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“God loves you just the way you are, and because of it He loves you too much to leave you where you are!”

Whether you are viewing this site from Nigeria or Peru, Serbia or New Zealand, Turkey or Hong Kong, Germany or Japan, Russia or the USA, or one the other diverse nations upon this earth, I would like to say, “Welcome!”

You most likely came to this site thru a Google search. You were probably searching for the answers to a question you had about the Word of God. I would like for you to not just skim thru this site to get a quick answer for your question. What I would like for you to do is stay a while and check out all this site has to offer. For example, enjoy the consolidated collection of ‘Biblical Art’ that you will not find anywhere else on the web. Listen to fine collection of ‘Songs With Anointing’. Check out the vast array of Posts in the ‘Index of Posts’ which tackles some tough subjects. Utilize the study tools you will find in the ‘Toolbox’. Then move over and search the compilation of ‘Church Questions’ which answers truthfully what the Bible says, and not what a particular Church wants their congregants to believe.

If you need a Bible-In-A-Year reading plan you can choose from 5 different methods to printout or download. If you need a dynamic daily devotional to truly challenge you in the spirit you can follow one on Twitter @WigglesworthNow

Rest assured that no website out there has all the absolute correct answers to all of the tough Biblical questions. Websites affiliated with a Pentecostal Chuch will present their answers thru a Pentecostal perspective. The same goes for those associated with a Baptist Church with a Baptist perspective or a Catholic Church with a Catholic perspective. But what I can promise you that every effort was made on this website to give you an unbiased and unslanted answer to what does the Word of God really say! Be blessed my friend and please email a comment to:
DoublyAnointed@gmail.com

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Man of Sorrows

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Isaiah 53:3 NKJV‬)

‭“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37 ESV‬)

‭And when He drew near and saw the city, He wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41-44 ESV‬)

This past Saturday, while my wife and I walked around her home town, there was a PorchFest going on where residents opened up there porches for dozens of local bands to play during the afternoon. As my wife and I were walking around, she bumped into many friends from her young life. In the process, we were passing one house which had a huge crowd. The band said they were going to crank it up a few notches and began playing a Black Sabbath song. It is very hard to put to words what I saw and what I felt as they played. Not only the band, but the crowd became engulfed in a demonic darkness as they physically reacted to the music and words. At this point, a Holy Spirit sorrow descended upon me and tears welled up in my eyes. As my wife and I walked away, we said, “Why did the multiple churches in town not have godly music playing from their steps where their congregants could mingle in the crowd and represent Jesus?”

We have a dying world around us. Each of us has to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “What are we doing to reach the lost?” The following two portions of sermons below hit home.

‘A Call To Anguish’ and ‘It’s Time to Wake Up!’ are two short excerpts from sermons by Pastor David Wilkerson of Times Square Church NYC. He calls all Christians to anguish over a dying world.

A Call To Anguish

It’s Time to Wake Up!

Issues That Should Not Divide

Even though many New Testament Scriptures tell us that many mysteries have been revealed to us who are Holy Spirit filled Born Again Christians, there are still divine mysteries that we will never understand this side of Heaven:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV‬)

‭‭Paul, who was taken up to the third Heaven and shown things he could not reveal, testifies of this:

“I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.” (2 Corinthians 12:2-4 NLT‬)

“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT‬)

As far as the fundamentals of the Christian faith, we must all be in one accord and there must be no variation:

“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.” (Hebrews 6:1-3 NLT‬)

Moving on from the fundamentals of the Christian faith, Christians can differ in their views concerning different teachings that involve secondary issues. But one thing that is certain, we are all called to unity no matter what:

“Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” (Philippians 2:2 ESV‬)

“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4, 6 ESV‬)

I have put together the following videos that shed the light on just a few secondary issues that have divided Christians with their views, which should never have divided us. The first two videos make a good point of emphasizing unity, even though there are differences of opinions on these secondary issues. I especially look at the issue addressed in the second video like this: If someone wants to believe that the gift of healing doesn’t exist today, they are the one that misses out on a possible blessing in their life. It should not affect someone else‘s belief. In the sixth video, on the issue of Eternal Security, I would just like to say that I always like to take the safe way. If Eternal Security is wrong, there could be everything to lose. In Romans 8:38-39, it never says that you yourself can not separate yourself from the love of God. This is truly something to ponder about as far as certainty is concerned. In the seventh and eighth videos, clarity is pursued because many Denominations lump everything into one heap rather than rightly dividing what the Word of Truth has for us, which results in many missing the blessings the Holy Spirit has for them. In many cases, it results in prejudices and divisions which grieves the Holy Spirit (see 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 and 1 Corinthians 14:39-40).

Calvinism vs Armenianism
https://youtu.be/CIB3dPHuUeU?si=oVNFgxOPY4lp7qog

Continuationists vs Cessationists
https://youtu.be/djJZ2UO_aPc?si=I0BbSC6TV3gTcTFF

Pastoral Authority
https://youtu.be/i-ZfSOOLW5A?si=6RkZECYRYMcT7Ggw

Role of a Pastor (Shepherd-Teaching Elder)
https://youtu.be/bwT29zDEkWw?si=3OCVP9F03wv-YBHR

Pre-Tribulation Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)
https://youtu.be/_ofIjK4bXAQ?si=8-LHRdD2lp2LNCji

Eternal Security
https://youtu.be/By8qEnCf8z8?si=ICZ-XDElieD0kTnB

Indwelling vs Baptism or Being Filled with the Holy Spirit
https://youtu.be/NcLh_cVRNrw?si=4Dj1OlMBLmwElz0e

Speaking or Praying in Tongues
https://youtu.be/XxQg2qWfuEc?si=7mzMF0OLZ-DamFsd

Offenses

The following are synonyms for offend: anger, annoy, antagonize, disgust, distress, disturb, exasperate, fret, hurt, irritate, nauseate, outrage, pain, provoke, repel, repulse, rile, shock, sicken, sin, slight, slur, snub, sting, transgress, trespass, upset, vex, wound.

One thing for certain that in this life on earth we will both offend people and we will be offended by people. Our job as Christians is to forgive people within ourselves who do end up offending us even if they don’t openly seek forgiveness. On the other hand, we must try our best not to offend others, but if we do we are to seek forgiveness.

Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! (Matthew 18:7)

As I close in on 70 years of age, I believe that the number one detriment to Christians is lack of forgiveness toward those who have offended them (or think they have been offended by them). The real heart of the problem is that these Christians never died to self, picked up their cross, and allowed themselves to be crucified with Christ. Their world centers around them and they never learned to forsake all for Christ.

Even though I considered myself a devout follower of Jesus Christ for closing in on 50 years, I never experienced total freedom until I learned to forgive those who offended me in my life and to love my enemies, to forgive them even if they never sought forgiveness, and to pray for them. It was a real challenge trying to bring to remembrance all those who offended me in my life who I never forgave. I literally spent days in prayer, forgiving those who have offended me in my life, then lifting them up in prayer. It was the most refreshing thing I ever did in my life. It brought a healing to my soul that is indescribable.

I have put together a Scriptural journey that is filled with tough verses. It is not your typical ‘feel good’ promises of God to bless you. One thing I can guarantee you is that the verses below will give you a spiritual freedom that surpasses anything the world has to offer. They will free you from the bait of Satan who wants to destroy you with bitterness, resentment, lack of forgiveness, and everything else that goes along with it to bind you.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR US TO TAKE TO HEART

Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Romans 12:14-21
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 6:12
Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

Colossians 3:12-13
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Matthew 17:27
However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for Me and for yourself.”

Matthew‬ ‭7:13‭-‬14‬
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

MOST SOBERING VERSES IN THE BIBLE

Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who calls out to Me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to Me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in Your name and cast out demons in Your name and performed many miracles in Your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God’s laws.’”

Matthew 10:33-37
“Whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”

Mark 9:47-48 ESV‬
“If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’”

DYING TO SELF

John 12:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Mark 8:35
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

Colossians 3:3
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Luke‬ ‭22:42‬
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”

1 Corinthians 15:31
I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Philippians 1:21
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

TAKING UP YOUR CROSS

Luke 9:23
And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Matthew 10:38
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me.

BEING CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST

Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 5:24
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Romans 6:1-12
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

Philippians 2:1-8
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

1 Peter 2:24
Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 4:1-2
Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

Romans 12:1
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

FORSAKING ALL

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:62‬
Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke‬ ‭14:33‬
“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

‭Matthew‬ ‭10:34‭-‬39‬
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

BE NOT OF THIS WORLD

‭Romans‬ ‭12:2‬
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 John‬ ‭2:15‭-‬17‬
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:26‭-‬31‬
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Here is a life changing prayer I will leave you with:
Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus’ name. Forgive me of all my sins and unrighteousness. I forgive all those who have offended me throughout the years. I pray that you bless them. If I offended anyone throughout the years, may they forgive me. If I need to get anything right with anyone, show me and open up the doors. Give me a new perspective concerning offenses, and may I live in freedom, not harboring anything against anyone, nor may they harbor anything concerning me. If anyone has harmed me, help me to be merciful and do good to them. Help me not to be a prisoner of hate. Help me to get along with everyone to the best of my ability. Give me wisdom on how to navigate difficult people. Help me to humble myself and count others more significant than myself. Help me to deny myself, to be crucified with Christ, and to pick up my cross and follow Jesus. Help me to truly examine myself to make sure I am in the faith. Search me, oh Lord, to see if there be any grievous way in me. Help me to forsake all for You, Lord Jesus. Help me not to be of this world. Rather, may I be busy storing up riches in Heaven. Help me to be Kingdom minded and use every opportunity in boldness to preach the Gospel. Help me to proclaim grace even in the midst of persecution. Amen.

Make Smile Your Style

Even though Pastor David Wilkerson passed away 13 years ago, his writtings are just as timely, impacting, and Holy Spirit inspired as they were when he wrote them. Everyday I start off with the yearly Bible reading for the day and prayer. Then I finish up by reading David Wilkerson’s devotional that World Challenge Ministry sends out every morning. The first two devotionals below convicted me so much that I had to look in the mirror and realize that I needed to “Make Smile My Style” everyday as much as I possibly can. The world is watching and I need to represent the joy of having Jesus Christ in my heart to the best of my ability by allowing the Holy Spirit to not only reign in my spirit but to also reign in my physical being.

The third devotional takes on a different dimension. It convicts me of what it would be like to be without the guidance, hope, or presence of the Lord in my life.

Facelift By The Holy Ghost.PDF

Face Religion.PDF

No Name Infirmity.PDF

I hope and pray that these three devotionals will have the same impact on you that they had on me.

Sown on Good Soil

‭We are all familiar with the parable of the sower Jesus delivered to the crowds found in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8. Jesus summarized the parable to His disciples like this:

“As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” (Matthew‬ ‭13:23‬)

The Bible does not leave us hanging on what it means to be sown on good soil and what is required to bear much fruit. I have compiled the following verses from the New Testament. These verses are very hard and difficult verses as Jesus warned us:

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew‬ ‭7:13‭-‬14‬)

Keep in mind that these verses in the Word of God are in direct conflict with what is being taught in so many of the pulpits today. It is not about ‘me’ and what God can do for ‘me’. It is about taking up my cross daily, dying to self, being crucified with Christ, forsaking all, and not being of this world. What led me to compile these verses is what the Lord allowed me to experience the other day in prayer. An utter dread came over me of what it would be like to be without His presence for eternity. It shook me to the very core of my being.

DYING TO SELF

John 12:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Mark 8:35
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

Colossians 3:3
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Luke‬ ‭22:42‬
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”

1 Corinthians 15:31
I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Philippians 1:21
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

TAKING UP YOUR CROSS

Luke 9:23
And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Matthew 10:38
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me.

BEING CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST

Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 5:24
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Romans 6:1-12
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

Philippians 2:1-8
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

1 Peter 2:24
Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 4:1-2
Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

Romans 12:1
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

FORSAKING ALL

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:62‬
Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke‬ ‭14:33‬
“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

‭Matthew‬ ‭10:34‭-‬39‬
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

BE NOT OF THIS WORLD

‭Romans‬ ‭12:2‬
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 John‬ ‭2:15‭-‬17‬
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:26‭-‬31‬
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Snort With Anger

‭When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger (Greek ’embrimaomai’ literally translated means snort with anger) welled up within Him, and He was deeply troubled. “Where have you put him?” He asked them. They told Him, “Lord, come and see.” Then Jesus wept. The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much He loved him!” But some said, “This Man healed a blind man. Couldn’t He have kept Lazarus from dying?” Jesus was still angry (Greek ’embrimaomai’ literally means snort with anger) as He arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” ‭So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. If we allow Him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in Him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.” So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death. As a result, Jesus stopped His public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with His disciples. (John‬ ‭11:33‭-‬48,53-54 ‭NLT‬)

Too bad that some translations do not depict the depth of what was actually occurring. Some translations say Jesus groaned in the spirit and was troubled. Some say He was deeply moved. Some just say He was angry. But the original Greek word ’embrimaomai’ literally means to snort with anger (even outraged). Why did Jesus snort with anger twice in the above Scripture reference? There were two reasons. First, in verse 33, Bible commentators suggest that Christ’s deep emotional turmoil was a reaction to sin and death, which had evoked anguish in Mary, Martha, and the friends of Lazarus. The Lord felt heartache at seeing the sisters’ grief. Moments later, “Jesus wept” in verse 35. Revealing His humanity, Jesus wept with deep compassion and empathy for the hurting. Our good and loving Shepherd stands with us in our pain and weakness. He was grieved by the curse of sin, sickness, and death that had inflicted chaos and sorrow upon humanity in this fallen world.

Now for the second reason Jesus snorted with anger, which is very important for us to learn from so that we do not become guilty of the same concerning unbelief. As Jesus prepared to raise His friend Lazarus from the dead, His distress over the people’s spiritual blindness and unbelief intensified as we see in verse 38 where He snorted with anger the second time. He was frustrated to see their weakness of faith that would only believe in Him after seeing Him perform a mighty miracle. Jesus, the One who always did and said what would please His Father, was grieved to see the rebellious attitudes of people not yielded to the Father’s will as He was. He knew that there would be those who would go straight to the Pharisees and report what He had done. Jesus likely groaned in His spirit most for these hard-hearted informants. They had come so near to the kingdom of heaven, yet, because of their darkened hearts, they failed to see the truth and receive the grace of God’s salvation in Him. Seeing so much unbelief after all the miracles He performed in His ministry was overwhelming to Jesus.

Scholars put the raising of Lazarus about 4 months before His Crucifixion. Jesus knew His earthly ministry was coming to an end. He also knew that from that time on, the Jewish leaders would plot His death and as a result, He would have to stop His public ministry among the people. Think about the fact that Jesus was outraged, yet He didn’t sin. He was outraged because of His deep love for mankind and seeing us ravaged by sin, sickness, death, and the devil. Even more, He was outraged because of UNBELIEF. Let’s not be guilty of it as Christians, because it deeply displeases our Lord:

And He said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. (Matthew‬ ‭8:26‬ ‭ESV‬)

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out? Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew‬ ‭17:19-20‬ ‭NKJV‬)

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews‬ ‭11:6‬ ‭NKJV‬)

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. (Romans‬ ‭8:8-‬9‬a ESV‬)

Refilling Daily

The Internet can be a wonderful thing. But there are also a lot of dangers that come with it. For example when it comes to biblical teachings, there is an endless array of false teachings. Add that to the fact that many Christians today are lethargic and don’t want to be like the Bereans (Acts 17:10-11) in the early church. They suck up false teachings and are led astray because they never check things out according to the Word of God, the Bible, and rightly dividing it. Question: How many of you go home after hearing a sermon and verify biblically everything the preacher taught?

I came across a video on YouTube that really disappointed me. The Holy Spirit waved a red flag so I had to really check it out. It was by a preacher who has over one million followers. He has a series of videos on denouncing the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of tongues. The deeper I got into checking him out, his credentials, and his teachings, I saw how he was twisting the Bible. I was disheartened because I knew he was misguiding his followers away from the truth in God‘s Word. He actually began to babel, as if in tongues, in front of the camera to prove his point. I could clearly see in my spirit that he was not operating under the power of the Holy Spirit. So I decided to put together the truth of the matter from the Bible. That truth is that the Baptism/Filling of/with/in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of Tongues is for everyone who seeks (tarries in Jerusalem) for it today.

The first thing the Holy Spirit brought to my mind is the problem many Christians have with it today. They may have received the Baptism/Filling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of Tongues in the past, but they have walked away from it. That is because they do not seek a refilling of the Holy Spirit everyday. The Christian experience is not a one time thing. We must refill our vessel everyday just like refilling our water bottles to overflowing and just like the disciples did after the day of Pentecost:

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts‬ ‭4:31‬ ‭ESV‬)

‭And he said to all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. (Luke‬ ‭9:23‬ ‭ESV‬)

When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. (Daniel‬ ‭6:10‬ ‭ESV‬)

You may ask, “Why emphasize tongues?” I believe that James, the half-brother of Jesus, hits the nail on the head. Notice that his warning is to Christians:

And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (James‬ ‭3:6‭-‬8‬ ‭ESV‬)

‭If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. (James‬ ‭1:26‬ ‭NKJV‬)

‭‭There are five major problems with not rightly dividing the Word of God concerning the teaching of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of tongues. First, there is not a distinction between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which happens when one is Born Again, and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit which is subsequent to conversion. Second, there is not a distinction between the personal gift of Tongues (Acts 2 experience) and the Church body gift of Tongues (1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14) which is one of the nine gifts to the body of believers by the Holy Spirit. Third, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of tongues is strictly by the unction of the Holy Spirit, not by any human coaxing or intervention (tongues is not taught or learned). Fourth, through ignorance many have taught that tongues must be an earthly language because of what happened on the day of Pentecost, but Paul goes on to tell us that it is also the language of Angels. Fifth, praying in the Spirit is actually praying in tongues which many scoff at.

Unpacking the first problem, the disciples received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit before Jesus ascended:

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John‬ ‭20:19‬,22 ESV‬)

Not until 10 days after Jesus ascended, the disciples received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues:

“And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke‬ ‭24:49‬ ‭ESV‬)

‭”But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭ESV‬)

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts‬ ‭2:4 ESV‬)

This personal gift did not stop there. Look especially at the first Scripture below. It says Simon the Sorcerer ‘saw’ something. What did he see? It is evident he saw a manifestation of the Holy Spirit which was the speaking of tongues as per the two portions of Scriptures listed afterwards:

Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. (Acts‬ ‭8:17-18 ESV‬)

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. (Acts‬ ‭10:44-46 ESV‬)

And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. (Acts‬ ‭19:6‬ ‭ESV‬)

Unpacking the second problem, Paul’s main thrust to the Corinthian church was to address the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit to the church body to exhort, edify, and comfort, not the individual gift of the Holy Spirit to the believer for the power to witness:

But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭14:3‬ ‭KJV‬)

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. (1 Corinthians‬ ‭12:4‬,7,12 ESV‬)

For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. ‭I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians‬ ‭14:2,4,5a,14-15,18,32,39-40 ‭ESV‬)

As a note, in my 47 years of being a Christian I have never given a message in tongues out loud in church as one of the nine manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit to the church body. I do pray in tongues all the time in my personal life as the Holy Spirit comes upon me because I have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and I am endued with power from on high to witness, the same as the early church. I seek to be refilled everyday as Scriptures instruct. The only reason Paul mentions praying in tongues in 1 Corinthians‬ chapter 14 is to make a complete distinction from delivering a message in tongues out loud in church that needs to be interpreted which is one of the nine manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit to the church body. Paul is in no way downplaying the personal gift of praying in tongues. He is only saying that in a church setting the good of all takes precedence:

‭I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.(‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭14:18-19‬,5b ‭ESV‬)

“I have failed to see anyone understand 1 Corinthians 12–14 unless he has been baptized with the Holy Spirit. He may talk about the Holy Spirit and the gifts, but his understanding is only a superficial one.” (Smith Wigglesworth)

Unpacking the third problem, the Holy Spirit is the source and initiator, not man. The only thing the person has control over is to surpress it if necessary:

And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. (1 Corinthians‬ ‭14:32‬ ‭ESV‬)

Unpacking the fourth problem, tongues are not always an earthly unknown language as so many scoffers claim. It can be a language of angels as Paul tells us:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:1 ESV‬)

Unpacking the fifth problem, praying in the Spirit is actually praying in tongues, in spite of scoffers saying otherwise. When you look at the english word speaking, which is found in 1 Corinthians‬ 13:11, throughout 1 Corinthians‬ chapter 14 and in the Book of Acts experiences, as it refers to tongues, it is the Greek word laleō, which means to utter. Whether you are speaking a message in tongues out loud in church as one of the nine Holy Spirit gifts to the church or you are alone praying in tongues in the Spirit, they are both being uttered.

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. (1 Corinthians‬ ‭14:15‬ ‭NKJV)

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. (Ephesians‬ ‭6:18 ESV‬)

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit. (Jude‬ ‭1:20 ESV‬)

Please know that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of tongues does not make you into a greater person. It only means you have chosen to tap into what the Holy Spirit offers every Christian subsequent to being Born Again. It is about pleasing God.

“A man may be saved and still have a human spirit. In many people who hear about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the human spirit immediately arises against the Holy Spirit. The human spirit is not subject to the law of God (Romans 8:7-8), nor can it be.” (Smith Wigglesworth)

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans‬ ‭8:7‭-‬8‬ ‭ESV‬)

I will leave you with the question, “Is you water bottle filled to overflowing and are you making sure it is everyday?”

Satan’s Palestinian Delusion

Please do not fall for the propaganda of lies that Satan has spread about the Jews and Israel. His agenda is to turn the world against what God has chosen. Satan hates Israel with a rage because she brought forth the Messiah:

And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation‬ ‭12:13‬,17 ‭KJV‬)

Satan’s tactic of lies is the same today as it was in the Garden of Eden. Real truth only comes through our LORD Jesus Christ:

‭Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. (John‬ ‭14:6‬a ‭ESV‬)

‭So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John‬ ‭8:31‭-‬32‬ ‭ESV‬)

When Pilot was speaking to Jesus, he did not realize that he was looking at TRUTH itself:

Then Pilate said to Him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” (John‬ ‭18:37‭-‬38‬a ‭ESV‬)

We are called to be truth seekers. Every true Born Again Believer needs to know the following truth to counteract Satan’s lies trying to destroy Israel:

Instead of listening to the demonically controlled news media for hours on end, allow yourself to be exposed to historical facts from a Christian pastor who is Arab. Believe me, your eyes will opened and you will have a righteous anger because you have been lied to for the past 56 years:

https://calvarychapelkaneohe.subspla.sh/3j5gvwm

Let us never forget that our Creator, the Lord God of Israel, owns all of the lands. He has given the land that Israel and Jerusalem sit on forever to the Jews:

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1 ESV)

‭Then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever. (Jeremiah‬ ‭7:7‬ ‭ESV‬)

You shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:23b-27 ESV)

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” (Psalm 122:6-7 ESV)

In Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. (2 Kings 21:7b ESV)

‭For thus said the Lord of hosts, after His glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you (Zion) touches the apple of His eye. (Zechariah‬ ‭2:8‬ ‭ESV‬)

“Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah. On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it.” (Zechariah 12:2-3 ESV)

I ask, then, has God rejected His people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. A partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob.” But as regards election, they (Israel) are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:1-2a, 25b-26, 28b-29 ESV)

The Jews are God’s Elect. God’s prophetic clock of the End Times has 3 hands. The hour hand started moving towards midnight when Israel became a nation again in May 1948. The minute hand depicts when the Jews gained Jerusalem in the 1967 6 Day Arab-Israeli war. The second hand depicts the rebuilt temple that is all set to be made.

‭“But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel, for they will soon come home. For behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. And I will multiply people on you, the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities shall be inhabited and the waste places rebuilt.” (Ezekiel‬ ‭36:8‭-‬10‬ ‭ESV‬)

‭”The prince of the kingdom of Persia (Iran) withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come. At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.” (Daniel 10:13-14 and 12:1, 4, 8-9 ESV)

On October 7, 2023 the Muslim Extremist group Hamas attacked Israel. They were backed by Iran (Persia) who is backed by Putin and Russia. What is amazing is that they are part of the coalition prophesied in Ezekiel 38-39 that will descend upon Israel and be destroyed by divine intervention that will virtually trigger the onset of the 7 year Tribulation period allowing for the Antichrist brokered peace treaty to be made. The puzzle pieces are being glued in place before our very eyes.

We are at the very cusp of Jesus snatching away His Bride, the Church, and the Ezekiel 38-39 war taking place. The Antichrist, who will at first appear to be the world’s answer man to all the chaos, will rise suddenly to power to broker a peace treaty allowing the Temple to be rebuilt, thus signaling the start of the 7 year Tribulation period. One of God‘s main purposes for this time is for the salvation of His chosen people, the Jews, realizing that Jesus (the one they pierced) truly had been their Messiah. Jesus informs His Elect (the Jews), that the time is cut short to 3 1/2 years for the Great Tribulation because the second half of the 7 year Tribulation will be so terrible:

‭And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. (Matthew‬ ‭24:22‬ ‭ESV‬)

It will be an extremely bittersweet time. God will reveal Himself to His beloved elect Jews for eternal salvation through His 144,000 witnesses and 2 super witnesses, but at the same time He will pour out His righteous wrath in judgment upon mankind. Every drop of innocent blood mankind has shed throughout time must be paid for:

‭For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. (Matthew‬ ‭24:21‬ ‭ESV‬)

‭The grapes were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress in a stream about 180 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle. (Revelation‬ ‭14:20‬ ‭NLT‬)

My fellow Born Again Believers, Luke 21:28 encourages us to look up when we see the signs of the times beginning to play out because at any time we will be caught up:

But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:4‬ ‭ESV‬)

After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. (Revelation‬ ‭4:1‭-‬2‬ ‭ESV‬)

Ever wonder where Daniel was when the image (666) that was 60 cubits high by 6 cubits wide with six instruments playing was set up and the three Hebrew boys were cast into the furnace that was heated 7 times normal? Well, He had already been elevated on high just beforehand:

‭Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court. (Daniel‬ ‭2:49‬ ‭ESV‬)

1 Thessalonians 4:18 tells us to Comfort one another with these words!

For a simplistic approach to anyone not familiar with living in the End Times, the following Got Questions URL does a great job of condensing it:

Living in the End Times

Here are some thoughts to leave you with to mull over:

First, the present day term ‘Palestinian’ was invented by the Russian KGB after the Six Day War.
Second, Putin was a former head of the KGB before he took over leadership of Russia.
Third, Magog in Ezekiel 38-39 is most likely Russia and its allied nations along with its leadership Gog.
Fourth, we can actually speed up the Coming of our LORD according to 2 Peter 3:11-13.

Here are some videos to leave you with from the son of the Hamas founder:

Lastly a video with straightforward truthful questions:

https://youtu.be/f2AtlVqhBP4?si=FegNSZKgxlO9LXpG

Holiness Abused

Too many Christians today abuse the following verse:

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. (1 Corinthians 1:30 NLT)

These Christians I speak of will not seek a life in pursuit of holiness because they twist Scriptures, like the one above, and claim that they are already holy because of Jesus, while living an unholy life of seeking only pleasure. They totally disregard the following verses along with the numerous other verses that demand otherwise:

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14 NLT)

Let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. (2 Corinthians 7:1b NLT)

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15‭-‬16 NLT)

The following sermonette sums it up on what it means to live a life in pursuit of holiness:

HOLY AND ACCEPTABLE by David Wilkerson

When you set your heart to walk blameless before God and to please Him, you will be feared and despised by those who have lost His favor and blessing. Lukewarm or compromised Christians will be absolutely disturbed and repelled by your life.

We see this vividly illustrated in 1 Samuel. “Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul… And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him” (1 Samuel 18:12-15, NKJV).

David’s blameless behavior struck fear in Saul’s heart. Whenever Saul was around David, he remembered when he had enjoyed the favor of God and the high esteem of men. However, disobedience, envy, pride and self-will had cost Saul every bit of power with God; and it had robbed him of the respect of his people.

Saul had come face to face with a younger and less-experienced man who exuded the power and integrity of holiness. He was pure in heart and full of the Holy Spirit, and Saul was afraid of him.

Keep in mind that this was no idolatrous pagan who was afraid of David. No, Saul was a man who had known the power of the Holy Spirit. He had once been God’s anointed, a mighty man with a powerful destiny. Then David appears on the scene. Here was a young man simply living a clean life, and God was pouring out favor upon him. “All Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them” (1 Samuel 18:16).

This was humiliating for Saul, and he couldn’t stand having David around him. Scripture says, “Therefore Saul removed him from his presence” (1 Samuel 18:13).

Sadly, Saul represents the compromised church of today, those Christians who have compromised and lost the anointing of God. He is a type of the believer who was once on fire for God but who has fallen into spiritual ruin through their disobedience, pride and lust.

There is nothing scarier to a compromised Christian than a holy, blameless life. The more your life aligns with the Lord’s will and His holiness, the more repelling you will become to backslidden believers.

The following quotes, by holy men that have gone on to be with the LORD before us, bring it home:

“Why in God’s Name do you expect to be accepted everywhere? How is it the world couldn’t get on with the holiest man that ever lived, and yet it can get on with you and me? Have we compromised? Have we no spiritual stature? Have we no righteousness that reflects on their corruption?” (Leonard Ravenhill)

“All you have to do is get in a closer walk with God and you’ll find your enemies are in your own church.” (Leonard Ravenhill)

“When you set your heart to walk blameless before God and to please Him, you will be feared and despised by those who have lost His favor and blessing. Lukewarm or compromised Christians will be absolutely disturbed and repelled by your life.” (David Wilkerson)

“I would not dare to speak to others unless I knew that God had made me holy, for they who bear the vessels of the Lord must be holy unto the Lord (Isa. 52:11).” (Smith Wigglesworth)