Inspiration, Jerry Olson

Of the Heart

By Jerry Olson
jerrydeanolson@yahoo.com

I was driving home after Passover Service Sunday evening and I felt the Lord place this on my heart. Our heart is very important to our physical life but it too is a critical issue in our spiritual life as well and our relationship with our Father God and Lord Jesus Christ. The scripture states that God looks on our heart. This is the subject of this writing.

Where is your heart is the question?
The heart is a subject that comes up for discussion from Genesis to Revelations. I have given this much thought and I feel that this issue is an extremely important issue and worthy of our time and review. Our very eternal life is affected by the condition of our heart. Is it of the nature of God or man? The nature of our Father and our Lord Jesus is of the Holy Spirit a Holy nature. God is Holy because His Spirit and His heart is Holy, His Holy Spirit. If we have a heart for God it is because God has looked on our heart and decided that He is going to give us His Holy Spirit. If we have God’s Holy Spirit we are therefore children of God. If we do not have the Holy Spirit given to us only by God, then we are not yet of the Household of God or in the Family of God.

What is written in the scripture about our heart from the beginning?
Read it here in this scripture just below.
Genesis 6:5 & 6 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

Genesis 8:21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.

Exodus 7:3 “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.”

Offerings for the Tabernacle: Exodus 35:5 Take from among you an offering to the Lord.
Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the Lord: gold, silver, and bronze.

Leviticus 19:17 You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.

Deuteronomy 4:9 “Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren.

Deuteronomy 30:6 “And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”

Caleb’s good report in his heart: Joshua 14:7 “I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart.

Joshua 24:23-24 “Now therefore,” he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel.” And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey.”

Hannah’s Prayer: I. Samuel 2:1 & 2 And Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. “There is none Holy like the Lord.”

I Samuel 24:4 & 5 And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe.

I Kings 2:4 “that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, He said, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.”

Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Job 9:4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?

Psalm 10:17 Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their
heart;

Psalm 26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.

Psalm 37:31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.

Psalm 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.

Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 86:12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore.

Psalm 101:2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

Proverbs 4:20-23 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

Proverbs 17:3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts.

Sayings of the Wise: Proverbs 22:17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.

Isaiah 13:6-7 Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man’s heart will melt.

The fall of Lucifer: Isaiah 14:12-14 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation, On the farthest sides of the north; I will be like the Most High.”

Isaiah 29:13 Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near to Me with their mouths, And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.

Isaiah 51:7 “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their revilings.

Isaiah 60:5 Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you.

Jeremiah 4:4 “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doing.”

Jeremiah 9:26 “Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.”

Ezekiel 11:19&20 “Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.”

Ezekiel 13:2&3 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Hear the word of the Lord!” Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have
seen nothing!

Ezekiel 14:3 “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in the hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity.

The Great Day of God: Malachi 4:6 “And He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to the father, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse”

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 12:34 “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matthew 15:8&9 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

Mark 11:23 “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have them.

Luke 2:19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 24:25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Acts 8:21 “You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

II Corinthians 3:3 you are manifestly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

Ephesians 6:6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

I Timothy 1:5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.

Hebrews 3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.

I John 3:20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

The fall of Babylon the Great: Revelation 18:7 “In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’

I did not list every scripture about the heart however enough to get a feel for the importance of the heart to God and the significance it has for each of us. If you know a man’s heart then you know the man. God looks on our heart to know us. In Acts we read about God removing Saul as king because his heart was not right. And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

The Holy Spirit is the essence of God. John 4:24 states that: “God is Spirit.” God’s Spirit nature is of love, kindness, longsuffering and goodness. Man’s nature on the other hand is found in scripture as well. John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. We are selfish, angry, full of hatred, disobedience and stubbornness. Much of the time we see this world’s nature the nature of satan the god of this world. Satan has great power and much influence over this world at this time. Satan has this world eating if you will, out of his hand, he promotes all kinds of wickedness, sinfulness, lustfulness, and strife. John 5:42 “But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.”

God wants a family and He wants us all to come to the knowledge of God. But before He calls us He looks on our heart to see if we are yet ready for this walk at this time. Our heart determines when we are to be called. John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

John 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.
God looks on our heart to know if the veil of the flesh and the veil of Egypt (representing this world) can be lifted or removed. Our hearts are tested to see and determine the nature of our heart and after evaluation, our God will either leave the veil for now, over our hearts or begin the process of repentance, baptism, and giving us His heart through giving us His Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God. This is the only way we can become members of the family of God, church members, Christians and sons of God.
John 1:33 “I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ :34 “And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

Until we have a heart change and come to know the things of God we are lost, in darkness and without understanding and the Holy Spirit simply is not ours to have. We are accountable to God for only what we know, what God gives us to know. Without belief in our Lord Jesus and coming to repentance into our heart we will remain blind period. There is not a single Christian alive today that could explain to you why God has chosen them to be a child of God with the Holy Spirit given to them at this time. It is not of works, that anyone could boast. Ephesians 2:8,9&10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. It is through His grace that this heart can be changed into a heart for God.

We are the called of God. II Timothy 1:9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. Galatians 3:26-29 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew or Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to promise. Ephesians 2:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

The glory of the new covenant is finally here. II Corinthians 3:11-18 For what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech-unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.
But their minds were hardened. For until this day the same veil remains un-lifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

When I traveled to the city of Jerusalem it became clearer to me as to this veil on the heart. Many Jewish people are still studying and spending much time with the Old Testament and often speak of the law that was given to Moses. Although Moses was not the messiah, they still look to him. I even asked our Jewish guide about the messiah and her response to me was, quote, “I will ask the messiah this question when He comes, “have you been here before, and if He answers yes, I will convert at that time to Christianity.” These people are not able to come out from under the veil, until God makes it possible.

The veil in the original temple separated man from his God in the Holy of Holies, where the high priest was charged to go once a year only, where he would literally crawl under the heavy veil in the temple. Jesus has now qualified to be our High Priest.
He removed the veil at His death and blood sacrifice on the cross for mankind.

Hebrews 10:19-23 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

God delivered His people out of Egypt by a shepherds son, Moses and God will deliver His people again out of modern day Egypt (this world) through another shepherd who gave his life for the sheep, Jesus the Son of the Most High. A Son Jesus who was slain from the foundation of this world.

I Peter 2:9&10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Revelation 3:21 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.”

Blessings to all my brothers and sisters in the Lord!

Jerry Olson
jerrydeanolson@yahoo.com

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Dave Palcsak, Testimonies, The Walk

How Could This Happen to a Devout Agnostic?

By Dave Palcsak
davepalcsak@gmail.com

I kept my fingers crossed as we pulled into the parking lot. In a matter of moments I would have a much better idea of the torture ahead. I knew it was going to be bad, it always was. The same trepidation every week. Maybe it was that little sliver of hope that kept me from utter despair. Maybe this would be one of the easier days. I exited the vehicle and silently headed towards the stairs. My two brothers were right there with me. We were normally a loud bunch but there was no conversation during this time. We’ve never talked about this, but I think they too were hoping for the best of a bad situation. We reached the steps and climbed them anxiously. The doors opened and I glanced toward the altar………..Whew.

It wasn’t going to be as bad as it could have been. My favorite priest, Father Schultz was saying mass. It wasn’t that I liked Father Schultz. I don’t think any kid liked him. He never spoke to most parishioners, much less insignificant kids. I had no respect for him either, but I did fear him. To be honest I felt the same way about all the priests and nuns. Father Schultz did have one major asset. He was fast. Other priests could rob up to an hour of my valuable Sunday time. Father Schultz got you out the door in a half hour max. I know he was an avid golfer which would explain the warmer months, but the temperature didn’t matter, Eighty degrees twenty degrees, you could be out the door in twenty four (I think that was my personal best) minutes.

I never once had a conversation with Father. Believe me there’s no regret in that statement. The nuns, who didn’t really need help in punishment techniques, would occasionally threaten kids with a trip to Father Schultz office. That’s all it took. I know of no kid who didn’t do whatever was required to avoid that dreaded march. As a matter of fact, I never saw or even heard of any kid actually being sent to him. I think the nuns used it as an idle (albeit effective) threat. They knew Father Schultz had no interest in dealing with kids and to send one to him may have incurred his wrath. Which even nuns would hesitate to do. He was a big wheel. Hobnobbing with the heavy hitters was his thing. The parish was very wealthy and he had ample opportunity to schmooze. I know this because the powerful members of the congregation loved to hang out with him. My parents didn’t rate. For one thing they didn’t even belong to a county club.
One parishioner who was worthy to associate with Father Schultz was Mr. Davis. I went to school with his daughter and she was a casual friend. My family lived in the city, but we were close enough geographically to belong to the rich suburban church. Most kids didn’t understand caste difference as well as Father Schultz and the adults did. We were middle class but poor by parish standards. Mr. Davis was rich among the rich. I never thought about the disparate value of worshippers until I overheard my parents talking about Mr. Davis with another couple, who, like my parents were from the wrong side of the tracks. Mr. Davis didn’t fancy arriving to church early. His time was obviously too valuable to waste with parking and walking. He wanted his very own space right up front. So he bought one. Right in the front row with his name on it. During service the next Sunday Father Schultz giddily announced Mr. Davis’ very large donation (I prefer purchase). We were told to never, under any circumstances use that space. I didn’t pay attention during services but I got that message. It was repeated several weeks in a row. What a happy time for Father Schultz. I had never seen him so reverent. For all I know Mr. Davis still has his spot to this day.

This was part of my Catholic experience. It’s not an indictment on Catholicism. My mom and two sisters are Catholic. There are doubtless many fine Catholics. For me, it was torture, and I hated every minute of it. Each Sunday, the same bad play by the same goofy costumed ill- tempered actors. To be fair, I put in very little to no effort. I never once wanted to go to church. I went because I had to and was told I would burn in hell if I didn’t. I was about eleven when the burn in hell threat lost its teeth. I can’t say I lost my faith, because I never really bought in. When I was in the sixth grade my parents allowed my brothers and me to attend services on our own. For the three of us, that was a get out of jail card. Other than an occasional mandatory (which was ok because it was during school hours) mass we were done.

I attended Catholic schools for nine years and went to church until I was twelve. In that time, I never owned a Bible. I don’t recall ever reading one. I’m sure scriptures were quoted during services but I never paid any attention. I was familiar with the general Jesus story, but it didn’t seem too critical. I honestly have no idea what that church was trying to do, not that I gave it any thought. I don’t think there were any poor folks in the parish and I never knew anything like outreach even existed. St. Andrew’s parish in Upper Arlington, Ohio rated folks according to the amount of money contributed. At last that’s how I perceived it. This didn’t trouble me. I never viewed it as right or wrong, it was simply the way it was.

Every kid I knew in the school had one thing in common. Their parents were Catholic. I assume most of their grandparents were also Catholic. My last year of Catholic schooling was freshman year in high school. My parents told me I would have to pay my own way to continue attending Bishop Watterson High school. They were afraid I would be devastated by that news. I must admit, although I was thrilled, I did act disappointed. I thought maybe I could parlay that into a car down the road, but no luck there. I noticed, in public school, the few people I knew who attended church had something in common with those I knew in Catholic school. They all went to the same church as their parents did. It seemed to me that no one chooses where they go to church. Kids went where their parents’ went, and I assumed that was true of their parents’ parents’ also. I thought I had religion figured out. It has nothing to do with reality or genuine faith. It makes sense to desire eternal life and most folks value tradition. Blindly following others was the most common and understandable reason to be whatever you were.

I was an agnostic before I knew the term existed. As I grew, my experiences and education did nothing but bolster my worldview. I was far from a great student, but I did have an interest in Darwinian evolution. I found it amazing that people could cling to mythology in the face of scientific fact. I was never an atheist. I assumed that one day an acceptable explanation for order in the universe would be found, but it hadn’t been yet. However The Bible was clearly a storybook contradicting known science, therefore folks who played The Bible card were dead from the start. I found myself in religious discussions (as an agnostic apologist) from time to time. I began to describe myself as a devout agnostic. From personal experience, I can tell you many believers were agitated by my self description. Those who dared argue with me did so at their own peril. Faith makes folks feel better, it doesn’t make them right.
I understood why believers wanted the religion crutch. In my mind I, never actively sought discourse on the topic. Sure, I may have been overly enthusiastic proclaiming my agnosticism, but I didn’t start discussions I finished them. It wasn’t that I considered myself smarter than any believer. I was simply more enlightened. Christians weren’t hesitant to condemn me, they were merely and understandably inept at countering logic and reason . Don’t shine the light if you want to remain in the dark. It didn’t matter that I never studied The Bible, it was so easy to disprove you didn’t need to know much. People don’t live for hundreds of years. A boat can’t be built to hold two of every animal on earth. If it could, how would they be gathered, on and on. To be fair, I found that most Christians understood that The Bible was not historically or scientifically accurate. I also fully acknowledged that science can’t explain everything…..yet.
Again, I was not an atheist. In fact, I found atheism to be at least , if not more ridiculous than belief. Science may never explain everything. On the other hand, folks use to pray so Mr. sun god would show up, or Mr. rain god etc, etc, etc. The fact is the more we learn and the more science advances, the less we need these gods. We don’t know, doesn’t mean God is the explanation. In over thirty years I never lost a faith argument . No one ever came close. In fact many would admit they were being intellectually dishonest with themselves and acknowledged that the facts didn’t support their faith.

That’s the beauty of agnosticism. No one has the answers. It wasn’t an anti Christian thing. I knew I could convince believers of any faith. In fact, my proudest “conversion” was an atheist. My brother Joe. It took me all of five minutes to get him back to the agnostic fold. In that conversation and most others, I didn’t even pull out what I called the agnostic show stopper: Many different people, smarter than you, smarter than me, believe many different things. Likely they’re all wrong. At most only one is right. How can you be so arrogant to place your belief system above every other. There was no counter to that….or so I thought.

My aforementioned brother Joe lives in Colorado. About two years ago he called me. We have (still are) always been close, but distance and busy lives had greatly reduced our communication. I was glad to hear from him and expected the usual light banter. Instead, he dropped a bomb on me. He told me he was a committed Christian. I told him committed is what he needed to be. I remembered that his wife is a life long Christian . They have two beautiful young adopted daughters from China (they have three fine older sons also), and it’s the natural thing in society to provide a faith foundation. He had valid reason to “play the game”. I told my brother I understood the family pressure causing his charade but he didn’t have to run it on me. But as we talked, I realized this was something he had personally studied for some time. He was completely serious and he was also the same guy I have known all my life. Very smart, very funny, very passionate. He was just misguided. I had converted him before so I figured I could convert him again. I opened up with the ole agnostic show stopper: Many people believe different things blah, blah,……How can you be sure you’re right? He said: “You either believe Jesus Christ is Son of The One True God or you don’t.” I have to admit, that was an interesting angle, but it didn’t solve his problem. He was basing facts on a storybook. The Bible contradicts science and it’s loaded with clear impossibilities. He said he could prove otherwise. I knew it wasn’t possible, but I always claimed to be open minded so I agreed to look at an e mail. That e mail led me to read, watch, study and research several topics more than I’ve studied anything in my entire life. It began a journey for me that I thought I would never take. But I did. My path was (is) unique. Hopefully those who don’t believe will be compelled to question their foundation of doubt. Perhaps some who do believe, will be aware of witnessing opportunities that might have otherwise been missed. I went three decades plus before I heard effective witness. It’s true that many are blind and will not look. Just as (if not more) often, folks will be as I was, willing to watch , but being unaware “good programming” exists. Hard core atheist are close minded, hateful and arrogant. Everyone else is reachable.

The Bible is the only place to end, but it’s often a bad place to start. My brother knew that was the case with me. The e mail he sent me contained nothing about The Bible or God. It was about science: the science of intelligent design. During our conversation, my brother astounded me when he said he no longer accepted Darwinian evolution. I was aghast. Who was he to question scientific fact! He understood that I, like so many others, believed in Darwinian evolution purely by faith. Science says, therefore it is.

But his e mail WAS about science. It was fascinating but it was suppose to be. I decided to counter his ID garbage with an equally (likely more) impressive Darwinian response. After all, virtually every scientist of the past century and a half (if not more) have been firmly in the Darwinian camp. It would be a piece of cake. Worst case, I cast enough doubt on his view to remain in my blissful state of being unconvinced of anything. In that mind set, I went to work.

Don’t take my word on this, check for yourself. We’ve done the heavy lifting. Every Darwinian (or naturalist) argument boils down to this: Creation is not possible because creation is not possible. Evidence they ACKNOWLEDGE is dismissed because it points to design. I went in to my investigation convinced ID was not provable. I came out only wondering if the case for ID was more of a slam dunk cosmologically or biologically. There is zero reason to doubt that what we are and where we are far exceed the abilities of randomness. ZERO.

I’m going to provide the names of four prominent naturalist apologists‘, and four manes of Christian apologists’. If you want to branch from these, you’ll see ample opportunity. Well structured fair debates helped me. There are plenty of these available on you tube. Naturalist: Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris and Eugenia Scott. Christians: Stephen C. Meyer, Ravi Zacharias, William Lane Craig and Hugh Ross. Watch with an open mind and you WILL be amazed.

Intelligent design convinced me of creation, but it didn’t convince me of who or what did the creating. It did make me very curious. I wasn’t willing to buy into any worldview without scrutiny. I intentionally saved The Bible for last. I don’t mean to diminish or disrespect any belief system. Christians must always remember Jesus’ most important command: Love God, love your fellow man. With that in mind, I must also be honest. Christianity alone stands up to scrutiny. The Dead Sea Scrolls proved the Old Testament was written before Christ was born. Many don’t understand (I didn’t) how profoundly critical this fact is. The only possible way to doubt that The Bible came from a dimension far beyond our own was to question The Old testament date of origin. Nothing else can explain the many, historically verifiable, phenomenally detailed fulfilled prophecy’s (among so much more). There is no scientific dispute regarding the dating of The Scrolls. The Bible also exceeds ALL other works of antiquity COMBINED in terms of textual veracity.

Jesus not only allows critical examination, He demands it. Islamic sharia law forbids questioning Allah or Mohammed. Jesus taught that every single person has intrinsic value. Hindu’s are reincarnated into a caste system they can’t escape because of their failings in a previous existence. Jesus claimed to be The Son of The One True God and He also proved it. Buddhists have no deity. A Universalist (mystifying as its’ increasing popularity is) says pick what you want from where you want, ignoring the fact that truth can not be obtained by acceptance of different aspects of mutually exclusive views. Albert Einstein said “Religion without science is blind. Science without religion is lame.”

My journey, as it so often happens, is relatively unique. The blatant wrong thinking of the church I was forced to attend soured me on religion. It was in the leap that followed where I now see my error. I assumed The Word of God to be flawed because of faulty messengers. After all, these priests and nuns spent there lives studying and training to serve The Lord. I trusted them as experts, and I wanted no part of what they were doing. Any who would follow these “teachers” must be misguided also. My problem wasn’t the data, it was the conclusion.

Now I want to be very careful here. God is the sole judge regarding salvation. But those who portray themselves as His servants are held to a higher standard. If they are in error, it is more important for them to realize this and change than it is for others. Believers ARE the church. Those who consider themselves to be above reproach likely need it most. Too often, political hierarchy and lust for position causes men to value their word over God’s Word. Striving to maintain position and power doesn’t further His work ,it corrupts it .

“Seek and ye shall find”. This verse sustained me through months of struggles. It also provided me with my first glimpse of God’s sense of humor. I used that verse very differently as an agnostic. It was one of the very few verses I knew. Keep in mind, I was never an atheist. I thought it was intellectually untenable then, I know it is now. As an agnostic I could claim to be open and seeking. He didn’t reveal Himself to me so He didn’t exist. That was in my arsenal of agnostic garbage that helped me go undefeated for more than 30 years. Pathetic? You bet. A fact none the less. If you ever have a witnessing opportunity with an agnostic, always assume you will be the first effective witness they’ve ever heard, all too often your assumption will be correct.

I have many friends and acquaintances who profess belief. I had many encounters with believers as an agnostic. I thought I knew what they did… Argue with me and you will lose. As it turns out I was open. I don’t claim to fully understand God’s plan for me, but part of it involved getting my brain on board before my spirit. The intellectual trickle preceded the spirit downpour, and Jesus is the rainmaker. This is one of my blog postings. It has been slightly altered.

Jesus was never rich. He was never elected to any office and he had no political agenda. He never served in the military and He never used force or violence. In fact Jesus promised his followers that they would face persecution, torture and even death for proclaiming faith in Him. How is it possible a man like that could change history more than anyone before or since. Was it because he said He was The Son of God? Go to any psyche ward in this (or any other) country. Chances are several folks there will be making a divinity claim of one sort or another. What they can’t do is back it up, Jesus did. I think C.S. Lewis states this perfectly:

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic- on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

Our faith must be in God, His Divine Son Jesus and The Holy Spirit of God. If you attend any church that doesn’t have preaching God’s word as it’s absolute main purpose, GET OUT. “You can not serve two masters”. The God of the universe came to earth as one of us and suffered the most horrific torture and death in history. He did this not for Him. He did this for each of us. He did it for you, he did it for me. Those who will tell you, Jesus wants to know you, may be well meaning, but they’re misguided. Can we really believe The Sovereign God of All doesn’t know us? Preposterous. It is on us to know Him, not the other way around. You must read The Bible. There is no other way.

Does this mean we have to go it alone? Yes and no. Believers must spend time, in solitude with The Word. If you don’t study The Bible you can have no foundation for discernment. God humbles the proud and exalts the meek. That’s why I denounced what I didn’t know! I trusted lovers of ceremony and ritual. I didn’t respect them, but I thought they were representing God. Those who claim to do this without His Word as their center piece are in need of rebuke, not regard.

As you begin to understand God’s word you can begin to recognize His true representatives. Titles mean nothing. They neither qualify or disqualify. One of my best friends is a Pastor. He is convicted and kind, bold yet humble. If anything he may be too self critical. On the other hand, maybe those in official capacities need to be more self critical. Actually, we all probably need more of that. I know I do.

The mistake made by what I call “sunshine and lollipops” preachers is this. They replace the miraculous, wonderful Truth of God with false promises of earthly rewards. Last week I sent a prayer strip (put it under your pillow and pray for a pony) back to a St. Matthew’s church, in Tulsa I think. I have no clue if it was sent randomly or otherwise. I wrote a letter advising them that I rejected their idolatrous trinket. I asked them to support, by Scripture, why we should expect more from this world than Jesus or The Apostles. We are called to pray for his will, not personal wealth. If persecution, chains and death face us. So be it. His burden is light. Not so outside The Spirit. You can only be properly equipped to endure if you’re prepared.

When speaking of God’s riches, human analogies, by definition fall short. With that in mind consider a brain surgeon. I’m no expert, but I’d guess a Dr. like that has at least 14 years of intense, nearly constant study from College frosh to 1st scalpel contact with gray matter. That is, if he makes it at all. Lot’s of sacrifice but big payoff. His struggle is sustained by the ultimate reward. Easy rarely, if ever equals worthwhile. How much greater is the reward our Heavenly Father has for us? I won’t sully it by attempting to put it to words. There are none sufficient.

Some time ago I had a phone conversation with this ministry’s founder. My brother had told me about him so I decided to ring him up. I didn’t even realize it, but at that time, I was on the fence. I didn‘t know this but he did. We laugh now reflecting back on that, but it wasn’t a humorous chat. Part of what he told me was immediately clear, part of it took a while to sink in. 3 days after we spoke I was baptized. The need for that was clear. I didn’t get the rest right away because it frightened, confused and intimidated me. He didn’t just tell me this, he warned me. “You’re better off forgetting this whole thing than going in only part way”. Looking back, I knew he spoke the truth. I was hoping to find a place to rest on the journey. A beach exit with a luxury hotel would be kind of cool. That’s not how it works. You either keep traveling the road or you get off. It’s that simple.

I suspect that road and the speed limit can vary. “To whom much is given much is required”. It‘s not for me to judge other folks on the path. I can no more do that than deny what I know I’ve been given. Money, power and fame are refuse in comparison. I have eternal life with The Creator of everything. So I’m putting all my chips in. It’s an easy bet when you have the lock hand.

I can’t sell my house for a year. I would lose an $8,000 tax credit. I couldn’t help my youngest with college as much as I would have liked to so I’m letting her live here, rent free for that year. I’m moving to Denver. My retirement and 401k will be cashed in to do this. I’m 52, not in the best of health and the world would say I’m crazy throwing away all security. I’m going to do everything I can, for the rest of my life, to convince as many as possible that I’m not throwing my security away, I’m insuring it. To my brothers and sisters I already know in Co. Can’t wait to get there. To those I haven’t yet met……..we’ll chat then I guess.

In Him,
Dave Palcsak
davepalcsak@gmail.com

Please feel free to reproduce, reprint and/or forward as desired. Altering or editing is strictly prohibited. To contact us, send a request to info@sharingtheway.com or visit our website at https://sharingtheway.com/. Using an article for any form of advertising is strictly prohibited.

Andrew Strom, Testimonies, The Walk

2007 Vision – “Lights in the Coming Darkness”

By Chad (-JTB Comments).

In May of 2007 I was at a prayer meeting with a group of men. My eyes had
been opened to the financial situation the U.S. was in at that time. I had
recently read an article comparing our then current situation with that of
the 1920’s just prior to the Great Depression.
I had also been reading about the disappearance of the honey bees. These
things were of serious concern to me, but probably not on the mind of anyone
else in the group. I decided to mention the honey bee situation as a prayer
concern. There was a young man there, a soldier, who was stationed near our
city here in Alaska. I did not know him very well and did not know what was
about to transpire or what he was going to say after our prayers were
finished. It must have been more than a year later that I set up a time to
meet with him and discuss what had happened that night. He gave me a copy of
what he had written in his journal as follows:

“Yesterday I was at a prayer meeting with some of my friends. I was really
looking forward to the four day weekend. I had no previous knowledge about
the concern God was going to put on my heart.

It came up from one of the guys to pray for the bee situation in America.
Apparently beekeepers around America are losing lots of their bees and no
one seems to know why.

When we started talking about this and some of the reasons why people think
this might be happening the Holy Spirit came upon me strongly. In my mind, I
saw the Alaskan wilderness with mountains and plains and trees. Close to me
was a camping lantern hanging in the air around chest height. The lantern
was on, but you couldn’t tell very easily during the daylight. Then a great
darkness came over the land and the lantern shone brightly.

God then impressed strongly on me that the lantern represents Christians.
The daylight represents good times. Right now there is an abundance of
blessings that we are enjoying, but they are soon to end. God is bringing a
great darkness, which represents a time of meagerness, desperation and
famine. The next thought in my mind was that this time we are in now is akin
to the roaring twenties when there was great abundance. The time to come is
not unlike the great depression that hit afterwards.

The Spirit impressed on me that Christians now do not seem to be shining
brightly because of the current daylight, (the great abundance). They do not
appear to be different from anyone else, but when this time of darkness
comes, then Christians will stand out in great contrast to the rest of
society, and many will look to us and many will be added to our number. When
this time of darkness comes, many people will be become desperate and for
some reason God impressed on me that many will go into the wilderness, away
from civilization.

Then God impressed on my heart that the bees’ disappearance was a sign that
American industry would be derailed. This was the sign of the coming famine
to hit this land. I thought of how Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams of
the seven years of plenty and the seven years of famine. I didn’t get an
idea of how long it would last though.

In addition to this, God impressed on me strongly that His people are “in a
malaise,” and they must be warned of the reality of what’s about to happen.
Many Christians have been deceived by comfort and their blessings and are
not walking with God; they are not in tune with His Spirit and what He is
about to do. When the darkness comes, they will fall into distress like the
rest of society.
A friend I had recently made came to mind, and I was filled with the urge to
tell him to get ready spiritually for what is to come.

As the other guys were praying for the needs that arose during our time
together, I was greatly distressed by this vision. I wasn’t able to keep
track with their prayers. It seemed that God is about to do something
tremendous, but we are more concerned with our little tea parties and nice
prayers. I think God wants us to have some perspective about what He is
about to do instead of just being preoccupied with our own situations.

I was wondering when all this was going to happen and the impression I got
was very soon, like this next winter. This was very disturbing to me, and I
have been trying to inquire of God and confirm when, but the only response I
get is soon.

The thought of what was going to happen disturbed me and I was afraid. I
told God, “I’m afraid,” and He impressed on me again that I don’t need to be
afraid because I have the Spirit of God. It will glow in the darkness and I
will be able to see. He will provide for me like He always has.

After the guys had stopped praying, I told them about what I had seen and
what God impressed on me. At one point, I broke down and started sobbing, I
just couldn’t control it.”

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http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

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Andrew Strom, Testimonies, The Walk

Vision – Escaping the Spirit of the Age

By Gary/Dagazz.

Vision of the Present and Coming Western Church – 06-05-11:

I saw the people of God scattered in dark foreboding waters. They were
broadly scattered and mostly trapped into an apathy of the status quo. As I
looked I could see that many were comfortable being scattered and overcome
by the spirit of the age, but I sensed a storm was about to shake many out
of their apathy and awaken them to repentance and revival.

As the sea began to roar in the coming storm I was able to see that many
individuals were alone, discouraged and struggling as the waves and wind
began to beat upon them. Some began to realize the bondage and danger they
were in and call out to God, seeking a way of escape, many had begun to seek
out others in the tossing waves and together they had managed to keep their
heads above the swelling storm and encourage each other to hope and trust in
Christ.

I was fascinated and moved with empathy and compassion as I saw my brothers
and sisters struggle and endure; what I saw happen next amazed me. Those who
began to seek a way out of this ocean of bondage were lifting their heads,
seeking their Lord, seeing a glimmer of the revelation of His kingdom, power
and glory and beginning to move towards the brightening land that was
visible on the horizon of the dawning day. Those that did this were for a
time fighting for their lives as the waves tried to push them down, crashed
over their heads as the wind stung their faces and sought to blind them to
the hopeful vision they were beginning to see.
Those who didn’t struggle had no such drama and were carried along by the
storm, spared the battle that these others were going through. Some
struggled for a time, became discouraged that things seemed to get worse and
lay back, defeated in the dark waters.

As I watched those that refused to quit, it was as if these persevering,
praying, struggling saints suddenly became vessels, like small fishing
skiffs, or mullet boats as we call them. The wind and waves tried to sink
these vessels but as they got their bearings and began to steer the course
towards the growing glory, the bows of the boats rose above the waves and
the wind filled the sails and sped them towards their destination. Because
they had persevered and not been thrown off course these people began to
rejoice in the stability and freedom they were experiencing now they had
escaped the clutches of the raging sea.

I was excited as I saw that this was God’s church that was being raised up,
those in the vessels were of one heart and mind, focused on the Lord, His
kingdom and glory and filled with hope and joy. Some of these vessels would
rescue others as they sailed along and had soon grown into a great
multitude. As I saw what I believe the Spirit told me was the end time
church, I was impressed that they were what could best be described as a
powerhouse of encouragement, unity of purpose, prayer, proclamation and
exhortation.

I saw one of these vessels cutting through huge waves that were seeking to
drown a group caught in the storm. A cry of intercession came forth from the
body of believers in the ship that had a power like holy violence, it was as
though the darkness was in an instant driven back and the roaring waves
scattered. The sacrifice of these vessels, in seeking to save those lost in
the worst of the storm meant they had to turn aside from their straight path
and the comfort of rising above the waves, and again be for a time be beaten
and tossed by the storm, but love enabled them to endure this for the joy of
seeing captives set free. I was weeping as I saw this great love and
sacrifice for the sake of others being expressed by the church.

I then made two errors in comprehending what I was seeing, both ideas were
met with the rebuke of the Lord as they rose from my heart. The first was
that this church seemed to be free from leaders as we know them in the
church today and just seemed to be made up of ordinary everyday people doing
extraordinary things. I was asked a question. “Have I not set in my church
leaders, teachers, prophets, evangelists and shepherds; for what purpose are
they given to the church?” I instantly knew my heart was wrong, this end
time church was not against leadership, but was in fact the product of
ministry gifts that are focused on maturing and mobilizing the saints to be
God’s people. There were prophets in the Spirit of Elijah, convicting,
challenging and proclaiming holiness. As I looked closer I saw such people
uniting families, diverse cultures and age groups on the vessels they served
on. I also saw teachers, evangelists and other gifted leaders, all were
giving glory to God and proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ. He was their
head, their vision and their treasure. None were elevating themselves above
the people, they were lifting up Christ and enabling people to truly know
and walk with God for themselves. One crucial characteristic of these groups
was that they were all extremely sensitive to, and empowered by the wind of
the Spirit, and were no longer fearful of the storm or its power.

The other error I made was in determining in my heart to devote myself to
becoming part of the glorious church that I had just seen.
I was shocked that such a goal was subject to correction as I saw it as a
noble and valuable pursuit. I was encouraged to, “Seek first the Lord and
His righteousness,” and warned of the danger of settling for any experience,
movement or ministry along my journey that would cause me to camp at a
certain place of progress and lead me to not continue in the upward call of
God in Christ. I knew that my carnal, religious heart could easily settle
for less than the fullness that God desires to bring to His church.

One tragic part of the vision was that in the dark stormy sea I could see
large crowds of people gathering together but seeming to be at ease in this
environment. As I looked closer I saw that these groups of people were
gathering around gifted and charismatic people who held these storm tossed
but united believers together with their words, slick presentations and
dynamic personalities. I thought that they also would acknowledge that they
were trapped in worldly, satanic or other enslavements in this storm and
find freedom as others around them had begun to. As I considered this I saw
that during this time these groups would also gather new- comers who were
drawn to the big crowds and the bold encouraging words that the leaders
spoke. I heard many of the people trapped in these groups encouraging each
other that their church was growing and that this was a sign of God’s
blessing upon them.
They were also questioning the authority of these other believers sailing
past them to freedom, feeling they were not in proper submission to church
leadership. They were sadly comforted in their blindness.

Some leaders did realize the deception they were living under and turned
from being the centre of these groups and began to humble themselves and
lift up and turn the eyes of their followers to Christ.
Soon many of these groups were becoming like the others that I had seen,
escaping the storms, being mobilized in their true gifts and callings and
finding liberty and victory in their lives, with Christ as their head.

I pray this will encourage everyone in the storms they are facing or about
to face.

-Please comment on this at the website below-

http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

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General

Good & Evil Defined

As a representative of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Holy Spirit has assigned me to deliver this very important message.  I call it Good & Evil Defined.  – By Brad Roberts, stay@harmels.com

“Woe unto them that call good evil and evil good.” (Isa 5:20) “Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight.” (Isa 5:21)  “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law.  Fear ye not the reproach of evildoers, neither be ye afraid of their reviling.” (Isa 51:7)  “None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.” (Isa 59:4)  “Yea, truth faileth, and he that departs from evil maketh himself a prey.” (Isa 59:15)  “The people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor.” (Isa 3:5)  “The way to peace they know not, there is no judgment in their goings: they have made themselves crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.  Therefore is judgment far from us.” (Isa 59:8-9)  “And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.” (Isa 59:15)

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, let him return to the Lord; and He will have mercy upon him, for God will abundantly pardon.” (Isa 55:7)

“Let ever soul be subject to higher powers.  For there is no power but of God: the powers that be, are ordained of God.” (Rom 13:1)  “Rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil.” (Rom 13:3)  “Recompense to no man evil for evil.  Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” (Rom 12:17)  “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom 12:21)

“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shall love your neighbor as thyself.” (Gal 5:14)  “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22)  “Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein, he being not a hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:25)  If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, thou shall love your neighbor as yourself, ye do well:  But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convicted of the law as transgressors.” (James 2:8-9)

“Let us not therefore judge one another any more.” (Rom 14:13)  “Let love be without dissimulation, abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.” (Rom 12:9)  “Bless them that persecute you: bless not curse.” (Rom 12:14)  “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Rom 13:10)  “Let every one of us please his neighbor.” (Rom 15:2)  “Judge not, that ye be judged, for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.” (Matt 7:1-2)

“We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  For it is written, as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” (Rom 14:10-11)  So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” (James 2:12)

“For verily, I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matt 5:18)

Faith, Inspiration, Sue Bosh

A Remarkable Man Joins with God

April 24 is a well-known date to Jerry Kroninger. It is, sadly, the anniversary date of his father’s death. It is also the date of joy to him. It marks the wedding anniversary date with his lovely wife, Cathy. It also is the date remembering the birth of his sons, born three years apart on this same date. Now it has yet another, possibly the most important remembrance: it is the date of his new Life in Jesus Christ – his baptism.

Jerry was raised the son of a pastor, brother to a pastor, father to a pastor, and yet his eyes and ears were not opened to understand the Truth of the Word until about a year ago.

A Spirit of unrest dwelled within him, so he prayed. He asked God to show him the path that he should walk. As always, our faithful God led him to His Truth in the Scriptures. A Bible study group was made available to Jerry where he learned a new Way to see the Word of God.

With all his years of training and study, he did not fully understand God’s plan for him until his eyes and ears were opened. Now he embraces a new life with Christ and is excited to begin anew.

Jerry Kroninger is only 76 years old! See the pictures below of the baptism.

By Sue Bosh

Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
Being buried!
Rising from the dead!
Brad Roberts, Faith, Hear God's Voice, Inspiration, My Sheep Hear My Voice, Testimonies, Testimony, Voice of God

Commissioners hear from God

Moderator: Are you ready to stand before the rulers of this world and give your testimony? Jesus said, “But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them” (Mark 13:9 NKJV). This is what happened to a brother of ours named Brad Roberts. His story was written in a news paper article by a reporter, Alissa Johnson, who was present and witnessed what happened.

Written by Alissa Johnson
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
No better word

In Gunnison County, the word of God is preceded by the smell of popcorn and cigarettes. Or at least, that’s the way it seemed when brothers Brad and Steve Roberts appeared before the Gunnison County Commissioners on Tuesday. The unmistakable odors of both filled the room as they prepared to share a message they said had been delivered by God.

The meeting started in typical fashion: public works director Marlene Crosby introduced the duo to the commissioners, and there were handshakes all around as the two men settled into their chairs.

“We worked with Brad and Steve Roberts on the acquisitions we needed for the reconstruction of Taylor River road, which is currently in the hands of those people who handle the federal budget,” Crosby said. The brothers own a property there, which they inherited from their father. “During those discussions, they had some concerns about county processes and some of the ways we do business. It was beyond the authority of our department, so they asked to speak with you.”

Steve, the taller of the two brothers, spoke first.

“Since I got back in ninety-seven, I can’t trust this county, the people in it, what they’re doing and whether they’re honest,” he began, implying that great illegal wrong-doing has been brought against him and his brother. “But we’re in the life boat together, we got to make it work. All we got to do is determine what rules we’re going to follow and follow them.”

He leaned against the table, palms down, looking at each commissioner in turn.

“Would it concern you if people are breaking the law to carry out your policies? Wouldn’t that concern you?”
“That’s a rhetorical question,” his brother Brad interjected with a chuckle, and indeed Steve continued without letting the commissioners answer.

“These people,” he said, motioning toward Crosby and Jim Kint, public works foreman, “worked hard and worked diligently to get this [acquisition] done and then, we get to the county, and at the last second, they do something illegal again.”

It would later become clear that Steve was referring to an errant letter of condemnation received after two years of negotiations. But for the moment, he had a list of grievances to share. Steve Roberts alleged that since 1998, the county has broken the law against him in six ways, ranging from a health inspector who falsely declared he had cholera in his water to denying him the ability to borrow money against his father’s home to denying building permits because of potential rock slides on the property and then making it impossible to prevent the rock slide. The question, he said, was what do we do now?

Nearly a foot of difference in their height, the brothers had the same bushy hair sweeping over their eyebrows and anger on their faces. Brad wore tinted glasses inside—the kind of lenses that stay dark in a brightly lit room. Steve alternated between leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head and leaning angrily on the table, interrupted by an occasional chuckle from his brother, the two bickering like an old married couple when one interrupted the other.

“Sorry,” Steve apologized to the commissioners, shrugging. “We’re brothers.”

But where Steve was full of fire and brimstone, his brother Brad spoke slower, his voice rising and falling with the smooth incantations of an old preacher.

“We have had our hands full with our county government, and we have been wronged many times, on purpose. The county planners persecute every single person who walks before them,” Brad asserted.

In a quieter, calmer manner he addressed his concerns to the commissioners by name. Each sat attentively in his or her own way, taking notes or leaning forward attentively, making eye contact. No one raised an eyebrow when Brad intimated that he had the answer to his brother’s question—because God had given it to him. He’d been praying about it for quite some time, he told the commissioners. He had the answer right before him in a manila folder that heretofore sat unnoticed on the table. He turned it over, undid the metal fastener and handed each commissioner and the county manager a one-page document.

“The Lord answered [my prayers] and said I’m going to give you my word to take to them,” Brad said. “There is not a word of mine on this paper, but it is a response to my prayers. Two months before this, I was told by a prophet of God that I would get this message. [On the day it happened,] a young male voice said, ‘Brad, I will get back to you on all of these things today.’ I sat down with my bible and wrote these words I bring to you.”

Brad started reading, then, until his brother interrupted him, trying to bring the meeting to an end, “They know I’ve caught ‘em lying.”

But Brad was not to be swayed.

“Let me give them God’s word here, and then we can go back to being the people that we are,” Brad said.
And he read. Phrases like, “They have made themselves crooked paths,” and “The lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgment,” and “Let the wicked forsake his way.”

And then the nature of God’s words began to change, giving advice on what to do next:
“Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good.”

“For all of the law is fulfilled in one word: thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.”

“Be ye doers of your own good.”

“Let us not judge one another.”

“Bless them that persecute you, bless not curse.”

Brad’s brother Steve interrupted then, “That’s hard.” But Brad kept on, finishing in entirety a document that he believes came to him from God—the perfect way to remind everyone in the room that it was a divine law of Christ, not the law of the county, that would rule in the end: “Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

“Let us all remember,” Brad told the commissioners. “We are all personally responsible for our sins. We are all created equal because we have the responsibility of making personal decisions.”

“Are we going to follow the royal law of liberty,” he continued. “Which is to love thy neighbor or go out to lie cheat and steal for the higher good?” He gestured to the paper in front of him. “100 percent of the action, 100 percent of it on an eight and a half by eleven.”
There was awe in his voice.

County Commissioner Hap Channell attempted to respond: “There is probably no better word than this piece of paper,” he said. But Brad continued.

“Right now, in this room, everyone is deciding what law they will follow,” he said.
Channell spoke again on behalf of the commissioners.

“We continue to deal with what is the right thing to do. We appreciate you guys coming in more than we can say in the short time [that remains]. We also appreciate your confidence in Marlene and Jim.”

And suddenly, the tone in the room changed. The smell of popcorn and cigarettes was gone. People laughed and smiled and shook hands. Steve told the commissioners that before he came, everyone told him, “Steve, don’t get angry. Don’t get arrested.” Brad added that he didn’t need to be worried about the meeting.

“I have higher instruction you see, it says fear not,” he said, tapping the paper before him.

And then his brother Steve said something that put it all in perspective: “But when they come and say they’re going to steal your father’s house, what are you gonna do?” he asked.

It was, in the end, that simple. Two brothers who wish to honor their father’s property without being told how to do that came before the commissioners to share their grievances. There are no guarantees for what happens next, no way to control others’ interpretations of their unconventional methods. But they were heard.

“Already a difference, my friend,” Brad said as he shook commissioner Phil Chamberland’s hand. “Already a big difference.”
Church Leaders, Church System, Churchianity, Darkness, End Times, Gregory Turner, Last Days, Latter Rains, My Sheep Hear My Voice, Prophesy, Repent, Repentance, Visitation of God

Signs of the Times

By Greg Turner
greg@sharingtheway.com

One common thing that most Christians think about and discuss amongst each other is when the end will come. The disciples were no different for “Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down. Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:1-3 NKJV). Jesus was telling them about the end of the temple. That might have been somewhat disconcerting to them considering it was their church, before Jesus came, where they went to synagogue every Saturday and paid their tithes to and followed the priests thereof. If Jesus came to you and said I am going to destroy your church system including the church headquarters, all the church buildings, and the priesthood and end all of your sacraments, then said follow me, what would you do? What would you say? The people of His hometown “were offended at Him” (Mark 6:3 NKJV) and said “He is out of His mind” (Mark 3:21 NKJV).

Jesus went on to explain to them about the end “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:4-14 NKJV). We can see the following:

  1. Many will come in the name of Christ saying that they are Christ or in place of Him. This has clearly happened which I will not explain in this article, but it has been explain in other articles on sharingtheway.com
  2. Wars and rumors of wars. That has clearly been going on for the last 1980 years.
  3. Famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. These also have been going on. We read about them often in the news.
  4. Tribulation, persecution, betrayal, hate, murder between those called Christians has been going on for 1900 years. You can read about those in the “Foxe’s Book of Martyrs”.
  5. Many false prophets predicting the end and other things have come and gone.
  6. Lawlessness. Any person, Christian or not, can see that society is becoming more and more lawless every day. Evil people are often not punished for their deeds. Often they are acquitted of their crimes on technicalities of the law and set free encouraging more evil. Other kinds of lawlessness include putting all forms of sexual immorality on TV and unlimited violence in movies and video games. These things instruct the people and the children that they are okay to do. This causes the “love of many” to grow cold. In other words people do not see instant punishment so they partake of these things moving them further and further away from Christ.
  7. The gospel of the kingdom preached in all the world as a witness has not been completed. Jesus is the witness and testimony that is to be preached in all the world. Those He sends out will do it, but it is not yet complete. It has been done partially. In a world where 1 billion out of 7 billion claiming to be Christian shows us that it is not yet complete. Not all will convert, but all must be witnessed to and know that God is real.

Jesus started out talking about the destruction of the temple and then went into the things that would happen before the end of the temple which was a type of the destruction of another temple at the end of the age of man. Josephus wrote about many of the things that occurred just before the destruction of the temple in 70 AD by Titus a general in the Roman army. Realize that the former rains in Joel 2:23 had been poured out, which is described in Acts 2 and the true gospel had been witnessed throughout all Judea for 40 years. Josephus said:

Signs before the fall of Jerusalem – Wars of the Jews, Book 6, Chapter 5, Section 3. Thus were the miserable people persuaded by these deceivers, and such as belied God himself; while they did not attend nor give credit to the signs that were so evident, and did so plainly foretell their future desolation, but, like men infatuated, without either eyes to see or minds to consider, did not regard the denunciations that God made to them. Thus there was a star resembling a sword, which stood over the city, and a comet, that continued a whole year. Thus also before the Jews‘ rebellion, and before those commotions which preceded the war, when the people were come in great crowds to the feast of unleavened bread, on the eighth day of the month Xanthicus, [Nisan,] and at the ninth hour of the night, so great a light shone round the altar and the holy house, that it appeared to be bright day time; which lasted for half an hour. This light seemed to be a good sign to the unskillful, but was so interpreted by the sacred scribes, as to portend those events that followed immediately upon it. At the same festival also, a heifer, as she was led by the high priest to be sacrificed, brought forth a lamb in the midst of the temple. Moreover, the eastern gate of the inner [court of the] temple, which was of brass, and vastly heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by twenty men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts fastened very deep into the firm floor, which was there made of one entire stone, was seen to be opened of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night. Now those that kept watch in the temple came hereupon running to the captain of the temple, and told him of it; who then came up thither, and not without great difficulty was able to shut the gate again. This also appeared to the vulgar to be a very happy prodigy, as if God did thereby open them the gate of happiness. But the men of learning understood it, that the security of their holy house was dissolved of its own accord, and that the gate was opened for the advantage of their enemies. So these publicly declared that the signal foreshowed the desolation that was coming upon them. Besides these, a few days after that feast, on the one and twentieth day of the month Artemisius [Jyar], a certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared: I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities. Moreover, at that feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the temple,] as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a great multitude, saying, ―Let us remove hence.‖ But, what is still more terrible, there was one Jesus, the son of Ananus, a plebeian and a husbandman, who, four years before the war began, and at a time when the city was in very great peace and prosperity, came to that feast whereon it is our custom for everyone to make tabernacles to God in the temple, began on a sudden to cry aloud, ―A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the holy house, a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides, and a voice against this whole people!‖ This was his cry, as he went about by day and by night, in all the lanes of the city. However, certain of the most eminent among the populace had great indignation at this dire cry of his, and took up the man, and gave him a great number of severe stripes; yet did not he either say anything for himself, or anything peculiar to those that chastised him, but still went on with the same words which he cried before. Hereupon our rulers, supposing, as the case proved to be, that this was a sort of divine fury in the man, brought him to the Roman procurator, where he was whipped till his bones were laid bare; yet he did not make any supplication for himself, nor shed any tears, but turning his voice to the most lamentable tone possible, at every stroke of the whip his answer was, ―Woe, woe to Jerusalem!‖ And when Albinus (for he was then our procurator) asked him, Who he was? and whence he came? and why he uttered such words? he made no manner of reply to what he said, but still did not leave off his melancholy ditty, till Albinus took him to be a madman, and dismissed him. Now, during all the time that passed before the war began, this man did not go near any of the citizens, nor was seen by them while he said so; but he every day uttered these lamentable words, as if it were his premeditated vow, ―Woe, woe to Jerusalem!‖ Nor did he give ill words to any of those that beat him every day, nor good words to those that gave him food; but this was his reply to all men, and indeed no other than a melancholy presage of what was to come. This cry of his was the loudest at the festivals; and he continued this ditty for seven years and five months, without growing hoarse, or being tired therewith, until the very time that he saw his presage in earnest fulfilled in our siege, when it ceased; for as he was going round upon the wall, he cried out with his utmost force, ―Woe, woe to the city again, and to the people, and to the holy house!‖ And just as he added at the last, ―Woe, woe to myself also!‖ there came a stone out of one of the engines, and smote him, and killed him immediately; and as he was uttering the very same presages he gave up the ghost.

Not long after these signs did the rebellion against the Romans start by the Jews. God gave them many signs, but instead they listened to their leaders and ignored those signs thinking that they were signs that good things were coming. Men have created temples over the last 1900 years since the apostles died out and have led many to serve in those temples thinking that they do God a favor. Jesus said “follow me” (Matt. 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 10:38; 16:24; 19:21) so why do men strive to get people to follow them. God gave men spiritual gifts so that they could lead men to God, but after a while some of these men got confused thinking that men should follow them. Paul said “Brothers, join in imitating [do as he does] me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us” (Philippians 3:17 ESV). He was showing that as long as he followed Christ that people should follow his example and imitate his works (see also 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 1:16; 1 Tim. 4:12). God gives men gifts so that they can lead the body by example and their gifts “to equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Eph. 4:12 ESV). Every person is to have a job in the ministry and that is a spiritual job. Yet people are led astray because they follow men and are doing the works of men and not of God. If a man gives you a job and you do not hear the Spirit of Christ speaking through that man then you are doing the work of a man. Jesus said His sheep hear His voice. To do the works of God we must have the Holy Spirit with gifts that He gave us and then we must be able to hear His voice to receive the tasks and works that He gives us. Otherwise, we are just doing what men want and we build up kingdoms of men and not the kingdom of God. The Jews were ignoring the signs and warnings of God because they did not have a relationship with Him and instead were following the high priest of the temple and the leaders of Jerusalem. They completely missed the visitation of God which came through the Son of Man for the 40 years before Jerusalem was destroyed.

Their rebellion against the Romans brought on the might of the Roman Empire which God had given control of the earth to rule over men. The Romans did not want to destroy Jerusalem because it was a profitable city and brought much tax to Rome, but they could not tolerate rebellion in a state of the empire. The Romans repeatedly tried to bargain with the Jews, but they refused to submit. And so after years of war the Romans, under the general Titus, destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD including the temple, and all the priests, leaders and people were killed. I share some of the words of Josephus who was witness to the whole thing and God had him record what he saw for our admonition today. So Titus besieged the city in order to starve them out. He also had them start to build the various means to breach the walls, but had great difficulty in doing this. Eventually, he built a wall all the way around Jerusalem so that the people could not sneak out and get food (see Book 5 chapter 12 for the details). The people were dying of starvation in droves for “Then did the famine widen its progress, and devoured the people by whole houses and families; the upper rooms were full of women and children that were dying by famine, and the lanes of the city were full of the dead bodies of the aged; the children also and the young men wandered about the market-places like shadows, all swelled with the famine, and fell down dead, wheresoever their misery seized them.” Yet, the leaders of the Jews would not surrender to Titus and continued to fight amongst themselves for control over the city. They were all about to die either from starvation or to Titus when he was able to breach the walls, but they seemed to ignore it all. In fact they killed anyone who tried to escape the city and surrender to the Romans. Insanity ruled the day. As the siege wore on people died in droves for Josephus said “And, indeed, why do I relate these particular calamities? while Manneus, the son of Lazarus, came running to Titus at this very time, and told him that there had been carried out through that one gate, which was intrusted to his care, no fewer than a hundred and fifteen thousand eight hundred and eighty dead bodies, in the interval between the fourteenth day of the month Xanthieus [Nisan], when the Romans pitched their camp by the city, and the first day of the month Panemus [Tamuz]. This was itself a prodigious multitude; and though this man was not himself set as a governor at that gate, yet was he appointed to pay the public stipend for carrying these bodies out, and so was obliged of necessity to number them, while the rest were buried by their relations; though all their burial was but this, to bring them away, and cast them out of the city. After this man there ran away to Titus many of the eminent citizens, and told him the entire number of the poor that were dead, and that no fewer than six hundred thousand were thrown out at the gates, though still the number of the rest could not be discovered; and they told him further, that when they were no longer able to carry out the dead bodies of the poor, they laid their corpses on heaps in very large houses, and shut them up therein; as also that a medimnus of wheat was sold for a talent; and that when, a while afterward, it was not possible to gather herbs, by reason the city was all walled about, some persons were driven to that terrible distress as to search the common sewers and old dunghills of cattle, and to eat the dung which they got there; and what they of old could not endure so much as to see they now used for food.”

God had already come in the form of Jesus Christ and had made the changes that He wanted. Yet, all these people who were of the house of God including both priest and lay person missed the visitation and did not know why this was happening to them. Regarding Jesus we see that “when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:41-44 ESV). God was visiting them in the form of a man and they did not see it because it was hidden from them. Jesus wept because Jerusalem was the house of His wife and it was going to be destroyed because she did not believe in Him. True that it happened forty years later in 70 AD, but this was so that they would have time to repent. They did not and Josephus describes what happened:

But as for that house [the temple], God had, for certain, long ago doomed it to the fire; and now that fatal day was come, according to the revolution of ages; it was the tenth day of the month Lous [Ab], upon which it was formerly burnt by the king of Babylon; although these flames took their rise from the Jews themselves, and were occasioned by them; for upon Titus‘s retiring, the seditious [insurrection against the established order] lay still for a little while, and then attacked the Romans again, when those that guarded the holy house fought with those that quenched the fire that was burning the inner [court of the] temple; but these Romans put the Jews to flight, and proceeded as far as the holy house itself. At which time one of the soldiers, without staying for any orders, and without any concern or dread upon him at so great an undertaking, and being hurried on by a certain divine fury, snatched somewhat out of the materials that were on fire, and being lifted up by another soldier, he set fire to a golden window, through which there was a passage to the rooms that were round about the holy house, on the north side of it. As the flames went upward, the Jews made a great clamor, such as so mighty an affliction required, and ran together to prevent it; and now they spared not their lives any longer, nor suffered anything to restrain their force, since that holy house was perishing, for whose sake it was that they kept such a guard about it.

Now although any one would justly lament the destruction of such a work as this was, since it was the most admirable of all the works that we have seen or heard of, both for its curious structure and its magnitude, and also for the vast wealth bestowed upon it, as well as for the glorious reputation it had for its holiness; yet might such a one comfort himself with this thought, that it was fate that decreed it so to be [that is the spoken word of God], which is inevitable, both as to living creatures, and as to works and places also. However, one cannot but wonder at the accuracy of this period thereto relating; for the same month and day were now observed, as I said before, wherein the holy house was burnt formerly by the Babylonians. Now the number of years that passed from its first foundation, which was laid by king Solomon, till this its destruction, which happened in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, are collected to be one thousand one hundred and thirty, besides seven months and fifteen days; and from the second building of it, which was done by Haggai, in the second year of Cyrus the king, till its destruction under Vespasian, there were six hundred and thirty-nine years and forty-five days.

You can see the Jews running around desperately trying to keep the temple from being destroyed not knowing that the system they were running had already ended, in God’s eyes, 40 years earlier. The temple system with its priests, church headquarters, sacraments, and laity was destroyed by the hand of God through Titus and the Roman army. God said it would happen and all those who had ears to hear and converted to the changes that God instituted through Jesus Christ and then those He sent, the disciples, were spared from this devastating end.

My friends God said “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth” (Hosea 6:3 KJV). The former rains came unto His disciples and is described in Acts 2 – the pouring out of His Spirit. The latter rains have not yet come. But they will as surely as the morning comes each day. What came before the rains? John the Baptist! First the people are prepared to receive the rains for John said “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” and Matthew goes on to say “For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight’” (Matthew 3:2-3 NKJV) and Luke wrote “he will turn many [but not all] of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:16-17 NKJV). Why prepare the way for the Lord? John said “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He [Jesus] who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11 NKJV). John was there to prepare the way for those who would listen to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Who did not listen? Matthew shows us for “when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:7-10 NKJV). The people who would not listen were the church leaders and all those who are religious. They claimed to be of Abraham. Do not the church leaders of today claim to be of the “church fathers” all the way back to the apostles? They use this reasoning to capture the people and bring them under their rule. They are a brood of vipers (a poisonous snake). Was not Satan in the form of a snake when He deceived Eve? Satan subtly used the truth of God to get her to follow him. Do not all church leaders use the scriptures to get people to follow them and fill up their church buildings? John said that the ax is laid to the root of these trees. Note that trees in the Old Testament were used to represent God’s people. Today these church leaders call themselves Christian and make themselves God’s people and leaders of God’s people. Is it possible that the very ministers and church leaders of your local church follow in the traditions of men and are only serving themselves? Can the deception be this bad? If not, why then would Jesus say “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things” (Mark 9:12 NKJV)? If the church systems have it right then what needs to be restored? Not only did Elijah come in the form of John the Baptist, but he is prophesied to come again by Jesus’ words and from Malachi for “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5 NKJV). The day of the Lord is almost here – the one thousand year reign here on earth (Rev. 20). We are minutes away in biblical terms. The cry is going out by the servants of God during a period of great darkness for while “the bridegroom was delayed, they [the church] all slumbered and slept. And at midnight [a time of darkness] a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!” (Matthew 25:5-6 NKJV). Who do you think sent out the cry to the church? Jesus said “There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard [the church] and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress [the communion] in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers [people to help lead the church – see Ephesians 4:7-13] and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time [time of harvest] drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them” (Matthew 21:33-36 NKJV). Jesus also said “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king [God] who arranged a marriage for his son [Jesus], and sent out his servants to call those [people in the church] who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them” (Matthew 22:2-6 NKJV). Surely we can see from these verses that in this last hour God is sending out his servants to the churches to let them know that Jesus is here – at the door. The time for the wedding is at hand. The end of all things is here.

While this is happening we see Jesus also say “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!” (Matthew 24:32-33 NKJV). Jesus also said “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:36-44 NKJV). The Jews did not recognize the signs happening all around them before Jerusalem was destroyed. So things are going on normally as they have for two thousand years since Jesus died. Today we see hurricanes wiping out cities like New Orleans, Tsunamis wiping out whole towns and regions, earthquakes in many places, birds dropping out of the skies, fish suddenly dying by the millions in rivers and oceans, huge wild fires surrounding cities, and terrorist strikes on American soil. Scientists and leaders explain all these things away just as the leaders of the Jews did when the Romans were near. The Jews continually expected the God’s kingdom to be set up in them not knowing that it had already passed them by. This included the religious leaders as well as the civil leaders. This is being repeated today. Why are the church leaders afraid to tell the people filling their pews to repent? Why do they approve of abortion, homosexuality and divorce? Paul said “do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10 NKJV). I remember right after 9/11 a certain church leader said that 9/11 occurred because the people were not serving God. He was right, but the outcry of people forced him to recant. He was more afraid of what men thought than what God was having him say to the country. We cannot serve God and man. Jesus said of the church leaders “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat [that is the church leadership]. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers [creating all form of works for the church like missionary trips, soup kitchens, etc.]. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi [teacher], Rabbi.’ But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ [see I Cor. 2:10-16; 1 John 2:27; Rom. 8:9], and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ” (Matthew 23:2-10 NKJV). How many churches teach this? The concept that the people are too stupid to read the scriptures and learn them themselves is of Satan! The Word of God clearly shows us that we are to trust in Him and His Spirit that is in us to teach us all things. Do we not believe the words that He says? I tell you the truth that the time for the Fall of all these Temple systems is at hand! All the church systems are nothing but the daughters of the great whore in Rome. That universal church is about to be visited by the Lord and He will smash it. The signs are all around us and it is time for those who have ears to hear to come outside the camp – that is the church system – to find Christ (Hebrews 13:13). My friends think not that all the signs you see around you are coincidence as the scientists and leaders would have you believe. Time is short. The six thousand years are at an end. Prepare yourselves for the visitation of the Lord so that you may be able to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that is represented by the latter rains for God is in the rains! REPENT NOW and believe in the Word of God which is the Bible and scriptures written in it and do them. Follow men no more, but if they follow Christ then follow their example! FOLLOW CHRIST or be destroyed just like the Jews were in 70AD which was just a short time after the former rains were poured out!

In Christ Name,

Greg Turner
greg@sharingtheway.com

 

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Gregory Turner, Prophecy

Old Testament Scriptures Pointing to Christ

By Greg Turner
greg@sharingtheway.com

This article is being written as some have asked what scriptures in the Old Testament point to Christ and how do you find them. Here I share what the Lord has shared with me, but is by no means a complete listing. I have in fact left out some scriptures related to trees and shepherds that will be in future articles. Other people will share more, but hopefully this will be a good starting point.

I found the best way to share these scriptures is by listing them with a brief explanation of the content and in some cases I highlight the keywords in the scripture that give us a hint of the future Christ (Messiah) and the church. This will be a long list and is not all inclusive of every verse in the Old Testament that points to Christ. We should note that the New Testament authors and Jesus used the word scripture 52 times in referencing the Old Testament. Other words that they used to reference the Old Testament are “the law” (or “law of Moses”), “the prophets”, “the psalms” and in some cases they referred to them together like the following:

Luke 24:44(KJV)44And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.


Here we see where Apollos preached about Christ through the scriptures:

Acts 18:28(KJV) 28For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

And Paul said that Jesus was pointed to by the prophets:

Romans 1:2-3(KJV) 2(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)  3Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

Jesus did as well:

Matthew 21:42(KJV) 42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Jesus implies that we need to know the scriptures:

Matthew 22:29(KJV) 29Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

And Jesus said that the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled:

Matthew 26:56(KJV) 56But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

We are to search the scriptures daily to search out the truth:

Acts 17:11(KJV) 11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Because all those things were written for us for our learning:

Romans 15:4(KJV) 4For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

So here we go. I have listed a lot of Old Testament scriptures below with a brief description of each one. I also insert using “[]” what the Holy Spirit has revealed to me the understanding of certain words and phrases are. These are keys to how the New Testament teachers understood these verses and for us as well. This is by no means an exhaustive list of the Old Testament verses pointing to Christ and I leave the rest to studies for the reader.

This is about the Pharisees (possessors) and how they are cut-off and destroyed by the king (Caesar):

Zechariah 11:4-9(KJV) 4Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter[Jews];  5Whose possessors[Sanhedrin] slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them[sale of the items in the temple for sacrifice rituals] say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.  6For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them [destruction of Jerusalem 70AD].  7And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.  8Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.  9Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die[the old covenant]; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.

The old covenant(Beauty) ended at Christ’s death and His flock waited on Him:

Zechariah 11:10-11(KJV) 10And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.  11And it was broken in that day: and so the poor[the new church] of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.

Jesus sold for 30 pieces of silver which purchased the potter’s field:

Zechariah 11:12-13(KJV) 12And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.  13And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter[potter’s field]: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house[temple] of the LORD.

Future ministers that take in money, but do not help the poor will loose their ability to understand God:

Zechariah 11:15-17(KJV) 15And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd[modern day minister or priest].  16For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces [not doing the work of Christ but living off of the body].  17Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

About Jesus being captured and the sheep scattering. Then He comes back to them. Later he will refine His people:

Zechariah 13:7-9(KJV) 7Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd[Jesus], and the sheep shall be scattered[disciples]: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.  8And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.  9And I will bring the third part through the fire[baptism of Spirit and fire], and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people[the church]: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

The return of Christ and the saints:

Zechariah 14:5(KJV) 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

Deuteronomy 33:2-3(KJV) 2And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law[baptism with Holy Spirit and fire] for them.  3Yea, he loved the people[new covenant based on love]; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words[because of the Holy Spirit they could understand].

God is the fountain of living waters (the Holy Spirit):

Jeremiah 2:13(KJV) 13For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water[their own gods/idols].

Jeremiah 17:13(KJV) 13O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

About His people:

Isaiah 56:1-8(KJV) 1Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.  2Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 3Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.  4For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;  5Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.  6Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;  7Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer[the new temple] for all people.  8The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

The people of Christ live in all lands:

Jeremiah 23:3-8(KJV) 3And I will gather the remnant[people with Holy Spirit] of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4And I will set up shepherds[people with the Holy Spirit] over them which shall feed them[the word of God]: and they shall fear no more[the peace of the Holy Spirit], nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. 5Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch[Jesus], and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; 8But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

About Jesus (bridegroom) and the church (bride) and He will create a habitation for the shepherds (the church):

Jeremiah 33:10-16(KJV) 10Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast, 11The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD. 12Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks[God’s people] to lie down. 13In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD. 14Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. 15In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch[Jesus] of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. 16In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.

God’s people (children of Israel and Judah) weeping and seeking God and the kingdom of God (Zion) with a perpetual covenant (baptism of water and Holy Spirit):

Jeremiah 50:4-6(KJV) 4In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. 5They shall ask the way to Zion[kingdom of God] with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant[baptism] that shall not be forgotten. 6My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds[Pharisees and modern ministers] have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill[church to church], they have forgotten their restingplace[Christ].

About Christ (ruler in Israel) coming from Bethlehem and dying (smite the judge):

Micah 5:1-2(KJV) 1Now gather thyself in troops[together], O daughter of troops[band]: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. 2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah[fruitful], though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

His people (the church) shall be given up (to die) until the church bears the new born sons of God and then shall Jesus return with them and rule all the earth:

Micah 5:3-4(KJV) 3Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she[the church] which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant[church] of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. 4And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide[live forever]: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth[take over all the earth].

God’s people (remnant of Jacob) are everywhere in the world:

Micah 5:7-9(KJV) 7And the remnant[church] of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. 8And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. 9Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.

God makes a place for His people (shepherds, flocks, remnant):

Zephaniah 2:6-7(KJV) 6And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. 7And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity[from sin].

Of Christ riding on an ass into Jerusalem:

Zechariah 9:9-11(KJV) 9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. 10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. 11As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners[disciples] out of the pit wherein is no water[they had no Holy Spirit].

The Holy Spirit to be poured out so that there will be plenty to eat (spiritually):

Zechariah 10:1(KJV) 1Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

God visits his flock and makes them as mighty men (with the Holy Spirit) and they will fight with the sword (the word of God) and the enemies will be confused. He has mercy on his people and redeemed them (from all over the world – places of sin) and given them a place to live:

Zechariah 10:3-12(KJV) 3for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. 4Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together[all different kinds of people].5And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them[in Spirit], and the riders on horses shall be confounded. 6And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them[forgiveness of sins]: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them. 7And they of Ephraim[another name for Israel] shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine[because of communion]: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. 8I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. 9And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. 10I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt[sin], and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. 11And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea[peoples of the world], and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt[control of sin] shall depart away. 12And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.

About God’s people called into the kingdom of God (Zion) and being married to Christ being taught by pastors that he created (with his Spirit):

Jeremiah 3:14-19(KJV) 14Turn[repent – turn to God], O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you[body of Christ]: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion[kingdom of God]: 15And I will give you pastors[disciples with Holy Spirit] according to mine heart, which shall feed[preach, teach] you with knowledge and understanding. 16And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more. 17At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart[thru repentance and baptism their heart is turned to God]. 18In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north[Babylon – that is the world] to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. 19But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.

Jesus must bear his wound (his crucifixion), his body is spoiled and broken and children gone because the pastors(Pharisees) do not seek God and the people are scattered. Then they are destroyed by the Romans (bruit – news/report – from the north country):

Jeremiah 10:19-22(KJV) 19Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it. 20My tabernacle[body] is spoiled, and all my cords[heart] are broken: my children[disciples] are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains. 21For the pastors[Pharisees] are become brutish[a waste], and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered. 22Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons[Jerusalem destroyed 70AD].

Job knew about Jesus (the redeemer):

Job 19:25-27(KJV) 25For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth[when Christ comes back]: 26And though after my skin worms destroy this body[after Job dies], yet in my flesh shall I see God[raised up]: 27Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

About Christ and His people reigning and ruling in judgment:

Isaiah 32:1-4(KJV) 1Behold, a king[Jesus] shall reign in righteousness, and princes[those raised up] shall rule in judgment. 2And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. 3And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken[because of the Holy Spirit]. 4The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers[God’s servants who are not formally trained at seminary] shall be ready to speak plainly.

Jesus coming predicted and that the Pharisees would not be able to answer Him or understand Him:

Isaiah 41:27-29(KJV) 27The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem[the church of Christ’s time] one that bringeth good tidings. 28For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. 29Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion[the Pharisees].

God makes a way thru the sea(the world’s peoples) and provides the waters (His Spirit) in the wilderness:

Isaiah 43:1-21(KJV) 1But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2When thou passest through the waters[peoples], I will be with thee; and through the rivers[troubles], they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire[trials], thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt[sin] for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee[he purchased our sins]. 4Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 5Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; 6I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; 7Even every one that is called by my name[Christians]: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.8Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears[healed by the Holy Spirit and can now see the truth]. 9Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. 10Ye are my witnesses[by our testimonies], saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. 12I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you[because his Spirit is in us]: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. 13Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let[stop] it?14Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon[the world], and have brought down all their nobles[leaders], and the Chaldeans[the people of Babylon], whose cry is in the ships[movement of men]. 15I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. 16Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; 17Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. 18Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness[the world], and rivers[Holy Spirit] in the desert. 20The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters[Spirit] in the wilderness, and rivers[Spirit] in the desert[a place without God], to give drink to my people, my chosen[called by God]. 21This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth[be a light, an example] my praise.

We have only one redeemer who provides us with His Spirit:

Isaiah 44:1-8(KJV) 1Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: 2Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. 3For I will pour water[Holy Spirit] upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 4And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. 5One shall say, I am the LORD’S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel. 6Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. 7And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them. 8Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

Remember God and repent for He has redeemed us and laid the foundation to build our temple:

Isaiah 44:21-28(KJV) 21Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. 22I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee[our sins are forgiven]. 23Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth[meek]: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. 24Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; 25That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; 26That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers[disciples]; that saith to Jerusalem[the church], Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: 27That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: 28That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple[the church], Thy foundation shall be laid[Jesus].

The whole chapter of Is. 49 is about the redeemer coming to save, preserve and lift up Israel and the gentiles.

The whole chapter of Is. 54 is about the redeemer being married to Israel and her children are His servants and He has created a special place for them and established them and no one can stand against them.

The redeemer to come and put His Spirit on those that turn from transgression:

Isaiah 59:16-21(KJV) 16And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. 17For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. 18According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense. 19So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. 20And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

The whole chapter of Is. 60 is about the glory of God’s people and how the whole earth will come to them and serve them and see their glory and how they move like clouds.

David knew about the future coming of Christ:

Psalms 14:7(KJV) 7    Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Psalms 37:18-19(KJV) 18    The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.19    They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

Jesus ascending to heaven and giving the Holy Spirit:

Psalms 68:18(KJV) 18Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity[sin and death] captive: thou hast received gifts[Holy Spirit] for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them[we are the temple].

Jesus on the cross:

Psalms 69:19-36(KJV) 19Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.20Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.21They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.22Let their table[old covenant] become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.23Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.24Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.25Let their habitation be desolate[Jerusalem]; and let none dwell in their tents.26For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.27Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.28Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.29 But I am poor and sorrowful[the repentant]: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.30I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.31This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs[God would rather hear repentance than sacrifices].32The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart[where the Holy Spirit resides] shall live that seek God.33For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.34Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.35For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.36The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

God humbled Himself and he raises up the poor to create princes for Himself:

Psalms 113:5-9(KJV) 5Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,6Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!7He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;8That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.9He maketh the barren woman[the church before the Holy Spirit is given] to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children[God’s people]. Praise ye the LORD.

God lifts up the humble and lowly to be the saints of His kingdom:

1 Samuel 2:2-10(KJV) 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 8He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them. 9He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 10The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

Jesus:

Isaiah 53:1-12(KJV) 1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground[Judah at time of Christ]: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him[did not know him]; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted[thought he was evil]. 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed[he died for our sins]. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way[we are our own gods]; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin[he is a perpetual sin offering], he shall see his seed[then we are forgiven], he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong[in faith]; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Of baptism and cleanness and the Holy Spirit:

Ezekiel 36:25-32(KJV) 25Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart[unable to understand] out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 28And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you[in knowledge and understanding]. 30And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. 31Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations[repentance]. 32Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.

Again the people of Israel will be cleansed and will have one king of them with a new covenant and his sanctuary will be in the midst of them:

Ezekiel 37:21-28(KJV) And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel[God’s people] from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:  22And I will make them one nation[body of Christ] in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king[Jesus] shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them[by blood of Christ]: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. 26Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary[temple] in the midst of them for evermore. 27My tabernacle[God will dwell in them] also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

After two days (after Christ died – a day = 1000 years) in the 3rd day God will heal us and raise us up:

Hosea 6:1-3(KJV) 1Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. 3Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

People of God are shown as trees:

Isaiah 61:1-3(KJV) 1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings[gospel of the kingdom] unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound[in sin];  2To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;  3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

About people of your own house rising up against you(Matt. 10):

Micah 7:2-6(KJV) 2The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. 3That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh[bribes], and the judge asketh for a reward[bribes]; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire[back door deals]: so they wrap it up. 4The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen[God sends in people to warn them] and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity[they can not understand what is happening]. 5Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. 6For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house[as Jesus said about those who his people would have this problem].

God’s people rising up from obscurity with the Holy Spirit to shine light on everyone:

Isaiah 60:1-8(KJV) 1Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side[those you teach]. 5Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged[for joy]; because the abundance of the sea[many peoples] shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. 6The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the LORD[they heap money on you to get what you have – Holy Spirit and knowledge of God]. 7All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. 8Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?[after resurrection]

The joy of those called of God into His way:

Isaiah 35:1-10(KJV) 1The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. 2It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. 3Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you.5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped[people God is calling]. 6Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert[Holy Spirit gives understanding]. 7And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes[people are fed]. 8And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness[the path of God – Matt. 3:3;Acts 18:25]; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men[disciples working for Christ], though fools[seemingly – I Cor. 4:10], shall not err therein. 9No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there [in the way]: 10And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Quoted in Acts:

Habakkuk 1:5(KJV) 5Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

Seventy weeks (490 years) predicted about when Christ would come:

Daniel 9:24-27(KJV) 24Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood[Roman army], and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week[after 3.5 days or the 3.5 years of Christ’s ministry] he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease[not needed after his death], and for the overspreading of abominations[Pharisees] he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate[Jews].

Amos 9:11-15(KJV) 11In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. 13Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. 14And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards [churches], and drink the wine[communion] thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. 15And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

Of the children killed in Bethlehem:

Jeremiah 31:15(KJV) 15Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.

Quit seeking the fleshly works and come to God’s truth:

Isaiah 55:1-13(KJV) 1Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters[Holy Spirit], and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price[God’s knowledge is free]. 2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread[truth]? and your labour for that which satisfieth not[the works of this world]? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant[baptism] with you, even the sure mercies of David. 4Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. 5Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not[the church], and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. 6Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near[while there is a chance]: 7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return[repent] unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon[forgiveness of sins]. 8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 12For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree[a person of God], and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

The new heavens and new earth:

Isaiah 65:17-25(KJV) 17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 20There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child[in God] shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. 21And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. 24And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

These are some of the many scriptures in the Old Testament that describe the coming of Jesus Christ the Messiah and prince of his church and body which are the believers. There are many keywords that help to find these scriptures. Some of them are: remnant, branch, tree, trees, bridegroom, bride, flock(s), sow, plow, plowman, planting, plant, vineyard, waters, rivers, fruit, pardon, rain, my name, wine, prince, desert, wilderness.

Another type of revelation that occurs in the Old Testament are examples of individual lives that are types that point to future events. There were many people in Israel that believed in God – for example there were 7000 during Elijah’s time. Yet only a few were recorded for us to read about. These are not just mere stories to show us faith or simple examples of good and evil – they point to future events. For example:

  1. Eve was a woman of unbelief whose seed served themselves and were sinners, whereas, Mary was a woman of belief whose seed were believers and served God.
  2. Adam was the father of sin and those who die, whereas, Jesus was the second Adam being the father of believers and those who live forever.
  3. Cain and Able were types of opposing religious systems  – one that did what God said and one that was self-serving.
  4. Abraham, Isaac and the sacrifice was a story that was a type of God the Father sacrificing his son.
  5. Samson holding the two pillars of the temple was a type of Jesus holding the covenants and then ultimately bringing them both to an end and this world to an end.
  6. Joseph being sold into slavery was a type of Christ being sold into the slavery of a fleshly body. Then when his time in prison was up he was brought before the ruler of the then known world (Pharaoh) and given rule over all things, just as when Jesus’ time was done here on earth, He was removed from the prison of this flesh, ascended to the throne of God and given rule over all things. While Joseph was ruling He had his eleven brothers brought to him who did not recognize him until he revealed himself to them. Similarly, Jesus was not truly known by his eleven (true believing disciples) disciples until he appeared to them after He was raised from the dead and they received the Holy Spirit making them His brothers.
  7. Moses and Aaron were a type of the two witnesses of Revelation who went before Pharaoh the leader of the world at that time, which was Egypt – a type of sin, telling him to let God’s people go. Similarly, the two witnesses of Revelation will go before the leader of this world who is Satan telling him to let God’s people go – calling all people to repent. It took many plagues on Egypt before it happened at that time, just as it will take many as is shown in Revelation before people will repent. In the end many will refuse to repent and die just as they did in Egypt. Egypt was ultimately destroyed, just as this whole world and it’s systems will be destroyed. Then God’s people will live under the kingdom of God, just as the Israelites went into the promised land.
  8. Clean and Unclean meats represent clean and unclean people.
  9. The Holy Days demonstrate God’s plan for man including sin, redemption, and eternal life.
  10. Israelites leaving Egypt was a type of God’s people leaving sin – the ways of this world. God called His people to come out of sin just as He does today. Once people know about God and choose to leave sin – the Israelites had a choice by deciding whether to put the blood on the post or not – they then accept the sacrifice and are baptized just as the Israelites were baptized in the Red Sea. After that the Israelites went into the wilderness to receive personal instruction from God. The wilderness is a type of the world, which is a harsh environment to live in and a person will not survive without God’s help. This is what it means to live by faith. That which you do by your own hands and your own strength is not of faith. Also, as God directed Israel to move forward to this place or that, they had to do it in faith. So too we are to follow the directing of the Holy Spirit each and every day. Not many survived the wilderness journey because it required faith (belief). The people clearly showed that they did not believe that God could handle the giants in the land that He promised to them and refused to go into the land. Jesus showed with the parable of the sower and the seed that many will not continue a true journey through the wilderness of today’s world. Not long after that God gave Israel the Levitical priesthood and all it’s trappings which was a form of religion. So too, today people go to church and “put in” their 15 minutes with God on Sunday every week thinking that that is somehow walking with God through the wilderness. It is not the same. Being baptized and walking with God through the wilderness is all about having a relationship with God.
  11. Joshua leading the children of Israel into the promised land. Joshua was a type of Christ and in fact his name means the same thing as Jesus’ name. Joshua was cleverly named the son of Nun. Of course Jesus was the son God and no man. Only people with the character, meekness, and humbleness of children can enter into the kingdom of God. Joshua had to lead them through the Jordan river to be baptized just like their fathers were when they were led through the Red Sea. As they enter into the land they were circumcised to show that only people with a circumcised heart can enter into the kingdom of God. The destruction of Jericho by blowing the 7 trumpets and the walls falling down matches the blowing of the 7 trumpets in Revelation and then at the 7th trumpet God’s people with Jesus come to the earth to take it, just like the Israelites rushed into Jericho to take it. Only people who repent and believe at that time like Rahab will be allowed to become a part of the children of Israel. The Israelites conquering the rest of the land of Canaan – the promised land – shows that after Jesus establishes His kingdom here on earth that it will take a little time to take over the whole earth and bring it all under His subjection.
  12. King David was a type of Christ. He was called to be king, but was chased by the king of this world at his time – Saul – who tried to kill him. So too was Jesus chased from town to town as Satan stirred up the leaders of His day to kill him. Just as David always slipped through Saul’s fingers so did Jesus slip through the Pharisees hands time after time. When David first hid from Saul God sent the lowest and basest of people to him to follow him. So too God chose those who would follow Christ who were not of the elite in Judea at the time, but were mostly uneducated fisherman and a tax collector – the most despised of the world at that time. David often would have to find food and provide for hundreds just as Jesus did and God always provided. Eventually, David and those with him were trained by their wilderness experience and were brought to rule over Israel by God. So too at a time of God’s choosing will Jesus and His followers come to rule over the earth.

Realize that Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets (Matt.5:17, 26:56; Mark 1:2; John 1:45; Acts 10:43; 3:18). What was written there pointed to Him, the church and future events! This information will help in your own studies to understand what came before, what is happening now, and what is to come.

In His Name,
Greg Turner
greg@sharingtheway.com

Jerry Olson, The Walk

God/ "Relationships" /Man

By Jerry Olson
jerrydeanolson@yahoo.com

What is a relationship? How do they come about? Are relationships important? These questions have come into my mind and seem to me that a review of this issue is in order. Let us first start our investigation about relationships with what Webster gives us as the definition of relationships: connection, having to do with, as by origin, marriage, kinship, relative.

I can not think of anything that is more lasting than are our relationships. First of course is our relationship with God, both God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son. Then comes our relationship with our spouse either husband or wife. Then comes our children and then our neighbor, in other words, all of mankind, all of any race, color or ancestral background whatsoever.

When we leave this physical life on earth behind at the death of our physical bodies, the only thing we take with us is our relationships that we have developed while living our lives. We can take nothing else with us at all. We leave absolutely everything behind.

Therefore these relationships are important to consider, whether they be with God our Father, Jesus our Savior or family members or brothers and sisters of the church body.

Relationships:
God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son

God and Man

Man and Woman

Man and Man

These relationships listed here above are important to consider. These should be in our daily minds for consideration. Understanding these relationships is without comparison in this life. If and only if these relationships are understood and cultivated with great care and much effort, can our lives be full and can we have joy everlasting, both now and in our next life as spirit members of the family of God.

God and Jesus:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John1:1

He was in the beginning with God. John 1:2

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. John 1:3

In Him was life, and life was the light of men. John 1:4


“I and My Father are One.” John 10:30

“The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand“. John 3:35

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24

“But I know Him, for I Am from Him, and He sent Me.” John7:29

Jesus said to them,

My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.” John 4:34

“And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.” John 12:45

But Jesus answered them,

” My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” John 5:17

Most assuredly, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” John 5:19

“And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” John 8:29

“For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.

“And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” John 12:49-50.


God and Man:
These relationships started back when God said, let Us make man in Our image.

Genesis 1: 26-28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Genesis 6:5-6 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth.

The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Genesis 6:9 Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations.

 Noah walked with God.

Genesis 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. :19 And he blessed him and said:

“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies
Into your hand.”

Genesis 17:5 “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.”

:6 “I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you and your descendants after you.”

:7 “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your generations after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.”

:9 And God said to Abraham; “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.”

Abraham’s son of promise was Isaac

Isaac’s son that received the promise was Jacob, who’s name was changed to Israel.

Israel had twelve sons, however Joseph received the covenant blessing.

Genesis 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph.

Genesis 48:13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him.

:14 Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the first born.

:15-16 And he blessed Joseph, and said:
The God who has fed me
All my life long to this day,
The Angel who has redeemed me
From all evil,
Bless the lads;
Let my name be named upon them,
And let them grow into a multitude
In the midst of the earth.

A man after God’s own heart.
I Samuel 17:21 For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army.

:24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, (Goliath) fled from him and were dreadfully afraid.

:26 Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel?

For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

To be a disciple for Christ Jesus:
Luke 14: 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

Luke 14:27 “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. Tim 1:8-9

Husband and Wife:
God created the heavens and the earth, and man and said that it was good, but it was not good that man was alone. So He put man to sleep and took a rib from man and created woman and brought her to the man.

Woman    Was created from the rib of man
She was not made
From his head
To top him
Nor from his feet
To be trampled on
She was made
From his side
To be his help meet
From under his arm
To be protected by him
From near his heart
To be loved by him


Marriage
God ordained marriage

Jesus speaking; Mark 10: 6 ” But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. :7 ‘for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, :8 and the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. :9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.

Back at the time of the Levitical priesthood, the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies once a year, he would literally crawl under the veil in the temple to be with God, in the Holy of Holies. Out in the courtyard of the temple, blood from goat, sheep and cattle was sprinkled by the High Priest for the atonement for the people, of their sin, this practice was part of the second however an inferior covenant and priestly practices at that time. Animal blood was only a prelude, to what Jesus was going to bring to man.

Covenants are often instituted with blood.

When a man and woman choose to marry, it is said that they are going to share in a covenant with each other, they pledge to have no other, to honor each other, to love each other, until death they do part. This is the vow and promise made by bride and groom in marriage. Often the woman is wearing a white veil, symbolizing purity and virginity. However the marriage is not actually consummated until they come together during sexual intercourse. The male penetrating the veil in the woman’s body with his body breaking her physical membrane, entry into the holy of holies in one form, an area very special for man and created for man by his Creator, producing a release of blood and eliminating the virgin designation.

Now they are one flesh in the eyes of God.

The very first covenant that was established was the marriage covenant, where blood was sacrificed, when Adam and Eve came together and became one flesh in the eyes of God. Eve allowed her veil to be sacrificed so that her relationship to her head could be established.

Did not Jesus make the blood sacrifice for His covenant relationship with His bride?

Now the marriage we just went over is done by consenting adults, no one has put a gun so to speak to either party’s head forcing anyone beyond their own will, we freely choose our intended mate in most cases, we need to choose wisely because God hates divorce, and we should hate it as well. It is not of God, it is a by-product of a fleshly human nature, with me in mind. Jesus told the Pharisees, who came to Jesus, testing Jesus with their poor attitude on marriage, “because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Mark 10:2-8 Therefore you young people who might happen on this teaching, be informed, know the person you are marrying and taking to your bed very well in the Lord. This seems on the surface to be only marginally important because at the time our hormones are fighting against a sound mind. But make no mistake about it getting a good wife or husband is extremely important and will affect you in a major way all of your natural life, and furthermore, this relationship established with God, will produce offspring and seed that will give you joy for a lifetime.

When Jesus died on the cross the veil in the temple, was ripped in two, from top to bottom, this act which He freely took, ushered in a better covenant not with blood of animals but the precious blood of our Savior, Christ Jesus. We no longer need the priesthood to make intercession for our sins, we can now go directly to our Mediator and Advocate to the Father through Jesus our Lord.

Mat 26:27-28 “Drink from this cup, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for the many for the remission of sins.”

Mat 1:21 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”

Mat 1:25 “and Joseph did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn. And he called His name Jesus.”

This is referring to sexual intercourse between Joseph and Mary. Joseph was told by God to not have relations with Mary until after Jesus was born, which He did. There were other children that came after Jesus, to Mary and Joseph-in a physical union. Both sons and daughters were born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus.

Consider this, marriage is not made complete or consummated until the veil is broken and the man goes into the woman. Therefore Joseph and Mary were not yet officially married until after Jesus was born. The Holy Spirit informed Joseph not to have sexual relations with his wife to be until after the birth of Jesus. The purity of the union between the Holy Spirit of God and Mary was maintained until after this special birth took place, further her Holy of Holies was not breached until Jesus was born, through this special relationship.

Man and Mankind:
When it is all said and done in this physical life we each live here on earth, the relationships we form and develop with people we come to know and love, are very important. In fact they are along with knowledge the only thing that we leave this life with. We take nothing more with us to the grave where we will be until our Lord raises us up at His return. We can not take any gold or silver with us, or anything else for that matter. We should make our relationships a high priority while blood is still coursing through our veins here on this earth. The scripture teaches us that keeping a brother is important and worthwhile, relationships are fragile, never be too prideful to say you are sorry. But when a friend asks for your opinion, give him the truth, do not try and sugar coat it, a good friend will always tell you the truth, even if it hurts to hear it. Your enemy will tell you what you want to hear, whisper sweet nothings in your ear. A friend will tell you how it is and is of great value in your life.

Matthew 18:15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”

The scriptures show us, I am my brother’s keeper (see Genesis 4:9-12).

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you also once walked when you lived in them. But now you must also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:5-17

Are we not all brothers and sisters in the Lord?

May the peace of God always be with you!
Jerry Olsen
jerrydeanolson@yahoo.com

 

 

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