To:39,013 subscribers we pray God is making Temples of His spirit. 8/31/22, God’s 6th month, Elul 4, 5,782. (Day 4, until sunset.

    Like God’s old covenant, His new is with prechosen followers, a people born anew, fathered by God, ‘that is people who have the love of God spread abroad in their heart. Allow Paul’s explanation: (Romans 5:5-11; And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, because we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from God’s wrath. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, how much more, since we have been reconciled, will we be saved by his life? Not only this, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.)

    This is how and why ‘born anew believers’ aren’t under the law as a schoolmaster as are unbelievers. You see, when the love of God is spread in our hearts ‘we are obedient because we love our Creator parent.’ We can no longer knowingly practice what God calls sin.

   (Proverbs 14:12; “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way that leads to death.”) It’s the reason we have denominations, Pharisees & Sadducees types in every age. People disagreeing about resurrections, angels etc. So, consider, “what makes a person trust their own intellect rather than God?” (When people showed hostility to Jesus’ teaching He said its because; “You don’t know Me or My Father. If you knew Me you’d know My Father too.” (See John 8:19) The bottom line? Trusting our so called rational, intellect is idolatry. No one knows God until He supernaturally reveals His deity and His truth. There’s one God, one truth & one Way, those who’re spiritually led to believe IN that fact; Jesus said; ‘will not follow false messiahs and prophets. He told us in advance theses would appear; perform signs and wonders to deceive, ‘if possible, even the Elect.’” Choosing a religion that fits one’s rational, is idolatry. Happy Sabbath.)

 Paul’s Defense Before Felix, had similar grace. (Acts 24:10-21; “When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense. As you can verify for yourself, not more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. They did not find me arguing with anyone or stirring up a crowd in the temple courts or in the synagogues or throughout the city, nor can they prove to you the things they are accusing me of doing. But I confess this to you, ‘that I worship the God of our ancestors according to the Way (which they call a sect) believing everything that is according to the law and that is written in the prophets. I have a hope in God (a hope that these men themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. This is the reason I do my best to always have a clear conscience toward God and toward people. After several years I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings, which I was doing when they found me in the temple, ritually purified, without a crowd or a disturbance. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia who should be here before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me. Or these men here should tell what crime they found me guilty of when I stood before the council, other than this one thing, I shouted out while I stood before them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’”)

    God’s truth is still referred to as a sect. A resurrection of the righteous and unrighteous is God’s truth. It’s clear in the above paragraph that Paul never taught a ‘Catholic / Protestant heaven / hell doctrine. Paul believed all that’s written according to the law and the prophets. Why can’t our Christendom religions accept the same?

    (Acts 24:22-23; “Then Felix, who understood the facts concerning The Way more accurately, adjourned their hearing, saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.” He ordered the centurion to guard Paul, but to let him have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from meeting his needs.”)

    (Acts 24:24-27; “Some days later, when Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. While Paul was discussing righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, I will send for you.” At the same time Felix was also hoping Paul would give him money, and for this reason he sent for Paul as often as possible and talked with him.

   After two years had passed, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix, and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. (Felix understood The Way more accurately, apparently but refused to believe IN. Righteousness, self-control practices and that a coming judgment was coming that disturbed him.

    (Acts 25:1-5; “Now three days after Festus, (the new governor) arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. So, the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought formal charges against Paul to him. Requesting him to do them favor against Paul, ‘they urged Festus to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him along the way.’ Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself intended to go there shortly. So, he said, let your leaders go down there with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, they may bring charges against him.”) 

   During these confinement times Paul was able to witness before rulers and write the gentile churches etc. Both rulers allowed Paul unusual privileges as Jesus continued witnessing through him. Remember too, Jesus’ apostles were only gifted to believe IN Him and understand the holy scriptures after His resurrection, then their minds were supernaturally opened. Perhaps Felix and others who understood the Way more perfectly were called but couldn’t turn from the world. After Jesus’ resurrection He visited the apostles and others. (See John 20:21-23 through 21:14) Each apostle became believers IN and began their mission of being, “fishers of men.” In each age since, people attempt to believe IN, through their fleshly intellect.

    It goes against our nature to realize, people must be called, and minds supernaturally opened to desire God’s gift of believing IN. The apostle Paul was called, personally taught by Jesus, and fulfilled Jesus words to Ananias. (Review Acts 9:10-22; It was Paul’s called destiny to witness in Rome and before that he was kept under guard in Herod’s home, able to witness to governors, Felix and Festus.

    (Acts 25:6-12; “After Festus had stayed not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought. When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they were not able to prove. (Paul said in his defense, “I have committed no offense against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.) But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried before me there on these charges?” Paul replied, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I should be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. If then I am in the wrong and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, but if not one of their charges against me is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal, to Caesar!” Then, after conferring with his council, Festus replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!”) Paul had been a  denominational Pharisee, was a Jew and a Roman citizen.

Governor Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice

   (Acts 25:13-22; “After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. While they were staying there many days, Festus explained Paul’s case to the king to get his opinion, saying, “There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had met his accusers face to face and had been given an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. So, after they came back here with me, I did not postpone the case, but the next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought. When his accusers stood up, they did not charge him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. Rather they had several points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a man named Jesus who was dead, whom Paul claimed to be alive. Because I was at a loss how I could investigate these matters, I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges. But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” Agrippa said to Festus, “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, “you will hear him.”)

King Agrippa & wife hear Paul’s witness.   (Acts 25:23-27 through 26:32 is about their deciding what to write to Caesar for the most part and Paul defending himself again.

To: 38,947 subscribers we pray God is making Temples of His spirit. 8/29/22, God’s 6^th “month, Elul 2, 5,782. (Day 2 until sunset.)

KJV (Phil 2:5-11; Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death on the cross.)  So, Jesus was AT-ONE with the Father, desired no independent reputation, ‘that is had no desire for change.’ How can some think He though to allow His apostle Paul change the Sabbath? Look at another translation. NET BIBLE translation of (Phil 2:5-11 reads almost identical.) Also see (John 1:1-5; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any-thing, made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.) Again, how can some think the Lord God Jesus with these attributes and characteristics desire to change commandments that He made perpetual?

NOW BACK TO ACTS, PAUL’S TRAVELS AND OTHER TEACHING.  Acts 21:15-25; “After these days we got ready and started up to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea came along with us and brought us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, with whom we were to stay. When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. When Paul had greeted them, he began to explain in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers of the law. They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.”) (The friction was not that believing Jews were ardent law observers necessarily, but that some were attempted to put law keeping on gentiles as a must for salvation.)

   What then should we do? They will no doubt hear that you have come. So do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow; take them and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with the law. But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided that they should avoid meat that has been sacrificed to idols and blood and what has been strangled and sexual immorality.”) 

   (James and all Jesus’ apostles lived in conformity with the spiritual magnification of the law and taught gentiles to do the same. However because of their previous practices, the new converted needed to demonstrate some particular changes to demonstrate a belief IN Jesus. All followers of Jesus, were then and are now founded on the prophets, apostles, with Jesus the Corner Stone.)

  (Acts 21:26-31; is about Paul’s doing purification according to the law with others who were. About the hostiles accusing him of offending by bringing uncircumcised gentiles. (For they had seen Trophism’s the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) For this they wanted to kill Paul. (Remember all Judean territory was under Roman authority. Israelites were never told they had to abandon the law in order to have faith in Jesus’ shed blood for the remission of sin, but faith in Jesus,) (Belief IN Jesus produces a love of God’s Way: thus not under the law as under a schoolmaster. Non-Israelites were never told they had to start keeping the whole law, in order to show their belief and acceptance, that Jesus died for the remission of their sins.)

  (Acts 21:32-40; is about a Roman commander saving Paul from those wanting to do him harm. As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commanding officer, “May I say something to you?” The officer replied, “Do you know Greek? Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ into the wilderness some time ago?” Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. Please allow me to speak to the people. When the commanding officer had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and gestured to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, he addressed them in Aramaic,”) (Paul spoke Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew and possibly other languages. Jesus used Paul’s talents and his being a Roman citizen for natural advantages. All these things were preplanned, “having Paul witnessing before rulers etc.) (Years before Jesus’ personal ministry and long after; He and His apostles were under Rome’s control. Jews were allowed their Synagogues and practices throughout. Recall, Jesus had a few He healed to present themselves to the Synagogue Priest according to the law. Jesus nor did His apostles ever suggest a departure from the law’s spiritual intent, only that the law was no longer the schoolmaster to called believers. They taught; no one can be saved through or by law keeping. Jesu fulfilling the law was a magnification from the point of view that the spiritual application was “to obey out of loving respect.”

    Jesus did say; (Matt 5:17-20; 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. For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.) (Radical Jews, strict Pharisees wanted Paul killed because of assumptions and misunderstandings of his teachings. Now Paul goes before the Sanhedrin

    Acts 23:1-5; Paul looked directly at the council and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God to this day.” At that the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit there judging me according to the law and in violation of the law you order me to be struck?” Those standing near him said, “Do you dare insult God’s high priest?” Paul replied, “I did not realize, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’) Quote from Exodus 22:28.) Now Paul uses the Sadducee and Pharisee divide for his benefit.

    Acts 23:6-10; Then when Paul noticed that part of them were Sadducees and the others, Pharisees, he shouted out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead!” When he said this, an argument began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) There was a great commotion, and some experts in the law from the party of the Pharisees stood up and protested strongly, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” When the argument became so great the commanding officer feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, he ordered the detachment to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.) (It’s good that we followers of Jesus know the divisions in religions when being persecuted.)

    Acts 23:11-25; The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Have courage, for just as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.)   Plot to Kill Paul continues. When morning came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to partake of anything until we have killed Paul. So now you and the council request the commanding officer to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine his case by conducting a more thorough inquiry. We are ready to kill him before he comes near this place.” “But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered the barracks and told Paul. Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to report to him.” So, the centurion took him and brought him to the commanding officer and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” The commanding officer took him by the hand, withdrew privately and asked, “What is it that you want to report to me?” He replied “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. So do not let them persuade you to do this, because more than forty of them are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” Then the commanding officer sent the young man away, directing him, “Tell no one that you have reported these things to me.” Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea along with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen by nine o’clock tonight and provide mounts for Paul to ride so that he may be brought safely to Felix the governor.” He wrote a letter that went like this:(Acts 23:26-35; “Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor Felix, greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, when I came up with the detachment and rescued him, because I had learned that he was a Roman citizen. Since I wanted to know what charge they were accusing him of, I brought him down to their council. I found he was accused with reference to controversial questions about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. When I was informed there would be a plot against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges against him before you. So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him to Antipatris during the night. The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. When the horsemen came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. When the governor had read the letter, he asked what province he was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia, he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive too.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.”)

    (Acts 24:1-9; “After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought formal charges against Paul to the governor. When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “We have experienced a lengthy time of peace through your rule, and reforms are being made in this nation through your foresight. Most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this everywhere and in every way with all gratitude. But so that I may not delay you any further, I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. For we have found this man to be a troublemaker, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to desecrate the temple, so we arrested him. When you examine him yourself, you will be able to learn from him about all these things we are accusing him of doing.” The Jews also joined in the verbal attack, claiming that these things were true.) Note: nature and verbiage of attorneys never seem to change.

To:38,873 subscribers we pray God is making Temples of His spirit. 8/27/22, God’s 7^h month, Elul 6 , 5,782. (The Sabbath, until sunset.

   It’s Jesus’ Sabbath, (See Matt 12:8)– Erroneous translations usually begin with assumptions or tradition, (such is the case at, (1John 5:6-8; “Jesus Christ is the one who came by water and blood – not by the water only, but by the water, blood. and Spirit. The spirit testifies because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify, the Spirit and the water and the blood and these three are in agreement.”)

   (1John 5:6-8 should read; “This is He Who came by water and blood; Jesus the Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood. “And it is the spirit that bear witness because the spirit is the truth.” For there are three that bear witness on earth, the water, the blood: and these three witness unto the one truth.)

   We noted in last study that Paul baptized in the name of Jesus and “no apostle ever baptize in the name of the Holy Spirit”, additionally none ever included the Holy Spirit in their letter salutations. (The Infamous Comma Johanneum, known in the English-speaking world through the King James translation put this forth. “Most manuscripts (221 2318 [18th century] {2473 [dated 1634]} and [with minor variations] 429 629 636 918) originate from the 16th century; the earliest manuscripts, codex 221 (10th century) includes the reading in a marginal note, added sometime after the original composition.) “The error composed after Erasmus’ Greek New Testament was published in 1516. Back in A.D. 1215 a Greek translation of the Acts of the Lateran Council, was a work originally written in Latin). All the more significant since many a Greek Father would have loved such a reading, for it so succinctly affirms the doctrine of the Trinity. From there, it made its way into copies of the Latin Vulgate, the text used by the Roman Catholic Church. After his first edition appeared, there arose such a furor over the absence of the Comma that Erasmus needed to defend himself.)

    Faith must be rooted in history and spiritual revelations. Significantly the German translation of Luther was based on Erasmus’ second edition (1519) and lacked the Comma. When the spirit of truth isn’t leading translators, tradition takes precedence, leaning on superstition more than allowing scripture to interpret scripture. Assumption thinkers are in bondage to their fleshly inherited from Adam nature.

   (Jesus was fathered by His own and God the Father’s spirit, His human birth was by “water, blood and was fathered by the spirit of God.”)

   Many still vent such objections by rioting, mob violence etc. which is characteristic of people looking to their intellect and denominationalism. Additionally, when people don’t have meaningful work, idleness becomes bondage, ‘an obstacle to peace.’ The old saying may fit, “Idleness is the devil’s workshop.”    BACK TO ACTS OF THE APOSTLES and the rioting.

   (Acts 20:1-7; ”After the disturbance had ended, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them and saying farewell, he left to go to Macedonia. After he had gone through those regions and spoken many words of encouragement to the believers there, he came to Greece, where he stayed for three months. Because the Jews had made a plot against him as he was intending to sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Paul was accompanied by companions who had gone on ahead and were waiting for us in Troas. We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and within five days we came to the others in Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

   On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul began to speak to the people and because he intended to leave the next day, (second day) extended his message until midnight.) (They met on the day after the Sabbath, because Paul intended to leave on the second day after, so, Paul continued speaking on into that second day.)

   Using this text as authority to change God’s Sabbath to the first day is twisting, to one’s own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures. (See 2Peter 3:16)

    It’s clear to honest people, (a) God’s calendar was still being looked to, as referencing the days of Unleavened Bread. (b) There’s no reason not to teach on any day, however, in this case Paul is teaching much longer than usual, beginning on the Sabbath and continuing through the first day as it rolls over to the second day, because he intended to leave that day.

    Doctor Luke explains. (Acts 20:8-12; Now there were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window was sinking into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak for a long time. Fast asleep, he fell-down from the third story and was picked up dead. But Paul went down, threw himself on the young man, put his arms around him and said, “Do not be distressed, for he is still alive.)

   Then Paul went back upstairs, and after he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them a long time, until dawn, then he left. They took the boy home alive and were greatly comforted.) (We think Paul began speaking on the Sabbath, on through the first day and when the first day arrived spoke through until dawn, because the people kept showing interest.

    Israelites were mindful that each sunset began a new day.

    (Acts 20:13-17; We “Dr. Luke, Paul, and companions” went on ahead to the ship and put out to sea for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for he had arranged it this way. He himself was intending to go there by land. When he met us in Assos, we took him aboard and went to Mitylene. We set sail from there, and on the following day we arrived off Chios. The next day we approached Samos, and the day after that we arrived at Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so as not to spend time in the province of Asia, for he was hurrying to arrive in Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him.”) It was after the season days of Unleavened Bread and before Pentecost. Pentecost being the birth date of “the New Testament Church of God” Paul placed importance on being in Jerusalem by Pentecost?

    (Acts 20:18-35; “When they arrived, Paul said to them, “You yourselves know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I set foot in the province of Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me because of the plots of the Jews. You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming to you anything that would be helpful, and from teaching you publicly and from house to house, testifying to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem without knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit warns me in town after town that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me. But I do not consider my life worth anything to myself, so that I may finish my task and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.”

    (The gospel message is about “the kingdom’s coming, repentance toward God the Father and faith in our Lord Jesus’ deeds and grace.)

     “And now I know that none of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom will see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of you all. For I did not hold back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God. Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that He, “God the Father” obtained with the blood of His own Son. I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them. Therefore, be alert, remember that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears. And now I entrust you to God and to the message of His grace. This message is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified, (set aside). I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

    Paul said he taught the whole purpose of God. No doubt he shared Moses’ re-creation account of an earth in chaos, God creating Adam and from his rib, Created Eve. The Genesis account of Cain - Abel and how it is that Abel’s blood still speaks. Jesus through Moses, giving the ten commandments, the prophets telling of Jesus’ coming as the Messiah, His linage through David and the coming millennial reign as King of Kings. Explaining it was God the Father and God the Son’s will, that the Son shed His blood for the remission of sins. That there’s no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. No wonder Paul spoke until dawn on that second d

To: 38,848 subscribers we pray God is making Temples of His spirit. 8/26/22, God’s 6^th “month, Av 29, 5,782. (Day 6 until sunset, then Jesus’ Sabbath.)

   God has allowed most of the world go the way seems right to themselves since Adam’s disobedience. (At the same time planning to save many from the penalty of disobedience through our Lord God Jesus the life giver.) (Today all but a chosen Elect remain hostile, until God miraculously reveals Himself individually through His Son Jesus.) It’s also prophesied, “during Jesus’ millennial reign, all who call on the Lord will be saved.” (See Matthew 24:24 and (Joel 2:32) It will so happen that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who survive, just as the Lord has promised; the remnant will be those whom the Lord will call.) (As always study the whole.)

    Jesus had Paul take His good news about the kingdom of God to Athens, Thessalonica, Corinth, Ephesus, Berea, Caesarea, Antioch, Galatia, Phrygia, places with large gentile populations and scattered Jews. Paul dwelt with self-righteous Israelites who thought they’d be saved by keeping the law and pagan gentiles thinking paradise was their reward for worshiping the sun, Zeus, Baal, the goddess Diana and others. Some back then and many today who hear about Jesus think it okay to worship Him and their imagined god’s together.

   (Acts 18:18-23; After staying many more days in Corinth, (Paul) said farewell to the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, because he had made a vow. When they reached Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila behind, but he himself went into the synagogue and addressed the Jews. When they asked him to stay longer, he would not consent, but said farewell to them and added, “I will come back to you again if God wills.”

   Then he set sail from Ephesus and when he arrived at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church at Jerusalem and then went down to Antioch. After he spent some time there, Paul left and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.”) 

   Paul demonstrated from prophetic writings, Creator Jesus’ purpose in coming and His willingly sacrificing His life blood for the remission of sins; “that there’s no forgiveness without the shedding of blood and how various temple worship had looked forward to Jesus being the sacrificial Lamb, sharing his own conversion, experience etc.”

Apollos taught, only knowing the baptism of John    (Acts 18:24-28; Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker, well-versed, (gospel account) of the scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak out fearlessly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he assisted greatly those who had believed by grace, for he refuted the Jews vigorously in public debate, demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.)

   In each age, we’ve had many eloquent speakers who, “believe that” but aren’t called and gifted to “believing in Jesus’ message.” Mostly, like Apollos “believers that” are schooled in denominationalism, sincere about their beliefs but stubbornly trust their fleshly intellect and partisan schooling. Such teachers buy into deceptive theories such as “Jesus allowing Paul to change the Sabbath” such as “Satan’s lie about immortality being at birth” and such as, “Jesus’ second coming being the end of the world.” These many don’t understand about prophesied physical resurrections, judgment and a “second death for the unrepentant” and for the most part don’t think the old testament scriptures are relevant in this age. (See Revelations 21:8)

Some John the Baptist’s disciples, like Apollos.   (Acts 19:1-7; While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the inland regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples there and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So, Paul said, “Into what then were you baptized?” “Into John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the One who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, “they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and when Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.” (Now there were about twelve men in all.) (Note, Paul didn’t baptize in the name of “God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit.)

    Called followers of Jesus “believe in Jesus’ message” and desire to be “At-One” with Him and God the Father. “They know Jesus as Re-Creator, Creator, Mediator, Lord, Savior, Healer, and our coming King of Kings.” (See Colossians 1:15-20) Such are called by God the Father, “to be immerse in” “to be clothed in Jesus” “think of Jesus as the Vine, and they the branches who can do nothing except through Him.” Apollos and John’s disciples eagerly became believers IN Jesus’ shed blood for the remission of sins once He was revealed as the Christ.

Jesus’ good news message is about the kingdom of God and The Way.   (Acts 19:8-10; So Paul entered the synagogue and spoke out fearlessly for three months, addressing and convincing them about the kingdom of God. But when some were stubborn and refused to believe, reviling The Way before the congregation, he left them and took the disciples with him, addressing them every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard The Word of the Lord.)

(The Word” refers to the Christian movement of believers-Christianity.) Doctor Luke and Jesus’ apostles frequently refers to this as “The Way” (See Acts 9:2; 18:25-26; 19:23; 22:4; & 24:14, 22) (Acts 19:11-13; God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. But some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by evil spirits, saying, “I sternly warn you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”)

(Remember, Jesus said He would do greater miracles through His apostles than He had done (See John 14:12; “I tell you the solemn truth, the person who believes IN Me will perform the miraculous deeds that I am doing, and will perform greater deeds than these, because I am going to the Father.” (Remember too: Jesus healed as Peter’s shadow passed over many. (See Acts 5:15.)

    (Acts 19:14-16; (Now seven sons of a man named Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were performing EXORCIST through the evil spirit, “replied to them, I know about Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?” Then the man who was possessed by the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them all into submission. He prevailed against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded.) (Remember the demonic slave girl. (See  Acts 16:17-20) (Let’s not under estimate demonic power.

    (Acts 19:17-20; This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; fear came over them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their deeds known. Large numbers of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. When the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to prevail.)

    Consider the things that will be destroyed when Jesus returns. (Everything that’s an abomination to God.) In large part, the majority who refuse to believe IN Jesus is because of Satan’s deceptions. (Believing IN Satan’s lies causes hostility toward the truth, looking to so called science of carbon dating and depending on their fleshly intellect are in the Apollos category.) Refusing to consider, the account of creation recorded in Genesis, is actually a re-creation.) The time-line history of man since Adam should take into account, that Jesus sustains the precise planetary movements, sustains the sun’s burning, this earth’s molten core. He is our Sustainer, Creator, resurrection and Life giver. (Review Colossians 1:15-20.)

   (Acts 19:21-41; Now after all these things had taken place, Paul resolved to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. He said, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” So, after sending two of his assistants, Timothy, and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia. At that time a great disturbance took place concerning The Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought a great deal of business to the craftsmen. (Artemis was the name of a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.) He gathered these together, along with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this business. And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd, not only in Ephesus but in practically all of the province of Asia, by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all. “There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing, and she whom all the province of Asia and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” When they heard this they became enraged and began to shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” The city was filled with the uproar, and the crowd rushed to the theater together, dragging with them, Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, the disciples would not let him. Even some of the provincial authorities who were his friends sent a message to him, urging him not to venture into the theater.

    So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. Some of the crowd concluded it was about Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. Alexander, gesturing with his hand, was wanting to make a defense before the public assembly. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” for about two hours.” After the city secretary quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell from heaven? So, because these facts are indisputable, you must keep quiet and not do anything reckless. For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against someone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. But if you want anything in addition, it will have to be settled in a legal assembly. For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause, we can give to explain this disorderly gathering. After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.) (Rioting and mob formations is a fleshly nature characteristic. Part of Rome’s success in those days was their law, order and their being legal protectors of Roman citizenship. Remember Paul leaned on his Roman citizenship several times.)

To: 38,713 subscribers we pray God is making Temples of His spirit. 8/22/22, God’s 6^th “month, Av 25, 5,782

     Remember God the Father does the choosing, delivering and redemming of Physical and spiritual Israelites. Jacob’s king announced, (Isa 41:27-29; I first decreed to Zion, ‘Look, here’s what will happen!’ I sent a herald to Jerusalem. I look, but there is no one, among them there is no one who serves as an adviser, that I might ask questions and receive answers I first decreed to Zion. I Look, all of them are nothing, their accomplishments are nonexistent; their metal images lack any real substance.) 

GOD THE FATHER’S SERVANT ‘THE LORD JESUS.)

    (Isa 42:1-9; “Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my Spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations. He will not cry out or shout; he will not publicize Himself in the streets. A crushed reed He will not break, a dim wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully make just decrees. He will not grow dim or be crushed before establishing justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait in anticipation for His decrees.” This is what the true God, the LORD, says – the one who created the sky and stretched it out, the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it, the one who gives breath to the people on it, and life to those who live on it: “I, the LORD, officially commission You; I take hold of your hand. I protect You and make You a covenant Mediator for people, and a Light to the nations,  to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from dungeons, those who live in darkness from prisons. I am the LORD! That is My name! I will not share my glory with anyone else, or the praise due Me with idols. Look, My earlier predictive oracles have come to occur, I reveal them to You.” 

   (Isa 42:10-28; Sing to the LORD a brand-new song! Praise him from the horizon of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and everything that lives in it, you coastlands and those who live there! Let the wilderness and its cities shout out, the towns where the nomads of Kedar live! Let the residents of Sela shout joyfully; let them shout loudly from the mountaintops. Let them give the LORD the honor He deserves; let them praise His deeds in the coastlands. The LORD emerges like a hero, like a warrior He inspires Himself for battle; He shouts, yes, He yells, He shows His enemies His power. 

   “I have been inactive for a long time; I kept quiet and held back. Like a woman in labor I groan; I pant and gasp. I will make the trees on the mountains and hills wither up; I will dry up all their vegetation. I will turn streams into islands, and dry up pools of water. I will lead the blind along an unfamiliar way; I will guide them down paths they have never traveled. I will turn the darkness in front of them into light, and level out the rough ground. This is what I will do for them. I will not abandon them. Those who trust in idols will turn back and be utterly humiliated, those who say to metal images, ‘You are gods.’”     (Israel’s Failure to Hear and See.)

    (Note that Isaiah prophesied a future magnification of the law.) “Listen, you deaf ones! Take notice, you blind ones! My servant (Israel) is truly blind, my messenger is truly deaf. My covenant partner, the servant of the LORD, is truly blind. You see many things, but don’t comprehend; your ears are open, but do not hear.” The LORD wanted to exhibit His justice by magnifying His law and displaying it. But these people are looted and plundered; all of them are trapped in pits and held captive in prisons. They were carried away as loot with no one to rescue them; they were carried away as plunder, and no one says, “Bring that back!” Who among you will pay attention to this? Who will listen attentively in the future? Who handed Jacob over to the robber? Who handed Israel over to the looters? Was it not the LORD, against whom we sinned? They refused to follow his commands; they disobeyed his law. So he poured out his fierce anger on them, along with the devastation of war. Its flames encircled them, but they did not realize it; it burned against them, but they did not take it to heart.) 

   (Since you are precious and chosen) (Isa 43:1- Now, this is what the LORD says, the one who created you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel: “Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you. I call you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I am with you; when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Deliverer. I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price, Ethiopia and Seba in place of you. Since you are precious and special in my sight, and I love you, I will hand over people in place of you, nations in place of your life. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. From the east I will bring your descendants; from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’ and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’ Bring my sons from distant lands, and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth, everyone who belongs to me, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed – yes, whom I made! Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes, those who are deaf, even though they have ears! 

   All nations gather together, the peoples assemble. Who among them announced this? Who predicted earlier events for us? Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right; let them listen and affirm, ‘It is true.’ You (Israel) are my witnesses,” says the LORD, “my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe in Me, and understand that I am He. No god was formed before me, and none will outlive me. I, I am the LORD, and there is no Deliverer besides me. I decreed and delivered and proclaimed, and there was no other god among you. You are my witnesses,” says the LORD, “that I am God. From this day forward I am He; no one can deliver from my power; I will act, and who can prevent it?” This is what the LORD says, your Protector, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and make them all fugitives, turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs. I am the LORD, your Holy One, the One who created Israel, your king.” This is what the LORD says, the One who made a road through the sea, a pathway through the surging waters, the One who led chariots and horses to destruction, together with a mighty army. They fell down, never to rise again; they were extinguished, put out like a burning wick: 

  “Don’t remember these earlier events; don’t recall these former events. “Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen! Do you not recognize it? Yes, I will make a road in the wilderness and paths in the wastelands. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and ostriches, because I put water in the wilderness and streams in the wastelands, to quench the thirst of my chosen people, the people whom I formed for Myself, so they might praise Me.” “But you did not call for me, O Jacob; you did not long for me, O Israel. You did not bring me lambs for your burnt offerings; you did not honor me with your sacrifices. I did not burden you with offerings; I did not make you weary by demanding incense. You did not buy me aromatic reeds; you did not present to me the fat of your sacrifices. Yet you burdened Me with your sins; you made Me weary with your evil deeds. 

   I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for My sake; your sins I do not remember. Remind me of what happened! Let’s debate! You, prove to me that you are right! The father of your nation sinned; your spokesmen rebelled against Me. So I defiled your holy princes, and handed Jacob over to destruction, and subjected Israel to humiliating abuse.”)

   (Isa 44:1- “Now, listen, Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen!” This is what the LORD, the One who made you, says – the one who formed you in the womb and helps you: “Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen! For I will pour water on the parched ground and cause streams to flow on the dry land. I will pour my Spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your children. They will sprout up like a tree in the grass, like poplars beside channels of water. One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’ and another will use the name ‘Jacob.’ One will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and use the name ‘Israel.’”    (Besides Me There Is No God.)

  (Isa 49: This is what the LORD, Israel’s king, says, their Protector, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies: “I am the first and I am the last, there is no God but me. Who is like Me? Let him make his claim! Let him announce it and explain it to me – since I established an ancient people – let them announce future events! Don’t panic! Don’t be afraid! Did I not tell you beforehand and decree it? You (Israel) are my witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other sheltering rock; I know of none. This is what the LORD, the Protector of Israel, their Holy One, says to the one who is despised and rejected by nations, servant of rulers: “Kings will see and rise in respect, princes will bow down, because of the faithful LORD, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you.) (Read the whole chapter, learn of Jesus redeeming Israel and punishments to their enemies.)

Jesus’ apostle Matthew recorded Jesus words to His chosen.

    (Matt 12:15-21; Now when Jesus learned of this, He went away from there. Great crowds followed him, and He healed them all. But He sternly warned them not to make Him known. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “Here is My servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I take great delight. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”) (Jesus inspired Isaiah and gave the 10 commandments to Moses.)

To: 38,648 subscribers we pray God is making Temples of His spirit. 8/20/22, God’s 6^th month, Av 23, 5,782. The Sabbath until sunset.

   Continuing the ‘Lord’s-day’ subject from chapter 5 it should be obvious even to fleshly minds that Jesus’ apostle John is speaking of the Sabbath at Rev 1:10. The New Covenant is with a chosen people spiritually ‘born again.’ A people emersed in and clothed with Jesus; that is, ones ‘believing in’ Jesus as the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua, Moses and David. The One who was with, the Father at creation, supernaturally, physically birthed from a virgin’s womb to fulfill all that the prophets, Moses and David wrote about Him. Jesus personified Himself as the Son of God to called believers, by doing miracles no one had ever done before. As we approach the third holy season of the year, containing the last four of seven annual Sabbaths we’ll share Jesus’ spiritual magnification of these perpetual to Israel and Christian statutes.

  ‘Believers That’ generally agree that evangelicals and denominations evolve with political correctness. Few believe Jesus’ Way and deity are manifested as absolute in the Holy Scriptures, or that Jesus’ oracles, commandments and holy times are absolutes for believers. ‘Believers in’ are gifted with a loving desire to be Christ like, ‘immersed in and clothed with Jesus.’ They recognize the value of Jesus’ ten commandment, oracles, and holy seasons. Each knows gifted faith is built on His prophets, apostles, with Jesus the Cornerstone; the Re-Creator, Creator, Deliverer, Mediator, resurrection and our soon coming king of kings.

   Jesus emphatically and repeatedly said; ‘He came from above to do the will of His Father, that He’d spend three nights and days in a tomb, as Jonah was three days in a fish’s belly, be resurrected to be our heavenly Mediator.’ Jesus’ apostles were spiritually led to proclaim Him as the first born and that Believers in Him would be in the first resurrection to rule with Him. Followers of Jesus got lots of flack, for believing in God the Father and God the Son.

   Study Col 1:15-20, John 1:1-5, 1Corinthians 15: Revelations 20: & 21: to discern the above overviews. (Acts 17:1-3; After they, (Dr. Luke, Paul & companions) traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, (Where Paul, later wrote a letter of encouragement to these Thessalonians.) where there was a Jewish synagogue. Paul went to their synagogue, as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed them from the scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying, “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.) (His teaching was from the old Covenant, its prophecies, Genesis, Deuteronomy and  Psalms.

Jealously causes a world of hurt. –(Acts 17:4-9; Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large group of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. But the Jews became jealous and, gathering together worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. They attacked Jason’s house, trying to find Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly. When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, screaming, “These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world have come here too and Jason has welcomed them as guests! They are all acting against Caesar’s decrees, saying there’s another king named Jesus!” They caused confusion among the crowd and the city officials who heard these things. After the city officials had received bail from Jason and others, they released them.) (Divisionary religions give comfort zones to unbelievers.)

Paul and Silas at Berea, where citizens examined the scriptures.

  (Acts 17:10-15; The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea at once, during the night. When they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. These Jews were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they eagerly received the message, examining the scriptures carefully every day to see if these things were so. Therefore. many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God in Berea, they came there too, inciting and disturbing the crowds. Then the brothers sent Paul away to the coast at once, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. Those who accompanied Paul escorted him as far as Athens, and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.) (Judaism is still looking for their Messiah. One likened to Moses, through whom God will make Israel a great nation again. If they could only believe that Jesus is their Messiah.)

Athens, a city full of idols.

   (Acts 17:16-21; While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was greatly upset because he saw the city was full of idols. So, he was addressing the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles in the synagogue, and in the marketplace every day, those who happened to be there. Also, some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him, and some were asking, “What does this foolish babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be proclaiming foreign gods. (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) So, they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming? For you are bringing some surprising things to our ears, so we want to know what they mean.)(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time in nothing else than telling or listening to something new.) (Epicureans were followers of the philosophy of Epicurus, who founded a school in Athens about 300 B.C. Although the Epicureans saw the aim of life as pleasure, they were not strictly hedonists, because they defined pleasure as the absence of pain. Along with this, they desired the avoidance of trouble and freedom from annoyances. They saw organized religion as evil, especially the belief that the gods punished evildoers in an afterlife. In keeping with this, they were unable to accept Paul’s teaching about the resurrection.) (See any parallels?) (A Stoic was a follower of the philosophy founded by Zeno (342-270 B.C) A Phoenician who came to Athens and modified the philosophical system of the Cynics he found there.) (Stoics rejected the Epicurean ideal of pleasure, stressing virtue instead. The Stoics emphasized responsibility for voluntary actions and believed risks was worth taking but thought the actual attainment of virtue was difficult. They also believed in providence.)

   Evangelicals, like these Epicurus and Stoic views, are more prevalent today than Jesus’ good news regarding the resurrections. (Paul taught that Jesus’ good news included the resurrections.)

  (Acts 17:22-34; So Paul stood before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in all respects. For as I went around and observed closely your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: ‘To an unknown god.’ Therefore, what you worship without knowing it, ‘this I proclaim to you.’

  The God who made the world and everything in it, who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone. From one man, “Adam” He made every nation, of the human race to inhabit the entire earth, determining their set times and the fixed limits of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are His offspring.’ So, since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity is like gold or silver or stone, an image made by human skill and imagination. Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, He now commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has set a day on which He is going to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom He designated, having provided proof to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

  Now when they heard about the resurrection from the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So, Paul left the Areopagus. But some people joined him and believed. Among them were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.) (Jesus’ teachings through Paul, causes NO Believer any difficulty.)  (Paul to Corinth, “he’d later write two letters to the Corinthians.)

  (Acts 18:1-4; After this Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome. Paul approached them, and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them (for they were tentmakers by trade.) He addressed both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue every Sabbath, attempting to persuade them.”) 

  NOTE the world’s contempt for Jews is since their bondage in Egypt. So why have ‘Jews’ particularly been persecuted by gentile populations since? They’re entrusted to keep God’s oracles! Holy Days - calendar etc.) (See Rom 3:1-4, it’s a Quote from Psalms 51:4.)

  (Acts 18:5-11; “Now when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming The Word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. When they opposed him and reviled him, he protested by shaking out his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am guiltless! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” Then Paul left the synagogue and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus a Gentile who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. “Crispus” the president of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it believed and were baptized. The Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent, because I am with you, and no one will assault you to harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So, he stayed there a year and six months, teaching The Word of God among them.) (Again, Paul was teaching the old covenant text with gifted revelations about the New Covenant.   (Paul Before the Proconsul “Gallio.)

  A proconsul was a Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the senate. Gallio, was proconsul of Achaia from A.D 51-5, one of the firmly established dates in Acts. “Lucius Junius Gallio” was the son of the rhetorician Seneca and the brother of Seneca the philosopher. The date of Gallio’s rule is established from an inscription (W. Dittenberger, ed., Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum 2.3 no. 8). Thus, the event mentioned here is probably to be dated July-October A.D. 51.

  (Acts 18:12-17; Now while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews attacked Paul together and brought him before the judgment seat, saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God in a way contrary to the law!” But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, I would have been justified in accepting the complaint of you Jews, but since it concerns points of disagreement about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I will not be a judge of these things!” Then he had them forced away from the judgment seat. So, they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and began to beat him in front of the judgment seat. Yet none of these things were of any concern to Gallio.)

  Jesus’ apostles & called out teachers in every age, like Moses and Samuel long before, were constantly opposed by stubborn strong-willed people, (Israelites and gentiles) who preferred living superstitiously. Hostiles yield to the demonic way that seemed good to their fleshly self-serving nature inherited from Adam. Democracies left to themselves can’t stand for long without God’s intervention, because they end up serving the will of a selfish populations, so a digression is inevitably.

To: 38,647 subscribers we pray God is making Temples of God’s spirit. 8/20/22, God’s 6^th “month, Av 24, 5,782

  At Revelations 1:10 is the only place the words “Lord’s day” is in the Bible’s same verse.  In King James index’s we find “Lord’s day” together once referring to the Sabbath. (At Matt 12:8 “For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”) (At Mark 2:28; & Luke 13:15. “For this reason the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath”) (At Luke 6:5; “For this reason the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath”) (At Acts 13:44; “On the next Sabbath almost the whole city assembled together to hear the word of the Lord.”) YET people use the term “Lord’s-day” for their reason to assemble on the first day rather than the 7^th day Sabbath, seemingly not aware that God says to Israel “keeping the Sabbath is perpetual through all your generations.” These same groups don’t realize Christians are Spiritual Israelites.  

  Unbelievers twist The Word of God and some use James’ letter to the gentile converts, as a divisionary tool. Believers IN, know there’s One God, One truth and One way that’s absolute. There’s no division. Satan and his followers, ‘manifest themselves as angels of light, condone pagan philosophy that causes division.’ The apostles’ letter does not give gentiles permission to forget the Sabbaths, nor Jesus’ ten commandments, nor His New commandment, “love others as I have loved you.” Contrary, gentiles turning to God became spiritual Israelites, accepted the God of Abraham, and was spiritually led to believe IN Jesus’ shed blood for the remission of their sins. They became fellow citizens with the Saints.

  (Eph 2:19-22; So then you, “gentiles” are no longer foreigners and non-citizens, but you’re fellow citizens with the Saints and members of God’s household, because you’ve 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.”)

   Apostles Barnabas and Paul, with others from the Jerusalem congregation, encouraged the gentile converts to be At-One with God the Father and God the Son, mindful that they’re At-One with one another.

  (Acts 15:30-35; “So when they, “Paul & companions” were dismissed, they went down to Antioch, and after gathering the entire group together, they delivered (James’) letter. When they read it aloud, the people rejoiced at its encouragement. Both Judas and Silas who were prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with a long speech. After they had spent some time there, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching, and proclaiming (with many others) The Word of the Lord.”)

  Considering the fleshly nature, we all inherited, its logical that fleshly thinking Judaism would at first think circumcision necessary. The spiritually led soon had no problem turning from that thinking. When considering the Lord’s word through Moses on circumcision, other prophets, that gentiles too had been gifted with the Holy Spirit as were they.

  (Acts 15:36-41; After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to bring John ‘called Mark’ along with them too, but Paul insisted that they should not take along this one who had left them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in The Work. They had a sharp disagreement, so that they parted company. Barnabas took along, “John Mark” and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and set out, commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers and sisters. He passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”)

  Remember, Dr. Luke is the writer of “Acts of the Apostles” apparently it was his decision to continue following Paul rather than Barnabas.

Timothy joins Paul’s team.

 (Acts 16:1-5; “He, “Paul” also came to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but whose father was a Greek. The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was Greek. As they went through the towns, they passed on the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the Gentile believers to obey. So, the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number every day.”)

  Paul’s having Timothy circumcised was not spiritually necessary, but, thought it good to appease the Jews. Circumcision isn’t necessary for salvation but acknowledges the covenant with our Creator and has health benefits.

  (Acts 16:6-10; They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, (From where Paul would later write a letter to the Galatians.) having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in the province of Asia. When they came to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to do this, so they passed through Mysia and went down to Troas.

   A vision appeared to Paul during the night: A Macedonian man was standing there urging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” After Paul saw the vision, we attempted immediately to go over to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.”) 

   (Again, we should see “knowing faith” at work in Paul’s ministry. The Comforter ‘Holy Spirit’ and ‘Spirit of Truth’ are the same, Paul was attuned to its workings in his mind. (Translating from Greek to English is difficult because of sentence construction. For example, “Province of Asia?” Refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of”, are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.)

  (Acts 16:11-15; We put out to sea from Troas and sailed a straight course to Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis and from there to Philippi, (From where Paul would later write back to the Philippian’s.) which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia, a Roman colony. We stayed in this city for some days. On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the side of the river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down and began to speak to the women who had assembled there.

   A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, a God-fearing woman, listened to us. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. After she and her household were baptized she urged us, “If you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, come and stay in my house. And she persuaded us.””)

   Two points: (1) Paul and companions are remembering the Sabbath. (2) “The Lord opened Lydia’s heart.” Paul didn’t save Lydia.”

   (Acts 16:16-31; Now as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit that enabled her to foretell the future by supernatural means. She brought her owners a great profit by fortune-telling. She followed behind Paul and us and kept crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High, God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” She continued to do this for many days. But Paul became greatly annoyed and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out of her at once. But when her owners saw their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion. They are Jews and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us to accept or practice, since we are Romans.”)

   Demonic revelations are supernatural and has impact on many societies. This girl was demonically enabled to tell futures and knew ‘whose servants Paul and companions were.’ Through knowing revealed faith, Paul recognized the demonic spirit and cast it out. The people charging Paul and companions were traditionalist, advocating customs not traditionally lawful in Roman society. Many denominations still maintain similar divisionary views, concluding that certain practices do or does not belong to their ethnicity.

  (Acts 16:22-24; The crowd joined the attack against them, the magistrates tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After beating them severely, they threw them into prison and commanded the jailer to guard them securely. Receiving such orders, he threw them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.”) Remember, Jesus had told Ananias that Paul would suffer many things because of His name.

Jesus Release Paul supernaturally.

  (Acts 16:25-31; “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the rest of the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors flew open, and the bonds of all the prisoners came loose. When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, because he assumed the prisoners had escaped. But Paul called out loudly, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell down trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe IN the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”)

  ‘Believing IN’ is not ‘believing that.’ After this statement, Paul and Silas spoke, “The Word of Truth” to them, “their believing IN was God gifted, not a conjured up faith in Paul and Silas.” The jailer was, gifted with ‘believing IN’ faith.

   (Acts 16:32-34; Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him, along with all those who were in his house. At that hour of the night, he took them and washed their wounds; then he and all his family, was, baptized right away. The jailer brought them into his house and set food before them and rejoiced greatly that he had come to believe in God, together with his entire household.)

   (‘Believers IN’ are gifted to recognize Jesus’ good news message by the spirit of truth, knowing the Word includes that “Jesus is the Son of God” “One prophesied to come and fulfill all that David and the prophets wrote about Him.” Believing IN these things about Jesus, is a spiritual calling to serve the God of Abraham. Such spiritual understanding is gifted, and doesn’t come from within a person’s intellect; gifted to His chosen. (The difference between, ‘believing IN’ and ‘believing that’ is; ‘Believing that’ allows assumptions from within fleshly intellect, that fit’s a preferred, usually a denominational narrative. ‘Believing that’ allows for division. ‘Believing IN’ is singular, with  gifted knowing faith that God is as He’s manifested to be, through Jesus, His prophets and apostles.)

   (Acts 16:35-40; At daybreak the magistrates sent their police officers, saying, “Release those men.” The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. So come out now and go in peace.” But Paul said to the police officers, “They had us beaten in public without a proper trial – even though we are Roman citizens – and they threw us in prison. And now they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! They themselves must come and escort us out!” The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, came and apologized to them. After they brought them out, they asked them repeatedly to leave the city. When they came out of the prison, they entered Lydia’s house, and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and then departed.)

   (Paul was able to use his Roman citizenship several times. A spiritual overview of Paul’s conversion, Jesus’ revelations and teachings through him, reveals the characteristics of the God family, whose members we are when gifted to believe IN.)

To: 38,488 subscribers we pray God is making Temples of His spirit. 8/15/22, God’s 6^th month, Av 18, 5,782.

   Joy and enthusiasm is what the apostles and believers were seeing but Judean factions were jealous. (Acts 13:49-52 “So the word of the Lord was spreading through the entire region. But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their region. So, after they shook the dust off their feet, in protest against them they went to Iconium.)

  If God allowed His truth to magnify among populous today as in these apostles’ time, believers would be in danger as the apostles back then.

  (Acts 14:1-7; “The same thing happened in Iconium when Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large group of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So, they stayed there for a considerable time, speaking out courageously for the Lord, who testified to the message of His grace, granting miraculous signs and wonders to be performed through their hands. But the population of the city was divided; some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. When both the Gentiles and the Jews (together with their rulers) made attempts to mistreat them and stone them, Paul and Barnabas learned about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding regions. There they continued to proclaim the good news.”)

   It’s necessary to review portions of Holy Scriptures because of new subscribers. Remember, Jesus changed Jacob’s name to, “Israel” which means, “God fights.” Followers of Jesus, “His Church” are spiritual Israel, “a chosen, called out and delivered people to be At-One with God the Father and God the Son by promise: “heirs with Abraham.”

   (Gal 3:26-29; “For in Christ Jesus you are all Sons of God through faith. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s heirs, descendants, according to the promise.”) 

   Primary promises to Abraham, was for Descendent Jesus, to and through whom are all promises. Being immersed in and clothed with Jesus makes people AT-One with Him. We followers of Jesus consider Him our covering, Passover, God’s chosen, to and through whom He made promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses. Foreshadowing His chosen, the likes of David, each apostle and each called out Believer IN; for God’s loving purpose of adding to His family.”

  (Acts 13:1-12; “Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch from childhood) and Saul. While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, after they had fasted, prayed, and placed their hands on them, they sent them off. So, Barnabas and Saul, sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived in Salamis, they began to proclaim The Word of God in synagogues of the Jews. (Now they also had John as their assistant.) When they had crossed over the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul Sergius- Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear The Word of God. But the magician Elymas (for that is the way his name is translated) opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul away from The Faith. But Saul (also known as Paul) filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at him and said, “You who are full of all deceit and all wrongdoing, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness – will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time!” Immediately mistiness and darkness came over him, and he went around seeking people to lead him by the hand.

Then when the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, because he was greatly astounded at the teaching about the Lord.”)

    Another example of knowing faith as when Jesus, through Peter resurrected Tabitha back to physical life. Through the holy spirit of truth, God revealed what he would do through Paul.

The apostles taught on Sabbaths to mixed Israelites & gentiles.

   (Acts 13:13-20; “Then Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. Moving on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.

   After the reading from the law and the prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent them a message, saying, “Brothers, if you have any message of exhortation for the people, speak it.” So, Paul stood up, gestured with his hand and said, “Men of Israel, and you Gentiles who fear God, listen: The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people great during their stay as foreigners in the country of Egypt, and with uplifted arm He led them out of it.

  For a period of about forty years, He put up with them in the wilderness. After He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave His people their land as an inheritance. All this took about four hundred fifty years. (From the time the Lord had Joshua lead them across the Jordan river.) After this He gave them judges through the time of Samuel the prophet.” Remember Jesus led a stubborn people, forty years through Moses then commissioned Joshua.)

   (Acts 13:21-23; Afterward, desiring to be like the gentiles, they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. After removing him, God raised up David their king. Testifying about him: ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after My heart, who will accomplish everything I want him to do.’  From the descendants of this man God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, just as He promised.”

   Read the Psalms prayerfully and thoughtfully, discover David’s worshipful praise to the God of Israel, how he dwelt with his enemies and served Israel.  Descendent Jesus was prophesied to fulfill all the Father’s promises through Abraham. (Isaiah 9:6-7; For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called: Amazing Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His dominion will be vast and He will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this.) 

  After David and Solomon arose evil kings and some falsely claimed to be prophets. (Jeremiah 29:16-23; But just listen to what the LORD has to say about the king who occupies David’s throne and all your fellow countrymen who are still living in this city of Jerusalem and were not carried off into exile with you. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says, ‘I will bring war, starvation, and disease on them. I will treat them like figs that are so rotten they cannot be eaten. I will chase after them with war, starvation, and disease. I will make all the kingdoms of the earth horrified at what happens to them. I will make them examples of those who are cursed, objects of horror, hissing scorn, and ridicule among all the nations where I exile them.

   For they have not paid attention to what I said to them through my servants the prophets whom I sent to them over and over again,’ says the LORD. ‘And you exiles have not paid any attention to them either,’ says the LORD. ‘So pay attention to the LORD’s message, all you exiles whom I have sent to Babylon from Jerusalem.’ “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel also has something to say about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you and claiming my authority to do so. ‘I will hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and he will execute them before your very eyes. And all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon will use them as examples when they put a curse on anyone. They will say, “May the LORD treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab whom the king of Babylon roasted to death in the fire!” This will happen to them because they have done what is shameful in Israel. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have spoken lies while claiming my authority. They have spoken words that I did not command them to speak. I know what they have done. I have been a witness to it,’ says the LORD.”)

   Shemaiah the Nehelamite pretended to be a prophet, following is God’s reprehend. (Jer 29:25-32; Tell him, ‘On your own initiative you sent a letter to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah and to all the other priests and to all the people in Jerusalem. In your letter you said to Zephaniah, “The LORD has made you priest in place of Jehoiada. He has put you in charge in the LORD’s temple of controlling any lunatic who pretends to be a prophet. And it is your duty to put any such person in the stocks with an iron collar around his neck. You should have reprimanded Jeremiah from Anathoth who is pretending to be a prophet among you! For he has even sent a message to us here in Babylon. He wrote and told us, “You will be there a long time. Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce.”’” 

  Zephaniah the priest read that letter to the prophet Jeremiah. Then the LORD’s message came to Jeremiah. “Send a message to all the exiles in Babylon. Tell them, ‘The LORD has spoken about Shemaiah the Nehelamite. “Shemaiah has spoken to you as a prophet even though I did not send him. He is making you trust in a lie. Because he has done this,” the LORD says, “I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his whole family. There will not be any of them left to experience the good things that I will do for my people. I, the LORD, affirm it! For he counseled rebellion against the LORD.”’”)  

    There are many Shemaiah the Nehelamites speaking today, they’ll have their day when Judged.

To: 38,428 subscribers we pray God is making Temples of His spirit. 8/13/22, God’s 6^th month, Av 16, 5,782

 The good news about Jesus and the kingdom of God was foretold by Enoch according to Jude. (Jude 1:14-19; Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, even prophesied of them, saying, “Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment on all, and to convict every person of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds that they have committed, and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.) AND (Deut 18:15-19; “The Lord your God will raise up for you ’Israelites’ a prophet like me ‘Moses’ from among you – from your fellow Israelites; you must listen to Him. This accords with what happened at Horeb in the day of the assembly. You asked the Lord your God: “Please do not make us hear the voice of the Lord our God any more or see this great fire any more lest we die.” The Lord then said to me, “What they have said is good. I will raise up a prophet like you for them from among their fellow Israelites. I will put My words in His mouth and He will speak to them whatever I command. I will personally hold responsible anyone who then pays no attention to the words that prophet speaks in My name.)

  It was our Lord God ‘Jesus’ who had Moses tell Israel: (Exodus 19:4-19; ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I lifted you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. And now, if you will diligently listen to Me and keep My covenant, then you will be My special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine, and you will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites. Israelites answered together, “All that the Lord has commanded we will do!” So Moses brought the words of the people back to the Lord.)

   The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and so they’ll always believe in you.” And Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow make them wash their clothes and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. You must set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves not to go up on the mountain nor touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death! No hand will touch him – but he will surely be stoned or shot through, whether a beast or a human being; he must not live.’

  When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they may go up on the mountain.” Now Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a great furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. When the sound of the horn grew louder and louder, Moses was speaking, and God was answering him with a voice.”) 

   A thousand or so years after the covenant of commandments was given, the same Lord God proclaimed through John the Baptist, Jesus Himself and apostles.

  (Acts 13:24-41; Before Jesus arrived, John had proclaimed a baptism for repentance to all the people of Israel. But while John was completing his mission, he said repeatedly, ‘What do you think I am? I am not He, but look; One is coming after me. I am not worthy, to untie the sandals on His feet! Brothers, descendants of Abraham’s family, and those Gentiles among you who fear God, the message of this salvation has been sent to us. For the people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Him, and they fulfilled the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemning Him. Though they found no basis for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. When they had accomplished everything that was written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and placed Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead, and for many days He appeared to those who had accompanied Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These are now His witnesses to the people. And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors, that this promise God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son; today I have fathered you.’ But regarding the fact that He has raised Jesus from the dead, never again to be in a state of decay, God has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and trustworthy promises made to David.’) (Quote from Isaiah 55:3” (You are my son, ‘today I have fathered you’ is a Quote from Psalms 2:7, A promise of what the ultimate Davidic heir would be. For the English reader, ‘I have fathered’ makes clearer than ‘begetting.’)

   Therefore He also says in another psalm, ‘You will not permit your Holy One to experience decay.’ (Quote from Psalms 16:10) For David, after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, died, was buried with his ancestors, and experienced decay, but the One whom God raised up did not experience decay. Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers, that through this One forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by this One everyone who believes is justified from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify you. Watch out, then, that what is spoken about by the prophets does not happen to you: ‘Look, you scoffers; be amazed and perish! For I am doing a work in your days, a work you would never believe, even if someone tells you.’”) Quote from Habakkuk 1:5-7; defines the Babylon nation and its system that’s now world wide. The system of people doing what seems right to themselves.

   (Habakkuk 1:5-7; “Look ’Israel’ at the nations and pay attention! You will be shocked and amazed! For I will do something in your lifetime that you will not believe even though you are forewarned. Look, I am about to empower the Babylonians, that ruthless and greedy nation - people. They sweep across the surface of the earth, seizing dwelling places that do not belong to them. They are frightening and terrifying; they decide for themselves what is right.”

  The irony in Paul’s message is “even if someone tells you” is that he’s now telling us that unbelievers, “face the peril of being scoffers” God is going to judge. (A parallel from Habakkuk and Paul is that Spiritual Israelites failed to see how Babylon’s system was rising to worldwide power, means perilous times and judgment for those sucked in by it. It is the system we live in today.

The apostle’s letters to is also Jesus’ good news.

  (Acts 13:42-43; “As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people were urging them to speak about these things on the next Sabbath. When the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and were persuading them to continue in the grace of God.”) (Believing in is gifted to the called by grace. Reading and saying words, don’t make one a believer in the message, discernment is a spiritual gift.)

  (Acts 13:44-52; “On the next Sabbath almost the whole city assembled together to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they began to contradict what Paul was saying by reviling him. Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously, “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you. (Israelites) first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”) 

   (Paul is alluding to the servant’s language at Isaiah 42:6 & 49:6.) When the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice and praise the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed, for eternal life believed.”) (Appointed means ‘Predestined for eternal life’ and these had no problem with God’s commandments, nor His being all knowing, because the love of God was imputed to their minds.

  (Acts 13:49-52; So the word of the Lord was spreading through the entire region. But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their region. So, after they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them, they went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and with the  Spirit.)

  Jealously is a bad thing and prominent people normally think themselves above God’s pre-selecting and it is importance to people’s fleshy nature. (If God allowed His truth to magnify among today’s populous, to the degree that they’d leave organized religion, our lives would be in danger.)

  (Acts 14:1-7; “The same thing happened in Iconium when Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large group of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So, they stayed there for a considerable time, speaking out courageously for the Lord, who testified to the message of His grace, granting miraculous signs and wonders to be performed through their hands. But the population of the city was divided; some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. When both the Gentiles and the Jews (together with their rulers) made an attempt to mistreat them and stone them, Paul and Barnabas learned about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region. There they continued to proclaim the good news.”)

To: 38,277 subscribers we pray God is making Temples of His spirit. 8/10/22, God’s 6^th month, Av 13, 5,782.

We can’t improve on Jesus’ inspired teachings through His apostles. Jesus’ apostle Paul was inspired to define God’s love. (See 1Cor 13) May we accept, seek and apply His Loving principles to ourselves. Doing this honestly requires Holy Spirit guidance. Without this guidance, words roll off our tongues in fleshly mode from as our inherited (get way) nature desires. If our inherited from Adam nature isn’t miraculously altered God’s promised result is “eternal death. However, thankfully, God the Father through God the Son (Jesus) calls a people of His choice to repentance, changes their inherited fleshly nature to a new spiritual nature, one He refers to as “born again.”

   It begins with God the Father’s calling, revealing His Son Jesus and Himself through His Son. Revealing our self-serving nature as the “get way” and its ultimate result. This gifted belief leads to one’s desire to be At-One with God the Father and God the Son.

   Jesus who had eternal life with His Father and created all things, willingly became the prophesied Lamb of God, who’d shed His innocent blood for the remission of sins. Through His being spiritually begotten in the womb of a virgin Jesus inherited immortality in the flesh. From birth Jesus was also “born from above” “born again” or “fathering”. Jesus calls such spiritual recipients of the Spirit brethren, explaining how it come about to Nicodemus.

   (John 3:5-8; Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 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.’ 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.)

   A like conversion was, gifted to Paul while in route to Damascus. Jesus inspired doctor, Luke’s writing in the gospel account titled, “Luke” and “Acts of the Apostles.” Dr. Luke was primarily a traveling companion of Peter and Paul. He tells of Jesus’ resurrection, appearances, ascension and then Pentecost when Peter explains what people were seeing and experiencing on that third annual Holy Sabbath. That Pentecost was a partial fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy through His prophet Joel. That particular, Pentecost marks the birth date of Jesus’ New Covenant Church, a people who’d be “spiritual Israelites.” God’s chosen by promise a people, desiring to be At-One with Jesus and God the Father.

   Acts Chapter 7 is about persecutions, Believers IN Jesus being scattered, deacon Stephen’s sermon and his murder. Saul whose name, was changed to Paul was there condoning the murder. Acts 10: is about Peter’s being called to visit the home of a gentile, (Cornelius by name) about that family’s conversion and Peter selling the Jerusalem Church of God on the fact that, “God also calls out gentiles for His purpose and gifting with eternal life as to Israelites.”

   Under authority of Judaism’s High Priest, Pharisee Paul was arresting followers of Jesus, ‘while in route to Damascus to arrest more, Luke records.’ (Acts 9:1-22; Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats to murder the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, either men or women he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

   (Acts 9:3-16; As he was going along, approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” So, he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! But stand up and enter the city and you will, be told what you must do.” (Now the men who were traveling with him stood there speechless, because they heard the voice but saw no one.) So, Saul got up from the ground, although his eyes were open, he could see nothing. Leading him by the hand, his companions brought him into Damascus. For three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank anything.”

   “Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias,” and he replied, “Here I am, Lord.” Then the Lord told him, “Get up and go to the street called ‘Straight,’ and at Judas’ house look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and placed his hands, on him so that he may see again.” But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard, from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to Your Saints in Jerusalem, and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call on Your name!” But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before Gentiles, kings, and the people of Israel. For I will show him how much, he must suffer for the sake of My name.”)

   (Acts 9:17-22; So, Ananias departed and entered the house, placed his hands on Saul, and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was, baptized; after taking some food, his strength returned. For, several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This man is the Son of God.” All who heard him were amazed and were saying, “Is this not the man who in Jerusalem was ravaging those who call on this name, and who had come here to bring them as prisoners to the chief priests?” But Saul became more and more, capable and was causing consternation among the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.”) 

   As with each person, particularly, those whose names are written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life” God knows each better than they know themselves. Paul’s lawlessness against Jesus’ Way people was bad, but “Jesus saw a moldable chosen instrument.” The remaining “Acts of the Apostles” chapters are mostly about Jesus’ gifted nature at work in His apostle Paul. Paul soon began realizing what he must suffer for having Jesus’ nature gifted to him and how disrupting people way of living was dangerous.

   (Acts 9:23-25; Now after some days had passed, the Jews plotted together to kill him, but Saul learned of their plot against him. They were also watching the city gates day and night so that they could kill him. But the disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall by lowering him in a basket.) (Followers of Jesus naturally have a loving and protective nature toward one another.)

   (Acts 9:26-30; When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted to associate with the disciples and they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he was a disciple. But, (apostle) Barnabas took Saul, brought him to the apostles and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. So, he was staying with them, associating openly with them in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. He was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were trying to kill him. When the brothers found out about this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.)

   As Paul communed with these apostles, they discerned through his gifted message that he was spirit led. Mature Believers IN, are gifted with a like insight. (Acts 9:31; Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced peace and thus was strengthened, living in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church increased in numbers.)

   (Within about 40 years Jude was compelled to write about the apostasy he saw taking place, “a renunciation of the faith that’s now worldwide.” Soon afterward, believers IN were forced to flee from persecutions. The rest of chapter 9 is about Peter’s travels, Jesus healing Aeneas through Peter, people of Lydda and Sharon turning to the Lord, and Peter going to Joppa where, “Tabitha - Dorcas” had died, about Jesus resurrecting her to physical life through Peter.) See Acts 9:43. “So Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a  man named Simon, a tanner.”)