Hell and eternal torment is the destination for the overwhelming majority of humanity, including Christians.
Something deep inside of us leads us to this destination – as the Bible details.
Locked into the physical, science and mathematics also impress that we are physiologically bound towards hades.
But, a shining example of a Biblical man remains an object lesson of how to whirlwind in the opposite direction towards the heavenlies.
If we get to know him, his life and his loves, perhaps we can escape that which is below. Familiar with his writings, perchance we can regard him as a friend, and even give him a bit of a name change. Perhaps we can call him Dave.
1 Sammy 16:7
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
The modern Church: they meet every weekend, get talked at for a bit, stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down, sing some hymns, shake hands – and hope for some great movement of God that will never happen.
As they strive for some touchy-feely spiritual silliness, with the congregation’s hands in the air, repeating ‘Jesus, Jesus, Jesus’, these people will never be successful. Why not? Because we live in a physical world.
Our reality is physical. Our body is physical, and our interactive world is physical.
Beyond church meetings, many proselytize at political gatherings or the campaign trail, and have great speeches and applause, but are ultimately unsuccessful.
Why? – because they are not locked into reality.
For success, we must master the physical/material/fleshly/carnal.
We must be locked into the physical – locked into reality.
Yes, we have a mind/personality/soul, and we strive for the spiritual, a connection to God – but without the physical – locked into reality – there’s no point, and we are doomed to failure. James 2:14-17
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Any success demands that we be locked into our physical reality. Glory is physical.
If you drive a car on the road, be sure to turn the steering wheel to lock into the reality of the bend on the road. If you want to imagine in a touchy-feely way that that the road turns right, and the road actually turns left, you’re likely to be stranded in the ditch.
If you play in a chess tournament, adhere to the physical reality to be successful. If you don’t trade low value pieces for high value pieces and control the center of the board, you’re likely going to lose. And if you insist that your rook can move diagonally like a bishop or a queen, then you’ll likely be kicked out of that tournament.
If you run a business, you need to understand that if your expenses persistently exceed your income, then you won’t be in business for long.
Luke 14:28-31
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
We need to attune to the physical – the importance of our car possibly running out of gasoline, our bank account running out of money, the possibility of physical starvation – the reality that the light that burns twice as bright burns half as long.
In the cold of winter, if the flame dies, and the fire is gone, we might freeze to death.
So, what is fire? What is its physical reality?
Fire needs oxygen and fuel (to burn), and heat/energy to ignite.
The chain reaction creates carbon dioxide, water vapour, light – and more heat so that the fire continues (as long as there is oxygen and fuel).
Potential energy (oxygen and fuel) becomes kinetic energy (heat).
Attuned to the physical, we want our car to have lots of gasoline in it, and we want to keep a good bank balance so that we can afford gasoline – and afford food so that we don’t starve. Exodus 3:2-3
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
You might say that the burning bush which is not consumed does not conform to the physical. It’s not locked into reality. Chemistry can disprove this ‘endless burning’.
Oh really? But – your car still has gasoline in the tank, and your bank account still has money, and you still haven’t starved to death.
You drive, you spend, and you expend calories. So – which is locked into reality?
Does that which expends exhaust – or does it continue to expend? Which is locked into reality?
Should we expect the burning bush to exhaust – and thus the car will run out of gasoline, we will be overdrawn at the bank, and we will starve.
Or is it that the burning bush continues to burn indefinitely, and thus the car can drive indefinitely, and we will always have abundance in money at the bank and in food?
Which is it? Which is locked into reality?
For that we have to explore: what is going on with this burning bush? What made it unique?
Moses found out that it spoke. Exodus 3:4
And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
What chemicals emerged from God’s speech from the burning bush?
We don’t actually know. But, we know that God spoke the world into existence. Psalm 33:6
By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
And, we know that mankind is in the image of God. Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And we speak our world into existence.
When we speak, we must exhale breath.
Chemically, we inhale the air (99% nitrogen and oxygen) and exhale nitrogen (N2), a bit less oxygen (O2) than we inhale, and add carbon dioxide (CO2).
Oxygen: (atomic number 8 – with 8 protons, 8 neutrons, and 8 electrons)
Nitrogen: (atomic number 7 – with 7 protons, 7 neutrons, and 7 electrons)
Carbon: (atomic number 6 – with 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons)
8 is the number of resurrection, and Jesus means 888.
7 is the number associated with the Holy Spirit. Revelation 1:4
Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
Revelation 3:1
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
The seven eyes of the Lord are throughout earth. Zechariah 4:10
For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
Revelation 5:6
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Does this mean that the Holy Spirit is everywhere nitrogen is? Could be. 6 is the number of man, as we were created on the sixth day. Genesis 1:31
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
But our speech (which demands exhaling) adds that carbon with the number six. Matthew 15:11
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Matthew 15:16-20
And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
Our heart pumps the blood which exchanges oxygen for carbon dioxide (through breathing in and out via the lungs).
Life is in the blood. Leviticus 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
Unlike other carbon-based life forms, our exhaled speech brings us to hell. James 3:5-8
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Matthew 12:34-37
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
666 is who we are.
In fact, credible near death experiences (such as Howard Pittman’s and Karl Falken’s) indicate that 97.5% of humanity is headed to hell, rather than heaven.
Fire can be for good uses or evil uses.
Similarly, our exhaled speech can be deadly. Proverbs 26:21-22 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
James indicates that our speech can be deadly or full of life. James 3:9-12
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
With repentance, any evil fire of speech dies out. Proverbs 26:20
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
James wants us to choose speech of life. James 3:13
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But, in hell, the destination for most people, the fire continues eternally. Mark 9:45-46
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Isaiah 66:24
And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
Matthew 25:41
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels
Why is the fire eternal? Because hell is beneath the earth. Isaiah 14:9
Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming…
Numbers 16:32-33
And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
Psalm 55:15-16
Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Potential energy from falling (via gravity) is convertible into fire.
Endless potential to fall comes from the physics of hell – a bottomless abyss or pit.
A bottomless pit in geometry is defined as the center of a sphere.
But, we have a chance, because our exhaled breath has not only carbon, but also oxygen. That 6 atomic number (or 666 protons/neutrons/electrons) comes along with the 888 of two oxygen atoms – carbon dioxide (CO2).
With 688 (atomic numbers of one carbon and two oxygens), we can go along with Jesus to heaven.
With the atomic numbers of 688, where are we (carbon) going?
We go upwards – to wisdom from above. James 3:17
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Satan is the prince (ruler) of the power of the air. Ephesians 2:2
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience
The Greek term for ‘air’ is aeros. This refers to the lower atmosphere – breathable air.
We go above the breathable air. What is there? Ozone (O3).
Locked into reality, the physical, we strive upwards in the atmosphere, above the Devil’s legal territory, for the atomic numbers 888, which is non-breathable ozone.
But the reality is that we cannot breathe 888, the ozone (three oxygen atoms).
The ozone, a gas blue in colour, which is created by sunlight (ultra-violet, purple – which fades the red) in our upper atmosphere, is not what we can bear.
Considering and facing up to the agape love from Jesus, that sacrificial love, is so difficult to bear.
The light of the Lord is blinding, much like staring into the sun. John 3:19-21
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
In the Old Testament, the physical cloud manifestation of God, which might be ozone (because humans could not physically be in it and breathe it) crowded out the people. Exodus 40:35
And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
1 Kings 8:10-11
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
Jesus leaving was good for us, because the Holy Spirit arrived in his place. John 16:7
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Jesus and his perfection is simply too bright light for us.
One step at a time – we have to follow in Christ’s steps, led by the Holy Spirit.
Dial back the oxygen level – and let’s breathe in that nitrogen. 1 Peter 2:21-22
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth
Romans 8:14
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
We are perfected – and can accept more and more of the light of Jesus. Proverbs 4:18
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
We accept more and more light, unto our perfection, as the Holy Spirit guides us to teaching. John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Even back in Genesis, Adam’s exhalation would have spread carbon dioxide, which aided the plants’ growth (plants breathe in C02) – because Adam’s purpose was to garden. Genesis 2:15
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
And our exhalation should speak our world into existence.
We are to create a world of disciples, not sit around waiting for a pre-tribulation rapture, which will never happen. Mark 16:15-16
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Matthew 28:19-20
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
(And interesting people in the world are desperate to reduce C02 emissions.)
In the Old Testament’s original Hebrew language, the word ‘ruach’ translates to three English words: breath, spirit, and wind.
And we need to breathe to survive. 1 Kings 17:17
And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
Connected to God, Elijah had the word of the Lord in his mouth. 1 Kings 17:20-24
And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
The spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha. 2 Kings 2:15
And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha.
We speak guided by the Holy Spirit.
Breathing for seven:
2 Kings 4:32-35
And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
So, we can breathe and speak with nitrogen around us (the 777 of the Holy Spirit) and make disciples and do God’s will and be like that inexhaustible burning bush that Moses saw? Right? Nope.
While we are to speak with fire… Jeremiah 5:14
Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
…the chemical reaction that is fire cannot begin without a spark. It needs energy, heat – a fire input to begin.
Fire from ruach (breath/spirit/wind): Acts 2:1-4
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Luke 3:16
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire
John 20:22
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost
John 14:16-17
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Acts 10:44-46
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.
Acts 19:4-6
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
Now with the spark, that fire from the Holy Spirit, we have ignition for the fire.
Does that now mean that we are like the everlasting burning bush?
So, now our car does not run out of gasoline, and our bank account does not run out of money, and our food supply is abundant?
Nope.
Remember, fire is a chemical chain reaction where the heat produced continues the fire.
Unless we keep emitting that heat and light from the fire, and keep turning our potential energy into kinetic energy in a real, physical world, our flame will die out.
In a competitive, dog-eat-dog world, the human race’s natural course is corruption.
Micah 7:2-6
The 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.
That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.
Trust 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.
For 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.
Honest business exchanges are replaced by clever scams, beauty and art are replaced by the practicality of making money, and everyday people are made poor as the rich get richer.
Crippling poverty emerges in countries like India and Haiti, authoritarianism in counties like China and North Korea, and sexual perversion in the countries of Europe.
With false gods, the flame of the fire has died out in Hindu and Muslim countries – as those peoples try to emigrate to countries in the West where the fire has not completely died out.
As history has demonstrated, when the Bible came to Britain, the sun never set on the British empire. Britain ruled the world. When British authority opposed the creation of Israel in 1948, Britain’s authority fell, and they became a second rate power.
Then, America ruled the world with its commitment to Christ.
And, countries like Kenya emerged from poverty via Biblical acceptance.
What is necessary for these countries’ rise is men who are willing to stand in the gap.
(God expects 100% of people to stand in the gap. Why? Because the gap is between heaven and hell. And here on earth, physically, we live in the gap. Hell is downwards and heaven is upwards.) Philippians 2:10
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
To understand how the fire continues to burn – like Moses saw with the burning bush – or our car runs with abundant gasoline and mechanic’s parts (and new vehicles manufactured) and wealth in the bank, and lots of food available – we need to understand what life is like in the gap.
When we earn money at our job, or plant seed for food, or get an oil change for our car – all of this is great. We are locked into reality, our physical reality, and these acts are clearly the proper and right things to do.
But, these acts will never stop the inevitable greed, war, hatred, jealously, arrogance, etc. that will destroy our countries.
Luke 9:59-62
And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Proper Christians – instead of talking in touchy-feely circles and standing up and down, up and down – should be locked into reality – the physical. What do we call this physical? Glory.
Many refer to the physical reality – as the natural. Anything above is supernatural.
And the natural is ruled by money.
They might say: “Commerce is our goal here at our corporation” – as they try to reach up for the supernatural (and fail). Acts 8:17-22
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Matthew 25:1-13
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
But here at Christian Ministries, “’More human than human’ is our motto” – as we follow in the footsteps of a new race of humans with cleansed hearts – the Immanuel race.
Isaiah 7:14-15
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
Mark 3:33-35
And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
How do we achieve this super-reality, this reality above our physical natural reality – this tangible glory?
Firstly, we have to prepare our hearts. Ezra 7:10
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
2 Chronicles 12:14
And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.
2 Chronicles 30:18-20
But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
1 Samuel 7:3
And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
The way to prepare our hearts, a gateway to the spiritual – a reality above our natural – the supernatural – is through our tongue, our speech. Proverbs 16:1-2
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
The six in our 688 rises to be seven and eight.
Fill your heart.
Those who live in the gap have no certain dwelling place. 1 Corinthians 4:11-13
Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
Life in the gap is about no security from the natural/physical/carnal world. Luke 9:58
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
In the gap, between heaven and hell, we plead and press into the presence of God. Psalm 84:2-4
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.
Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
Luke 16:16
The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
How do we press into the kingdom of God? Praise and thanksgiving. Psalm 100:4
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psalm 95:2
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
2 Chronicles 31:2
…the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.
In fact, as we step outside of the natural world into the gap, hoping for that supernatural – a new physical reality of glory – we can prepare our hearts (that effort of six working days – the 6 of 688) to achieve the 888 of ozone above – by speaking and proclaiming praise and thanksgiving.
Follow the script: Psalm 92:1-5
{A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day.} It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,
Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
Proclaim it: Psalm 52:6-9
The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.
Over time, you break out of the programming from the machine: the fuddy-duddy father figure on sitcoms, the cool rebels without a cause (or a clue) in movies, the education system which just wants to sell more education, and the righteousness of utilitarianism and making a profit.
Psalm 34:1-3
I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
You are a new you with a progressively cleansed heart.
Ezekiel 11:19-20
And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
Your decision of repentance from your soul/mind to follow the script and proclaim – prepares your heart to become a new you. Deuteronomy 30:6
And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
Jeremiah 24:7
And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
With a spiritual link to the above heavenly, we have heat and light from our lamp. Matthew 5:14-16
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Now, the chain reaction that is fire can continue burning – as the heat feeds the fire.
And, yes, like the burning bush that Moses saw (which did not exhaust), we can have gasoline and car parts/new cars to drive indefinitely, money in the bank, and food abundance.
Standing in the gap, we can lift up countries to abundance that are based on Judeo-Christian principles, in contrast to poverty-stricken countries from which people want to emigrate.
Psalm 37:25-26
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
Deuteronomy 28:11-12
And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
Persevere because endurance is required to keep that flame going. Mark 13:13
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
With the flame continuously burning, and creating heat and light indefinitely – we might sit back, thinking that it’s relaxy-happy-Mcfun time.
But, in April, the spring-time of 2024, I had an exchange with the Lord that indicated that I was missing an important item.
Now, we are here on earth to create and cultivate love. John 15:12
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Romans 12:9-10 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
But there was something that I was missing.
That’s the look, that’s the look: the look of love.
Follow the script. (It should be as easy as ABC.)
Life in the gap means that we break out of this world with its programmed memories from the machine.
While we recognize the silliness of personal ambition and career success promoted by the machine with its heroes in the news and movies – we also recognize that we can admire and aspire for moments of amazingness in pop culture – claiming and conquering these moments as our own.
For example, we recognize important historical moments – that express our justification.
Matthew 12:37
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Justification is to be declared righteous by God, not guilty, just as if we’ve never sinned.
Being guilty in a human court doesn’t matter: 1 Corinthians 4:3-4
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
For example, we can go way back to 1972 and remember that a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit.
These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground.
Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune.
If you have a problem, If no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team.
So, let’s start with ‘A’.
In April 2024, I discovered a disturbing fact.
Dirk Benedict, beloved as Starbuck on the original Battlestar Galactica and 3rd place contestant on the British Celebrity Big Brother 2007, was not the original ‘Face’ on the A-Team.
After my recovery, my investigation uncovered that a charlatan by the name of Tim Dunigan (hereinafter known as ‘the imposter’) depicted Face on the pilot of this tv series.
As a fan of the show in my youth, I don’t believe that I ever saw the pilot. So, I watched this double-episode online.
As I began to watch the cartoonish hijinks of the team, being chased by the lawmen at the start of the show, and John ‘Hannibal’ Smith in his goofy, crazy, reptilian outfit, I explained to God that this is what life should be – with the excitement and the wackiness.
You might say that this was a bit forward of me.
But, I was having a bold moment. Hebrews 10:19-22
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
And having an 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.
Ephesians 3:12
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
However, God responded with a Red Sea moment saying: “But you ain’t Moses.”
(spoken by Hannibal Smith to Colonel Lynch, as Hannibal unleashed the waters on the military men).
Hannibal had something that I didn’t have: the look of love.
We are here on earth to be God’s people and cultivate love.
Many have categorized different types of love, such as: familial, sexual, friendship, sacrificial, enduring, playful, etc.
But, as an expression of faith, we should cultivate the look of love.
We must remember that we are being watched. Proverbs 5:21
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
Not only is the Lord watching humanity, but also angels. 1 Corinthians 4:9
…for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
Entities above especially watch God’s people. Revelation 7:13-14
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
And recorded: Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
God’s people are especially visible, because of the light from the continuous flame. John 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Philippians 2:15
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
When God signals for the right-handed reliever, or calls for the Old Blade Runner – the spotlight is on you.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
And our expression of faith should be locked into reality – the physical. Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
When Noah built this ark (which would have been a very odd thing to do), do you think that he had a questioning look on his face?
No, he would have had that faithful, confident, joyous look of love.
Similarly, Moses would not have had a face of trepidation.
He would have had that look of love. Exodus 14:27-29
And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
We don’t have actual pictures of Noah or Moses available to us – but mercifully, God has gifted us with high-quality video of Hannibal Smith, the leader of the A-Team, ably played by veteran actor George Peppard.
Many might say that Hannibal’s buoyant smile in the face of seemingly certain destruction was television silliness – a kids’ show, not reality.
But proper Christians know that the victories of the A-Team parallel true Biblical victory, with four men (who earned their nicknames) triumphing over tremendous odds – with the look of love. Joshua 23:10-11
One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
Leviticus 26:8
And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
Like the A-Team many times, Paul and Silas were thrown in prison. Acts 16:22-24
And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
John Smith, who earned the name change to Hannibal (after the legendary Carthaginian general who wrote the script of how to invade Rome) – knew that his team would prevail. He had faith.
Similarly, Paul and Silas knew they would prevail. They had faith.
Did they have an angry or complaining expression on their faces? No. We don’t have a video or pictures, but they obviously had that look of love. Acts 16:25-26
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
In contrast, so many people who would be locked up with Hannibal Smith in the prison would be complaining, murmuring – like those with Moses in their exodus to the promised land. Exodus 16:2
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness
Numbers 11:4-6
And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
If you’re a Christian, you might be missing on victories, blessings, miracles.
In fact, you know you're missing out on something,
Well that something depends on you – to turn those grey skies to blue.
Repentance is a decision, but to be locked into reality, the physical – you need the look.
When your world is full of strange arrangements
And gravity won't pull you through
You know you're missing out on something
Well that something depends on you
All I'm saying
It takes a lot to love you
All I'm doing
You know it's true
All I mean now
There's one thing yes one thing
That turns this grey sky to blue
(That's the look, that's the look)
The look of love
(That's the look, that's the look)
The look of love
(That's the look, that's the look)
The look of love
But how did the actor George Peppard, as Hannibal Smith, so easily smile in the moment of looming disaster?
George had read the script. George read his lines, knew the storyline, and it certainly wasn’t difficult when his adversaries threatened to harm him and his people. George knew that the A-Team would win in the end.
George could do a good show for the watchers.
Similarly, Christians should do a good show for the watchers.
Like George, Noah had the script. Genesis 6:13-22
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.
And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.
Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
Moses also had the script. Exodus 14:15-18
And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
Paul and Silas had the script. Acts 16:6-10
Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
Also, Daniel, knowing the script, stood in the gap and intervened for God’s people.
Daniel knew that Jeremiah prophesized that the children of Israel would be taken to Babylon for seventy years, and after those seventy years, would return. Jeremiah 25:11
And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
Jeremiah 29:10
For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
So, when seventy years had elapsed, Daniel prayed to God with fasting, sackcloth, and supplications – that God might forgive his people. Daniel 9:2-6
In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
Daniel 9:15-17
And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.
But you might say that you don’t have a script.
God did not speak to you like Noah or Moses, and you didn’t have a vision like Paul.
You didn’t even have a paper copy of the latest episode couriered to you as with George Peppard.
But that is life in the gap.
God’s people avoid the hellfire by knowing God. Luke 13:26-27
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
Matthew 7:21-23
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
To know the Lord, we do ‘the will of my Father which is in heaven.’
In the gap, we break through to heaven by fellowship with God – so much of which is pleading for the script (our own individual script) for what to do (the will of the Father) in our life. 2 Samuel 7:18
Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
We plead until we get an answer.
Keep on pushing until you get your script. Faith is about persistence, endurance. Luke 18:1-8
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Life in the gap is about leaving the safety of the soulish world, stepping out in hopes of breaking through to God.
Call to the Lord to get an answer. Jeremiah 33:3
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Psalm 91:15
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
Desperation: Psalm 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
Psalm 40:1
I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psalm 5:3
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Listen for God. John 8:47
He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Seek the Lord and forsake the ways of the world. Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
With a prepared heart, you will have a heart receptive to what God has to say.
Hear and obey from the heart. Hebrews 3:7-11
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
We keep the flame going with proper speech (exhortation) – and receptive hearts. Hebrews 3:12-16
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
And remember, God is not limited.
He doesn’t need to speak to you through an actor on a four man team of eclectic commandoes. He can use any 1980s action-adventure show. He can speak to you through Magnum P.I., Knight Rider, Airwolf, the Fall Guy, Remington Steele, or even the short lived series ‘Automan.’ Yes, even Automan.
Okay, all joking aside, while God speaks to you when you read your Bible…
…God can speak to you through signs, dreams, visions, prophecy – or a street sign, or a neighbour, or a radio show. Acts 2:17
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams
We are guided by the impressions of the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:29
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
Acts 13:2-3
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
But we cultivate discernment, so that we are not deceived. Jeremiah 23:25-32
I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.
Jude 1:16
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
Psalm 12:2-3
They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things
Proverbs 27:6
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Life in the gap is about dealing with reality – physical reality.
We have unlimited potential by looking above – up where we can potentially travel above the air, above the ozone to the heavens.
We have stifled potential by looking below: magma, darkness, ashes, a bottomless pit in earth.
(A bottomless pit is in geometry defined as the center of a sphere.) Psalm 86:13
For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
Psalm 88:2-6
Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.
Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
Psalm 71:20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
Most people, who do not stand in the gap, are unaware that the reality of life on this earth, our soulish normal world of living, working, retiring will lead to our falling to the pits of hell upon death.
The reality of gravity, as a physical norm, will bring us down – if not for our physical bodies while we are alive.
When your world is full of strange arrangements
And gravity won't pull you through
You know you're missing out on something
Well that something depends on you
Psalm 73:18-19
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
For what are we striving? Holiness. 1 Peter 1:15-16
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Hebrews 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord
Revelation 4:8
And the four living creatures had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Being holy and holiness are odd words, because, while we can imagine parallels of God’s goodness, might, sinless nature, love, and other aspects in humans – the concept of holiness does not have a parallel.
Rather than the simplicity of hell below (ashes, worms, darkness), above is beyond words. 2 Corinthians 12:2-4
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Isaiah 55:8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Looking above to holiness, in an unlimited upwards – for what are we looking?
We are looking for glory. Glory is tangible. Glory is physical reality. 2 Corinthians 12:5-6
Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
Isaiah 6:3
And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
We cleanse ourselves over time (sanctification, becoming holy). 2 Corinthians 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
We eschew the ugly creeping creatures down on the floor of the earth. Leviticus 11:44
For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Those in the gap stand between heaven and hell. Those standing in the gap are locked into the physical reality of heaven and hell.
While most people just see the earth and just see a world of maximizing bank funds, and having pleasure, and getting along with the norms of the world… 1 Timothy 5:6
But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
1 Samuel 15:24
And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
Mark 10:23-25
And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
…those standing in the gap know that hedonism, greed, and being a people pleaser will destroy societies.
Those standing in the gap grasp upwards for holiness, bringing glory to earthly living.
The physical wealth is glory for God – and makes the impossible possible via the spiritual, not the soulish lower reality. Mark 10:25-27
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Great men brought heaven to earth by having proper marriage and sexual practices. Leviticus 18:22-23
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
Matthew 19:8-9
He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
When the Apostle Paul journeyed to Corinth, he encountered a normality of fornication. The Corinthians had a worldly view and had not appropriated holiness above to bring down to earth the glory of proper marriages and family structures. 1 Corinthians 5:1
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Glory—the tangible/physical:
Proverbs 17:6
Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
Proverbs 12:4
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
1 Corinthians 11:7
For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
No, hard times do not create strong men, and strong men do not create good times (without connection to God).
Only by reaching above for wisdom (which could result from hard times, affliction) to create Law to structure society, honest, truth, agape love, and so many other Biblical lessons, can we have glory from holiness. James 3:13-18
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
By soulish logic, with a view only to this world, our best strategy is seek war and pleasure – taking the physical from others (and a likely result from hard times). James 4:1-6
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Men who seek the heavenly hold up society and are held up themselves. James 4:7-10
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
John 6:63
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
But you might say that you are not interested in a script.
You will simply not read lines like George Peppard. You are your own person, and you will write your own narrative of life.
No – if you’re not property of Christ, then you are property of the Devil – and read lines you shall.
If you not of Christ, you are in love with the normal distribution curve.
Specifically, the tragedy of you is that you are a good, rational person.
As a good, rational person, you know that the man who broke out of the mental institution, Howling Mad Murdock, could not possibly save the town by piloting the flying machine that he and B.A. ‘Bad Attitude’ Baracus cobbled together from parts in the warehouse in which the A-Team were trapped.
That’s ridiculous, and your weapon of accusation, your script, belittles anyone who thinks that might be possible.
So, consequently, you would never believe that the hated young brother sold into slavery could be running the superpower of the world (Egypt). Genesis 37:27-28
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Genesis 41:41-43
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Your script reinforces normality, the believable, the regular day-to-day activities.
Perhaps you belong to one of the good, rational churches that believes that ‘the age of miracles is over.’
(You could never believe that someone with a shoddy website built with 2003 HTML skills, and a Twitter following of 180 people, could reach top social media influencers, top broadcast media people, and top levels of the US government, including Congress and the President. Ridiculous.)
As you are programmed by the machine, your script is from the teleprompter of the news commentator who tells you to “trust the science”. Scoff at crazies just as Richard Dawkins does with his love of evolution.
Everyone knows evolution is the truth. It’s common sense to those who are not weirdos (outliers on the normal distribution curve). You don’t want to be unpopular in your tribe – right?
Proper Christians put on the whole armour of God. Ephesians 6:11-17
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
The truth from the Lord is Christians’ shield. Psalm 91:4
…his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
King David knew that his sin was solely against the Lord. Psalm 51:4
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Any sin against man was grievous, as you’ve done it to God (man being in the image of God). Matthew 25:40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
However, being people pleasers, most people have the normal distribution curve as their shield.
And their sword to instantiate this defence is not the Word of God, but is spoken accusation.
To be a good person, concerning abortion, you might say that you believe in a woman’s right to choose, but you believe that if the fetus is able to be delivered, then that should be taken into account.
You’re not like the extreme people who believe in abortion regardless of the months of pregnancy, and you’re not like the extreme people who want to outright ban abortion.
Those extreme people are your shield, as you accuse them.
Or perhaps you don’t believe in any abortion, except for incest and rape – (unlike those extreme people who want to ban abortion completely).
Or perhaps you want to ban abortion completely – and only look to the healthcare of the mother and baby – but you don’t believe in supernatural healing as a Biblical truth – unlike those extreme people.
Regardless, you are a good, normal person, as you accuse the crazies on the extreme ends of the normal distribution curve.
With the issue of who should be banned from social media – the issue of censorship, again you are a good person.
The body bags of those you’ve accused on either ends of the spectrum protect you. You’re certainly not like those weirdos who believe in banning people for exercising their free speech, but you’re also not like those people who are alright with doxxing and death threats.
On the spectrum of capitalism/socialism/communism, again you accuse the extreme people. Unbridled corporate greed needs to be reined in, but let’s also examine the how communism has failed over and over in history.
In contrast, those with a prepared heart for the Lord dispense with this communication, and seek first the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
But – rather than break out of this world, most people’s script is from the kingdoms of the god of this world (Satan). Luke 4:5
And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
As feudal systems change to republics and democracies, peoples’ stances on voting rights change over time. Your script changes from saying “one man, one vote” to “one person, one vote” – but you can’t be extreme like that edgy youtube traditional woman who wants to abolish women’s voting.
Given that your bias is away from the extremes of the normal distribution curve, nothing extraordinary can happen.
If, in church, you were to talk about sex, your bias would be ‘missionary position in the dark’ – to be on the safe side.
Your script concerning the subject of ‘rough sex’ has to be within the religion of feminism (and even then not taken seriously, just comedy) – as stand up comic Diane Spencer asks: 'Can a good feminist be into rough sex?'
(Sure there are weirdo celibate nuns and priests – but also weirdo couples doing the unspeakable in their marriage – at the other extreme.)
1 Corinthians 7:4-5
The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
1 Timothy 4:1-3
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
For most, the script is quite easy. It’s just accusing the extremes of the normal distribution curve using those same words that we are all familiar with. Discourse is not a flowing, developed, nuanced conversation like in the book of Job. Job 9:21-26 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
Discourse is an NPC (non-playing character in a video game – a set script) where the goal is to get to the accusatory hot words – where the right-wing wins by saying: “Pornography” or “Onlyfans” or “Communist” – and the left-wing wins by saying “Racist” or “Sexist” or “Transphobic”.
To the extremes, harnessing our unlimited potential, we’d like to say that we are locked into the physical/carnal reality to grasp upwards to holiness – linked to the spiritual.
But, we have to start back at ABC. 1 Corinthians 3:1-4
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
All this envying and strife is not the look of love.
For example, Christians should be reading and following the script regarding Israel.
God proclaimed the scattering around the world of the children of Israel, and completed this act. Leviticus 26:33
And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.
Ezekiel 12:15
And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.
Psalm 44:11
Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.
Jews currently have residence in most of the countries of the world – and have maintained their identity through keeping the Law and intra-marriage.
The Lord, through the prophet Isaiah, predicted that Gentiles will seek Christ (from the root of King David, son of Jesse). Isaiah 11:10
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
And, also predicted is the regathering of Israelites (a second one beyond the Exodus from Israel). Isaiah 11:11-12
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Ezekiel 37:21-22
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king 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
Like Daniel (and the seventy years in Babylon), recognize the signs of the times. Matthew 16:2-3
He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Way back in time, the ten northern tribes of Israel fell to the Assyrians around 720 B.C. 2 Kings 17:5-8
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,
And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.
And the southern tribes in Judah were conquered by Romans in 70 A.D., destroying the Temple, wiping out the country of Israel.
(Jesus predicted this destruction.) Mark 13:1-2
And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Israel has not been a nation for about two thousand years.
Observers should recognize the miracle of the United Nations (against stiff opposition) mandating the creation of Israel in 1948 – and the miracle of a culturally recognizable people (scattered around the world) who maintained an Old Testament mindset.
You couldn’t scatter Scottish people, or Brazilians, or Nigerians, or Thai people across the world for two thousand years and expect them to maintain their culture and identity.
So – the question is – should Christians support the return of the scattered tribes to Israel? – the expanded Israel?
Borders of Israel: Genesis 15:18-21
In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
Exodus 23:30-33
By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.
And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.
Yes, Christians should follow and support the script – the regathering of Israel.
Does this mean that Christians should support some sort of ‘Zionism’ where Jewish people are superior and can do whatever they please? No.
Jews like Christians are a remnant.
But, Jews are a chosen people. Deuteronomy 7:6
For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
Deuteronomy 10:15
Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
And the Lord has love for this people. Psalm 48:9
We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
Psalm 36:7
How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
But the Lord’s love of his people often is destruction for their great sins. 1 Chronicles 21:14
So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
Psalm 95:9-11
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
Numbers 14:33
And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
God cleanses the Jews after (not before) the regathering to Israel. Ezekiel 36:24-28
For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
Then 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.
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
But God has chosen this people and set them apart. Exodus 19:4-6
Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
If we are shopping for a high-end car, we might choose a Mercedes, BMW, or an Audi. Why? Because the Germans are known for engineering. Or, we might look at Ferrari or Lamborghini because the Italians know how to build sports cars. We choose Germany or Italy.
For fine cuisine or wine, we might choose France. For soccer training, we might choose the Brazilians. For mass manufacturing, we might choose China. For modern, refined coffee, we might choose Australia.
For The Law and for the Old Testament, God chose Israel.
Importantly, God values the physical – and chose the land for Israel to be right in the center of the world – the center of Asia, Africa and Europe. God wants that physically to be a cornerstone for the world.
So many Jewish people have an acumen for Law and become lawyers. And, the Hebrew language (the original language of the Old Testament) is a very legal oriented language. In contrast, the Greek language (the original language of the New Testament) is a very contemplative language, and Greece was the seat of philosophy. God chose these languages for a reason.
So many Christians dismiss the Old Testament (Covenant) by saying that this does not apply to us – and these Christians fail to recognize that the purpose of the New Testament (Covenant) is to bring that which is of the Old Testament to a higher level – a human level under the royal law of love. Matthew 5:38-42
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Christians are to have the Holy Spirit in them – the temple of God. 1 Corinthians 3:16
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Christians are to be living epistles, living instantiations, of the New Covenant – Law on heart. 2 Corinthians 3:2-3
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tablets of the heart.
But without a living example of the tablets of Moses – the people of Israel – Christians have nothing to bring to a higher level.
For example, the high priest Aaron burned incense under the Old Covenant. Exodus 30:7-9
And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.
But Christians would properly say that we do not need an Old Covenant priest burning incense. Hebrews 10:1-6
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
However, without the physical of the Old Covenant, would Christians even appreciate or remember the leap upwards to the spiritual – that sweet smell that is incense/prayers? Revelation 8:4-5
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
Similarly, Christians might look at animal sacrifices of the Old Covenant with disgust. Leviticus 3:1-5
And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.
And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
Numbers 18:17
But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
Christians would rightly say that the sacrifice we need is Christ.
But, without the physical instantiation of bloody sacrifices by Jews (which are by definition acts we do not want to perform), would Christians even remember the sheer price that Christ had to pay in sacrificing himself? Zechariah 12:10
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Isaiah 53:3-4
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Without physical offerings by fire from the Old Testament, would Christians even contemplate the difference between the everlasting burning bush and the everlasting hellfire? Leviticus 9:23-24, 10:1-2
And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.
And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
And, we can also look at the smaller issues of life. Luke 16:10
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
With everyday measurements, we can contemplate the Old Covenant. Proverbs 20:10
Diverse weights, and diverse measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
Our pursuit of love is not helped by the grocery store with overpricing scales, or shady sales practises like bait-and-switch. And that German Mercedes-Benz that you purchased, which you thought was a deal, had a rolled back odometer.
Psalm 1:2
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
But, should Christians support modern-day Israeli military action – bombing civilians and destroying towns? No, of course not. Exodus 22:21-22
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
Deuteronomy 10:17-19
For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:
He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Ezekiel 18:7
And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
Matthew 5:43-44
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Some might argue that, today, modern armies of Israel should kill all of those in their land.
They might cite Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 20:16-18
But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.
Or Joshua. Joshua 6:16-17
And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Or Samuel. 1 Samuel 15:3
Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
Back then, destruction was the only way to end idolatry and blasphemous practices. But, since Christ’s sacrifice, even those who committed severe abominations with false gods can be cleansed, redeemed, and saved.
Ideally Christians would bring heaven to earth, and peacefully facilitate a Jewish return to the homeland of Israel and an exit and re-housing of Palestinians. Isaiah 2:4
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
But, God is a realist, and knows the human warlike nature.
So, when God proclaims that he will return Jews to Israel… Joel 3:1
For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem,
…God criticizes the nations for their ‘two state’ solutions which partitions Israel.
Joel 3:2
I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
And God criticizes the way the nations have treated the Jewish people and proclaims war. Joel 3:4-11
Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;
Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:
The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.
Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:
And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.
Invariably, the script for the regathering of Israel is not of peace, but of war.
Jeremiah 30:1-7
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.
For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.
And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.
For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.
Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
Destruction awaits the nations to which the Jews were scattered… but severe punishment also awaits the Jews of Israel for their transgressions. Jeremiah 30:11
For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.
Importantly, the re-creation and growth of today’s Israel is not about whether the Israelites are moral or immoral – but it’s about God’s sovereignty and covenant.
God made a covenant with Abraham about the land of Israel. Genesis 17:8
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
And God has, by his sovereign choice, decided that the land of Israel (Jacob renamed ‘Israel’) is his own treasure. Psalm 135:4
For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.
And God chose to defeat those occupying the land he selected for his own people. Psalm 135:10-12
Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings;
Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan:
And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.
Regardless of whether modern-day Israelites are wicked or moral, God, who is faithful, stands by his covenant with Abraham, and will have his land by sovereign choice.
Our Lord is a God of Covenant.
He stands by his covenant with Noah. Genesis 9:11-13
And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
He stands by his covenant with David. 2 Kings 19:34
For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
2 Kings 20:6
And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
He stands by Christ’s blood covenant for sinners. Matthew 26:28
For this is my blood of the new testament (covenant), which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
He stands by his covenant for the land of Israel and his sovereign choice proclaimed in his Word regarding the regathering of Israel in the last days.
If Christians followed the script concerning the regathering of Israel – like George Peppard as Hannibal paid attention to his script, they could smile confidently with faith in the face of danger – that look of love – just like Hannibal Smith did.
But most Christians are headed for eternal damnation.
What happened? They lost the look of love.
God spread faith to the Gentiles (non-Israel nations) through Christ (from the line of Jesse) – which was predicted in the Old Testament. Isaiah 49:6
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
Isaiah 60:3
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
In the record of the early Church, the book of Acts, this prophecy was fulfilled. Acts 11:1,18
And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
…When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Through the failed faith of the Jews, salvation came to the Gentiles. Romans 11:11
I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
1 Peter 2:10
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Again, this was prophesized in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 32:21
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
What happened that God’s people would lose their status with God?
The lost the look of love. Acts 28:27-29
For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
The look of love comes from the heart. Proverbs 4:23-25
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Mark 7:20-23
And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
The look of love is that of a child – open-minded and humble. Luke 18:17
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
Matthew 18:3-4
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus commended the faith of a Gentile woman. Matthew 15:21-28
Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
She had the look of love – humbling herself as a dog.
And, Jesus could not find in Israel the faith of the Gentile Centurion. Luke 7:1-10
Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.
And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:
For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.
Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.
The high status Centurion had the look of love – humble, and explaining he was not worthy.
One had the look of love, not the other: Luke 18:9-14
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Only the Samaritan leper gave glory to God. Luke 17:11-19
And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
In contrast to these Gentiles, Jesus says that the children of the kingdom are headed for eternal damnation. Why?
Matthew 8:10-12
When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 21:42-43
Jesus 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?
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
God expects growth from his people. Psalm 92:12-13
The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
We are still to be flourishing in old age. Psalm 92:14-15
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
If we are not growing, we are stunted in ‘traditions’ and are rejected as God’s people. Colossians 2:8
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Along with taking the Mark of the Beast, the unforgivable sin is to offend the Holy Spirit.
Mark 3:28-29
Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation
And, we are to be led by the Holy Spirit (but so many draw back from the Holy Spirit – offending him). Romans 8:13-14
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Galatians 5:16-18 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
The Holy Spirit is available to all since the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:1-4
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
We are guided in life by the impressions of the Holy Spirit.
Our walk in life should be brighter every day with forward progress. 2 Corinthians 4:16
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
We are to grow, built up, edified. 1 Peter 2:5
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:8-9
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
We should be able to build on the old – with the new.
Paul reasoned out of Old Testament scripts that Jesus is the Messiah. Acts 17:2-4
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
Acts 18:28
For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
Acts 9:22
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
But so many draw back, and said “don’t confuse me with the facts”. Acts 9:23-25
And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.
Acts 17:5
But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
And similarly today, so many draw back not only from reasoning from Biblical scripture, but also from the impressions of the Holy Spirit – offending the Holy Spirit.
And, we can be guided by someone who has a word of wisdom or a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:8
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
But how many people would listen to someone with a word from the Holy Spirit?
How likely is it for someone (particularly of high status) to listen to a man with a word from God?
Could you imagine a head of state or a mega-church pastor listening to a regular person with a Spiritual word? Unlikely indeed.
But if we draw back from Spiritual guidance unto that perfect day, we are headed for eternal damnation, like most Christians. Hebrews 10:38-39
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Psalm 44:18
Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;
Matthew 7:13-14
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Sin: falling short of the mark. Hebrews 10:26-27
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Hebrews 6:4-6
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Guidance from the Holy Spirit can come from the gift of prophecy. 1 Corinthians 14:5
I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
1 Corinthians 12:10
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues
Although all can potentially prophesize, do we have Old Testament style prophets (and false prophets) in modern times?
We certainly have Old Testament style false prophets. Flattering, they only speak of victory and accumulating wealth for God’s people, and speak nothing of sacrifice and affliction. They do not speak of that difficult road to being saintly and perfected, but say that you are already ready to raptured to Jesus! Jeremiah 8:10-12
…from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
1 Kings 22:6
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
Lamentations 2:14
Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.
Jeremiah 29:8-9
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.
Money-oriented: Jeremiah 6:13
For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
Micah 3:11
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.
If we did have Old Testament style prophets nowadays, they would be regular men in terms of status – but odd because they do not conform to worldly norms.
And God would ordain circumstances so that they can prophesize to kings, head of states. 1 Kings 20:35-43
And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.
Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.
Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.
And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.
And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.
2 Chronicles 11:2-4
But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
1 Kings 13:1
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
1 Kings 18:17
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
And what the prophet has to say to the king pretty much always displeases the king. 1 Kings 22:17-18
And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
2 Chronicles 16:7
And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.
2 Samuel 12:7-10
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
1 Kings 14:9-12
But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:
Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.
2 Chronicles 36:11-12
Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.
In fact, Old Testament prophets not only anger kings, but also everyone, such that they are killed. Acts 7:51-52
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers
Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
2 Chronicles 36:15-16
And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
Nehemiah 9:26
Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.
For the prophet to have a chance at breaking through, he has to be a foreigner. Luke 4:24
And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Of kings, why was King David so special in God’s eyes? Acts 13:22
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
Because God could exalt King David with wealth and status – as God wants to bless his people… 2 Corinthians 8:9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
…only because King David repented at the prophet’s chastisement. Psalm 51:1-4
{To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.} Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Most of God’s people, after being exalted by the Lord, fall to pride. 2 Chronicles 26:16
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
Psalm 62:10
…if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
Deuteronomy 32:15-16
But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.
But King David had a look of love… Psalm 34:4-5
I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
Psalm 68:3-4
But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
1 Chronicles 15:29
And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.
…rather than a look of dignity, pride, arrogance. Psalm 18:27
For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
To grow spiritually, we often need to be pruned like a plant. John 15:1-2
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
In fact, King David was able to spiritually grow, as he wanted to be pruned – that is, criticized by regular people who have a righteous word. Psalm 141:5
Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head
Not many high status people (or regular status people) are open to chastisement – and open to spiritual growth via righteous criticism.
How are we to grow specifically? We are to grow our heart.
Preparation of the heart is paramount, because that is what God expects to grow.
The heart is a unique part of the human body, because, unlike the rest of our anatomy, the heart is bigger on the inside than on the outside. Mark 7:21-23
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Jeremiah 17:8-10
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
To understand the human heart, we must first explore the destination of most humans: the depths of hell.
Jesus describes hell, the underworld, as the ‘heart’ of the earth. Matthew 12:40
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
To get to hell, Jonah had to run away from God, and go downwards. Jonah 1:1-3
Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
Downwards: Jonah 1:5
But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
Jonah 1:15-17
So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Scientific research confirms the spherical nature of the earth, and its rotation.
Mathematics (geometry) defines a bottomless pit as the center of a sphere. Revelation 20:1-3
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
The bottomless pit has sides (not a bottom). Isaiah 14:15
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
We can picture that endless downwards path – when we see a concrete mixing truck, which spins and its contents endlessly fall to the center.
But, the forces at work are also pushing hell upwards.
With earth’s rotation not only do we have a vortex in the earth, but also centrifugal forces move hell above. Isaiah 5:14
Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
We can see this with current increases in seismic activity. Luke 21:11
And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Modern biology shows us that the human heart is not a pump, but is a vortex – a vortex of blood flow like a whirlpool, smoke ring, tornado, or cyclone.
Similar to hell, the human heart also has a bottomless nature – an infinite nature.
And, we have potential to spew hell unto earth with centrifuge. Habakkuk 2:5
Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people
But, the good news is that, if our hearts are not hardened, we have potential to enlarge our hearts upward to ways of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 6:11
O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
Psalm 119:32
I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.
When you run… 1 Corinthians 9:24
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
…and your heart rate increases… 1 Kings 4:29
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
…aim to increase the largeness of your heart.
A blade runner’s goal is to run upwards to the heavenlies, as the watchers see your look of love. Hebrews 12:1-2
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
When the Apostle Paul ran his race, he ran with urgency and vigour – as he was worried that he would be a castaway, a lost soul in hell. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Paul knew he would be in trouble with God if he did not pass on the information he received. 1 Corinthians 9:16
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
Yes, the heart, born of the depths of earth… Psalm 139:15
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
…this heart can grow, not only with a vortex tumbling blood towards an abyss, a bottomless pit, but a vortex which spins and grows outwards to enlarge upwards to heaven.
Don’t hang about watching, the kingdom of heaven is within you. Luke 17:20-21
And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
How does this vortex reach Christ? The whirlwind. Job 38:1-2
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
2 Kings 2:11
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
The whirlwind is our stairway to heaven.
When we run the race, on our path with endurance, our heart rate increasing, the wind that is the Holy Spirit bears witness.
The exhaled wind of our breath brings 688 to a higher level. John 20:21-23
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Now you might say, with your science of biology, that an ‘enlarged heart’ is a unhealthy condition that could result in blood clots, heart failure, or cardiac arrest.
And you would be completely correct.
So, locked into reality, how can growth of our heart be oriented to that which is of Christ and God?
Particularly with the growth of the internet, we mercifully have been blessed with high-definition motion pictures of real evidence explaining the Godliness of this enlarged heart.
Of course, I’m referring to our good friend: pornography.
The pecker, shaft, todger, willy – being flung about amongst starlets in 1080p colour display emerges as a hallmark of our internet age.
Accordingly, before moving pictures, back in the day, King David had eight wives and ten concubines. And God would have given him more if he wanted. 2 Samuel 12:8
And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
With those all those hotties, King David would have a look of love indeed – as he enlarged the kingdom between his legs.
And, God relates the heart to human genitals.
The Lord wants us to pull back the foreskin on our penis to grow the tip and experience more and more sexual pleasure in that sensitive area. Song of Solomon 7:10-12
I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me.
Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.
Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.
Proverbs 5:18-19
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
Deuteronomy 10:16
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
Jeremiah 4:4
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
Those without the look of love (and love is so nuanced and varied, and includes sexual love) draw back from the Holy Spirit – and hate the message of the prophet. Acts 7:51-52
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?
But you might say that your preacher lectures that the guy firing off protein on Pornhub is wrong and sinful. That tripod of a man launching goop at 18+ twins on Xhamster.com is damned to hell. Sexual relations before marriage is wrong!
And you would be correct – but also wrong.
You can learn much about modern society from which words have dropped out of usage in language. In everyday conversations, people don’t use terms like: faith, sacrifice, fasting, duty, fellowship, covenant, honour.
Another term people don’t use anymore is: betrothal.
When a preacher says: “No sex before marriage,” he’s not actually preaching from the Bible, because nothing in the Bible says that.
While one may forgo or delay marriage if one has something special to do for God… 1 Corinthians 7:8-9
I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
1 Corinthians 7:32-34
He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
1 Corinthians 7:38
So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
…those who are to marry should actually marry, rather than have some unspecified waiting time (which is not Biblical).
Nowadays preachers choose to accuse young people of sexual immorality via fornication (sex outside of marriage), rather than actually do their job, which is promoting Biblical marriage – the process of betrothal.
Unlike engagements which are broken off quite regularly, betrothal was a covenant as serious as marriage. Exodus 21:9
And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.
Deuteronomy 20:7
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.
Leviticus 19:20
And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
But the same preacher gets all teary, and bends knee begging God to send revival, a restoration of all things.
If the same preacher would do his job and marry off daughters via betrothal, we could have that look of love from Johnny-blast-a-facial on Pornagogo in proper marriage.
Because, just as the look of love with the smile of the latest tattoo-ridden human howitzer on WipeTheScreenAgain.xxx is physical, any Christian revival or restoration of all things is physical.
Because glory is physical, tangible – and the ultimate glory will be creating disciples through proper families. Proverbs 17:6
Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
Psalm 127:3-5
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
Matthew 28:19-20
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
And, since the day of Pentecost, with the Holy Spirit available to all, we can have one wife per husband, create more glory of families, and have that look of love spoog from nation to nation.
Yes? Well, no. 1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Modern-day Christians have their look of love for the world – including the generation gap.
We live in a world where the older generation exploits the younger generation, and we don’t even realise it.
We live in a world where female workplace participation is the norm, and promises to women of high-flying careers become wage slavery to make the owner-class richer.
Women in the workplace literally doubles the number of workers, plunging the real wages of workers, enriching anyone looking to hire.
Right now, you can go to grocery stores, malls, restaurants, offices, and cruise ships and find young women catering to the wants and needs of the older generation (young women who should be catering to the wants and needs of their own families, including children).
We live in a world where normal behaviour is for investors and speculators to purchase all the newly built condos and rent them to struggling couples at an inflated price.
Real estate is packaged and securitized to ensure a vacation-filled, relaxing retirement for the older generation – at a cost of making it impossible for most young adults to fulfill their dream of having children.
Any who manage to have children find their children exploited by the education system (from elementary to high school to college/university) – a bureaucracy designed to make the educators wealthy, and saddle youngsters with debt, wasted years, and no real wage-earning skills. Ecclesiastes 12:12
And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Mark 9:42
And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Although they don’t know it, pretty much all of the older generation will go to hell and eternal torment – because God expected them to support and grow the younger generation – to be labourers for the harvest of souls. Luke 10:2
Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
Yet, modern-day Christians are happy to accuse the younger generation of being lazy and not wanting proper marriages.
Any Christian revival will not be about a preacher talking at you once per week, accusing the youngsters of having the look of love for porn, and then begging God to send revival.
It will about real sacrifice (especially from those who have resources) to create proper families that are committed to Christ.
Any Christian revival that features feel-good songs and teary-eyed goopiness inside the church, and does not radically change our views towards a young man’s vibrant sexuality, will fizzle out.
Jesus could have described marriage in many manners Biblically.
Jesus could have called marriage a covenant where woman submits to man… Colossians 3:18
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
…or the wife as a helper… Genesis 2:18
And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an helper suitable for him.
...or refer to the beauty of the wife. Esther 1:11
...bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
Song of Solomon 1:15
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes.
But Jesus refers to the physicality of marriage – the joining via the penis inserted into the wife. Mark 10:6-9
But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
And they two shall be one flesh: so then they are no more two, but one flesh.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Jesus emphasized the physical as a way that was undeniably locked into reality – contrasting the Church’s endless speeches, opining, debates, and blubbering, and weepy discourses.
Any proper Christian revival will truly submit to God by discovering and acknowledging who God is.
God forever is to be associated with three men: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Exodus 3:6
Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
Acts 3:13
The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
And God called Abraham to the promised land. Genesis 12:1-3
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Genesis 15:18-21
In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
God repeated this to Isaac. Genesis 26:2-4
And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
And to Jacob. Genesis 28:13-14 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
And God did give this land to his people. Deuteronomy 1:8
Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.
But, critically, God did not give the promised land to the faithless older generations. Numbers 14:22-23
Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it
The discouraging, faithless hearts of the older generation prevented their entry into the promised land. Only the younger generation entered. Numbers 32:7-11
And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?
Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land.
For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them.
And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,
Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me
The Israelites wandered for forty years until the older ones died out. Numbers 32:13
And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.
Why forty years? Because, after four decades, the young generations are largely in charge of society – and their tutelage from the older generations prevails. Societies can entirely change in forty years.
With a returned physical Israel since 1948, hopefully Christians have renewed interest in the lessons from Israel – to create proper revival.
If Christians want proper revival, and be heirs to the promise, we have to give Father Abraham proper honour – by emulating him. Galatians 3:29
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Christian fathers (and men who could be fathers) need to prepare their hearts to be as Abraham – with Abraham’s strength of yielding.
Strife emerged between Abraham’s men and Lot’s men.
Lot was Abraham’s nephew. So, Abraham, being older, and being the man with God’s blessing, could have had first choice regarding land allocation. Genesis 13:7-9
And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
But, Abraham gave Lot the first choice.
Beyond soulish (material, physical, fleshly, carnal) strength, Abraham had spiritual strength.
Abraham had the strength of yielding.
In Hebrew (the original language of the Old Testament), the name ‘Lot’ means veil or covering.
When the ‘veil’ was removed from Abraham – he could see north, south, east, and west.
Abraham could see what was previously hidden. Genesis 13:14-15
And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
In modern times, how can we use this lesson from Abraham in a real and practical way?
For that, we’ll have to look at our astonishing example, exalted on high for all to see throughout the ages.
I am, of course, referring to the Devil.
Hannibal Smith as the reptile raised up high:
God refers to himself as the Lord of Hosts. Psalm 46:11
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
1 Samuel 4:4
So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts
The word ‘hosts,’ in newer translations of the Bible (beyond the King James Version) is ‘armies’.
So, for proper revival or restoration, Christians should realize that those of the faith need to act as an army.
And, with Christians in disarray (and in need of revival), therefore they need to regroup.
In army terms, this is regrouping around a standard or a banner.
In Biblical times and beyond, when an army was in disarray, the standard bearer would raise the standard (a banner or flag on a pole) and the army would regroup properly.
So, for revival, Christians need to regroup around the standard.
Moses held up the standard, after punishment for the peoples’ sin. Numbers 21:4-9
And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
And Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of bronze, he lived.
The next use of the standard (the Hebrew word: ‘nes’) occurs in Numbers 26 – with the word: ‘sign’. Numbers 26:9-11
This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:
And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign.
Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.
With this sign or standard, 250 men died, and the children lived.
The men of Korah who rebelled against Moses and Aaron went down to the pit of hell. Numbers 16:31-35
And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
We can see that this standard is about judgement and punishment toward the rebellious against Moses as a man of God – particularly rebellious fathers.
We can see that this serpent on the pole is the cursed Devil who falls downward on his belly – but is raised on the pole. Genesis 3:14
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life
Cursed ground and dust for mankind too: Genesis 3:16-19
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
But since Christianity is to bring the physical of the Old Testament to a higher and spiritual level, is the standard still the Devil?
No, Christ is the standard, as he took the curse and our sin. Galatians 3:13-14
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
John 3:14-15
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
The serpent is a unique animal, because it has no arms or legs or even wings. Its actions are limited, just like false idols. Jeremiah 10:5
They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
Psalm 115:7
They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
Cursed, Christ became like the serpent with nailed hands and feet.
However, the Devil exalted himself and was cut down. Isaiah 14:12-15
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
In contrast, Christ had the strength of yielding (actions limited with nailed limbs), and was exalted by God. Isaiah 53:6-7
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He 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
Philippians 2:5-10
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
How can we examine this standard that we lift up?
For that we’ll have to ponder naming and renaming: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Genesis 17:5
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Genesis 17:19
And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac
Genesis 32:28
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Of course, we’re referring to Twitter being renamed X.
So many raise themselves as Lucifer, flying high to the upper breathable atmosphere of the Devil’s legal territory.
They tweet judgements and moralism from a right-wing or left-wing viewpoint.
This is not the standard that Christians are to regroup around.
Proper Christians clip these wings and hold up the X.
The X is the crucifix of Christ – but what does that mean? We have to raise the Old Testament to a spiritual level to find out.
Like Christ with nailed arms and legs (and like the serpent without arms and legs), we yield our actions.
Galatians 4:28-31
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Abraham did not want to cast out his first-born son (Ishmael), and only have his second-born son, Isaac.
But, Abraham did as the Lord wanted. Genesis 21:9-14
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Similarly, Isaac loved his first-born Esau (even more than the second-born Jacob). Genesis 25:27-28
And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
But, Rebekah (Isaac’s wife) received a word from God that the younger would supplant the elder son. Genesis 25:22-26
And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD.
And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.
And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.
This time, because of trickery, Isaac favoured the younger by blessing Isaac ahead of Esau. Genesis 27:27-29
And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:
Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.
Genesis 27:35-40
And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.
And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?
And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;
And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
Again, despite objections from his son Joseph, Jacob (Israel) blessed the younger ahead of the elder, by blessing grandson Ephraim over grandson Manasseh with crossed arms. Genesis 48:11-20
And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.
And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.
And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
With a physical Israel reborn since 1948, Christians can see entry of the Jews into the promised land. But, Christians bring this up to a new spiritual level by entering a land of promises.
With the older generation dying out in the book of Numbers, only the young generation entered the promised land.
Similarly, with their raised standard of X, Christians raise their banner of the strength of yielding to God’s choice of the younger generation – following in the path of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – which culminated in Jacob’s crossing of his arms to favour the younger Ephraim – Jacob’s arms creating an X.
And with crossed arms, we yield our own 'good' works.
The good news is that, although God has raised his right arm to call for number 40 – similar to the forty years in the desert for the older generation to die before entering the promised land – the right hand on Ephraim assures that the affliction of number 40 Mike Timlin will result in the fruitful nature of Ephraim.
Genesis 41:52
And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
With crossed arms, proper Christians regroup around the X, not with right-wing/left-wing worldly bickering, but favouring the younger generation, the children. Christians become labourers for the harvest. Matthew 9:37-38
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Mark 10:13-16
And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
Turning toward the youth, with our rallying banner, our standard of revival, we also turn away from choices of fathers.
Although Eve ate of the fruit first, Adam was ultimately responsible for not maintaining authority over his family. 1 Timothy 2:12-14
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
1 Corinthians 15:21-22
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
We turn away from Abraham’s choice of having Ishmael, Isaac’s preference for Esau, Joseph’s wanting Jacob to bless Manasseh first, Korah’s rebellion against Moses and Aaron, and the rebellion of the fathers who were not able to enter the promised land. Lamentations 5:7-8
Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.
Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand.
We even are like David who accepted the death of his first son by Bathsheba – and turning to Solomon or ‘Jedidiah’ (the second born by Bathsheba). 2 Samuel 12:21-25
Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.
But we have to deal with generational curses from our fathers’ choices. Numbers 14:18
The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
Deuteronomy 23:2-4
A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.
An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:
Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
For examples, you might be a young person born into a life with minimum wage job prospects, unattainable real estate, zero marriage possibilities, while the older generation parties from vacation to vacation.
The challenge for the youngsters from the heart is to confess sin – including the sins of the fathers… Leviticus 26:40-41
If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity
Nehemiah 9:2
And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
…and break away from this world created by the calamity of fathers’ choices. Ezekiel 18:19-20
Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Deuteronomy 24:16
The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
With crossed arms, hesitant to perform our own ‘good’ works (like our fathers performed), we patiently wait for the serpent on the pole, with its cloven tongue, directing us with fire to speak our world into existence via the whirlwind. Acts 2:2-4
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Yes, lightning coming down produces ozone (O3). Luke 10:18
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Judgement: Luke 22:31-32
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
With our rallying standard of Christ on the cross to regroup for revival, we can see how the fathers are cut off.
We have the lineage of Jesus in the book of Matthew. Matthew 1:1-16
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
But, the book of Luke specifies that Joseph was the ‘supposed’ father. Luke 3:23-24
And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna…
Mary was pregnant by the Holy Spirit – and biologically cut off from the lineage in Matthew 1 – from Abraham to David to Joseph. Matthew 1:18-20
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
The line of fathers was cut off, executed.
The military script we follow is: those of Christ regroup around the standard – Jesus on the crucifix. The problem is that Jesus himself was executed on the crucifix (our standard/banner) – and he had no children of his own.
If we are Christ’s, we are supposed to be in the lineage of Abraham in Matthew 1.
Galatians 3:29
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Why Abraham? Because circumcision began with Abraham and was a physical preview of the blood sacrifice of Christ on the crucifix. Genesis 17:9-11
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
Christ was naked on the cross: Matthew 27:35-37
And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
And sitting down they watched him there;
And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Although Christ’s hands and feet were nailed making him inactive physically, his nudity emphasized that he was circumcised.
To be children in this line of Abraham to Christ, we must recognize Mary (mother of Christ) was impregnated by the Holy Spirit. No semen or seed came genetically physically from Abraham to David to Joseph.
As we turn away from the choices of the fathers, this physical lineage is cut off.
Physical lineage is replaced by baptism into the family of Christ. Matthew 3:9-12
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Physical action (doing the will) marks the family of Christ. Matthew 12:46-50
While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
We cut off the physical lineage and bear our standard – the cross. Luke 14:26-27
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
We become heirs as family in Christ by the spiritual, not the fleshly lineage – bearing the cross. Romans 8:12-17
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
With crossed arms, physical lineage will not save us (including physical circumcision), only being in the promise. Romans 9:6-13
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
The last line in the Old Covenant is a curse.
It refers to this fallen world created by the choices of our fathers. Malachi 4:6
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
The New Covenant begins with Matthew 1 – the lineage beginning with foreskin circumcision of Abraham.
Matthew 1:1-2
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
With crossed arms, we have the opposite, where the Old Covenant (physical) emphasises the heart connection and the New Covenant connects with the physical – the lineage being the solution to the curse.
By rallying around and regrouping around our standard, God wants to exalt his reformed army.
As we clip our tweeting wings of right-wing/left-wing politics, falling down in humility, bearing the banner of our cross, God wants to exalt us. Luke 1:52
He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
Job 5:11
To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.
God wants his heirs (that are children) to be more than servants/slaves. He wants us to be true family members.
(The King James Version says ‘servants’ but more modern translations correctly say ‘slaves’.) Galatians 4:1-7
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant (slave), though he be lord of all;
But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant (slave), but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Jesus wants us to be friends. John 15:13-15
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servants (slaves); for the servant (slave) knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
To be friends of Jesus, we need the Spirit of the Son in our hearts.
God sought for a man after his own heart – the man being King David. 1 Samuel 13:14
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart…
David was a great warrior. 1 Samuel 29:5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
He was protected by the Lord. Psalm 18:2-3
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
He sang to the Lord. Psalm 144:9
I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
Like so many men, David loved the ladies, and had many wives and concubines.
Importantly, David’s secured his first wife via taking away foreskins. 1 Samuel 18:25-27
And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired.
Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
David got 200 foreskins, even though 100 foreskins were required.
As God relates male and female genitalia to our hearts, taking away or pulling back the foreskin is critical.
Without a hardened covering of the heart, the heart can grow spiritually, and the physical parallel of the tip of the penis can grow for pleasure and for family creation. Deuteronomy 10:16
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
2 Chronicles 36:13
And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel.
Mark 8:17
And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?
Being under the standard of the army of Christ means that we are in the family (brothers, sisters, sons, daughters) – marriage being the starting component (and betrothal). That enlarged penis tip with foreskin pulled back or removed is critical. 2 Samuel 5:13-16
And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.
And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,
Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.
In fact, the lineage from Matthew 1 continued because of King David. Jeremiah 33:17
For thus says the LORD: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel;
2 Kings 8:19
Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children.
Even though the patriarchal line ended with Joseph (father of Jesus) – the Holy Spirit providing the semen to impregnate Mary mother of Jesus, King David’s lineage continues forever. Psalm 89:3-4
I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.
2 Chronicles 21:7
Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.
2 Samuel 7:12-13
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
How can that be?
King David, in Psalm 16, enjoyed the pleasures of the Lord. Psalm 16:11
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Cultivating the various nuances of love, including sexual love – was pleasure for King David.
But that enlarged penis, that pleasure at the tip (most sensitive area), got King David in trouble.
Desiring another wife, who was very beautiful, King David stole Bathsheba from Uriah. 2 Samuel 11:2-5
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.
And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
2 Samuel 11:14-17
And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were
And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
We need to remember that that standard around which we regroup is one of judgement. Bronze represents judgement, and the serpent is the accuser. And Christ took that judgment on the cross.
This judgement of our standard both humbles us low (like the serpent on his belly on the ground, and the shame of crucifixion) and exalts us upon the pole/crucifix.
King David, brought that physical enlarged penis that creates the lineage to the heart level with repentance.
Psalm 51:16-17
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
From the heart to the lineage from the loins: 2 Chronicles 6:7-9
Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel
But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:
Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house; but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.
The way back into the lineage of Matthew 1 – which ended physically, is to enter the lineage spiritually.
We enter via the lineage of King David, his example, a man who could be brought low as the serpent on the ground, bound for hell, and thus exalted by God.
To enter the family of Christ, a continuing lineage, we have a heart like King David – who could become low with judgement from Nathan the prophet, or from a regular guy who has a word of wisdom or knowledge from God for us, or from a low-status person who has a prophecy for us, or from chastisement from the Holy Spirit – guiding us to repentance.
As we mature, we are no longer servants/slaves, but are friends of Christ, as we are able to judge ourselves properly from our hearts.
To be like the disciples of Christ at communion, we hold up our standard of the crucifixion – ‘ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.’ 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Under the rallying standard of the cross, we examine ourselves properly. 1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
King David wrestled and struggled with his heart because of the Lord’s judgement. Psalm 38:1-2,8-10
O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
…I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
We are friends of Christ if we regroup around the standard properly – that is going through the process of cleansing our hearts (as King David did). Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
John 8:9
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
A cleansed heart: 1 John 3:19-22
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Romans 14:22
Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
1 John 4:17
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
At this point we truly have a heart after the Lord (like David).
The Lord will not impute any iniquity, with our spirits cleansed. Psalm 32:1-2
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
And… strictly speaking, in addition to the younger generation, two fathers were also able to make the forty year journey to the promised land.
With cleansed spirits, Caleb and Joshua were able to enter – fully following the Lord. Numbers 14:24,30-31
But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
…Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.
How could Caleb and Joshua fully follow the lord?
In their walk with the Lord, with sanctification, they could accept more and more light, until they did not need darkness. Proverbs 4:18
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
They did not need to dial back the oxygen level (888) and breathe in more nitrogen (777) – (not needing to dial back is wholly following the Holy Spirit to Christ).
They could behold that selfless agape love of Jesus and not be ashamed.
With perfection, they did not need left-wing/right-wing bickering – politicking tweets.
They relied fully on God’s wings. Psalm 61:4
I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
Psalm 63:7
Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
Beholding that selfless agape love is seeing that light and not turning away, like looking into the sun and not turning away. John 3:19
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 9:5
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Malachi 4:2
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
With healing in wings – Caleb was fit for battle under the rallying standard at the old age of 85. Joshua 14:10-11
And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.
What happened? Caleb added the sun which is mostly hydrogen: H2 (atomic number 1 times two) and some Helium: He (atomic number 2). Caleb brought heaven to earth.
688 + 11 = 888
688 + 2 = 888
Locked into reality, the physical, we know that the future, even the very near future, is determined by the young generation.
With the look of love – a look of sexual love, fathers give life. With the blood rushing, the penis expands unlike other body parts – and expands the harvest for the Lord – the creation of new generations. Genesis 22:17
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
However, that which we can see, the growth of the human population, and the growth of the phallus (thanks to the human pogo sticks who double as firehoses on KleenexTissues4Issues.xxx) pales in comparison to the growth potential in the human heart, which is larger on the inside than on the outside.
The choices of fathers, following the script of the world, can lead their children, grandchildren, and beyond – to hell. Matthew 23:15
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Luke 11:52
Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.
In contrast, only by following the proper script to the end, can one reach salvation and lead the younger generations to salvation.
1 Timothy 4:16
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
(With his look of love, George Peppard would say his lines all the way through the script. There was no point reading halfway through the script.) Matthew 10:22
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Luke 9:23
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
If you follow the script of taking up your cross daily, your path in life is not comfortable. Psalm 44:18-19
Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;
Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.
Most Christians slow down and stop, and consequently are in danger of the hellfire. Mark 4:16-19
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Most Christians will speak against abortion and fornication, but will never move into the uncomfortable territory of instantiating proper marriage, sex, and betrothal in their community.
Most Christians will criticize something on television that features Satanic references, but never create art and beauty in their own town.
Most Christians will protest their neighbourhood’s LGBT education system, but never ensure that young men have real and practical skills that will assure they can lead and support their families financially.
Most Christians will preach about sacrifice and giving up a proud look, but never actually sacrifice their own dignity and popularity within their tribe or in-group.
Most Christians got comfortable and relaxed themselves to maintain popularity within their tribe, confident that they are good people – (unlike the extremes of the normal distribution curve they accuse). Revelation 3:15-19
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
As we regroup beneath the standard of the cross – it’s not the easy to maintain your look of love while bearing your cross.
But, if we are locked into reality, the physical, the gravity of the truth about life, we know that going the wide way, and going downhill is so much easier and comfortable than striving uphill on a narrow path.
That which is inside of us (our heart and its vortex) can drag us down to its reflection in the heart of the earth, hell – or can lift us up to heaven. Romans 7:21-25
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Tweeting left-wing or right-wing can only bring us up so high.
And tall buildings can only get us so high. Genesis 11:4-9
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Without the standard of the crucifix to rally around, none get in. John 10:7-9
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Matthew 22:11-14
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
For many are called, but few are chosen.
As we read about King David, and get to know him and his struggles with his heart, we realise how the way up to heaven is to go down by humbling and cleansing our hearts. Psalm 10:3,6
For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.
…He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.
Psalm 13:2
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
Psalm 66:18
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me
Psalm 4:4
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
Psalm 26:2
Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
Psalm 62:8
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Psalm 31:24
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psalm 40:8
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Psalm 9:1
I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
As we learn of David, and his heart, we might get to know him so well that we can call him: Dave.
With a heart cleansed like Dave’s, we draw closer to God – and we follow the Lord’s script to the end, fulfilling the plans God has for us. Then we can say: “I love it when a plan comes together.” Psalm 23:5-6
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
From his heart, the Devil’s plan was always to replace God and his plans for mankind. Ezekiel 28:2
Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God
And mankind got to know that bronze serpent on the pole, calling it the name: Nehushtan. 2 Kings 18:4
He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
But, when we follow the script, we learn that God’s plan is to replace the replacer – that is, God replacing the fallen Devil with rising mankind.
Before his fall and his name change to ‘Satan,’ the Devil was known as ‘Lucifer,’ which means ‘light bearer.’
Science tell us that white light is a combination of all colours in the colour spectrum.
Before he fell to his belly in dust (in Genesis 3), the Devil had precious stones of all colours. Ezekiel 28:13
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
But with forgiveness, no longer accusation resulting in being stoned to death under The Law, Jesus wrote on the dust of the ground. John 8:5-8
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
Ezekiel 36:26
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
What happened to the old heart? The redness of that stony heart was replaced by whiteness – the frozen water of the Word above the heights of Ozone, in the heavenlies – thanks to the wool of the Lamb. Isaiah 1:18
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Mercifully, the Lord will not reject these Christians by saying ‘I don't know you.’ Matthew 25:11-12
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Why no rejection as the redeemed eat manna – the food of angels? Because Jesus gives his redeemed each a new name (confidential and affectionate) written on that stony heart – which is white. Revelation 2:17
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
As we get to know Christ, just like we get to know Dave… John 8:58
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
…we can appreciate the perpetual fire of the burning bush with Moses – eternity’s everlasting present tense that says “I am” – in foreverness beyond. Exodus 3:13-15
What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Jimbo 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
