Literally Satan's man in every way

Answering questions, Jesus says in Mark 13: [17] But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

[18] And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
[19] For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

[20] And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

"Notice how Jesus is a creationist?" observes Richard Jordan. " 'Beginning of the creation which God created.' So there's no question about those kind of things. But He says, 'This is going to be the worst it's been since God created the heaven and the earth in Genesis 1.'

"In a parallel passage, Matthew 24 says, [21] For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

[22] And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

"That's where the phrase 'the great tribulation' comes from. Here and in Revelation 7. It's a reference to this time period when there's going to be that unabashed, unreserved anger, betrayal, the man of sin. Christ is not going to restrain but let him go. As we know from II Thessalonians, right now Satan's being withheld, but in that day the Lord's going to take back any restraint and let him have his way.

"That's why those passages say that if those days weren't shortened there would be no flesh saved. In other words, if Satan was let go to the full end of what he would do, that 'lie program' would be so effective that it would seduce and deceive everyone. But Christ's only going to let it go those 1,260 days. He's put him on a leash that way. 

"After Christ comes back and takes us to heaven, the 'dispensation of grace' will be over with and the 'prophetic program' will begin again. The program that Christ, back in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, prepared the little flock to carry on over there will be in play.

"That's what the two witnesses and the 144,000 are for. That little flock begins its ministry again and that's what you're reading about in Mark 13.

"They will start out with the deception (verses 5-6) with wars, rumors of wars, persecution, troubles, sorrows, hatred, the fear that will be aimed at these folks. In the middle of all that, the Antichrist is going to be revealed and the 70 weeks are going to start.

"Now there's a bunch of stuff happening in the heavens while that's taking place. By the way, in Revelation 11:3 are the two witnesses: [3] And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

"There are going to be two witnesses who are going to testify during this period of time. At the end of their ministry they're going to be killed. Revelation 11:7: [7] And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

"These two witnesses are gong to be killed by a beast that ascends up out of the bottomless pit. This is taking place in Jerusalem. And then all the world rejoices because they're killed.

"Verses 9-10: 9] And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

[10] And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

"They say, 'We're going to have a Christmas celebration over these guys being dead!' The world's going to be excited. 'These people who have been tormenting us with God's Word are gone!'

"The two witnesses produce the group of people who are called the 144,000, who are testifying the gospel of the kingdom. Revelation 12:5-6: [5] And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

[6] And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

"So this 144,000 are caught up to God. Israel, the converse of it, flees into the wilderness. They flee because at this point, this witness, the testimony is over. Now, look at Revelation 12:7-9: [7] And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

[8] And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
[9] And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

"There's war up in heaven and there comes a point where Satan is cast down into the earth. Verse 12: [12] Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

"When he comes down out of the heavens to the earth, his positions in the governments of the heavens are taken away from him, no place of rulership there. He and all his angels come down and they are fit to be tied; they ain't happy.

"The idea of Israel fleeing, there's something to flee from! [13] And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

[14] And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

"So she flees out here and that believing remnant is nourished. While she's fleeing and hiding, Satan has come down and, by the way, the spirit that comes out of the bottomless pit comes up and now you've got the beast that ascendeth up. This is all in connection with the issue of that abomination being set up.

"Revelation 13: [11] And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

[12] And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
[13] And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
[14] And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

"Here's a miracle-working religious leader using his supernatural powers to point to a beast who's died and come back to life. Do you know anybody like that in the Bible? Who was going to die and then be resurrected? The Antichrist is counterfeiting the career of the Messiah.

"You say, 'How could he come up?' He's the man of sin, a guy just like you and me. He dies, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit comes up and takes over his body and animates it and he becomes the son of perdition. He's literally Satan's man in every way. And they put up an image to worship him."

(new article tomorrow)

Just hold on loosely

I was thinking while walking this morning, "Why proceed like I think I'm going to be here for any extended length of time?" Just yesterday in the kitchen, I mentioned something regarding summer grilling to my 82-year-old mom and she said, "Maybe we'll try that, if I'm still here." She doesn't even have a single health problem outside of seasonal allergies and a few vericose veins.

In November it will be a year since we got the shocking news that my 55-year-old brother-in-law had a brain aneurism on his job and was only being kept "alive" in time for his organs to be donated. His wife, my only sister, died just as shockingly in 2012 when her heart stopped from an undetected infection. She was only 48. We found out that my brother-in-law had been weighed down with financial fears, including worry about how he would replace his aging truck that had an expensive mechanical problem.

One of the most frequently sung hymns at my church, “Higher Ground,” goes:

“My heart has no desire to stay Where doubts arise and fears dismay; Though some may dwell where these abound, My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

"The Apostle Paul had this concept of holding on loosely to earth," says Jordan. "When he says, ‘Neither count I my life dear to myself,’ he didn’t say he didn’t love his family, or that he was trying to die tomorrow. He said, ‘I’m holding it loose. The most precious things to me are not what I possess here.’

*****

"That Spirit of adoption is God the Holy Spirit. You've received right now the Spirit that's going to resurrect you out there in the future. 

"The Lord Jesus Christ, in the garden of Gethsemane facing Calvary, falls on the ground and prays, 'Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.' When He does that He says, 'Abba, Father. I trust you above all other. I know you have my interest only on your heart.'

“Paul says in Galatians, 'And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' When you cry, you’ve reached down into the depths of the reality of who you are and all the other stuff is taken away. A cry is something that reaches down into the depths of your soul with the reality of the moment and that personal affection.

"You and I have that ability because we know the security of our future to trust Him now as though we were already there. Romans 8:16-17: [16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
[17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

*****

"Our life is not formulas where, 'If I do this and this, I'm successful.' It's really about living out of the identity you already have in Christ, and, 'Because of who I am in Christ, this is the way I'm going to conduct my life. This is the way grace is going to teach me to think.'

"You ask yourself the question, 'How can I give God what He wants most? What does He want the most out of me? 'I beseech you that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice.'

"That's a personal choice; a personal course of action. I'm going to say, 'Lord, I want to honor you with my body. I'm yours; I know who I am in my liberty. Now I want to take my body, my life in all its details . . .'

" 'With my hands, my feet, my brains, I'm going to honor the Lord.' As Paul writes in Romans 6:13, 'But yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.'

"That's the idea of surrendering. There was a popular reality show involving some kind of card game where the guy, to win the pot at the end, would push in his pile of chips and say, 'I'm all in.'  That means, 'I risk it all, commit it all.' That's what this is. In your Christian life, the Lord says it all starts when you go 'all in' and say, 'I'm going to honor the Lord with my body.'

*****

"Paul writes in Galatians 2:20, [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.

"You have to keep having those 'Not I' moments so that you'll back up and say, 'Well, it's Christ.' If you're walking, you make progress: 'Not I, aghhh, it's got to be Christ. Okay, now I can take another step,' and then you go another step. That's how you grow; you learn more and more that it's not you. The moment you think you've arrived, that's the 'Not I' moment.

"This lesson is the heart, the soul of the Christian life. It's not just that I'm going to die and go to heaven because my sins are forgiven. I have a fellowship with the Creator of heaven and earth through His Son. I have access unto the Father. The whole of the godhead I fellowship with.

"That's why you're transformed by the renewing of your mind. It's an internal thinking process. You replace the old human viewpoint with divine viewpoint and that Holy Spirit takes that doctrine, that divine viewpoint, and energizes."

Already there with the door shut

"You're already there with the door shut," Preacher Richard Jordan repeats often in his sermons.

So many, many classic hymns are about having a home in heaven to dwell with God. Obviously it was a major theme in the hearts and minds of the hymn writers. John W. Peterson writes in his song, "I've a Home Beyond the River,"

"O, the blessed contemplation

when with trouble here I sigh,

I've a home beyond the river

that I'll enter by and by.

 

Chorus:

I've a home beyond the river,

I've a mansion bright and fair.

I've a home beyond the river,

I will dwell with Jesus there."

The all-time great hymn, "Finally Home," was written by Don Wyrtzen: 

(1)     When alarmed by the fury of the restless sea,

Towering waves before you roll,

At the end of doubt and peril is eternity,

Though fear and conflict seize your soul

Just think of stepping on shore, and finding it heaven

Of touching a hand, and finding it God's

Of breathing new air, and finding it celestial

Of waking up in Glory, and finding it "Home"

(2)     When surrounded by the blackness of the darkest night,

Oh how lonely death can be,

At the end this long tunnel is a shining light,

For death is swallowed-up in Victory, (Victory!)

Just think of stepping on shore, and finding it heaven

Of touching a hand, and finding it God's

Of breathing new air, and finding it celestial

Of waking up in Glory, and finding it "Home"

Finally Home!  

Paul assures Believers in Ephesians 2: [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:
[22] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Similarly, Paul writes in II Corinthians 5, [1] For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

[2] For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
[3] If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

[4] For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

*****

In a genius set of questions for a human, Isaiah 40 reads, [21] Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? [22] It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

"When God originally created the universe His intention was to create a tent, a tabernacle, for Him to dwell in," explains Jordan. "Adam understood that because God communicated that information to him. Had sin not entered into mankind, man was designed by God to be the one through whom He would go out and restore the headship of Jesus Christ over His creation.

"Man fell in with the Adversary so God made a promise that He would become a man and do for man what man didn't do for himself. That's where the plan and purpose of God's restoration, or reconciliation as Paul calls it, program begins to be manifested and it focuses on the earth.

"All the way through prophecy is the reconciling of the earth, reestablishing of the headship of Jesus Christ over Planet Earth. Now with the Body of Christ, the mystery program, we understand He had another plan, not just to have Christ reign over the earth, but to have Him reign over the government of the heavens.

"God kept that part of it secret because if Satan had known what God was going to do in that ultimate plan through the Cross of Christ, he wouldn't have crucified Christ. The fact that Satan crucified Him meant he didn't know the whole thing, couldn't figure it out. The wisdom of God took the crafty one in his own craftiness.

*****

"God had the intention to dwell with man in His creation but sin threw a monkey wrench into that. In the earth, the reconciliation program is going to be accomplished through the nation Israel.

"As He began to educate Israel about what He's going to do with them and how it's going to be accomplished, He gives them a place where His dwelling is going to be manifest. God was going to dwell on the earth in a tent made out of skin that Israel was in charge of.

"His intention was to dwell on the earth in what Amos calls the 'tabernacle of David'; the skin of David. In other words, He's going to dwell in Israel ultimately.

"You go all the way to the Book of Revelation and you discover that all of it begins to be accomplished over there. In the between time, you have the Lord Jesus Christ come on the scene and 'the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.' He becomes the one through whom God dwelling with man is going to be accomplished.

"The great intention of God all along, the great issue in the universe, has always been God dwelling in His creation and sharing His life with His creation. The tabernacle that God gave Israel is a foreshadowing of that.

*****

"Psalm 132, about the covenant God made with David, is my favorite passage about this because it sums it all up in one place. There are 40 verses like this that you could look at, but this one for me ties the rag on the bush. Verse 11: [11] The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

[12] If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.
[13] For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
[14] This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

"God's intention is to put His dwelling place, His throne in the city of Jerusalem on the hill of Zion; that special place in Jerusalem that was the dearest to David's heart. God said, 'My intention is that I'm going to put my throne there and that's where I'm going to rule. I'm not just going to rule the earth from there; I'm going to rule the whole universe from there.' The tabernacle was designed to teach that to Israel.

"John 2: [18] Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?[19] Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.[20] Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? [21] But he spake of the temple of his body.

"Notice how he's changed the words here? John 1 says, 'The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.' He lived in a tent like the tabernacle, but now He's talking about the temple. What's the difference between those two? Who built the tabernacle? Moses. Who built the temple? Solomon.

*****

"The tabernacle is a picture typically of the first coming of Christ. The temple is a picture of the Second Coming of Christ. Think about it. The tabernacle was a temporary structure; it was made to be moved from place to place. It was a tent; you could knock it down, take it and go with it.

"The temple was a permanent place built in the city of the great king, Jerusalem. It was built by the king, Solomon. You remember how David prepared all the stuff for it, wanted to build God's house and God said, 'You can't do it; you're a bloody man. We're not going to build the temple by the bloody man. We're going to build it by the son of David.' There's another one of those first-coming, second-coming comparisons.

"Moses is the prophet and he builds the tabernacle. It's the king who builds the temple. The temple is the second meeting place; the tabernacle was the first. The prominent number in the temple is 12, the number of Israel. Twelve is the number in the Bible associated with governmental perfection.

"The prominent number in the tabernacle is five. In the Bible, the No. 5 is the number of death. Everything in the tabernacle pointed to that. The temple was renowned for its glory and beauty. It was like the city on the hill. Just gorgeous. People would come and marvel at its majesty.

"The tabernacle was just the opposite of that. It wasn't built in the city; it was built for life in the wilderness, moving from place to place. Life, not in the kingdom reign of glory, but in the wilderness of nomad life. It was humble and unattractive in its outward appearance. When you walked up on the tabernacle what you saw was a funny-looking wall made out of boards and skins. It was not outwardly attractive.

"The Lord Jesus Christ in His first coming, what does Isaiah say about Him? There was no comeliness about Him. He was a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. The tabernacle was a place where God's majesty dwelt but it was veiled behind the skins of that building. I keep emphasizing that it was made out of badger skins, goat skins, all kinds of skins.

If God puts His life in you, where does He put it? A body of flesh. Skin. That's the idea back there. By the way, the tabernacle was the center of life for the nation Israel. When Israel in the wilderness moved from one encampment to the next, the way they encamped when they settled in a location is the tabernacle would be in the center.

*****

“Numbers, in the first few chapters, tells you specifically where each tribe was to be and everything about how they were lined up and encamped was determined by the tabernacle.

"On one side there would be three tribes of Israel, and on another side there would be three tribes, and another side three other tribes, and another side three other tribes.

"In the Ark of the tabernacle were three things--the two tables of stone, a little pot of manna and Aaron’s rod that budded.

“The tabernacle is where the sacrifices were made. It’s where the priestly family, Aaron and his sons, were fed. It’s where all worship for God was accomplished. Deuteronomy 16:16 says that there were three great feasts in Israel—Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles—and the only place they could be celebrated was at the door of that tabernacle. That’s a serious matter. That tabernacle was the center of everything that went on in Israel’s life.

*****

"There is a fascinating comparison between the tabernacle that Moses built and the Book of John because, just like this system is a system for Israel to approach to God, in the Four Gospels, which tell Israel how to approach God, whether John knew it or not, or intended it or not, God wrote the book in such a way that it follows the pattern of the tabernacle.

“When you come in the tabernacle, there are basically seven pieces of furnishing. The first thing you see is the brazen altar where the sacrifices were brought.

“You come through the gate, from east to west, and you see an altar where there’s fire and they’re killing and offering animal sacrifices, pouring out blood. Can you imagine how, on a hot summer August afternoon, when they’ve offered sacrifices all day and all night for the nation, what a bloody mess that would have been?!

“Have you ever been around people where they killed animals and the blood’s all shed out? You know what immediately shows up? Flies. Gnats. It gets nasty. That tabernacle was not a sweet, wonderful place. The brazen altar spoke about blood for the atonement of souls.

“The reason it had fire in it was because the sacrifices had to be burned. It was like a big barbeque grill and it had a grate on it. The first thing when you walk into that tabernacle, it tells you, ‘You can’t approach God till you deal with sin and the only way is with blood and fire.’ ”

Beholding HOW, not how much

 In Mark 12 is the famous story of the widow's mite: [41] And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

[42] And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
[43] And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
[44] For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

"Jesus has the discussion with them and then goes and sits down right next to the treasury box; the money box where everybody's heart is," explains Jordan. "Notice, He beheld HOW the people cast money in. The issue with God is never how MUCH; it's always the motive. How? Where did it come from? In II Corinthians 8, the main issue under grace is never how much; it's what does it say about your heart?

"So Christ is evaluating their heart. With the widow, it was ALL IN. Now why would she do that? By the way, the rich young ruler went away because he had great possessions. He didn't cast any in. The young man in Mark, he's not far, but one more step and that's it: 'Follow me.' 

"This poor little lady is a picture of the Believing Remnant in Israel, what Jesus called the little flock. Luke 12: [31] But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

[32] Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
[33] Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
[34] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

"You see, folks, if you go back today and try to make Matthew, Mark, Luke and John your doctrine, you're going to wind up bankrupt.

"Mark 12 is painting the picture of the indictment of the nation. Christ is letting them indict themselves out of their own mouth and then He demonstrates, 'Here's that one step you need to take. Follow me.' That little widow, she got it."

*****

“I was reading a biography written by E. Skyler English of Harry Ironside, the former pastor of Moody Church. Ironside carried on an itinerant teaching ministry all across the nation for many years prior to that. He was quite an influential figure in the ’30s and ’40s in Chicago and in fundamentalism. In fact, he was called ‘The Archbishop of Fundamentalism.’

“I can remember a number of times talking to C.R. Stam about Mr. Ironside. You folks here from the old North Shore church days will remember that Pastor J.C. O’Hare used to really contend with Pastor Ironside about doctrine.

“O’Hare would write these little books with these wonderful titles. He had one called, ‘Much Ado About Something.’ Another one is, ‘An Open Letter to M.R. DeHahn, Harry Ironside and other misinformed Baptist preachers.’ He was very subtle, about like a jackhammer.

“I used to talk to Mr. Stam about what went on in the late ’30s and early ’40s, and there was a great recovery of truth. In fact, one of the things O’Hare used to do is review sections of Ironside's commentary on Ephesians 3 and Colossians 1, when Ironside taught very clearly the separate, distinctive ministry of Paul from the 12, and grace from law and the Body of Christ from Israel. He would have taught it just like I would have taught it, or Pastor O’Hare would have taught it, or Pastor Stam.

“But he was denying it then, and Pastor O’Hare was trying to make the point that, ‘If you just believe what you say in your books and you still sell your books, you would agree with us.’ And there was a great controversy that arose.

“Mr. Stam used to tell me that there was a point in the early ’40s when he and Pastor O’Hare and many others really genuinely believed and thought that all those brothers like Ironside and Gabelein and Pettingill and Halderman and Newell and all those great Bible teachers . . .  Otman and Grey and Barnhouse and all those guys.

"He said they all understood the distinctiveness of Paul’s ministry from Israel and they thought they were all going to stand for it and that, more than any other one person, it was Harry Ironside who could have made the day by taking a stand for it, and the others would have felt comfortable following, but he refused. Ironside refused by standing up and saying, and he wrote a book about it, ‘Imagine the audacity of these O’Harites! . . .’ You see, they’ve always called us names . . ."

(new article tomorrow)

Thinking through literal relationships

Last Sunday, in outlining the number of times Paul's epistles emphasize the need for practical unity, Preacher Alex Kurz explained, "We know we enjoy this positional oneness, but how is that channeled in our literal relationships one with each other? The doctrine is given to the Body of Christ for the proper maintenance of this body life we share; this vital union we enjoy.

"It's interesting that it all begins with a way of thinking. Understand that practical unity does not happen spontaneously, or without willful deliberate effort. We can't enjoy it naturally if we're not careful. It just doesn't happen. Like anything else in life, you know, the laws of thermodynamics. If you aren't maintaining, caring, working at it . . . by nature, division and dysfunction is actually the natural outcome.

"Things don't get better over time; things get worse over time. Take an automobile or any piece of machinery. Take your physical body. If you don't care for it, if you aren't intervening, it's going to naturally break down.

"These truths are intended to bring health and functional vitality to all of the individual members. I want to stress again, this doesn't just happen when we all sit in the same room. Unity is the result of deliberately applying specific doctrines and there's a lot of information the Apostle Paul stresses here.

"It all starts with the thinking process. Practical unity has everything to do with the way we're thinking, not only about ourselves, but just as importantly, our thinking about the other members of the body.

"Romans 12: [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

[3] For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
[4] For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: [5] So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

"I want you to notice something very carefully. When Paul exhorts the Romans (by default the rest of us, the church the Body of Christ) we're supposed to be renewing our mind. The exhortation is we have to change the way we're thinking; we have to displace our old patterns and habits of thinking with the new.

"The first area Paul addresses in relationship to our renewed way of thinking is verse 3. From there onward he tells us what is 'that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.'

"When Paul talks about the will of God, he doesn't leave us to tread in a vacuum; we don't have to make up what is 'that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.' Paul's going to TELL us what it is.

"Notice he begins verse 3, 'For I say.' He's going to tell us what he's talking about. You see how Paul's appealing to the renewed mind here?

"By nature we have a tendency to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. That results in crippling division. That's what Paul's talking about in I Corinthians 12. How can any body part suggest, 'You're not as valuable or as important'?"

(new article tomorrow)

'Day of' ticket

Zephaniah 3:16-19 says, [16] In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

[17] The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
[18] I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
[19] Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.

Preacher Richard Jordan explains, "That’s a passage we could spend the rest of evening looking at-- how the Lord rejoices over the Believing Remnant in Israel in 'the last day.'

"God’s going to be thrilled and rejoicing as He sees His plan and purpose fulfilled with Israel. You remember the guy on the A-Team: 'I love it when a plan comes together.' That’s God’s attitude.

*****

"Zephaniah 3 says, [8] Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

[9] For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.

"This is more than just Israel. This is future where He's going to have a United Nations. Gather them all together. Why? To pour it on.

"We're talking about the Tribulation. We're not just talking about His wrath on Israel; now we're going to talk about His wrath on the Gentile nations. I've always loved that verse because God says, 'I'll gather the nations and you know why? If I got them all in one place I can nail them. I don't have to chase them down.'

"Zephaniah takes you from the Babylonian captivity all the way to the end of the millennium and that's 'the day of the Lord.' The day of the Lord is the whole compendium of that time period.

"Zechariah 14: [1] Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.

[2] For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
[3] Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

"The day of the Lord is not just His Second Advent; it extends all the way out into the kingdom.

*****

Michigan preacher Tom Bruscha says the “the day of” is really talking about a time that a certain event takes place: “A ‘day of’ doesn’t necessarily mean a 24-hour period. The first 35 chapters of Isaiah define 'the day of the Lord.' It means a time period in which a particular event takes place. And you know that just from other terms.

"The Bible talks about ‘the day of atonement’ and ‘the day of first fruits’ (that’s seven days long), for example. Those are certain days in which something is being done and accomplished. An event is taking place.

“There’s certain days of judgment that are expressed just by simply ‘the day of.’ The Bible talks about ‘the day of Midian,’ ‘the day of Egypt,’ ‘the day of Jezreel.’

“When you read a verse like in Zephaniah chapter 1 and it talks about ‘the day of the Lord,’ it says ‘the day of the Lord’ is a day of wrath, a day of trouble, a day of wantonness, a day of darkness.

“So, if you look at ‘the day of the Lord’ in relation to all those other days, you realize what it’s doing is describing certain events; certain activity in that time called ‘the day of the Lord.’ It’s different aspects of ‘the day of the Lord,’ whether it be ‘the day of wrath,’ or the fact it’s darkness or a time of trouble. ‘The day of the Lord’ is called all of those days, so you realize how you can bring that down.”

(new article tomorrow)

Government fully set to do subterfuge, treachery

"How do men feel whose whole lives (and many men's lives are) are lies, schemes, and subterfuges? What sort of company do they keep when they are alone? Daily in life I watch men whose every smile is an artifice, and every wink is an hypocrisy. Doth such a fellow where a mask in his own privacy, and to his own conscience?"--WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY, The Virginians (1857)

“Embedded within the secret teachings of Babylon is a code—one based on satanic power—to control money, government, and humanity. This secret has been passed down from generation to generation through occult societies with an untold number of different names. Remember, it’s all about subterfuge and secrecy," writes Paul McGuire and Troy Anderson in their 2015 book, The Babylon Code: Solving the Bible's Greatest End-Times Mystery. 

Steve Mnuchin is one of the "13 Most Powerful Members of 'Skull & Bones' ", according to the website Business Insider: "Mnuchin begins a newer generation of Bonesmen on the list. The current US Secretary of Treasury got his bachelor's degree at Yale before starting work at Goldman Sachs. Mnuchin stayed with the bank for 17 years, and became its chief information officer in 1999. After moving on from Goldman, he started his own hedge fund. Reports have estimated his net worth anywhere from $300 to $500 million."

"One of the most powerful truths in the Bible is that money, economics, business and commerce are at their very foundation spiritual systems,” writes McGuire and Anderson. “This was commonly known in ancient Babylon and has been passed down through the various empires such as Egypt, Greece and Rome, and institutions such as the international banking system set up by the Bavarian Illuminati in the late 18^th Century.

“The very wealthiest people in the world are fully aware of this, and that is why the select few who actually control the world’s wealth belong to organizations such as Skull & Bones, Bohemian Grove, and the Bilderberg Group. The elite understand that ultimately the economy is connected to a Luciferian spiritual-economic system . . ."

(another article to be posted later today--I had a very scary thing happen to my eyes this week after the temperatures dropped and my mom's furnace (with no accompanying humidifier) went into full-tilt mode. I could not stand to look at my computer screen for any length of time! For the last 5 years I've lived in a basement with minimal heat. I have severe dry eyes from an autoimmune condition called Sjogren's Syndrome, diagnosed in 2011. My eyes are somewhat better now due to temps going up and applying nighttime eye lubricants, etc. I can hardly imagine anything worse happening to me than to lose my eyesight. I thank God there are treatments available today to help me tackle the problem if the over-the-counter stuff doesn't keep up with it. Another reason to hate winter!)

7 billion to hear history

"The Book of Revelation  is meant to be understood. It's a book designed by God to be understood by the people of God, especially to those it directly applies to.

"It's a book marked by the number seven. The No. 7 is a number of perfection. The Book of Revelation is filled with cycles of seven," explains Jordan. "There are seven churches in chapters 2 and 3. There are seven spirits, seven golden candlesticks, seven stars, seven lamps, seven seals, seven horns, seven eyes, seven angels, seven trumpets, seven thunders, seven heads, seven crowns, seven last plagues, seven golden vials, seven mountains, seven kings. You go on and on with these groupings of sevens.

"When history comes to an end, the culmination will be of the perfection that God designs. Years ago, I heard that the word history literally can be divided and made to be HIS STORY. The guy who said that was a professor of mine at Mobile College teaching a western civilization class. He said the 'his' was man's story and I thought, 'Who'd want to remember your story or my story? It's God's story that makes an account.'

"I'll tell you, 500 years from now . . . you know, when you get to thinking you're somebody, you know what you need to remember? Do you know that at the height of your glory there are 7 billion people on this planet who never heard your name? There are all kind of ways to keep yourself humble and that's one of them.

"With the Book of Revelation you want to find the things that help you understand it. To me, understanding that the Book of Revelation mirrors back and completes; it's like Genesis throws the ball and Revelation catches it.

"What you want to remember in history is not my story or your story or somebody else's story; you know, 'This guy was a great guy.' It's, 'What's going to count in history is going to be what God did and what He IS doing and what's going to come to fulfillment and fruition.' "

Mental attitude that's a win-win

Paul begins I Corinthians 4, [1] Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
[2] Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Jordan explains, "A steward is not the owner, not the boss; he's a servant who, faithful to what the Master says, takes the Word to others: 'I'm just the guy handing off the stuff.'

"I Thessalonians 2:4: [4] But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

"Notice we were allowed of God. That's saying, 'I've been given by God this undeserved privilege to preach this. He's taken His goods and entrusted them to me. I then give them out as a wise steward. I'm just a minister. I'm just the pipeline. I'm not the issue; He's the issue!'

"The message is the issue and Paul writes in Ephesians 3: [7] Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
[8] Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

"That word unsearchable means untraceable. When you can't trace something you can't search it out. It's too deep, it's too broad. He says it 'passeth understanding.' You can't get your mind around it. Paul prays that you would comprehend it because it's just so big.

"Paul recognizes, 'I've got this message and I've been given the privilege of preaching it,' and that changed his whole thinking process.

"In Acts 20, Paul says, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
[19] Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
[20] And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
[21] Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

"He talks about that lowliness of mind in Ephesians 4: [1] I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
[2] With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

"Humility and lowliness means not thinking you're something you're not. How do you do that? You look at the greatness of what God's done. It's THAT mental attitude that humbled Paul.

"Romans 10:14-15 says, [14] 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?
[15] 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!

"There's a process that brings faith to people. There's a sending and a preaching and a hearing and a believing. It was heard because it was preached, because someone was sent. It starts with the possession of His word, but it also starts with taking that Word and preaching it. Being a minister, putting it out there--the heralding of it and the hearing of it creates faith in what's said." 

Revelation is outline for O.T. prophecies

"When you look at Revelation 2 and 3 and try to understand what's going on, remember that what they're doing is referring to things Israel knows and understands," explains Jordan. "You don't have to make up a bunch of allegorical hallucinations. You can go back into the history of Israel, into the events of Scripture, and put meanings to them.

"This is an area of thinking . . . I've thought about it through the years but never really delved into it in a thorough way, other than to put in my understanding the things that happened back there and how they link with chapters 2 and 3. There are patterns in these two chapters of these historical events that will help you to understand the rest of the Book of Revelation and Revelation does that.

"The Book of Revelation is like the outline that all of the Old Testament prophecies hang on, and if you don't grasp what's going on in the Old Testament prophets, you'll never know how to flesh in the skeleton of the Book of Revelation.

*****

"There's a period in there where there's a believing remnant among those who have fallen away. That's exactly what happens in the fourth course of judgment. They have all these people who have gone into apostasy and yet there's that remnant; we studied all about them in the minor prophets.

With the church at Philadelphia it's the same kind of thing. Revelation 3: [9] Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

[10] Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
[11] Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
[12] Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
[13] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
[15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
[16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

"There's a false apostate nation with people claiming to be Israel and they're not. So what happens to Laodicea? He says, 'I spew you out of my mouth.'

"So He puts them in the fifth course and spews them out of the land. The result of that is these seven churches are facing the condition of Israel that's been brought about from the time of Exodus to their captivity.

"With the overcomers, the writer's going to go back in Israel's history to say, 'Okay, you've got this terrible history that's brought you here, and what's happening in 'the last days' is the culmination of God's judgment on everything all through Israel's history.' The blessings are going to be what's He's been promising you all along.

"I John 5: [4] For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. [5] Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

"Their faith in the fact that Jesus is the Son of God is what makes them have the capacity to overcome. So who are the overcomers? That's the believing remnant, the little flock in Israel. When you read about the overcomers in Revelation, you're reading about that group of people. The reward they get is to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

"That takes you back to Genesis 2. God placed man in the earth to have dominion over it. The issue is establishing God's dominion in the earth. What you have in Revelation 2 is a group of people involved in restoring God's dominion in the earth. That was the original promise. These people are going to participate in that original purpose.

"Revelation 2:11: [11] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

"Where was death introduced into man's life? Genesis 3. Romans 5:12: [12] Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

"That death's not just a physical death; it's a spiritual death. Revelation 21:8 says, [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.

"Physical death is the first death and that's the second. Hell wasn't made for men. Jesus said, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.' He made 'the lake of fire' for Satan and his angels; Adam joined the wrong team.

"So when the promise in Revelation is that the second death isn't going to hurt you, that takes the mind back to Genesis 3 where God gives access to the Tree of Life.

"Now, the problem of sin and the satanic program . . . God's going to provide for a group of people and take them out from under the dominion and consequences of Satan's program and establish them as His people.

"Revelation 2:17. [17] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

" 'I'm going to give you the hidden manna and then a white stone that I'm going to put a name on where nobody's going to know the name.' Well, wait a minute, don't you know about some hidden manna in Israel's history?

"God fed Israel in the wilderness with manna, and after He quit giving them manna, He told them to take a pot of manna and put it in the ark and hide it away as a memorial of what He was going to do with them in the future.

"Revelation 12:13-14: [13] And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. [14] And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

"Psalm 78 says He's going to spread a table in the wilderness. Micah 7, Jeremiah 50, places like that, tell them where to go in the wilderness. He says He's going to feed them with manna and it's going to be hidden out there in the wilderness.

"He says to the overcomers, 'When the Adversary comes to destroy you, my provision is going to be there for you.'

"The white stone. In Exodus 28, the high priest had all different kind of colored stones on his breastplate. You know what was written on the stones? The names of the tribes of Israel. He had one by his heart, ones on his shoulder--God's love and strength. That's, 'I'm going to give you the priestly garments and that new name Isaiah 62 promised you. I'm going to preserve you through and make you a kingdom of priests.' That's what He's going to do for the overcomers.

"If I was a Jew in Revelation 12 and fled out into the wilderness looking for the manna, you know where I would go? I'd go back to Micah, Jeremiah and Psalms and look up those verses that tell me where God's going to send the provision and I'd go looking for it there."

Ahem, are you for real, Riplinger?

A friend who runs my church's bookstore along with her husband asked me the other day to read Gail Riplinger's just-updated edition of her New Age Bible Versions, originally published in 1993, and take notice of any changes, including corrections, deletions and additions.

In going page by page with the brand-new copy next to my well-worn old copy, the first thing I noticed different was just inside the cover. A testimonial quote from world-renowned Texe Marrs on page 2, immediately preceding the table of contents, is omitted. It read in the original, "It may be the most important book ever written . . . Unparalleled . . . stunning expose."

If you go to Wikipedia's entry on Riplinger, one paragraph reads, "One of Riplinger's most criticized actions is her belief that she is doing God's will. House goes on to suggests that Riplinger 'claims some sense of divine inspiration for her work'.

"New Age Bible Versions has the author's name 'G. A. Riplinger', which stands for 'God and Riplinger': 

Riplinger is quoted saying, "Each discovery was not the result of effort on my part, but of the direct hand of God — so much so that I hesitated to even put my name on the book. Consequently, I used G. A. Riplinger, which signifies to me, God and Riplinger — God as author and Riplinger as secretary."

"David Cloud calls this statement 'amazing and frightful', and says that 'even the most radical charismatic prophets hesitate to use such intemperate language.' "

So, on page 495 of her latest edition of the book, in a new subsection she entitles, "NASB: A Warning?", Riplinger writes: 

"Often diminution of speech is slow, yet progressive. NASB translator Don Wilkins may have experienced a warning when he temporarily lost his voice on a television program when asked, 'Do new version translators lose their voices?' John Ankerberg, host of the televised John Ankerberg Show, called and asked if I would be a guest on his show, along with the chief editors and translators of the new versions (i.e. Kenneth Barker (NIV and NASB), Arthur Farstad (NKJV), Don Wilkins (NASB), Daniel Wallace (NET) and James White, a new version proponent who sports a big tattoo.

"New Age Bible Versions had caused no small stir and the translators wanted to stop it. I agreed to be on the program with them, giving as my only stipulations that the exchanges be timed, so that I was not unfairly given less time, and that I was able to set up my own recording equipment in addition to his. They flatly refused to debate me and soon cajoled several other King James Bible proponents to agree to an untimed free-for-all, where the new versions editors were given free reign to speak most of the time and interrupt any solid responses by the KJV proponents.

"I fasted for three days prior to the taping of the programs, praying that the Lord would prevail and more specifically, that a new version editor would lose his ability to speak, as other new version editors had (and I documented in New Age Bible Versions). Lo and behold, when the cameras were rolling, Ankerberg asked Donald Wilkins, a NASB translator, what he thought of my claim that the translators had lost their ability to speak. Wilkins could not speak to answer! Ankerberg immediately called for the film to be stopped and backed-up, expunging the shocking incident forever, to the strong objections of the KJV proponents witnessing the marked intervention of God."

*****

She says she believes God intervened on her behalf, answering her prayer that came with a three-day fast! Anybody who understands right division and the grace message would surely not relay this anecdote in their international best seller (over 260,000 sold) used as a "textbook in scores of Christian colleges, such as Pensacola Christian college," as the "About the author" section in the updated version even informs you.

Riplinger goes on to write, "Wilkins' silenced-scribe-syndrome was temporary--a warning perhaps . . . After Wilkins regained his voice, Ankerberg asks him a different question, about other documentation in New Age Bible Versions. Wilkins haltingly replied, clearing his throat, sipping water, and nervously joking about losing his voice earlier.

"Since the telling film-clip, in which the NASB editor could not speak, was taped over, the new version editors and proponents are free to pretend that the incident never occurred, even lying and claiming that the later clip of Wilkins, where he merely cleared his throat, was the missing dramatic footage. God knows. The KJV proponents, who were not six feet away from Wilkens when he lost his voice, have gone on record, witnessing to the warning God gave the NASB's Don Wilkins."

(new study tomorrow for sure) 

Bodies don't work that way, so why do we?

Chicago Preacher Alex Kurz from last Sunday morning:

Paul is really going to drill deep and get to the very crux and core of the matter, and that has to do with the type of relationships the various individual members of this one corporate whole are to enjoy and express.

Why did God create a physical, biological, material body? It was created to house a soul. We understand we're more than biological tissue mass. We're a soul; there is an invisible part to each of us. 

The unseen you, the real you (again, your aspirations, dreams, likes and dislikes) that is eternal. So let's take that and appreciate why God is calling the church a body. We're not a political action group, a governmental program, a religious denomination. He describes the church as a living eternal organism.

Just as the unseen soul expresses itself through a physical medium, guess why God describes us as His body, the church the Body of Christ. Christ is using the body concept, a physical vessel, through which He expresses HIS life, HIS thinking, HIS goals, HIS likes, HIS ambitions, HIS value system.

Romans 12: [12] Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

[13] Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
[14] Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
[15] Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

[16] Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

*****

When Christ looks at the corporate whole, He says, 'So is Christ.' In Ephesians 5, when Paul talks about marriage, what he's really highlighting is a relationship that exists between the Lord Jesus Christ and His people-group called the body.

Ephesians 5: [28] So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

[29] For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
[30] For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
[31] For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
[32] This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Inseparable is the identity we enjoy. So don't merely view yourself as an independent individual possessing a biological vessel through which your soul is being expressed; we're part of a greater whole, a great purpose where Jesus Christ is expressing His life through a physical medium, which God says, 'Bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh.'

By the way, we're going to be fashioned like unto His glorious body; a new organic entity. The body Jesus Christ possesses is the same type of body we're going to possess as new creatures, the one new man through which the head, Jesus Christ, conducts and carries out His enteral purposes.

I Timothy 3:15: [15] But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Adam was given a house. Well, Jesus is given a house. We're the house! His life is being expressed through us. God manifest in the flesh.

*****

I Corinthians 12:[15] If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

[16] And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
[17] If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
[18] But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
[19] And if they were all one member, where were the body?
[20] But now are they many members, yet but one body.

[21] And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

There were people in the church at Corinth asking the question, 'Well, if I'm not like that guy or this guy, then am I really a valuable component of the church as a whole?' Shame on the Corinthians.

Our body naturally expresses this union, this oneness. The body expresses this equality. It doesn't function as though, 'You know, because the eyeball is more sophisticated and specialized, I'm a more valuable component. Little toe, you better appreciate my awesomeness.'

You see how the body begins to polarize itself? What begins to happen is you begin to value and identify yourself based upon your function. Our identity is never derived by our abilities, capacities or function.

We derive our identity from the entire whole. My little toe is as equal as my eyeball. You see, our bodies don't work that way. My little toe never decided one day, 'I don't think I'm part of the body, because look at my role; look at my quote-unquote ministry.'

*****

There are two core problems here. One problem is this false inferiority that grips members of the Body of Christ, as it gripped the Corinthians. What we've described in verses 15-20 is an inferiority complex. But is that true of your physical body when you got up this morning? Our bodies don't think like that. Only carnality begins to think like that.

Paul begins to recognize and address some of the destructive internal forces designed to produce crippling division.

Romans 12: [4] For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

[5] So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
[6] Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
[7] Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
[8] Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
[9] Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

[10] Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 

Listen, there's equality within the body, but with equality there's diversity, right? There's diversity in function. Does that mean my eyeball is better than my little toe? God forbid. Paul says, 'You know what we're going to do with the uncomely part? We're going to bestow more abundant honor.'

You know what the attitude of the eyeball should be? The eyeball is one of the most remarkable organs, we understand that, but the attitude is to be, 'You know, that little toe doesn't get a lot of recognition, unless of course, something falls on it. I'm going to bestow abundant honor to the uncomely part.'

We don't do that often, do we? The eyeball should never assume, 'I'm more important.' How does the body enjoy practical unity? It's that kind of an attitude, not deeming others as either better or less.

*****

The one problem is the inferiority complex; the other dangerous problem is the superiority complex. Both are deadly to the functional body life that God expects.

Romans 12:4-5 is saying, 'You're stuck with me and I'm stuck with you.' But I don't want to be like, 'Yeah, we're stuck, but we can't live in harmony.'

Notice if we drop to verse 10, 'in honor preferring one another.' How do we enjoy functional unity? There are some truths the Holy Spirit, if we've been made to drink into one Spirit, that life which is called the Spirit of life is not restricted to positional truth.

You know what the Spirit wants us to continually drink of? His ongoing ministry which, if we're drinking from the source of functional life (the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, on and on), we've got to start drinking from the well called the Holy Spirit, and the ministry He is conducting within the ranks of the church, and what we begin to discover is that's a positional truth. 'We are one. Here's the functional working.' Verse 10 says we're to be 'kindly affectioned one to another.'

Paul, over and over again, focuses on the positional and then on the quote 'practical.'

Romans 13:8: [8] Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Romans 14: [13] Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. 

Practically speaking, am I guarding my attitude and behavior toward my brother; am I going to be a source of spiritual edification and contribute to the work of edification, or through lack of love and care and my inattentiveness, am I going to be the source of DESTRUCTION for my brother?!

That's what he's getting at. Verse 19: [19] Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Romans 15: [5] Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: [6] That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. [7] Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

*****

My eyeball better be committed to ensuring that my little toe is on the path of healthy edification. My ministry is not to exalt the ministry of the eyeball, the function of the eyeball. It's never to exalt itself, never to make a name for itself, never to step forward and present itself as something that it's not.

Romans 12:3: [3] For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

What is one of the underlying dangers that can produce crippling division within the body? By the way, if my fingers--if my hand begins to live and function apart from the corporate whole, it's called paralysis.

You can command your fingers to move and they're not going to budge. You can think it, wish it, determine it, grit your teeth but the fingers will never move again. It is dysfunctional; it's in a state of paralysis.

You think about that. No body part should ever 'think of himself more highly than he ought to think.' Now, that is a plaguing problem at Corinth.

How in the world, as Paul's going to word it, can the eye say to any other body part, 'I don't need you.' That's a carnal way of viewing other members of the Body of Christ. That isn't how the Lord would think.

Romans 12:16: [16] Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Be not wise in your what? Your own conceits! In the context, we're all members one of another, but no one member should ever think of himself more highly than he ought to think, nor should that member ever be consumed with a conceited sense of self-superiority. Don't be conceited, now. Guess what's happening at Corinth? That is what's going on.

Romans 15:2: [2] Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

The body should never be polarized; it should never be isolated. That is not how our bodies work, nor should the corporate organic entity suffer that way of living.

Do you see the mutual ministry that's supposed to occur within the various members of the Body of Christ? No one is living independent of the other body parts. And shame on the body parts if they begin to identify themselves based upon external criteria.

Again, Paul highlights the practical, functional life that that union is to produce. Galatians 3:26-27: [26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. [27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

God's view of His Son operating in the universe is inseparable from who we are. We put on who? Christ, not a religious program.

(new article tomorrow)

Blacks holding up Black Book

Excerpt from Sunday morning:

If you go to the South Side of Chicago and have a ministry booth at a fair . . . when our preacher Art Johnson's Shorewood South Church does this, there's a line from here to the back of this building. The interest is there. We don't see that kind of response at the Walworth County Fair or Schaumburg's September fair.

In the African American community is a natural interest and affinity to spiritual things, and if there's a possibility of America being turned around, it's going to be based upon spiritual things. The problem is, instead of being taught God's Word, grounded in it and having the Spirit of God work through . . . a lack of discernment to see the difference in this (from BLM politics, etc.) and to put personal and group identity above the Spirit is going to be the last straw.

We're not fighting flesh and blood; there are spiritual issues underneath that need to be addressed. Address the real thing.

I don't care what side you're on, you're both missing it. Even if the conspiracy you believe is real, factual and actual, it's also irrelevant to who you are in Jesus Christ and how you should respond to it. COVID-19, Plandemic, Scamdemic, Shamdemic. It's irrelevant. It's all based on the fear of death. and you've got the answer to the fear of death so why don't you talk about that!

****

Shortly before his untimely death, world-recognized Bible teacher Keith Blades emphasized in his newsletter that the "growing darkness” accompanying a man-devised alternative reality should make it overwhelmingly apparent to us that "the wisdom of this world" is useless and worthless to us.

He wrote, “But more than this, we should begin to clearly see that it is not only fraught with the foolishness and emptiness of ungodly men’s vain imaginations, sophistry, and corrupt reasoning, but that any attempt to incorporate any of it into our (Christian) walk actually will do damage to our edification and to our vocational training. Hence we should recognize that it is harmful and even dangerous to us.

“In like manner should we also become increasingly disenchanted with, and so unimpressed with ‘the fashion of this world.’ For this world’s criterions for determining what is meaningful in life, what is noble, what is honourable, what is worthwhile, and the like, are clearly not founded upon godliness.

“Instead, ‘the fashion of this world’ is primarily and predominantly hedonistic. As such its pronouncements regarding what can bring a person happiness, satisfaction, and contentment, and therefore what makes one’s life full and rich, are founded firmly upon the pursuit of carnal pleasures, and the acquisition and possession of material things.

“ . . .  The expectation is that as we are taught more about these 'works of darkness' we would become even more unimpressed with them, perceiving them to be even more distasteful and detestable than what we first recognized.”

*****

Jordan: “Paul says in I Corinthians 4:9, ‘We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.’ You reckon that’s a pretty good social standing?! Not much. He says, ‘We are fools for Christ’s sake.’ The world didn’t think he had much education. They thought he was a nut. One guy said to him, ‘You’re mad; you’re a crazy man.’

“Paul says to the Corinthians, ‘You’re honorable but we’re despised. We’re weak but you’re strong. Even in this present hour we hunger and thirst.’ Paul says, ‘I warn you that there's a lot you can face.’

“If the health and wealth preachers are right, Paul must have been one of the most wicked men who ever lived because he’s a guy who says, ‘I’m hungry right now. I don’t have enough to eat. I’m thirsty. I’m naked. I haven’t got clothes to wear.’

“He didn’t open up a closet and say, ‘I can’t figure out what to wear today.’ He said, ‘I don’t have it to wear.’ He says, ‘Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place.’ And yet he says, ‘I labor with my hands.’

“Paul says, ‘Be careful for nothing. Don’t worry about things.’ That word ‘careful’ there has the idea of anxiety and worry and fretting. Paul says, 'Don’t be all caught up.’ You know how you get that way? Pride.

“We have a day coming where God is going to declare us before the whole universe as His adult sons. 

“You have a realm of doctrinal understanding that tells you what you see isn’t what’s lasting and with the eye of faith you know ‘the sufferings of this present world aren’t worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.’

“You operate in the realm of the reality of who you are in Christ and it’s inappropriate to have problems of life loom up and cut out the sunlight of the Book—the light from the Word of God."

(new article tomorrow)

Close-in conflict upon us

"As above, so below" is an aphorism so popular with satanic secret societies that it has its own Wikipedia entry.

The site informs, "The Message, intended as a "version of the New Testament in a contemporary idiom",^[2] uses the maxim in its translation of the Lord's Prayer from Matthew 6:10. (The prayer's phrase is traditionally rendered "on earth, as it is in heaven".)

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best – as above, so below.^[3]

Wikipedia reveals, "The phrase derives from a passage in the Emerald Tablet (variously attributed to Hermes Trismegistus or Pseudo-Apollonius of Tyana). The 16th-century scholar Chrysogonus Polydorus provides the following version translated from the original Arabic into Latin:

"A translation by Isaac Newton is found among his alchemical papers that are currently housed in King's College Library, Cambridge University.^[8]

Tis true without lying, certain and most true.

That which is below is like that which is above
and that which is above is like that which is below
to do the miracles of one only thing

And as all things have been and arose from one by the mediation of one:
so all things have their birth from this one thing by adaptation.

The Sun is its father,
the moon its mother,
the wind hath carried it in its belly,
the earth is its nurse.
The father of all perfection in the whole world is here.
Its force or power is entire if it be converted into earth.

Separate thou the earth from the fire,
the subtle from the gross
sweetly with great industry.
It ascends from the earth to the heaven
and again it descends to the earth
and receives the force of things superior and inferior.

By this means you shall have the glory of the whole world
and thereby all obscurity shall fly from you.

Its force is above all force,
for it vanquishes every subtle thing and penetrates every solid thing.

So was the world created.

From this are and do come admirable adaptations
where of the means is here in this.

Hence I am called Hermes Trismegist [sic],
having the three parts of the philosophy of the whole world                              That which I have said of the operation of the Sun is accomplished and ended.

*****

Here's an article from Washington Monthly (one that I by no means endorse but shows the worship of Greek gods so prevalent today in Washington, D.C., Trump being no exception as he is a worshipper of Apollo by his own admission--look at pictures of his 5th Avenue Manhattan penthouse if you need further proof) that was published in 2017:

Hermes wears winged sandals because he’s in a hurry. Messenger of the gods, he is a communicator. The Lord of Liars, Hermes is patron of both merchants and thieves because all sales contain a bit of thievery, right? Liar, merchant, thief, improviser, media-savant. Sound familiar?

But Hermes is a culture-bearer who brings fire to humanity and invents rituals to honor the gods (creating Hellenic culture). The more extreme Trickster Dionysus doesn’t just push, he shreds the envelope. He promises a new order but mostly brings chaos. In Euripides’s Bacchae, Dionysus incites his followers to tear limb from limb the hyper-rational Theban king Pentheus—Obama? Hillary?—and the play ends without order restored.

As bringer-of-chaos, Trump seems also to be channeling Hermes’s more destructive cousin Dionysus. The god of intoxication and ecstasy, Dionysus embodies and offers his followers the transformation of individual identity. Worshipped directly in nature without the mediation of a priesthood, he is the god of the people (and hence of demagogues). Dionysus fulfills our longing for transcendence, or, in political terms, our longing for change. Sound familiar?

Trump is following patterns associated with the cult of Dionysus. The cult flourished for a thousand years until the triumph of Christianity, but Dionysian longings for transcendence have outlived his cult. When Trump’s followers assert their indifference to his (many) imperfections and, despite all evidence to the contrary, trust he will deliver on his promises, that’s Dionysian intoxication. 

As an enemy to autocrats like Pentheus, Dionysus’s initial appeal is democratic and egalitarian. But as a matter of historical fact, Dionysus is associated with tyranny. Aspiring tyrants in antiquity aligned themselves with Dionysus to challenge the reigning hierarchies: in other words, to drain their swamps.

 All Rome welcomed Mark Antony as Dionysus who then transformed Rome’s oligarchy into an autocratic empire. Caligula and Nero, renowned for their sadism, extravagance, and sexual perversity, paraded as the “new Dionysus.” Perhaps tweeting is the new fiddling. Trump’s “identification” with the Dionysus archetype explains his allure and rise to power. Like Dionysus, Trump seems determined to break every rule and overturn every norm. In 2014, he imagined apocalypse as the solution to the country’s ills: “When the economy crashes, when the country goes to total hell and everything is a disaster. Then you’ll have a [chuckles], you know, you’ll have riots to go back to where we used to be when we were great.”

*****

"Ephesians 6: [11] Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
[12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

"When he talks about high places, he's not talking about state government; he's talking about the heavenly places," explains Jordan.

"Four times in Ephesians the phrase 'heavenly places' occurs and this time it's translated 'high places.' There's a reason for that even though they're talking about the same thing.

"We're fighting against the principalities and powers in that invisible realm of the heavenly government because those are the ones we're going to dispossess and they don't want to give up their positions; they're going to fight against the people designed to take their position.

"Appreciate as we get into this the reality of it. Paul believed in a personal prince of evil; a real policy of evil that the Adversary has. Satan is not just an evil force like Darth Vader. Most of Christendom doesn't believe there's a real personal Satan.

"Satan is a supernatural spirit being who has a mind that plots and strategizes. He's 'the god of this world,' but he's a little 'g' god. He's just a pretender; he's not omniscient. However, there's a real, highly strategized plan by an Adversary who wants to take over and destroy your life and what God wants to do with you in the ages to come.

"Ephesians 6 goes on, [13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
[14] Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
[15] And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
[16] Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
[17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

"It's always struck me--if you got a breastplate, how do you wrestle? The idea in a soldier is, 'If I can kill the enemy over yonder I'd like to do that because the further away I can kill him the safer I am.' That's why they bomb from artillery 30,000 feet up.

"Wrestling is close-in conflict; it's not remote. It's an up-close, hand-to-hand struggle against a cunning opponent who knows the tricks of the trade of warfare. He knows how to use you against you. It's not just a battle in the physical realm; it's a battle in the spiritual realm."