY THINGS UNTO THEM IN PARABLES, SAYING, BEHOLD, A SOWER WENT FORTH TO SOW; AND WHEN HE SOWED, SOME SEEDS FELL BY THE WAY SIDE, AND THE FOWLS CAME AND DEVOURED THEM UP: SOME FELL UPON STONY PLACES, WHERE THEY HAD NOT MUCH EARTH: AND FORTHWITH THEY SPRUNG UP, BECAUSE THEY HAD NO DEEPNESS OF EARTH: AND WHEN THE SUN WAS UP THEY WERE SCORCHED; AND BECAUSE THEY HAD NO ROOT THEY WITHERED AWAY. AND SOME FELL AMONG THORNS; AND THE THORNS SPRUNG UP, AND CHOKED THEM; BUT OTHER FELL INTO GOOD GROUND, AND BROUGHT FORTH FRUIT, SOME AN HUNDREDFOLD, SOME SIXTYFOLD, SOME THIRTYFOLD. WHO HATH EARS TO HEAR LET HIM HEAR.........HEAR YE THEREFORE THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER. WHEN ANYONE HEARETH THE WORD OF THE KINGDOM, AND UNDERSTANDETH IT NOT, THEN COMETH THE WICKED ONE, AND CATCHETH AWAY THAT WHICH WAS SOWN IN HIS HEART. THIS IS HE WHICH RECIEVED SEED BY THE WAYSIDE. BUT HE THAT RECIEVED THE SEED INTO STONY PLACES, THE SAME IS HE THAT HEARETH THE WORD, AND ANON WITH JOY RECIEVETH IT; YET HATH HE NOT ROOT IN HIMSELF, BUT DURETH FOR A WHILE: FOR WHEN TRIBULATION OR PERSECUTION ARISETH BECAUSE OF THE WORD, BY AND BY HE IS OFFENDED. HE ALSO THAT RECIEVED SEED AMONG THE THORNS IS HE THAT HEARETH THE WORD; AND THE CARE OF THIS WORLD, AND THE DECEITFULLNESS OF RICHES, CHOKE THE WORD AND HE BECOMETH UNFRUITFULL. BUT HE THAT RECIEVED SEED INTO GOOD GROUND IS HE THAT HEARETH THE WORD, AND UNDERSTANDETH IT; WHICH ALSO BEARETH FRUIT, AND BRINGETH FORTH, SOME AN HUNDREDFOLD SOME SIXTY SND SOME THIRTY'. As the teacher taught through the parable he explained how Jesus was teaching us how to plant [sow] the word [scriptures] in our hearts [through confession, meditation, etc.] in order to receive a thirty, sixty, or hundredfold return. He then applied the entire teaching to reaping an hundredfold return of MONEY! He taught how that at each stage of the parable the devil tries to steal the word so we don’t receive our harvest. He then got to the part where Jesus says 'THE DECIETFULLNESS OF RICHES CHOKE THE WORD', I couldn’t understand how Jesus could be teaching us about reaping a financial harvest, and then say this! It almost seemed like a contradiction. Well the teacher then began to sound uncomfortable as he explained how the deceitfulness of riches was actually that old traditional teaching that says you cant be rich [or something to that effect]! Even as a new believer in Christ I just couldn’t accept this explanation, it was almost as if the teacher was trying to make Jesus words say the opposite of what he meant.

The basic plain meaning of the parable is self-explanatory. There are always obstacles and enemies of the gospel. Ultimately those who overcome these obstacles will bear good Christian fruit in varying degrees [30,60 or 100 fold]. The various hindrances to the word of God include the 'cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches'. If you want to produce fruit for God you cant get caught up in the materialistic pursuits of the world [2 TIMOTHY 2:4].

Many times in connection with this parable is the doctrine of sowing for a harvest taught. Jesus often uses planting [sowing] and harvesting [reaping] illustrations in his teachings. The main focus is usually dealing with the spreading of the kingdom of God and the message of Christ to the nations. Sometimes the seed refers to believers themselves, and other times the actual message preached [MATT. 13: 20,38]. Sowing and reaping also refer to the works we do, as well as the money we give into the kingdom [1COR. 9:11, GAL. 6:8]. While there are many ways you can apply sowing for a harvest, I find it disturbing that some in the church have focused the entire teaching towards financial and material gain. This type of preoccupation with money is in direct opposition to the warning that Jesus gave in this parable, he told us that the deceitfulness of riches could derail us from being fruitful, and the distorted teaching that applies this entire parable to money is in itself a fulfillment of the warning that 'the deceitfulness of riches' can deceive you, because it denies the very warning of Christ and makes him say something that he never said!

CHAPTER 3 'WHAT IS THE ABRAHAMIC BLESSING'

I must admit that out of all the various portions of scripture used to teach a false prosperity gospel, this is one of the most deceptive. In order for us to fully grasp the concept of the abrahamic blessing, we must do a little history.

In GALATIANS 3, the apostle Paul makes one of the greatest N.T. arguments for justification by faith versus law. I personally believe this doctrine to be one of the foundational doctrines in the N.T.

The heresy that Paul is fighting against in Galatians is the heresy of legalism that was taught by the judiazers. The judiazers were the Jewish/Christian sect that taught that gentile believers needed to be circumcised and brought under the law in order to be saved. The main argument that Paul uses to refute this doctrine is in Galatians 3. In this chapter we find Paul going back to the O.T. books in order to show that God established, by covenant, the basis of justifying man by faith without the deeds of the law. The main argument Paul uses is 'the abrahamic blessing'. Paul traces Gods promise to Abraham, made before the law was given, where God says 'in thee shall all nations be blessed' [GEN. 12:3, GAL. 3:8]. This meaning that God would bless [save] all nations through the promised child of Abraham [which would eventually be Jesus]. Paul’s point is to show that God already promised to bless all people through Abraham’s offspring [the abrahamic blessing], and not through the law. The abrahamic blessing referring to justifying the world by faith and giving us 'the promise of the Spirit by faith' [GALATIANS 3:8-14], this argument is also used in Romans 4.

Now here comes the tricky part, some teach that God covenants to make us rich trough the abrahamic blessing [or covenant]. They use this chapter to teach that Christ died so we can receive the abrahamic blessing. They then define the abrahamic blessing as the 'things' that Abraham had. But once again the abrahamic blessing as defined in Galatians 3 is referring to God justifying us by faith as opposed to the law. Paul was in no way teaching the Galatians that God was going to make them rich! He was battling for their very souls! The plain text of this passage shows us that Paul was dealing with the issue of justification, and not finances. And it would make absolutely no sense for Paul to begin to address money issues in the middle of this chapter.

Each time I came across this type of distorted interpretation, I honestly couldn’t understand how so many different teachers could so consistently apply the same passage in the wrong way. It almost reminds me of the O.T. passage that speaks of a conspiracy of the prophets [EZEK. 22:25]. A sort of network of false/distorted interpretations of the scripture that exist among certain groups of believers, and these same false opinions are then propagated again and again until after you hear them long enough they seem to become accepted truth in the church at large. We need to re-examine some of these doctrines and receive correction and make the proper adjustments in our thinking and acting [repentance!], so we don’t continue to spread these false opinions in the church.

CHAPTER 4 'WHAT DID JAMES SAY'

One of the strongest books in the N.T. dealing with poverty and riches is the book of James. Simply reading this book in context would give the modern prosperity gospel a strong rebuke! James contrasts both rich and poor, he says that God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom of God. The context also implies that these poor Christians will remain poor in this life! [JAMES 2:5] The prosperity message teaches that if you have faith in God that you will not be poor. It’s obvious that both James and the prosperity teachers of today have a difference of opinion!

Lets look at exactly what the word of God says; JAMES 2:1-6 'MY BRETHREN, HAVE NOT THE FAITH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE LORD OF GLORY, WITH RESPECT OF PERSONS. FOR IF THERE COME UNTO YOUR ASSEMBLY A MAN WITH A GOLD RING, IN GOODLY APPAREL, AND THERE COME IN ALSO A POOR MAN IN VILE RAIMENT; AND YE HAVE RESPECT TO HIM THAT WEARETH THE GAY CLOTHING, AND SAY UNTO HIM, SIT THOU HERE IN A GOOD PLACE; AND SAY TO THE POOR, STAND THOU HERE OR SIT HERE UNDER MY FOOTSTOOL: ARE YE NOT THEN PARTIAL IN YOURSELVES AND BECOME JUDGES OF EVIL THOUGHTS? HEARKEN, MY BELOVED BRETHREN, HATH NOT GOD CHOSEN THE POOR OF THIS WORLD RICH IN FAITH, AND HEIRS OF THE KINGDOM WHICH HE HATH PROMISED TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM? BUT YE HAVE DESPISED THE POOR. DO NOT RICH MEN OPPRESS YOU, AND DRAW YOU BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEATS? How were they despising the poor and being prejudiced in their thoughts? They were treating poor people with contempt while showing honor to the rich. This is exactly what we do in the church, by teaching that poor Christians have little, or no faith, we unconsciously treat them with contempt. We teach that the poor are under a curse and are therefore not living up to all their benefits in Christ. We actually set up a cast system in the church. James says the poor have great faith! He doesn’t portray them as having small faith. He warns the rich not to trust in uncertain riches. The bible flatly teaches that financial abundance is not a measure of ones faith! We must stop teaching that if you would simply believe God you would have an abundance of money. This is not true in every case. Sometimes the abundant supply from God is the grace and patience that he gives to the believer in the face of severe trials or lack. The N.T. clearly teaches that there are believers with lots of faith who are poor! You can't deny the plain word of God. We should not suppose that a lack of financial abundance is a sign of weak faith!

Now to one of the most recent 'new revelations' that is being taught in the church. I first heard this from a very respected soul-winning evangelist. I then heard it taught from a variety of other teachers. As of this writing it seems to be accepted 'truth' in certain circles. Lets read JAMES 5:1-6 'GO TO NOW, YE RICH MEN, WEEP AND HOWL FOR YOUR MISERIES THAT SHALL COME UPON YOU. YOUR RICHES ARE CORRUPTED, AND YOUR GARMENTS ARE MOTHEATEN. YOUR GOLD AND SILVER IS CANKERED; AND THE RUST OF THEM SHALL BE A WITNESS AGAINST YOU, AND SHALL EAT YOUR FLESH AS IT WERE FIRE. YE HAVE HEAPED TREASURE TOGETHER FOR THE LAST DAYS. BEHOLD, THE HIRE OF THE LABOURERS WHO HAVE REAPED DOWN YOUR FIELDS, WHICH IS OF YOU KEPT BACK BY FRAUD, CRIETH: AND THE CRIES OF THEM WHICH HAVE REAPED ARE ENTERED INTO THE EARS OF THE LORD OF SABAOTH. YE HAVE LIVED IN PLEASURE ON THE EARTH, AND BEEN WANTON; YE HAVE NOURISHED YOUR HEARTS, AS IN A DAY OF SLAUGHTER. YE HAVE CONDEMNED AND KILLED THE JUST; AND HE DOTH NOT RESIST YOU. The first time I heard this 'new' truth, the preacher said that this passage was dealing with the end-time transfer of wealth from the rich to the poor. It was explained that in verse 3 'YE HAVE HEAPED TREASURE TOGETHER FOR THE LAST DAYS’ meant that the rich gathered together their wealth so it could be given to the church in the last days. While I have no problem with the idea of the world’s wealth being used for kingdom purposes, I do have a problem with distorting the word of God to prove our points! A simple reading of James 5:1-6 shows us that the reason the rich are being reproved is because they spent their lives building up financial fortunes without being rich toward God [LUKE 12:16-21]. This scripture also plainly says what is going to happen to their wealth. Is it going to be 'transferred' to us? Is it going to be given to the Christians in the last days? Is it going to be used at all? NO! It is going to canker, rust and corrupt! It is going to be destroyed! It will be of no help at all in the day of judgment [PRVB. 11:4]. It will be a witness against them for living covetous lives. The entire theme of James follows this line of thought. To read all the other things that James says about the rich and poor in this epistle, for us to then interpret this passage and say that James was now teaching the Christians that they would become rich through the end-time transfer of wealth, is ridiculous. Once again the plain meaning of scripture is being distorted in order to make it say the complete opposite of what it means.

One more thing before we leave James. The early Christian community did not equate poverty with being under a curse. They did not equate poverty with sin. There are many rebukes in the N.T. against sin in the church, but the poor in the church were praised, not rebuked! The very mindset of looking upon the poor as a lower class permeates this teaching. If the poor are cursed, not living up to their inheritance, don’t know how to apply faith principles or simply don’t know/believe the word concerning prosperity, then in essence we are despising the poor through our belief system. The N.T. plainly teaches that it is okay to be poor! We need to heed the warning from this N.T. epistle and stop despising the poor!

CHAPTER 5 'WHOSE MINISTRY, JESUS OR OURS?'

I'll never forget the time I was watching 'Christian' TV and saw a preacher holding up his Rolex watch and then teaching the people that this was an example of his faith in action! He then went on to explain that when we use our faith to obtain things, we can then show these things to people as a witness of our faith. If this is what it means to go witnessing for Christ, I think most people would be standing in line to sign up!

Over the years I have heard it taught that the only way the world would be saved is if the church becomes extremely rich financially so she could send the gospel to the world. That the world would see our extreme wealth and would ask 'where did you get all that money?' and we would then say 'from God', and the lost would then want what we have and get saved! Convenient isn’t it. But is this a biblical picture of the N.T. church and her witness in the earth?

In order to answer this question, we need first to look at what the N.T. church is. The church consists of communities of believers scattered throughout the world. All over planet earth, right now, there are believers thriving and testifying of Gods grace in all types of circumstances and situations. The community of believers that Jesus launched 2 thousand years ago is still going strong. She answers to no man or human govt. She has outlasted empires, persecutions, false religions and every other conceivable attack that can be imagined. The prophecy of Jesus has been fulfilled ‘THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST HER’ [MATT. 16:18].

As of today there has been no other single institution upon earth that has had more influence in the history of the world than the church! Now, if the church truly consists of believers [seeds], planted [sown] all over the world under the lordship of Christ, with various giftings [Apostles, Prophets, etc.] operating under the administration of the Holy Spirit, this ministry [the kingdom of God] already has the potential of a worldwide witness to all nations. As a matter of fact this worldwide gospel of Christ has been prevailing magnificently throughout the generations. This wonderful kingdom, under Christ’s rule, has been active. It has been supernaturally deploying ministers from day one [ACTS 13]. It has even witnessed for Jesus Christ when its main ministers were broke! [ACTS 3:6]. The witness of the gospel has done extremely well throughout the centuries and will continue to do so, whether or not we all become rich!

The reason I say this is because there is a mindset in the church [American mostly] that equates the witness of the gospel with the success of American charismatic entrepreneurial ministries. We have been deluded into believing that unless we all become rich, we will never be able to reach the world. The overall success of the kingdom of God has never been dependent on any budget of any ministry past or present! Most of the modern day proponents of the prosperity gospel usually head up American ministry organizations and equate the sowing of seed [finances], with giving money to help support their organizations. They then sincerely believe that unless their organization makes more and more money, they will never be able to fulfill the great commission of reaching the world.

The N.T. clearly teaches the principles of our witness for Christ, and the focus has never been extreme wealth. But on sacrificial living, loving each other unconditionally, a sharing caring community of people who are known for good deeds of charity. In the book of acts the early church had a powerful witness, and they weren’t rich financially, yet they did reach their world for Christ. How? Through great sacrificial living, through miraculous signs and wonders, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and through a bold proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not one sermon in the book of acts focused on anything else than Jesus Christ and his great work for us. Their hearts and lips flowed with the message of Christ, not money!

I find it troubling that many of the ministries who teach the prosperity gospel usually do receive extreme amounts of money, not to proclaim the message of Jesus [speaking about him], but to simply propagate a money making gospel! You can tune into some of these ministries and find them talking about money all the time. What if a lost person tuned in? Would he hear about Jesus or money? What about when Jesus said out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks? [MATT. 12:34]. If someone is always talking about money where is his heart, what’s his treasure?

We need to shift our focus back to the pure N.T. message of Christ, and understand that his gospel is the power of God unto salvation! Jesus said the world would be saved when the truth is preached in all nations by a united church, not when we all become millionaires so we can finance our own ministries!

CHAPTER 6 '1 TIMOTHY 6'

I have often heard it said 'if you’re happy with just enough money to get by, you’re selfish and living in sin, you need to believe God and have faith for increased wealth so you can finance the gospel'. Is this a biblical concept? Should we teach people that being content with what you have is a sin?

Lets look at the word of God HEBREWS 13:5-6 'LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE WITHOUT COVEOUSNESS; AND BE CONTENT WITH SUCH THINGS AS YE HAVE: FOR HE HATH SAID, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, OR FORSAKE THEE. SO THAT WE MAY BOLDLY SAY, THE LORD IS MY HELPER, AND I WILL NOT FEAR WHAT MAN SHALL DO UNTO ME. This scripture plainly teaches us to be content with what we have! I even heard a prosperity preacher teach that this means to be happy with what you have now, while using your faith to obtain more. WHAT! When will we stop distorting the plain meaning of scripture?

1 TIMOTHY 6:1-12,17-19 'LET AS MANY SERVANTS WHO ARE UNDER THE YOKE COUNT THIER OWN MASTERS WORTHY OF ALL HONOUR, THAT THE NAME OF GOD AND HIS DOCTRINE BE NOT BLASPHEMED....... IF ANY MAN TEACH OTHERWISE, AND CONSENT NOT TO WHOLESOME WORDS, EVEN THE WORDS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND TO THE DOCTRINE WHICH IS ACCORDING TO GODLINESS; HE IS PROUD KNOWING NOTHING, BUT DOTING ABOUT QUESTIONS AND STRIFES OF WORDS, WHEREOF COMETH ENVY, STRIFE, RAILINGS, EVIL SURMISINGS, PERVERSE DISPUTINGS OF MEN OF CORRUPT MINDS, AND DESTITUTE OF THE TRUTH, SUPPOSING THAT GAIN IS GODLINESS: FROM SUCH WITHDRAW THYSELF. BUT GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN. FOR WE BROUGHT NOTHING INTO THE WORLD, AND IT IS CERTAIN WE CAN CARRY NOTHING OUT. AND HAVING FOOD AND RAIMENT LET US BE THEREWITH CONTENT. BUT THEY THAT WILL BE RICH FALL INTO TEMPTATION AND A SNARE, AND INTO MANY FOOLISH AND HURTFUL LUSTS, WHICH DROWN MEN IN DESTRUCTION AND PERDITION. FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL: WHICH WHILE SOME COVETED AFTER, THEY HAVE ERRED FROM THE FAITH, AND PIERCED THEMSELVES THROUGH WITH MANY SORROWS. BUT THOU O MAN OF GOD FLEE THESE THINGS.........CHARGE THEM THAT ARE RICH IN THIS WORLD, THAT THEY BE NOT HIGHMINDED, NOR TRUST IN UNCERTAIN RICHES, BUT IN THE LIVING GOD, WHO GIVETH US RICHLY ALL THINGS TO ENJOY; THAT THEY DO GOOD, THAT THEY BE RICH IN GOOD WORKS, READY TO DISTRIBUTE, WILLING TO COMMUNICATE; LAYING UP IN STORE FOR THEMSELVES A GOOD FOUNDATION AGAINST THE TIME TO COME, THAT THEY MAY LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE. Paul is clearly teaching the concept of 'you came into this world with nothing, you cant take it with you when you die, so be content with what you have'. I have heard prosperity preachers say that this type of mindset is a religious spirit, and has no foundation in the word of God. This passage of scripture teaches plainly against the mindset of the prosperity gospel. The entire theme and thought of the apostle goes 100 percent against the grain of the prosperity movement. Paul clearly says that some will equate gain with godliness, if he is not dealing with the distortions of the modern prosperity movement, then who is he speaking about? He says that some will equate godly living with financial gain, or they will teach if you’re godly you will gain much money. This is exactly what the modern prosperity movement teaches!

He says that those who want to become rich will fall into many foolish and hurtful lusts. The craving [coveting] to become rich can either be through confessing scripture, through meditating on abundance, through the sowing of seed into good soil or any other means imaginable. The scripture simply says that if the acquiring of money, for whatever purpose [even godly purposes], has become your goal, then your motivation is wrong and you have been sidetracked.

Now the 'love of money' verse. 1 TIMOTHY 6:10 'FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL: WHICH WHILE SOME COVETED AFTER, THEY HAVE ERRED FROM THE FAITH, AND PIERCED THEMSELVES THROUGH WITH MANY SORROWS'. I have heard it said 'brother, this says the love of money, not money' and then the preacher will go right past the warning and talk all about money, not even giving a second thought to the warning! These passages, read in their entirety, give a powerful rebuke against the prosperity movement. They teach us to' be content with what we have,' they tell us' don’t desire to be rich', they plainly state that the pursuit of material wealth will sidetrack you, and they even state that 'you came into the world with nothing, when you die you cant take it with you, so be happy with what you have!' I would exhort any person who is having difficulty breaking away from this movement to read 1 timothy 6 every day for a year and allow your mind to be renewed to the word of God!

One more thing before we leave this chapter, in verse 12 Paul exhorts Timothy to 'lay hold on eternal life'. He says this in the context of comparing eternal life against materialistic living. He is saying in essence 'live for eternal things, not temporary rewards [or money!]'. I just finished watching a minister on T.V. spend 30 minutes explaining how the eternal life that Paul is referring to deals with the abundance of God in the area of finances. He flatly said that Paul was teaching us to lay hold of an abundance of money! This type of extreme distorting of scripture actually takes the warnings in the word of God that speak against materialism and turns them around to teach the exact opposite! When our own interpretations of scripture go against the plain flow of the text of scripture, then we have usurped the word of God in order to teach our own traditions!

CHAPTER 7 'WERE JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES RICH?'

One day while listening to a preacher trying to prove that Jesus and the disciples were extremely wealthy, he used the common ‘proof texts’ to prove his point. He then went on to explain that religious tradition portrayed Jesus and the disciples as being poor [or average], and that the word of God teaches us that they were really rich. He also explained how important it was for us to know this 'truth', because if Jesus and the disciples were rich, and Jesus wants us to be like him, then we are in disobedience if we are not striving to become wealthy!

A simple plain reading of the N.T. portrays Jesus as someone who came with a radical message of forsaking all to follow him. He often approached people who were in business [fishermen], or were rich, and challenged them to leave all and follow him. He would reassure these followers if they forsook all for his cause and the gospel, that they would be taken care of. This same type of radical call continued into the book of acts, where the early followers of Jesus also told the people that to be a follower of Christ they had to forsake all to follow him.

If you look at the overall picture [not the prooftexts!], you see the early Christian community as a people who forsook all for the gospel. You find them living and sharing as a corporate community who took care of each-others needs [ACTS 2:44-47]. You find those who were wealthy [not all of the church, but certain individuals, ACTS 4:32-37] sharing their wealth for the needs of the Christian community. You can even trace the ministries of some of the early apostles and still find them many years later proclaiming Christ through much suffering and persecution. Not only does the N.T. portray the early Christian community in this light, but also church history confirms it. You find the apostles still learning to deal with financial lack many years later well into their ministries [PHIL 4:11-12, 2 COR. 11:27]. You see a beautiful picture of a people willing to suffer for the cause of Christ cheerfully. You also see a gracious Lord who met all their needs according to his abundant grace. You find stories where the material needs of people were supernaturally met [not by extreme wealth, but by Gods miraculous intervention [MATT. 14:17-19, 15:34-36].

Now what about the promise Jesus made to Peter in MARK 10:28-31 'THEN PETER BEGAN TO SAY UNTO HIM, LO, WE HAVE LEFT ALL, AND HAVE FOLLOWED THEE. AND JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, THERE IS NO MAN THAT HATH LEFT HOUSE, OR BRETHREN, OR SISTERS, OR FATHER, OR MOTHER, OR WIFE, OR CHILDREN, OR LANDS, FOR MY SAKE AND THE GOSPELS, BUT HE SHALL RECIEVE AN HUNDREDFOLD NOW IN THIS TIME, HOUSES, AND BRETHREN, AND SISTERS, AND MOTHERS, AND CHILDREN, AND LANDS, WITH PERSECUTIONS; AND IN THE WORLD TO COME ETERNAL LIFE. Did Peter personally posses [inherit] more houses, lands, sisters and mothers? How was this promise fulfilled in Peter’s life? In the book of acts Peter became a part of the 'Christian family' who had all things common, they shared everything and had no lack [ACTS 4:32-34, 2:44-47]. They had no lack because of their membership in the family of God. The fulfilling of the law of love in their sharing of material things was the fulfillment of Jesus promise to Peter, not making him financially rich!

Look at all the apostolic ministries in the book of acts. Wherever they went, whatever city they ministered in, their needs were always met. Why? Because when they became part of the Christian community, the homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, lands and all the other resources were SHARED by all the believers. They ministered to each other’s needs, they supported one another, they truly fulfilled the law of love by bearing one another’s burdens!

This picture of Jesus and the apostles as extremely rich 20th century American evangelists who headed up big budget ministries is absolutely no where to be found in the plain reading of the N.T.! I just don’t find Jesus and the disciples as rich evangelists going into the world with extreme wealth, while at the same time telling rich people to sell all they have to come follow him! [MATT. 19:23-24,LK. 1:53, 6:24, 16:19-31, 18:18-25]

CHAPTER 8 'COVENANT THEOLOGY'

The early settlers [pilgrims] of our nation came by faith in God, believing their new nation to be a promised land of freedom that the Lord had given to them. One of the descriptions of the 'belief system' of these puritans is called covenant theology. They saw themselves as 'new covenant' people who were inheriting a promised land, much like the old covenant people [Israel] inherited their promised land. They claimed and believed the many O.T. promises of God concerning the inheriting of nations. They took God at his word, and it worked!

In a sense all believers are covenant theologians, whether they realize it or not. It is through our covenant with God [the blood of Jesus], that we are made right with God [justified], have forgiveness of sins and are made children of God. As a matter of fact, everything that God does for us, or that 'we do for him', is based upon the bedrock foundation of the covenant of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Now, it has been taught because of our covenant with Christ, we can go through the bible and find all the promises that are good and by faith hold God to his word and 'cause the things that are not seen [not manifested] to become seen [manifested]', or to put it simple, to get the things that God has promised us by putting our faith into action. I believe this principle is both scriptural and profitable. But the covenant cuts both ways.

When people enter into covenant, the 2 parties have complete access to each-others rights and privileges. There are times were the Lord will require of the believer all that he has [leave your nets and follow me mentality]. There are even times where the Lord called people to lay down their lives in martyrdom in order to receive a better resurrection [HEB 11:35, ACTS 7]. As a matter of fact there are many examples of people of faith who have endured great sufferings even though they had great faith [HEB. 11].

So what does it mean to be a covenant believer? It not only implies going throughout the bible and claiming all the good promises and quoting them by faith [sowing], it also carries with it the meaning of laying down all that we have [in this world] for the cause of Christ [HEB. 10:34].

While the early puritans did claim and receive the promises of God by faith concerning their 'promised land', they also endured tremendous suffering and loss [many died in their pursuit!] in order to obtain a noble goal. The N.T. commands us not only to believe and teach the good parts [or the parts we like the most!], but also to heed the warnings [LUKE 12:15, ACTS 20:27]. If we reduce covenant theology to a belief system that only reads and quotes the 'good' promises, but never heeds the warnings, then we are failing to proclaim the full gospel and are presenting a distorted view of the Christian life [ACTS 14:22]. A simple overview of the N.T. shows us how the principles of the N.T. are supposed to work. For example, you never find Jesus or the disciples going around quoting the money verses in order to receive a harvest! As a matter of fact, if we teach people to 'quote, meditate, memorize and only think on the money scriptures', we would be doing the exact opposite of what Jesus said in MATT. 6:31-34. He specifically told us to take no thought [meditate, focus our minds, etc.] of what we shall eat, drink or wear [material things], the whole point of this passage was to teach the Christian NOT to focus on these things!

You also never find any of the suffering Christians acting like they 'fell short' of their covenant rights. Instead they counted it a privilege to suffer for his names sake [ACTS 5:41]. The entire flow of the N.T. goes contrary to the 'picture painted' by unbalanced prosperity preaching. The focus of the N.T. was Gods advancing kingdom throughout the nations! Their own lives and the things they could get to make themselves more comfortable ran 100% contrary to the fulfilling of their mission [2 TIM. 4:10, 1 JOHN 2:15]. A simple plain reading of the N.T. in context teaches us that the character of N.T. Christianity is one of self-sacrificial living, not a 'get all you can by faith' mentality.

CHAPTER 9 'SOWING INTO GOOD SOIL'

A simple reading of the N.T. gives us a broad picture of the life of the believer, which includes giving and receiving, Gods promises of funding the work of the ministry, the Christian concept of charity, and a basic overall view of finances and the kingdom of God. One of the most basic reasons of giving money in the N.T. is to share what we have with those who are less fortunate [JAMES 2:15-16, 1 JOHN 3:17]. As a matter of fact Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of his day for their willingness to tithe to the temple while neglecting to use their finances to meet the needs of people in need [MARK 7:6-13]. One of the most recognized passages of scripture used to describe the character of Christ is found in Luke 10:30-37, an example of someone ministering to the needs of ‘the down and out’.

Even in the book of acts the main focus on giving was to meet the needs of people [ACTS 2:44-46, 4:32-37, 6:1]. The very scripture that we use to exhort saints to put in their offerings on ‘Sunday’, is really speaking about a collection being taken to meet the needs of the ‘poor saints’ who lived in Jerusalem [1COR. 16:1-3].

This basic Christian principle of charity is a well-established Christian doctrine that most people would agree with, except for certain teachers in the prosperity movement! I remember listening to a certain teacher actually teach that in order to receive a good financial harvest, you must plant your seed [money] into good soil. He then went on to teach that good soil meant ministries, or individuals, who taught prosperity and were financially rich! He even implied that giving to prosperity ministries would make you rich, while giving to ‘poverty mentality’ ministries would make you poor [because you reap the same anointing from the ministries you so into]. The problem with this is that the bible teaches that giving to poor people [people with a poverty mentality] is good, and that the Lord will reward you for it [PRVB. 22:9,16,19:17,28:27, PSALMS 112:9].

While the N.T. does deal with Gods provisions for ministry [PHIL. 4:14-19,1COR. 9:1-14], this certainly in no way justifies perverting the gospel into a mindset of giving into wealthy ministries in order to receive a financial harvest!

Jesus, Paul and all the other N.T. ministers did receive finances and provisions from God in order to fulfill their callings, but at the same time they also warned the people emphatically against materialism. They spoke out against covetousness/idolatry, while at the same time believing God to meet their needs [LUKE 12:15, EPH. 5:3, COL. 3:5, 1 THESS. 2:5, HEB. 13:5, 2 PETER 2:3]. Were they being hypocrites? NO! They understood the difference between using the things of this world without abusing them [1 COR. 7:31]. There is a big difference between believing God to meet our needs, and twisting the entire character of N.T. Christianity into a money focused mentality! The Christian should have a proper understanding of finances, as well as physical exercise, balance in family life and relationships, dealing with the practical concerns of life. But to exalt anyone of these areas of life and to make it the message of Christianity, and then to reshape the entire image of Christianity in order to make it fit our ‘peculiar’ style of belief would be wrong.

The very fact that there are in existence today million dollar ministries [which in itself is not wrong!], that teach people to give into their ministries with the promise of a sure return, and even appeal to poor saints to give out of their lack [social security checks, etc.], while all the while propagating a false gospel, is wrong!

These same ministries use the funds collected by false pretense and then preach the gospel of money, instead of a clear presentation of the gospel of Christ! Many of these ministries sincerely believe that it is a witness for Christ to have extravagant salaries, wear Rolex watches, drive a Cadillac and be a millionaire. They actually justify this by their own belief in the message they preach. They do not see it as wrong in the sight of God to finance this type of lifestyle/ministry from the offerings sent in by poor saints and widows! Many of their supporters are average, or struggling financially, and they give out of a sincere desire to better their own lives while at the same time furthering the work of God.

I know some of these precious believers who are struggling financially while sending in their ‘widow’s mite’ with hope and faith that things will turn around for them. No where in the N.T. do you find rich preachers appealing to poor saints to give into their ministries in order to receive a harvest! This is 100% against the character of N.T. Christianity. The bible actually condemns the idea of ‘shepherds’ taking advantage of their flocks for personal/financial gain [EZEKIEL 34, MATT. 23:14, 1 PETER 5:1-2].

The very fact that we have poor Christians sending in sacrificial offerings to millionaire ministries, often times because the preacher is appealing by the ‘word of the Lord’ to them, is wrong! Many of these ministries are using these funds to propagate a false view of Christianity to the world. They are preaching an unbalanced gospel while they themselves are bringing in large amounts of money. I appeal to the church at large to finance worthy ministries who are actually meeting the real needs of people around the world [good soil!], and to stop financing a false gospel!

CHAPTER 10 ‘IS THERE HOPE FOR FALSE PROPHETS?’

Why write this book? Over the years of struggling with these issues I would often come across an article, book or some type of testimonial that would expose many of the errors that are dealt with in this book. Some of the books I read seemed to leave little or no room for repentance and restoration of the ‘prosperity preachers’. I not only believe that Gods ultimate purpose in exposing sin is for the restoration of the individual, but there are examples of former prosperity preachers who have seen some of these gross errors and have returned to a balanced presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What constitutes a false prophet? While there are many characteristics that we can mention, I would like to deal with one specific area relevant to our study. That area is motivation. In 2 Peter chapter 2, the apostle deals with covetousness as a motive for teaching heresy [2 PETER 2:1-3]. He states that Balaam was a false prophet who ‘loved the wages of unrighteousness’ [2 PETER 2:14-16]. Although balaam's gift was legitimate, it was his motivation [the love of money] that caused him to use his gift in a wrong way. So you can have a true prophetic gift, and yet be a false prophet because of a covetous motivation [JUDE 11]. The early church even went so far as to brand someone a false prophet if they hung around more than a few days and charged for their ministry! [Read the Didache].

As mentioned earlier, Paul and Peter warned against being in ministry for financial gain [1 TIM.6, 2 PETER 5:2, TITUS 1:11]. Jesus himself laid down a strong warning against the hireling mentality [JOHN 10:12-13].

It is clear from these warnings [and the many others in the N.T.], that the early Christians were very aware of the dangers of the love of money. I have heard it taught that this ‘fear ‘ or ‘scared’ attitude towards money is just a ‘religious mindset’ that has no foundation in the word of God. This just isn’t true! The bible contains many warnings against materialistic living and covetousness that were the foundation of the ‘healthy fear’ that the early church had towards money.

Now the scripture teaches that there will be a time when certain teachers [false prophets] who are motivated by money, will teach false doctrines [Jesus and the disciples being rich, etc.] and that these teachers would connect faith and money [gain and godliness], as going hand in hand. Now if the current abuses of the prosperity movement do not fall into this category, then who does? We just can’t deny all the evidence pointing to this movement as one of the fulfillments of the ‘false prophets’ who teach that gain is godliness! We as a church must see this before there can be any true restoration of those involved, or more importantly a preventing of this false gospel from being taught to a whole new generation of believers!

The scripture says to rebuke false prophets sharply so THEY MAY BE SOUND IN THE FAITH [TITUS 1:13]. Even the false shepherds of Ezekiels day were promised restoration and usefulness in their latter years [EZEKIEL 44:10-14].

If we begin to renounce our errors and return to the Lord [repentance], there will be true renewal in the church. Jesus warned the church to repent because she had within her those that held to the ‘doctrine of balsam’ [REV. 2:14-16]. It is possible for those who have taught these errors to repent and be restored to a pure gospel of Christ.

Jesus dealt with the ‘money changers’ of his day just prior to the establishing of Gods kingdom. MARK 11:15-17 AND THEY COME TO JERUSALEM: AND JESUS WENT INTO THE TEMPLE, AND BEGAN TO CAST OUT THEM THAT SOLD AND BOUGHT IN THE TEMPLE, AND OVERTHREW THE TABLES OF THE MONEYCHANGERS, AND THE SEATS OF THEM THAT SOLD DOVES; AND WOULD NOT SUFFER THAT ANY MAN SHOULD CARRY ANY VESSEL THROUGH THE TEMPLE. AND HE TAUGHT, SAYING UNTO THEM, IS IT NOT WRITTEN, MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED OF ALL NATIONS THE HOUSE OF PRAYER? BUT YE HAVE MADE IT A DEN OF THIEVES. The moneychangers served as a sort of currency exchange for anyone wanting to bring any offerings or do any legitimate worship at Jerusalem, but needed to exchange their type of currency for the official currency that was accepted at Jerusalem. I find this interesting, because the function of the moneychangers themselves was a legitimate business function. But their business itself brought a type of merchandising to the temple that Jesus himself found highly offensive. I find a present day application to the moneychanger mentality in the modern prosperity movement. The movement teaches Christians to focus their attention on the return they will get on their investment into the kingdom. It causes Christians to give their offerings with the expectation of some type of return on their money. While this in itself is not wrong, for we know that God does reward his children [HEB. 11:6], the tendency of the prosperity message actually appeals to the covetous nature of people in order to make disciples of Christ! Jesus told people to forsake all to follow him, while the movement tells people if you follow him he will make you rich! I have heard it taught that as you sow your seed [money] into the offering basket that you need to 'picture' your harvest of what you are believing for in your mind [whether healing, a new car or house, the salvation of a loved one, etc.] and then your seed [money] will produce your harvest! The very idea of exchanging your money [or changing it!] into the visualized harvest of your own expectation is just as off base as the money mentality of the first century moneychangers. This is the only recorded incident in the N.T. where Jesus was visibly angry.

REVELATION 4:14-22 ‘AND UNTO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF THE LAODICEANS WRITE; THESE THINGS SAYETH THE AMEN, THE FAITHFULL AND TRUE WITNESS, THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF GOD; I KNOW THY WORKS, THAT THOU ART NEITHER COLD NOR HOT. SO THEN BECAUSE THOU ART LUKEWARM, AND NEITHER COLD NOR HOT, I WILL SPUE THEE OUT OF MY MOUTH. BECAUSE THOU SAYEST, I AM RICH AND INCREASED WITH GOODS, AND HAVE NEED OF NOTHING; AND KNOWEST NOT THAT THOU ART WRETCHED, AND MISERABLE, AND POOR, AND BLIND, AND NAKED: I COUNSEL THEE TO BUY OF ME GOLD TRIED IN THE FIRE, THAT THOU MAYEST BE RICH; AND WHITE RAIMENT, THAT THOU MAYEST BE CLOTHED, AND THAT THE SHAME OF THY NAKEDNESS DO NOT APPEAR; AND ANOINT THY EYES WITH EYESALVE, THAT THOU MAYEST SEE. AS MANY AS I LOVE, I REBUKE AND CHASTEN: BE ZEALOUS THEREFORE, AND REPENT. BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR, AND KNOCK: IF ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE, AND OPEN THE DOOR, I WILL COME INTO HIM, AND WILL SUP WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME. TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH WILL I GRANT TO SIT WITH ME IN MY THRONE, EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME, AND AM SET DOWN WITH MY FATHER IN HIS THRONE. HE THAT HATH AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH UNTO THE CHURCHES.

#bible #Jesus #God #religion #christianity

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numbersbythebook · 5 years ago

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Repentance and the Trumpets of God

written by Will Schumaker

I recently posted about the “half hour” silence at the opening of the seventh seal.

Rev 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

I wondered in that post if the “half hour” which can mean ”half a period of time” referred to the 1260 days or last half of Daniel’s 70th week.

If you read that post my belief is that the 1260 days or time, times and half of Daniel and Revelation refer to the time period from the crucifiction and resurrection of Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem, which was the half way point of Daniel’s 70th week, to His second coming and completion of the church.

Daniel 9 prophesies of the midpoint of 70th week.

Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate

What that would mean then is that seals 1-6 were opened by the time the temple was destroyed. Specifically the 6th seal refers to the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem.

I will talk about the seals in another post. I want to talk about the trumpets in this post.

The 7 trumpets then begin after the destruction of Jerusalem and when the 7th trumpet is sounded the church is completed.

Revelation 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Rev 11:16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,

Rev 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

What would be fascinating about this if it is true is that the people sounding the trumpets is the church.

A trumpet is an instrument that makes a noise when wind is blown through it by someone. The same word for Spirit is the same word for wind. When the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost it came as a mighty wind.

Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

We are supposed to be God’s instruments. When we are, He is blowing His Spirit through us and we become trumpets for Him sounding the alarm and calling to repent.

The goal of the trumpets is for repentance.

Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

Rev 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

Paul compares the sound of a trumpet to the voice of the church.

1 Corinthians 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

1Co 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

1Co 14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

Strong’s G3341=repentance. This verse about trumpets has a matching gematria of 3341.

Num 10:8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations

This is verse 3341. Yes once we are saved we should love to obey God’s law.

Leveticus 20:22 Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.

Jesus told the church of Laodicea He will spue them out of His mouth.

Revelation 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Numbers 10:8 with a gematria of 3341 is verse number 3997.

This verse has a gematria of 3997 and speaks of a watchman-which is the church-blowing a trumpet to warn the sinner to repent.

Ezekiel 33:4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

The trumpet that is being blown in Num 10:8 is one of the silver trumpets. Silver is a picture of redemption. The church has been redeemed. We are a silver trumpet in God’s hand.

Strong’s H2689=trumpet

This familiar verse has a gematria of 2689. Once God saves us, we should desire to follow His Law.

Pro 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

This is verse 2689. The high priest, a type of Christ, wore a robe with pomegranites on it.

Exo 39:24 And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet and twined linen.

In Jewish tradition, the pomegranate is said to have 613 seeds in it matching the 613 laws of God or written torah.

The bride has temples like a pomegranate.

Sol 4:3 Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.

The temple is the side of the forehead. We are to bind God’s laws to our foreheads.

Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

In revelation the 144,000 are sealed on their foreheads with the Holy Spirit who teaches us God’s laws.

Rev 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

So if we are the trumpets of God what are we saying.

The 5th and 6th trumpest are about the battle with “scorpions and serpents” which I have posted about a few times recently. This is the spiritual war we face daily against our enemy. We must be daily prepared for it and we must be edifying others to be prepared for it. When we fall we must pick each other up.

In light of the war we are in as God’s people notice verse 3998.

Num 10:9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

This verse has a gematria of 3998.

Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

When Jesus was tempted by the devil He quoted scripture and was strengthened by the Holy Spirit. We are to fight the devil through reliance on God’s word and our prayer to God for strength through His Spirit.

The second trumpet is about a “mountain burning with fire”.

Rev 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;

There is one mountain that burned with fire in the bible-Mt Sinai where God entered into a marriage covenant with His people and gave His laws.

Deuteronomy 4:11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.

The trumpet we are to sound is that once we are saved we should love God’s laws and obey them, not cast them down and trample on them. Jesus says if we love Him and are in covenant with Him we will obey His commandments.

The third trumpet is about a “great star from heaven, burning as a lamp”.

Rev 8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters

The first “burning lamp” is used in the covenant of Abraham.

Genesis 15:17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.

In the book of Revelation “stars from heaven” refers to the seed of Abraham.

Abraham’s promise from God was that his seed would be like the “stars of heaven”.

Genesis 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be

The star is called wormwood.

Rev 8:11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

Wormwood is used as a judgement for disobedience.

Jer 9:13 And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;

Jer 9:14 But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:

Jer 9:15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

Bitter waters speak of the adultery test.

Num 5:24 And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.

The trumpet we are to sound is that as the children of Abraham we are to do the works of Abraham. Abraham was the first person recorded to obey God’s laws.

Gen 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Joh 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

The 4th trumpet is on the sun, moon, and stars.

Rev 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

The sun, moon and stars were created for “signs”and “seasons”. “Signs” mean signals. “Seasons” mean God’s feast days.

Gen 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

Gen 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

God’s feast days point to Christ and His work. They are considered God’s appointments with us.

God criticized Israel for the way they celebrated His feasts. He did this in context of telling them that their heart was far from Him and he called them a “harlot”.

Isa 1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

I am not 100% sure on this message. I believe the trumpet we are to sound is that we should be on God’s calendar meeting with Him on His feast days, celebrating what God has done for us in the spring feasts and looking forward to what Christ will do for us in the fall feasts. The gentile church is so removed from the feasts. There are head pastors leading churches that know nothing about them.

The first trumpet is about “hail and fire and blood cast to the earth”. When you understand what the other trumpets are about the first one is easier to understand.

Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

Hail and fire speaks of judgement. It was the 7th plague on Egypt. Revelation is all about the number 7.

“Blood cast to the earth” lands on trees and grass. People are referred to as trees and grass throughout the bible.

2Ki 19:26 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up

Psa 96:12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice

So you could see this as blood cast or sprinkled on people. The first time and I believe only time this happens in the bible is with Moses and the covenant.

Exo 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.

Trumpets 1-3 all refer back to the covenants He made with His people. Trumpet 4 is about the feasts and trumpets 5-6 are about the enemies attempt to have us walk away from God. They are all about repentance and walking with Him.

#Will Schumaker #repentance #trumpets #revelation #Book of Revelation #strong's numbers #bible symbolism #prophecy #Jesus Christ

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sandersstudies · 6 years ago

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Fellow theology nerd here! I’ll try to bring in some biblical explanation. Warning for long post and also my thoughts being rather out of order.

Veneration and worship are not considered synonyms in the way we treat Mary/saints and the way we treat Jesus/God/the Holy Spirit. I mean, you can say they’re the same all you want? But to us, they are not. We’re on board with you as far as only worshiping one God. Only God can independently grant us the things we request. Only God is worthy of our worship. I think here what it means for Catholics to worship and what it means for Protestants to worship may be a etymological tic that gets in the way, especially since the Eucharist is such a central part of Catholic worship and is intimately tied to Christ and Christ only.

The comparison of veneration to consorting with the dead is also a fairly common argument, but remember what Christ said to the Sadducees, “When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Because we know Jesus has destroyed death, we know also that the saints are living in heaven. :D Their physical bodies may have passed away for a time (and Catholic doctrine also claims that those too will be restored on the last day), but a central doctrine of the faith is that Christ destroyed death so we may have eternal life. Assuming the dead will be like angels also implies that it’s okay to speak to them! (We see lots of angels speaking to humans and vice versa in the Bible, most notably Gabriel to Mary.)

Obviously, there are bad ways to consort with the dead (Ouiji boards and such). They’re bad because they try to go around God, or seek power from other sources. Seeking assistance from Mary, saints, or angels should always be an attempt to get closer to God. (Thus, there are certainly bad ways to consort with saints too, such as putting them on a God-like pedestal or using them to avoid talking to God).

For Mary (but also the saints), what we request from her is what we request she ask Christ for. When we ask Mary for mercy, we are asking that she pray for mercy upon us from God. When we ask Christ for mercy, we request it directly. Same with protection, healing, and other things we may pray for. Our most well-known Mary prayer, the “Hail Mary,” include the words of the angel Gabriel and the woman Elizabeth: if they can “hail” Mary, we can too. (There’s a lot of textual parallels that seem to draw an analogy between Mary and the Arc of the Covenant too : y’know, both have God inside them).

“Mary is also… not my heavenly mother any more than St. Peter is my Heavenly Uncle or St. Paul is my Heavenly Cousin“ I’ll admit this one is an interpretive toss-up, but Christ did say to his disciple, “behold your mother,” of Mary. Now, we can say “hey, maybe he was just talking to this one, specific disciple by asking him to look out for Mary,” but many scholars have interpreted this as Christ declaring Mary the mother of the Church (this is another thing there is a lot of etymology stuff behind that I won’t delve into). Christ is our brother, and his mother is ours. But I talk in the final paragraph about why this is a pretty obvious Catholic/Protestant divide.

One more actual Biblical quote to finish off is from the book of Revelation: “And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God.”

In the end, I think there’s a deep divide in a couple of very basic principles regarding Mary that make her veneration difficult for Protestants to swallow. After all, Catholic tradition states that Mary was conceived without sin and assumed body and soul, two things most Protestant churches don’t believe. Then we have things that have become part of our more recent tradition, like the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It’s a divide we haven’t seen eye-to-eye over (among other things) in hundreds of years. I appreciate that we’ve both been blessed with respectful conversation today, and hopefully given each other food for thought over all the things we do share, including all our basic beliefs about God and Christ. <3 Once again, sorry for my scattered thoughts, as I sort of answered in the order I felt, and not in perfect response. Many Catholics have spoken much more eloquently and knowledgeably than me on the topic, so I don’t feel pressured to give any perfect response. Have a blessed day!

Me, Catholic, walking into a Protestant church with no depictions of Mary: where's my mom

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leonvalleyarticles · 6 years ago

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Hebrews Part XIII: Throwing Away Confidence

Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. – Hebrews 10:35-36

A Christian has every reason to be confident in His Lord. Just listen to the confidence in Paul’s voice–“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day...” (2 Tim. 4:7-8). That’s confidence. Confidence in a faithful Master who will be true to His Word (Ti. 1:2). It may not seem like it at first, but Paul’s words help us understand the Holy Spirit’s warning to the Hebrews regarding their confidence. They were on the cusp of “throwing it away,” you see, which would be foolish. So how does Paul help us understand? Paul knew that in order to retain confidence in his salvation, he had to “fight the good fight” of the faith–he had to “finish the course” (the same metaphor Hebrews uses when citing the “need of endurance”). So my confidence in God–my assurance that He will fulfill His promise of eternal salvation when my days are through–is contingent on my obedience to His will. If I am not obeying God from my heart, then I can have no confidence that He will save me in the end.

Incoming! Frowning sectarians are flying out of the woodwork with their objections and condescending tones, “Oh you poor little church of Christer–pat, pat, pat–there you go again teaching salvation by works.” No, friend. Direct your eyes back to v. 36, and take special note of the sequence of events: “You need to persevere, so that AFTER you have done God’s will, you will receive what He has promised” (Heb. 10:36, BSB). I didn’t put the “after” there, I just capitalized it for emphasis. One throws away his or her confidence when they refuse or neglect to do “the will of God.” Such a person cannot say along with Paul, “I have fought the good fight;” neither can they say “there is a crown laid up for me.” Study Hebrews 10, and I’m confident you’ll see the same teaching.

He has a warning: “if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries” (Heb. 10:26-27). God’s people are not immune to temptation, sin, and the consequences hereof simply because they are God’s people. Notice “we” is the subject of the above statement–the writer includes himself among his brethren, just as he has done from the outset–“Take care brethren that there not be in you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God” (Heb. 3:12). Such doctrines which would have disciples believe they have risen above temptation and or the capacity to sin are nonsense, as are those doctrines which teach no Christian could ever fall from God’s grace (Gal. 5:4; 1 Cor. 10:12; 1 Jn. 1:8-10). The Holy Spirit is clearly setting forth an expectation of conduct–sin will not be tolerated. The one who obstinately continues in it has no hope even though he was once bought with the precious blood of Christ, sanctified, and knew the Spirit of grace; by continuing in sin he has “trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace” (Heb. 10:29). Strong words. But God desires His people have no illusions. Too much is at stake. “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31)–this he says to Christians! And we get squeamish when the preacher starts talking about the reality of Hell?

This particular audience had to be reminded of their previous praiseworthy conduct–“remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings...” (v. 32). They once were willing to suffer, to be abused, made public spectacles, have their property seized, and they endured this joyfully–why? Because they knew they had “a better possession and a lasting one” (Heb. 10:34). They had confidence. Now they were letting the persecution get to them. Now they were tempted to turn back, to forsake assembling, to shrink from their good confession. Both they and we “have need of endurance” (v. 35). Without it, we will willing lose our confidence. We’ll sacrifice it in the name of comfort and compromise–to retain “good relations.” Never mind that Paul “insofar as it POSSIBLE be at peace with all men” (Rom. 12:18). That is to say, with some it will not be possible. Some simply will not bear the Truth nor those who gives their lives to it because it reeks of Christ–this they cannot abide (2 Cor. 2:15ff). Nevertheless they will be hald accountable, so the writer reminds all: “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him” Heb 10:37-38). Look to the future, remember the promise of His coming, remember the reward He brings, and this will motivate you to endure. The righteous shall be faithful and live. This text is taken from Habakkuk 2:4. The translation “faith” (2:4) in this verse is much debated; some prefer to use the word “faithfulness” instead. The Hebrew word is ʾemunah, the root of our word “amen,” and it signifies reliability and steadfastness. Ultimately it is a word that signifies loyalty to the Lord’s covenant. The person who has true faith in God will remain faithful despite outward circumstances, and it’s this kind of faith that will save– “we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Heb 10:39).

By faith the righteous in Habakkuk's day would live, and this remains true even more so today! The right way to live is by faith in God. The future doesn’t lie with the passing pleasures of this world, but with the glory of God. Lasting victory isn’t won by armed strength or kingdoms of men, but ultimate victory will be God’s, and He will share it with His faithful people. Do not shrink back to destruction. That is the inevitable outcome of throwing away your confidence. Don’t make that mistake. Fight the good fight, make your calling and election sure, finish the course, endure, persevere, live by faith. Only in this way can you have confidence, knowing God will be true to His Word, but you must be true to yours– “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23).

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frederickwiddowson · 5 years ago

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Leviticus 6:14-23 comments: law of the meat offering

Leviticus 6:14 ¶ And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar. 15 And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the LORD. 16 And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it. 17 It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering. 18 All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy. 19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 20 This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night. 21 In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 22 And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the LORD; it shall be wholly burnt. 23 For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.

The meat-offering allowed something left over for Aaron and his sons to eat. This shows a principle that Paul brought out in his letters, that those who ministered should also be able to benefit from their ministry. First, the verse referring to kindness to a beast of the field that underscores what he will say.

Deuteronomy 25:4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

1Corinthians 9:7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? 8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

1Timothy 5:17 ¶ Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

However, Paul had reasons for not partaking of this benefit.

1Corinthians 9:15 ¶ But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. 16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

He was concerned in how this might appear to others, of him making merchandise of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He warned about Bishops (what we today call Pastors) and Deacons who were greedy of gain.

1Timothy 3:1 ¶ This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 ¶ Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

It wasn’t until the third century that the first writing is known of a church leader, called a “Church Father” by the Roman Catholic Church and most mainline Protestant churches, Cyprian of Carthage, insisting that Christian pastors or bishops should be supported by the tithe, which is an Old Testament rule under the Law, not a New Testament doctrine. He made a comparison between Christian clergy and the Levitical priesthood. According to most sources I’ve read the collection plate itself originated, in Protestant churches at least, during the Reformation as a successor to the fourteenth century alms dish. Before that there was a box for offerings.

So, in the Christian church there must be a balance. But, here in this passage Aaron and his sons eat of what remains of this meat-offering. I spoke about flour, frankincense, and oil previously.

For ever’s usage like perpetual in our thinking can mean for eternity but typically means for a long time, or as long as something lasts, or until the Messiah comes, as we will see with everlasting covenant and perpetual statute later. The context will determine the meaning. We know that partaking of the Tree of Life as per Genesis 3:22 when it was on the earth and Revelation 22:2, long after it was removed to Heaven, from these verses taken together, the Tree of Life can impart a renewal of life to a physical body for an unending period of time referred to as for ever in Genesis. We also know that God’s people today, the Church composed of Jew and Gentile, does not offer burnt offerings as Christ was our final sacrifice. Just be cautious and look at the context.

If you have difficulty understanding the concept of phrases like for ever referring to a long, long time or to the end of something in particular or even to the end of a dispensation please ask yourself if the following verse means that no Jews were ever to return to Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 17:4 And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever.

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basicsofislam · 6 years ago

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ISLAM 101: Your Faith.Part8

The Messengers’ Signs and Miracles

Examples of miracles include:

-Moses’s rod turning into a snake -Jesus’s informing his people of what they ate and stored in their houses -The splitting of the moon for Prophet Muhammad (saw)

A Muslim’s Beliefs regarding Jesus

3) Muslims believe that Jesus Peace be upon him was one of the greatest of Allah’s messengers, that he had no divine attributes whatsoever and that he was neither killed, nor crucified.

Belief in Muhammad (saw) as a Prophet and Messenger

Characteristics of Prophet Muhammad’s Message

Prophet Muhammad’s message has a number of characteristics which distinguish it from the previous divine messages. These include:

-It was the final divine message, as the Qur’an states, “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but the Messenger of Allah and the Final Seal of the Prophets.” (Soorat Al-Ahzaab, 33:40)

Benefits of Belief in Allah’s Messengers

Belief in Allah’s messengers has a number of benefits, including the following:

2) Showing gratefulness to Allah for this great blessing.

3) Showing love for Allah’s messengers, holding them in high esteem and adequately praising them for delivering Allah’s message to their people and giving them good counsel.

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tpanan · 5 years ago

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My Sunday Daily Blessings

September 13, 2020

Be still quiet your heart and mind, the LORD is here, loving you talking to you...........

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 130

First Reading: Sirach 27: 30-28:7

Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. The vengeful will suffer the LORD’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.

Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the LORD?

Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins? If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins?

Remember your last days, set enmity aside; remember death and decay, and cease from sin! Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor; remember the Most High’s covenant, and overlook faults.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103: 1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

"The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion."

Second Reading: Romans 14: 7-9

Brothers and sisters:

None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Verse before the Gospel: John 13: 34

R. Alleluia, Alleluia.

"I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: love one another as I have loved you."

R. Alleluia, Alleluia.

**Gospel: Matthew 18: 21-35

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,

‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”*Meditation:

Does mercy overlook justice? Justice demands that everyone be given their due. So when is it right to show mercy and pardon to those who have acted unjustly or wrongly? The prophet Amos speaks of God forgiving transgression three times, but warns that God may not revoke punishment for the fourth (see Amos 1:3-13; 2:1-6). When Peter posed the question of forgiveness, he characteristically offered an answer he thought Jesus would be pleased with. Why not forgive seven times! How unthinkable for Jesus to counter with the proposition that one must forgive seventy times that.

No limit to granting forgiveness and pardon

Jesus makes it clear that there is no limit to giving and receiving forgiveness. He drove the lesson home with a parable about two very different kinds of debts. The first man owed an enormous sum of money - millions in our currency. In Jesus' time this amount was greater than the total revenue of a province - more than it would cost to ransom a king! The man who was forgiven such an incredible debt could not, however, bring himself to forgive his neighbor a very small debt which was about one-hundred-thousandth of his own debt.The contrast could not have been greater!

Jesus paid our ransom to set us free from the debt of sin

No offense our neighbor can do to us can compare with our own personal debt to God for offending him! We have been forgiven an enormous debt we could not repay on our own. That is why the Father in heaven sent his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who freely and willing gave up his life for our sake to ransom us from slavery to sin, Satan, and death. Paul the Apostle states, "you were bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 7:23 ) and that price was Jesus' death on the cross. Through the shedding of his blood on the cross, Jesus not only brought forgiveness and pardon for our offenses, but release from our captivity to Satan and bondage to sin.

Set free from futile thinking and sinful living

The Lord Jesus sets us free from a futile mind and way of living in sin and spiritual darkness. "You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers ...with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18). Christ "gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity" (Titus 2:14). Iniquity describes the futile ways of wrong thinking, sinful attitudes and wrong behavior, and disregarding or treating God's commandments lightly. We have been forgiven an enormous debt which we could never possibly repay. We owe God a debt of gratitude for the mercy and grace he has given us in his Son, Jesus Christ.

Forgiving others is a sacred duty

If God has shown mercy to us in granting us pardon for our sins, then we, in turn, must show mercy and forgiveness towards every person who has offended us. The willingness to forgive those who offend us is a sacred duty. If we expect God to pardon us and show us his mercy when we sin and disobey his commandments, then we must be willing to let go of any resentment, grievance, or ill-will we feel towards our neighbor. Jesus teaches us to pray daily for the grace and strength to forgive others in the same measure in which God has forgiven us (Matthew 6:12,14-15). If we do not show mercy and forgiveness to our fellow human beings, how can we expect God to forgive us in turn? The Apostle James says that " judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy" (James 2:13).

Mercy seasons justice and perfects it

Mercy is the flip-side of God's justice. Without mercy justice is cold, calculating, and even cruel. Mercyseasons justice assalt seasons meat and gives it flavor. Mercy follows justice and perfects it. Justice demands that the wrong be addressed. To show mercy without addressing the wrong and to pardon the unrepentant is not true mercy but license. C.S. Lewis, a 20th century Christian author wrote: "Mercy will flower only when it grows in the crannies of the rock of Justice: transplanted to the marshlands of mere Humanitarianism, it becomes a man-eating weed, all the more dangerous because it is still called by the same name as the mountain variety." If we want mercy shown to us we must be ready to forgive others from the heart as God has forgiven us. Do you hold any grudge or resentment towards anyone? Ask the Lord to purify your heart that you may show mercy and loving-kindness to all - and especially to those who cause you grief and ill-will.

Lord Jesus, you have been kind and forgiving towards me. May I be merciful as you are merciful. Free me from all bitterness and resentment that I may truly forgive from the heart those who have caused me injury or grief.

Sources:

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

**Meditations may be freely reprinted and translated into other languages for non-profit use only. Please cite copyright and original source at dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org

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truthandlove · 5 years ago

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This is about being ALIVE & FREE.

I make you this promise: if you read this entire post, you will be divinely energized! This is about being ALIVE and FREE.

Everything you were made for, everything you've always wanted... is found ultimately in the Person of God. Your creator and designer, who destined you for Greatness (at His side), where all beauty, majesty and glory finds it home.

But he also lovingly grants you the most previous ability in the universe: free will. And your free will can be used to self-degrade and short-circuit your life too... if you so choose. The first Adam's sin disconnected us from God, from His Presence and Life. And thus disconnected humanity from all beauty, goodness, truth and virtue as well. Christ, as the Last Adam, won BACK (redemption) your ability to make a choice to CONNECT back to God's heart, and the power to make that choice be REAL - meaning to be actively realized - to actually personally know God. Not just to know God as an angry judge; but to know God as an intimate ally and gracious savior - for you find yourself becoming more and more just like Him.

The Kingdom of God is where God designed you to live, move and have your being, for that is where He is, manifested in full reality as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In predestining us to become SONS of God, Jesus longs to SHARE his vast inheritance with us - sharing his union with the father, his creativity, his cunning, his crushing of all evils, his unstoppable vitality, etc.. We live and operate in the IMAGE of God - being extensions of His will, His virtue, His goodness, His graciousness, His justice, His judgements, out into everything we encounter. THIS is how God has chosen to redeem the entire universe (Tikkun), restoring it to divine order in alignment with the Kingdom which is the total expression of God’s good will.

Collisions 3:3-5 “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, WHO IS YOUR LIFE, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.”

John 1:4 “In him (Jesus, the incarnated Logos of God) was LIFE, and the life was the light of mankind. “

John 1:4 “In him (Jesus, the incarnated Logos of God) was LIFE, and the life was the light of mankind.”

John 6:53, 54 “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 7:38 On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. To the one who believes in Me, it is just as the Scripture has said: ‘STREAMS OF LIVING WATER’” will flow from within him. He was speaking about the Holy Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

John 15 “I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch which is part of me but fails to bear fruit, he cuts off; and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, so that it may bear more fruit. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Jesus invites us to DRAW OUR LIFE FROM GOD - for THAT is why He reconnected us to the Father - through Himself (his flesh, his blood, his sacrifice, through Himself as the “door” and the “way”). We can do nothing as a disconnected branch but whither and decompose as desiccated (lifeless) fuel for the fire (Gehenna), but can do everything we need to as we draw from the living power of the vice. The result is that FRUIT (virtue, goodness, tangible expressions of love) comes through the vine into and our of us. The point of salvation is not just to forgive us our sins, for we would just re-commit them all over again if our underlying nature was not transformed.

Plugged into and aligned with God’s heart through the Blood of Christ, we are transformed into something entirely new —extensions of Divinity — divine Wisdom (Chokmah), divine Understanding (Binah), divine Judgements (Gevurah), divine Lovingkindness (Chessed), so that we are balanced with divine beauty/harmony (Tifferet) in all things pertaining to life and relationships. The point of salvation is to be conduits of the Divine Life (Zoe).

We are granted salvation (by Grace through Faith) to inherit the Righteousness of Christ, and that righteous is not something that sits around piously in some religious, institutionalized, narcissistic fog - rather this is a righteousness that GETS INTO ACTION with sacrificial and covenant love to redeem everything around it!

In this way, our life is found in God, to be is to flow with God, to move is to move with God. We are saved to be INTIMATE, to “know” God through and through. In this way, this intimate connection and knowing, we become just like our Father. We are this to be AGENTS AND AMBASSADORS of goodness, justice, reception, restoration, reconciliation, joy, and all the wonderful things that God IS. God wants us FREE and EMPOWERED to be the beings he designed us to be - exact representations of their father (the true/full meaning of the word “son”)

While laws can threaten a person with punishment if their behavior does not conform to them, they have no power to transform the heart and cause the person to WANT to be and do that which is most good. But what the law of Moses could never accomplish, Christ (our High Priest, our Lamb of God, our Messiah) did - offering Himself as perfect and his perfect lifeblood becomes our lifeline to the life of the Father!

Ephesians 4:15 “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head” (through Tiffereth, we spiritually ascend to Keter)

Galatians 5:1-6 What the Messiah has freed us for is FREEDOM! Therefore, stand firm, and don’t let yourselves be tied up again to a yoke of slavery. Mark my words — I, Sha’ul (apostle Paul), tell you that if you undergo b’rit-milah (Jewish circumcision) the Messiah will be of no advantage to you at all! Again, I warn you: any man who undergoes b’rit-milah is obligated to observe the ENTIRE Torah! You who are trying to be declared righteous by God through legalism have severed yourselves from the Messiah! You have fallen away from God’s grace! For it is by the power of the Spirit, who works in us because we trust and are faithful, that we confidently expect our hope of attaining righteousness to be fulfilled. When we are united with the Messiah Yeshua, neither being circumcised (physically) nor being uncircumcised matters; what matters is trusting faithfulness expressing itself through love.

We are now FREE to be true SONS of God. Free to receive and extend divine love. Free to be our best and truest selves in alignment with God’s heart and God’s life. Free to be agents of divine transformation to the cosmos around us. Free to overflow with Living Water. Free to impart justice, righteousness and goodness to everything around us. Free to be nourishing sources of the Fruit of the Spirit to others. Free to radiate with the POWER of God and that power is the HEART of the Father. A heart of faithfulness and love. Free to extend the Authority and Life of God into every realm and dimension.

This is why the Father sent Christ to rescue you from rebellion and decay. This eternal glory - this sacred romance - is the reason Jesus paid the highest price for you! This is your true destiny and ask God to empower you to BREAK OUT OF SLAVERY to lesser systems and meager mindsets and radiate the literal Life Power of God to every circumstance, calling it into alignment with the Kingdom of God - which is destined to take over EVERYTHING.

Jesus we RELEASE THE TRUE GOSPEL of your majestic purposes into this world! You are the Truth of God - we send YOU into this world THROUGH US! (John 17:17 “Father, sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth.”) Don’t let people accept any lesser purpose. Don’t let a lesser gospel of sin-management enslave people under fake religion! Don’t let doctrines of demons such as self-enlightenment, false unity and legalistic righteousness ensnare humanity! Shatter all lies. Shatter all bondage. Shatter all deception. Shatter all faithlessness and godlessness. Set the captive FREE! (Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18 ) Pour out your LIFE into your people, causing us to do mighty exploits of radical goodness through your limitless divine power and grace!

References: TIKKUN - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tikkun_olam

GEHENNA – http://biblehub.com/greek/1067.htm

ZOE – http://biblehub.com/greek/2222.htm

CHOKMAH – http://biblehub.com/hebrew/2452.htm

BINAH – http://biblehub.com/hebrew/998.htm

TIFFERET –https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiferet

Related Scripture on LIFE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore you will joyously draw water From the springs of salvation.

Isaiah 35:6 Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah.

Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour out water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring And My blessing on your descendants;

Isaiah 55:1 "Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost.

Isaiah 58:11 "And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

Ezekiel 47:9 "It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.

Zechariah 14:8 And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter.

John 4:10 Jesus answered, "If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

John 4:14 But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life."

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ask4mynemo-blog · 5 years ago

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The Future of the Church: Preparing the World for the Savior’s Second Coming

By President Russell M. Nelson

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is preparing the world for the day when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:9).

You and I get to participate in the ongoing Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is wondrous! It is not man-made! It comes from the Lord, who said, “I will hasten my work in its time” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:73). This work is empowered by a divine announcement made 200 years ago. It consisted of only seven words: “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (see Joseph Smith—History 1:17).

Uttered by Almighty God, that announcement brought a young Joseph Smith to the Lord Jesus Christ. Those seven words launched the Restoration of His gospel. Why? Because our living God is a loving God! He wants His children to gain immortality and eternal life! The great latter-day work of which we are a part was established, on schedule, to bless a waiting and weeping world.

I cannot speak of the Restoration in tempered tones. This fact of history is absolutely stunning! It is incredible! It is breathtaking! How amazing is it that messengers from heaven came to give authority and power to this work?

Today, the Lord’s work in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is moving forward at an accelerated pace. The Church will have an unprecedented, unparalleled future. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, … the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9; see also Doctrine and Covenants 76:10).

Remember that the fulness of Christ’s ministry lies in the future. The prophecies of His Second Coming have yet to be fulfilled. We are just building up to the climax of this last dispensation—when the Savior’s Second Coming becomes a reality.

Gathering Israel on Both Sides of the Veil

A necessary prelude to that Second Coming is the long-awaited gathering of scattered Israel (see 1 Nephi 15:18; see also the title page of the Book of Mormon). This doctrine of the gathering is one of the important teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Lord has declared: “I give unto you a sign … that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my Zion” (3 Nephi 21:1).

We not only teach this doctrine, but we participate in it. We do so as we help to gather the elect of the Lord on both sides of the veil. As part of the planned destiny of the earth and its inhabitants, our kindred dead are to be redeemed (see Doctrine and Covenants 128:15). Mercifully, the invitation to “come unto Christ” (Jacob 1:7; Moroni 10:32; Doctrine and Covenants 20:59) can also be extended to those who died without a knowledge of the gospel (see Doctrine and Covenants 137:6–8). Part of their preparation, however, requires the earthly efforts of others. We gather pedigree charts, create family group sheets, and do temple work vicariously to gather individuals unto the Lord and into their families (see 1 Corinthians 15:29; 1 Peter 4:6).

Families are to be sealed together for all eternity (see Doctrine and Covenants 2:2–3; 49:17; 138:48; Joseph Smith—History 1:39). A welding link is to be forged between the fathers and the children. In our time, a whole, complete, and perfect union of all dispensations, keys, and powers are to be welded together (see Doctrine and Covenants 128:18). For these sacred purposes, holy temples now dot the earth. I emphasize again that construction of these temples may not change your life, but your service in the temple surely will.

The time is coming when those who do not obey the Lord will be separated from those who do (see Doctrine and Covenants 86:1–7). Our safest insurance is to continue to be worthy of admission to His holy house. The greatest gift you could give to the Lord is to keep yourself unspotted from the world, worthy to attend His holy house. His gift to you will be the peace and security of knowing that you are worthy to meet Him, whenever that time comes.

In addition to temple work, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a sign to the entire world that the Lord has commenced to gather Israel and fulfill the covenants He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (see Genesis 12:2–3; 3 Nephi 21; 29). The Book of Mormon declares the doctrine of the gathering (see, for example, 1 Nephi 10:14). It causes people to learn about Jesus Christ, to believe His gospel, and to join His Church. In fact, if there were no Book of Mormon, the promised gathering of Israel would not occur.

Missionary work is also crucial to that gathering. Servants of the Lord go forth proclaiming the Restoration. In many nations our members and missionaries have searched for those of scattered Israel; they have hunted for them “out of the holes of the rocks” (Jeremiah 16:16); and they have fished for them, as in ancient days.

Missionary work connects people to the covenant the Lord made with Abraham anciently:

“Thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations;

“And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father” (Abraham 2:9–10).

Missionary work is only the beginning of the blessing. The fulfillment, the consummation, of those blessings comes as those who have entered the waters of baptism perfect their lives to the point that they may enter the holy temple. Receiving an endowment there seals members of the Church to the Abrahamic covenant.

The choice to come unto Christ is not a matter of physical location; it is a matter of individual commitment. All members of the Church have access to the doctrine, ordinances, priesthood keys, and blessings of the gospel, regardless of their location. People can be “brought to the knowledge of the Lord” (3 Nephi 20:13) without leaving their homelands.

True, in the early days of the Church, conversion often meant emigration as well. But now the gathering takes place in each nation. The Lord has decreed the establishment of Zion (see Doctrine and Covenants 6:6; 11:6) in each realm where He has given His Saints their birth and nationality. The place of gathering for Brazilian Saints is in Brazil; the place of gathering for Nigerian Saints is in Nigeria; the place of gathering for Korean Saints is in Korea. Zion is “the pure in heart” (Doctrine and Covenants 97:21). It is wherever righteous Saints are.

Spiritual security will always depend upon how one lives, not where one lives. I promise that if we will do our best to exercise faith in Jesus Christ and access the power of His Atonement through repentance, we will have the knowledge and power of God to help us take the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.

The Second Coming

The Lord will return to the land that He made holy by His mission there in mortality. In triumph, He will come again to Jerusalem. In royal robes of red to symbolize His blood, which oozed from every pore, He shall return to the Holy City (see Doctrine and Covenants 133:46–48). There and elsewhere, “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5; see also Doctrine and Covenants 101:23). His “name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

He will govern from two world capitals: one in old Jerusalem (see Zechariah 14) and the other in the New Jerusalem “built upon the American continent” (Articles of Faith 1:10). From these centers He will direct the affairs of His Church and kingdom. Another temple will yet be built in Jerusalem. From that temple He shall reign forever as Lord of Lords. Water will issue from under the temple. Waters of the Dead Sea will be healed. (See Ezekiel 47:1–8.)

In that day He will bear new titles and be surrounded by special Saints. He will be known as “Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that [will be] with him [will be those who] are called, and chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14) to their trust here in mortality. Then He “shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

The earth will be returned to its paradisiacal state and be made new. There will be a new heaven and a new earth (see Revelation 21:1; Ether 13:9; Doctrine and Covenants 29:23–24).

It is our charge—it is our privilege—to help prepare the world for that day.

Face the Future with Faith

Meanwhile, here and now, we live in a time of turmoil. Earthquakes and tsunamis wreak devastation, governments collapse, economic stresses are severe, the family is under attack, and divorce rates are rising. We have great cause for concern. But we do not need to let our fears displace our faith. We can combat those fears by strengthening our faith.

Why do we need such resilient faith? Because difficult days are ahead. Rarely in the future will it be easy or popular to be a faithful Latter-day Saint. Each of us will be tested. The Apostle Paul warned that in the latter days, those who diligently follow the Lord “shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). That very persecution can either crush you into silent weakness or motivate you to be more exemplary and courageous in your daily lives.

How you deal with life’s trials is part of the development of your faith. Strength comes when you remember that you have a divine nature, an inheritance of infinite worth. The Lord has reminded you, your children, and your grandchildren that you are lawful heirs, that you have been reserved in heaven for your specific time and place to be born, to grow and become His standard bearers and covenant people. As you walk in the Lord’s path of righteousness, you will be blessed to continue in His goodness and be a light and a savior unto His people (see Doctrine and Covenants 86:8–11).

Do whatever it takes to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ by increasing your understanding of the doctrine taught in His restored Church and by relentlessly seeking truth. Anchored in pure doctrine, you will be able to step forward with faith and dogged persistence and cheerfully do all that lies in your power to fulfill the purposes of the Lord.

You will have days when you will be discouraged. So pray for courage not to give up! Sadly, some whom you thought were your friends will betray you. And some things will simply seem unfair.

However, I promise you that as you follow Jesus Christ, you will find sustained peace and true joy. As you keep your covenants with increasing precision, and as you defend the Church and kingdom of God on the earth today, the Lord will bless you with strength and wisdom to accomplish what only members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can accomplish.

We are to be builders of an individual faith in God, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and faith in His Church. We are to build families and be sealed in holy temples. We are to build the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth (see Matthew 6:33). We are to prepare for our own divine destiny: glory, immortality, and eternal lives (see Romans 2:7; Doctrine and Covenants 75:5).

I humbly testify to you that—as the Prophet Joseph Smith proclaimed—the restored gospel of Jesus Christ “will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

We are engaged in the work of Almighty God. I pray for His blessings to be with each and every one of you.

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