TO: World’s in residence Churches of God. Tamuz 8, 5,780; 6/30/2020.

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   As was Jesus and His apostles teachings, I’m not writing for denominational minded folks in their comfort zones, but to called out people desiring to be heirs with Abraham. Consider are followers of Jesus – Christians - spiritual Israelites? If not, Jesus’ apostles missed the mark. Some Egyptians and other gentiles became as Israelites by yielding to God’s covenant with Abraham, submitting to circumcision of the flesh. After Jesus’ ascension, called out gentiles became spiritual Israelites through believing IN faith, submitted to baptism, giving up idols, and turning to Jesus’ Way. See James’ letter to new converted gentiles at Acts 21:25.

    Israelites murmured after deliverance from Egypt and God Had Moses write;

    (Exodus 16:6-8; Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because He has heard your murmurings against the Lord. As for us, what are we, that you should murmur against us?” Moses said, “You will know this when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and bread in the morning to satisfy you, because the Lord has heard your murmurings that you are murmuring against Him. As for us, what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.) As always study the whole.

    (Exodus 16:22-26; And on the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers per person; and all the leaders of the community came and told Moses. He said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a time of cessation from work, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Whatever you want to bake, bake today; whatever you want to boil, boil today; whatever is left put aside for yourselves to be kept until morning.’” So they put it aside until the morning, just as Moses had commanded, and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it.  Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the area. Six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.) 

    We spiritual Israelites need to be careful not to murmur against God’s truth. 

People accusing Paul of teaching against the law on one hand, also accused Paul of changing the Sabbath to the first day on the other hand. Such people don’t know God the Father nor God the Son.

     (Exodus 16:27- On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather it, but they found nothing. So the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to obey My commandments and My instructions? See, because the Lord has given you the Sabbath, that is why He is giving you food for two days on the sixth day. Each of you stay where you are; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day.”) 

    Followers of Jesus are spirit led to understand God’s spiritual intent of the law, including His weekly and annual Sabbaths. Worldly religions twist Jesus, His prophets and apostles’ teaching, in part because of stubbornness, in part because of Satan’s deceiving Eve and Adam to think they could be divine beings, knowing what’s right, wrong, good and evil by defying God and eating forbidden fruit. Let’s look at Satan’s lie.

    (Genesis 3:1-5; “Now the serpent was more shrewd than any of the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Is it really true that God said, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit from the trees of the orchard, but concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard God said, ‘You must not eat from it, and you must not touch it, or else you will die.’” The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die, for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like divine beings who know, good and evil.”)

    Let’s pause at this point and put our thinking caps on. Satan called God a liar! Suggesting that God wants to hold back knowledge, saying, God knows when you eat you will understand and be like divine beings, knowing good and evil.

    (Genesis 3:6-7; When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.)

    When people yield to the pleasures of sin, desire knowledge from within, rather than looking to God for what’s right, wrong, good and evil, each becomes little gods to themselves. This is one reason Jesus taught the following through Paul at 1Cor 1:26-31; (Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in His presence. He, -God the Father-  is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”)

    (Genesis 3:8-13; Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the orchard. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” The man replied, “I heard you moving about in the orchard, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” The Lord God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.” So the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman replied, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”)

    (Gen 3:14-15; The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

cursed are you above all the wild beasts and all the living creatures of the field!  On your belly you will crawl and dust you will eat all the days of your life. And I will put hostility between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; her offspring will attack your head, and you will attack her offspring’s heel.”)

    (Gen 3:16; To the woman He said, “I will greatly increase your labor pains, with pain you will give birth to children. You will want to control your husband, but he will dominate you.”)

    (Gen 3:17-19; But to Adam He said, “Because you obeyed your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ cursed is the ground thanks to you, in painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, but you will eat the grain of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return.”)

What major world religion does not teach some form of Satan’s lie?

    Satan has deceived the whole world into believing that mankind is born immortal. Teaching when little children die they go straight to heaven. Teach that unconverted sinners burn forever in hell, not knowing where the term –hell- comes from. Some teach immortality amounts to coming back to life in other forms. Some teach, rewards are in heaven for killing infidels. The truth? When any form of Satan’s lie is believed, -a good portion of Jesus and His Apostle’s truths are ignored to support lies.

     Pagans always, worshiped the likes of Baal, other imaginary gods, astrology and carved images. Israelites learned from Egypt. (2Kings 17:16-17; Abandoning all the commandments of the Lord their God, they made two metal calves and an Asherah pole, bowed down to all the stars in the sky and worshiped Baal. They passed their sons and daughters through the fire, and practiced divination and omen reading. They committed themselves to doing evil in the sight of the Lord and made Him angry.) Baal worshipers thinking they were born immortal, thought burning their children sent them to an everlasting life, the ultimate sacrifice to their god was to burn their children. Such teaching spread to the degree that many professing Christians teach, children dying before an age of accountability go straight to heaven as angels. There are many forms and beliefs about Satan’s immortality lie.

    THE TRUTH is; only people begotten by God the Father through believing IN God the Son have immortality. The spiritually fathered, -spiritually born from above- people are recipients of eternal life. These are they who’ll be in God’s FIRST resurrection! Paul’s words quoted in the previous chapter are believed IN by followers of Jesus. “My aim is to know Him, to experience the power of His resurrection, to share in His sufferings, and to be like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Restudy Paul’s teaching at Hebrews 12, quoted in previous studies.

    Unbelievers from this and previous ages will be in other resurrections of God’s choosing. God’s goodness will either draw people to repentance or to hostile denial. People never yielding to and believing IN the King of Kings will die a second death. (See Revelations 2:11; 20:6; 20:14 & (Rev 21:7-8; One who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But to the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.)

     (Phil 4:1; So then, my brothers and sisters, dear friends whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand in the Lord in this way. Understanding that our citizenship is in heaven and we wait for the Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.) Called Believers IN are GIFTED with eternal life, -immortality- at genuine conversion. At the resurrection our bodies will be transformed to the likeness of Jesus’. (See Phil 3:19-21)

    (Phil 4:2-7; I appeal to Euodia and to Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I say also to you true companions, help them. They have struggled together in the gospel ministry along with me and Clement and my other coworkers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! Let everyone see your gentleness. The Lord is near! Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.)  Paul believed his co-workers’ salvation was sure. Mature Christians know through gifted faith that Jesus’ promises are sure, gentleness and the absence of anxiety are characteristics.

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    TO: World’s in residence Churches of God. Tamuz 6, 5,780; 6/28/2020.

    Jesus’ Apostle’s letters to the churches are about living God’s Way through Jesus‘ faith as imputed to our minds. Keeping God’s commandments in their spiritual intent of the law requires a gifted circumcision of heart, its loving God the Father, God the Son and one another as Jesus loves. Jesus, His prophets and apostles emphasized that eternal life is gifted to the obedient. Jesus’ brother -Jude particularly- emphasizes that people contributing to the ongoing apostate are in danger. (Re-read Phil 3:19-21) Paul, knowing he was gifted with eternal life didn’t fear death, but looked forward to it and his body’s transformation at the first resurrection.

    Consider the goodness and purpose of God’s laws and oracles. Oracle is defined: 1. Source of wisdom, something considered to be a source of knowledge, wisdom, or prophecy. 2. Wise saying, wise or prophetic statement.

    Let’s consider Jesus’ apostle Paul’s partial conclusion and to whom God’s oracles are entrusted.

    (Romans 3:1-2; Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision? Actually, there are many advantages. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.)

    Remember God dispersed the Israelites to bondage under harsh gentile rulers because of their spiritual adultery. (2Kings 17:7-12; This, happened because the Israelites sinned against the Lord their God, who brought them up from the land of Egypt and freed them from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods; they observed the practices of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from before Israel, and followed the example of the kings of Israel. Israelites said things about the Lord their God that were not right. They built high places in all their cities, from the watchtower to the fortress. They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. They burned incense on all the high places just like the nations whom the Lord had driven away from before them. Their evil practices made the Lord angry. They worshiped the disgusting idols in blatant disregard of the Lord’s command.)

Much later Judeans were allowed to return, and

rebuild under Roman authority.

   (Romans 3:3-4; What then? If some, -Israelites- did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.) We’ll be judged according to our deeds by our righteous God. Unbelief doesn’t nullify God’s planning.

   (Rom 3:5-8; But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world? For if by my lie the truth of God enhances His glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner?  And why not say, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it” – as some who slander us, allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!)

    Even in this latter age many allege that Paul taught folks to do away with God’s law. Paul agreed with John; knowing the law reveals and defines sin in God’s view.

    (1John 3:4-5; Everyone. who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.) As always study the whole.

   When we’re called and Jesus revealed to our minds, we must turn from the way that seems right to our fleshy minds to His Way. That’s Godly repentance, then, we’re supernaturally born from above, -fathered- and made members of His family, His church.

   (1John 1:7-2:2; But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. (1John 2:1-2; (My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One, and He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world.”)

Condemnation of this sinful world

    (Romans 3:9-18; What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin, just as it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, there’s no one who seeks God. All have turned away, and together they’ve become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.” Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips.” Quotes from Psalms 5:9 and 140:3) Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness, their feet are swift to shed blood, ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known.

(Verses 15-17 is quoted from Isaiah 59:7-8) There is no fear of God before their eyes. Quote from Psalms 36:1

    Without God’s gifted Holy Spirit we’re characterized as under sin. Unconverted people are under the law, Paul is writing to followers of Jesus who have the spirit of the law imputed to their minds: thus aren’t under the letter of the law because Jesus’ nature is imputed.

    (Rom 3:19-20; Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For, no one is declared righteous before Him by the works of the law, for, through the law comes the knowledge of sin.)

    Sin is defined by God’s law. God’s view on each subject is what matters.

    (Rom 3:21-23; Now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed – namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.)

    Not only does the law define sin; ignoring Jesus’ righteous obedience and faithfulness is sin.

    (Rom 3:24-26; But they, -followers of Jesus- are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. HOW SO? God publicly displayed Him at His death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because God in His forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed. This was also to demonstrate His righteousness in the present time, so that He would be just and the Justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness.) (Mercy seat? direct reference to the Mercy Seat covering the ark of the covenant.)

   Jesus is assessable through believing IN faith. The mercy seat in God’s temple looked forward to Jesus’ passing over our sins. Living because of Jesus’ faithfulness is to live as being “clothed with and baptized  -immersed-  in Jesus.” If redeemed by God the Father through God the Son, where is boasting?

   (Rom 3:27-31; Where then is boasting? It is excluded! By what principle? Of, works? No, but by the principle of faith! For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is He not the God of the Gentiles too? Yes, of the Gentiles too! Since God is One, He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead we uphold the –spiritual intent- of the law.)

What Law?

    (Exodus 15:26; He said, If you will diligently obey the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and pay attention to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, then all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians I will not bring on you, for I, the Lord, am your healer.) God’s commandments:

      1. Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

Our God is that which we yield to, love; tells us what’s right, wrong, good and evil.

      2. Exodus 20:4-6; “You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject Me, and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

   Making images for remembering or any purpose takes away from genuine worship and shows disregard or ignorance.

      3. (Exodus 20:7. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes Making images for reminders or any purpose takes away from genuine worship and either shows disregard or ignorance. God is holy, His name is holy: using any form of God’s name in slang form or habitually demonstrates either disrespect, ignorance or both.

      4. (Exodus 20:8-11; “Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy. For six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

    God made the seventh day holy for our good and His purpose, saying; “The Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath. All God’s laws and oracles are for our good.

      5. (Exodus 20:12; “Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you. Honoring parents is the first commandment with promise.

      6. (Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.

    Murder is generally an action of hatred. When the Holy Spirit resides in us, we may love an enemy less by comparison, but we love our enemies because when we were God’s enemy He loved us.

      7. (Exodus 20:14; “You shall not commit adultery.

    Don’t commit physical or spiritual adultery. The pledge of oneness to a spouse has parallel components for Christians being at one with God.

      8. (Exodus 20:15; “You shall not steal.

   Any form of thievery is stealing, property or wasting time in which we’re paid to accomplish a task.

      9. (Exodus 20:16; “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

    Giving false testimony is lying.

      10. (Exodus 20:17; “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor. (Coveting things belonging to another parallels lustfulness.)

     (All who aren’t imputed with the Holy Spirit of truth and made at one with God are under the written law’s code. The first four tell unbelievers particularly how to love God, and the last six tell unbelievers particularly how to love their neighbor. People blessed with God’s fathering, -those born from above- have the love of God spread abroad in their being and don’t need the guardian of the written law. Elementary children and unbelievers need the law as guardian.

    Speaking of unbelievers John writes; (1John 4:10; They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world’s perspective and the world listens to them. We –believers- are from God; the person who knows God listens to us, but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit. Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been fathered by God and knows God. A person who does not love does not know God, because God is love. By this the love of God is revealed in us: that God has sent His One and only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

To: World’s in residence churches of God, 96/26/20

 Last study Jesus revealed - defined knowing faith, and at Hebrews 11:1-3 we’re taught faith is evidence of things hoped for. On instant healings we considered it likely that Peter and John had hope faith before Jesus gave them His evidence. Regardless, they were gifted with knowing faith. So what about hope faith?…   (Matthew 6:5-9; When, you pray do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. So pray this way: “Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored, may your kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.”)…  Jesus made no mention of needing evidence in His sample hope prayer, but much is revealed. Seven is God’s number for perfection: see the seven parts below.

       1: May our father’s name, -nature- be honored. Consider how ambassadors

           represent countries.  Not only do they go in the name of their country, they

           represent their countries nature. We need to know and honor our

           Creator’s nature.

       2: We must believe IN Jesus’ coming kingdom on earth, and be gifted with

           desire that His kingdom soon come.

       3: We must desire God’s will, knowing His will is superior to our self serving

           hopes.

       4: We must believe God is our provider, and ask Him for provisions.

       5: We need to have already forgiven people indebted to us in order to expect

           forgiveness.

       6: We need to ask, and know, God can lead us from temptations and deliver

           from Satan’s way

       7: If we aren’t willing to forgive others we shouldn’t expect forgiveness.      

   Worldly religions are no more than superstitions. Folks teaching a – name it and claim it doctrine - are practicing superstition. People spreading ideas about receiving blessings by saying AMEN to supposition within certain time frames are practicing superstition.

   When we faithfully believing IN the God of Abraham as He’s manifested to be in the holy scriptures and pray in His nature, we should know our faith prayer saves. Followers of Jesus know, God knows our needs better than we do and as such we rely on His will when we ask for something. To pray to a Jesus of one’s imagination, without understanding His deity is like praying to an Asherah pole. (See 2Kings 17:10-12) 

   (John 15:5-8; I am the Vine; you - followers of Me - are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, because, apart from Me you can accomplish nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a branch, dries up, such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up. If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are My disciples.)

    Hope prayer revolves around God knowing our needs and our NOT desiring what may contribute to temptations. Examining ourselves is commanded. Individually we should ask what Godly standards have we attained? Jesus’ perfection had its hold on Paul, and he understood the need for clinging to The Vine. If we stay true to our calling, God will reveal the error of our ways and grant our repentance.

    After His resurrection Jesus joined some disciples who were discussing what had happen in Jerusalem. Then Jesus revealed the prophets writings about Himself.

    (Luke 24:42-49: So they gave Jesus a piece of broiled fish, He took it and ate it in front of them. Then said to them, “These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And look, I am sending you what My Father promised. But stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”) Less than fifty days later, Jesus’ followers received what His Father had promised on that Pentecost.

     After Jesus’ apostles asked, and Jesus explained why He spoke in parables, He gave His apostles another parable. They may not have understood it until after His resurrection when He opened their minds to understand the scriptures.

    (Matt 13:18-23; “So listen to the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one, Satan, comes  and snatches what was sown in his heart; this is the seed sown along the path. The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root in himself and does not endure; when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing. But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”)

    Some might think, only the people described in verse 23 are called. Let’s not be dogmatic, we need hope faith that God will reveal the error of our ways when we ask. Pray to be gifted with a spiritual mind that waits on God’s revelations, rather than following a denominational doctrine of choice. After Paul explained that his hold was on Jesus, and recommends that we imitate him.

    (Phil 3:17-18; Be imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and watch carefully those who are living this way, just as you have us as an example. For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.) 

    All who teach Jesus, aren’t followers of Him. Jesus says through Isaiah, at verse 20, below, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

    (Isaiah 8:11-22; For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk - practice living - in the way of this people, saying, “Say you not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear you their fear, nor be afraid.” Sanctify - set aside - the LORD of hosts Himself; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, fall, be broken, be snared, and be taken.  Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples. And I will wait upon the LORD, that hides His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him. Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given Me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwells in mount Zion. And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak NOT according to THIS WORD, it is because there is NO light in them. And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.)

    Compare Jesus prophetic words through Isaiah with Jesus’ prayer for Believers IN.

    (John 17:9-17; I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which You have given Me; for they are Yours. And all mine are Yours, and Yours are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your own name those whom You have given Me, that they may be ONE AS WE ARE. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name: those that You gave Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to You; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are NOT OF THE WORLD, even as I am not of the world. I pray NOT that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  Sanctify - set apart - them through Your truth: Your word is truth.)

     We’re aren’t of the world when we practice the things societies of the world, practice. It’s Jesus’ MESSAGE we need to know and understand, not a denominational doctrine, not some reveared personality and NOT a traditional pagan mix with His Word!

    (Phil 3:19-21; “Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will TRANSFORM these humble BODIES of ours into the LIKENESS OF HIS glorious body by means of that power by which He “Jesus” is able to subject all things to Himself.”)

     Paul looked forward to the spiritual gain in death and the transformation of his body at the resurrection. People contributing to the apostate will be destroyed, if they don’t repent.

    TO: World’s in residence Churches of God. Tamuz 3, 5,780; 6/25/2020.

       There are many examples of knowing faith in the Holy Scriptures. Jesus’ apostles made known when Jesus’ faith was working in them. Notably at Acts 3:1-9; “A lame man at the Beautiful Gate was asking for money when Peter and John came by. Peter said to the man, we have no money but what we have we give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk! Then Peter took hold of him by the right hand and raised him up and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong.” Obviously, Peter and John had advance knowing faith that Jesus was going to heal the lame man.

     Another time Peter found a man named Aeneas who was paralyzed, confined to bed eight years. Peter said to him; “Jesus the Christ heals you. Get up and make your own bed! And immediately he got up. Many turned to the Lord.” Acts 9:34-35. Jesus revealed His intent; through gifted knowing belief IN faith Peter acted.

     Again, a Believer named Tabitha, ‘meaning Dorcas’, died. When it was heard that Peter was in Joppa, he was sent for. When Peter arrived he knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up. Then she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her get up. Then he called the Saints and widows and presented her alive.” Acts 9:36-43. In each of these healings and others; Jesus miraculously gave advance knowing faith and likewise to those believing In The Message of faith, many turned to Jesus.

     Since apostolic times, God the Father has called people by various means, revealing Himself through God the Son, opening minds to understand the scripture, commanding they prove all things, and hold to what’s good. On Jesus’ second appearance to His apostles in an upper locked room and Thomas present; Jesus showed the doubter His hands and side, afterward Thomas said; “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:28.

      Even worldly logic teaches; majorities with diverse views aren’t true servants of God. If so it would mean that God is divided, which would go against every principle laid down by Jesus, His prophets and apostles. Jesus teaches that His follows aren’t divided, but spirit led to discern His truths. (Which is; He miraculously opens minds to understand the scriptures and the simplicities of His Way.) Gifting understanding that there’s purpose in His making people in His spiritual image, members of His family, understand the scriptures that teach, immortality is a predestined inherited gift. Not only do the gifted believe IN Jesus’ teachings, but know His church family is founded on the prophets, apostles with Jesus being the Corner Stone. Believers aren’t ashamed to practice His Way and separate from a divided society of demonically led people.

  Magnification of the law is spiritual.

     (Galatians 3:23; Now before Jesus’  gifted faith came, we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners until the coming faith would be revealed.) Until Jesus’ gifted faith is revealed individually, people need to be kept under the law, for societal good.

   (Gal 3:24; Thus the law had become our guardian until Christ, so that we-who believe- could be declared righteous by –His- faith.) Jesus’ gifted revealed faith in us, gives us to understand His love, be AT ONE with Him, yield to His Way, and be spirit led to love His law .

    (Gal 3:25; But now that –Jesus’- faith has come, -to us individually- we are no longer under a guardian. For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through -Jesus’- faith.) When led to believe IN Jesus, God fathers us with His spirit, making us literal children as is Jesus.

    (Gal 3:26-; For all of you who were baptized -spiritually immersed- into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.) When baptized into and clothed with Christ, He becomes our life and we then know to whom we belong.

    (Gal 3:27-29; There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.) Promises to Abraham and his descendents include our reigning as heirs with Jesus through the ages.

  Paul faced up to the enemies of Jesus’ good news, revealing erroneous

Doctrine’s taught from within people’s fleshly instinctive imaginations.

    (Phil 3:1-2; Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me and it is a safeguard for you. Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh!) Jesus characterized hostile unbelievers as dogs.

     (Mark 7:25-28; For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of Jesus and came and fell at His feet: The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought Jesus that He would cast the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, “Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.” And she answered and said unto Him, Yes, Lord: “yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.”)

     No way does Jesus’ word indicate a lack of compassion toward unbelievers. He complimented this lady for her faith, and when she returned home she found her daughter completely healed. People mutilating and marking their flesh to demonstrated one’s status, belief or faith is not new. Before the new covenant, Israelites were considered the circumcision. Today followers of Jesus are the circumcision.

    (Phil 3:3-6; For we- Christians- are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, exult in Christ Jesus and do not rely on human credentials – though mine too are significant. If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, I have more: I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee. In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.)

     Paul had been a Pharisee religious do-gooder in his previous way of thinking, he kept the law precisely as pleasing to God under the law. Some, twisting Jesus’ good news were boasting of their credentials and were theologically trained, as people are today. Even under the law, physical circumcision pictured - looked forward to- being circumcision of the heart spiritually.

    Christians are heirs with Abraham: Christians are God’s circumcision, worshiping God in spirit and truth; exulted in Christ Jesus. Galatians, Philippians and called Christians today; contend with false teachers that hinder understanding. People who’re deceived workers boasting of their education and heritage to persuade the naïve, they boast of their education, not understanding that spiritual comprehension is by revelation. Paul did not consider his credentials assets, but liabilities in the teaching of Jesus’ good news.

   (Phil 3:7; But these assets, I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ.)

    Paul’s knowing the law and having been a strict law keeper, discovered that his previous training was a hindrance to Jesus’ gifted faith. How so? The merits of being obedient to God’s commandments must be met with God’s spiritual intent. When Paul’s old nature was revealed, he understood the old nature was prone to be a source of pride about doing stuff. God’s Spirit in Paul complimented the law of love. Paul explains.

    (Phil 3:8-9; “More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung! – that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.’)

    When we have gifted faith, it’s based on Jesus’ faithful deeds learned from God the Father. Hope and knowing faith Jesus and His apostles teach, isn’t a faith to be conjured up. It’s Jesus’ gifted imputed faith to our minds. His Believer IN faith is what we must rely on. Not our own, but Jesus’ promise of His Spirit gifted faith. It’s evidence that the scriptures have been opened to our understanding.

   (Consider Hebrews 11:1-3; “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by faith the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.)

     Believers IN are blessed with-gifted, knowing faith that God created. We look about and note that this universe has order that must be sustained by a Sustainer. We note God’s -kind after kind- law and recognize His goodness in all things.

    (Phil 3:10-11; My aim is to know Him, to experience the power of His resurrection, to share in His sufferings and to be like Him in His death and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. )

     How do we balance Paul’s teaching regarding a Christian’s death? (At Philippians 1:20; Paul said; “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” Above Paul emphasizes his desire to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Jesus and Paul taught that Believers IN Jesus is the gift of eternal life. Thus death is gain! Jesus and each apostle taught, “Believers IN Jesus would be in the first resurrection.” (Study 1Cor 15 and consider the difference between people’s believing IN and believing that.

    Jesus, His prophets and apostles taught that Abraham was yet to receive all the promises made to him, and that Believers IN are heirs with Abraham. PERHAPS Paul’s teaching regarding our worshiping God in New Covenant fashion as he wrote in Hebrews 12:18-29; will help.

    The Israelites wanted a go between to teach them God’s Way. They didn’t want to hear God directly, saying; “less we all die.” Asking that Moses to be their spokesman. Today, through His Spirit and by His Word, God speaks directly to individuals. The Word is Jesus. We need not be frightened to hear His teaching as were the Israelites of old; and when we go to God in prayer.

    (Heb 12:18-21; For you, -followers of Jesus- are not come unto the mount that might be touched and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, darkness, tempest, the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they -the Israelites- that heard, entreated –Moses- that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:

    (Heb 12:22; But you -Christians  followers of Jesus- ARE COME unto mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the HEAVENLY Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and CHURCH OF THE FIRST BORN, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the MEDIATOR of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.)

    (Heb 12:23-27; See that you refuse not Him –Jesus- that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused Him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaks from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.” And this word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which CANNOT be shaken may remain.)

    (Heb 12:28; Wherefore we -Christians -followers of Jesus-receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.)

    Jesus’ apostles and Believers IN have faith in Jesus’ calling, know we’re gifted to believe IN and, have the scriptures opened to our understanding. Having evidence that we’re gifted with eternal life. Paul had faith that at his death he’d join, “innumerable company of angels, the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven; God the Judge of all, the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.”

    Paul understood promises to Abraham, whom he was joint heir with in reality. That overcoming his inherited from Adam sin nature was commanded.

    (Phil 3:12-16; Not that I have already attained this – that is, I have not already been perfected – but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let those of us who are -being perfected- embrace this point of view. If you think otherwise, God will reveal to you the ERROR of your ways. Nevertheless, let us live up to the standard that we have already attained.)

      Paul was gifted to understand that he had not yet been perfected, and overcoming to the end was commanded. Verse fifteen should give pause to the view, -once saved always saved doctrine. True, once fathered, -begotten by God- and gifted with His Holy Spirit, He can certainly keep us. Loving Him and His Way leads us to strive for, and attain to Jesus’ perfection.

    TO: World’s in residence Churches of God. Tamuz 1, 5,780; 6/23/2020.

    Jesus’ faith motivation is through God’s choosing and calling. Practicing faith and living by God’s standards as “Jesus and His apostles prescribed. Until God miraculously changes an individual’s outlook, instinctive motives are of concern for self, me, mine and ours, family, my kind and my associates. Loving people of differing beliefs, nationalities and even an enemy as Jesus and His apostles prescribe requires a nature change. It’s the mystery of Holy Spirit imputation, Jesus’ good news believed in. From the foundation of the world, God’s planned nature change prescription is laid out for us in Abraham’s faith, Jesus’ calling and gifting His apostles with scriptural understanding. It’s making individuals literal children and AT ONE with Jesus. Believing IN God as He’s manifested to be, requires God the Father revealing Himself through God the Son. The many seem to find religious comfort in thinking God is likened to their personal imagination. The many think theology schooling is the way of salvation.

    God’s calling includes knowledge that He first loved us. (1John 4:19-21; We love because He loved us first. If anyone says “I love God” and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And the commandment we have from Him is this: that the one who loves God should love his fellow Christian too.)

 Believing IN God as He revealed Himself to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Jesus’ apostles leads us to love and practice His prescribed Way and spiritually remove ourselves from the ways of this demonic world. It begins with His supernatural calling, opening the mind to know God’s love as it’s revealed to be. That result? A changed outlook from the inherited Adam nature to God’s gifted nature, mindset likened to Jesus’. Then it becomes apparent that Satan desires to harm to people. That miraculous nature change requires God’s fathering with His spirit, a rebirth from the old nature. Only then can we love as Jesus and His apostles’ prescribes. It’s a gifted desire to love God’s Way as revealed in His holy Word. Otherwise we could boast about our own works. Jesus explains.

   (John 15:19-20; “If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have CHOSEN you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the Word that I said unto you, “The servant is not greater than his lord.” If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you, if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.”)..   Spiritual understanding is gifted to those God chooses. It’s a gifted mindset that desires to be AT ONE with God the Father and God the Son. Our Creator preplanned it all when He re-created this earth, and created Adam and Eve...   (Phil 2:9-11; “As a result God “the Father” exalted “God the Son” Jesus, and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”)   Jesus is the Christian’s mentor, Savior and Shepherd. Paul goes on to teach the Philippians and all Christians what we should be striving for...   (Phil 2:12-13; “So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, for the One BRINGING FORTH in you BOTH the DESIRE and the EFFORT – for the sake of HIS GOOD PLEASURE – is God.”)

   Being led to believe IN Jesus and obey with desire is gifted. Knowing that Jesus loves us and wants what’s best for us is gifted. Paul as Jesus’ ambassador and apostle could say, “obey not only in my presence but more in my absence.”  Now, each Christian’s responsible to prove, “work out our own salvation.” (“Letting God be true though every other person a liar.” See Rom 3:4) WHO should we credit for our understanding? The One bringing forth in us, the desire and effort - for HIS good pleasure is God! Any other way is of our own doing, not by God’s grace!

    (Phil 2:14-16; “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world by holding on to the Word of Life so that on the day of Christ, I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.”)

   Societies were no different in the apostle’s days than in this age. Currently societies think of themselves as advanced from previous ones and certain kinds of knowledge have increased just as Jesus prophesied through Daniel. However, knowledge of our Creator God among worldly religions has decreased. Each age is a crooked and perverse society. WHY so? God is allowing Satan to be the god of this world and allowing man to go the way that seems right to his inherited from Adam nature.

   (Phil 2:17-18; “But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you. And in the same way you also should be glad and rejoice together with me.”)

   Remember Jesus’ words to Ananias in Damascus regarding Paul? Jesus said, “Go your way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel: for I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” Paul truly poured himself out to God’s chosen people and for Jesus’ calling.

   Timothy was also a chosen servant; he was with Paul when Philippians was being written. He was Paul’s assistant, sometimes secretary or scribe, as was Mark. Several copies of Paul’s letters were likely made and delivered to various church groups. (Epaphroditus delivered this letter to the Philippians.)

   (Phil 2:19-29; “Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you. For there is no one here like him who will readily demonstrate his deep concern for you. Others are busy with their own concerns, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s qualifications, that like a son working with his father, he served with me in advancing the gospel. So I hope to send him as soon as I know more about my situation, though I am confident in the Lord that I too will be coming to see you soon. But for now I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, coworker, fellow soldier, your messenger and a minister to me in my need. Indeed, he greatly missed all of you and was distressed because you heard that he had been ill. In fact he became so ill that he nearly died. But God showed mercy to him – and not to him only, but also to me – so that I would not have grief on top of grief. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you can rejoice and I can be free from anxiety. So welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me.”)

    Remember the last instantaneous miraculous healings recorded in the Holy Scriptures? Jesus healed through Paul on the island of Malta after Paul and company were ship wrecked. First Paul was snake bitten and the superstitious people assumed he was a murderer, when he didn’t die, they assumed he was a god. Afterward Paul learned that the island ruler’s daddy was sick with fever and dysentery. “Paul went in to see him and after praying, Paul placed his hands on him and Jesus healed him. After this happened, many of the people on the island who were sick also came and were healed. The people bestowed many honors on Paul and his companions when preparing to sail and gave needed supplies. See Acts 28:3-10.

    Paul’s coworker Epaphroditus almost died because of the work of Christ. Seemingly the time of Jesus’ instantaneous miraculous healings through His apostles ended at Malta. If Jesus did instantaneous miraculous healings through His apostles or brothers James and Jude it isn’t recorded in our copies of the Holy Scriptures. People and denominations putting emphasis on healings, tongues and traditions are out of step with Jesus’ good news, the gospel. Jesus’ doctrine of love is what must be emphasized. Love as demonstrated to His called out followers, spiritual Israelites. Paul explained this in his letter to the Ephesians and all gifted Believers IN.

   (Ephesians 2:11-22; “Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh – who are called “un-circumcision” by the so-called “circumcision” that is performed on the body by human hands – that you were at that time without the Messiah, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by your believing IN the blood, “the life” of Christ. For Jesus is our peace, the One who made both groups Israelites and gentiles into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, when He nullified in His flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed. And Jesus came and preached peace to you ‘gentiles’ who were far off and peace to those who were near, Israelites, so that through Jesus we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer foreigners and non-citizens, but you are fellow citizens with the Saints and members of God’s household, because you, followers of Jesus, have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. In Jesus the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”)

    Some of us are likely concerned with our own agenda and pursuits, Jesus’ said; “seek first the kingdom of God. It’s foolish to ask, why Paul didn’t miraculously heal his coworker? Healings done through Jesus apostles, were in part to demonstrate their credentials as apostles and Jesus’ work through them. Miraculous instant healings, as Jesus personally did and then did through His apostles were for manifestation of who He was and is. Indiscriminant healing showed God’s power and mercy. After Jesus’ ascension, He continued demonstrating His power through His chosen. Remember, deacon Stephen? (Study Acts 6 and 7) The likes of Jesus turning water into aged wine, His instantly healing lepers, His physically resurrecting Lazarus after being dead four days and Jesus healing through Peter’s shadow passing over folks making them whole, haven’t been witnessed since that apostolic age, to the best of our knowledge. Genuine HOPE faith is the fruit, result of believing IN Jesus and asking hopefully. “Knowing faith is having revealed evidence of God’s will before hand. (Study Acts 28:) 

    TO: World’s in residence Churches of God. Sivan 29, 5,780; 6/21/2020.

   A theology professor told a popular protestant denomination, “a congregation of your size should have a Dr. of Theology pastoring.” It’s the accepted way in schools of higher learning and even trade vocations. It’s an enslavement to bureaucracy that keeps talented people in the so called “working man’s class.” However such thinking is opposite Jesus’ teaching, particularly regarding spiritual understanding. Review our last study regarding spiritual gifts, God‘s callings and “how His sheep know Him and He them.” Today, called to believe IN Jesus people are gifted to recognize His truths, opposed to picking clerics based on credentials, agreement with and political correctness.

  Jesus’ apostle Paul shared similar spiritual truths with Timothy.

     (2Timothy 2:1-11; “So you my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And entrust what you heard me say in the presence of many others as witnesses to faithful people who will be competent to teach others as well. Take your share of suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one in military service gets entangled in matters of everyday life; otherwise he will not please the one who recruited him. Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he will not be crowned as the winner unless he competes according to the rules. The farmer who works hard ought to have the first share of the crops. Think about what I am saying and the Lord will give you understanding of all this. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David; such is my gospel for which I suffer hardship to the point of imprisonment as a criminal, but God’s message is not imprisoned! So I endure all things for the sake of those chosen by God, that they too may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus and its eternal glory. This saying is trustworthy: (If we died with Jesus, we will also live with Him. If we endure we will also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, since He cannot deny Himself.”) ..    People understanding Jesus’ truths regarding His perpetual attributes, Sabbaths, chosen people and their future deliverance need to be sharing them. We may be judged on these truths one day.   (Eph 6:12; “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”)

    Popular powerful denominational leaders and demonic forces are real. Teachers sharing partial truths, play to demonic spiritual darkness in high places. Evil days, Jesus and His apostles spoke of are here. Satan is inspiring people to enforce his evil schemes. In the USA right now, “congregations entitled to tax exemptions can be forced to administer the likes of same sex marriages and other things abominable to God’s ordnances. It’s why Christians must come out from among such.  

     (Eph 6:13-16; “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins gird 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 you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”) ..  Believers IN Jesus trust God as did Abraham. Paul said it best in his letter to the Romans in chapter 3:4; (”God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged.”)

   (Eph 6:17-20; “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”) ..   Each follower of Jesus should consider selves ambassadors. The mystery of the gospel is, “His Holy Spirit in people causes them to be AT ONE with God the Father and God the Son.”)

   (Eph 6:21-24; “But that you also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that you might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts. Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.” Amen.) Paul ends his letter to the Ephesians saying; “from Rome, by Tychicus.”)

    Jesus’ apostles Paul and Peter helped John in his responsible canonizing the New Testament. .. From a fleshly view Paul may have been the most un-likely to have been chosen by Jesus to be one of His selected apostles. Paul’s commission to the non-Israelite populations put him at odds with many Israelites who had problems believing God would make gentiles their equal. (Acts 8:1; tells us that Paul’s consenting to Stephen’s death was instrumental in persecutions against God’s churches, causing many to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria, “except the Apostles.”)

   (Acts 9:3-9; “As Saul “Paul” journeyed he came near Damascus, suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven, he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, “Saul, Saul, why persecute you Me? Saul said, who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom you persecute: it is hard for you to kick against the pricks.” Saul trembling and astonished said, “Lord, what will you have me to do?” And the Lord said unto him, “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do.” The men journeying with Paul stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. Saul arose from the earth; when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. Saul was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.) ..     All in God’s master plan. It had been prophesied that the good news would first go to the Jews - Israelites. Jesus gave Paul a direct mission telling what to expect because of his calling. Jesus then had a Damascus Believer named Ananias go and anoint Saul, that he receive his sight and told Ananias the following: “Go your way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” THUS, Paul knew his mission and was blessed with Jesus’ faith to carry it out. (Jesus changed Saul’s name to “Paul” actually meaning “a lesser one.”) Paul must have been mindful of the meaning because he referred to himself as being the least of the apostles.) But Paul understood and shared Satan’s character with believers.

   (1Corinthians 14:33; “God is not characterized by disorder but by peace.”) So who is the author of disorder and division?

   (2Cor 4:4; “Among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe.”) How did Satan become the god of this age? When people don’t want to believe IN and obey our Creator; they choose alternatives. Choosing not to believe IN the God of Noah and Abraham is idolatry; then all that’s left for each is fleshly desires. God blames this world’s divisionary confusion on Satan, for God isn’t about disorder but of peace. ..    God the Father made His Son Re-creator of this planet that had become as, “darkness over the deep.” Creator and Spokesman “Jesus” is re-creator of this earth, He was sent by the authority of God the Father to create, give instruction and ultimately  die “shed His blood” for the remission of this world’s sins. The Son of God born in the flesh, did the deeds of God and His sacrifice were preplanned from the foundation of the world. (See John 10:15-18.)

   Now Jesus’ teaches through Paul to Philippians and all believers.

  (Phil 2:1-2; “Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy, complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose.”) (This identifies God’s church.)

   When individuals are truly led by the Holy Spirit they grow in the grace and knowledge of God. Godly LOVE produces Oneness in mental and spiritual comfort. (The fruit, “result” of God’s gifted spirit in us is, “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.” Gal 5:22-23.)

  (Phil 2:3-8; “Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.  Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. Jesus humbled Himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death– even death on a cross!”) ..   Consider the King James translation which reads; (“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 of Himself no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men: and being found fashioned as a man He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”) ..   The Son of God’s human life, deeds, sacrifice, resurrection, ascension; His return and commissioning His apostles was all preplanned. His future return as King of Kings, to reward righteousness and destroy evil is preplanned from the foundation of the world. ..  Jesus was the Lord God communicating with Noah in the building of the ark and miraculously caused the numbers of clean and unclean animals to enter for saving.

    (Genesis 7:2-4; “You must take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, the male and its mate, two of every kind of unclean animal, the male and its mate, and also seven of every kind of bird in the sky, male and female, to preserve their offspring on the face of the earth. For in seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the ground every living thing that I have made.”) (See John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15-20 and Hebrews 1: discerning Jesus’ deity. To worship Jesus in spirit and truth we must understand His communications with Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and His apostles. After Jesus’ millennial rule on earth, New Jerusalem is going to come down with its twelve gates named for the twelve tribes of Israel and its twelve foundations named for the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

    TO: World’s in residence Churches of God. Sivan 27, 5,780; 6/19/2020.

  God’s pattern of making perpetual promises, blessing and choosing Jacob’s heirs, “Israel,” as His own people per promises to Abraham is duplicated with His choosing and establishing His church family through ‘Savior Jesus.’ As studied in previous chapters; ‘end time prophecies were told through Daniel, other prophets and Jesus Himself.’ After Jesus’ resurrection He appeared to those conversing about Him, saying; (Luke 24:25-35; “You foolish people — how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn’t it necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them the things written about Himself in all the scriptures.) - So, as they approached the village where they were going. He ‘Jesus’ acted as though He wanted to go farther, but they urged Him, “Stay with us, because it is getting toward evening and the day is almost done.” So He went in to stay with them. When He had taken His place at the table with them, He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. At this point their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. Then He vanished out of their sight. They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us while He was speaking with us on the road, while He was explaining the scriptures to us?”  So they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and those with them gathered together and saying, “The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how they recognized Him when He broke the bread.”)

    Again Jesus appeared to His apostles and said; (Luke 24:44-49; “These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day,  and repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And look, I am sending you what My Father promised. But stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”) (About ten days after Jesus’ ascension that clothing happened on Pentecost, review ‘Acts of the apostles’ chapter 2)

    On that Pentecost, Israelites who could afford travel came to Jerusalem from many countries they’d been scattered to. They’d learned the languages used by the perspective countries and as the miracle ‘of the promised clothing was gifted’ the locals mysteriously spoke languages the scattered had become accustomed to. Minds were opened, natures were changed as beliefs in Jesus’ deeds, His resurrection and ascension were understood.

   Within about fifty years the apostate, “a twisting of truth” became so apparent that our Lord’s brother “Jude” made ‘the apostate’ his main topic. This caused persecutions of true believers, another scattering that’s still prevalent today. The apostate is so spread in our age that denominations are “as much attuned to paganism as were the Ephesians worshiping Artemis in Paul’s day, shouting ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’” (See “Acts of the Apostles” chapter 19:29-41)

    After writing about trusting people’s faith, the Hebrews writer tells of those persecuted. (Heb 11:36-40; “Others experienced mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, sawed apart, murdered with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated, (the world was not worthy of them); they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and openings in the earth. And these all were commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised. For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us.”)

    God hasn’t changed, and this world’s system of things under Satan’s influence hasn’t changed. Governments and unbelieving people are inspired by demonic greed, self serving organizations, and God still calls people to come out from among unbelievers. Jesus’ apostle Paul addresses the subject at; (2Cor 6:14-18; “Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them, walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters,” says the All-Powerful Lord.)

God the Father reveals, calls and opens minds

to spiritual understandings.

    Revealing through Jesus’ life, deeds, resurrection and ascension, “that God the Son and God the Father are One in purpose and planning.” God the Father does all things through God the Son “Jesus” who is, Re-creator, Creator, Deliverer, Savior, the resurrection and Mediator for believers before God the Father. (Let’s review Col 1:15-20; “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, all things in heaven and on earth were created by Him — all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers — all things were created through Him and for Him. He Himself is before all things and all things are held together in Him. He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead, so that He Himself may become first in all things. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in the Son and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross — through Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”)

    As Jesus miraculously opened His Apostles minds to understand the scriptures, He opens minds today. So, there’s no boasting except through Jesus’ revelations.

   (Matthew 11:25-30; At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father. (No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke on you and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear and My load is not hard to carry.”) 

    Understanding is gifted to whom God the Father and God the Son chooses! Spiritual understanding can’t be conjured up or taught by intellectual means. When we understand these things, we can only boast in the Lord because we know they’re gifted.

     (John 10:7-13; So Jesus said to them again, “I tell you the solemn truth, I am the door for the sheep ‘those being called.’ All who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep, ‘called out ones’ did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out, and find pasture.”) Being saved to eternal life is only through Jesus!

     Unbelievers‘ agendas are their own. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not a shepherd and does not own sheep, sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and runs away. So the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. Because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep, he runs away.

    (John 10:14-18; “I am the good shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me – just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father – and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold. I must bring them too, and they will listen to My voice, so that there will be one flock and one shepherd. This is why the Father loves Me – because I lay down My life, so that I may take it back again. No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down of My own free will. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This commandment I received from My Father.”)

    Only through Jesus can we know God the Father and only through Jesus is immortality. There’s only one church and one Shepherd. So what about the many divisionary denominations?

     (John 10:25-39; Jesus replied, “I told you and you do not believe. The deeds I do in My Father’s name testify about Me. But you refuse to believe because you are not My sheep. My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from My Father’s hand. The Father and I are ONE.”)

     Is there a greater idolatry than a person trusting in his or her own intellect regarding what’s right, wrong, good and evil? Is doing so attempting to make one’s self a god?      

     Repentance is a turning, a changing of one’s outlook. He gives the Holy Spirit, persevering mind and spiritual power to stay the course. We in this age aren’t the first to be called out to separate from “societies around us.” Others have trusted Him to strengthen them spiritually to live in His freedom among this world’s perverse societies.

   God foreknew all the natural desires in mankind, “particularly the desire to make gods that can be seen and touched.” (God knew the natural difficulties we would have in maintaining “a believing IN faith.”) So, God planned the “mystery of believing in” for His chosen, “making each a temple of His spirit.” (Through the imputation of His Holy Spirit in believers, “we have power to turn from gods of the imagination, intellectual thinking that’s prone to revere unscrupulous people, the worship of heavenly bodies or turning to strict rule keeping for salvation.”

     God foreknew the outcome of Israel’s turning to paganism after Moses; He knew when the western world would condone a Sodom and Gomorrah mentality. God told Moses how His people would turn to other gods and what would happen afterward.

     (Deuteronomy 31:16-23; “Then the Lord said to Moses, “You are about to die, and then these people will begin to prostitute themselves with the foreign gods of the land into which they are going. They will reject Me and break My covenant that I have made with them. At that time My anger will erupt against them and I will abandon them and hide My face from them until they are devoured. Many disasters and distresses will overcome them so that they will say at that time, ‘Have not these disasters overcome us because our God is not among us?’ But I will certainly hide Myself at that time because of all the wickedness they will have done by turning to other gods. Now write down for yourselves the following song and teach it to the Israelites. Put it into their very mouths so that this song may serve as My witness against the Israelites! For after I have brought them to the land I promised to their ancestors – one flowing with milk and honey – and they eat their fill and become fat, then they will turn to other gods and worship them; they will reject Me and break My covenant. Then when many disasters and distresses overcome them this song will testify against them, for their descendants will not forget it. “I know the intentions they have in mind today, even before I bring them to the land I have promised.” So on that day Moses wrote down this song and taught it to the Israelites, and the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun, “Be strong and courageous, for you will take the Israelites to the land I have promised them, and I will be with you.”)

      Prosperous living makes people think themselves smart. All these things happened to God’s chosen people for our learning and examples. When people aren’t led with a strong hand of God’s choosing, they follow demonically led leaders and the inclinations of their fleshly minds. (Thus mankind needs, “a nature change.” (A desiring of Oneness with God, His revealing spirit which opens understanding, granting Jesus’ faith and persevering minds to stay His course.)

TO: World’s in residence Churches of God. Sivan 25, 5,780; 6/17/2020.

   (After telling Daniel about the resurrection, the Lord God Jesus said; “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”  KJV Dan 12:4) Net Bible, “But you, Daniel, close up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will dash about, and knowledge will increase.”) Jesus inspired Daniel’s words and He said as much as recorded by Matthew at chapter 24: In this end age God is revealing understanding that wasn’t understood before. This end age was pre-told. (Dan 12:1-3; “At that time Michael, the great prince who watches over your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress unlike any other from the nation’s beginning up to that time. But at that time your own people, all those whose names are found written in the book, will escape. Many of those who sleep in the dusty ground will awake — some to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence. But the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavenly expanse. And those bringing many to righteousness will be like the stars forever and ever.”)

   Jesus said, (Matt 24:36-37; “But as for that day and hour no one knows it — not even the angels in heaven — except the Father alone. For just like the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.”) Knowledge has increased and today it’s revealed that the seven day week and seven annual Sabbaths foreshadow the end of this age and Jesus’ return. Jesus also said, “Time would be shortened.” (Matt 24:21-22; “For then there will be great suffering unlike anything that has happened from the beginning of the world until now, or ever will happen. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the Elect those days will be cut short.”)

   Additionally Jesus revealed through His apostle Paul that the Jews are entrusted with the oracles of God. This includes His calendar. (Rom 3:1-2; “Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision? Actually, there are many advantages. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.”) It’s about year 5,780 on Jew’s calendar; meaning the time since Jesus’ re-creation and His creating Adam. According to God’s seven day week and seven annual Sabbaths seasons; Passover, Pentecost, and Feast of Tabernacles: 6,000 years is allotted for man’s self governance before Jesus’ millennium kingdom. (Study the whole of Daniel, Matthew 24: Isaiah 22: 35: 51: 53: 65: Jeremiah 31: and Amos 9:11-15 for an overviews of Israel’s future deliverance and God’s perpetual promises.)

   God is about order, consistency and training. He’s not the author of confusion, His is the absolute way. The human family’s order should parallel that of God’s church family. Satan is the author of confusion, and he’s the god of this world’s system of things until God’s set time. Satan purposely manifest’s himself as an angel of light and as such deceives many who think themselves followers of Jesus.

Speaking of false teachers attempting to make themselves Jesus’ apostles’ equal, Paul writes; (2Cor 11:13-15; “For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.”) (Now continue with the last two chapters of Ephesians.)

      (Eph 5:22-31; “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it; That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, That He might PRESENT it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church: For we, ’followers of Jesus’ are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.”) See also Genesis 2:23-24)

     People put in Jesus’ church are “covenantal God’s family.” Jesus gave His life for His church, “those called to be at one with Himself and God the Father” as the human family structure is commanded to be. So He may present His church to Himself as glorious. “Yielding to and practicing Jesus’ command is evidence of our believing IN.” “Turning to what is right in His View is evidence of believing IN.” The spiritual magnification of His ten commandments is, “loving Him and neighbor.” It’s God’s pattern of authority and submission of His set aside “sanctified” people that make us free.

     (Eph 5:32-33: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”)

     Evidence of God’s spirit in us is, “a believing IN mindset - outlook.” It’s believing in God as He manifest Himself to be in the Holy Scriptures, “total trust in His Way.” Not trust in fleshly intellect.

     (Gal 5:22-25; “But the fruit “the result and practices” of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”)

     To crucify the flesh one must recognize the flesh’s shortcomings, turn from the lust thereof, abandon what seems right to the mind, prayerfully turning to His Way and practicing love as He loves: Which includes hating what’s evil in His view.

     Jesus and each apostle’s instruction is from the foundation of love. “Love others even as ourselves.” Unbelievers in this age are being observed by our Creator. Attitudes formed that may carry over into the millennium. It’s the reason attitudes toward life situations, whether slave, hired hand, boss, parent or child regarding authority is important. Christians are spiritually taught to be content in the state God blesses with.

     (Eph 6:1-3; “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor your father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise.) That it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.” (Some professing Christians teach that Paul abandoned the ten commandments. The next three verses prove otherwise.)

     (Eph 6:4-9; “And you fathers provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the FLESH, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eye service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, you masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with Him.”)

     Note that God doesn’t change in principle, let’s consider His prophecy through Jeremiah regarding Judea’s stubbornness. After telling Jeremiah what was about to happen to His people; Jeremiah recorded the following.

     (Jeremiah 13:15-27; “Then I said to the people of Judah, “Listen and pay attention! Do not be arrogant! For the Lord has spoken. Show the Lord your God the respect that is due Him. Do it before He brings the darkness of disaster. Do it before you stumble into distress like a traveler on the mountains at twilight. Do it before He turns the light of deliverance you hope for into the darkness and gloom of exile. But if you will not pay attention to this warning, I will weep alone because of your arrogant pride. I will weep bitterly and my eyes will overflow with tears because you, the Lord’s flock, will be carried into exile.” The Lord told me, “Tell the king and the queen mother, ‘Surrender your thrones, for your glorious crowns will be removed from your heads. The gates of the towns in southern Judah will be shut tight. No one will be able to go in or out of them. All Judah will be carried off into exile. They will be completely carried off into exile.’”

     Then I said, “Look up, Jerusalem, and see the enemy that is coming from the north. Where now is the flock of people that were entrusted to your care? Where now are the ‘sheep’ that you take such pride in? What will you say when the Lord appoints as rulers over you those allies that you, yourself, had actually prepared as such? Then anguish and agony will grip you like that of a woman giving birth to a baby. You will probably ask yourself, ‘Why have these things happened to me? Why have I been treated like a disgraced adulteress whose skirt has been torn off and her limbs exposed?’ It is because you have sinned so much.

     But there is little hope for you ever doing good, you who are so accustomed to doing evil. Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin? Can a leopard remove its spots? “The Lord says, ‘That is why I will scatter your people like chaff that is blown away by a desert wind. This is your fate, the destiny to which I have appointed you, because you have forgotten Me and have trusted in false gods. So I will pull your skirt up over your face and expose you to shame like a disgraced adulteress!

     People of Jerusalem, I have seen your adulterous worship, your shameless prostitution to, and your lustful pursuit of, other gods. I have seen your disgusting acts of worship on the hills throughout the countryside. You are doomed to destruction! How long will you continue to be unclean?’”

     When Jeremiah wrote, ten tribes had already been removed. Israel turning to other gods was spiritual adultery, punishment paralleled the law regarding an adulterous wife, and we followers of Jesus are heart broken over our nations condoning abominable to God practices. 

TO: World’s in residence Churches of God. Sivan 23, 5,780; 6/15/2020.

  Almighty God, our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus, Thank You for being at one and making each called out family member at one with You and one another. Thank You for your all knowing purpose and power to make such a thing possible through Your supernatural revelations. Thank You for giving us the spiritual mind to understand atonement, ‘at one ment’ with Yourself and thus worship in spirit and truth; In Jesus’ awesome gifted nature we pray.   

   When we read through this Ephesians section of scripture thoughtfully, surely we each find words of correction for ourselves. This practical letter to the Ephesians and each called out believer should be studied carefully by all who profess to be followers of Jesus.

     (Eph 5:1-5; “Be you therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savor. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becoming Saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”) (The meaning is; ‘no spiritual or physical fornicator, unclean person, covetous nor idolatrous persons has inheritance in God’s kingdom.) 

     Christians should know they’re followers of Jesus and think of themselves as literal children of God the Father and a slave servant with God the Son. When the Israelites, ‘to whom God made Himself known’ promised to obey, “it was a marriage covenant to the Lord God.” (Promising to be His people and He promising to be their God.) When they turned away, God referred to them as adulterers who “prostituted themselves.”

     The parallel? In this New Covenant age, God calls individuals, reveals Himself to and grants His gift of repentant/turning, putting each in His family, “His church which is the bride of Christ.”God calls, gifts understanding, repentance and His spirit, “it’s His fathering” “being born again or begotten” to be at one with parent, “God the Father.” Through Jesus, God the Father ordained the gifting of His spirit, the believing IN process that makes Believers spiritual children of our spiritual Father; inheriting the Kingdom with Abraham under Christ.     REMEMBER Jesus’ words, “Many will come saying I am the Christ and deceive many!” How’s it possible, Satan has many deceiving doctrines, each designed to cause people to miss the mark. Remember, (Gal 3:28-29; “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female — for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you’re Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.)    (Eph 5:6-10; “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be NOT you therefore partakers with them. For you were sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.”)    Unbelievers seem to enjoy debating these verses, some say, “everyone sins and therefore everyone is disobedient.” Jesus and each apostle’s principle teaching on this subject is; “don’t practice living disobediently.” True, even the holiest have a self serving thought come to mind from time to time. That isn’t sin in God‘s view, “until yielded to and practiced!” (When led by God’s spirit in us, “we’re led to repent when we slip” therefore God doesn’t consider us sinners.”)

  Jesus’ good news are ‘as parables to those who aren’t called in this age.’

  Jesus told parables to the populations at large, “so they would ponder but not understand their full meaning.” When ask why parables, Jesus quoted Isaiah saying; “Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand.” And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend. For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” Matt 13:13-15)     Privately with His apostles, Jesus was more to the point. (Matt 19:27-30; “Then Peter said to Jesus, “Look, we ‘apostles’ have left everything to follow You! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth: In the age when all things are renewed, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for My sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”) Verse 30 is in parable form and Jesus’ apostles didn’t understand until later when Jesus opened their minds.   At Matthew 20:16, Jesus gives His parable about the workers in the vineyard hired at various hours in the day and at the end of the work day, the last received the same pay as the first. Again Jesus concluded saying, “So the last will be first, and the first last.”

   We now understand that many called in these last days who overcome to the end, will be first. Last days being, “since Jesus’ ascension.”     To Believe IN God as He manifest Himself to be in the Holy Scriptures is to know and totally trust in His Way. (People desiring to be religious for popularly and goodness sake, “those whom Jesus isn’t revealed to” yield to fleshly imaginations, attempting to rationalize, they make God fit their fleshly intellect: “their idea of what God should be like.” These to whom Jesus isn’t revealed, trust their fleshly intellect rather than God’s original printed word for revealed knowledge. Jesus’ Apostle John introduces Him as He revealed Himself to His apostles.

    (1John 3:3-8; “And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as HE is pure. Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the LAW: for SIN IS the transgression of the law. And you know that He was manifested “made known” to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin. Whosoever abides in Him sins NOT: whosoever sins has not SEEN “understood” Him, neither known Him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as Jesus is righteous. He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, “revealed - made known” that He might destroy the works of the devil.”)

   Who sins has not seen Him, neither knows Him? Meaning: Once God the Father and God the Son’s love is revealed, our outlook regarding lawlessness to His Way is miraculously changed: we know our old self serving nature was evil in His View. Then we understand, “the many religions are yielded to manmade doctrines.” Obeying the spiritual intent of His commandments becomes a primary concern, “including the fourth.” (Study 1 John.)     (Eph 5:11-16; “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light: for whatsoever does make manifest “make known” is light. Wherefore He said, Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”)    Followers of Jesus aren’t comfortable among worldly religions, the politically correct, because their life practices are from darkness. Jesus is the Light of the world, He reproves. His revealing spirit makes light known! His Light gives people the desire to redeem the time. How do we go about redeeming the time? Remember who the holy scriptures teach the god of this age is? Times people traditionally set aside, have no substance pertaining to or foreshadowing God’s Way. Religions designed by people fit their fleshly intellect and leads to a second death if not turned from. See Revelations 21;7-8)

    A few studies back we shared two absolutes, God doesn’t change. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever.” As God planned; so it will be and no one can frustrate His plans.” (See Isaiah 14:24-27) We’ve shared God telling Abraham about certain people groups’ lands being reserved for his heirs because of their sins. Those lands were given to the Israelites after their deliverance from Egypt. We shared God’s destroying Sodom and Gomorrah because of their fleshly sins, and God allowing Israelites to be dispersed back among cruel gentile nations because of their disobedience. Now in a short time, “less than fifty years” we’ve witnessed western nations, ‘USA particularly’ turn to the likes of Sodom and Gomorrah. A supreme court twisting the USA’S constitution far beyond what original writers intended. The question all should be thinking, “when will God say, enough is enough and punish for sinful behavior?”

    The above demonstrates the flourishing paganism in the USA. Many recently watched the christening of the USS Gerald Ford and was struck by the Navy Chaplain’s prayer that purposely “named no deity.” His prayer was apparently to whoever might be listening. A reminder of words Jesus’ apostle Paul noted to have seen in Ephesus, “to the unknown God.” Paul responded by preaching Jesus.       

     (Eph 5:17-21; “Wherefore be you not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”)

      Who is led to seek and find in our inner being, a belief in the God of Abraham? Can one conjure up a belief IN God at a time of their choosing? NO, but people can choose practices condoned by God rather than practices designed to honor imaginary gods. People can choose to be good citizens, change habits and not worship a god of their imagination. To Believers at Thessalonica Paul explained.

    (1Thessalonians 5:17-24; “Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying. PROVE all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is HE that CALLED you, who also will do it.”)

     Once gifted to believe IN and turn to God’s Way, we depend on Him to lead. Know that God’s truth is consistent throughout, He calls, chooses, opens minds and He does it all through our Savior, “Jesus.” God is about order He’s the master Architect and Builder. His plan is to save people, add to His family, “His church.” All based on His view of love, “righteousness, holiness and hatred of all that’s evil.” His family order and covenant with His church is likened to His expectation of Godly families.