The Rejection of Jesus

 

Jesus Rejected 

The following are notes, scriptures and other writings that comprise a ten-part series wherein we have been examining and discussing scripture, history, and the condition of the church and world today as it pertains to the rejection of our Father in heaven, His Holy Spirit and His son, our lord and savior Yeshua, Jesus, the Christ child of Nazareth. It is my sincere hope that you read this series in its entirety and by doing so you are compelled to dive deeper into studying the word of God. It is also my sincere hope that this series compels you to seek a deeper relationship with the Kingdom of heaven. This for yourself, for your family, for your community, your nation, and for the benefit of our world.

 Be blessed,

Part 1

 

As I sit and meditate on the subject matter that I believe the Lord God has been having me think on, there is a subject that has come to the forefront of my mind. This subject has been so presented to me that I felt I was forced to change focus for a bit. This was only for me to become aware that what I am about to disclose is actually part and parcel to what we have been discussing all along.

 

As we grow closer to God we begin to gain more of an understanding of who He is and how we relate to Him, or are supposed to relate to him. For me, part of this discovery has made me keenly aware that since the beginning of humanity, man inherently does not like God and does not want to have a relationship with our father in heaven if it requires man to obey rules that oppose his fleshly desires.

 

Now, thousands of years later, I believe it has become evident that most of humanity does not like Jesus, nor the Holy Spirit either, not even they who proclaim to follow and love them. The three are separate but inseparable. They are alive and unchanging, “The same yesterday, today and forever”, indivisible all powerful, all knowing, and ever present and aware. Since the beginning of humanity, they have suffered hate, adultery, divorcement, sedition and rebellion from their creation. Mankind is no stranger to dishonesty, disrespect, disobedience, and insubordination as we have practiced these traits since our ancestors were first created and placed in Eden.

 

Even a cursory study of history including biblical history reveals that, by in large, mankind has rebelled against God and kingdom principles from the beginning, only to find themselves eventually in a state of deep despair at some point. This then leads man to seek deliverance from this down turn to find that obedience to Kingdom principles is the only valid road back to stability, prosperity, peace and true joy.

 

Unfortunately, throughout time, not everyone saw the value in returning to God for deliverance and salvation in times of darkness. This splintered our origins and helped to create different sects of people and cultures who practiced different ideologies with many from ancient times, still being practiced today. These differing ideologies have led to division from the maker and from those who chose to follow His statutes and ordinances, also known as, Kingdom principles. This division has instigated and given rise to many conflicts over the millennia. Events have occurred that have negatively affected the course of human history. Today, mankind suffers greatly under the results of these events as well as their resultant residue that left perpetual marks both spiritually and physically upon all humanity.

 

In the beginning mankind through Adam learned how to blame others including God for their failures Adam even tried to project his failures onto his help meet and God when in the beginning they ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, in direct disobedience to our creator. We see this in scripture, here in,

 

Genisis 2: 16-17

¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

¹⁷ But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

And in Genesis 3: 8-13

⁸ And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

⁹ And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

¹⁰ And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

¹¹ And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

¹² And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

¹³ And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

 

Both Adam and Eve were fully aware of what God had instructed them, yet they disobeyed anyway. Eve blamed her disobedience on the serpent. Adam blamed his disobedience on God and the gift of a wife He gave to Adam, as a godly companion.

A little over 1,600 years later humanity, God’s creation under free will, grew so evil. So wicked that as we see in Genisis six, God had to destroy nearly all of humanity.

 

Genisis 6: 5-7

⁵ And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

⁶ And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

⁷ And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

However, as we know, Noah found favor in the eyes of God so he and seven other members were spared the destruction of the great flood. After the great flood, as we know, God gave the commandment to go forth and multiply. Again, as we have learned, humanity began to multiply but in disobedience to God settled in one place, in the plains of Shinar where they grew in unity.

 

Unfortunately, the central mechanism of their unity was mocking disobedience to God. They did not grow together in unity by becoming one body in the spirit under one God, but one in the flesh in opposition to God. So, as we know, God confounded their language and took away their ability to communicate thus disbanding them and causing them to separate. A few hundred years later, through Abraham, and on to Jacob, the nation of Israel was born.

 

Genisis 32: 25-28

²⁵ And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

²⁶ And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

²⁷ And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

²⁸ And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Further, in,

 Genisis 35: 9-12

 ⁹ And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.

¹⁰ And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

¹¹ And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

¹² And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.

 

Now later, Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob carried an anointing that annoyed his brothers. Josephs dreams and favoritism, along with his devotion to righteousness seemed to threaten his brothers, so much so that they first threw him into a pit then later sold him into slavery while inventing a story of his death. As we know, Joseph was sold into captivity in Egypt. Later God rose up Joseph in honor in the face of Pharoah, so much so that Pharoah appointed him governor over Egypt. As famine enveloped the land, Joseph’s brothers were forced to come before him and bow down (as was prophesied) in order to receive life sustaining grain. Later, Joseph’s mother and father too were made to bow down to Joseph as was prophesied.

 

Because of Josephs favor with Pharoah Josephs family was allowed to settle in the fertile plains of Egypt, however, as time passed, the following generations of Pharoah failed to honor the original promises and as the Israelites growth began to be seen as a possible threat to the kingdom, Egypt subjugated Israel and enslaved them. Thus, fulfilling the prophecy God had spoken to Abraham in Genisis 15.

 

Genisis 15: 12-15

¹² And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

¹³ And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

¹⁴ And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

¹⁵ And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

Just over four hundred years later God rose up another Israelite through the courts of Egypt. This Israelite, who too had favor with a succeeding Pharoah was Moses. Moses was later sent into exile where he met with God and was charged with the task of helping to remove the Israelites from captivity. With the grace and help of God Moses did complete this task. Further, as commanded, Moses introduce and reintroduced the Israelites to the laws, statutes and ordinances of God. I say reintroduce because though much was previously known, much was lost over time. Consider this,

 

Genisis 26: 5

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

 

Prior to its recordation on tablets and in the Torah, Abraham knew the commandments of God.         I say introduced because as time went on God spoke to Moses and made additions to his commandments to address situations that arose as Israel was set free and gained its footing in order to occupy the promised land and lead the world to God, as His chosen people.

 

We can see through the lens of biblical and secular history, that throughout time mankind’s history was marred with acts of disobedience and rebellion to God that caused great loss. Situations like the great flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah the ten plagues of Egypt, wars, famines and earth quakes and other plagues and ages in darkness.  Also, we can see that because of their struggles with sin and disobedience, God’s chosen people were not precluded from suffering in sin.

 

Now as we know that after being lost forty years in the wilderness the Israelites eventually occupied the promised land and as time passed, they did increase in numbers and under Godly leadership did grow to be a powerful Nation. But eventually they continued in the worshiping idols as they did at the foot of mount Sinai. In a separation from God and His principles, corruption began to gain a foot hold. The judges in Israel began to become corrupt. They abused their authority. They traded bribes for unjust considerations. We find this in,

 

1Samuel 8: 1-3

1And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

² Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

³ And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

 

The letter of the law is an equalizer and helps to keep balance in any society. When the authorities accept bribes to circumvent the letter then money becomes the law, society is imbalanced and begins to decay as true justice cannot prevail. Living in Africa and traveling to many different nations here allows me to see firsthand the folly of this. It also allows us to minister to the people how this particular subject helped to usher in the demise of the nation of Israel.

 

Because of this situation the Israelites became convinced to believe that they needed a King, when they had none before. Up until that time the nation of Israel was, for the most part one, under the laws of God, and society was guided by the laws of God, the prophets and by Judges judging righteously by the word of God. But then corruption began to creep in and grow and from the top down the people began to turn their backs on God. The Israelites, believing a King would solve their corruption problems and bring equal justice to their society, began demanding to be like other nations.

 

1 Samuel 8: 4-6

⁴ Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

⁵ And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

⁶ But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

 

So, Samuel went to God and discussed the matter with Him. To me, within the scriptures to follow, I can sense sadness and disappointment on behalf of God. There are not many situations more heart breaking as those that come from betrayal and rejection by the ones you love. Nevertheless, God allowed their request but sent a dire warning to the people of what the future of their decision had in store for them.

 

1Samuel 8: 7-18

⁷ And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

⁸ According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

⁹ Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

¹⁰ And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.

¹¹ And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

¹² And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

¹³ And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

¹⁴ And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

¹⁵ And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

¹⁶ And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

¹⁷ He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

¹⁸ And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.

 

To me, this event marked the beginning of a very long downward trend for the chosen people of God. Because of their rejection of God in this moment, despite periodic times of victory, blessing and prosperity, the downward course of Israel is still trending unto this day.

As many of you know, the First King of Israel in this day was Saul. Saul was anointed by Samuel under the direction of God. He was prophesied over to do great things for the nation of Israel. Saul became corrupted and disobedient to God and shipwrecked his prophecy.  It is my belief that still today, the whole world still suffers because of the disobedience of Saul, but the details of that are for another teaching. Saul was replaced by King David. King David was known as a man after Gods own heart because He did everything God told him to do.

 

1Samuel 13: 13-14

¹³ And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

¹⁴ But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.

 

 David was that man and with the exception of his transgressions regarding Bathsheba, David led the Kingdom righteously and was right with God. The life and teachings of king David as found in the book of the Psalms, will forever remain iconic in guiding those who chose to walk as Jesus does. However, after the death of David, his son Solomon became King. Solomon started well. He walked with God and was given wisdom and riches but over time he disobeyed God.

 

Solomon, known as the wisest man ever to live became corrupted, rejected the guidance of God and lost the throne for the lineage of his airs. The loss of King Davids lineage occupying the throne was directly due to the disobedience of Solomon. Thus continued the history of Israel fraught with a lasting cycle of times under kings who were right with God and times when they were not. We see God speaking to Solomon regarding these issues in,

 

1 Kings 3:11- 14

¹¹ And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

¹² Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

¹³ And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

¹⁴ And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

And in,

1Kings 11: 4-12

⁴ For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

⁵ For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

⁶ And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.

⁷ Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

⁸ And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

⁹ And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,

¹⁰ And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.

¹¹ Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

¹² Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

 

Then up to the days King Zedekiah and later Jehoiachin of Judah, when God made it clear through the divorcement of Israel and allowed the Israelites to be carried off into captivity.

Now we know that historically there were men and women of God who were positioned to lead, prophecy, teach and preach obedience to God. There are many saints who have walked the earth in service and obedience to God. There were many who did great exploits as a testament to His Majesty, however despite all of their efforts throughout time, the end result is that most people rejected God and His desire for them to be blessed and fulfilled in their lives. The truth is there is always them who will not honor God to their demise. 

 

For nearly seventy years Israel was in captivity. For nearly seventy years Jerusalem, the Holy city laid in ruins. Until God rose up Nehemiah to begin the rebuilding of the city, its walls and its gates. It was the Spirit of our Lord God who moved on the hearts of the people who had a mind to work. The same spirit moved on the Persian King Artaxerxes and compelled him to assist Nehemiah in his God inspired endeavor. It was during this time that Nehemiah made an incredible discovery. They discovered the book of the law of Moses. Subsequent to this, another discovery Nehemiah made was that the Israelites had not followed what was written in the Law since the days of Joshua.

 

 Nehemiah 8: 14-17

¹⁴ And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:

¹⁵ And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

¹⁶ So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

¹⁷ And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days nehof Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

 

For more than nine hundred years the children of Israel had not fully followed what is written in the books of Moses. Could it be that absent this information, over the years, the nation of Israel slowly drifted away from a deep relationship with God. I believe it to be true.

 

Now there were approximately 400 years from the days of Nehemiah and the birth of Jesus. And in the time, as before it is apparent that the people of the world fell into cycles of belief and disbelief, following the almighty God and following after other gods and Idols. Living some in righteousness and some in sin, while still others in both, a mixture.

 

We know that God prefers all men to live in righteousness and to be saved through repentance and abstinence of sin.

 

In 2 Peter 3:7-10 we find it is written,

⁷ But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

⁸ But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

 

Because of His love for humanity and His desire to see all men saved, God decided to do something different, He is capable as He chooses, as he once has said,

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert”.

In a heightened effort to break the cycles of sin and destruction mankind continually walked through God sent His word to walk among mankind in the flesh as a sign of his glory, power, existence and the life and love he intends for mankind who follow Him.

  

John 3:12-17

¹² If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

¹³ And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

¹⁵ That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

  Jesus Rejected 

Part 2

John 3:17

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

Yes, Scripture tells us that Jesus was sent to the world by God so that the world might be saved. In fact, Yeshua, Jesus, the Christ Child of Nazareth tells us this Himself in the above quoted scripture. It might surprise you to know that there are numerous records in scripture where Jesus gives reasons why He was sent. Consider the following.

 

In Matthew 10: 34-39 Jesus said,

³⁴ Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

³⁵ For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

³⁶ And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

³⁷ He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

³⁸ And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

³⁹ He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

 

In Matthew 5: 17-20 Jesus said,

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

¹⁸ For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

¹⁹ Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

²⁰ For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

Matthew 15: 24

²⁴ But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

John 18:37

³⁷ Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Luke 4: 18-21

¹⁸ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

¹⁹ To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

²⁰ And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

²¹ And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

John 4: 33-34

³³ Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

³⁴ Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

 

John 6:35-40

³⁵ And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

³⁶ But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

³⁷ All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

³⁸ For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

³⁹ And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

⁴⁰ And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

Matthew 9: 13

¹³ But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Mark 2:17

¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Luke 5:32

³² I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

 

In the scriptures we find that as Jesus ministered, he revealed why He was sent. From His own lips Jesus explains why He came to earth in the flesh. His reasons are clear and in them we can not only find His primary cause, but also what He expects from us. As the word from the beginning, the word who became flesh revealed His cause, he also reveals how He expects us, as sojourners with the house of Israel, to respond to Him.

 

To summarize, Jesus said,

“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”.

“I came not to send peace, but a sword”.

“For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law”.

With this came His warnings,

“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me”

“he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

^“He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it”.

Further,

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil”.

 

As we know, He clearly explained this to mean that He was to bring to pass or fulfill all that was written about Him prophetically in the law, prophets and psalms. As revealed in Luke chapter 24 verse 44 when He said,

 

“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me”.

 

He came to tell Israel face to face to follow the laws of God, and not the laws of the pharisees. That, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:  All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not”.

 

“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven”.

 

“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven”.

 

He came to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and to reveal a majesty greater than mankind. A majesty born to not only speak the truth but to reveal it through works, in a fashion making it undeniable and available to any and all who make the choice to abide in the truth and follow His direction.

 

“To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice”.

 

He came to,

 

“heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord”.

“To do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work”.

”For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me”.

“For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”.

“I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”.

In the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John we find Jesus, just prior to His ascending, giving instructions to His disciples to go and preach the gospel to all nations. In Luke we see a clear direction of what is to be preached and for what reason.

 

Luke 24: 46 - 47

⁴⁶ And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

⁴⁷ And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

 

According to Luke, the final instructions from Jesus to his disciples was essentially to carry on what He himself had been doing, in His name, even as John the Baptist was led to do as he prepared the way of the Lord. This was to preach repentance for the remission of sin to every creature and every nation.

 

Mark 16: 15-16

¹⁵ And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

¹⁶ He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

 

In Acts 9, we begin to see the amazing transformation of Saul, a man positioned to become a leader of the pharisees’ who persecuted Jesus and His followers. In this chapter, by a visitation from Jesus, Saul went from this,

 

Acts 9:1-2

1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

 

To this,

 

Acts 9: 19-22

¹⁹ And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

²⁰ And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

²¹ But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

²² But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

²³ And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

 

Later Saul became known as Paul. Paul who once rejected Jesus and sought the slaughter of the followers of Jesus, became transformed into a powerful Apostle who is known for writing nearly two thirds of the New Testament scriptures. Paul, through a visitation witnessed the power of Jesus the Christ Child of Nazareth. Jesus witnessed to Paul with signs and wonders. This convinced him of the truth. By coming to know the truth Paul had a decision to make. He made the decision to lay down the life of service to the cause and fellowship he was deeply intrenched in, to follow Jesus. This decision led to those of his previous associations seek to kill him.

Now we know that the scriptures teach us that sin is the transgression of the Law, the law is the word of God. Jesus is the word from the beginning. To avoid sin we must know the Law. To avoid sin we must know the word. To avoid sin we must come to know and accept Jesus. To reject the word of God is to reject His son and His spirit.

 

To reject the word is to reject the laws, ordinances, and statutes he commands us to follow. To reject this is to reject Yeshua Jesus, the Christ child himself.  As the word from the beginning Jesus said this, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”. The way to the Father in heaven is through His word.

 

We know that Paul taught that for a man to be thoroughly furnished to do all good works and to gain wisdom unto salvation through Christ it is imperative to know the Holy scriptures written in the Old Testament.

2 Timothy 3: 15-16

15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

In Acts 15 we find that the Apostles recognized that moses commanded that the scriptures be read in the synagogue every sabbath so they dispatched men to inspire the fulfillment of this command.

 

Acts 15: 17-23

17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.

This was the cause of the Apostles, to preach the truth of the gospel as Jesus commanded them to do, and they did.

 

Acts 28: 23

²³ And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

Acts 17:2

1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

² And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

They reasoned out of the Holy scriptures because in them can be found life. The apostles worked to bring the words of life to a world full of trouble and death. Jesus taught that the wages of sin are death. James teaches us in,

 

James 1: 15

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

 

As sin is allowed to mature it will bring death. The bible teaches in the book of John, chapter six, that Jesus had many disciples however, because the word He gave for them to follow was to hard, they eventually rejected him and went away.

 

John 6: 59-60 & 66-69

⁵⁹ These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

⁶⁰ Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

⁶⁶ From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

⁶⁷ Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

⁶⁸ Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

⁶⁹ And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

 

Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life”.

 

The Disciples understood this, however most all of the rest of the world, including the major religious organization there in that day, did not. Despite the presence of God in the flesh coming to earth and the powerful witness of miracles, signs and wonders he worked, the world continued to reject Jesus, and further, His Disciples and their teachings. This until eventually, with the exception of John, all were killed and the early church came under extreme persecution.

And thus, wide spread rejection of Jesus continued.

 

 Jesus Rejected

Part 3

 

In second Corinthians chapter 11 Paul describes the many perils he endured as he quested to fulfill what Jesus had asked him to do, generally, preach the gospel of repentance for the remission of sin to all nations. In his descriptions we see that he endured much in the course of completing the ministry he was given.

 

2 Corinthians 11: 23-27

 “I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, 

in deaths oft.”

²⁴ Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

²⁵ Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

²⁶ In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

²⁷ In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

 

After a shipwreck that landed Paul on the island of (Melita) Malta, He was bitten by a viper. This snake, in particular, was known by the local inhabitants to be deadly. However, Paul suffered no harm which led the islanders to believe he was a god. We find this in,

 

Acts 28: 3-6

³ And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

⁴ And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

⁵ And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

⁶ Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

 

If you read Acts chapters twenty seven and twenty eight you will find a wonderfully powerful testimony that does exemplify what it can be like walking in a manner and direction prescribed by Jesus. Paul had been arrested and was being taken to Rome for trial. Before embarking on the trip, he warned the centurion that if they sailed, the ship would meet with disaster. The centurion decided to sail any way.

 

Acts 27: 6 & 10-11

⁶ And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.

¹⁰ And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

¹¹ Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

 

Now during this time, Paul, Luke and the others were fasting in observance of Yom Kippur. The evening of the storm when the ship was about to be wrecked, signified the end of the day of atonement. In the middle of the storm Paul encouraged his traveling companions to eat, as they had been fasting. He also encouraged them not to fear because an angel had appeared to him to encourage him that, though the ship and all of its cargo would be lost all of the people on board would be saved. And they were.

 

Acts 27: 21-26 & 29-44

²¹ But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

²² And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.

²³ For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

²⁴ Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

²⁵ Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

²⁶ Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

And

²⁹ Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

³⁰ And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,

³¹ Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

³² Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

³³ And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.

³⁴ Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

³⁵ And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

³⁶ Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

³⁷ And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

³⁸ And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

³⁹ And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.

⁴⁰ And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.

⁴¹ And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

⁴² And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

⁴³ But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:

⁴⁴ And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

By his prophetic word, Paul was encouraged that no great harm would come to him or his companions due to the storm. Nor would any great harm come upon him on his journey to Rome. The angel prophesied that he would appear before Caesar. You see, earlier in the scriptures we read that chief priests, scribes and Pharisees sought his death but Paul successfully argued that he was a Roman citizen and as such was entitled to a trial before Ceasar in Rome. Further, Jesus told him that he would bear witness of Him in Rome. We see this in,

 

Acts 23: 10-11

¹⁰ And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

¹¹ And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

 

Therefore, backed by the prophetic knowledge that he would be in Rome, on his journey Paul was encouraged and enabled from on high. He was able to minister the gospel in a powerful manner, with miracles, signs and wonders following, amen.

 

After his arrival, he continued to minister in Rome, even from prison. Paul, throughout his service to Jesus walked as Jesus did and his walk did bear miraculous witness to the word of the gospel of God he preached. Eventually, however, Paul was beheaded by the government in Rome in about 64 AD.

To me the final act of persecution committed upon Paul by the Roman empire was not because he was preaching obedience and submission the governments of men instituted by men, but because he was preaching a message of submission and obedience to the government instituted by God for mankind. The gospel that brought so much trouble to Paul as described earlier in second Corinthians was the same gospel that brought him persecution in Rome. This Gospel is the Gospel of God as evidenced in the following.

 

2 Corinthians 11:7

 ^“Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely”?

 

Romans1:1-3

1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

² (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

³ Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

 

Paul like the other Apostles and many of the prophets before them were rejected and ultimately, in most cases, killed by people of the world. This because they simply did not like God nor His gospel, nor did they like His son our Lord and savior Jesus, Yeshua the Christ child of Nazareth. We know by the testimony of the gospel of God and by the life, crucifixion and resurrection testimony of the Christ child Jesus, that in most cases these killings were inspired and/or carried out directly by those portending to be Godly, even by God’s own chosen people.

 

There are many religions in the world today but only one recognizes an Almighty living God who comforts and guides mankind by His holy spirit through the belief, acceptance and following of His resurrected son, a savior, our savior.  In the days of the early Church and over time, from this foundation, many different theologies were born. But the details of this are for other teachings.

 

For a multitude of reasons, the one church that grew from this foundation most quickly in size and power is undeniably the Roman Catholic Church.

 

The word "church" in English is generally understood to have its roots in the Greek word ekklesia, which means "assembly" or "gathering" and the word Catholic in its original Greek form “katholikos” means "universal" or "general". Thus, it was promoted from its earliest days as the Roman “Universal Assembly” or more well known today as the Roman Catholic Church.

 

Now there is a huge amount of information, conjecture and verifiable historical records that are associated with the beginning and the growth of the Roman Catholic church, such includes information about the council of Nicaea, held in 325 AD, the involvement of the Roman Emperor Constantine. The Arian controversy and the highly contested but sought after push for unification of theology and belief. Again, the details of these subjects are for another teaching.

 

To me however, the top issues that adversely affected mankind as a result of the quest to develop and adopt unified acceptance of the doctrine forwarded by this early development or unification are.

·       The church believed that in order to properly promote unity in beliefs, the Catholic church should be the central even sole source for information distribution and care taking of the gospel of God.

·       Once this was accomplished, it gave the church the ability to disseminate teachings as the leaders/elders saw fit.

·       This worked to sequester the word of God from discovery by the commoner, effectively replacing the veil that was rent by Jesus.  But in a more complete manner.

·       It allowed the Church to decide what was the inspired word of God and what was not, thus, I believe, hiding pertinent information to secure the authority of actors within the church.

·       Once the dissemination of the word of God was effectively controlled, strange doctrines could be forwarded in order to appeal to the worldly minded.

·       This allowed for the mixture of pagan beliefs and practices along with idolatry to infiltrate and affect this church and its followers, to this day.

 

Most likely, the most egregious formality to have been developed by the Catholic church through its new found authority to control biblical information, was its ability to convince the parishioners that Jesus directed His church to be built upon the authority and rule of one man who was to be appointed by the church. This was to become an inarguable principle throughout the world and throughout time.  Anyone who opposed this was either shunned, severely punished, tortured, or killed, or all of the above. The justification for this was successfully foisted upon the people by twisting the interpretation of meaning within the following scriptural texts,

 

Matthew 16: 13-18

¹³ When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

¹⁴ And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

¹⁵ He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

¹⁶ And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

¹⁷ And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

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

 

They were able to convince the people that there should be one man, like Peter, acting as the rock, as the foundation and head of the church. Thus, the papacy was born and the structure of the church hierarchy began to be built.

 

The issue with this is that Jesus was not saying that he was going to build his church upon Peter, the truth is that Peter had really contributed no more to the early church development than other Apostles. Yes, Peter did author 1^st and 2^nd Peter, and by his faith, he did walk in great power and authority as did the others, including Paul. In truth it was Paul who contributed the most, through his epistles as he did write nearly two thirds of the New Testament scriptures that helped to guide the early church gatherings in many regions and cities.

 

Consider also John. He authored the gospel of John, 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd John, as well as the revelation of Jesus Christ. Consider the powerful contribution it has in the preparation of and perfecting of the saints today.

 

There were times when the disciples did dispute over who was the greatest of them and Jesus never declared one above the other. With regard to this issue, he simply told them this, in the following,

 

Mark 9: 33-37

³³ And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

³⁴ But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

³⁵ And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

³⁶ And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,

³⁷ Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

 

Luke 22: 24-27

²² And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

²³ And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

²⁴ And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

²⁵ And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

²⁶ But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

²⁷ For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

 

Paul reveals that through Jesus the household of God is built upon something other than one man elected by other men. This we find in,

 

Ephesians 2: 18-20

¹⁸ For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

¹⁹ Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

²⁰ And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

 

Throughout scripture we can also find that the man of God should stand upon the solid rock, build his house upon the rock instead of the shifting sand. We can also find scriptural references long predating the era of Peter that confirm the rock commonly referred to in scripture as our solid stability and salvation is never man, but God. For example,

 

Deuteronomy 32: 4

⁴ He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

 

Psalm 18: 31

³¹ For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?

 

Matthew 7:24-26

²⁴ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

²⁵ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

²⁶ And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

 

What foolish man can believe that God has appointed a man as the very foundation of His house? What man can believe that God has entrusted the salvation of the world into the hands of a process whereby its foundation is set on and by the control and election of man? What foolish people can believe this especially when we see historically that kings appointed by God Himself have led entire nations astray and have brought curses upon their generations?  Biblical history reveals that through the ages men and societies have fallen due to the fallibility of men. Even the wisest of men who conversed directly with God himself on a consistent basis.  Such as in the case of Solomon. God is no fool. God is the rock.

 

So, what is meant by the scripture verses in Matthew 16: 15-18?

¹⁵ He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

¹⁶ And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

¹⁷ And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

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

 

The answer is more simple than most see from the surface. Very simply the rock Jesus speaks of is not Peter, but the revelation that Peter comes to when the Spirt of God reveals to him that Jesus is the son of the living God. This revelation is the same that empowered the other disciples including Paul to exhibit great power in healings and other signs and wonders while also taking authority over devils and the darkness of this world.

 

It does not take a genius in theology to determine that the gates of hell have prevailed against the catholic church. It does not take a genius to see that throughout time humanity has elected to walk paths other that which have been prescribed by God while claiming to be the messengers thereof. It does not take the wise to determine that throughout time mankind has simply rejected God, His word and His spirit. For a reasonable mind it should be clear that man has sought and still does seek ways to reject Gods ways and justify such rejections by twisting scripture in an attempt to convince himself and others he is resting in righteousness in the process.

The revelation Peter voiced revealed that he acknowledged that Jesus is the son of the living God. This is the Rock. From His own lips Jesus teaches us in this,

 

Matthew 23: 8-11

⁸ But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

⁹ And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

¹⁰ Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

¹¹ But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Jesus makes it clear that not one disciple, and by extension any man should be considered a Rabbi, master or father because our master is Christ by God alone. Peter and the rest were instructed to look upon each other as brothers. To practice anything different from this is clearly a rejection of the word thus a rejection of Jesus.

Jesus Rejected

 Part 4

 

As we discuss what I believe to be the fraud of the papacy, the system that supports it and the grievous misrepresentations of scripture used to justify its existence, please understand this. I am not saying that God does not appoint people to lead others in the way they should go in accordance to His Gospel. The simple gospel truth is that He obviously does. Whether it is in the case of Judges like Deborah, or the prophets such as Moses, Samuel, Isiah, Jerimiah and others, as well as the Apostles. The scripture is clear that His household is to be built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

 

Ephesians 2: 19-21

¹⁹ Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

²⁰ And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

²¹ In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

 

In Ephesians 4: 7-13 Paul teaches us this,

⁷ But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

⁸ Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

⁹ (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

¹⁰ He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

 

So, as we read these passages what becomes clear is who gives apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. To whom did He give them and why? Again, God through Christ did, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”:

 

Today there exists many different teachings, ideologies, denominations and belief systems existing under the claim of residing within the body of Christ. The claim is within the body of Christ however the beliefs and works can be demonstrably different. This is due to a divergence from the core truth of the gospel. Much of this divergence is born out of devilish influences, a displeasure of the flesh for the things of God, competition for popularity based on appealing messaging, a competition for tithers, and a continual wresting of the scriptures by the unlearned and unstable. This and more have led to destruction and a division that may perpetually prevent unity amongst religious people. Unfortunately, not only between themselves but between them and God.

 

It is not for the people to create these offices and fill them by their own authority nor is it within scope of the authority of the people to approve or disapprove of the God given officers chosen to fill them. The potter is not the clay in that He can be molded by human desire. The clay cannot mold and shape the potter. Sheep make sheep. Sheep do not make Shepherds.

It is exclusively the work of the Potter and the good Shepherd along with the Holy Spirit to make Shepherds. Only they can appoint and mold ministers of the gospel of God, not the people. When the people usurp the authority to approve or disapprove of the minister of God’s word, sound doctrine is rebuked and mocked. Strange fire is celebrated. Grace becomes an enabler of sin. The minister is persecuted. Repentance for the remission of sin is not preached and Jesus, the Christ Child of Nazareth is rejected, beaten beyond all recognition and nailed to a filthy tree by the very lost he came to save.

 

^“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things”!   Romans 10: 13-15

 

In Ephesians two, as we read above, we see that the household of God is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone”; When you read and meditate on the meaning of this, I believe it important to understand that the title of apostle does not refer to the man but to the office. The same is true for the title of prophet. Further, the office of the apostle and prophet are created by God thus making the foundation of their creation, God. So, when you put this together you find that the household of God is built upon the rock, (God) with Jesus as the chief corner stone.

 

In 1 Samuel 1, we find a remarkable story of the birth and the equipping of one of the greatest prophets known to Israel. As we read, we find that Hannah was a wife of Elkanah. Hannah could not conceive a child and this led her into a state of deep grief. The bible says the Lord had shut up her womb and she was ridiculed.  Hanna in her grief petitioned God to deliver unto her a man child. With her petition she made a promise to dedicate her son to a life in the service of God. The bible says in,

 

1 Samuel 1: 10-11

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

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

 

Hannah revealed her request to the priest of God named Eli and Eli because he was a man of God, was able to sense her blessing and speak it over her as seen in the following.

1 Samuel 1: 12-17

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

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

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

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

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

¹⁷ Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

 

Hannah did become pregnant and gave birth to a son the she named Samuel. The name Samuel, or Shemel, is of Hebrew origin, it's derived from the Hebrew words "Shem" (name) and "El" (God) it generally means "God has heard" or "name of God". And Hannah true to her word, gave Samuel over to God into the care and tutelage of Eli the priest. After bearing her son and stepping further into her promise Hannah rejoiced.

 

1 Samuel 2: 1-2

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

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

 

Samuel served in the house of God and grew in the presence of God. As a boy God spoke to him and Samuel continued his growth under God and as God spoke through Samuel, he was established as a prophet.

 

1 Samuel 3: 19-20

¹⁹ And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

²⁰ And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

 

In this story we can surely see God working a plan to give rise to a prophet, who since before birth was dedicated to do the work of God and as we read on we discover that he did so, in great power and in a manner demonstrating great authority with complete dedication until his death.

 

The prophet Jerimiah had a similar story, as he was chosen from boyhood to become a prophet of God. We find this in,

 

Jerimiah 1: 4-10

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

⁵ Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

⁶ Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

⁷ But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

⁸ Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

⁹ Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

¹⁰ See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

 

These are examples of men filling offices of God, built upon the foundation of the same. Their actions were led by Him and their words were His words. This is common among the ministers of God. Moses proclaimed in Numbers 16: 28,

 

“Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.”

 

Even Jesus professed that His judgements and actions were not His own, but his Father’s in heaven. Consider the following,

 

John 5:30

“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me”.

 

John 6: 38

 ^“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”

 

John 7: 16

^“Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me”.

 

John 8: 15-16

 ^“Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.”

 

In John 15: 7- 16. We see the nature in which disciples are chosen by Jesus.

⁷ If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

⁸ Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

⁹ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

¹² This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

¹⁴ Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

¹⁵ Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

¹⁶ Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

 

As we have discussed earlier, it is important for and incumbent upon the true disciple of Christ to come to the revelation that Yeshua, Jesus is the son of the living God. Further, as we see in scripture, are willing to drink from His cup, meaning take on the same foundational call as He. We see reference to this in,

 

Mark 10: 37-40

³⁷ They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

³⁸ But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

³⁹ And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:

 ⁴⁰ But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

 

And in,

 

John 6: 51- 69

⁵¹ I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

⁵² The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

⁵³ Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

⁵⁴ Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

⁵⁵ For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

⁵⁶ He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

⁵⁷ As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

⁵⁸ This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

⁵⁹ These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

⁶⁰ Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

⁶¹ When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

⁶² What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

⁶³ It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

⁶⁴ But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

⁶⁵ And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

⁶⁶ From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

⁶⁷ Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

⁶⁸ Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

⁶⁹ And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

 

Even in the days of Jesus, the organized religious Churches were not fond of these concepts. An overwhelming amount of scriptural evidence shows that they preferred to decide who was indoctrinated into their groups. Who was educated. How they were educated. Who was appointed to positions in the church and by what means they were. By regulating these concepts, the organizations could control the message, thus control the people, inspire obedience to themselves and ensure the propagation and prosperity of their organization. This is part and parcel to the condition of being lost, that Jesus came to remedy.

 

As Jesus worked to expose the organizations and take away the veil of religion that stifled the knowledge of the perfect law of liberty, the law of the pharisee’s began to be exposed. This they distained. For this they convinced the people to reject Jesus and put Him on the cross. From then to now this is still being practiced. I encourage you to study this, search the scriptures for yourselves and you will find confirmation of what I am revealing to you now. However, as an example consider the following,

 

John 2: 13-16

¹³ And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

¹⁴ And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

¹⁵ And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

¹⁶ And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

And,

 Mark 11:15-18

¹⁵ 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;

¹⁶ And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

¹⁷ 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.

¹⁸ And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

 And,

  Matthew 23:1- 10

1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

² Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

³ All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

⁴ For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

⁵ But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

⁶ And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

⁷ And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

⁸ But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

⁹ And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

¹⁰ Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

 

Any time the man of God preaches and teaches biblical concepts such as these they fall under persecution. I know this by experience and by experience some of the greatest persecution we have suffered from, in the form of backbiting, seditions, gossips, false accusations and slanders have come from large organizations or members indoctrinated in such. But we have drank from the cup and have eaten the flesh. We know who our Master is, for we have but one.

 

Ask yourself, in consideration of the scriptures above, Yeshua the Christ of Nazareth commands us “be not ye called Rabbi” but what organization still today requires this when addressing leadership as part of their formalities? Further, Yeshua commands us to call no man on earth Father because one is our Father, which is in heaven. What religious organizations require the use of this label when referring to certain of their members still to this day? “Neither be ye called masters” but again, today, this is practiced in many organized religions.

 

I contend that these indiscretions, and others, exist still to this day as a direct result of the utter rejection of Jesus. Not only a rejection but with purpose, the willful disregard of His word and His divinity. This has been carried down through time by houses and leaders who are not chosen, have not received the revelation that Jesus, Yeshua the Christ, is the son of the living God. This and other indiscretions have been carried down through the ages by those who seek for themselves the chief seats in the churches, synagogues and temples. They who seek power and control for the sake thereof. Those who minister for wealth and riches. Their hearts are not sold out to minister the truth to the lost, to heal the sick cleanse the lepper and to bind up the broken hearted. These are those who are not founded upon “The Rock”.

 

It is written,

^“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he”. ^“For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God”?

 

When it comes to the ministers and ministries of God, I am always drawn to preach of the boldness of the disciples as displayed in the book of the Acts of the Apostles chapters 3-5. I encourage you all to read through these chapters as they really help to reveal the boldness of the disciples and the spiritual chasm that existed between them and the religious leaders of the day. For me, examples of some of the most notable take aways are found in the following.

 

Acts 4: 6-14

⁶ And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

⁷ And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

⁹ If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

¹⁰ Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

¹¹ This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

¹² Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

¹⁴ And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. And further in,

 

Acts 5: 27-30

²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

²⁸ Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

²⁹ Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

 

The Prophets and Disciples and other great men and women of God were chosen for the vocation of ministering the word of God. They were given as a gift by God to lead and teach the people kingdom principles with no consideration for their own advancement in society. They did not work in their vocation for the sake of wealth and riches.  Though they may have received wealth and riches, it was not their motivation.  In certain circumstances they may have received some tutelage from a predecessor, however, they didn’t compete to climb a corporate ladder. They did not rise through ranks in an organization. They did not seek fame or popularity. They were not indoctrinated and educated in a specified denomination. They studied the scriptures that made up the law, the prophets, the psalms and other writings of old. They spent time with God. They spent time with Jesus. They were encouraged by Holy angels. They preached the gospel of God and repentance for the remission of sin, in and out of season. And when the religious leaders instructed them not to speak of Jesus, as they beat them and threw them into prison, an angel of God busted them out and instructed them to continue. And when the very same rulers of the people demanded they not teach in the name of Jesus any longer, they responded by boldly proclaiming,

 

“We ought to obey God rather than man”.

 

The kingdom of heaven is orderly and does have an order. The house of God is to be orderly and it too has an order. The scriptures are clear, from Priests, to Singers and Porters and the rest, in the scriptures we find evidence of this in the following,

 

 1Corinthians 12: 25-28

²⁵ That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

 

(Schism) a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief:

 

²⁶ And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

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

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

 

Acts 14: 21-23

²¹ And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

²² Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

²³ And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

 

Hebrews 13:16

¹⁶ But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

¹⁷ Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

 

1 Timothy 5: 17-19

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.

¹⁹ Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

 

Of himself, man can be fallible, overly emotional and prone to error with an appetite for fleshly desires, by this nature, from birth, we have the potential to become lost and given to worldly behaviors. Because of this, we are called to be reborn, born again and baptized in the spirit. In the scriptures John the Baptist warned the people that though he baptized with water, One was coming to baptize those who will receive it, a baptism by fire and in the Holy Spirit.

 

Matthew 3:10-12

¹⁰ And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

¹² Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

 

Jesus later tells us that if we are not reborn of the Spirit we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

John 3: 5-7

⁵ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

 

Being born again in the spirit is essential for the men and women of God. Especially those who God choses to ordain to minister His word. The man of God does not preach the word of God and say obey me, or follow me, the man of God preaches the word of God and says, you should obey God and follow His word. As in ancient times God still speaks to those who will listen, and as then, His word can come through flesh and blood but not from it. Many are called, few are chosen, and the chosen know the difference.

 

 Jesus Rejected

 Part 5

 

 There may be some among you who believe it inappropriate to identify and aggressively address indiscretions practiced within a church structure due to unsound doctrine or the works of bad actors within any particular denomination. I know that David would not come against Saul in battle or do him harm because he was once anointed by God. However, this teaching or message is not that. The bible tells us that if we say He, meaning Jesus, abides in us, we ought so to walk even as he walked. Consider the following.

 

Matthew 23:27-28

²⁷ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

²⁸ Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

 

Jesus, speaking to the rulers of the temple, the priests, scribes and pharisees, said this.

 

John 8: 23-25, 31-35, 39-44

²³ And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

²⁴ I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

²⁵ Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.

And,

³¹ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

³² And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

³³ They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

³⁴ Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

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

 And,

 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.

⁴⁰ But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

⁴¹ Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

⁴² Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

⁴³ Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

⁴⁴ Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 

You see, Jesus had no problem addressing the church leaders of His day, as they were out of line with the word of God and teaching others the same. He fashioned whips, toppled their coin changing tables and stood toe to toe with them and called them liars and hypocrites.  He had a mandate greater than being popular with the church elders or being a respecter of persons. He was wielding the sword of the spirit for our salvation.

 

I believe it also important to point out that Jesus never commanded us not to Judge, full stop! Rather, not to judge by our flesh but by the meter of the word of God. The details of this are for another lesson. The man of God does not preach the word of God and say obey me, or follow me, the man of God preaches the word of God and says obey God and follow His word. Under persecution you will find Jesus proclaiming, “why persecute you me? It is not me but He who sent me.” The word of God may come through flesh but not from flesh.

 

From my own experiences, God once sent me to the leadership of a particular Church body to gently, in love, reveal corrections He wanted made, including the removal, restoration and eventual return of a Jezebel who was causing great damage within the body. I left the meeting believing the word was well received only to be deluged less than an hour later by friends of the Jezebel hurling heinous false accusations at me.

 

The details of this are for another story, however the short of it is that they worked to convince my new wife to divorce me as they proceeded to attempt to destroy me and the new ministry God had given us, with a whole host of lies, gossip and slander. Subsequent to this, the Lord made me readdress the head pastor of this church and proclaim to him that because he had come against the word of God and had sent people, even the very Jezebel to try to discredit and destroy the messenger, that He, God was going to tear down the ministry, remove the leadership and scatter the people. Within about a year and a half the church went from three services a week and just over three thousand members to, as we later discovered, less than thirty members. And yes, the pastoral leadership was replaced.

 

I do not pretend to be an expert in history but I do know that historically the Roman Catholic church was the primary vehicle that transported Christianity, by in large, down through the ages. The Church was founded between about 313 and 325 AD. As we discussed earlier, this was with the assistance of the Roman Emperor Constitine. Also, as we discussed the church decided that it should be the single organization that should be responsible for the collection, care and distribution of the word of God. And this it was for centuries.

 

Due to growing aggressions with outside forces, during the Germanic uprisings, Roam was successfully sacked in 410 AD. Later, in 476, the Germanic leader Odoacer staged a revolt and unseated Emperor Romulus Augustulus. Thus, officially signifying the fall of the Roman empire. The downfall of the roman empire began less than one hundred years after the creation of the Unified Church of Roam.

From about the 5^th century to the mid-14^th century most of the world was in the dark ages the ending of the dark ages came at a period of time known as the renaissance. Renaissance means renewal, or revival.

 

I believe this time period corresponds with the reformation of the Catholic church, as the word of God became unrestricted by language barriers. Up until this time the major religious leaders of the world, particularly those that dominated throughout all of Europe and west Asia, effectively hid the word of God behind language barriers, from the vast majority of humanity. This they did until a group of people, particularly sparked by Martin Luther in 1577, engaged in protesting the Roman Catholic Church while breaking prohibitions, they worked to translate the word of God into languages the common person could have access to. The details of this are for another teaching. This event coincides with the beginning of the renaissance period. Could it possibly be that the intentional sequestering of the word of God was the spiritual catalyst behind the fall of the Roman Empire? Further, could it be that the release of the word of God was the catalyst that ushered in the end of the dark ages? I believe it’s possible.

 

There is so much information on record that describes in detail the history of Catholicism from its inception until now, again, the details of that are all for other lessons. However, some of the main pieces of that history I do want to share with you now, to help emphasize the topic of this series. Some of those pieces of historical information are as follows,

  As you know, the Catholics did establish the church and sought to promote it as the central information center regarding scripture and the teachings of Christ Jesus.

·       From its earliest days certain members of the church were requisitioned to translate the scriptures into Latin, over the years most of the bible was translated, which culminated into what is known as the Latin Vulgate. 

·       Sense Latin is an Italic language this gave the church the ability to claim a more exclusive understanding and knowledge of the scriptures.

·       The Church became very wealthy and powerful. This inspired competition for the leadership so at one time there were three popes. One in Roam, one in Pisa and one in Avignon France.

·       This is referred to as the Western Schism. The Church went through what amounted to be a church split lasting from about 1378 to 1417 AD, about 39 years.

·       The cause of this split was due to international rivalries within the Catholic church leading to the election of these three different popes. This was also motivated by some of the monarchies involved and influenced by mobs of people clamoring to support their choice.

·       According to historical accounts, The schism was finally resolved when Alexander V’s successor as Pisan claimant, Antipope John 23^rd , called the Council of Constance (1414–1418). The Council arranged for the renunciation of both Roman pope Gregory the 12^th  and Pisan antipope John the 23^rd . The Avignon antipope Benedict the 13^th  was excommunicated, while Pope Martin the 5^th  was elected and reigned from Rome.

·       The major contributions to the wealth of the church were support from Monarchies as well as the sale of indulgences.

·       Indulgences are effectively the monetization of affirmations of forgiveness of sin by the Roman Catholic Church. In essence for a price, the church, which had risen to great civic authority and power, would grant a reprieve from any penalty and further grant forgiveness of sins, for a price.

In about 1514 AD we know that communications existed within the catholic church leadership wherein some proclaimed to believe that Jesus, the Christ of Nazareth was a fable. It is said that during this time, there were communications intercepted that claimed that Pope Leo X had expressed delight when proclaiming,

"How well we know what a profitable superstition this fable of Christ has been for us and our predecessors."

·       To this day, the pope is elected by the council of Cardinals during the convention of Cardinals.

·       The UCC or Uniform Commercial Code is a body of law that is considered to be the law of the land in the United States of America. It is Admiralty law dealing primarily with commercial merchandising, contracts, shipping and bankruptcy. There are about twenty-six Nations in the world that have agreed to subvert much of their sovereignty and declare the UCC law of the land. Under the UCC people are vessels used to traffic debt and the collateral thereof. People are considered chattel just like other merchandise.

·       The UCC is cannon law. At its foundation it is an invention of the Roman Catholic Church and has been developed over time since about the eleventh century.

·       The UCC has negative effect on the American as relating to the reservation of Constitutional rights. Read UCC 1-308, formerly UCC 1-207.

·       There was a time when a simple internet search would reveal detailed information as sighted here, however now, such is not the case any longer. Anymore, with advances in algorithms and AI, it is a simple matter to sequester select information.

 

In the book of Revelation in chapters seventeen through eighteen an Angel describes the existence of a great whore whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication with and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk.

 

Revelation 17: 1-6

1And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

² With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

³ So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

⁴ And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

⁵ And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

⁶ And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

 

The Mystery Babylon. In Revelation we get a deep sense that this Woman, who is arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, this great whore, this Babylon, was deeply integrated into all merchandising that takes place worldwide.

 

Revelation 18: 1-19

1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

² And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

³ For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

⁴ And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

⁵ For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

⁶ Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

⁷ How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

⁸ Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

⁹ And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

¹⁰ Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

¹¹ And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

¹² The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

¹³ And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

¹⁴ And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

¹⁵ The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

¹⁶ And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

¹⁷ For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

¹⁸ And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

¹⁹ And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

 

Could there be a connection between the Roman Catholic Church and the great whore as described in these passages? I believe there is. Many bible readers like to attribute the description of the Mystery Babylon appearing in the scriptures as obviously pertaining to the United States of America. To this I say I disagree. If it is so “obvious” then it no longer qualifies as a mystery.

Mysterious means difficult or impossible to understand, explain, or identify.

 

As in ancient times, whoredoms and fornications were unexpectedly hidden in the house of Israel which led to the downfall of the kingdom of Juda and the destruction of Jerusalem. Today it seems much more feasible that the same is mysteriously hidden within the largest Christ proclaiming church ever to be assembled.

 

As stated above, there was a time when a simple internet search would reveal detailed information linking the Roman Catholic Church and cannon law with laws that govern the activities of many nations as these activities pertain to commercial operations in the realms of shipping, merchandizing, corporations, contracts, banking, bankruptcy and individual rights. Now, such is not the case. Today most information on the web is being disseminated under the processes of AI, or artificial intelligence filters. As AI is a creation of man it has only the input of available data to formulate conclusions. This obviously limits its level of intelligence to the data entry of man. Unfortunately, we know by scripture that most men are sinful and liars, as Jesus would say of their father the devil, the father of all lies. With out a conscience, spirit or soul to guide it, AI cannot truly be taught conscience morality. Thus, as a creation of the creature, AI has the potential to be a most deceptive and wicked child of Satan in the purest digital form

 

Under close scrutiny, throughout biblical history we can see a pattern emerge as it pertains to humanity and mankind’s relations with Almighty God. For myself, I can see a continuous cycle of man coming to know God, and enjoying times of peace, plenty and deliverance. This seems to always give way to times of loss, lack and chaos. This cycle seems to occur on a global scale. This is not to say there are no catastrophes when in the will of God, but the deliverance from them or the work arounds exist more readily and abundantly, as he does care for His own.

 

To me, through the eyes of a man seeking to draw close to God, and through the lens of one contending for faith, and seeking to be a follower of Jesus. I can’t help but see a correlation between times of darkness enveloping humanity with a lack of either respect for or knowledge of His word, particularly when it comes to his Commandments. Disobedience of the laws of God leads to sin and sin when it has matured, leads to death. This is a guarantee.

Consider the following,

 For not following the commandments of God, man was exiled from the garden of Eden and set on a path that now included working six days a week by the sweat of his brow, for his sustenance.

 

About 1,650 years later, as man grew upon the earth in number and all thoughts were found to be wicked. For this God spoke to Noah and charged him with the construction of the Ark. When it was complete, the majority of mankind, saving eight, was destroyed by flood.

From the time of the flood and the weighty lesson it represented, man fell to disobedience again, between three to four hundred years later when the people, in unity, built cities and a great tower to the heavens in order to make a name for themselves and challenge God. So, God destroyed their unity and scattered the people by confounding their language.

 

About seven hundred years after Nimrod and the tower of babel, disobedience to Gods law manifested itself in great wickedness as evidenced by the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. God found the cities so wicked not one righteous inhabited them so they were destroyed by fire from heaven.

 

From the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to the Israelites being delivered out of Egypt and receiving the law of God at mount Sinai was about four hundred and seventy years.

The Israelites experienced amazing miracles signs and wonders in the process of their deliverance from Egypt. Not only did they have the teachings and promises of Abraham who followed all of Gods laws, statutes and ordinances but they were taught by Moses who spoke to God directly. They received the written commandments to bolster all other teachings and confirm the word of God up until then.

 

By their experiences they learned. And by the grace and power of God they walked in his miraculous supply to crossover the Jordan river where by more miracles, signs and wonders they were able to take possession and inherit the promise land. From the time all of this occurred it only took Israel about eight hundred and fifty years to slide downhill so far that because of their disobedience and treacherous adultery, harlotry and backsliding. God allowed for the destruction of the kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem. Some were then taken captive in to Babylon while he gave Israel a bill of divorce.  And, again, the people were scattered.

Jerimiah 3: 6-12

⁶ The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

⁷ And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

⁸ And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

⁹ And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

¹⁰ And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord.

¹¹ And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

¹² Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever.

 

Now from the time of the destruction of Israel to the rebuilding of the walls, city and temple in the days of Nehemiah was about one hundred and forty years. In those days an amazing thing occurs. In the book of Nehimiah, we find that the book of the law of Moses hadn’t been read to the people of Israel, in its entirety for a very long time.

 

Nehemiah 13: 1-2

1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

² Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

 

Nehemiah 8: 1-13

1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.

² And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.

³ And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

⁴ And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

⁵ And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:

⁶ And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

⁷ Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.

⁸ So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

⁹ And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

¹⁰ Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

¹¹ So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

¹² And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

¹³ And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.

¹⁴ And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:

¹⁵ And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

¹⁶ So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

¹⁷ And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

¹⁸ Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.

 

From the days of Joshuah the son of Nun to the days of Nehimiah were about one thousand years. For nearly a thousand years much of the word of God was not known unto the Israelites. Of those not known none were practiced by them.

 

From the days of Isiah to Jerimiah there was roughly one century. From Jerimiah to Nehemiah over seventy years transpired. From Nehemiah to the time of the birth of Jesus, Yeshua, the Christ Child of Nazareth, about four hundred and fifty years transpired.

 

For thousands of years, it seems mankind suffered through cycles of peace and prosperity only eventually leading to complacency. In times of complacency the watchmen begin to sleep through the watch and the enemy begins to creep in. Once in, the enemy can breed disobedience to God. Disobedience to God leads to confusion and chaos, which grows. With complacency, confusion and chaos sin and wickedness mature. When sin matures it causes death and destruction. The death and destruction lead to great lack and despair. The despair leads to a cry for deliverance and repentance, which leads to deliverance and thankfulness. This leads to peace, prosperity, plenty and rejoicing. Only to eventually lead back to complacency and the cycle continues.

 

This cycle is made most evident in the Book of Judges and in Kings. Illustrated in the scriptures is Israel's apparent repetitive pattern of disobedience, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. 

Though God sent many to deliver His people the cycle continued. After thousands of years in this cycle and subsequent to the divorce of Israel. God sent His Son, Jesus the Christ Child of Nazareth, in to the world. To seek and save the lost house of Israel. Consider again the following,

 

John 3: 14-21

¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

¹⁵ That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

²⁰ For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

²¹ But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

And,

Matthew 25: 24

²⁴ But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And,

Luke 19: 9-10

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

¹⁰ For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 

Jesus also came to offer a new covenant. Now many twist the scriptures, particularly the writings of Paul, to promote what they believe the new covenant fully encompasses. The process of twisting Paul’s words to formulate errant teachings is specifically addressed in scripture.  For the most part, the new covenant is not a new set of rules to follow, that replace the laws of God, but additional rules and most importantly an offer to Israel for a marriage reunion. Often, after the divorce of Israel, God offered to take them back. Jesus offered to be the protector and bride groom of Israel, but again, most rejected His offer. Consider the following,

 

Jerimiah 3: 1-7

1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord.

² Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.

³ Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

⁴ Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?

⁵ Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.

⁶ The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

⁷ And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

Jesus offered himself up as the Bridegroom to Israel in proposition to form the new covenant.

 

Matthew 9: 14-15

¹⁴ Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

¹⁵ And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

 

Matthew 25: 1-10

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

² And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

³ They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

⁴ But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

⁵ While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

⁶ And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

⁸ And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

⁹ But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

¹¹ Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

¹² But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

 

He offered His protection.

Luke 13: 31- 35

³¹ The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

³² And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

³³ Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

³⁴ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

³⁵ Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

 

Unmistakenly, through the scriptures we know that Jesus came for the Lost house of Israel, and by extension, for all of mankind. We know that in so doing, He miraculously fulfilled what was prophetically written about him over the course of thousands of years. We know He cast out devils and performed many miracles signs and wonders of healings and raising the dead. We know that many witnessed this. We know that when He was killed that the daytime sky became dark, the earth quaked, rocks shattered, graves emptied and dead saints came alive and walked into Jerusalem. We know that the veil in the temple was torn. We know that after he spent three days and three nights in the earth and was resurrected on the third as the earth quaked again. We know he ascended to sit on the right hand of the father. All of this as many witnessed and testified to the truth of it. We know that though the word became flesh and walked amongst us and did great and mighty things the most of the world still rejects him and refuses to walk a path that leads to a life with him in eternity as he has taught us in,

 

Matthew 7: 13-14

¹³ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

¹⁴ Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

Luke 13: 23-24

²³ Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,

²⁴ Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

 

 Jesus Rejected 

Part 6

 

 As we have learned before in other teachings about the origins of many fables perverting the belief systems of today’s believer, we can discern that there is a common philosophy from which much of these fables flow. For instance, we know that the two greatest celebrations of the Christian today are Christmas and Easter.  Furthermore, we know that the underlying stories that form the foundation of the fables surrounding these holiday celebrations include a woman, Semiramis, a kingdom consort of Babylon. It is believed that Semiramis gave birth to her son, Nimrod. Later, this woman, subsequent to the death of her husband, marries her son and they together rule Babylon for a time. It is further believed that together, Semiramis and Nimrod had a son of their own, Tammuz.

 

We know from biblical text that Esau and Nimrod had issues that led Esau to murder Nimrod in an early morning ambush while hunting. We know further that it is believed that Tammuz was killed by a wild boar which could or could not symbolically represent a harsh winter. We know according to legend, these events caused Semiramis to claim to be Ishtar, the queen of heaven. The details of these events are discussed in other teachings so I will not go deep into them here accept to remind you that the death of Nimrod, who became known as the sun god, is commemorated by bringing an evergreen into your home and adorning it with silver and gold because as legend has it, when he died, from his blood that was shed, an evergreen sprang forth out of a stump. This was made to correspond with the winter solstice and new life. Tammuz is still to this day celebrated by weeping at sunrise, to usher in the summer months, a practiced declared an abomination by God in,

 

Ezekiel 8:13-14

13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.

14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.

 

Tammuz is celebrated by remembering him in weeping at sunrise, eating pork, celebrating his favorite animal the rabbit, and the Ishtar egg. The egg that brought Semiramis, his mother, the queen of heaven, to earth from her station on the moon. Both the egg and the rabbit are significant symbols of fertility as Semiramis is a legendary Babylonian/Assyrian queen who is often identified with the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar, who was a powerful, albeit false, deity of love, fertility, and war. By association, Tammuz, her son became known as a god of fertility.

Like all legends and fables much of the stories behind these are basically mythical but can contain enough truth to help to lend to their sustainability, however in the end and over time they will morph and spawn derivatives mimicking the stories a veritable mess of conceptional ideas.

 

To me, the most important theme behind these myths, or fables, is the concept that in both cases, Semiramis or Ishtar is conceptualized as the mother of the gods celebrated in these myths.

As we have discussed earlier, the primary vehicle that carried Christianity and the biblical text through the ages from the Roman empire to the time of reformation was generally the Roman Catholic Church. It seems that this was not the only teachings the church carried down through the ages. As I see it, the church has carried with it practices and beliefs that are in conflict with the teachings in the holy scriptures as well. It is also evident that they were able to normalize these false teachings and help weave them into the very fabric of the belief systems of most all people who claim to be believers today.

I will remind you that we have to be aware of the sin of mixture,

 

1Corinthians 10:19-21

19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?

20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

 

It is with great caution that I speak of these things, however I am compelled by the Lord to reveal what I believe He says to be abominable practices, practiced by the abominable. It is written, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”

 

Do we commune with devils or with Christ? In Christ there is no mixture there is no grey area. The gates of hell are tolerant and open to all, but the straight gate to life is not so.

 

1Corinthians 6:9-10

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

 

Proverbs 15:29

29 The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Ephesians 5:

6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

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

10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Now with this in mind lets examine the following. Within few religions ever introduced and practiced by mankind is the canonical belief that God has a mother and if you pray to the mother, her son is more likely to hear your prayers. This is a belief firmly engrained and taught in Catholicism.

 

The following is an excerpt taken from a common catholic teaching.

 

“As we all know, Mary is the earthly Mother of God. So if there’s one person who can intercede for us, it’s her. I mean, think about the time your mother asked you a favor on behalf of someone. It might be inconvenient, but because it’s your mother who’s asking, you ended up helping the person anyway. The same is true for Jesus. If the Blessed Mother speaks to Him for our behalf, He’s more likely to hear our prayers.” 

 

The following are examples of common prayers recited as a part of the Catholic faith.

 

“Hail Mary”

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God. Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

 

“Hail Holy Queen” (Salve Regina)

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, 

our life, our sweetness and our hope.

To you do we cry,

poor banished children of Eve. 

To you do we send up our sighs, 

mourning and weeping in this valley of tears 

Turn then, most gracious advocate,

your eyes of mercy toward us,

and after this exile

show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb,

Jesus.

O clement, O loving, 

O sweet Virgin Mary.

Lead: Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

Response: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

 

“The Memorare Prayer” to the Blessed Virgin

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,

that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, 

implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided. 

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, 

O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. 

To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. 

O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, 

but in your mercy hear and answer me. 

Amen.

 

Throughout the holy scriptures you will find an immense amount of instruction on who we are to serve, who we are to worship, who to bow to, who to obey and who to pray to and even in the case of the “Our Father”, how to pray, as Jesus himself taught.

 

Matt 6:6-15

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

Matthew 4:10

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

 

Exodus 20:2-5

2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

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

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

 

Acts 5:29

29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

 

According to scripture it is Jesus who is the advocate for us at the throne of God.

1John 2:1-2

1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

John 14:15-18

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

 

No where in scripture will you find that the hope, salvation and protection of the follower of the Christ Child of Nazareth rests in petitioning Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus. This concept is an attack on the divinity of the Christ. Mary is not the Lord of Jesus nor our Lord. She is not the queen of heaven. Our hope is in the Lord not his earthly mother. It is the name of the Lord that is a strong tower that those who run in to will be saved. It is Jesus who offered protection under His wings as a mother hen, It is written, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

 

He is our protector who left to make room for another comforter, to be with us, to comfort us, lead us into all truth, show us things yet to come and bring into remembrance all that Jesus taught. It is Jesus who went to the Father and prayed that He send His Holy Spirit to be our comforter and guide, not His mommy. It is written, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He sent His son, not His wife, because he has no wife. Like all other false religious theologies, the concept of intertwining Mary as a critical component in the process of divine connection to and communication with God is yet another man made veil that must be rent.

 

Through Jesus the most critical factor to open up communications with God is to seek holiness, perfection and sinlessness. The teachings of Yeshua, Jesus, the Christ child of Nazareth are clear. God gives his Holy Spirit to they who obey Him. He is far from the wicked. He turns His face from and does not hear the prayers of sinners. By His own lips Jesus tells us He is not a friend of sinners. These are biblical truths that when understood become a great impediment to the business of Church today for they are not conducive to building a financial empire on the backs of people stuck in wickedness and cycles of sin who are continuously seeking relief by paying for indulgences.

 

1John 3:2-4

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

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

 

For the cause of love, truth, purity, holiness, perfection and sinlessness Jesus was crucified by the religious rulers and the people of His day. For His name’s sake he promises His followers trouble in the world and hatred from it. True deliverance is not a popular message. Most do not want to hear it and in the sin of being a respecter of persons coupled with fear of reprisal, very few will preach it. Therefore today, as then, Jesus is rejected and institutions like the worship of Mary are put up as a veil, a work around, an avenue installed in the psyche of men that permits a mental approval to sin in order to impede deliverance and make fleecing the sheep more effortless. There is no question that Jesus was crucified on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. There is no question that grace abounds because sin abounds, however, consider the following.

 

Romans 6:1-2

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

And,

Hebrews 10:26

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

 

In fables, pagan rituals, celebrations and other heresies you will find that many people in other religions worship a motherly figure. You will also find that in some religions the deity has a mother you need to pray to and petition so that she might use her motherly status and influence to instruct her son god to hear your prayers. However, in the holy scriptures, you can find nothing to support the theology that the almighty God, our Father in heaven has a mother whom he submits himself to and is encouraged by when it comes to moving on our prayers. You will find no scripture to support the notion that we are to acknowledge, bow down to and worship Mary or any figure, not even an implement of torture, such as the cross, other than what is prescribed in scripture. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Consider this,

Deuteronomy 4:14-19

14 And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.

15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:

16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,

18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:

19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

 

I believe it’s safe to say that taking into account thousands of years of interaction and by the guidance from the holy scriptures, our Father in heaven, our almighty God has no mother. There is no indication of a female motherly deity who holds neither God, the Holy Spirit nor Jesus the Christ under motherly influence and subjection. The whole notion of this is an abomination. And the practice of bowing down to, worshiping, petitioning and praying to figurines of Mary while expecting her to move on your behalf is wholly contrary to scripture. It is an abominable practice. These are traditions that have made generations of sinners and practitioners of occult rituals, traditions, that make the laws of God of no effect.   

 

Years ago, the Lord spoke to me in a very vivid and powerful dream. The following message is the prophecy that came from that dream.

 

“I have seen the complete and utter destruction of the Roman Catholic Church and in the process, made high and lifted up for all to see, will be the deep sins, deception, lust, greed, fear and false gifts that served to fuel it. With a great shaking a larger, new, fast growing ministry will suddenly rise up in its place. This new Church is transparent, enshrouded in truth, Holiness, righteousness and purity and within it, the business of the Holy Spirit is elevated.”

 

When very large organizations proliferate ideologies, they tend to be accepted by the masses. This is in part due to a sense of credibility being projected by virtue of their sheer size and an apprehension to discredit them by virtue of the same. It is my belief that the strangely false teachings of popular historical peoples has caused such a rejection of Jesus in the hearts and mind of man that it has helped the devil to open a pandoras box that spawn many beliefs that are outside biblical teachings.

 

Take into account Scientology. This religious group is large and very wealthy with a devout following. The basic premise of this movement is to cast out thetans from their human vessels.

As the story goes, a Galactic dictator named Xenu was the ruler of a Galactic Confederacy 75 million years ago. To solve a population problem, Xenu brought billions of his people to Earth. He then froze their souls the "thetans" in a volcano, and blew them up with hydrogen bombs.

The spirits of these entities, called "body thetans," are believed to cling to human beings and cause spiritual harm. The goal of Scientology's "auditing" is to remove these thetans.

 

I remember preaching about the following story years ago when it was first resurfacing. The commonly understood account is as follows.

 

As reported, in 2007, Rev. Frank Schaefer, a leader in the methodist Church, performed a same-sex wedding for his son, Tim Schaefer, in Massachusetts, where gay marriage was legal. The incident was not reported until April 2013 when a parishioner filed a complaint against Schaefer. Needless to say, a church jury decided to defrock Schaefer in December 2013, as the United Methodist Church's Book of Discipline states that same-sex marriage is "incompatible with Christian teaching" and prohibits ministers from officiating them. 

Schaefer refused to repent or promise to refrain from officiating future same-sex weddings, asserting that he was acting on his conscience and advocating for the LGBTQ+ members of the church. In June 2014, a United Methodist Church appeals committee overturned the defrocking, restoring Schaefer's credentials and right to lost salary and benefits. Mr. Schaefer has become a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ community and their inclusion within the United Methodist Church, following his case. The disagreements within the church over its policies on same-sex relationships continued to be a contentious issue.

 

I remember discussing how this event and the reinstatement of Rev. Frank Schaefer was opening the door for the gates of hell to prevail against the methodist church. Throughout this whole process I could see a steady decline in the resolve within the hearts and minds of the people involved. I remember how Rev. Frank Schaefer manipulated the leadership by manipulating them into believing that the two men loved each other and that he loved his son. Further he reasoned that because God is love he was compelled to help form the union.

 

According to news reports. Mr. Schaefer was quoted as saying, "Absolutely no regrets. I did what I did based on my heart and my conscience. What I did for my son, quite frankly, I had to do," Schaefer said. When his son first came out to him as gay, Schaefer said he learned that church doctrine had made his son believe he could not go to heaven. He said, "He did not want to live any more. He was in so much pain," Schaefer said. So when his son asked Schaefer to officiate at his wedding, the minister accepted. "I did what I did based on my heart and my conscience."

 

We know that Jesus is the word from the beginning. He did not come to destroy the law but to uphold it. We know what is inarguably contained within the laws of God that address this very issue. These people set all of their faith, teachings, steadfast adherence and allegiance to God aside in order to become respecters of persons and avoid the backlash from the world and demonic powers. This extremely egregious act of disobedience and defiance led to the fall of the methodist church. The gates of hell have prevailed against it. Now the pulpits are full of abominations teaching defiance to the word of God.

 

These and more are glaring examples of the rejection of Jesus. Rev. Frank Schaefer brought great sin into the congregation and the congregation allowed it to stay and grow. He convinced the church it was by the love of Jesus and it may have been. By the love of another Jesus. If he were acting in the spirit and teachings of Yeshua Jesus, the Christ child of Nazareth when the devil came to him and sought to convince him that he must serve his son and officiate this marriage because of his love for his son it would have been better that he responded by remembering and reciting scripture. Perhaps,

 

Jerimiah 17:9

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

 And, 

Leviticus 20:13

13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Or ,

1Corinthians 6:9-10

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

 

It would have been far better if he were not ashamed of the gospel and stood on the truths and authority of Jesus and was a doer of the word not just a hearer. Through Jesus we know,

 

It is written, “And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

And,

It is written, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

 

Perhaps it would have been better for the entire church and more if Mr. Schaefer remembered this,

 

Mark 16:16-18

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

 

Casting out devils is far better than celebrating and justifying their existence. Mr. Schaefer claimed he was following his conscience and perhaps that is true however a conscience that follows inequity despite knowing the truth is a seared conscience.

 

1Tim 4:1-2

1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

 

Unfortunately for Mr. Schaefer, his family and many others who receive his errant teachings, many minds are seared and giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. This is nothing new. Throughout time most people who have ever inhabited the planet have turned from righteousness as many false teachers have risen up and led them into wickedness. Again, we have been warned against false teachers, false preachers, false apostles and false prophets. Remember, Jesus said many go to the gates of destruction and few find the gate to everlasting life. Be cautious of the virtues of the church of the many. That church crucified Him then and are still doing it today.

 

Satan never announces he has come as a devil to convince people in wickedness and rebellion. The false minister never takes the stage and announces he or she is a false minister come to convince people to turn from the fundamental teachings of the gospel. The bible tells us that Satan comes masquerading as an angel of light deceiving many.

 

2Corinthians 11:13-14

13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

 

In Matthew 24:9-14, Jesus warns,

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

 

Being a minister of the gospel is very serious business. The Bible says the minister of God is responsible for the souls he or she ministers to. Paul, an apostle of Christ, like all the other apostles, and prophets, evangelists, preachers and teachers knew this. They knew to be aware of the influencing spirits they battled and to test those spirits. He knew to be aware of the angel of light and to warn others against his wiles. In, Galatians, Paul cautions the Galatians to be aware of receiving false gospel, a perversion of the truth. Even if he himself, an angel or any other preaches something other than what has been preached to them already. Let it be accursed, he says.

 

Galatians 1:6-10

 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

 

Paul knew it was not beyond anyone, even an angel from heaven, as Satan once was, to preach a perverted gospel. He knew by the Spirit times would come when this was so. Tickling itching ears is better business for the soul collector from hell and the preacher who would rather be enriched and liked by men. For that preacher, popularity and wealth are better than suffering wrath and persecutions in the name of the Christ Child Jesus.

 

Interestingly, after Paul made this point with the Galatians and warned them and thus those who followed after, to be cautious, about five hundred years later an angel, who claimed to be the arch angel Jibril, or Gaberial appeared to Mohamed in a desert cave and taught him another gospel and Islam was born. Then nearly fifteen hundred years later and angel named Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith and taught him details of another gospel Smith claims was given to him by God. These details were written on golden plates that could only be read using a seer stone while wearing a special hat. This resulted in the birth of the Mormon Church.

 

 In Matthew 7:13-14  Jesus said,

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

This is why we maintain a skepticism of what the largest religious organizations on earth are doing. The word of God says he is coming for His remnant. A remnant refers to a small remaining part of something, a fragment, or a trace. Few will find it, few will find the straight gate that leads to life. And I do not believe that God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost got together and decided to deliver to mankind a different gospel. I believe this is a monumental ploy from the devil in an attempt to collect souls and delay the inevitable. And I believe he has been very successful in infiltrating Gods ekklesia to cause great destruction, division and delay. Destruction of mankind, division between God and man and the brethren and to delay end times.

 

The bible says in Matthew 24:4-14,

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

 

There are many preaching the gospel all around the world, however by the influence of Satan most of what is being preached is another gospel, for example, In the case of Mr. Schaefer, he claims the practitioners of wickedness and abominations will inherit the kingdom of God. This is a diabolical perversion of the gospel, yet many accept it as truth. If another gospel is being preached then the gospel of the kingdom of God, not all the world is being witnessed to in truth.

 

The bible says in, Ephesians 5: 5-7

5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

And,

Revelations 21:7-8

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

 

Revelations 22:14-16

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

 

Galatians 5:19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

Proverbs 28:9

9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

 

It is believed that less than three percent of Muslims have read the Qur’an. Further, less than eleven percent of Christians actually read the Bible. This leaves most of the religious population of the world receiving their information from word of mouth, maybe fancy memes, greeting cards, google, or other search engines much of the messages today are simply regurgitated sermons from mostly false teachings. Consider this as well. The bible is generally the most sold book on the planet year after year. There are hundreds of versions. Each version must be a certain percentage different from the others to avoid copyright infringement. This accounts for thousands of changes from the original text.

 

Some of the most popular bibles today are versions that have been written and forwarded by people who have changed the scriptures to tickle ears to increase sales. Some versions are written and edited by people groups who are directly referred to as abominations in the scriptures. One such editor is a homosexual professor who teaches that Jesus supported homosexuality. Her basis for this argument is that Jesus healed the man servant of the centurion. In her perverted mind the man servant of a centurion automatically meant homosexual chamber servant. Not as it is known to be more like a squire to a knight or a butler.

 

There are many who believe they are serving Jesus and are not. Serving in ministry is less our choice and more His. Knowing this seals the fate of the future of the minister of the gospel. Jesus said to His disciples in,

 

John 15:16

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

People who are chosen to minister are not ashamed of the gospel. They will speak the word of God whether or not it is popular. They are not respecters of persons. And are less concerned with tither collection and more concerned with leading in righteousness. They know the seriousness of the mission. They know eternity is at stake and not just theirs. Jesus makes it clear that you can be working in ministry and still be rejected by him if you are not in alignment with Him. Think on these things.

 

Matthew 15:7-9

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 

Matthew 7:20-23

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

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

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

Matthew 23:13-15

13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

 

Today we see evidence of a widespread rejection of Jesus by people who are convinced that they are following Jesus. I am convinced that in end times, many of those who die the second death or are killed because they do not have the seal of God on their forehead are those who come against the Christ because the church has raised them up with false teachings. With the help of Satan the church today has created armies all over the world who will battle Jesus, the Christ, in the name of another jesus.

 

Josh 24:14-15

14 Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

 

 Jesus rejected 

Part 7

 

Imagine you enter into a most wonderful dining hall. The room is large and grand. It is ornately decorated in stone with wooden carvings on the walls. These carvings are of intricate scenes of landscapes or depicting important historical events, with some overlayed in gold or adorned with other precious metals and gems. Imagine further that in the middle of the grand dining room there sits a massive wooded table that spans nearly the length of the room. Around this table are neatly arranged wooden chairs. These chairs too are richly carved and ornate with cream colored velvet cushions hemmed with spun gold rope fringes and tassels. 

 

All of the wood in the room has been perfectly overlayed with flawlessly applied clear varnish which draws out the beautiful natural grains and hews of browns and reds and ambers. This adds to the magnificence of the scene, truly majestic.

 

Now continue to imagine that your seat is at the head of the table where you go to and sit on what is nothing shy of a throne and on the perfect comfort of the velvet cushion, taking in the scene of the immense glossy wooden masterpiece splayed out before you, stretching out to what seems yards away.   A truly awe-inspiring scene.

 

In this elegant dining hall, you can have anything you choose to eat. Whatever you desire to taste you simply have to imagine it and you can have it. Before you is your place setting. Complete with crystal glasses a golden goblet and flatware of the finest jewel encrusted polished gold. Anything your heart desires will be brought and placed before you, for you. The finest dining known to man is at your beck and call, on the heels of your request, for your consumption and pleasure.

 

As you imagine what you will have, a servant appears clothed in fine white raiment. He fills your goblet with the finest wine, and your crystal glass with the purest water, cool and refreshing. Curtesy of the Master of the hall, platters of food begin to be brought before you and placed on the table just for you and you’re choosing. Platters of perfectly prepared meats, steamed vegetables, salads, breads and fruits. There is nothing finer in all of the world, in fact, the whole scene is quite other worldly.

 

Then suddenly, your golden place matt is replaced with a dirty white paper towel and plop a flimsy paper plate plops down on the table before you and next to it a Styrofoam cup of toxic green soda. Your plate is overflowing with twinkies, dingdongs, and hohos and other sweets.

You know this diet is not good for you but the sight, smell and sweet taste sure does excite the pleasure centers of your brain and like drugs to an addict their intake can be euphoric. And as promised by the Master of the hall you can have what you desire. Sure, the other food is good and you know it is more nutritious and better for you and you say to yourself, “Oh I’ll get around to eating it too, maybe, some day. Or you may even put a little of the good on your plate. Then you may bow your head thanking the master for providing what you are about to partake in and ask Him to bless it to your body, and strengthen and nourish you, knowing its not good for you but deceiving yourself by proclaiming, well the master said I could have what I wanted and since He allowed it, it must be ok. Your flesh says its yummy and fine, but deep down inside, your self-suppressed spirit cry’s out, “IT IS NOT FINE”

 

The grand hall represents what the house of God is likened to and should represent, as a dining room connected to the kingdom of heaven. The Master of the dining hall is our Father in heaven and the servant is His son, our Savior and Lord, Yeshua, the Christ child of Nazareth. The finest food and drink represent the word of God and the junk food represents sin, lusts of the eye and of the flesh. The servant did not bring the junk food He did not serve it. This is what you bring to the table. Too often do the guests of the Master enter into His house and in all of its grandeur, majesty and fine dining do they prefer to reject His service, servant and provision believing that under His grace can they sit at His table and be blessed in the atmosphere of His house and in His presence and partake in a diet of sin if it is supplemented with some amount of the righteousness of His word. This is mixture, this meal will not nourish you it will not strengthen you and the Master will not bless it. This is the condition of the majority of the population of earth today.  This is the condition of the modern-day Christian.

 

Walking in mixture is not walking on fire for the Lord but it is walking in the hopes of receiving the things of Heaven while freely indulging in and desiring to experience the pleasures of the flesh. A choice must be made. In order to spend eternity in the kingdom of heaven, there must be a circumcision of the flesh now. As we have read and discussed before, lets again take a look at the following scriptures.

 

1Corinthians 10: 21-23

²¹ Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

²² Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

²³ All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

 

In 23 above what Paul is saying is that he, as we do also, have the freedom to choose to do what we want and to decide to partake in what we want. The term lawful is used however it does not mean every act is approved. The term lawful indicates that in accordance with the perfect law of liberty, we have been given the gift of free choice. Some times what we choose to do is not expedient or edifying, meaning sometimes our choices are not enriching and beneficial or useful to us. If we choose to do good and walk in alignment with kingdom principles, we are blessed full of life, even life everlasting. However, if we choose to walk out of alignment with kingdom principles and partake in continual sin without repentance, we are promised sickness and death.

 

Matthew 5: 27- 30

²⁷ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

²⁸ But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

²⁹ And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

³⁰ And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 7: 13-20

¹³ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

¹⁴ Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

¹⁵ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

¹⁶ Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

¹⁷ Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

¹⁹ Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

²⁰ Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

 

In the scriptures, a common warning that comes from the Apostles and Prophets is the coming of false prophets, teachers and even other Jesus’

 

2 Corinthians 11:1-4

1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

² For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

³ But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

⁴ For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

 

Galatians 8: 1-12

1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

² And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

³ Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

⁴ Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

⁵ To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

⁶ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

⁷ Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

⁸ But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

⁹ As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰ For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

¹¹ But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

¹² For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Today in many circumstances Jesus is being rejected. The world wants the sweetness of grace for sin, instead of what they believe to be the bitterness of repentance for the remission of sin, for everlasting joy.

 

They want the pastor that teaches that no matter what, God loves you there for no matter what you do all go to heaven. They reject the Jesus who teaches,

 

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (a man acting as a woman), nor abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexuals), Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

You will be judged by your works and,

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

 

False teachers will twist scripture to convince you to remain on a diet of sin. They seek to convince people that they are sinners no matter what and that by grace and the belief in Jesus they can remain on a diet of sinfulness and still maintain a seat at the table. Further, You can’t be sinless. This is the preaching of another jesus. Consider this.

 

Jesus says in, Matthew 15: 7-11

⁷ Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

⁸ This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

⁹ But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

¹⁰ And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

¹¹ Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

 

Also, in Mark 7: 16-22

¹⁶ If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁷ And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

¹⁸ And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

¹⁹ Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

²⁰ And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

²¹ For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

²² Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

 

Many preach today that this is Jesus saying that man can now eat unclean foods and can now call blessed that which God has already declared to be unclean and NOT blessed. You can eat anything, they say. God made everything, they promote. Scripture says so, they preach. Even Jesus says so they proclaim. This is the teachings of another jesus.

 

Yes, God made everything this is true. He made all plants and meats. Some he blessed for consumption and some he banned. There are literally hundreds of species of plants and animals on the planet made by God and no matter how much you pray over them and bless them if you eat them, you will surely get sick and die.

 

To speak contrary to the word of God while seeking to convince others that you are preaching the word of God is in truth actually speaking blasphemy. When speaking blasphemy, what is coming from your heart and out of your mouth is defiling. So, in trying to use these scriptures to come against scripture, they, the scriptures in truth reveal that one lacks the understanding as described with in them. Also, that one does not have ears to hear what the spirit is saying and if this is you, you are defiling yourself by what you are allowing to come out of your mouth.

 

You know you shouldn’t eat unclean things. This is literally as well as metaphorically. The death of Jesus on the cross did in no way magically set aside the word of God and thousands of years of desired compliance to the laws of God so that believers were free to now eat a poo eaters pork chops and bacon.

 

Think on this metaphorically. I wasn’t going to eat this twinkie because it is not good for me but pastor says, Didn’t God make it? Didn’t he provide the ingredients and make the inventor and baker. Isn’t there milk in them, like the land of milk and honey. How about eggs? They are natural, and what about the bread? Didn’t Jesus eat bread? This is an example of how one can be convinced by someone they believe to be more knowledgeable and spiritual then they themselves are, in order to set aside the word of God and take part in things that are not profitable for the body, mind soul or spirit.

 

In the book of 1 Kings in chapter 13, We find a testimony of a young prophet who was sent to King Jeroboam, the first king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The prophet was sent by God from Judah to admonish the king for idolatry. The prophet cried against the altar of the king and prophesied the destruction of the altar. When the king heard about the event, he lifted his hand in threat against the prophet. Because of this, as a sign from God, the hand of the king was withered away to nearly nothing and the altar was destroyed on that day. Because of this the King begged the Prophet to restore him so the Prophet did intreat and pray for the king and his hand was restored.

 

The king then invited the prophet to his home saying, “Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.” But the prophet had other instructions specific to his charge so he answered the king saying, “If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place. For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.”

 

Now, in bethel there lived an old prophet who heard of the exploits of the young prophet so he set out to meet him on the road. When he found the young man of God, the old prophet invited him back to his home, however the young man of God refused, revealing to the old prophet the same criteria he had stated to the king that God had put upon him for his journey.  To this the old prophet said to the young man. “I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.” So the young man believed the old prophet and followed him back to his house and was entertained there. He did rest, drink and eat. But the old prophet had lied to him. Therefore, in violation of the divine commandments he had received from God, the young prophet was killed on the road to Judah by a lion.

 

Because of the disobedience of the young prophet, he was killed. Further, he was discredited thus Jeroboam the king was compelled to return to his previous ways and continue on in wickedness. It is written, “After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.”

 

It is written, “But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.” And, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”

 

You are not made to answer for the sins of the pastor, nor anyone else. Also, you cannot blame your sins on a lying teacher or the forced compliance to some wicked commander. Unless you turn from wickedness and confess and repent for the remission of sin, you will not be made safe from the full consequences of your sins, especially when by the prayers of the I AM in the flesh, Jesus the Christ child of Nazareth, the word of God from the beginning, you have free and open access to the almighty God, Yehovah and His Holy Spirit, Ruach ha-Kodesh.

 

Every person on earth is the captain of their own personal vessel. Everyone is given the opportunity to destroy themselves through disobedience to God, the master and commander, thereby setting their own course bound for the everlasting lake of fire. These also can be guilty of leading others to do so, as well as adversely affecting the lives of people they do not know by their decisions to abide in unrighteousness. Conversely, every person on earth is given the opportunity to live life eternally in unspeakable joy in the kingdom of heaven by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Every submitted seed of God has the ability to receive the comfort, strength, word, vision and truth needed to become holy and perfect, prosperous, blameless and blessed in this life and in the next with our Father in heaven. 

 

We know that the purpose of the false Jesus, preachers and teachers is to deceive the people into turning away from God. We know that the devil works to delay the bride, even make the bride unworthy of the bride groom until the time comes when the bride groom closes the door barring the brides entrance. This is another reason to substantiate an expedited need to confess repent and turn away from sin, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

The real Jesus, Yeshua, the Christ Child of Nazareth, teaches that we can be Holy and Perfect because with God nothing is impossible.

 

Matthew19: 25-26

²⁵ When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

²⁶ But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

 

As we have read in the book of revelations there is a picture painted of the beast arising out of the fire and lifting up a woman, the great whore,

 

Revelations 17:3-5

³ So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

⁴ And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

⁵ And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.

 

John goes on to describe how this woman is a great city, a whore who has committed fornication with the kings and merchants of the earth and was involved in ruling over merchandising and shipping. Further, a picture is painted that reveals that this whore is a city that reigns over the kings of the earth. She is filled with devils and foul spirits inequity slaves, the blood of martyrs, prophets and saints. She is responsible for influencing a multitude who reject the ways of Jesus. Is this great whore the church of today? Is this they who are rejecting the real Jesus while being convinced to receive another? Are they that are deceived by a different jesus, the anitchrist as Jesus and Paul describes? Are they going to go to war against Jesus believing they are serving Jesus? This is a subject that we will dive deeper into later. Albeit the idea of an army rising up and waring against the Christ Child Jesus, in the very name of another jesus is already happening.

 

 Jesus Rejected

Part 8

A Testimony of life in Christ

8/9/2025

 

God is alive and well and moving upon the earth as he has always done. He has not stopped speaking to His people. He has not stopped performing miracles signs and wonders either through His children or as a supernatural manifestation seemingly out of nowhere. If you choose to serve Him, you choose to serve the living God, the almighty creator of all that there ever was, is, and shall be.  As we have revealed time and time again, one simply cannot serve our Father in heaven without, unquestioning and total surrender to Him and His ways. Alive and well has He spoken to us that today, man has grown to a level of arrogance, knowledge and intellect that he feels he can challenge the truth of the existence of an almighty God. Man believes he can question His ways and correct God where he believes God falls short in what is right and wrong, what is acceptable or not by mankind’s standards. We ourselves know that we are the clay and that He is the potter.

 

As scripture teaches us, Jesus was sent to baptize us with fire and with the Holy Spirit, it is critical for us to go through this process in order to harden our resolve as we seek holiness and perfection as our father in Heaven commands. Gold and silver are refined by a process that includes fire. Clay, once it is molded into the shape desired by the potter is then put into a kiln to be hardened, then for every layer of ceramic color used to adorn the work, the process of firing is repeated to ensure a durable, long lasting work of beauty and functionality.

 

Clay comes from the dirt of the earth and when mixed with water is molded into the likeness desired by the potter. So too is your origin likened. We sing a song in recognition of this with the line, “You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of the dust”. The bible says that you were fearfully and wonderfully made. And you are, but that is only the beginning of the process. Being a vessel made by the hand of God is not a process of your choice. On the other hand, being molded adorned and refined in fire by the potter is.

 

Zecheriah 13: 9

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

 

Malachi 3: 1-3

1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

² But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

³ And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

 

Luke 3: 15-17

¹⁵ And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;

¹⁶ John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

¹⁷ Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

 

This being said, it is important to realize that no matter how well shaped, adorned and refined by fire you become you will always be a product of the potter. You will always be subject to Him. It is impossible for the clay to become the potter. We who know this, and because we know this, we utterly refuse to attempt to mold God into a likeness that is inline with our limited understandings and fleshly desires. Instead, we, freely submit to His ways and be obedient doers of His word. We choose to be a correctible vessel, blessed, filled and elevated to live in eternity now, on earth as it is in heaven. Now for us who are believers and followers, no matter the level of refining, it is impossible to become the potter and mold God upon the wheel. If for us it is impossible, how much less able are the rebellious, nonbelievers or even the wicked?

 

I remember once a new couple came to the church from the Hebrew roots movement. A group of people who, on the surface, seemed to have a right relationship with God. After delivering the message that day, the couple came up to me and the woman said that she wanted to relay that she believed she received a message from God that she was to be on the lookout for an errant preacher and that she would know who he is because he preaches out of the book of the Psalms. Then she walked away. That was a strange thing to say I thought, as I myself was just sharing from Psalms. Within a millisecond I was forced to wage a battle with the devil in my mind. Am I going to be looked upon as an errant preacher of the gospel because I preach out of the book of the psalms? Within that millisecond I decided, if so, so be it, David and the other psalmists, by their Spirit filled relationship with our Father in heaven were refined in fire and share powerful testimonies and lessons to guide us in the same.

 

Revelations found within the Psalms are certainly fuel for the refiner’s fire. The refining I had already gone through allowed me to rebuke the ungodly utterance that came from this woman and see it for the attempted bewitching it was.

 

God is still alive. He is real and is speaking to those who will listen. He remains by the side of those who seek to mature in Him and he departs from those who do not.

 

Proverbs 15:29

²⁹ The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. 

 

Psalm 66: 16-18

 ¹⁶ Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

¹⁷ I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.

¹⁸ If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

 

John 9: 29- 41

29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

 

When seeking to be a doer of the word, many things we come to know by the word of God as it is recorded. This record is a blueprint on how we should set about building our lives with an eye and a heart to please our maker, store up treasures in heaven and occupy a room in His mansions in the kingdom of heaven.

 

Matthew 6: 19-21

¹⁹ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

²¹ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 

John 14: 1-3

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

² In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

 

Yes, this record is a blueprint on how we should set about building our lives with an eye and a heart to please our maker, but I say to you, along with the written record, God will speak to you to confirm his word.

I remember once being given a most awesome dream. A dream so vivid so lucid, that to this day I believe I was actually there in person not just interacting as a dream imbedded observer. In the dream I came into a desert scene where I was in an immense crater rimmed by sand dunes. I was in a large bowl-like structure. The sky was brilliant blue, the sun was shining and I was standing in thigh deep water that covered the expanse of the bowl. The water was crystal clear and cool. There were few ripples, mostly caused by large fish quickly swimming to and fro and one or two people walking about with dive masks and a Hawaiian sling spear attempting to catch the fish as they darted back and forth. I remember thinking how odd it was that in this whole expanse of water there were only a few of us. I wanted to spear fish but in the whole basin there were only the couple available and I had to wait my turn. As I was about to try my hand at spearing fish a voice behind me said “Wait”. I turned to see a giant muscular man pointing to my right, across the lake basin, and he said, “He wants to spend time with you first”. I turned in the direction of the pointing and there in the distance was a massive white marble throne glistening in the sun light and on it sat a giant figure of a man with his arms on the arm rests of the throne. He was tan and wore a gold crown and out from beneath the front of the throne clear fresh and cool water was gushing. I began to walk to Him and the dream ended.

 

I took this dream to the head pastor of our church at that time. I was looking for spiritual guidance. For the most part he just said “wow, I wish I dreamed like that” with little more to offer. Our relationship began to change after that day but I realized that God was calling me into ministry but he wanted me to spend time getting to know Him and his word before I became a fisher for Him, a fisher of men. So, I dove into scripture and still to this day, nearly seventeen years later, I am still diving into the word of God. Imagine my excitement, amazement, when subsequently, I came across the following scriptures.

 

Matthew 4:19

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

¹⁹ And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

²⁰ And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

And,

Mark 1: 15-18

¹⁵ And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

¹⁶ Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

¹⁷ And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

¹⁸ And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

I was supernaturally touched by God Himself. I was so impacted by that dream that I began to lay down everything and follow Jesus. Then further, as my studies continued, I came across this.

 

Revelations 22: 1- 6

1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

² In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

³ And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

⁴ And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

⁵ And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

⁶ And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

 

Because of these events and others, I cannot be persuaded that God does not exist. I cannot be persuaded to believe that He is no longer speaking to His people. I cannot be persuaded to believe He is who the disobedient, or the nonbelievers say He is. God is real.

 

Psalm 14: 1-7

1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

² The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

³ They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

⁴ Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.

⁵ There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

⁶ Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge.

⁷ Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

 

This is of the children of men. We are not that. We are the children of God who proclaim!

 

“O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.” Psalm 95.

 

Preaching the gospel whether they will hear of forbear, suffering the works of the wicked, fasting, casting devils out of homes and or people, anointing roads and road signs through the night, climbing mountains in hostile nations, building, treating, healing, feeding, preaching, giving our earthly inheritance to forward His works, anything He asks of us we will do. Even waiting months in a hotel room semi-isolated, at His request, seeking Him, and waiting for Him to speak, move or instruct otherwise.

Joshua 24: 13-15

¹³ And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

¹⁴ Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

¹⁵ And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

 

Regardless of praise or persecution we must serve the Lord as we believe He is leading, testing the spirits, fasting and praying, searching the word and seeking Him for confirmation. In the process we cannot be man pleasers or respecter of persons.

 

Deuteronomy 1:17

¹⁷ Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

 

Deuteronomy 16: 19-22

¹⁹ Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

²⁰ That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

²¹ Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

²² Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the Lord thy God hateth.

 

Acts 10: 34-35

³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

³⁵ But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

 

James 2: 8-12

⁸ If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

⁹ But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

¹⁰ For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

¹¹ For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

¹² So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

 

Galatians 1:9-12

⁹ As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰ For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

¹¹ But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

¹² For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

In the spirit of the rejection of Jesus, from time to time we come across people who just do not know the word of God as well as they pretend to, people who proclaim to know and love our father in Heaven but in truth, reject Him and His son Yeshua, Jesus the Christ Child of Nazareth. People who claim to be Holy Spirit filled but are not. Some of these even contribute finances which are at first a blessing until such time as their contributions cause them to believe that they have purchased authority over the direction of the ministry and the word to be ministered. 

 

From time to time, our congregation, is inhabited by these. On one occasion people such as this, believed that for whatever reason, their contributions bought them decision making authority. They did not practice freely giving and believed their giving was a shield, or a protection from correction in the word and by the Spirit of God. I remember one day after preaching a sermon about allowing ourselves to be corrected by the word of God a word of correction came forth through the holy scriptures. All who know God know that He is not a respecter of persons. We also know that the priests’ scribes and pharisees noted that Jesus was not a respecter of persons. The gospel is not a comforter of the flesh but a two edged sword that cuts both ways. Sometimes the word of God can seem harsh and painful, but it only really seems that way.

 

Hebrews 4: 11-14

¹¹ Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

¹³ Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

 

Regardless of how people view the word of God we as ministers of the gospel must hold fast to our profession. The word is no respecter of persons. Sometime after delivering this sermon, I was approached with an attempted correction of the message I preached that day. The person bringing the correction said to me firmly, even after I explained that what was discussed was simply the scriptures verbatim, “My God doesn’t speak to me that way”!

 

Some weeks later during a night of worship and prayer a word came forth coming against the spirit of pride. The same person who admonished me about the word of correction stood up and angrily left the sanctuary. Later she admonished my wife Tomika for singling her out, in essence, picking on her, because the word came through her during worship. I assure you, when the Lord laid it on my heart to preach the message I did and later the unclean spirit to be called out during worship neither me nor Tomika had anyone in mind when we were led to speak, but apparently the Lord did. Unfortunately, instead of aligning with God and saying yes, he is the Lord of correction and yes, we come against the spirit of pride too, they chose to be offended, angry and stomp out of the sanctuary, then subsequently left the congregation and spoke ill of the ministry while taking others with them.

 

Later, when speaking about correction and speaking a word in season, regardless of how someone might be offended, in my sermon I used a quote to describe how to identify those who being pricked by the word of God chose to be offended instead of humbling themselves and receiving the correction. The quote went like this, “When you throw a rock at a pack of dogs the one that yelps is the one that got hit.” Of course, this was metaphorically speaking and in no way intended to equate all people with dogs. It simply reveals that when a word of correction is spoken in the spirit and a person gets offended and angry, they obviously were in objection to the word of God.

 

Needless to say, this statement too prompted backlash, disagreement and ridicule. Those who fomented this backlash eventually left the congregation and they too spent time speaking badly about this ministry. Later, I was told, one of the biggest grievances is that they resented me referring to the children of God as dogs. Consider this,

 

Matthew 7: 1-6

 1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

² For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

³ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

⁴ Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

⁵ Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

⁶ Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

 

Matthew 15: 22- 28

²² And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

²³ But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

²⁴ But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

²⁵ Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

²⁶ But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

²⁷ And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

²⁸ Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

 

Philippians 3: 1-7

1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

² Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

³ For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

⁴ Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

⁵ Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

⁶ Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

⁷ But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

 

Revelations 22:13-21

¹³ I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

¹⁴ Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

¹⁵ For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

¹⁶ I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

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

¹⁸ For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

¹⁹ And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

²⁰ He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

²¹ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

 

Meditate on these scriptures and what they mean and how Jesus himself refers to people who are outside of the brotherhood of Christ. How He Himself refers to those who refuse to hear what he is speaking and come against Him and His ministers What He says about those who work to subvert the word and lead others astray.

 

“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.” Concision in this context means the cutting off of or mutilation. Dogs and evil workers do come sometimes. They can cause destruction and, in these cases, as described in scripture, they got angry and left and cut off a portion of the ministry, in that they convinced others to leave as well.

 

Some people just don’t study the word of God some people just don’t know Jesus and some just don’t like the Jesus, Yeshua the Christ Child of Nazareth we find described in the holy scriptures. But as for me and my house We shall shamelessly serve the Lord.

Jesus Rejected

Part 9

We will serve the Lord

8/16/2025

 

 

Joshua chapter 24:

1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

² And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

³ And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

⁴ And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

⁵ I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.

⁶ And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.

⁷ And when they cried unto the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.

⁸ And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.

⁹ Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:

¹⁰ But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.

¹¹ And you went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.

¹² And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

¹³ And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

¹⁴ Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

¹⁵ And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

¹⁶ And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;

¹⁷ For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

¹⁸ And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God.

¹⁹ And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.

²⁰ If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

²¹ And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord.

²² And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.

²³ Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel.

²⁴ And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.

²⁵ So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

²⁶ And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord.

²⁷ And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.

²⁸ So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.

²⁹ And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old.

³⁰ And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.

³¹ And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel.

³² And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

³³ And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

 

All scripture points to a single function that is an imperative operation for the person who desires to be one with our Father in heaven. This function can be summed up in one sentence supporting the operation that is found in one word. That one word is obedience and the one sentence is. Obedience to God.

 

Virtually all scripture in one way or another, encourages the man and woman in the premise that concludes, if you want to live life to the fullest here on earth and beyond in eternity with our Father in heaven, obedience to Him is paramount. This issue is non-negotiable. With regard to this, to any other way, God is unyielding, inflexible, unbending, steadfast, immovable, tough, uncompromising, stanch, staunch, adamant, immovable, firm and Intolerant.

But hallelujah and glory to God we have His word to guide us in this and we know that,

As Paul writes in,

Hebrews 11: 5-6

⁵ By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

When we diligently seek him by studying the word and through prayer, fasting and supplication we become aware that beyond the shadow of any doubt that obedience to God is paramount to the doer of the gospels, it is not religious nor is it legalism, we know that God only gives the Holy spirit to them that obey Him. The devils will cry out legalism, religion, and judgementalism in an effort to dissuade the man and / or woman of God from testifying to the importance of obedience to the commandments, statutes, and ordinances of God.

 

Were the Apostles, Prophets and Judges being legalistic or religious when they cried out for obedience to God to avoid His wrath? Was Jesus being religious and legalistic when He called for repentance for the remission of sin? No absolutely not. If I say to you that to receive the Holy Spirit you must obey God, am I being religious or legalistic or simply reciting what the word says the qualifications are. 

 

In John 14:15-18 We find Jesus saying,

¹⁵ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

¹⁷ Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

¹⁸ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

 

Acts 5: 32-33

³² And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

³³ When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

 

These religious leaders were cut to the heart because in that moment they realized they had not received the holy spirit because they had not obeyed God.

 

Jesus himself gave us the criteria for receiving the Holy Ghost. “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” Keeping His commandments is inclusive of obedience to God. Receiving the Holy Spirit is scripturally essential for baptism into the kingdom of heaven.

John 3:5-7

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

 

In psalms 51 we find that David was aware of the Holy Spirit and received the Holy Spirit.

 

Psalms 51: 1-11

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

² Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

⁴ Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

⁵ Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

⁶ Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

⁸ Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

⁹ Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

¹¹ Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

 

We know that despite an occasion of great sin, David was obedient and repentant, A man after Gods own heart because we are taught this in the holy scriptures.

 

1 Samuel 13: 13-14

¹³ And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

¹⁴ But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.

 

Acts 13: 21-23

²¹ And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

²² And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

²³ Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

The point here is that David obeyed God and therefore received His Holy spirit. If I say to someone that unless you receive Jesus and are baptized in the Holy Spirit you cannot see the kingdom of heaven am I being legalistic or religious? Or, am I being instructional and informative.

If someone were to come to me and say this, “No matter what you do Jesus will chase you down and carry you back into the sheep fold.” My response would be, no that is not an entirely true statement, that is a doctrine of man borne out of a fleshly desire to be praised, recognized, desired and honored with overtones of human romance. Am I being religious or legalistic, consider the following.

 

John 6:60-66

60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

 

There was a time when Jesus had many disciples. However, after Jesus gave them a word about what it was going to take to walk as he did, most all of them decided they didn’t want to follow him so they walked away. Many of them were going to betray him. Did he chase them down and drag them back? Of course not. Our unity with Jesus is not by a forced relationship.

 

Judas Iscariot was a disciple of Jesus. After spending great time with Him and under His teachings he betrayed Jesus with a kiss for some silver. What happened to Judas afterwards?

 

Matthew 27: 3-5

³ Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

⁴ Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

⁵ And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

And,

Acts 1: 15-18

¹⁵ And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

¹⁶ Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

¹⁷ For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

¹⁸ Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

In Psalms 41: 7-11 we find David prophesying this, as Peter revealed,

⁷ All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.

⁸ An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.

⁹ Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

¹⁰ But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

¹¹ By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

 

Did Judas leave the sheep fold and betray Jesus? Yes, we know this because the scriptures tell us. Did Jesus chase him down and drag him back into the fold? No he left Judas up to suffer and fall for his betrayals so that what was written about Him in the Law and the Prophets may be fulfilled, also because of the following.

 

Matthew 26: 20-24

²⁰ Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

²¹ And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

²² And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

²³ And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

²⁴ The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

 

Woe unto that man who betrays is a very solemn proclamation to one who betrays Yeshua, Jesus, the Christ child of Nazareth.  Is it religious or legalistic to reveal these truths and to hold people accountable to them, or is it again an informative biblical teaching in order to help develop the man or woman of God along the path to holiness and perfection.

 

We do not want to be like the religious leaders who were cut to the heart because in a moment they realized they had not received the Holy Spirit because they had not obeyed. However, if it does happen, unlike those religious leaders, we certainly do not want to refuse to repent and be baptized. For the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

You have heard me say many times that it is now more crucial that ever to seek comfort, counsel and relationship with the Holy Spirit. Evil and confusion abounds and the devil will try to use scripture to confuse you, especially when it comes to combating him, his acts and his actors.

 

When do we act, how do we act, what do we do what do we say? This all comes with keeping the word of God foremost in your mind, having a relationship with the Holy Spirit who will speak to you through scripture and remembering that for everything there is a season.

 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

² A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

³ A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

⁴ A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

⁵ A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

⁶ A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

⁷ A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

 

As all of you here are aware, we have been called to work with the people of Yemen to forward projects there, and we have been doing so. Over the course of the last few days, I believe the spirit of the Lord has been speaking to me regarding the terrorist rebel faction that has taken over much of northern Yemen. The message has come by the spirit speaking directly and through the scriptures as I read and study. I want to share with you today the message I believe God has spoken to me about Yemen by the Spirit of God through the holy scriptures.

  

A message for Yemen, a Warning to the Houthi.

 

I have heard the cry of the people of Yemen, the women for their children and the men for their women and children. Not much longer will your suffering be prolonged says the Lord God of Israel. I am moving against the evil that is causing your suffering. I am moving against the principalities powers and rulers of darkness of this world and the spiritual wickedness in high places. I am moving against the scourge that is called the Houthi. By little and little will I drive them out from before you. Not because they have come against the nation of Israel but because they have come against my people in Yemen and have caused them suffering, death and destruction. The Houthi have shed innocent blood and they have defiled my land. In the name of their false god they have waged war against my lost people of Yemen and my nature. Because they have caused my innocent children to thirst and have contaminated my waters, their water shall be contaminated and they shall thirst, because they have defiled the land and what I have created for the people’s sustenance and caused my innocent children to hunger, they shall hunger and die in hunger. They have kindled my anger, they shall be devoured and many evils and troubles shall befall the Houthi. Absent repentance, they shall be burnt with hunger and devoured with burning heat and with burning destruction. All the weapons they have used for destruction will be used against them, to free my people, avenge their sufferings and cause the Houthi their own destruction. All of this will be done and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, are not these evils come upon us, because our god is not among us? This will I do so that the people of Yemen will know that I, Yehovah, the God of Israel is their God and that they the people of Yemen are my people. If you come close to me, and honor my ways, I will come close to you and bless you.

 

 Jesus Rejected

 Part 10

For I delight in the law of God

8/30/2025

 

 

I know that sometimes it seems we go over information in what may seem to be in a repetitive nature and that sometimes it seems that since you have read or heard this information before that a phenomenon called preaching to the choir syndrome causes you to want to close your ears and deem a subject unattractive or of low importance because you have heard it before. Don’t close your ears because it may be being repeated to allow you to get a deeper revelation on something you glossed over many times before. What you may consider preaching to the choir God may consider edifying the saints by a continuous washing of the word He wants to insure goes deeper than the surface of your skin.

 

As James was delivering the message God gave him last week what stood out to me most and what became solidified in my spirit was this, when God wants to emphasize a point or really highlight a subject for confirmation, he does so by a preponderance of scriptural evidence that can be found in the word, from the beginning to the end. This makes a subject inarguable by the abundant repetition of record repeated over thousands of lessons and interactions with God taking place over thousands of years.

 

Ideas and events are substantiated by the weight of a multitude of different witnesses to the word revealing a congruence of an idea over time. When the enemy or a false teacher wants to make you believe in a falsity, they twist a scripture and attempt to convince you to believe in their iteration by the weight of their own intellect and the prowess of their ability to reason with the flesh. When this occurs, by studying and gaining a good grasp and expanded knowledge base of all scripture, it becomes easier to recognize a teaching that is not inline with the balance of biblical teachings. Studying the original is the surest way of identifying a counterfeit.  I believe this is why God had me begin teaching many years ago, that it is good to study Old Testament scriptures, the law, prophets, psalms and other writings, before you read the epistles of Paul.

 

As you know, Peter wrote,

 

2 Peter 3: 15-18

¹⁵ And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

¹⁶ As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

¹⁷ Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

¹⁸ But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

 

As we have learned before, to wrest is, “to distort the meaning or interpretation of (something) to suit one's own interests or views.” In second Peter chapter three verse sixteen Peter is telling us that there are people who distort or twist the meaning of scripture to suit their own interests. This they do to the epistles of Paule because they are unlearned and unstable. They twist Paul’s writings because he can be difficult to understand. They do this to their advantage which ends up to be to their own destruction as well.

 

To me, when we examine the state of the Christian world today, we can find that much of the mainstream ideology and teachings that are not in line with the holy scriptures, can actually be directly traced to the wresting, or twisting the epistles of Paul. I find it ironic and telling that Peter sought to warn us of this. Paul, an Apostle of Christ and a great man of God to be sure, was given power wisdom and authority by the Christ he served. However, that power and authority was in no way given to Paul to discount, change or override thousands of years of biblical history and thousands of years of the culmination of teachings inspired by God that forms the very foundation of the church Jesus refers to, the one that the gates of hell shall not prevail against. Jesus, the word from the beginning, did not give Paul the discretion to recreate Him, the word of God, or the character of our almighty Father in heaven. Paul was certainly not authorized to discount or do away with the law of God and declare it dead and irrelevant. The truth is Paul did nothing of the sort. Paul is just hard to understand sometimes by the unlearned and unstable mind.

 

How do we become learned? By studding to show thy self approved. What do we study? The word of God. Where is the word of God found? In the holy scriptures. What scriptures do we study? All scripture. For it is written, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

 

1Corinthians 2:16

¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

¹³ Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

¹⁴ But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

¹⁵ But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

¹⁶ For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

 

To have the mind of Christ we must strive to be as Christ. To be as Him, we must come to know Him. To come to know, we must learn. To learn we must indulge in the means, resources and information available to teach us. The means are studying meditating and prayer. The resources and information are first the written word of God for instruction. Then, through this we find the path to the Holy Ghost who keeps us in remembrance of all that Jesus taught. To receive the Holy Spirit, we must work to become holy, perfect and sinless. This is in obedience to God. God gives His holy spirit to those who obey Him. Obedience to God is to follow His laws, statutes, ordinances and judgements.

 

Deuteronomy 6:17

17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.

 

Leviticus 18: 4-5

4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the Lord your God.

5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.

 

1John 5: 2-3

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

 

Romans7: 22-25

²² For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

²⁴ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

²⁵ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

 

Romans 8: 1-4

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

³ For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

⁴ That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

2Timothy 3: 15-17

¹⁵ And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

 

John 14:15-16

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

 

Acts 5:32

32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

 

The following is an excerpt from a teaching from a few weeks ago.

 

Consider this. For not following the commandments of God, man was exiled from the garden of Eden and set on a path that now included working six days a week by the sweat of his brow, for his sustenance.

 

About 1,650 years later, as man grew upon the earth in number and all thoughts were found to be wicked. For this God spoke to Noah and charged him with the construction of the Ark. When it was complete, the majority of mankind, saving eight, was destroyed by flood.

From the time of the flood and the weighty lesson it represented, man fell to disobedience again, between three to four hundred years later when the people, in unity, built cities and a great tower to the heavens in order to make a name for themselves and challenge God. So, God destroyed their unity and scattered the people by confounding their language.

 

About seven hundred years after Nimrod and the tower of babel, disobedience to Gods law manifested itself in great wickedness as evidenced by the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. God found the cities so wicked not one righteous inhabited them so they were destroyed by fire from heaven.

 

From the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to the Israelites being delivered out of Egypt and receiving the law of God at mount Sinai was about four hundred and seventy years.

The Israelites experienced amazing miracles signs and wonders in the process of their deliverance from Egypt. Not only did they have the teachings and promises of Abraham who followed all of Gods laws, statutes and ordinances but they were taught by Moses who spoke to God directly. They received the written commandments to bolster all other teachings and confirm the word of God up until then. By their experiences they learned. And by the grace and power of God they walked in his miraculous supply to crossover the Jordan river where by more miracles, signs and wonders they were able to take possession and inherit the promise land. From the time all of this occurred it only took Israel about eight hundred and fifty years to slide downhill so far that because of their disobedience and treacherous adultery, harlotry and backsliding. God allowed for the destruction of the kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem. The people then taken captive in to Babylon while he gave Israel a bill of divorce.  And, again, the people were scattered.

 

 In, Jerimiah 3: 6-12 we find,

⁶ The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

⁷ And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

⁸ And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

⁹ And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

¹⁰ And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord.

¹¹ And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

¹² Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever.

 

Now from the time of the destruction of Israel to the rebuilding of the walls, city and temple in the days of Nehemiah was about one hundred and forty years. In those days an amazing thing occurs. In the book of Nehemiah, we find that the book of the law of Moses hadn’t been read to the people of Israel, in its entirety for a very long time.

 

Nehemiah 13: 1-2

1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

² Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

 

Nehemiah 8: 1-18

1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.

² And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.

³ And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

⁴ And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

⁵ And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:

⁶ And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

⁷ Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.

⁸ So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

⁹ And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

¹⁰ Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

¹¹ So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

¹² And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

¹³ And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.

¹⁴ And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:

¹⁵ And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

¹⁶ So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

¹⁷ And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

¹⁸ Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.

 

From the days of Joshua the son of Nun to the days of Nehemiah were about one thousand years. For nearly a thousand years much of the word of God was not known unto the Israelites. Of those not known none were practiced by them.

 

From the days of Isiah to Jerimiah there was roughly one century. From Jerimiah to Nehemiah over one hundred years transpired. From Nehemiah to the time of the birth of Jesus, Yeshua, the Christ Child of Nazareth, about four hundred and fifty years transpired.

 

For thousands of years, it seems mankind suffered through cycles of peace and prosperity only eventually leading to complacency. In times of complacency the watchmen begin to sleep through the watch and the enemy begins to creep in. Once in, the enemy can breed disobedience to God. Disobedience to God leads to confusion and chaos, which grows. With complacency, confusion and chaos sin and wickedness mature. When sin matures it causes death and destruction. The death and destruction lead to great lack and despair. The despair leads to a cry for deliverance and repentance, which leads to deliverance and thankfulness. This leads to peace, prosperity, plenty and rejoicing. Only to eventually lead back to complacency and the cycle continues.

In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah God chose to highlight the sins of sexual perversion, particularly rampant lust and homosexuality. This I believe to be a beacon of guidance. By the accounts we know that the cities were overcome by great sin and wickedness. And that they were beyond salvation so God destroyed them and all the occupants therein. What He chose to reveal as an example of wickedness so grievous to warrant destruction was, again, homosexuality, it is inarguably an abomination.

 

Now in biblical accounts of the historical events, that led to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, we again find God emphasizing situations he desires to make a great point about. I find it fascinating that by the inspiration of God some of the first acts the people of Israel were led to do when they discovered the law of Moses was to acknowledge that the Ammonite and the Moabite were forever banned from the congregation of God and to celebrate the fall feast of Booths. Think about this. They hadn’t been practicing the feasts since the days of Joshuah of Nun. So, for nearly one thousand years the Israelites were not obeying His statutes, ordinances and commandments fully. This led to a separation from God, wickedness to overcome Israel and ultimately a divorce between Israel and God and the destruction of the kingdom of Judah and the sacking of Jerusalem. Now with Nehemiah, to signify a new beginning between Israel and God, after nearly one thousand years, the commandments emphasized the most, to reveal God’s desire, was to keep certain people groups out of the fellowship of the Israelites and that His people did observe the celebration of the feasts of booths. To me this makes it abundantly important to Him. He has highlighted this.

 

The word of God instructs us in this, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Knowing that certain people groups are banned from the congregation of God would later play a pivotal role in emboldening and empowering Nehemiah later, in tasks he had to perform. Consider this,

 

Nehemiah 13:22-30

22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

23 In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:

24 And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.

25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.

27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?

28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.

29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;

 

You see, just after the reconstruction of the walls and gates of Jerusalem were completed and the restoration of the temple and city were mostly completed, Nehemiah left Jerusalem for a time. Upon his return he found that much was out of order. Some of the disorder was the unifying of the men of Israel with wives from the Ammonites and Moabites. These were strange wives who taught their children ways not in line with the word of God and like king Solomons wives, could seduced their husbands to allow in strange teachings and the worship of other gods. These practices were precisely what led to the previous downfall of the city and the Israelites who inhabited it. Nehemiah, empowered by the word of God, punished the men and cast out the strange wives and their children. Then put in place safeguards to prevent a reoccurrence.

 

We must remember the Israelites are God’s chosen people and as such are held to a higher standard in that they were called to teach and to model kingdom principles on earth as it is in heaven.

 

Deuteronomy 7: 6-9

⁶ For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

⁷ The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

⁸ But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

⁹ Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

 

Exodus 19: 5-6

⁵ Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

⁶ And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

 

They are His chosen people and chosen to perform a pre-determined function. To be a kingdom of priests. To keep covenant with God and keep his commandments. And further, teach the world about the statutes, ordinances and commandments of God as well as the teachings of the Christ child of Nazareth. They were called to lead the world into a place of repentance and a right relationship with the Kingdom of God.

 

Because of this the Sons of Levi were chosen into the priesthood. They were to be devout ministers, the priests and singers and porters of the temple. Their dedication was to be such that they did not receive an inheritance of lands in the promised land. God himself was their inheritance.

 

Deuteronmy 10: 8-9

⁸ At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

⁹ Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, according as the Lord thy God promised him.

 

And even later the continued charge of Israel was to spread the gospel. This so that repentance for remission or cessation, the ceasing of sin would be preached.

 

Mark 16: 15-18

¹⁵ And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

¹⁶ He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

¹⁷ And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

¹⁸ They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

 

Luke 24: 46- 47

⁴⁶ And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

⁴⁷ And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

 

We who are not the chosen are encouraged and compelled to sojourn with the children of Israel and declare their God to be our God and further that we are His people too. Under the same God with the same rules.

 

Numbers 9:14

¹⁴ And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the Lord; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.

 

Numbers 15: 14-16

¹⁴ And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord; as ye do, so he shall do.

¹⁵ One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord.

¹⁶ One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.

 

At some point, the believer in Christ Jesus will have to come to the conclusion that to inherit the kingdom of God, simply believing that Jesus is Lord and that He is the son of the living God is not enough. Even devils believe this. They certainly will not inherit the kingdom of God and ultimately, in the end, He is Lord over them as well. A follower of Christ must be a doer of the word also. As Christians we have to come to the conclusion that the majority of people that have existed, do exist and that will exist, will never see the kingdom of God. This is a biblical truth. There is no doubt that Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are one and that Jesus is the word from the beginning. It is also a biblical truth that most have, do and will reject Jesus. God is love, He is abundant to pardon and does desire that all come to know Him. He desires that none are lost however He is the God of righteousness and truth and as such, knows that because of the gift to mankind of free will, His desires for mankind, for the most, are prevented from coming to fruition.

 

The word of God tells us, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ."

 

To have the mind of Christ requires getting to know him, deciding to follow Him with your whole heart and walking as He walked. It is written in,

 

1John 2:4-6

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

 

And,

 

Ephesians 5: 8

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

 

As we see, to have the mind of Christ it takes dedication to keep His commandments and in that is the decision to be born again in the Spirit. Without submitting to this and the government or order of God, we remain but brute beasts as described in the following.

 

2 Peter 2: 9-18

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

 

Prior to the light of the world, the word becoming flesh and walking among us, the tactics of the devils were very different when it came to deceiving mankind and convincing him to walk in ways that are against Kingdom principles. Much of that plan involved hiding the word of God from mankind. Leading the people to serve Baal and other Gods was a much more profoundly obvious vocation. Today, as has been established since the era of Jesus walking in the flesh upon the earth, the new tactical plan is to twist history and the scriptures, particularly the New Testament scriptures, enough to convince people that they are merrily following jesus, the jesus that is loved by the flesh.

 

This is the same jesus loved by the world. This is he who the world says did away with Old Testament scriptures. The jesus who is detached from the God of the Old Testament and loves everyone, including the wicked, unconditionally. This jesus is friend and brother to all and if you believe on him, by his grace, a life knowingly dedicated to sin still receives salvation and inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. This is the jesus that the world preaches and teaches is accepting of abominations. This jesus promotes abominations as human rights for the sake of human level love. This jesus supports unnatural attractions for the sake of romance and child sacrifice for the sake of convenience. This jesus, is a counterfeit, a false god created out of the imagination and lusts of the flesh. This jesus requires no repentance for the remission of sin. This other jesus is preached today from most pulpits because the preachers desire the popularity, wealth, love and peace that complacency with the worldly has to offer more than the hate and contention from the world that comes with delivering the balanced message of salvation. These ministers are nearsighted storing up treasures in the here and now. They love the world and the things in it more than God and looking forward to the promises of what awaits in the kingdom of heaven for eternity.

 

Presenting the false as the original only works if the false is accepted as authentic. To know only the counterfeit is to not truly know the authentic. If you don’t know and follow the true Christ you can’t follow his commandments. Remember, it is written, “he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” If you don’t take the time to get to know Christ Jesus you can’t say you know Him. If you don’t know him, how can you claim you believe in him? Knowing and believing in a counterfeit precludes you from believing in the truth. Herein lies the diabolical ploy.

 

If the counterfeit is preached and received the recipient risks damnation. Remember, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Multitudes believe they are saved because the they believe in and follow the jesus preached, by in large, today. Satan has infiltrated the church. He has convinced the pastor to preach strange fire and the worship leader to often enough sing the same. This is done in a manner that sounds reasonable to the listener. Furthermore, filled with the teachings of a different jesus disciples are made and sent out all over the world. They bring their false doctrine to people who may never have an opportunity to discover the fraud they have joyously succumbed to.

 

Humanity is fickle. There is nothing new under the sun. One moment the people are crying out hosannah in the highest our savior has come, as the Christ rides into town on a new colt donkey. Next thing you know they are shouting, “give us Barabbas,” while they cry out for the death of our savior, spit in his face and cheer as they watch him be tortured, the flesh torn from his body,  then ultimately murdered. The world loves to see Yeshua Jesus the Christ child of Nazareth crucified on a cross, hanging on a tree.

 

Yeshua Jesus, the Christ of Nazareth taught His followers this,

 

John 15:18-22

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

And,                                                                                                        

Matthew 24:9-13

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

 

The totality of scripture reveals that mankind, more often than not, rejects God and His ways. Jesus did not come in the flesh to present a new and improved God with different kingdom rules that were more acceptable to mankind.  He came to more tangibly represent the kingdom of heaven to open understandings and offer Israel an opportunity for a remarriage. He didn’t come to destroy the word of God, He is the word of God. He came to warn humanity that compliance with the word of God is not just a work in the physical but a work of renewal in thought and of the heart and spirit as well. The world rejected Him then and the world rejected His Apostles and prophets as well. Nothing has changed. By in large humanity still rejects Him. The evidence is all around you. Even in the vast majority of all religious organizations Christ Jesus the son of God is rejected. It only seems as though He is not because of the introduction and popularization of another jesus, a son and creation of the wicked. Because of this the prevalence of the gates of hell abounds.

 

Most do not want to drink of the same cup as our savior, the perception is that it is too difficult, but that is the perception not the truth. The truth is that most just love iniquity more than purity and they do not want to come to know the true Christ. Humanity does not want to know the Jesus that says he is no friend to sinners. They don’t want to know that He dined with the sinners and publicans because they were sick and needed a doctor to help them change. They don’t want to know the Jesus that says He is not a friend and brother to everyone but only those do everything He asks them and those who do the will of our Father in heaven.

 

Humanity in general does not want to receive the Jesus that teaches God is angry with the wicked every day. They do not want to know the Jesus that teaches that God is far from the wicked and does not hear the prayers of the sinner. Humanity does not want the Jesus that teaches he does not love everyone, nor does God. The world does not want you to associate with the Yeshua Jesus the Christ found in the Holy scriptures that thoroughly expresses that He hates those who work lawlessness. He hates the arrogant, liars, those that shed innocent blood, those who devise wickedness, the mischievous, false witnesses and those who sow discord among brethren. The world does not want to hear about people forever banned from the congregation of God.

 

Humanity in general does not want to know the Jesus that teaches that not all people are of the seed of  the Kingdom of God but some are the children of Satan. They don’t want to align themselves with the Christ who tells His people not to try to preach the gospel to some people they have to be aware of, because they are evil, and dogs and swine. They do not want to hear that unrepentant sinners including the lgbtq will not see the kingdom of heaven.  The world does not want people to grasp the simple gospel truth that the behaviors practiced by the lgbtq community are an abomination to Jesus. The devils want you to support the devouring of children. Even if by silence because silence is acquiescence. They do not want to hear that Jesus the Christ says, “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” They do not want you to follow His teachings that compel His people to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness yet reprove them, and rebuke them. The world wants you to believe it is un–Christ like to judge, hate, discriminate against and be intolerant of anything or anyone, when that is certainly not the case. Meditate on the following,

 

Matthew 13: 36-42

³⁶ Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

³⁷ He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

³⁸ The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

³⁹ The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

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

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

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

 

Matthew11: 18-25

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

 

Luke 5: 30-32

³⁰ But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

³¹ And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

³² I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

 

John 15: 13-15

¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

¹⁴ Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

¹⁵ Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

 

Matthew 12: 47-50

⁴⁷ Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

⁴⁸ But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

⁴⁹ And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

⁵⁰ For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

 

Psalm 97: 10-12

¹⁰ Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

¹¹ Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

¹² Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

 

Psalm 11: 5-7

⁵ The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

⁶ Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

⁷ For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

 

Psalm 5:5

5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

 

Proverbs 6:16-19

16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

 

Proverbs 28:9

9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

 

Proverbs 15: 29

²⁹ The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

 

John 9: 31

³¹ Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

 

Psalm 66: 18

¹⁸ If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

 

Leviticus 19:15

15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

 

Proverbs 31:9

9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

 

Matthew 7:1-5

1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

 

Luke 12:56-57

56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

 

John 7:24

24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

 

1Corinthians 2:15

15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

 

1Corinthians 6:1-5

1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

 

Some of the most important things to know about judgement as a follower of Christ are, like Christ Jesus we need to be clear that our judgements are righteous and not of ourselves but of the word and will of God. This authority lies in Him and is what empowers the process. This know so when you convey a word that addresses an iniquity and the conveyance is met with backlash you can remain steadfast knowing that the judgement was not yours but Gods.

 

The meter to judge by is the word of God. This is the same meter you yourself should desire to be judged by. There is no power and authority in hypocrisy. The drug addict can’t deliver the alcoholic from his addiction. This is why Jesus says to first purify yourself, or remove the beam from your own eye so that you can see clearly to remove the mote from your brother’s eye. The same holds true when it comes to casting out unclean spirits. If you are hypocritical the devils laugh not shutter. We are to walk as He walked and this requires there be Christ in you the hope of glory.

 

2Corinthians 10:3-6

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

 The true love of Christ compels the follower to preach truth in order to set captives free despite the possibility of backlash from a broken and lost world. One cannot cast out unclean spirits by embracing them, there must be a bold and righteous rebuke. The promise to the devout follower of Yeshua, the Christ child of Nazareth is trouble, hate from the world and varying levels of persecution. This is including torture, incarceration and even murder. However, in this we take heart for He has overcome the world. Christ Jesus compels us to be eternal thinkers. We are to not love our own lives unto death. We are to store up treasures in heaven and ready ourselves to occupy a room in a mansion in our fathers house because Jesus has gone to prepare a room for us there.

 Above all, it is good to continually remind yourself that obedience to God is not legalism or religion it is simply obedience and to inherit the kingdom of heaven obedience to God is paramount.

 He cares for you and His ways are higher.