Archive for October, 2021

John, 28

Saturday, October 30th, 2021

                                                                                      T0: 34,202 subscribers to ‘Original Jerusalem Church of God teaching.’ God’s 9th Mo, Cheshvan 27, 5,782, 10/30/21.

   When Jesus returns He’ll do away with pagan calendars, times honoring pagan and imaginary gods. Satan is the world’s friend; enemy of God and His followers. He desires separating us from God’s way, doesn’t want us knowing we have immortality through Jesus, be in the first resurrections; return with Jesus and rule with Him. Satan don’t want us knowing believing in Jesus as He manifest Himself to be is to be “born again” to Jesus spiritual likeness. We must know Satan is getting more ruthless in these latter days. Many are being demonically possessed. 

   Review Jesus’ conversation with Zachariah’s sisters at John 11:23. Jesus is saying, (1) People believing IN Him will live even if they die. (2) People alive; believing in Him when I return will never die. Review 1Cor 15:51-52; Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.)

Consider Paul’s whole summation in Corinthians 15:

    (15:42-44-46; It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

      So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living person”; the last Adam “Jesus” became a life-giving spirit. (46) However, the spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and then the spiritual.

      (Immortality is when, “the natural is impregnated with God’s spirit.)

    It’s Jesus’ conclusion through Paul at verses 50-55; “Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we ‘who are alive’ will be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen, Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?

    (56-58; The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! So then, dear brothers and sisters, be firm. Do not be moved! Always be outstanding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.)

   The law demands death for disobedience, buy Jesus made the way and all who don’t subscribe to the way, will die a second death. (Review Revelations 21:8, to discern the characteristics followers of Jesus must be turning from.

    (John 11:45-48; Then many of the people, who had come with Mary and had seen the things Jesus did, believed IN Him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and reported to them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs. If we allow Him to go on in this way, everyone will believe IN Him and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary and our nation.)

    This world’s religions don’t want God’s truth taught. They’re negative about Jesus’ second coming, forcefully taking power from this world’s demonic leaders, bind Satan one thousand years and bring peace to this earth. Then all will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. (Jesus ask us to read Revelations out loud.)

    During times before John the Baptist and Jesus’ earthly miniseries, temple Priest were sometimes given revelations and prophesied. When Zachariah, (John the Baptist’s dad) was High Priest, an angel visited him and told of John’s birth. Now High Priest, (Caiaphas) shares a revelation. At this point God was still using the Synagogues for His purpose, so Jesus sent some He Healed, to show themselves to the Priest according to how He had instructed Moses. After Jesus resurrected Lazarus the talk was, “all people will be turning to Jesus.” Authorities were thinking now Rome will take away their positions. Let’s remember, Jesus’ New Testament Church’s birth began on that Pentecost after His ascension.

    John 11:49-52; Then one of them, ‘Caiaphas’ who was High Priest that year, said, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is more to your advantage to have one man die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.” (Now Caiaphas did not say this on his own, but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation, and not for the Jewish nation only, but to gather together into one, the children of God, who are scattered.)

      Caiaphas’ prophecy is; “Jesus will again deliver the scattered tribes of Israel.” He will yet miraculously gather His chosen to their former boundaries promised Abraham. Zephaniah and Isaiah prophesied the same.

     (Zephaniah 3:19-20; Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you. I will rescue the lame sheep and gather together the scattered sheep. I will take away their humiliation and make the whole earth admire and respect them. At that time I will lead you – at the time I gather you together. Be sure of this! I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you when you see ME restore you, says the Lord.)

    Jesus died for the sins of the world and promises to Abraham include restoring His chosen people. It’s not likely; Caiaphas understood the degree in which his prophecy paralleled Isaiah’s and Zephaniah’s. Now Jesus knew the next Passover would be about His giving His life for the sins of the world as preplanned.

   (John 11:53-57; So from that day they planned together to kill Jesus. Thus Jesus no longer went around publicly among the Judeans, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and stayed there with His disciples. Now the Jewish Feast of Passover was near, and many people went up to Jerusalem from the rural areas before the Passover to cleanse themselves ritually. Thus they were looking for Jesus, and saying to one another as they stood in the temple courts, What do you think? That He won’t come to the Feast? (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should report it, so that they could arrest Him.)

     Israelites were keeping the Passover season as commanded, ‘The Feast of Unleavened Bread, began the day after, with the holy annual Sabbath day. Putting leavening out from their shelters was for ceremonially cleansing themselves of sins. The custom reminds today’s believers to overcome sin to the end. Every Christian‘s goal is to stop practicing lawlessness – sin, and practice Jesus’ righteous Ways. God gives the desire to overcome our inherited sin nature and Satan’s obstacles to the end of our physical lives. Naturally this includes the ten commandments; number 9 is, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor and 10 is, “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; or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

   Christendom practically ignores God’s Ten Commandments, particularly the fourth. Jesus demonstrated the magnification of honoring the seventh day. Our straight forward example is the seventh, ‘you shall not commit adultery.’ Jesus said about it; (Matt 5:27-28; “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The idea is to obey God from our inner being; that is, being mindful of the law’s spiritual magnification. Practicing God’s law was what the Pharisee mentality worshiped; spiritual magnification comes with loving God and His law, understanding He and they given from love.

   The spiritual magnification of the tenth commandment, “you shall not covet” likewise includes much more than not desiring the neighbor’s property, but includes putting neighbor ahead of self in all manner of conduct. Build up, rather than put down only scratches the surface.      

   

   

John, 27

Thursday, October 28th, 2021

To 34,191 Subscribers to Original Jerusalem Church of God Teaching, 10/28/21, God’s 9th Mo. Cheshvan 22, 5,782

      Jesus went back across the Jordan where John the Baptist had baptized. Many believed in Jesus, ‘believed Jesus was as He presented Himself to be.’ (The Son of God sent by God our Father to save and give His life as ransom for many.) They may not have understood Jesus’ deity as we do today: He’s Creator, Re-Creator, Redeemer, The Lamb of God, Savior, Mediator and coming King of Kings.   

    John 11:1-16; Now a certain man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived. (Now it was Mary who anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and wiped his feet dry with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) So, the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, look, the one You love is sick.” When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not lead to death, but to God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (Now Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, He remained two more days before telling His disciples Lazarus had fallen asleep But I am going there to awaken him.

  Then the disciples replied, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” (Now Jesus had been talking about his death, but they thought He had been talking about real sleep.) Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and I am glad for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” So, Thomas (called Didymus) said to his fellow disciples, “Let us go too, so that we may die with him.”

    (John 11:17-27; When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had been in the tomb four days already. (Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, so many of the Jewish people of the region had come to Martha and Mary to console them over the loss of their brother.) So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will grant you.” Jesus replied, “Your brother will come back to life againMartha said, “I know that he will come back to life again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the lifeThe one who believes IN me will live even if he dies, and the one who lives and believes IN Me will never die. Do you believe this?” She replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God who comes into the world.”

  Most Israelites ‘particularly the Pharisees’ believed in a resurrection, it’s what the Feast of Tabernacles foreshadowed. Now Jesus is saying plainly, “ones who believe IN Me will live even if he dies and one alive believing in Me will never die” (Live even if he dies, means he’ll be resurrected: ones alive when I return will never die.)

   (John 11:28-37; And when she had said this, Martha went and called her sister Mary, saying privately, “The Teacher is here and is asking for you.” So when Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him. (Now Jesus had not yet entered the village but was still in the place where Martha had come out to meet him.) Then the people who were with Mary in the house consoling her saw her get up quickly and go out. They followed her, because they thought she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said to Him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the people who had come with her weeping, He was intensely moved in spirit and greatly distressed. He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They replied, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. Thus, the people who had come to mourn said, “Look how much He loved him!” But some of them said, “This is the man who caused the blind man to see! Couldn’t he have done something to keep Lazarus from dying?) (Manifesting Himself as Re-Creator, Creator, Sustainer, Son of God, the resurrection and The Life.)

   Unbelievers don’t grasp this mystery, but Believers IN are graciously gifted to understand. Lazarus’ resurrection was back to a physical life. He is now at that heavenly throne and will return with Jesus. Many more Saints were resurrected to physical lives likened to Lazarus’ after Jesus’ resurrection. Review Matt 27:52-53.  

    Resurrections are major parts of Jesus’ good news, “gospel.” Jesus pronounced Himself to be “the Life” and “the Resurrection”

    When a synagogue ruler’s little girl died, Jesus took several apostles with Him to the home and gave physical life back, ‘resurrected.’ See Mark 5:41-43.

   (John 11:38-44; Jesus, intensely moved again, came to the tomb. (Now it was a cave, and a stone was placed across it.) Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, replied, “Lord, by this time the body will have a bad smell, because he has been buried four days.” Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you would see the glory of God?” So, they took away the stone. Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank You that You have listened to Me. I knew that You always listen to Me, but I said this for the sake of the crowd standing around here, that they may believe that You sent Me.” When He had said this, He shouted in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The one who had died came out, his feet and hands tied up with strips of cloth, and a cloth wrapped around his face. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go.)

    This same Jesus is going to return with all His Saints and a host of angelic beings, He’s going to bind Satan and bring peace. At a point of God’s choosing, “each in his own order” all will be made alive! Jesus revealed these resurrections to His apostle Paul.

    (1Corinthians 15:12-17; Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile, and your faith is empty. Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that He raised Christ from the dead when in reality He did not raise Him, if indeed the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless; you are still in your sins.)

     Believers IN by virtue of Jesus’ imputed faith, do not practice lawlessness “sin knowingly.” Christians are not still in their sins because Jesus died for our sins.

     (1Cor 15:18; Furthermore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. For if only in this life, we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone.) Our hope in Christ is that we’re not perishing, as are unbelievers, and look forward to our resurrection.

     (1Cor 15:20-21; But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, (Adam) the resurrection of the dead also came through a man (Jesus.) (Remember Jesus is The Life and The Resurrection.)

    (1Cor 15:22-23; For just as in Adam ALL die, so also in Christ ALL will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to Him.) (The first resurrection.)

    Jesus was the first to be resurrected from death to spiritual life. He personally gave physical life back to people, demonstrating His deity, and foreshadowing future physical resurrection. When Jesus returns, those belonging to Him will be resurrected to spiritual life, as was Jesus. Their bodies will come out from their tombs! Now Paul’s prophecy jumps to end of this age and New Jerusalem’s coming down.

   (1Cor 15:24-27; Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when He has brought to an end all rule and all authority and power. For He “Jesus” must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be eliminated is death. For He (God the Father) has put everything in subjection under His (Jesus) feet. But when it says everything has been put in subjection, it is clear that this does not include the One (God the Father) who put everything in subjection to Him, (Jesus.)

    In this Corinthian text Paul says nothing about the interim peace on earth, Satan being loosed to go out and deceive etc. Jesus revealed these things to John in, “Jesus’ Revelations to John.” Also revealing the authenticity of prophecies given to Daniel, Jeremiah, David and others.

   (1Cor 15:28-30; And when all things are subjected to Him, (God the Father) then the Son Himself will be subjected to the One who subjected everything to Him, so that God may be all in all. Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they baptized for them? Why too are we in danger every hour?)

    Because of these proclaimed messages, unbelievers were intent on murdering Paul and the other apostles, as they had Jesus.

    (1Cor 15:31-34; Every day I am in danger of death! This is as sure as my boasting in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. If from a human point of view, I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what did it benefit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” Sober up as you should and stop sinning! For some have no knowledge of God – I say this to your shame!)

    Had it not been for spiritually revealed knowledge of God through Jesus, (humanly speaking) Paul’s ministry would have been in vain. How awesome our God. Remember Elisha and Philip were transferred, each to another place; not resurrected and Paul was taken up to the third heaven, saying; “whether in body or in spirit he could not tell.” Lazarus came forth to a physical life, still bound in burial attire.

 

John, 26

Tuesday, October 26th, 2021

To 34,181 subscribers to Original Jerusalem Church of God Teaching. 10/26/21, God’s 9th Mo. Cheshvan 20, 5,782

Few know the origin of their faith. To: 11,339 People being made temples of His spirit: Churches of God.   6/11/18, God’s 3rd month, Sivan 27, 5778 until sunset. Jewish Rabbi “Mark Gellman” writes the “God Squad” a column carried by many news papers. “God Squad” was started by Gellman and a now deceased priest; together they “tried to be all things to all people. careful not to offend.” Gellman’s column this week addressed the Jewish perspective regarding “does a human develop a soul?” A subject he probably wouldn’t have addressed when he was partnered. (Following is a shortened version.)Aristotle put forth  the single greatest misunderstanding of the Hebrew Bible; “writing that all people have an indwelling component called a SOUL that never dies.’ Not true; people are created by God with what’s called in the Hebrew language, “nefish.” (Nefish is what God breathed into Adam, making him alive when he was but a lump of red earth.) This nefish isn’t a soul that lives beyond the death of the body, ‘it’s the God breathed breath of life.’ (When the body dies nefish dies.)(Our “nefish-less” body dies and returns to earth.) (Dust to dust ashes to ashes, my words.) Satan was way ahead of Aristotle, telling Eve, “God knows when you partake of the forbidden fruit, you will be divine, knowing good and evil.” Having ideas of a ‘soul body’ separation causes many divisionary problems.

Aristotle promoted this error in the year 333 BEC when teaching his ideas regarding matter. (The Rabbis of post biblical Judaism in the Talmud immediately codified this Aristotelian dualism.) Aristotelians/rabbinic teaching entered Christianity and later Islam and is the central part of the theology of all three Abrahamic faiths. (Others have similar doctrines.)

Gellman’s summation is; “we are clay and pieces of God.” On days you’re depressed, remember you are a piece of God. On days you think you’re God’s gift to the world remember that you’re basically “just mud with fingernails.” (Had Gellman explained Satan’s lies to Eve and if he were a believer in Jesus: “he would have explained that, “immortality is only gifted through Jesus’ life, and it was the Lord God, “Jesus” commanding Adam and Eve not to partake of the fruit on the tree in the middle of the orchard, less they die.) It was a loving command for their own good.

It was the Lord God “Jesus” who gave Moses the ten commandments and oracles regarding farming, caring for the less fortunate, child rearing and the family unite for their own good. Renown individuals with scholarly degrees and charismatic personalities set up organizations; used Jesus’ name with a mix of pagan customs to make themselves shepherds to the naïve. In 322 A.D. Emperor Constantine of Rome was converted to this religious mixture of paganism and Judaism. (With governmental authority Constantine enforced Catholicism on Rome and a big part of Europe, which developed into the Holy Roman Empire.) The ancient Roman language, “Latin” was popularized throughout Rome and its empire. (Adopted in medieval Europe as the language of education, culture, religion, and government.) Later becoming a romantic language developed from Vulgar “crude - tasteless” Latin. (It’s prominence during those medieval times, led to Latin-derived words entering vocabularies of other European languages.) The holy Roman empire experienced the fastest and territorial growth ever. Many books were outlawed in effort to control the populations. People refusing to convert were persecuted and killed. Their hold began to splinter when Catholicism’s authority began to be questioned by the likes of Martin Luther.

(When Martin Luther penned his theses, “the English Reformation was born” and with the backing of king Henry VIII was popularized. Called the Protestant Reformation.) This 16th century religious, political, intellectual, and cultural upheaval splintered the holy Roman empire. (That splintering opened the way for deceived and divided denominations.) People developed grandeur agendas, “their way” cults.” (Teaching, “Jesus is the Christ” and deceive the many; using Jesus’ name but not believing IN His message.) His message is, “The Way” not “a way” and all who aren’t led to know it are deceived.

Jesus said it, (Matt 24:24 “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”) Jesus’ words are clear, “only The Elect, will not be deceived.” Jesus’ followers are a called, “His Way People” and first called Christian in Antioch.”

(Acts 11:25-26; Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So, for a whole year, Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught a significant number of people. Now it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.)

Jesus’ apostles were selected to carry His message to the world. His apostle Paul was selected to take His message to the Israelites, kings and gentiles. (He wrote at, Ephesians 2:18-22; Through Jesus we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer foreigners and non-citizens, but you, “gentiles” are fellow citizens with the Saints and members of God’s household, because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. In Him 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.) Peter also taught that God’s called are chosen, Saints and a royal priesthood.

(1Peter 2:4-10; So as you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen and priceless in God’s sight, you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it says in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone, and whoever believes IN Him will never be put to shame.” (Quote from Isaiah,)     So you who believe see His value, but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, and a stumbling-stone and a rock to trip over. (Quote Isaiah 8:14) They stumble because they disobey The Word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen racea royal priesthooda holy nationa people of His own, so that yu may proclaim the virtues of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. You once were not a people, but now you are God’s people. You were shown no mercy, but now you have received mercy.) Peter taught that every true follower of Jesus was in fact a priest! People proclaiming a different message were destined to do so!

(John 10:14-18; I, “Jesus” 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.”) Not from this sheepfold? Jesus will bring some who lived before and some who will live again. Paul explains.

(1Corinthians 15:21-23; For since death came through a man, “Adam” the resurrection of the dead also came through a man, “Jesus.” For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to Him.)

(John 10:19; A sharp division took place among the Jewish people because of these words. Many of them were saying, “He is possessed by a demon and has lost his mind! Why do you listen to Him?” Others said, “These are not the words of someone possessed by a demon. A demon cannot cause the blind to see, can it?)

Instantiations’ miracles prove Jesus to be Creator and re-Creator. Today’s science community calls it a miracle, “that a small camera can flash images to the eye’s retina and make sight possible to the blind.” Our Creator made the eye, and this “blind from birth man’s eyes were made totally perfect.” Believing IN Jesus’ miracles is, “knowing faith.”

(John 10:22-26; Then came the feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple area in Solomon’s Portico. The Jewish leaders surrounded Him and asked, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 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.) (Jesus is saying, “If you were My followers you would believe!”)

(John 10:27-30; 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.) (So, who has eternal life? Those who God the Father Calls and gives to Jesus. No one is born immortal.)

(John 10:31-33; The Jewish leaders picked up rocks again to stone Him to death. Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone Me?” The Jewish leaders replied, “We are not going to stone you for a good deed but for blasphemy, because you, a man, are claiming to be God.) (Christendom communities would condemn a Believer IN Jesus for saying of themselves, “I am a Saint.”

(John 10:34-39; Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If those people to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’ (and the scripture cannot be broken), do you say about the One whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not perform the deeds of My Father, do not believe Me. But if I do them, even if you do not believe Me, believe the deeds, so that you may come to know and understand that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me.” Then they attempted again to seize Him, but He escaped their clutches.”) Children of God inherit God’s nature.

(John 10:40-42; Jesus went back across the Jordan River again to the place where John had been baptizing at an earlier time, and He stayed there. Many came to Him and began to say, “John performed no miraculous sign, but everything John said about this man was true!” And many believed in Jesus there.)

Many were called and gifted to believe IN. Believing IN is to know we’re created by God for His purpose and know He’s making us in His image spiritually. Thus, our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, and we will forever be with the Lord.

 

John, 25

Saturday, October 23rd, 2021

To: 34,165 Subscribers to Original Jerusalem Church of God Teaching. 10/25/21, God’s 9th Mo. Cheshvan 19, 5,782

    Believing in Original Church of God teaching is gifted, it isn’t from intellect nor smarts that we’re called to believe in the God of Abraham and our Lord and Savior Jesus. Likewise coming to terms with the blind man’s healing the Judeans would discredit their own doctrinal teachings, as would modern Christendom do in order to believe in the resurrections. Particularly this latter; to believe in creation and re-creation as scripture teaches, ‘so called scientific theories are discredited.

    An example: As we write today an active massive volcano is spewing, on one of Spain’s islands, putting out more carbon monoxide in one day than oil using machines can in a whole year, proving the futility of man’s thinking to control climate. The same Lord God Jesus that re-created this planet and created mankind in His image and likeness sustains this earth, the sun and earth’s molten rock core.

     Jesus is going to return, resurrect His followers, deliver Israel to their previous borders promised Abraham, establish order and rule with His Saints. Nations will be seeking guidance from Israel not long after that. Knees will bow and all will praise the God of Israel. (See Isaiah 22:, 35: , 51: -53:, 65:, Jeremiah 31: and Amos 9:11-15 for starters.)

     At John 9:24-40; is the account of the Judeans’ summoning the man who had been blind, saying to him; “Promise before God to tell the truth.” We know this man is a sinner because He breaks the Sabbath.

     Like these Judeans, it’s imperative that all denominational leaders have personal agendas, express loyalty to their order etc. None understanding, ‘if one denomination were right in God’s view, all others are following the god of this world. Disagree? If you do, you’re saying God is divided and has no particular characteristic. Perhaps you’re thinking like Cain, who sacrificed according to what seemed right to himself rather than obey as instructed.

     As with these truths going out to unbelievers, the man whose sight was restored attempted to reason with the Synagogue leaders. Their response, who do you think you are? They kicked him out of their assembly. After hearing   that they had thrown him out, Jesus found the man and said to him; “Do you believe IN the Son of Man?” The man replied, “And who is He, sir, that I may believe IN Him?” Jesus said, ‘I am He who is speaking to you.’

     This is why we repeat scripture that defines Jesus’ deity; hoping some will understand who Jesus is, and more will say, ‘teach us, that we may believe IN.

     

     Scoffers, mostly those educated in this world system of things teach theory. Jesus’ disciples ask, ‘why was this fellow blind?’ Who sinned? Jesus’ answer, “so that the acts of God may be revealed through what happens to him.”

     Are God’ characteristics being revealed to us? He calls and gives spiritual insight to His chosen and He gives blindness to unbelievers for their ultimate good, those thinking they’re divine, able to discern what’s good, evil, right and wrong.

     Understand, none of us are good. The nature we’ve inherited is bad. After being gifted with the gift of God’s Holy Spirit; ‘after born from above’ people yield to His View regarding what’s right, wrong, good out of loving respect.

    (John 9:40-41; Some of the Pharisees who were with Jesus heard this and asked Him, “we are not blind too, are we?” Jesus replied, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.” (It’s better to admit we don’t know than to claim we know and teach it.)

   Jesus explains; (John 10:1-6; I tell you the solemn truth, the one who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by The Door is the Shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens the door for Him, and the sheep hear His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought all His own sheep out, He goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow Him because they recognize His voice, (His message.) They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not recognize the stranger’s voice, Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what He was saying to them.)

      Jesus is the way, truth and light! He’s the Shepherd of Believers. He chooses, calls, leads, and gifts followers to understand His message, Remember why Jesus said He spoke in parables? Let’s consider again.

     (Matt 13:10-17; Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He replied, “You have been given opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. For whoever has will be given more and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. For this reason, I speak to them in parables: 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.’) “But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.)

     Unbelieving populations, like the hostile Judeans can’t grasp. Isaiah was led by Jesus to prophesy this truth; Jesus repeats it and “yet religions denominations think theology schooling will usurp God’s Word. So, if we believe IN, let’s give God the praise; “we didn’t earn it.” (If we believe IN, it’s because He loves us first.) God’s whole purpose is from His Loving foundation. If we don’t see God’s love in His predestining; we don’t understand Isaiah’s prophecy.

    (John 10:7-13; So Jesus said to them again, “I tell you the solemn truth, I am the door for the sheep. All who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep 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. 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, (divides) attacks the sheep, (make them merchandise) and scatters them. Because he is a hired hand, (A salaried leader) and is not concerned about the sheep, he runs away.) NOTICE, Jesus repeats these truths several times, usually three.)

Owned, bought with the price of Jesus’ blood.

    Followers of Jesus consider themselves owned; because of the wolves, His sheep are truly scattered. (Deceivers seeped into His church, during His apostles’ lifetime.) During, Paul, Peter, Jude and John’s life. So, Jesus’ words; “many will come and say I am the Christ and deceive many.)

      May we each be led to seek Jesus’ truth, prove all things and, erroneous teaching. Satan is divided, his followers attempt to divide, distort and steal Jesus’ truth from people’s minds. Called Out Believers are commanded to overcoming, work and witness to the end. May God have mercy.

 

John, 24

Friday, October 22nd, 2021

To 34,158 subscribers to Original Jerusalem Church of God Teaching. 10/22/21, God’s 9th Mo. Cheshvan, 16, 5,782.

     After telling Eve God lied, he said; ‘when you eat from the forbidden tree’s fruit you will be divine’ “knowing good and evil.” Appealing to Eve wouldn’t you say! But fleshly people aren’t adequate to choose right from wrong. Why? When we choose from within self, division is the result. Division is what Satan wants and what God doesn’t want for His people. Paul understood this part of human nature and taught, “we aren’t adequate to choose what’s good, evil, right and wrong, from within the flesh. As creating in His image people, God planned that we ultimately be united with Him. Be at one with Him and one another as He and Jesus are.

     (2Cor 3:4-6; Now we have such confidence in God through Christ. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant, not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.) When we’re servants in God new covenant for us, His imputed - gifted spirit unifies us, gives the desire to be at one with Him. Leads us to a faith like Abraham’s, to whom God called ‘friend.’ Allow the Hebrews writer’s input.

    Believing in God accomplishes togetherness. (Heb 13:5-16; Your conduct must be free from, the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.” So, we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Remember your leaders, who spoke God’s message to you; reflect on the outcome of their lives and imitate their faith. ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!’ (In the flesh people are divided and easily influenced by denominational minded people with agendas.)

    Do not be carried away by all sorts of strange teachings. For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not ritual meals, which have never benefited those who participated in them. (We (believers) have an altar that those who serve in the tabernacle have no right to eat from. For the bodies of those animals whose blood the high priest brings into the sanctuary as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp.) Therefore, to sanctify (set aside) the people by His own blood, Jesus also suffered outside the camp. We must go out to Him then, outside the camp, bearing the abuse He experienced.

    For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through Him (Jesus) then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God. that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging His name. And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

    (GOD’S is the spirit of righteous law, and love. Likened to circumcision of the heart.) Allow Paul’s explanation to God’s church at Rome.

     (Rom 2:28-29; For a person is not a Jew (Christian) who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh, but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly and circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit and not by the written code. This person’s praise is not from people but from God.)

     Our natural fleshly state of being is overly mindful of what people may think and what can they do to us. But we believers know that Jesus does not change! His Way, as expressed in His sermon on the mount, will be His Way in the millennium. Believers are looking to and for that heavenly city, (New Jerusalem.)

    (Back to John 9: AFTER Jesus healed the blind man, people couldn’t agree on whether he was the one Jesus had healed.)

   Let’s repeat; (John 9:8-17; Then the neighbors and the people who had seen him previously as a beggar began saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some people said, “This is the man!” while others said, “No, but he looks like him.” The man himself kept insisting, “I am the one!” So, they asked him, “How then were you made to see?” He replied, “The man called Jesus made mud, smeared it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So, I went and washed and was able to see.”

    They said to him, “Where is that man?” He replied, “I don’t know.” They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees. (Now the day on which Jesus made the mud and caused him to see was a Sabbath.) So, the Pharisees asked him again how he had gained his sight. He replied, “He put mud on my eyes and I washed, and now I am able to see.” Then some of the Pharisees began to say, “This man is not from God, because He does not observe the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such miraculous signs?” Thus, there was a division among them. So, again they asked the man who used to be blind, “What do you say about Him, since He caused you to see?” “He is a prophet,” the man replied.)

     The gift of believing IN Jesus was a mystery to the Judeans and still a mystery to this world’s unbelievers. (The natural unbeliever’s inherited fleshly mind thinks; “I can believe IN and turn to Jesus when I’m ready.”) Jesus and each apostle say differently.

    Believing IN isn’t as simple as looking at historical facts. Mountains of evidence prove that Jesus came, lived, died and was raised again, “but knowing history doesn’t make one a believer IN Jesus.” It can cause a person to believe Jesus lived, however believing in Jesus makes a person trust and live a mimicking Jesus life. Believe that it’s simply looking at historical facts, and perhaps trusting in someone saying, ‘just believe and be saved.’

     Jesus’ brother and Jerusalem church leader ‘James’ said; “the demons believe and tremble.” God can turn a, believing that person into a believing in person, which gives the desire to know Him intimately. (Seeking to know Jesus as He manifest Himself to be in the holy scriptures isn’t from the imagination of some person or denomination.)

    (Heavenly Father: we thank You for the privileged gift of believing IN You, Your Ways and promises. Please bless each reader with a yielding to Your way mind. (A resolve to faithfully overcome to the end.) We pray and ask in Jesus’ name. AMEN.)

    We think it important to continuously get back to the basic demonic indoctrination that has worldly religions confused. Satan’s worldwide deception takes people on various forms of his first two major lies. Every worldly religion teaches some form of these. (1) People are born immortal, ‘that is live forever someplace. and (2) people are divine, ‘knowing from within themselves what’s good, evil, right and wrong. (No need to examine God‘s View for these.)

     Satan was saying to Eve, “Surely you will not die, for God knows that when you eat, (the forbidden) your eyes will open and you will be like divine beings who know good and evil. (The devil caused Eve and then Adam to lose faith in their Creator.) They rationalize and doubted God’s motives when He said, “concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard, you must not eat from it, nor touch it, or else you will die.”) (Today’s norm when someone is to say, ‘they’re looking down.’

    It can’t be said to often; “Satan’s two lies are embraced in some form, by every major worldly religion.” (Google what each one teaches regarding their view of immortality.)

     Jesus taught that He’s the Life and inspired His apostles to teach that eternal life is only through Himself. (Fleshly people deciding for themselves on this subject has the whole world divided.) Eternal life is only gifted to people called to be Believers IN Jesus. (God the Father reveals Himself and His Son Jesus to whom He chooses.) People gifted to believe IN also desire a loving intimacy with their Creator. (Believing IN these things is, gifted faith that saves.)

     Fleshly beliefs are speculative until God reveals Himself and opens understanding. Fleshly accumulated beliefs are by way of fleshly choice, producing a weak hope inspired by imaginations, principles and acceptance of opinions. The Hebrews writer, explains, that gifted believing IN faith is from God.

     (Heb 11:1-3; Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. For by it the people of old received God’s commendation. By faith we understand that the worlds were set in order at God’s command, so that the visible has its origin in the invisible.)

      God’s truth rings sure in the called person’s mind, after His characteristics and nature is revealed. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and many others, received a believing IN faith in God’s commendation when He chose to reveal Himself. (Study Genesis.)

    Fleshly logic yields to the law of cause and effect, physical science, things seen. Thus, the idea of an ‘all knowing Creator God, creating visible from invisible isn’t understood by our fleshly beliefs system.’ Even hope faith requires more. So, when people attempt to imagine God from their fleshly minds, it’s imaginary, and why Jewish leaders, not gifted to Believers IN, had problems with Jesus’ words, actions and miracles. (Review John 9:18-23, for fear of the High Priest the parents said, ‘he’s an adult ask him.)

    Is the Jesus Christ being introduced by John, the same One being taught by major religions? Do major religions teach that believing IN, is gifted? Do the things major religions teach evolve as does so called science? Are abominations to God being taught, talked about and explained?  Believers IN need patience with and extend mercy to the deceived because, the deceived don’t know they are. Remember God knows our hearts, and some deceived organizations do have agendas that help the poor, downtrodden and naïve. Good intentions will be rewarded during Jesus’ millennial reign.

 

John, 23

Wednesday, October 20th, 2021

To: 34,138 Subscribers to Original Jerusalem Church of God Teaching. 10/20/21, God’s 9th Mo. Cheshvan 16, 5,782,

 Paul understood and taught, we aren’t adequate to choose what’s right, wrong, good, and evil from within our inherited fleshy nature. As a created in His image people, The Lord God Jesus did plan to ultimately unify for His chosen.

      (2Cor 3:4-6; Now we have such confidence in God through Christ. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant, not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.) As servants of His new covenant “His imputed spirit unifies as God the Father and The sone are, makes us desire to be, at one  with Him, and leads to a faith like Abraham’s. Allow the Hebrews writer’s input.

      (Heb 13:5-16; “Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence. “The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can man do to me.” Remember your leaders, who spoke God’s message to you; reflect on the outcome of their lives and imitate their faithJesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever! (9) Do not be carried away by all sorts of strange teachings. For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not ritual meals, which have never benefited those who participated in them. We “Christians” have an altar that those who serve in the tabernacle have no right to eat from. For the bodies of those animals whose blood the high priest brings into the sanctuary as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. Therefore, to sanctify “set aside” the people by His own blood, Jesus also suffered outside the camp. We must go out to Him then, outside the camp, bearing the abuse He experienced. (14) For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through Him “Jesus” then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God. that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging His name. (16) And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.”) GOD’S is the spirit of law and love. Likened to, “circumcision of the heart.” Allow Paul’s explanation.

      (Rom 2:28-29; “For a person is not a Jew “Christian” who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh, but someone is a Jew “Christian” who is one inwardly and circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit and not by the written code. This person’s praise is not from people but from God.”)

      In our natural, “fleshly state of being” we are overly mindful of what people may think and can do to us. But know “Jesus does not change!” His Way, as expressed in His sermon on the mount, “will be His Way in the millennium.” Believers IN are looking to that heavenly city, “New Jerusalem.” AFTER Jesus healed the blind man, people couldn’t agree on whether he was the one healed.

      (John 9:8-17; “Then the neighbors and the people who had seen him previously as a beggar began saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some people said, “This is the man!” while others said, “No, but he looks like him.” The man himself kept insisting, “I am the one!” So they asked him, “How then were you made to see?” He replied, “The man called Jesus made mud, smeared it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and was able to see.” They said to him, “Where is that man?” He replied, “I don’t know.” (13) They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees. (Now the day on which Jesus made the mud and caused him to see was a Sabbath.) So the Pharisees asked him again how he had gained his sight. He replied, “He put mud on my eyes and I washed, and now I am able to see.” (16) Then some of the Pharisees began to say, “This man is not from God, because He does not observe the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such miraculous signs?” Thus there was a division among them. So again they asked the man who used to be blind, “What do you say about Him, since He caused you to see?” “He is a prophet,” the man replied.”)

      The gift of believing IN Jesus was a mystery to the Judeans and still a mystery to the world. The natural inherited fleshly mind thinks; “I can believe IN and turn to Jesus when I’m ready.” Jesus and each apostle say differently. Believing IN isn’t as simple as looking at historical facts. Mountains of evidence prove that Jesus came, died and was raised again, “but knowing history doesn’t make one a believer IN.” It can make one  “Believe that” it’s simply as looking at the facts!

      (James said; “the demons believe and tremble.”) “God can turn a, “believer that” into a “believer IN” and give the desire to know Him intimately. Seeking to know Jesus as He manifest Himself to be in the holy scriptures isn’t from the imagination of some person or denomination.

      (Heavenly Father: we thank You for the privileged gift of believing IN You, Your Way and promises. Please bless us with yielding minds, that we may overcome to the end. We pray, we ask in Jesus’ name. AMEN.)

      We believe it’s important to continuously get back to the basic demonic indoctrination that has worldly religions confused. Satan’s world wide deception takes on various forms of his first two lies. Every worldly religion teaches some form of these. (1) “People are born immortal, and (2) people are divine, knowing for themselves what’s “good, evil, right and wrong.” (No need for God‘s View among these.) Satan was calling God a liar when he said to Eve, “Surely you will not die and God knows that when you eat from, “the forbidden” your eyes will open and you will be like divine beings who know good and evil.” (The devil caused Eve and then Adam to loose faith in their Creator, rationalize and doubt God’s motives; when saying, “concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard, You must not eat from it, nor touch it, or else you will die.’”

      We can’t say it often enough: “Satan’s two lies are embraced in some form, by every major worldly religion.” Google what each teach regarding their view of immortality.

      Jesus taught: “He is Life, inspiring His apostles to teach that eternal life is only through Himself.” People deciding for themselves on this subject has the whole world divided. Eternal life is gifted only to people called to be Believers IN Jesus. God the Father reveals Himself and Jesus to whom He chooses. Teaching that people gifted to believe IN, “also desire a loving intimacy with their Creator.” (Believing IN these things is, “gifted faith that saves.”) Fleshly beliefs are speculative until God reveals Himself and opens our understanding. (Fleshly accumulated beliefs are by way of fleshly choice, “producing a weak hope inspired by imaginations.” It’s principles and acceptance of opinions are fleshly and divisionary.) The Hebrews writer, explains, gifted believing IN faith is from God.

      (Heb 11:1-3; “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. For by it the people of old received God’s commendation. By faith we understand that the worlds were set in order at God’s command, so that the visible has its origin in the invisible.”)

      God’s truth rings sure in the called person’s mind, after He reveals His characteristics and nature to individuals. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and many others, received a believing IN faith in God’s commendation when He chose to reveal Himself. (Study Genesis.)

      Relying on fleshly logic yields to the law of “cause and effect - physical science, things that’s seen.” (Thus the idea of an all knowing Creator God, creating visible from invisible isn’t understood by our fleshly beliefs system.) Even hope faith requires more. So, when people attempt to imagine God from their fleshly minds, “god is imaginary.” It’s why Jewish leaders, not gifted to Believers IN, had problems with Jesus’ words, actions and miracles.

      (John 9:18-23; “Now the Jewish religious leaders refused to believe that he, “the healed man” had really been blind and had gained his sight until at last they summoned the parents of the man who had become able to see. They asked the parents, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” So his parents replied, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But we do not know how he is now able to see, nor do we know who caused him to see. Ask him, he is a mature adult. He will speak for himself.” (22) His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish religious leaders. For the Jewish leaders had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, “He is a mature adult, ask him.”)

      Is the Jesus Christ being introduced by John, the same One being taught by major religions? Do major religions teach that believing IN, is a gift? Do the things major religions accept evolve as do societies? Are abominations to God being taught, talked about and explained?

      Believers IN need to have patience, extend mercy to the deceived, because, “deceived people are in bondage and do not know they are deceived.” Remember God knows our hearts. Some deceived organizations do have agendas that help the poor and downtrodden: their good intentions will be rewarded during Jesus’ millennial reign.  

John, chapter 22

Monday, October 18th, 2021

To: 34,118 Subscribers to Original Jerusalem Church of God Teaching. 10/16/21, God’s 9th Mo. Cheshvan 12, 5,782,

People disputing with Jesus, claiming to be Abraham’s heirs and followers of God didn’t understand; “they were talking with the Lord God who communed with, made promises to Abraham and wrote the ten commandments for the people’s good.” 

      Holy Almighty God and our Creator Jesus: thank You for Your holiness, righteousness and The Way. Call many and make each free from the bondage of our inherited sin nature. We ask in Jesus’ holy nature. AMEN

      Until miraculously called and spirit led to examine ourselves, “we stay in our particular fleshly comfort zones.” Our religion of choice. This world’s populations are enslaved to erroneous indoctrinations because; “Satan and his followers make themselves appear as angels of light.” Cause people to love  this world’s system of things and see no need to examine themselves in Jesus‘ light. (Jesus tells us through His apostle Paul that Satan is the god of this age, but that doesn’t penetrate minds of those who don’t know, “God the Son and God the Father.” Believers IN are spirit led to believe IN Jesus’ words through His apostle Paul.

      (2Corinthians 4:1-6; “Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become discouraged. But we have rejected shameful hidden deeds, not behaving with deceptiveness or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God. (3) But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing, among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ.”)

      The status of this world’s professing Christian populations is; “they use Jesus’ name while refusing to believe IN His message.” Such people are unbelievers, “in a state of perishing.” As Judeans argued, they’re Abraham’s heirs; “modern Christendom can’t allow the spiritual penetration of Jesus’ Words.”

      (John 8:48-52; “The Judeans replied, “Aren’t we correct in saying that You are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?” Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon, but I honor My Father – and yet you dishonor Me. I am not trying to get praise for Myself. There is one who demands it, and He also judges. (51) I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys My teachingHe will never see death.”)

      Jesus is speaking of gifted eternal life through Himself! He and each Apostle died a fleshly death. Comparing spiritual teachings, “we know Jesus is speaking of gifted immortality and a permanent second death.” (Re-visit Rev 2:11;, 20:6 & 21:8 to understand that: “only Believers IN Jesus are blessed with the gift of eternal life!” After seeing Jesus’ kingdom on earth; “people refusing to believe IN will die a second death.” The unbelieving Judean’s could only think fleshly, thus they continued their dispute.

      (John 8:52-56; “Then the Judeans responded, “Now we know You’re possessed by a demon! Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet you say, ‘If anyone obeys My teaching, he will never experience death.’ You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are You? And the prophets died too! Who do You claim to be?” (54) Jesus replied, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is worthless. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, about whom you people say, ‘He is our God.’ Yet you do not know Him, but I know Him. If I were to say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I obey His teaching.(56) Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”) Abraham was one of many, to whom Jesus’ kingdom was revealed to.

       Today’s majority claiming to believe IN God, “only believe there is a god” not understanding the difference between Believing IN and believing that.” In this context Jesus was saying; “If we Believers don’t proclaim we’re Believers IN; we’re liars!” Likewise Jesus said; “If I were to say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you.” Abraham believed IN and it was counted to him as righteousness.”) These Judeans’ minds were fleshly, as is everyone’s until God miraculously reveals Jesus’ deity.

      John 8:57-58; “Then the Judeans replied, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I Am!”) Before Abraham’s birth, Jesus was the, “I AM that I AM.” God the Son, “Jesus” is the One who communed with Abraham. (Re-visit John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15-20 and Hebrews 1: for proof.)

      (John 8:59; “Then they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out from the temple area.) Allow Jesus’ teaching to His followers through Paul again.

       (1Thess 5:15-22‘ “See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not extinguish the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt. But examine all things; hold fast to what is good. Stay away from every form of evil. Let God be true, though every one a liar.”) Remember Jesus’ characterization of Satan and his followers? (They manifest themselves as angels of light.) Now Jesus repeats Himself in stronger terms.

      (John 8:43-44; “Why don’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot accept My teaching. You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him.”)

      Jesus is teaching us to observe Satan’s characteristics and consider the fact that our inherited nature mimics’ his. (As Adam and Eve’s disobedience played into Satan’s deceptions, so do ours.) Our rationalized disbeliefs is what the devil wants. However God keeps His promise, “we all surely die once.” All people are born to die ONCE; “then resurrections.” (The only exception; “Believers IN who are alive when Jesus returns.)

      Adam’s lawless nature is inherited by all. We have the account of Cain’s thinking; “he figured God would be pleased with a sacrifice of his choosing.” Thinking; “my vegetable sacrifice should be okay.” After all, I worked hard to harvest them, “so my sacrifice should be okay.” It’s the way unbelievers have always thought; “until spiritually lead to believe IN God.” (Even after believing IN, we’re not completely rid of the workings of the flesh.) We naturally justify our fleshly rationale. We do slip, when mindful of it, we need to apologize, “repent” and ask for spiritual help to do better. In so doing we “overcome to the end.”

      We have records of God called people’s mistakes. Moses yielded to his fleshly characteristic when he struck a rock to get water, “without giving God the praise and credit.” This was why Moses wasn’t allowed to go over into the promised land. (Our fleshly thinking includes, “we’re capable of choosing for ourselves what’s good, evil, right and wrong.” It’s how Satan wants us to think. SO Jesus explained to the Judeans; “they were following the wrong leader.”

      (John 8:45; “You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.) We too think fleshly! “Until God calls and miraculously gives us a new nature.” We’re born with a hostile nature likened to all who choose their way. Now Satan and demons believes God and tremble! They “believe that” and aren’t capable of “believing IN.” (People led to “believed IN God” love His Way.) Our Lord’s brother tells us, “even demons believe,”

      (James 2:19 “You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believes that – and trembles with fear.)

   (John 9:1-35; Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man who had been birth His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, this man or his parents?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but he was born blind so that the acts of God may be revealed through what happens to him. We must perform the deeds of the one who sent Me as long as it is daytime. Night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Having said this, He spat on the ground and made some mud with the saliva. He smeared the mud on the blind man’s eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated “sent”). So the blind man went away and washed, and came back seeing. Then the neighbors and the people who had seen him previously as a beggar began saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 

    Some people said, “This is the man!” while others said, “No, but He looks like him.” The man himself kept insisting, “I am the one!” So they asked him, “How then were you made to see?” He replied, “The man called Jesus made mud, smeared it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and was able to see.” They said to him, “Where is that man?” He replied, “I don’t know.” They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees. (Now the day on which Jesus made the mud and caused him to see was a Sabbath.) 

   So the Pharisees asked him again how he had gained his sight. He replied, “He put mud on my eyes and I washed, and now I am able to see.” Then some of the Pharisees began to say, “This man is not from God, because he does not observe the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such miraculous signs?” Thus there was a division among them. So again they asked the man who used to be blind, “What do you say about him, since he caused you to see?” “He is a prophet,” the man replied. 

   Now the Jewish religious leaders refused to believe that he had really been blind and had gained his sight until at last they summoned the parents of the man who had become able to see. They asked the parents, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” So his parents replied, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But we do not know how he is now able to see, nor do we know who caused him to see. Ask him, he is a mature adult. He will speak for himself.” 

   (His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish religious leaders. For the Jewish leaders had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, “He is a mature adult, ask him.”) 

   Then they summoned the man who used to be blind a second time and said to him, “Promise before God to tell the truth. We know that this man is a sinner.” He replied, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. I do know one thing – that although I was blind, now I can see.” Then they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he cause you to see?” He answered, “I told you already and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You people don’t want to become His disciples too, do you?” 

  They heaped insults on him, saying, “You are his disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God has spoken to Moses! We do not know where this man comes from!” The man replied, “This is a remarkable thing, that you don’t know where He comes from, and yet He caused me to see! We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is devout and does his will, God listens to him. Never before has anyone heard of someone causing a man born blind to see. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 

   They replied, “You were born completely in sinfulness, and yet you presume to teach us?” So they threw him out. Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, so he found the man and said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man replied, “And who is He, sir, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus told him, “You have seen Him; He is the one speaking with you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped Him. 

   Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that those who do not see may gain their sight, and the ones who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and asked him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus replied, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.) 

    Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, this man or his parents?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sins, but he was born blind so that the acts of God may be revealed through what happens to him.”       

       Jesus could have gave this man sight immediately. He may have been testing this man’s desire to obey. Jesus is THE TEACHER, His light shines through darkness, opens minds & converts unbelievers to, “Believers IN.” A people gifted with confidence in God’s Way.  

 

John chapter 21

Saturday, October 16th, 2021

To 34,109 Subscribers to Original Jerusalem Church of God Teachings. 10/17/21, God’s 9th Mo. Cheshvan 11, 5,782.

    Professing Christian communities cannot grasp Jesus’ Words. (Divided in their doctrinal views, they don’t want to speak about what Jesus says about their divisions.) He also said; “a house divided cannot stand.” Thus, “Christendom in its present state of being cannot stand.” They’re dazed; “with evolving opinions that change according to societal acceptability.” Conduct of Christendom membership has changed drastically in the past 50 years. Result? “Divorce rates in churches are no different than that of the populations at large.” Theft, civil crime and murder rate statistics are equal that of the general populations! Why? People prefer being their own god.

      (Rom 1:24-26; “Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”) Nature in man has not changed since Adam. Israelites, Jesus was speaking to those who were no different than people in this age.

      (John 7:40-44; When they heard these words, some of the crowd began to say, “This really is the Prophet!” Others said, “This is the Christ!” But still others said, “No, for the Christ doesn’t come from Galilee, does He? Don’t the scriptures say that the Christ is a descendant of David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” So, there was a division in the crowd because of Jesus. Some of them were wanting to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him.)

      Division because, Jesus said; “Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth?” No, I tell you, but rather division! For from now on there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, Luke 12:51-53 in part) Does Christendom teach that Jesus came to bring peace?

      (John 7:45-53; Then the officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why didn’t you bring Him back with you?” The officers replied, “No one ever spoke like this man!” Then the Pharisees answered, “You haven’t been deceived too, have you? None of the rulers or the Pharisees have believed in Him, have they? But this rabble who do not know the law are accursed!

    Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before and who was one of the rulers, said, “Our law doesn’t condemn a man unless it first hears from him and learns what he is doing, does it?” They replied, “You aren’t from Galilee too, are you? Investigate carefully and you will see that no prophet comes from Galilee! And each one departed to his own house.)

      Synagogue leadership feared loss of power. It’s in peoples’ nature to retain power and make merchandise of others. See this in our age? Each denomination has their agenda and leaders hold to their theories in order to keep their parishioners. Changing doctrinal views would result in loss of membership.

      (John 8:1-11; But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came to the temple courts again. All the people came to Him, and He sat down and began to teach them. The experts in the law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of them and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone to death such women. What then do you say?” (Now they were asking this in an attempt to trap Him, so that they could bring charges against Him.)

     Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with His finger. When they persisted in asking Him, He stood up straight and replied, “Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then He bent over again and wrote on the ground. Now when they heard this, they began to drift away one at a time, starting with the older ones, until Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him. Jesus stood up straight and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She replied, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.)

      An example of “fulfillment and the law.” Physical law breaking had immediate consequence, the spiritual makes judgment equitable for a spirit led people. Are there little and big sins? Sin is the transgression of God’s Way! Until God’s Way is revealed, each person goes about living the way that seems right, “appealing to themselves.” (It’s the way of Cain and Baal, “sin” lawlessness toward God’s Way.) So, what do we all have in common that needs to be repented of? OUR inherited from Adam nature. That little appealing to self’s nature that wants to do what seems right. It’s self - serving and pulls us to Satan’s liking.

      (Matt 5:17-19; Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place. So, anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.)

      Let’s consider the plank in our own eye before casting out the splinter in someone else’s. It’s the magnification. Commandments are spiritual, but that doesn’t do away with practicing them. Teaching others to break God’s commandments has consequence. Jesus sums up the spiritual magnification when He said; “I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matt 5:28)

      The QUESTION? Does it take a nature change to believe IN Jesus, honor His spiritual magnification of the law and practice its righteousness? In the case with the adulterous woman, Jesus may have written the accuser’s sins. They all walked away. When we’re critical of others, self - examination is in order!

      (John 8:12-18; Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have The light of life. So, the Pharisees objected, “You testify about Yourself; your testimony is not true!” Jesus answered, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you people do not know where I came from or where I am going. You people judge by outward appearances; I do not judge anyone. But if I judge, My evaluation is accurate, because I am not alone when I judge, but I and the Father who sent Me do so together. It is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I testify about Myself and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.) Jesus is saying, God the Father and God the Son are as one.

       Jesus is personally The Light of Life. In Him only, is life! If a religion or individual teaches “God the Father and God the Son are one individual,” many other untruths must be believed in order to support the error.

      (John 8:19-20; Then they began asking Jesus, “Who is your father?” Jesus answered, “You do not know either Me or My Father. If you knew Me you would know My Father too.” (Jesus spoke these words near the offering box while He was teaching in the temple courts. No one seized Him because His time had not yet come.) The Father and the Son are one in character and purpose. The Son is subject to the Father as the church is subject to Jesus. To know either is to know both! This subject, “being at One” should be studied carefully. It’s commanded, “a Christian Wife and Husband be as one. It’s commanded, “fellow Christians be as one.” Christians are at one with Jesus. At one with Jesus people will be in the first resurrection.

 

John, chapter 20

Friday, October 15th, 2021

To: 34,107 Subscribers to Original Jerusalem Church of God Teaching. 10/15/21, God’s 9th Mo. Cheshvan 9, 5,782,

    God the Father and God the Son are as One, supremely sovereign, independent, all in all and all knowing. (See Colossians 1:15-20) Jesus said, (Rev 1:8; I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God – the One who is, and who was, and who is still to come – the All-Powerful.) To His apostle John Jesus said, (Rev 21:6; “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water free of charge from the spring of the water of life.) and (Rev 22:13; I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end!)

    In a beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Conditions caused the earth to become chaotic and in need of Re-Creation on preparation for His plan. (Gen 1:2; Now the earth was without shape and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the watery deep, but the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water.) (Always study the whole text.) create them after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.

  (Gen 1:26-28; Then God said, Let us make humankind in our image, God created humankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.”) 

   Creating man in His image included the potency for him to inherit spiritual sovereign. This, and jealously over learning of God’s plan for people may have caused Satan’s rebellion. God’s plans that mankind ultimately become literal children and be over angels.

   Jesus’ blood brother tells of our future and Satan’s demise, (Jude 1:6; You also know that the angels who did not keep within their proper domain but abandoned their own place of residence, He has kept in eternal chains in utter darkness, locked up for the judgment. When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints?) AND Jesus inspired His apostle Paul to write about judging, (1Cor 6:2-3; Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to settle trivial suits? Do you not know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary matters!)

   Before Re-Creating planet earth and people in His image, God dealt with Satan’s rebellion. (Rev 12:7-9; And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.)

Jesus teaches Nicodemus about the Holy Spirit making people at one with Himself.

     (To Nicodemus, “a man of the Jewish ruling council” Jesus said, “the wind blows wherever it will, you hear the sound but do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit.” John 3:8)

    Gifted Holy Spirit is, “God’s fathering” “the miracle of being born again” a silent revealing, an opening of the mind. God’s gifted Holy Spirit isn’t something that can be conjured up or gained by works. Jesus’ teaching Nicodemus in this text isn’t a parable, but straight forward revealed truth.

      Nicodemus said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:2-8) “What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’(8) The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”)

      Jesus was fathered in the womb of a virgin “to a Spirit filled flesh and blood life.” That fathering was the re-incarnation of the Creator Son of God. Through Jesus, all things were created and is sustained. (See John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15-20 and Hebrews 1:) Jesus is the first and only to have been conceived by God the father through His Holy Spirit. Jesus was the first flesh and blood living being to be born immortal: “Elizabeth and John the Baptist were spirit filled when Mary visited.” (See Luke 1:39-55) All spirit begotten “learned from things experienced - suffer and attain perfection the way Jesus did. The Hebrews writer was spirit inspired to share Jesus’ spirituality.

      (Hebrews 5:7-10; “During Christ’s earthly life He offered both requests and supplications with loud cries and tears, to the One who was able to save Him from death and He was heard because of His devotion. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through the things He suffered. And by being perfected in this way, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, and He was designated by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.)

       The Son of God, “Creator and Sustainer of all things” purposely came in the flesh to, “save the world by remitting its sin.” He was sent from above by God the Father and together planned all things. (Being “born from above” means to be, “spiritually fathered by God the Father,”) All such, ‘are immortal children of God.’ These lives are hidden in Christ, “temple of God‘s spirit” and live as being “clothed in Christ, and immersed in Christ.”

      In the seventh chapter of “the book of John” Jesus told the people “He was leaving soon and where going they couldn’t come. (“Then the Jewish leaders said to one another, “Where is He going to go that we cannot find Him? He is not going to go to the Jewish people dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is He? What did He mean by saying, ‘You will look for Me but will not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?” John 7:35-36 )

      Jesus was teaching in Jerusalem “observing the Feast of Tabernacles.” Israelites from far and near, were observing the Feast season. This season has four annual Sabbath’s, foreshadowing the first resurrection, being at one with God, the millennia and final judgment. They are Trumpets, Atonement, the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day; “the greatest day.”

      (John 7:37-39; “On the last day of the feast, the greatest day, Jesus stood up and shouted out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me, and let the one who believes IN Me drink. Just as the scripture says, ‘From within Him will flow rivers of living water.’” (Now He said this about the spirit, whom those who believed IN Him were going to receive, for the spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.)

       A great mystery to this world’s unbelievers. The Feast of Tabernacles season is a foreshadowing of Jesus’ followers becoming at one with Him. Jesus’ apostle Paul’s shared revealed light.

      (1Cor 15:50-55; Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen, “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”)

      THE awesomeness is, “our God has it all preplanned!” (The result “pay off” is gifting to believe IN Jesus eternal life.) “From within belief IN Him, will flows rivers of living water.” Believers IN grow to have confident believing IN faith; “knowing that Jesus keeps His promises.”

      Jesus said: “Many will say, I am the Christ and deceive many.”

 

John, chapter 19

Wednesday, October 13th, 2021

   To: 34,088 Subscribers to, The Original Jerusalem Churches of God Teaching. 10/13/21, God’s 9th Mo. Chechvan 13, 5,782

      No one enjoys being offended, but Jesus said His Words do offend unbelievers, especially those calling themselves Abraham’s descendants, and users of Jesus’ name, but fitting Him to their imagination. How so? Today divisionary Christendom has evolved into a, (go along to get along, we’ll do it our way) society. Theirs is no absolutes with these. Jesus’ good news is (The Way) so, the world is offended by it. Jesus said in effect, (if our life and worship practices are popular in the communities, we aren’t His followers. (See Matt 10:33-38)

      Jesus’ Way was never intended to be popular among the populations at large. (See Matt 20:16 & 22:14) Until Jesus’ return, Christians are as doves among wolves. He told His followers, “I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings because of Me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles. Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, ‘for what you should say will be given to you at that time.’ For it is not you speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against parents and have them put to death.” (Matt 10:16-21)

     This is absolute truth, because Jesus said it and because Satan is the god of this world’s societies. (Satan’s worldwide successes makes truth rare and precious.) Indoctrinated minds cannot, ‘in and of themselves’ understand spiritual truths. God opens minds to comprehend spiritual truths to His followers, “it’s gifted from above.” Jesus and His apostles encountered indoctrinations at every turn.

      For the most part, the Israelites to whom Moses was sent, were not practicing fertility, sun and planetary worship as were the gentiles. But were divided into Pharisee and Sadducee sects of Judaism, “both trusting in the law” rather than the law giver. Today Christians know all erroneous worship is idolatry, because God is One and His Way absolute.

      When God’s churches were being established by Jesus‘ apostles, the gentile and Israelite populations were practicing abominable things: Trappings that still prevail today. Deceptive indoctrinations enslave people to various forms of demonic thinking. Remember Jesus said He was sent to Israel: “in the beginning He sent His disciples to the lost ten tribes.” After Jesus’ ascension, Peter was the first to take the good news to a called gentile family. (See Acts 10:, for the account of Peter going to the home of Cornelius.)

     Cornelius was spiritually directed to send for Peter and Peter was spirit directed to go to this gentile’s home. Prior to this event and long afterward, the Israelite populations’ attitude toward gentile were that of a ‘’self righteous superiority.’ Indoctrination in both groups had caused each to have offensive outlooks regarding close association. Still today, Jesus’ absolute truths regarding His deity offend the fleshly minded unbelievers.

      (John 6:59-65; Jesus said these things while He was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. Then many of His disciples, when they heard these things said, “This is a difficult saying! Who can understand it? When Jesus was aware that His disciples were complaining about this, He said to them, “Does this cause you to be offended? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascending where He was before? The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature is of no help! The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had already known from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray Him.) So, Jesus added, “Because of this I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has allowed him to come.”)

      Hundreds witnessed Jesus’ ascension! Many came out of their graves, after Jesus was resurrected! When God’s word is believed IN, “it gives eternal LIFE!” The NATURE in people is of NO help! (In other words; people cannot discern spiritual things, ‘while in the nature of Adam.’) NOW, the same Jesus, STILL KNOWS who will believe and who will betray! (God’s spirit in us is the gift of eternal life!) Remember a few studies back, we discussed the scriptural text that reveals that (spiritual people are gifted to understand spiritual things.) That God knows each of us better than we know ourselves.

      Believers IN ponder; “how can people worship a God that doesn’t know all things?” The holy scriptures are clear; “its in our inherited nature to imagine vain things and live a WAY that seems right.” Mentally fleshly of mind people bring God to a level of their individual expectations; and demonstrate unbelief by refusing to believe IN God’s awesomeness, “His knowing all thing in advance.” Predestination.

    (John 6:66-71; After this many of His disciples quit following Him and did not accompany Him any longer. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord to whom, would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know, that You are the Holy One of God!.” Jesus replied, “Didn’t I choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is the devil? (Now He said this about Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for Judas, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.”) People can only accomplish what’s within God’s Will.

      (John 7:1-5; “After this Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He stayed out of Judea because the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Him. Now the Jewish feast, (of Tabernacles) was near. So Jesus’ brothers (likely James, Jude and Joseph) advised Him, “Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see Your miracles that You are performing. For no one who seeks to make a reputation for himself does anything in secret. If you are doing these things, show Yourself to the world.” (For not even His own brothers believed in Him.)  (Here again is the difference between ‘believing in’ and ‘believing that.’ Jesus’ brothers didn’t YET believe in Him.) Jesus’ brothers were not gifted with the spirit of discernment at the time. Their minds were still in the fleshly state, ‘self serving, thinking Jesus was doing miracles to gain popularity.’ Jesus’ brothers didn’t believe IN until after His ascension and likely not until that Pentecost afterward.

      (John 7:6-9; So Jesus replied, “My time has not yet arrived, but you are ready at any opportunity! The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil. You go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to this feast because My time has not yet fully arrived. When He had said this, He remained in Galilee.) How are you and I received when we teach about the evil deeds of the world? After Jesus’ ascension HIs apostles and brothers, James, Jude and Joseph, experienced the same hatred for the same reason.

      (John 7:10-13; “But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then Jesus Himself also went up, not openly but in secret. So, the Jewish leaders were looking for Him at the feast, asking, “Where is He?” There was a lot of grumbling about Him among the crowds. Some were saying, “He is a good man,” but others, “He deceives the common people.” However, no one spoke openly about Him for fear of the Jewish leaders.)

       No matter the miracles seen or the message heard, indoctrinated people cannot believe IN, until God‘s deity is revealed, “only God’s miraculous intervention can lead to a believing IN Him faith.”

      (John 7:14-18; When the feast, (of Tabernacles) was half over, Jesus went up to the temple courts and began to teach. Then the Jewish leaders were astonished and said, “How does this man know so much when He has never had formal instruction?” So Jesus replied, “My teaching is not from Me, but from the One who sent Me. If anyone wonts to do God’s will, he will know about My teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak from My own authority. The person who speaks on his own authority desires to receive honor for himself; the one who desires the honor of the One who sent him is a man of integrity, and there is no unrighteousness in him.) (Teachers that go out from denominations desire honor, build their particular popularity, and make merchandise of people to accomplish their agenda.)

      (John 7:19-24; Hasn’t Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law! Why do you want to kill Me? The crowd answered, “You’re possessed by a demon who is trying to kill you?” Jesus replied, I performed one miracle and you are all amazed. However, because Moses gave you the practice of circumcision (not that it came from Moses, but from the forefathers), you circumcise a male child on the Sabbath. But if a male child is circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses is not broken, why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to external appearance, but judge with proper judgment.) (Letter of the law was the limit of their fleshly understanding. Judean sects were not gifted to comprehend the spirit of the law. Same among denominations: “people feel good about their practices while not recognizing the spiritual supremacy of God’s Love Way.)

      (John 7:25-29; Then some of the residents of Jerusalem began to say, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Yet here He is, speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. Do the rulers really know that this man is the Christ? But we know where this man comes from. Whenever the Christ comes, no one will know where He comes from.” Then Jesus, while teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “You both know Me and know where I come from! And I have not come on My own initiative, but the One who sent Me is true. You do not know Him, but I know Him, because I have come from Him and He sent Me.) (Logically, it seems all would have known Jesus after only one miracle. He did many miracles and yet they did not believe IN because they were not yet gifted to do so. Many of these will believe IN, after they are physically resurrected!)

      (John 7:30; “So then they tried to seize Jesus, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His time had not yet come.”)  All that happened to Jesus’ was preplanned. His birth, His experience with the Jewish leaders at age twelve, His making water into aged wine, His healings, calling the twelve and attempts to seize Him, the holy spirit gifted on Pentecost after His ascension and His doing miracles through His followers afterward. (The count to Pentecost, ’meaning to count fifty’ begins on the midweek Wave Sheaf Sabbath during the week of Unleavened Bread.)

      (John 7:31-34 Yet many of the crowd believed IN Him and said, “Whenever the Christ comes, He won’t perform more miraculous signs than this man did, will He?” The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about Jesus, so the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest Him. Then Jesus said, “I will be with you for only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me. You will look for Me but will not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.)

       Believing IN Jesus is to know Him as the Son of God, sent to take away the sins of this world. (Belief IN, begins individually when Jesus is revealed to the minds, (as He manifest Himself to be in the holy scriptures from Genesis through Revelations.) He is Creator and Sustainer of all things. (See John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15-20 and Hebrews 1:) The planned sacrificial Lamb and our coming King