All Scripture quotations are from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise indicated.
July 15, 2010
The
Hireling
Part 1
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Introduction
When Jesus came ministering to His disciple, and those chosen by God as the Children of Israel, He made many statements. As Jesus spoke, He taught in many parables, and spoke using figurative and symbolic language.
Jesus called those of the tribes of Israel "sheep." Yet, they were not sheep. They were human beings living like everyone else born into this world. Jesus called Himself "a shepherd." Yet, Jesus did not have any sheep that He took care of. It was said of Jesus that He was a carpenter, the son of Joseph (Mark 6:3).
Jesus said to a woman of Samaria in John 4:13,14, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again...But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst..." When Jesus spoke these words to that woman, He was not speaking of liquid water.
What kind of language was Jesus speaking? Who can understand what Jesus was saying? When Jesus spoke of drinking His blood and eating His flesh, many of His disciples left Him (John 6:47-68). Who can understand what Jesus was talking about in all the parables and figurative and symbolic language He used?
In 2 Peter 1:20,21 it says, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation...For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." In these verses, Peter is calling the Scriptures "prophecy." Scripture, means "that which is written." Therefore, much of what we read that is written in our Bibles is "prophecy."
Look also at 1 Peter 4:11, which says, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." This is also written in our Bibles. This would also be called "prophecy." To prophesy means "to speak by the unction of the Holy Spirit."
In 1 Corinthians 12:3 it says, "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Therefore, "...man speaking by the Spirit of God," is prophesying, for it comes by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, not by man's wisdom and knowledge.
In John 8:26, Jesus said, "...I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him." Many times, Jesus spoke only that which He received from His Father. The words Jesus spoke were not His words, but words that came to Him from His Father. This is also called "prophesying," speaking by the unction of the Holy Spirit.
As we study the Scriptures, and the things that Jesus said, keep in mind, it could be prophecy, speaking of things to come. The Scriptures are many times "prophecies," revealing the knowledge of God, of things past, present, and future.
We should not be ignorant of the devices of the Devil. Satan's ways and works are revealed in the Scriptures. We must know the times and seasons, which God has revealed to us in the Scriptures.
Prophecies of the Scripture
All Scripture is prophecy. This only includes that which was first given by the Holy Spirit and written in the inspired Word of God. It does not include translation errors, paraphrased, or word for word translations. These are not a work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, they are not truly prophecy.
True prophecy is that which is inspired by the Holy Spirit. It does not include the "...enticing words of man's wisdom..." (1 Cor. 2:4). True prophecy does not include "...the wisdom of this world..." (1 Cor. 2:6). True prophecy must come by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit from the spirit of man. In Job 32:8 it says, "But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." Without the Holy Spirit, man cannot understand Scripture.
The Scriptures were first written by someone who was anointed to write the Scriptures. Additional copies of the Scriptures should have been written by someone who was anointed by the Holy Spirit also. Somehow, there were copies made which contained some errors.
The important thing concerning the Scriptures is that they were written for those whom the Holy Spirit can work with to give them understanding of spiritual things. This is explained in 1 Corinthians 2:6-14, which says, "Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought...But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory...Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory...But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him...But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God...For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God...Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God...Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual...But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
This agrees with what Jesus was speaking of in John 6:45, when He said, "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." For those in the New Covenant, we must be taught by God. Only God can teach us spiritual things. The natural man cannot teach us spiritual things without the help of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the Blood of Jesus (1 John 5:8). All three of these must be involved and they must agree, if we are to know what the Scriptures are revealing to us today.
Christians need to know how God teaches us. In Isaiah, 28:9-13 it says, "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts...For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little...For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people...To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear...But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." God knows how to teach us spiritual things. God knows everything we know. God knows what we do not know. It takes time for God to break us from following the wisdom of man, and let God be GOD in our lives. Therefore, what is written in Isaiah 28:9-13, reveals how God teaches us.
God is well able to teach us all things. Therefore, it tells us in 1 John 2:27, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." We can, and should be taught by the Holy Spirit, which is the anointing within us.
In the New Covenant, everyone must be born again of the Holy Spirit (John 3:6,7), and of the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23). Anyone who is not truly born again is not under the New Covenant which is sealed with the Blood of Jesus. Those who are not born again of the Spirit and the Word are still in Adam (in the flesh). In 1 Corinthians 15:22 it tells us, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
To know and understand spiritual things, a person must be born again, as Jesus said to Nicodemus. In John 3:3, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Once a person is truly born again they must then enter into the kingdom of God. Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:5,6, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God...That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
There is a major difference between someone who is born of the flesh and someone who is born of the Spirit. When Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus, Jesus was speaking "prophecy." Prophecy is the revealing of the knowledge of God of things past, present, and future. At the time Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus, it was not possible for Nicodemus to become born again. Therefore, Jesus was prophesying, (reveling the knowledge of God concerning the future).
Before anyone could become born again, Jesus had to become "the firstborn from the dead." All who are truly born again are "in Christ." Christ is the firstborn from the dead (Rom. 8:29). In Colossians 1:16-18 it tells us, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him...And he is before all things, and by him all things consist...And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence."
We must understand that Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus at that time. Jesus was not speaking to Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and etc. These were already in heaven. They were not dead, for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. In Matthew 22:31,32, Jesus said to certain Sadducees, "But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying...I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had already attained unto the resurrection of the dead, they were not dead, but living.
Nicodemus was still living in the flesh. Nicodemus had not as yet attained unto the resurrection of the dead. To attain unto the resurrection of the dead, a person must die first, then be resurrected from the dead.
Being Nicodemus was still living in the flesh. He needed to become born again first, to attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (At the time Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, the Old Covenant was about to pass away and a New Covenant was about to come into effect. Knowing that Nicodemus would still be living in the flesh after Jesus arose again from the dead, Jesus prophesied to Nicodemus the New Birth, and the kingdom of God).
For anyone living today, before the resurrection of the dead, to enter into the kingdom of God they must be born again. This includes everyone who was still living at the time Jesus arose again from the dead, and everyone living after that Jesus arose again from the dead. (Let those who have eyes to see, see, and let those who have ears to hear, hear).
Jesus is the firstborn from the dead. Jesus is the head of the body of Christ. The kingdom of God did not come until after Jesus arose again from the dead. No one could enter the kingdom of God before the Kingdom of God came. Look at what Jesus said about John the Baptist, who died before Jesus arose again from the dead. In Matthew 11:11, Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." John the Baptist did not enter into the kingdom of heaven before he died. The kingdom of heaven did not come until after Jesus arose again from the dead.
Christians need to understand "prophecies," and the "living Word of God," which is prophecy. What Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus was prophecy. Prophecy comes by the unction of the Holy Spirit. Holy men of God speak as the Spirit gives them utterance (2 Peter 1:21). Jesus was a Holy Man of God, and what Jesus was speaking was given to Him by the unction of the Holy Spirit.
What is written in the "inspired Word of God," is also "prophecy." It is the living Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit (Heb. 4:12). Not all Bibles are the "inspired Word of God." Many Bibles today are translations of the inspired Word of God with many errors in the translations. These errors are not the "inspired Word of God," they are the works of men, not of the Holy Spirit.
The words "the kingdom of God" are miss translations of the inspired Word of God. The correct translation would be "the reign of God." Christians have a choice in this life. Christians can continue to walk after the flesh, or they can walk after the Spirit (Rom. 8:1-8). When they are walking after the flesh, they are not in "the reign of God." God is not reigning in the lives of Christians who are doing the will of man in the flesh. God only reigns in the lives of those who submit themselves to the reign of God in their lives.
Here on earth, the Holy Spirit is God, sent by the Father and the Son to manifest the Word of God in the lives of those who submit to the reign of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The flesh and the spirit cannot reign together at the same time. The flesh and the Spirit are opposite of each other In Galatians 5:16,17, it says, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh...For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
First a person must be born again before they can understand the reign of God here on earth (John 3:3). Then they must enter into the reign of God "the Holy Spirit" before they can be taught, helped, guided, comforted, and led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been sent here on earth to manifest the Word of God in the lives of those who submit to the reign of God here on earth. God is Love, and the Holy Spirit is Love, and will not manifest in the lives of those who do not walk in Love.
To enter into "the reign of God," a Christian must walk in the likeness and image of Jesus Christ. It starts by self-denial, and keeping the two commandments of the New Covenant. If we do not keep the two commandments of the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit will not reign in our lives. It is not an automatic entrance into the kingdom of God. In Acts 14:22, it says, "...that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."
Jesus was quoting the Scriptures when He said in John 6:45, "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God..." Jesus was prophesying when He made that statement. No one could be taught by God until the Holy Spirit was given. The Holy Spirit was not given until after Jesus was glorified (John 7:39).
Until we understand "prophecy," and "prophecy in the Scriptures" we will easily be deceived by the teachings of men. It is very clear to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, that the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son to be our helper, guide, comforter, leader, and teacher. God is love, and the Holy Spirit will not go beyond the Word of God at anytime. We must willingly submit to the Holy Spirit, if we are to enter into the reign of God in our lives.
Prophecy Concerning Shepherds and Hirelings
All of the Old and New Testament is prophecy (using things in the natural to reveal things in the spiritual). All of the "inspired written Word of God" is prophecy (2 Peter 1:21). What was inspired by God is called prophecy, for it is the revelation of the knowledge of God.
In Matthew 1:1, it says, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." The lives of King David and Abraham were prophesying the coming of Jesus Christ. In these two men, we can see Jesus Christ as He is today.
Along with many other things, Abraham was a shepherd. Abraham had sheep, and Abraham had shepherds to attend to his sheep (Gen. 12:16; 20:14). Except for Isaac, Abraham's shepherds were hirelings, for they were not his own children. Except for Isaac, Abraham's shepherds worked for Abraham and received wages for their labors. That is what is called a hireling.
King David was also a shepherd in his youth (1 Sam.16:11-13,19). David's father was the owner of the sheep that David was a shepherd over. David did not work for wages. Therefore, David was not a hireling, but a true shepherd. The sheep belonged to his father "Jesse."
As a true shepherd, when a lion and a bear come to steal a lamb from the flock of sheep, David did not run or flee from the lion or the bear (1 Sam. 17:34-37). David, slew both the lion and the bear. In type and shadow, David began as a shepherd, and grew up to become a King over the tribes of Israel. By prophecy, Jesus began as a shepherd, and became the King of the kingdom of God. The life of King David is prophesying the life of Jesus.
We can also look at the life Moses. For forty years, Moses was a shepherd, tending the flocks of his father-in-law Jethro (Ex. 3:1). Moses was then called to lead the Children of Israel out of bondage to the Egyptians. Throughout the last forty years of Moses's life, he was obedient to the LORD, (with the one exception of striking the Rock according to Numbers 20:12).
Moses, in leading the Children of Israel did not do his own will. Moses never tried to solve situations by his own ability. Moses obeyed the instructions given to him by the LORD. (One example is in Numbers 1:1-17, Then Numbers 1:18,19, then in Numbers 1:47-54). When situations came up, Moses sought the LORD for answers. In Numbers 21:7 it says, "Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people." Moses did not act according to his ability, or his understanding. Moses "...prayed for the people," relying upon the LORD for answers. The Scriptures reveal that "it is not by our power, or might, but by the Spirit of God" (Zech. 4:6).
If we follow the life of Jesus in the Gospels, we will see a true shepherd, not a hireling. When Jesus walked throughout the land following His baptism in the Holy Spirit, wherever He went, He never fled from the adversary. When they brought the sick, the lame, the blind, and all sorts of infirmities to Jesus, He healed them and cast out the devils. When the Pharisees and Sadducees came tempting Jesus with their interpretation of the law, Jesus rebuked them, using the correct interpretation of the Law. Jesus did not run from His accusers, but He answered their accusations with the correct interpretation of the inspired written Word of God. Thereby, when the Pharisees and Sadducees tempted Jesus, He answered them, using the correct interpretation of the inspired written Word of God. Jesus did not walk away from the Pharisees and Sadducees. They left him.
Jesus did the same with the Devil in the wilderness following His baptism in the Holy Spirit (Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Jesus did not walk away from the Devil, the Devil left Him.
A good shepherd will not let any sheep be taken by the adversary. A good shepherd will care for every sheep in the fold and will not permit the enemy to destroy any of his sheep, or lambs.
The Apostle Paul, following his new birth and baptism in Acts, Chapter Nine, set an example of a good shepherd. If we study the life of the Apostle Paul from Acts throughout the Epistles, we will know that the Apostle Paul set an example of a good shepherd.
Jesus, Prophesying in John 10
All true prophecy must come by the unction of the Holy Spirit, not by the wisdom of men. All inspired Scripture is prophecy, for it came by the unction of the Holy Spirit, not by man's wisdom of knowledge. Prophecy uses natural things to explain spiritual things. The total inspired Scriptures are prophecy.
Right from the beginning, in the book of Genesis, it reveals prophecy in the use of certain words. One clear example is in Genesis 2:9, where is says, "And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil."
Where it says, "...every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food..." it is speaking of physical trees. But where it says, "...the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil," it is not speaking of physical trees. These are spiritual entities, which produce spiritual results.
Therefore, when Christians think these two trees were physical trees, they are not receiving their information by interpretation. They are not receiving the interpretation of what is inspired by the Holy Spirit. All of Scripture is written the same way, using sometimes natural things as pertaining to natural things. Other times using natural things as pertaining to spiritual operations.
What is recorded in John, Chapter Ten is prophecy. Jesus called Himself a Shepherd. Jesus spoke of His sheep. In both cases, Jesus was not a shepherd who took care of sheep in the natural realm of life. The words "shepherd," and "sheep" are symbolic words. They must be interpreted by the Holy Spirit to get the true meaning of what is being said.
Many today are believing lies that the Devil uses men to teach. One of the lies that many are believing today is taken from John 10:10. In John 10:10 Jesus said, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
If you ask many preachers today, who was Jesus talking about in John 10:10, when He said "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy," they will tell you it is "the Devil." That is a lie from the Devil himself. Jesus did not say the thief was the Devil. Jesus was not talking about the Devil in John 10:10. Those who are teaching that are walking after the flesh. Those who walk after the flesh cannot please God (Rom. 8:5-8). Those who are walking after the flesh do not receive their information from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not give the interpretation of the inspired Word of God to those who walk after the flesh.
If Christians will do what Jesus told them to do and "be taught by God" (John 6:45), they would know who Jesus was speaking of in John 10:10. Jesus said in John 10:1, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." When Jesus spoke of "the sheepfold," He was speaking of the true "Body of Christ." The true "Body of Christ," is made up of those who are truly born again of the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23), and the Holy Spirit (John 3:6,7).
There are many calling themselves Christians, but they are not truly born again. They have entered into the Churches, saying they are born again Christians, but they are not truly born again. They use the name "Christian," and they have a form of godliness, but they lack the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
These are some of whom Jesus said were thieves and robbers. Jesus did not say the Devil is the thief and robber. In John 10:7.8. it says, "Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep...All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them."
True Christians have an anointing from God to do the works they do. Whatsoever it is that they do, it is done by the anointing. Without the anointing, they cannot know the truth. Not knowing the truth, they cannot walk in the truth. Until they are truly born again, they cannot understand spiritual things (John 3:3).
Jesus did not stop identifying the thief and robber in John 10:10, but continued in John 10:12,13, saying, "But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep...The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep."
A hireling is one who works for money. The hirelings came into the Body of Christ the right way. They are truly born again of the Word and the Spirit. Just as Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who betrayed Jesus. Judas was one of the disciples of Jesus. But Judas let Satan tempt him, and he become more interested in the money than in obedience to the LORD.
This should help many Christians to know who the two types of thieves and robbers are that Jesus was speaking of. Jesus was not speaking of the Devil in John 10:10, He was speaking of those who let the Devil use them to steal, kill, and destroy among those who are truly born again into the Body of Christ.
In the natural realm of life, Jesus said the ones who came before Him were "...thieves and robbers..." Who came before Jesus came? The Priests, the Levites, the Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees. The LORD had chosen the Levites to serve Him in the ministry already at the time of Moses.
The Levites, who were the ones called by the LORD were so corrupt in what they were doing at the time that they even came against Jesus Christ Himself. They falsely accused Jesus of doing what they were sent to do, and did not do. They did not keep the commandments they were given. They did not do what they were sent to do.
When God sent Jesus into the world, God anointed Jesus to do the work of the ministry. In Luke 4:18,19, Jesus read from the Book of Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised...To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
Those who came before Jesus came "were not doing" what the LORD called them to do. They were doing all sorts of things which they should not have been doing.
In John 2:13-16, it says, "And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem...And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting...And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables...And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise."
It grieves the Holy Spirit to see those whom God has chosen to do the work of the ministry, let the Devil use them to steal, kill, and destroy among the Churches. The "love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tim. 6:10). When money becomes the vehicle to do the work of the ministry, they have lost their faith in God as the source of all that they need. The ministry work is not done by money, it is the anointing of the Holy Spirit that does the work of the ministry.
In Zechariah 4:6 it was prophesied how the New Covenant ministry work would be done. It says, "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." This tells us that the ministry work will not be done by the ability of men, not by the power of men, but by the Holy Spirit.
Then Zechariah 4:7-10 says, "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it...Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying...The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you...For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth."
All prophecy of the Scriptures must be interpreted by the Holy Spirit. What was being prophesied in Zechariah 4:6 is this: Zerubbabel was the governor over the Children of Israel at the time. The name "Zerub-babel" means 1). "Zerub" means "called out of confusion." 2). "Babel" means "Babylon, confusion, false religion."
Zerubbabel was born in Babylon, during the captivity of the Babylonians. Zerubbabel was the grandson of Jehoiachin (Matt. 1:12). Zerubbabel was not a Babylonian, but rather a Jew therefore he was a stranger at Babylon (dispersion of confusion). In the first year of Cyrus he was living at Babylon, and was the recognized prince of Judah in the captivity. In the first year of King Cyrus, a Persian, after defeating the Babylonians an order was issued for Zerubbabel and "Joshua the high priest," to rebuild the temple.
This they did according to the order of King Cyrus. The interpretation of this is, "the LORD will build His Church, which is the Body of Christ, and it will be done by the power of the Holy Spirit." Jesus confirmed this prophecy in Matthew 16:18, where it says, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The Rock that Jesus was speaking of is Peter's confession "...Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16).
In Zechariah 4:7 it says, "...he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it." Jesus Christ is "the Headstone" upon which the Church will be built. The Church will be built by "Grace, grace," as it says in John 1:16,17, "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace...For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
The Church today, which is the body of Christ will not be built by money, it will be built by the work of the Holy Spirit, upon the confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God. Money is not the source of the power to build the Body of Christ. The source and power are "the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the Blood of Jesus Christ" (1 John 5:8).
Those who came before Jesus were using the Law of Moses, according to their private interpretation. They were interpreting the Scriptures according to man's understanding, not by the interpretation of the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20). They were "the thieves and robbers that came to steal, kill, and destroy" that Jesus was speaking of at that time in John 10:10.
Jesus was not talking about the Devil in John 10:10, He was talking about those in the ministry who are not doing what they were called to do. For the Scriptures were speaking of that time and prophesying of today.
Today, the thieves and robbers, that come to steal, kill, and destroy are the ones who did not enter their position in the Churches through the Door, which is Jesus Christ (John 10:7). These do not have the anointing to set the captives free of teachings which use the letter of the Law, unlawfully, and do not minister by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:6, "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." There is no life in the letter of the Law. The life is in the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.
In Genesis 2:9,16,17, the tree of knowledge of good and evil had two types of death, and two sources of death. The tree of life has only one source of life. So it is with the thieves that come to steal, kill, and destroy. There are two types of thieves. There are the ones who come into the sheepfold from another way, and not through the Door. There are also those who came through the Door, but then became hirelings, and not true shepherds.
Therefore, the other thieves and robbers are the hirelings, those who do enter the position they claim to have, but have looked for money to do the work of the ministry rather than the Holy Spirit. They are still walking in the flesh, and seeking the things of the flesh. They are not committed to trusting in the Holy Spirit as their source of all their needs.
The Law is good, and it is a schoolmaster (Gal. 3:24,25). The Law cannot make us righteous, but it is a schoolmaster to teach us the ways of God. No one can be justified by the Law (Acts 13:39; Rom. 10:4; Gal. 2:16). Romans 3:28,31 says, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law...Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Those who operate outside of the Law are nothing but thieves and robbers.
Yet the Law is only a school master, and it is not made for the righteous, but for the unrighteous. In 1 Timothy 1:9,10 it says, "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers...For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine."
Tithes and offerings are a part of the New Covenant, just as they were in the Old Covenant of the Law. Yet, the foundation of tithes and offerings was first established in Abraham, then written in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Following Deuteronomy, they were explained in the prophets, Malachi being the last of the Prophets.
Tithes and offerings are still a part of the New Covenant, but they are not to be misused or abused. The foundation was laid in the Old Covenant and is still in operation in the New Covenant. Those who misuse and abuse tithes and offerings are nothing but thieves and robbers.
The Deaf & the Blind
Ezekiel 12:1-6 says, "The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying...Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house...Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house...Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity...Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby...In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel."
Ezekiel did as he was told by the LORD. Yet, they could not understand what the Prophet of God was doing. They had eyes to see, but could not understand. They had ears to hear, but could not understand. Because of their eyes not seeing and their ears not hearing they went into captivity to the Babylonians.
In Isaiah 6:8-10 it says, "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me...And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not...Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed."
In Matthew 13:10,11 it says, "And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?...He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given...For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath...Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand...And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive...For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."
There are many in the Churches today that have eyes to see, but cannot see. They have ears to hear, but cannot hear. When we look at what is happening in the world today, and then look at what is happening in Churches today, there is no difference between the world and the Churches. Are the Churches blind and cannot see? Are the Churches deaf and cannot hear?
When the Churches become like the world, what will happen to the Christians who attend these Churches? Does God need to speak to us from heaven with a great voice that will shake mountains? Does God need to answer us with lightning and thunder from heaven? What will it take to wake us up?
It only takes common sense to see what is happening. It only takes common sense to know right from wrong. We do not need a supernatural visitation from God to open our eyes, and ears to see and hear. All we need is common sense. When you see someone stealing something, you should know that it is not of God. When you hear someone telling a lie, you should know it is not God.
We have not been born again of the Spirit so we could continue to live like the world (John 3:6,7). We have not been born again of the Word so we could continue to live like the world (1 Peter 1:23).
This world will not be here forever (Isa. 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13; Rev. 21:1). We will not be on this earth forever. But, we will continue to exist forever. Our destination will be either heaven or hell. Which one will we choose? Which system will we follow, the world's system or God's system? What we do on earth will determine where we will spend eternity. That is the message from Genesis through Revelation. We choose according to the desires of our heart.
Jesus is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). There is no other way to eternity in heaven but by Jesus Christ, who is the living Word of God. If we live by the Word of God, we will inherit eternity in heaven. If we live by the world's system, we will be led in the wrong direction.
Jesus said, "...Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up...Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch" (Matt. 15:13.14). Those who did not enter through the Door of the sheepfold were not put there by God the Father. Those who became hirelings, were not made hirelings by God the Father. If we follow those who are not sent by God, where will we end up?
Look what Jesus said about those who are not good shepherds and those who are hirelings? Jesus said, "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind." Jesus did not say we should continue to go to their churches. Jesus did not say we should come against them. Jesus said, "Let them alone..." God will deal with them. But for our own good, leave them, do not stay with them. They will lead us into the ditch. The Greek word "bothunos." translated "ditch," means "a hole; especially a hole in the ground." The deeper you go in the ground the closer you get to hell.
Christians should always be looking to go up, not down. In Luke 21:25-28 Jesus said, "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring...Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken...And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory...And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Christians should keep looking up, not down. In Colossians 3:1,2 it says, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God...Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." When we leave this earth, we should be going up, not down. Jesus said, "...look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."
Being born again is not eternal security (Rev. 3:4,5,15,16; 22:18,19). Being born again is an opportunity to choose whom we will serve. Being born again is an opportunity to be led by the Holy Spirit. If we continue to be led by other spirits, it is of our own choosing. God has made it possible for us to be "taught by God, led by the Holy Spirit, guided, helped, and comforted by the Holy Spirit." If we do not choose to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His leading, it is our own doing. It is not God's plan and purpose for our lives.
Christians need to come out from among those who are not good shepherds. Good shepherds come through the Door with the anointing to set the captives free! Only the anointing will set the captives free. Only the anointing will enable someone to do the works of the ministry.
Even Jesus, before He was baptized with the Holy Spirit at about the age of thirty, could not set the captives free. Jesus waited until He was anointed before He went about to do the work of the ministry. Acts 10:38 says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."
If the one who calls himself a Pastor, Apostle, Prophet, Teacher, or Evangelist is not anointed to do the works of the ministry they claim to be called to, there is something wrong. Those whom God sends to do the work of the ministry have the anointing to do the work they have been called to. If they do not have the anointing, they did not come through the Door, which is Jesus Christ Himself.
In 1 Peter 2:5, Peter called Jesus "...the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." In 1 Peter 5:4, Peter called Jesus, "...the chief Shepherd..." The Apostle Paul called Jesus, "...that great shepherd of the sheep..." (Heb. 13:20).
There are many other references to Jesus as Head of the Body of Christ, of which all Christians are members. We should always look to the Head of the Body of Christ as our leader. Do not follow anyone who is not following Jesus. Come out from among those who do not have the anointing to do the work of the ministry they say they are called to. Leave them alone, they are a "...blind leader of the blind."
If anyone reading this book knows within themselves they have done things in the body of Christ, or in the work of the ministry that is of the flesh, and not of God, they need to repent. They need to stop doing what is not right. They need to make a complete change in the way they do ministry work. This repentance must be sincere, from their heart.
Anything that is done that is not pleasing to God, must be repented of. In total repentance, the things that were being done must not be done anymore. Jesus said in Luke 24:47, "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Repentance must come before forgiveness. If we first repent, then we will be forgiven. Once we have repented, and are forgiven, God will not remember our sins any more. We will be cleansed by the Blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7).
Once we are cleansed, we must walk in the Light as God is in the Light. As we continue to walk in the Light, the Blood of Jesus will continue to cleanse us from all sin. But, we must repent, turn away from anything that is not of God. Then stay away from anything we repented of. Never go back to the same sin.
Who is Responsible?
In Luke 12:40, Jesus said, "Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." Jesus is talking to every Christian. Everyone should be ready for the coming of the LORD. To each one, the LORD will come at a different time. Some will be in their childhood. Some will be in their teens. Some as young adults, and others as grown members of the LORD's Body.
In explaining the parable Jesus said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?...Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing" (Luke 12:42,43).
Too often, Christians are looking at "the second coming of the LORD," which they think is years from now. Yes, for some that may be true. But what about the others who have already gone before us? What about all those who have already gone to be with the LORD? We need wisdom when it comes to studying the Scriptures. We will all stand before the LORD and give an account for our time here on earth.
In Luke 12:43-46, Jesus said, "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing...Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath...But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken...The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers." Everyone has a call of God on their lives. It may not be a call to the fivefold ministry. It may only be the call of a father over his own family. It may be the call of a mother over her own family. These callings are just as important as the fivefold ministry. Each one must be doing what they have been called to do, when Jesus comes for them, individually.
In Luke 12:48, Jesus said, "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." The greater the calling the greater the responsibility. Each one will give an account according to what they did about what they were called to do.
Is God unjust? Is not God a righteous God? Will God do wickedly? "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required..." Let us look at Moses as an example. Moses was called by the LORD to lead the Children of Israel out of bondage to the Egyptians, and into the promised land.
Moses did not ask for the job of leading the Children of Israel. The LORD called Moses. Moses did not call himself. Moses was not a hireling, but he was a shepherd who entered through the door.
The LORD supplied all that Moses needed to do the work he was called to do. Moses experienced the miracles, starting with seeing the flaming bush (Ex. 3:1-3). Moses heard the voice of the LORD, calling him (Ex. 3:4). Moses was given a sign of the miraculous power of God. The LORD told Moses to cast his rod to the ground and it turned into a serpent. Then when Moses picked it up again, it turned back into a rod (Ex. 4:2-4).
Following that day, Moses experienced many great signs and wonders performed by God. Moses obeyed the LORD in everything the LORD asked him to do. But, Moses made one mistake. In Numbers 20:7-13 it says, "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying...Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink...And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him...And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?...And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also...And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them."
Because of the attitude of Moses in striking the Rock, he was not permitted to bring the Children of Israel into the promised land. Moses did not enter the promised land. Moses died in the land of Moab (Deu. 34:5). Joshua led the Children of Israel into the promised land. In Luke 12:48, Jesus said, "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required..." Is God unjust?
The Snare of the Devil
There are many ways the Devil uses to get Christians into his snare. We should not be ignorant of Satan's devices. If we follow God's plan for our lives, we will obtain unto the resurrection of the dead. But, if we let the Devil deceive us, our end could be worse than our beginning.
In 2 Peter, Chapter Two, we are given a warning. Christians must follow God's plan, and not take life for granted. Peter is writing to Spirit-filled Christians, not to the unbelievers of the world. Peter is warning Christians, not to follow those who are false prophets, false teachers. It says, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction...And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of" (2 Peter 1:1,2).
There is only one way for Christians. That is the way spoken of throughout the Bible. The Old Testament is an example unto us. Do not follow another way, other than the way spoken of in the Scriptures. God is not a man that He should lie (Num. 23:19). God will not pervert judgment (Job 8:3, 34:12).
O' how important it is that we walk in the Light as He is in the Light (1 John 1:5-10). We were not born again of the Word and the Spirit so that we could continue to live like the world lives. God did not give us eternal life, without any responsibilities. Our responsibilities are still required of us. We cannot let the Devil use others to get us to follow the blind leaders of the blind.
The Devil sends many into the Churches telling them all sorts of lies. He gets Christians so confused that they give up, and go back to living like the world lives.
There are many calling themselves Christians today. Do not believe every voice you hear. Jesus was facing the same situation in John, Chapter Eight. Look at what Jesus said, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed...And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31,32). Jesus did not say, if you believe that Jesus is who He says He is then you are born again and will inherit eternal life in heaven. No, Jesus said, "If ye continue in my word..." Just saying a sinners prayer is not all it takes to become a Christian. There is a lot more to it than that.
Some Jews said to Jesus, "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?" (John 8:33). Then "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." The word "committeth" is a poor translation of the Greek word "poieo." It should have been translated "continues in sin." Christians cannot continue to live like the world lives and still claim they are on their way to heaven. Many will not like to hear that, but that is what many Christians seem to believe today.
Jesus continued speaking to those Jews, saying, "the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever...If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:35,36). There is a lot more to it than just saying a sinner's prayer. We must continue in the Word, and continue to walk in the Light of the Word. There is a lot more to the Word than just a sinner's prayer.
We must become doers of the Word, not just hearers only. The Word must be the most important part of our life. That includes being taught by God. Jesus said, "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me" (John 6:45). This is a very important part of the Words that Jesus said we must continue in. Our eternal life is dependent upon three things, "the Holy Spirit, the written Word, and the Blood of Jesus" (1 John 5:8). It takes all three of these for us to continue in the Word, and inherit eternal life in heaven.
In John 8:37, Jesus said to those Jews, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you." Then in John 8:39 it says, "They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham."
Not everyone who comes into the Churches are truly Christians. Some of them did not come through the Door, which is Jesus Christ. They came in another way, and believe and confess they are truly Christians. Some came into the Churches, truly born again, but then they became hirelings, looking for the glory and the things of this world. They love the world and the things of this world more than they love God. In 1 John 2:15-17, it says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him...For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world...And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." There seems to be a major importance upon doing the will of God the Father. Loving the world and the things of this world seems to be the opposite of loving the Father.
The Apostle Paul wrote, "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob" (Rom. 11:26). This is true, but the Apostle Paul also wrote, "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel" (Rom. 9:6). It seems according to the Scriptures, not everyone in the Churches today calling themselves Christians will spend eternity in heaven.
In Matthew 8:5-13, Jesus was speaking to His disciples concerning faith. A Centurion had come to Jesus, because of his servant that was sick. Jesus offered to come to his house and heal the Centurions servant. "Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him...The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed" (Matt. 8:7,8). In Matthew 8:9, the Centurion explained to Jesus, saying, "For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it." In Matthew 8:10-12 it says, "When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel...And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven...But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Jesus revealed to us that there is more to inheriting eternal life in the kingdom of God than just saying a sinner's prayer. There is "obedience and faith" that are necessary in the kingdom of heaven. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were men of faith and obedience. Therefore, there are some in the kingdom of heaven that will be cast out. We need to be aware of what is required of us to maintain our position in the kingdom of heaven.
In Revelation 3:1-6, it says, "And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead...Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God...Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee...Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy...He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels...He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
It seems there is a lot more required of Christians than just a sinner's prayer. Study what Jesus had to say about the Church at Sardis. According to Jesus, their names were written in the book of life, which means they were truly born again. But, Jesus said, only a few will not have their names taken out of the Book of Life. What will happen to those whose names were taken out of the Book of life? Will they still enter into heaven when they leave this earth? According to Revelation 20:15, it says, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
Look also at what Jesus said to the Church at Laodicea. Revelation 3:14-19, says, "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...I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot...So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth...Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked...I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see...As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."
I believe Christians need to be serious about their eternal life. The Devil has many snares waiting for Christians to get caught. I believe Jesus knew what He was saying. I believe the Apostles knew what they were writing. I believe we need to do what it tells us to do in the New Covenant. We need to try the spirits if they are of God (1 John 4:1). We need to be taught by God, not by men. Especially, not by those who "are not" following the examples set for us in the Scriptures.
In 2 Peter 2:3-14, it says, "And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not...For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment...And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly...And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly...And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked...(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)... The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished...But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities...Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord...But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption...And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you...Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children."
We need to Search the Scriptures, and continue to search the Scriptures to know what the Scriptures are truly saying. We need to study the Scriptures, and continue to study the Scriptures, to know what is truth and what is not true. Not everyone who says they are a Christian are following Jesus. Some have gone the way of Balaam.
Peter wrote, "Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness...For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning...For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them" (2 Peter 2:15,20,21).
What are the wages of unrighteousness? The world lives in unrighteousness. The world seeks riches, and money. They believe with money they can have whatsoever they desire. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
We need to be looking to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. In Hebrews 12:2-4 says, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God...For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds...Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." We also need to be seeking those things which are above, not the things of this world. In Colossians 3:1,2 it says, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God...Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
There is a great need for faith. In Hebrews 10:38 it says, "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." We need to build up our faith. In Jude 1:20,21 it says, "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost...Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."
Let us not be deceived by the snare of the Devil. Let us continue the course until we meet Jesus, and see Him as He is. Not sowing to the flesh, but sowing to the Spirit, that we reap everlasting life. Galatians 6:7,8 says, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap...For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
Jesus said in Matthew 24:11-13, "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many...And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold...But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Keep your love for God burning in you. Keep your faith until the end. Our rewards are in heaven, not here on earth. Be strong in the LORD and the power of His might.
Eyes to See, Ears to Hear
In Matthew, Chapter Seven, Jesus was by the seaside. Jesus spoke on the parable of the seed and the sower. After giving the parable Jesus said, "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matt. 13:9). Then in Matthew 13:10,11, it says, "And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?...He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." When Jesus said, "...Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven," Jesus was prophesying.
In the Old Testament, prophecy was spoken and written. But, for the most part they did not understand what was being prophesied. Had they known what was being prophesied, they could have overcome many of the circumstances in their lives.
Jesus was prophesying the reign of God (kingdom of God) to His disciples, when He said "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven." When a Christian becomes born again of the Spirit and the Word, their spiritual eyes are opened, and their spiritual ears are opened. They have the ability to understand spiritual things.
Look at what Jesus said in John 3:5 to Nicodemus. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Until a person is born again, their spiritual eyes are blinded to spiritual things. In the new birth, our spiritual eyes are opened. We have the ability to see and understand what is happening in the spiritual realm.
Jesus' disciples at the time of Matthew 13:1-9, were not born again. Therefore, Jesus had to explain the parable to them, so that they could understand the parable. But, for those who were listening to Jesus when He gave the parable, many of them did not understand that Jesus was prophesying. Prophecy is speaking of things past, present, and future according to the knowledge of God. It is revealing what God knows, to individuals that have ears to hear and eyes to see.
The new birth gives us eyes that we can see and ears that we can hear what is happening in the spiritual realm. This is important, for unless we can see and hear, we will not be any different than the world. But, Christians should be different than the world. Christians should know what is happening in the spiritual realm, that controls what happens in the natural realm.
When Jesus was talking to Nicodemus in John 3:3, He did not continue to explain everything. Therefore, Nicodemus, wanting to understand said, "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" (John 3:4). Nicodemus new Jesus was talking about a new birth, but Nicodemus was not born again at that time. Therefore, Nicodemus was still questioning Jesus about how that could be done, how could a person become born again?
Jesus then said to Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Jesus told Nicodemus that the new birth was a completely new way of living, born of the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23), and the Holy Spirit. It was not a birth like when he was born as a child into this world. But what Jesus also said, is that after the New Birth a Christian must also enter into the reign of God (kingdom of God).
Many Christians today are truly born again into the family of God, but they have not entered into the reign of the Holy Spirit (the kingdom of God). They believed those who have not received the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, who told them that speaking in tongues is not for today. This is not good to say the least. For to be taught by God, a Christian must receive the Holy Spirit, who will teach them. If Christians refuse to receive the Holy Spirit, God cannot do any more for them. Simply, because they refused the Helper, Guide, Comforter, Leader, and Teacher that God has promised to them that believe.
There are some in the Churches today that did not enter in through the Door, and there are some who are hirelings. This is not God's plan for the Body of Christ, yet it is not that God did not know that this would happen. God knows everything that is going on in the world, and in the Body of Christ. God has given us His inspired written Word, that we might know that things God has planned for our lives. If we do not study the Scriptures, and search the Scriptures, how can God help us? We must do what we are told in the inspired written Word of God, and then God can work in our lives for our benefit and His benefit.
When God receives a new born Christian into the body of Christ, God has obligations to that child. God has obligated Himself to save that child from the works of the Devil. But, God's obligation of salvation is dependent upon us doing our part also. If we do not do our part, God is not obligated to save us.
This is where many Christians get into error. They think that God is going to do His part even if they do not do their part. When the Children of Israel wanted a king to rule over them, it was not God's plan (1 Sam. 8:5-9). After the LORD gave them Saul to be king over them, King Saul disobeyed the LORD.
In 1 Samuel 15:10-23 it says, "Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying...It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night...And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal...And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD...And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?...And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed...Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on...And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?...And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed...Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?...And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites...But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal...And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams...For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king."
As Christians we have obligations to the LORD. There are things required of us by the LORD. God is not unjust when He expects us to do what He said in His Word. To King Saul, Samuel said, "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams...For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." God is looking for obedience to His Word. If we do not willfully obey the LORD, walking in love and doing that which is right in the sight of God and man we are not obeying the LORD.
It is important that we obey the LORD in the things that we know are His desires for us. We must be taught by God, and when God teaches us from our spirit what He desires for us to do, we need to obey.
There needs to be understanding of spiritual things among those who are truly born again of the Word and the Spirit. What happened in the natural realm among the Children of Israel is a prophetic message to us, of what is happening in the realm of the spirit.
We are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9). Our weapons of warfare are not natural, but spiritual (2 Cor. 10:3-5). Therefore, we do not kill people like they did in the Old Testament times.
In the Old Testament times, they were not born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit. They were still in the flesh, living according to the ability of the natural man. They did not have spiritual powers over the work of the enemy. If they would call upon the LORD for help, the LORD would send someone to deliver them from their enemies. After Joshua and his generation had died, it tells us in Judges 2:11-23, "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim...And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger...And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth...And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies...Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed...Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them...And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so...And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them...And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way...And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice...I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died...That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not...Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua."
The LORD was long suffering and full of compassion for the Children of Israel. But, the LORD was looking for obedience to His commandments which they were given. When they cried unto the LORD, the LORD sent them judges to deliver them. The LORD was with the judges He sent, and did deliver them.
The Children of Israel had a covenant with the LORD. If they obeyed the LORD and did what the LORD required of them, the LORD protected them and helped them. The LORD was looking for obedience.
Christians have a New and better covenant than the Children of Israel had. In Hebrews 8:6,7, it says, "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises...For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second." A major part of the New Covenant that Christians have is the help of the Holy Spirit. First the New Birth, then the Holy Spirit to help, guide, comfort, lead, and teach us.
Now that we are born again and live in the spirit, we need to learn the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. In the Old Covenant they killed those who served other gods and would not obey the LORD. In the New Covenant it is not that way. When Jesus' disciples James and John asked the LORD if they should call down fire from heaven and destroy the Samaritans who would not receive Jesus, Jesus said to them, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of...For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village" (Luke 9:55,56).
God has never been for killing and destroying. God has always been for saving, restoring, and giving life to those who will obey Him. God was always looking for obedience. To obey is better than sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:22,23). We must learn to be led, guided, helped, comforted, and taught by the Holy Spirit. We must learn to obey the Holy Spirit, and not follow after those who are following another spirit.
The written Word of God is prophetic. It is written by those whom God has inspired to write. Without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God could not be written. In the writing of the Scriptures, God knew the end from the beginning. In Isaiah 46:9,10 it says, "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me...Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." Nothing in the Scriptures was written because of what Satan did. God did not change anything that is written because of what Satan did. Neither did God change anything because of what Adam did.
God knew what Satan would do before He created Adam. God knew what Adam and Eve would do before He created Adam and Eve. God knows what everyone will do, even before we were born into this world. It says in Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
God has a plan for every individuals life here on earth. God has a plan for every individual following this life here on earth. God reveals His plan in the Scriptures concerning every individual born into this world. It is all written in the Scriptures for our understanding.
God is a personal God. God works with each person on an individual basis. In revealing to us His plan for our lives, God makes known to us all that is necessary for us to know, without telling us ahead of time if we will be in heaven or in hell for all eternity. God has left that part up to us to find in His inspired written Word. It is written in the Scriptures. It has been there for years and years, even before we were conceived in our mother's womb.
God knew what Esau would do before he was born. God revealed it to Rebekah before Esau and Jacob were born. It says in Genesis 25:23, "And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." What happened in the lives of Esau and Jacob was already known by God before they were born.
It is important to understand, that even though God knew that Esau would be a profane person, Easu did not know that his love for the world and the things of this world was not God's plan for anyone. It is simply that God has all knowledge of all things, knowing the end from the beginning.
Esau had the same opportunity that Jacob had while he was growing up in the household of Isaac and Rebekah. Esau could have paid attention to what God was doing in the lives of Rebekah and Isaac. Esau was not ignorant of what God had told Abraham. Esau was not ignorant of what God was doing in the lives of Isaac and Rebekah. All the evidence of what God was doing in the lives of Abraham, before he died was known by Esau. When Isaac and Ishmael buried Abraham, Esau and Jacob were about fifteen years old. For fifteen years, Esau and Jacob knew who Abraham was. They both knew all that was told them of the call of God on Abraham's life. They both knew what God was doing in the life of Isaac and Rebekah.
Esau was a grown man when he sold his birthright to Jacob for something to eat. Genesis 25:30-34 says, "And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom...And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright...And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?...And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob...Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright." It says, "...Esau despised his birthright." When someone despises the things of God, they become a profane person.
Yet, concerning all they both knew about their grandfather Abraham, and their father and mother, Esau still loved the world and the things of this world more. Esau became a profane person, meaning, "showing disrespect or contempt for sacred things; irreverent."
If you were a profane person, then you would not be reading this book. You would not be going to Church. You would love the world and the things of this world.
What Christians need to understand is that Satan will use everyone and anyone he can to change your attitude concerning the importance of fulfilling the plan of God in your life. There are many ways that Satan uses others to turn you away from following the plan of God for your life here on earth.
Satan uses those who claim to be in the ministry to turn you away from what God has planned for your life. The thieves and robbers in the Churches today will try to keep you from doing what you know God desires for you to do. It is the thieves and robbers in the Churches today that Satan uses to turn you away from God's will for your life.
The thieves and robbers are in the Churches today. They are not true shepherds. Some have come into the Churches from another way, and do not have the anointing that is needed to do the work of the ministry they claim to be doing. This is not good to say the least. What happens in these Churches where the anointing is not in operation, is that they teach another gospel, not the gospel that Jesus taught. It is not the gospel that the Apostles taught. It is their version of the gospel that does not set the captives free of the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things. These are the things that Satan uses to stop Christians from fulfilling the call of God on their lives.
Jesus explained how that Satan works in the Churches today in Mark 4:13-19. Jesus said, "...Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?...The sower soweth the word...And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts...And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness...And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended...And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word...And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful."
If you are truly born again into the body of Christ, Satan will do all he can to get you to submit to those whom he can use to stop you from fulfilling the call of God on your life. The ones Satan will use are the ones he already has deceived by "...the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things..." They have already been deceived, and now Satan is using them to deceive others.
This is not something new. This has been happening from the time when Satan used the serpent to deceive Eve. Then Satan used Eve to get Adam. Satan uses those who are close to us, to deceive us into loving the world and the things of this world more than we love God. If Satan cannot get us to stop studying the Scriptures and searching the Scriptures, he will then try to get us to place the things of this world before the plan of God for our lives.
What happened to Esau? Was not Esau given the same opportunity to know the plan of God for him as Jacob? Were not Jacob and Esau twins, living in the same home, having the same parents, and the same opportunity to know God? God is not unjust. Esau and Jacob had equal opportunities to do the will of God in their lives. Esau made his own choice as to what he wanted out of this life. Esau could have paid attention to what God was doing in Abraham's life, and in Isaac and Rebekah's lives. What Jacob learned, Esau could also have learned.
It was Esau's own doing that robbed him of his birthright. What Esau did, he was not forced to do. Esau willfully gave up the opportunity to know God and God's plan for his life. Esau loved the world and the things of this world. Esau did not pay attention to the things that God was doing in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Rebekah.
If Christians do not pay attention to the things that God is doing in this world, they will easily be deceived by the enemy. The enemy is not the Devil himself. The enemy is the ones the Devil uses to deceive those whom God loves, and desire to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
God has done all He can by first sending Jesus to take away the sin of the world. What Jesus did by taking away the sin of the world was that, He made it possible for us to become born again into the family of God. Through what Jesus did for us, we have an opportunity to become true Children of God, by a new birth into the family of God. Without what God did for us through His Son, Jesus Christ, we could never have become true children of God. We would have died in our sins, and gone to hell with the Devil and his followers. Jesus made it possible for us to become Children of God.
Once we are truly born again into the family of God, we have a new life, a new start in life. But, it is only a new start. It is not the finish. Jesus finished what He came to do, and when what He came to do was finished He went to be with the Father in heaven.
Now, we must do the same. We have a new life in Christ Jesus. We have a new start in life here on earth. What will we do now? Will we continue in Christ until the end? Will we follow Jesus all the way? Will we fulfill the call of God on our lives? Or will we let the thieves and robbers stop us from doing what God planned for our lives?
Jesus said in Matthew 24:11-13, "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many...And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold...But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." How many Christians today will fulfill the call of God on their lives, by continuing to the end? How many Christians will let the enemy deceive them? Will Christians love God more than they love the world and the things of this world?
Will Christians study the Scriptures themselves to know the truth? Will Christians Search the Scriptures themselves to know the truth? How many Christians today will take up their position in the Body of Christ and "try the spirits if they are of God?" Don't let the blind lead you into the ditch.
God has given us all that we need to know the truth and walk in the truth. How many Christians will set their minds and hearts to follow Jesus? Not, just go to Church once in a while. Not just do what others who say they are called to the ministry tell them to do.
God wants Christians who will be "taught by God," not by man (1 John 2:27). God wants Christians who will be led by the Holy Spirit, not by men. God wants Christians who will follow the Holy Spirit as He helps, guides, leads, comforts, and teaches them.
Are you willing to Trust in the LORD with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength? Or will you be like many others today, following the blind as they do their thing, to accomplish what they want out of this life?
In your life, it should be God first, before anyone or anything else in this world and in this life. If God is not first in your life, it is time to make a change in your life. It is up to you, who you will follow, the thieves and robbers, or the Holy Spirit, and Jesus? You must decide for yourself. No one else has been given the right or authority to make that decision for you. You must make that decisions for yourself. What you decide to do with your life here on earth will determine where you will spend eternity?
It is not all about you alone. It is all about what you will do according to the inspired written Word of God? It all depends upon you, and what God has called you to do. Are you a child who can read? If you are, it is your responsibility to read the Scriptures and know what God has planned for your life. Can you pray, then it is up to you to pray.
Are you an adult? If so, then you have the responsibility to help others that they get to know the truth, not what some are teaching who are nothing by thieves and robbers.
It is not hard to get to know what God has planned for your life. All it takes is a determination in your heart to search the Scriptures, and study the Scriptures, and God will guide you all the rest of the way. God looks at your heart, not just your head. What is in your heart is what God is interested in.
God knew Esau's heart even before he was born. God knew Jacob's heart also, even before he was born. God knew Jeremiah's heart before he was conceived in his mother's womb.
God knows everything. God is just and righteous. God will not lie. God will not turn anyone away who comes to Him with a sincere heart to do His will. God is looking at the hearts of every individual today. Where is your heart?
The Strait Gate
In Matthew 7:13,14 Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat...Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." The word "strait" is often thought of as "straight." That is not the same word. Strait means, "restricted or constricted; narrow; tight; confined."
Why would Jesus make a statement like the one above? Is it possible that Jesus knew what would be happening in the times we are living today? According to the information we have in the inspired written Word, it should not come as a surprise to those who can understand spiritual things. Satan, "the god of this world," is exactly who the Bible says he is. Satan is a "god," with supernatural powers to operate in the unseen spiritual realm of life here on earth. Man is not a "god," and must resort to following Satan or God. The battle for eternity in heaven is fought in the spiritual realm, not in the natural realm.
The battle for eternal life in heaven is between "who will we submit to" GOD, or the Devil? When Satan can get Christians to believe they can control their destiny by their own ability, he has them right where he wants them. This is what is happening among many Christians today. They think they can out smart the Devil. They think they can obtain all they want in this world, and still inherit eternity in heaven at the same time. The desires of their minds are distorted by the thoughts that Satan injects in their minds.
The true entrance into eternity in heaven is still the same as it was in the garden of Eden. There was a Tree of life in the garden of Eden, that Adam and Eve could have eaten of, if they would have desired to have eternal life in heaven. The temptation of the things of this world were greater than their desire for eternity in heaven. Satan used the serpent to tempt Eve with the things of this world. Eve gave into the temptation and did eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
The battle Christians face today, is still the same battle. It is a battle between what we see with our natural eyes and hear with or natural ears, against the Word of God, which promises us eternity in heaven forever and ever. In short, the strait gate starts with the two commandments that the LORD gave us for the New Covenant. In Mark 12:30,31, Jesus said, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment...And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." This is the entrance into the strait gate that leads to eternity in heaven. This is the gate that Satan tries to keep Christians from entering.
If there is any way to keep Christians from putting God first in their lives, Satan will do all he can to tempt Christians to take another way, that seems to benefit them more. Self-denial is the hardest thing for Christians to accomplish today. Putting themselves before others is the natural way of life in the world. To change from "the tree of knowledge of good and evil" to "the Tree of Life" is not easy in this day and age.
What makes it so difficult is that within many of the Churches that Christians attend, the system of "the knowledge of good and evil" operates to it's fullest. Being that the inspired written Word of God is prophecy in the Old Testament, the written Word used the Ten Commandments as the basis for submitting to God and resisting the Devil. Keeping the Ten Commandments would make it possible for God to intervene in the lives of those whom He could work with, and set them free of the attacks of the enemy.
The thing that Christians today do not understand is that the Ten Commandments were a "school master," to teach the natural man how to know the difference between good and evil. The Ten Commandments could not justify a person, for it was impossible for the natural man to keep all Ten of the Commandments all the time. What they did not understand about keeping all the Ten Commandments was that they only explained the law of sin and death, which came in the garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve disobeyed the LORD and ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
All works of the flesh are contrary to the righteousness of God that is required for eternal life. Without the righteousness of God, no one can inherit eternal life in heaven. No matter how long Adam and Eve would have lived upon this earth without disobeying the LORD, it still would not have gotten them eternal life in heaven. The only way to eternal life in heaven is "the Tree of Life," which was also in the garden of Eden.
What is happening in the Churches today is still the same thing that happened in the garden of Eden. Christians are listening to the wrong voice, thinking it is GOD. Christians are being taught that you can love the world and all that is in the world and still inherit eternity in heaven also. They are being taught that the riches of the world belong to the Christians, and they can enjoy all that they can get, as long as it looks like they are Christians.
We do not need to go into details to explain what is happening in the Churches today. We only need to understand, why it is happening today? It is because of a lack of knowledge of spiritual operations in heavenly places. In 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 it says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh...(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)...Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ...And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled."
Until Christians learn to submit themselves to the leading, guiding, comforting, helping, and teaching of the Holy Spirit within us, they will struggle with many things in this life that have already been overcome by the inspired written Word, the Holy Spirit, and Blood of Jesus (1 John 5:8). Christians today are still not convinced that God is well able to take care of every circumstance in our lives for us, if we will submit to the Holy Spirit, and put Him in control of everything in our lives.
What has happened over the years from the day Jesus arose again from the dead until now is still what is happening today. When Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to take over from where He left off, the Devil has tried to keep Christians from receiving the Holy Spirit as their helper, guide, comforter, leader, and teacher. Many Christians have been blinded by the teachings of men, who say you do not need the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. What a lie! That is the next thing to saying "You do not need Jesus, you can do it yourself by keeping the Ten Commandments!" What a lie of the Devil. That is the same as saying, "Ye shall not surely die...For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (Gen. 3:4,5).
How long are Christians going to keep believing the lies of the Devil? How long are Christians going to keep trying to obtain unto the resurrection of the dead without dying first? The Holy Spirit is sent by God the Father and the Son to be our helper, guide, comforter, leader, and teacher. The Holy Spirit is in charge of everything that happens in the Body of Christ. If we do not submit to the Holy Spirit, we are like Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden after they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If we do not submit to the Holy Spirit, we are like the Children of Israel in the wilderness at the time of Moses. All those over twenty-years old died in the wilderness. They never did inherit the promised land.
If we do not submit to the Holy Spirit, we are no different than the Children of Israel at the time of Jesus. Jesus was among them, to help them, to set them free of the religious sect of the Priesthood, including the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, etc. The Children of Israel did not know the love, grace, and mercy of God, all they knew was the law according to the teachings of that time. Jesus was the one sent by God, to give them eternal life, and bring them into relationship and fellowship with God. Jesus was their Messiah, but they did not know Him, and therefore, many did not receive Him.
From the time Jesus went to be with the Father, the Holy Spirit was here on earth to help, guide, comfort, lead, and teach those who are born again. How many today have received the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues? How many today are in Churches where they teach against speaking in tongues? Is it any different today than it was when Jesus walked this earth? Is it any different today than when the Children of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years? Is it any different today than it was at the time of Noah?
It is the same world that Adam and Eve were in. It is the same world that Enoch, and Noah lived in. It is the same world that Moses lived in. It is the same world that the prophets lived in. It is the same world that Jesus lived in. It is the same today, as has been for about six-thousand years. It has not changed. People are still looking for another way to get into heaven for all eternity.
Isn't it interesting that the idea of how to get into heaven for all eternity has gone so far from the truth that some people believe that if they kill those who know God they will go to heaven? Who ever told anyone that murder will get you a place in heaven? Who ever told anyone that suicide is a way to get to heaven? Who ever told anyone that the more people you kill here on earth will get you more virgins to live with in heaven? Who ever told Christians that money will get you into heaven?
The question comes back to this, who are people listening to, God or the Devil? Who are Christians following Jesus or the Devil? Who ever told them there is another way to get to heaven? Who have Christians been listening to?
Jesus taught that there is only one way to enter into eternity with God in heaven. It starts with an inward change, a new birth, a new spirit and a new heart. In Ezekiel 36:26-28 it says, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh...And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them...And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God." This is a prophetic message to Christians today. It starts with the new birth, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you..." There is no other way for a Christian to receive a new heart and a new spirit unless it is given to them by God. Man does not have the power or ability to change themselves and become something they were not from the beginning. Satan cannot do it either, even though Satan is "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4).
The second thing that is mentioned in Ezekiel 36:27 is, "...I will put my spirit within you..." this is the baptism in the Holy Spirit, whereby the Holy Spirit dwells in us. The third thing mentioned is "...and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them..." The forth thing mentioned is "...ye shall be my people, and I will be your God."
This is all progressive. Nothing can happen in the life of an individual until God makes the first move in our lives. Jesus said, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him..." (John 6:44). That is the new birth, born again of the Word and the Spirit. Then Jesus said, "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God..." (John 6:45). That begins with the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. From that point on, it is up to each individual to make God their GOD, and have a change of heart.
God looks at the heart of man, not the outward appearance. In 1 Samuel 16:7, it says, "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."
Therefore, God gives us a new heart, a new spirit, and puts His Holy Spirit within us. Now, it is up to us, Who will be our God, Satan and the world, or God? Who will we follow, Jesus or the Devil? Who will come between us and God? Will we follow another voice, another person, someone other than the Holy Spirit? Will we let those whom the LORD said are wolves in sheep's clothing tell us what to do and how to do it?
In Matthew 7:15,16, Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves...Ye shall know them by their fruits..." We cannot know them by their fruits until we have learned what Jesus was teaching all the way from Matthew 5:1- 7:14.
Prophecy is progressive. It starts from the beginning and continues unto the end. We cannot start in the middle and know what it is saying. It does not work that way. In Isaiah 28:9-11 it says, "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts...For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little...For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people." We need the help of the Holy Spirit teaching us, "...precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little...For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people."
Before we can know the false prophets, we need to know what Jesus was telling us, starting from Matthew Chapter Five on. First we must enter the right gate ourselves. If we try to enter the wide and broad way ourselves, it will not work. That is the wrong way, the wrong gate. First we must enter the strait gate, and continue on the narrow way, then the Holy Spirit can help, guide, comfort, lead, and teach us. The Holy Spirit does not follow the broad and wide way.
To know a counterfeit, you must first know the true. You will never get to know the true if you do not have the Holy Spirit to teach you. The Holy Spirit cannot teach those who are on the wrong road, going the wrong way.
God does not ask us to do anything without giving us the ability to do what He asks. Therefore, God has given us all that it takes to do His will, His way. If we do not use what God has given us it will not help us. If we do not do what God has told us to do, it will not help us. Obedience to the Word and the Holy Spirit is the only way to inherit eternal life in heaven.
There is a lot more in the written Word of God, in the New Testament that many Christians have not seen. Why have they not seen it? Because they have not done what they were told to do. They have not searched the Scriptures for themselves to see what it says. They have let others tell them what they say it says. They have not studied the Scriptures themselves. They have let others tell them what they say it says.
Did you know, that is what Eve did in the garden of Eden when the serpent came to her. Eve knew "intellectually" what the LORD God had said about the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But, evidently, Eve did not have that knowledge down in her heart, that she would not sin against the LORD. In Psalm 119:11, it says, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." This is one of the keys to the kingdom of God, get the Word of God into your heart, that you do not sin against God.
Once Christians have been taught by God to know the Truth, then they will know who the false prophets are. Then they will know which is the strait and narrow gate. Then, they will be able to discern that which is of God and that which is of man.
We are in a spiritual world where things happen in the spiritual realm first, before they take place in the natural realm. We are to stop things from manifesting in the spiritual realm, so they cannot manifest in the natural realm. This is God's plan for His Children here on earth. Walk after the Spirit, and not after the flesh (Gal. 5:16,17,25).
Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven...Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?...And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." What about those to whom Jesus will say, "...I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Many Christians go to meetings and see great signs and wonders. They get excited by all the supernatural. They think it is all God. Remember, Jesus said, "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matt. 24.24). Some of what we see happening are false operations, works of the enemy.
But, also remember what Jesus said in Matthew 25:31-33, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory...And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats...And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." In speaking of those on His left hand, Jesus said in Matthew 25:46, "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
How many Christians understand what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 25:31-46? Many shepherds have a few goats that they use among the sheep. They take a goat and put a bell on the goat and send it out with the sheep. A goat always looks for the best place to graze. The goat always looks out for himself. The goat does not care about the sheep, the goat only cares about himself. The sheep follow the goat wherever it goes.
When the shepherd hears the bell ringing he knows where the sheep are, they are following the goat. All the shepherd needs to do is get the goat and all the sheep will follow. But, did you know that the goat was doing just what the shepherd wanted him to do. Did you know that in the end, when the sheep are taken in, the goats are not. The shepherd receives the sheep into the final place reserved for them, but the goats are not let in. The goats cannot enter the final place where the sheep are. The goats were doing exactly what the shepherd wanted them to do. But, that does not make a goat a sheep. They are still goats.
Jesus said the goats "...shall go away into everlasting punishment..." The goats do not enter into heaven. They are cast out into outer darkness. Only the sheep enter into eternal life. This is a prophetic message to the Body of Christ. It reveals what the end will be for Christians who do the will of God the Father. It also reveals what will happen to Christians who become like the goats in the sheepfold.
I know that for those who are like the goats, if they will repent, and turn from their ways, God will forgive them and they can be among the sheep when the LORD separates the sheep from the goats. Jesus said in Luke 24:47, "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." This repentance and remission of sin is for everyone born into this world. It does not make any difference what nationality, sex, or age a person is. God is not a respecter of persons. God will forgive anyone who will repent. But, repentance is required before forgiveness.
Do not be deceived, God will not be mocked. Only they that do the will of the Father will enter into heaven. The goats will be cast out. Even if they were doing great and wonderful works in Jesus' name. Even if they say, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" (Matt. 7:23). The anointing to do great and wonderful works in Jesus' name will not get someone into heaven.
In Numbers 22:27-30, the LORD anointed an ass to speak with a man's voice to Balaam. That anointing did not make that ass a man. She was still an ass. The anointing of an individual does not make that individual a sheep, or a good shepherd. The individual is still what they were before the anointing came upon them.
The anointing does not get a person into heaven. Only doing the will of God the Father will get a person into heaven according to what Jesus said (Matt. 7:21-23). You can use a goat to lead sheep, but that does not make a goat a sheep. It is still a goat, and will remain a goat. The anointing does not change the person.
It is the obedience of the person to do the will of God, and in every area of their lives that gets them into heaven, not the anointing. Those who do the will of God in their lives will enter into heaven.
Some teachings of men do not include obedience. To some, it is all by grace on God's part, and nothing on man's part. Yet the more we study the inspired written Word of God, there is a balance between the Love, Grace, and Mercy of God and man's obedience to God. It was that way with Adam and Eve, and it continued to be that way all the way through the Bible.
What Jesus did for us, did not change what He did for others. God is not a respecter of persons. What God required of some, He requires of all. What God required of the angels, He also requires of people. God is still the same. God never changes, therefore, we must know God so well that we are pleasing to God. When we are pleasing God, we will inherit eternity with God forever.
There are many angels in the heavens today. The angels have been pleasing to God, and they have fellowship with God. The angels that followed Lucifer, are no longer in heaven. What they did was not pleasing to God. They lost their position in the third heavens and will spend eternity with the Devil in hell. God was just and righteous with the angels, and God will be just and righteous with people also. To obey is better than sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:22,23).
The Churches
The written Word of God is prophetic. The Scriptures are prophetic, for they prophesy of things past, present, and future. All Scripture is given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In 2 Peter 1:19-21, it tells us, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts...Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation...For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
All true Scripture of the Word of God came by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. There are many Bibles today that claim to be the Word of God. But, there is only one true inspired Word of God, and we must do what it tells us to do in the inspired Word of God. The inspired written Word of God was written in Hebrew and Greek, with some of the Old Testament was written in Chaldees. English Bibles and Bibles written in other languages are not the inspired written Word of God.
God is not against using Bibles written in other languages, but God is against those who translate the inspired written Word of God incorrectly. It does not make any difference if we speak Hebrew, Greek, Chaldees, English, Latin, or any other language. God knows all languages, and if we will do what we know to do, God will help us to know the Truth and walk in the Truth.
All languages spoken today came from one language, which was spoken by the descendants of Noah before Genesis, Chapter Eleven. In Genesis 11:1 it says, "And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech." Being that all mankind was corrupt in their minds by "the knowledge of good and evil," they were following "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). Their minds were blinded by the thoughts and intents of their heart, and they were following the ways of Lucifer, now known as Satan, the Devil. As Lucifer tried to exalt himself above God, and tried to become like God, so were the descendants of Noah at the time of Genesis, Chapter Eleven. Therefore, God confounded the languages of the descendants of Noah and scattered them throughout the world (Gen. 11:2-9).
In all of this, God was looking for those whom He could find that would listen to the Holy Spirit, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the teacher of all that is of God. Man is not the teacher of all truth. Only God the Holy Spirit can teach us all truth. Jesus said in John 16:13-15, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come...He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you...All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you." The Holy Spirit was always in the world, inspiring men to write the Scriptures, that they could be used to teach us all things, and give us understanding. In Job 32:8 it says, "But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding."
It does not make any difference what language we speak, for God knows all languages, and is well able to teach anyone whose heart is right before the LORD. God does not look at people the way the world looks at people. In 2 Chronicles 16:9, it says, "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him..." God knows the hearts and minds of those who are seeking Him. God looks at the hearts of people and reveals things to them from their spirit, giving them understanding (Job 32:8).
For those whose heart is right before God, He will make known to them His will and His desire for them. We know that God's will and God's desire for man is that none would spend eternity in hell. In 1 Timothy 2:3,4, it tells us, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour...Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." God knows the hearts of those who love Him and His Word. Therefore, it does not make any difference what language we speak, or what language we can read. It all depends upon our heart, what is the desire of our heart? Is the desire of our heart to know the Truth and walk in the Truth? If it is, God will make known unto us the Truth, revealing to us "the secret things of God, which are hidden to those who desire to follow the ways of the world." In 1 Corinthians 2:7-9 it says, "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory...Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory...But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."
God will reveal the truth to those who love Him, but to those whose heart is not right, they will continue to follow the ways of the world. It all has to do with our heart. Is it the desire of our heart to know the Truth and walk in the Truth? Are we willing to be taught by God, or is the teachings of men all we want to hear? Which voice will we follow, the voice of the LORD, the Chief Shepherd, or another voice? Jesus said in John 10:1-5, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber...But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep...To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out...And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice...And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."
Those who have entered through the Door of the Sheepfold, should get to know the voice of the LORD, and be led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been sent to be our Helper, Guide, Comforter, Leader, and Teacher. If our heart is right before God, God will make sure we know the Truth. God will reveal to us what is Truth and what is not of God.
None of the inspired Word of God came by the knowledge or will of man. God is the creator of heaven and earth. God is in control of everything that happens upon this earth.
All prophecy of the Scripture is progressive. It starts in Genesis, and continues through Revelation. The beginning is in Genesis 1:1 and the end is in Revelation 22:21. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). In the end, the LORD Jesus Christ will come and receive those who remain unto everlasting habitations for all eternity. Some will spend eternity in hell, others will spend eternity in heaven. Between Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21, we have a choice of which voice we will follow? Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27).
Jesus did not call us to follow those who came into the sheepfold from another way, and did not come through the Door. Jesus did not call us to follow the hirelings, who are working in the body of Christ for money. Jesus did not call us to follow the goats in the body of Christ.
We have been told over and over to come out from among them and touch not that unclean thing. We are not to have fellowship with unbelievers. In 2 Corinthians 6:17,18 it says, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you...And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." God cannot be a GOD to us, if we submit ourselves to follow those who are not following the voice of the LORD.
Speaking of those who are following the LORD, Jesus said, "...a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers" (John 10:5). In Romans 16:17,18 it says, "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them...For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." In 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 the Apostle Paul wrote, "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators...Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world...But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat." In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-8 it says, "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us...For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you...Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you." Many times throughout the Epistles we are told to come out from among those who do not follow the LORD Jesus Christ.
The Scriptures are progressive in revelation of prophecy. As we leave the Epistles and come to the last book of the Bible, we see what the LORD had to say to the seven Churches in Asia (Rev. 1:11). To each of these Churches there is revealed the will of the LORD for the churches today. What is the LORD looking for in the churches today? What is pleasing to the LORD in the churches today? What is required of the churches today? What the LORD is saying to the churches in Asia, is the same thing the LORD is saying to the Churches today.
The LORD has not changed. The LORD cannot change. What He said to the churches of Asia, He is also saying to the churches today. We must listen to what the LORD has to say, and follow His voice today. The Word of God has been written, it cannot be changed. It was inspired by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will not change what He inspired to be written.
If anyone comes teaching anything contrary to what is revealed in Revelation, Chapters Two and Three, be careful. Do not follow the voice of another. Follow only the voice of the LORD Jesus Christ, as He spoke to the seven Churches in Asia.
Read carefully the following two Chapters of Revelation."Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 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 tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 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.
And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 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.
And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 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. 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. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 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. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
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; {of the Laodiceans: or, in Laodicea} I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
The LORD is not willing that any should be lost. Therefore, the LORD is saying, "Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (Rev. 2:16,17). It is not just the Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Evangelist, and Pastors that the LORD is concerned about. Everyone, who is a Christian needs to Repent of anything that is not pleasing to the LORD. Jesus said in Luke 24:47, "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
According to all that was said to the Churches in Asia, it seems important that we try the spirits in the churches we attend today. If the things that were going on in the Churches in Asia at that time were according to what the LORD said, what is happening in the Churches today? What will happen to those who attend Churches that have things going on similar to what was happening in the Churches in Asia?
Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 15:14, "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." If Christians continue in Churches that are not doing what the LORD called them to do, what will happen to them?
In Acts 20:29,30 the Apostle Paul said, "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock...Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Is this happening in the Churches today? If it is, we were given warning already at the time of the Apostle Paul.
In 1 Timothy 4:1,2 Paul wrote, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils...Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." In 2 Timothy 3:1-5 Paul wrote, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come...For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy...Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good... Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God...Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
In 2 Peter 2:1-3, Peter wrote, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction...And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of...and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."
In 1 John 4:1, the Apostle John wrote, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
Many warnings have been given concerning the last days in which we are living.
How Satan Blinds the Minds of Christians
First let us see a type and shadow of Satan blinding the mind of Cain, the first son of Adam and Eve. In Genesis 4:1-5 it says, "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD...And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground...And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD...And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering...But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell."
The first thing to notice is that both Cain and Abel knew about making offerings to the LORD. The next thing to notice is that Cain knew in himself that his offering was not accepted. This is an indication that the LORD was alerting Cain in his conscience. It seemed that Cain's conscience was bothering him. (Our conscience is a part of our spirit, whereas our mind is in our soul. God alerts us from our spirit, where our conscience is when we intend to do things that are not of God. This happens even among those who are not born again).
It says in Genesis 4:5, "And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell." This is an indication that Cain knew what he was doing was not pleasing to the LORD. In Genesis 4:6,7 it says, "And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?...If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." The LORD spoke to Cain, telling Cain what to do. The LORD told Cain that Satan was tempting him, and wanted to control him. But, the LORD told Cain "...thou shalt rule over him."
Cain did not listen to the LORD. Cain continued to follow the desire of Satan. Genesis 4:8 says, "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." When anyone disobeys the LORD, they are in fact giving Satan a place in their lives. When they give Satan a place in their lives, Satan becomes there master. They become servants of Satan, and not the LORD. In 1 John 3:9 it says, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." The King James Translation is not clear according to the Greek. It should read, "...doth not continue in sin..." Then it should read "...he cannot continue in sin..." This would be consistent with what was already revealed in 1 John 1:5-10. If we walk in the Light, we will not continue in sin. If we sin and continue walking in the Light, the Blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all sin. The Holy Spirit works with Christians similar to the way the LORD worked with Cain in Genesis 4:6,7. Therefore, 1 John 3:12 says, "Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous."
So how do Christians minds get blinded by the Devil? In Romans 1:18 it says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." This is talking about Christians. Only Christians can "...hold the truth in unrighteousness." Those of the world who are not born again do not know the truth. Then Romans 1:19 says, "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them." In our spirit, Christians know the truth, and God works from our spirit and shows us the truth. Romans 1:20 says, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse."
Just as the LORD spoke to Cain, and revealed the truth to Cain, the Holy Spirit works within Christians, making sure they know the truth, therefore "...they are without excuse." Then in Romans 1:21 it explains, "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."
Not all Christians get involved in the things mentioned in Romans 1:22-27. Where most Christians get into areas they should not is mentioned in Romans 1:28, where it says, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient." When Christians go back to the ways of the world, and do not retain God in their knowledge and daily lives, it says, "...God gave them over to a reprobate mind..." A reprobate mind, is a rejected, debased mind.
Why would God turn a Christian over to a reprobate mind? They most likely ignored the two commandments of the LORD. They became more interested in themselves than in other Christians. They look at the world, and desire the things of the world more than the things of God. As a result of their conduct and actions, they become "...filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers...Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents...Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful...Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" (Rom. 1:29-32).
This is happening all over the world. Christians are turning to the world and the things of this world. They are making themselves more important than others. They are following the spirits of this world, and doing things which are not pleasing to God.
When God turns them over to a reprobate mind, Satan blinds their minds to the truth which can set them free. Once their minds are blinded by Satan, it is very difficult to get them to repent, and turn back to God. Without repentance, there is no returning to God.
God cannot help those who do not repent. The more they continue going against the two commandments of the LORD, the more Satan blinds their minds, that they cannot repent.
When Christians believe it is ok to take advantage of others in the Body of Christ for their own personal gain, they are walking in darkness. If they continue walking in darkness, they cannot be cleansed from sin.
In 1 John 1:5-7 it says, "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all...If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth...But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." To walk in the Light, we must keep the two commandments that the LORD gave us.
Therefore, we have obligations as Christians to walk in the light. We cannot continue to walk in darkness and expect God to deliver us from evil.
There are many in the Churches today, who believe they can continue doing some of the things mentioned in Romans 1:29-31, and they will still enter into eternal life in heaven. They could easily be believing a lie of the Devil, and not knowing it.
The Devil was a liar from the beginning and he is still lying to Christians who think they can walk in darkness and enter into eternity with God when they leave this earth. I question that kind of thinking. It seems their thoughts are coming from another source, which is not the Holy Spirit.
The Way, the Truth, the Life
Within the Churches today, there are many who are following the wrong spirit. It is a religious spirit that looks like God but it lacks the power of God. There are many things happening, which attracts the attention of others, but the motive behind what is happening is not the right spirit.
The Scriptures are a prophetic message to those whom the LORD can work within His kingdom. As we start with the gospel of Matthew and continue on through the gospel of John, we see the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Knowing the New Testament replaces the Old Testament, we should take careful notice at the difference between the two Testaments.
When Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, the religious Jews did not receive Him. They had their version of what God expects of them. They had their version of what it takes to serve God. It was all an outward appearance, but no change of heart. It was all based upon good works, but no change of attitude toward others.
Jesus set an example of the kingdom of God, but they could not understand what Jesus was teaching them. Their eyes were dull of seeing, and their ears were dull of hearing the truth that was already made know in the Old Testament. The truth was before them all those years, but only a few saw the truth, and lived according to the truth.
God was looking for faith and obedience to His plan and purpose for man. Very few throughout the Old Testament recognized the plan and purpose of God for this world. When Jesus came teaching and demonstrating the power of God to set people free, they did not recognize who Jesus was. Therefore, many of the leaders of the tribes of Israel rejected Jesus. Jesus came to save them, but they rejected the only one who could help them.
The thing that they did not understand was that God wanted to set them free, but they wanted to do it themselves, their way. They did not want to "Trust in the LORD with all their heart and lean not unto their own understanding" (Prov. 3:5). Their ways were according to what they thought, not according to the plan of God for their lives. Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
There was something missing in the way they saw the plan of God for them. What was missing was an inward change in their heart, mind, and soul. They needed to put their full trust in God and not in themselves. They needed the anointing of the Holy Spirit, for without God they could not overcome the wickedness of the spirits of this world. Evil spiritual operations can only be overcome by the Holy Spirit, not by the ability of man.
Therefore, after Jesus set the example, and made it possible for man to become born again, He went to be with the Father and sent the Holy Spirit to empower those who believe to overcome the works of the Devil. First, the Holy Spirit had to teach those who are born again how to live according to God's plan and purpose.
All throughout the Epistles the Holy Spirit was teaching us the ways of God. How to do the will of God here on earth. How to make Jesus LORD in our lives. How to walk in the Light, that the Blood of Jesus could cleanse us from all sin.
The Epistles of John summed it all up for us. Without the Epistles of John, it would be very difficult to know and do the will of God in our lives. Until Christians learn how to walk in the Light, and give no place for the Devil, they will struggle through life, and even be deceived by the spirits of this world.
The Epistles of John make it very clear on how to live in this world, and obtain eternal life in heaven. It all begins with knowing that God is Love (1 John 3:8). Until we know the love of God, we cannot walk in the love of God. Until we walk in the Love of God, we cannot please God. Until we are pleasing to God, we are still walking in darkness.
The greatest revelation of what it means to be a Christian is explained in the Epistles of John. First we must know the love of God, and His desire for those who love Him. Then we must also know that it is not possible without the help of the Holy Spirit. Man does not have the power or ability to do the will of God without the help of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit has been sent by the Father and the Son to be our Helper, Guide, Comforter, Leader, and Teacher. Until we receive the Holy Spirit in everyone of these areas of our lives, we will still be struggling with sin in our lives. When sin reigns in our lives, Satan is still in control.
All sin starts with Satan, and those who sin are following Satan, without knowledge and understanding. Sin must be overcome to walk with God. Sin is not overcome by the Blood of Lamb alone. It takes God and man working together to overcome sin in our lives. Until Christians understand how God works in the lives of those who love God, they will still be serving the Devil without knowledge of what they are doing.
Without the Holy Spirit working in our lives, we cannot overcome sin and death in our lives. The need for the Holy Spirit is just as great as the need for the LORD Jesus Christ. What Jesus did for us, will be of no avail without the help of the Holy Spirit.
Until Christians learn "faith in God," not in man, and "obedience to God" not to man, they will still be defeated in this life and could end up in the wrong place in eternity. God has a plan for mankind. God's plan starts with "faith in God," not faith in man. Then comes "obedience to God," not obedience to man.
The Epistles of John can help us if we will study them completely, using the four Gospels and the other Epistles to understand the Epistles of John. The complete Scriptures are prophetic, giving us the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of God and His plan for man. The end result of all Revelation of the New Testament is summed up in the Epistles of John.
The Epistles of John cannot be naturally understood. They must be spiritually discerned by the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If we try to understand the Epistles of John according to man's wisdom and knowledge, we will miss the importance of all that is written.
The important message in the Epistles of John is that Christians cannot have fellowship with God and the Devil at the same time. Christians cannot walk in the light while still walking in darkness. Light and darkness cannot have fellowship with each other. God cannot have fellowship with the Devil. The Devil cannot have fellowship with God. These two are opposites of each other.
The wonderful revelation of this is, Light puts out darkness. Darkness cannot put out light. When Light is permitted to manifest in our lives, darkness will leave, it cannot stay in the Light.
True "Agape" Love will destroy all the works of the enemy. The enemy cannot destroy the love of God. God is Love, and nothing can destroy God.
What is written in this Part 1 of "The Hireling," is only a start for those who desire to know the truth and to obtain unto the resurrection of the dead. Until we understand how that Satan operates within the world, and within the Churches, we will easily be deceived. That is not the plan of God for anyone, especially not for those who are truly Children of God.
What is revealed in this book is only to open our eyes that we can see, and open our ears that we can hear. In Hosea 4:6 it says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."
All of the people of the world are not God's people. Only those who have chosen to make God their God belong to God. If Christians reject the knowledge given to us in the New Testament, God cannot help them. If Christians will not search the Scriptures for themselves to know the Truth, God cannot help them. If Christians will not study the Scriptures for themselves, God cannot help them.
As long as Christians want to be taught by men, there is not much that God can do for them. God set up His plan for this world long before Adam was created. God is not about to change His plan now or ever. God is not going to make any exceptions to His plan for anyone who thinks He should. God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. God will not change, and the Devil will not change. Therefore, Christians must change to walk with God and not with the Devil.
Only God and the Holy Spirit can teach us the truth. Satan does not teach the truth. Men who think they know the truth, using all sorts of doctrines and theologies will lead many astray.
There is a lot more that Christians should know, concerning the spirits of this world, and deceitful workers within the Churches today. We must submit to the LORD Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit if we are to obtain unto the resurrection of the dead, and obtain eternal life in heaven.
For more information on doing what God desires for us to do, get "The Hireling, Part 2." In part two it will be revealed how that Satan works within the body of Christ to deceive and lead Christians into following his plan. Satan is a Devil, and he is not ignorant of what is happening today.
When we trace the works of the Devil all the way back to before this world, then follow his operations from Adam and Eve on, we will know his works and his ways. We will also get to know how to submit to God and receive help in the time of need.
There are many other books already available free on our Web sites that can help you to know and understand what the Scriptures are truly telling us. The Scriptures are prophetic, and can be understood with the help of the Holy Spirit as our Helper, Guide, Comforter, Leader and Teacher.
Go to: www.handsforjesus.cc or www.handsforjesus.org and download as many free books as you desire. They will help you to establish your relationship and fellowship with God, and maintain your walk with the LORD until the end.