The Message of My Soul

Chapter 1 – Forgetting Those Things Which are Behind

It appears to me at least, that for me, it is undeniable - the keyboard and I were made for each other. I'm thinking I may have a touch of a compulsive disorder that causes my mind to be filled with so much that I struggle to keep focus when speaking. I have always been in awe of those with great communication skills, and I have always wished I could be a good communicator. Although a personal observation over the years has been that too many that talk too much are just empty barrels. Lots of noise with little substance.

If I have to struggle to learn to communicate I at least want to be substantial enough to make it worth my efforts. But alas, that has yet to be my reality. I pray daily for the Lord to loosen my tongue, yet I must accept that He knows better. It would be too easy for me to get in trouble if I ever became outspoken. Being a truth-teller does get people in trouble if there are no filters. Truth that heals must be tempered with wisdom and love. So, for now, I must remain restrained and humble before my Lord, hoping He sees fit to temper me with the right stuff.

However, despite my personal shortcomings, Jesus has been incredibly generous in showing me things. My relationship with Jesus and the response to the lessons He teaches me have all along been more of confusion on my part. Not because of the subject and information He shares with me; those things I can understand. My issue has always been, "Why are you telling me?" Since 1980 when I was found of Him, that same question has been a persistent thorn, always reminding me of what I am not, chiefly a good verbal communicator. It has been a wrestling match between me knowing what I am not and Jesus insisting on stuffing me with revelations and knowledge. In my frustration, all I could do was look into Heaven and tell Jesus, "If your goal is to keep this information hidden and secret, then yes, you chose the right vessel. My blessed wife knows all too well how difficult it is to pry even the most normal, everyday conversations out of me. It is kind of freaky how much of a vault I can be. God bless my wife, because she loves me anyway. And thank you, Jesus, because He loves me anyway.

All these many years, my life and what to do with it has been a balancing act. I have a heart that is willing, but a mouth that is not always. I am by nature more of a doer and have always done much better at endeavors that involve less talking. Yet, being a Kingdom-minded individual on the other hand compels me to be a communicator. So, this balancing act has been the challenge of my life. These days, I'm finding that, at least, chronicling my thoughts into written form by parking myself in front of a keyboard and focusing and training my mind to find the right words to express the messages I find in scripture, offers me the opportunity to crack the vault open just a little bit wider. Bear with me as I chronicle my journey and share my thoughts.

At the time of crucifixion the disciples were at a loss as they saw the One they left all to follow taken away and killed. Now, devastatingly, they had no one to follow. Even after the resurrection, Jesus only appeared to them on occasion and for the most part they still had to wrestle with thoughts of being on their own and alone again. After being faithful followers for 3 1/2 years, now they were dealing with life without a physical Jesus to follow. For 3 1/2 years they followed, Jesus made all the decisions and provided for their needs. Jesus told them where to go and what to do. When they surrendered all to become followers, they literally became followers and relinquished personal decision making.

At this point after the crucifixion the disciples were at a place of uncertainty. Here is the issue, how many times did Jesus tell them, I'm going to be taken away and killed? If their ears were tuned into what Jesus was telling them they might have begun asking the right questions. The right questions would have gotten the right answers. The answers would have been a source of light to provide them with the certainty they needed during those days.

So we see that they were dealing with trauma and uncertainty because their ears were not opened to everything Jesus was telling them. Fortunately God is faithful to His purposes and He continues to work with us regardless, but there is a lesson to be learned - keep your ears opened and have a heart that is willing to receive - even the hard, unacceptable words. For we live by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.

If I was going to summarize that three and a half year journey up to the point of the crucifixion I would say that the twelve all had a preset mindset with notions of all the things Messiah was supposed to do. The mindset and notions came from what they have always been taught based of course on the scriptures that said Messiah was going to destroy the enemies of Israel and restore Israel's glory.

And now here He was The Messiah doing mighty wonders amongst them. In their mind He was God and well, uh, God can't die, and the journey wasn't supposed to end at a cross and tomb. So the words were coming out of Jesus' mouth but because the twelve had a preset mindset, that mindset did not allow Jesus' words of his death any place in their theology. When it came to that subject their hearts were stone and the stone heart is what caused them to have to go through the current ordeals and trauma

Those post resurrection days were a time when Jesus tweaked on their theology and in essence it boils down to coming to terms that it is not what we say or they say or I say or even what current accepted theology says, all that matters is what the Living Word is saying right now. Man lives by every Word that comes forth out of the mouth of God. Period.

At this point after the resurrection even though they knew Jesus was alive, the dilemma they faced was that they could not follow Him to wherever He went when He was not with them. All they could do is chill and wait in anticipation for His next appearance. It is difficult to imagine the emotional complexity of this situation for the disciples and I'll leave it to your imagination to figure out what that must have been like.

They had to learn to transition from always being able to follow a physical and visible Jesus as they were accustomed to. To only being able to follow by adhering to the teachings and instructions already given. And so the pattern was ordained for all of us who would ever become followers of Jesus. Take note that God's ordained patterns are also promises that we lay hold on. From the ascension forward we all have to learn to follow by adhering to the instructions already given, then beyond and in addition there are those time when we follow by obeying the nudges of the Holy Spirit.

You see it is the nudges of the Holy Spirit that opens us up to the new things that God is wanting to do. This transition to new unfamiliar territory I could imagine was an uncomfortable time and in the minds of the disciples, all they could think to do was to pass their time by going back and do the things they did before Jesus entered into their lives. For them they went fishing. They went back and picked up what they were comfortable doing. In certain ways this is how I identify personally. I love Jesus enough to know He is Lord of my life and have always eagerly put my life into the hands of the men of God He has placed me under. But my overstuffed vault has always made me feel like there was more for me to do besides the things I felt comfortable with. Yet to my trusty nets I have not wandered far.

Peter was a fisherman relying on his net for his livelihood, until Jesus called him to a greater purpose. Likewise, my mentality was that no one was interested in hearing from someone who wasn't eloquent in some way - until I opened myself up to the possibilities before me which was to write things down. More naturally I'm a doer, a craftsman. God has given me a pair of hands that do and build. I build things and do things that most people would never even attempt to try. I've just got this mental thing going on.

At one point in life, I was doing floor waxing and office cleaning. I went to give an estimate to a company that wanted me to strip and re-wax the floors in a 30,000-square-foot facility. That was a huge job for me at the time, and the floors were in really bad shape. Looking at the condition of the floors, I asked the gentleman who was showing me around, "Have you ever had these floors professionally maintained?" I had brought my wife with me to the estimate and when she heard me ask the question, she nearly busted out laughing because she knew my entire company was just me and her--just two people--and now here we were, the professionals who had come to professionally maintain their 30,000 square feet of floors.

So, yes, I do have this mental thing that does not see the impossibility of daunting tasks, as long as it involves my hands. Throughout my lifetime, I have taken on projects around the house, and my wife is always asking me, "Are you sure you can do that?" My response is always, "Yes, I can do that," not necessarily based on experience, but based on this thing in my head. If I can visualize it and see it in my head, then I know my head can communicate with my hands, and that project is as good as done. That is my source of confidence.

Now, kingdom work is full of impossibilities and challenges, and my personal challenge is: how do I put what I am, both my shortcomings and my talents, to work for the betterment of the kingdom? For the doer part of me, where I feel more confident, I make myself available to do good to all who ask of me. In that side, there is a long history of being willing to do good. If that alone was my whole story, I might be able to rest myself.

On my weaker side, as a communicator, I find myself conflicted between the abundance of God's word, which needs and deserves communicating, and my mental thing that just does not want to talk. BOOM! This is my wrestling match with my Maker. Kingdom work can only prosper when all natural inclinations are either abandoned or fully submitted into God's hand, and that is an extremely uncomfortable place to be. Peter had his fishing nets and a braggadocios temperament that needed to be abandoned in order to become the effective kingdom worker Jesus called him to be. I see in Peter a path that led him to become the great servant he was. That path is now my path, where all of me—both good and not so good—find a place of usefulness in the kingdom. To that end I will park myself and chronicle away, if it won't come out of my mouth then I will make it come out of my fingers.

The Path

Peter desperately needed a boost in confidence, an affirmation of his worth, a confirmation of his place in Jesus' ministry, and a commission to continue on in Jesus' name. Peter needed his "Do you love me more than these" encounter with Jesus to break free from the shackles of his failure and cowardice after his dismal display at Jesus' arrest and trial. For weeks after Jesus' arrest and crucifixion, Peter was all too aware of his own cowardice and failings. His ego and self-image had been shattered. Could Jesus ever want or use a Jesus-denying coward on His team? I'm sure the devil taunted him with this, playing it over and over again in his mind. Peter needed to break that record by experiencing Jesus' love and forgiveness in order to be released from the chains of his fear and guilt. Only then could he move forward as an agent of Jesus' mission and become the powerful leader Jesus ordained him to be.

Did you know Jesus knew before He died not only would Peter deny Him but also that all the disciples would make the decision to go back fishing? So even after the denial and returning to a former lifestyle - Jesus still said I'm going to come and find you. This is a prime example of Jesus reading from the back of the book while the disciples were still stuck on page one.

It's a real issue, Jesus tells us so much but we hardly listen, yet the reason why He tells us anything in the first place is to get us to pay attention. If the disciples paid attention they would have sought the answers and their transition to become doers without needing to have a physical Jesus could have gone much smoother than it did. If they tuned in to the words saying Jesus was going to die then they would have also heard the words, I will be raised again. If they received those words and believed them, in my mind instead of hiding in fear there would be absolutely nothing that could have prevented them from keeping watch at the tomb. Jesus' own resurrection would be something to see!

They would have seen the very worst man could do in killing Jesus, but if they believed Jesus' word then they would have had front row seats to what God can do. Alas we know that story is different and the disciples had to learn via the path they chose. Nonetheless Jesus works with us and we will learn one way or the other. And what do we need to learn? We need to hear every word that comes out of the mouth of God and we must learn to trust in the Spiritual presence which is eternal and everywhere, and not only a physical presence which is only here and now.

Jesus reading from the back of the book

Mat 26:31-33 KJV Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. (32) But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. (33) Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

Hmmm. Look at the situation. Look at what Jesus was working with. Jesus is quoting scripture and is interpreting the meaning. The shepherd will be smitten, or Jesus will be killed and the sheep will be scattered abroad, or the disciples will be offended. Then Jesus adds He will rise again. What does Peter do? In effect Peter says Nope, I don't think so.

So what's happening here? Jesus is validating scripture and Peter is attempting to invalidate the same scripture. Wow. Talk about not hearing. You see not hearing is in fact an attempt to invalidate what is being said. This is what Jesus was working with and this was Peter's history that tended to repeats itself. Was there another conversation between Peter and Jesus where Peter says Nope, I don't think so? Well actually yes, there were several times where Peter expressed a contrary opinion. I'll get right to the point, we can ignore all we want but there is absolutely nothing that can invalidate God's word and His purposes. Ignoring only sets you up for a harder path towards learning your lesson. Moving on...

Mat 16:21-23 KJV From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. (22) Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. (23) But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

"Get thee behind me, Satan" Hmmm. Seems like Peter needed to be scrubbed and scoured from the inclination of putting his plans ahead of Jesus' plans. Were Jesus' plans in accord with scripture? Yes. Was Peter's viewpoint lined up with the same scripture or was Peter hearing "Thou shall surely not die." Hmmm... Was Peter following Jesus or was Peter following Satan?

This is heavy stuff going on here. Especially because just several verses prior in this same chapter Jesus was calling Simon Peter "blessed" and handing over the keys to the kingdom. This is just a very clear demonstration of how flesh and carnal thinking can get us into trouble fast.

So which is it a blessed Simon Peter? or a Satanic Simon Peter? Well the bottom line is: What is the contents of your heart? Our hearts are vessels that can believe, hold and store truth as well as untruth. Peter's path reveals what it takes to become a vessel sanctified for truth alone. Not to isolate Peter alone but notice Jesus said"Ye all shall be offended because of me this night." All twelve were going to have to resolve within themselves the same questions and issues. We (speaking for the disciples) abandoned our former lives to follow a physical Jesus and now Jesus is gone, What do we do now? Peter is singled out only because he is the mouthy one who will blurt out what all the others were only thinking. Every single individual ever who has chosen to follow Jesus comes to a place where they are questioning, What do we do now?

Is there something we can all learn here? Well, moving forward we find there is a pre-crucifixion Peter with the inclinations to be mouthy and bossy enough to think it's ok to rebuke even Jesus. This Peter, Jesus called Satan. No, I would not think that was a good moment for Peter. That aspect of Peter's character certainly needed some modification.

So now we fast forward to a post-resurrection Peter who is now completely disillusioned with himself and totally broken from being the open mouth insert foot type of guy. At this point the best idea to come out of his head was to go back to his nets, back to Galilee where he started. Back to the very same place where Jesus found him in the first place. Jesus found Peter, aka Simon at that time, at his nets after a long night of catching nothing. Jesus shows up asks Simon to cast in the nets one more time, and low and behold more fish show up than what could ever be imagined. At that time Jesus made the promise to Simon to make him a fisher of men. Here is the account:

Luk 5:4-8 KJV Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. (5) And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. (6) And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. (7) And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. (8) When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

This similar divine encounter between Jesus and Peter occurs twice: here in this passage recording the beginning of Peter's walk with Jesus, and again later, after the resurrection, in Galilee, where Jesus said he was going to come find them.

There, once again, Jesus has to reaffirm and confirm Peter's role in the kingdom. Both passages just happen to mention the condition of the nets. Here, it mentions that there were so many fish that the nets ended up breaking. While the encounter with the resurrected Lord states that, even after catching another large catch, the net remained unbroken. In my mind, this distinction underscores and highlights a truth.

In situation (1) at the beginning, Jesus was dealing with men who were full of natural beliefs and human tendencies, and as long as we hold onto our personal human inclinations, the net around us is unsecured and subject to failure. In situation (2) after Peter's denials and dismal failure, Jesus still went looking for him to secure Peter into a permanent, unbreakable position in the Kingdom. So, in my mind, here the nets represent the fact that we all are being carried towards Jesus.

Net #1 represents human beliefs, abilities and intentions, and as long as we remain bound in the net of our personal beliefs, abilities and intentions, and remain unyielding to the things of God, then that net can yield and our journey will be unsecured. Net #2 represents God's will and abilities. If we do yield and become the persons God wants us to be, and know the things God wants us to know, then net #2 becomes divine and impossible to break. Then, our eternal purposes and future is permanently secured and safe.

This was the path Peter had to walk. This path, as mentioned in the introduction, is our assigned place of safety. Our assigned place of safety is walking in the light of knowing what Jesus knows; this is our journey in the unbreakable net.

So, here at the very beginning of Simon Peter's journey, we have a man with enough faith to be able to say, "Nevertheless, at thy word I will," and enough humility to say, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man." Only Jesus did not depart but rather He put Simon on a transformational journey in which that "sinful man" was going to be dealt with.

So, at the very beginning, Peter had the right faith and the right self-image. Peter's journey represents every man's journey. We all begin by accepting God as sovereign and confessing our sinful nature. However, just as Peter needed to undergo modifications, we all too need to subject ourselves to modification in order to find fulfillment. Starting and finishing is a project God Himself undertakes, and knowing Peter's journey gives me confidence that God not only starts, but also finishes.

This may all be very simplistic, but I don't go to Home Depot to buy a 2x4 just because I want a 2x4. I go buy a 2x4 because I see in my mind what I intend to make out of that 2x4. I start with the raw product only because I see in my mind the finished product. This is exactly how God operates. He starts with a raw product only because He envisions the finished product. Peter was a very raw product when Jesus called him with this promise:

Mat 4:19-20 KJV And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (20) And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

So, in the very beginning of Peter's journey, we get a glimpse of what Jesus saw: a man with the faith to obey, a man who knew he was a sinner, and a man with the willingness to leave his nets behind and follow Jesus. That was all good.

However, during the 3 1/2 year journey, we see the raw Peter, the one who was self-important enough to be willing to rebuke Jesus and say, "Not so, Lord." Hmmm... No, not so good. We can see clearly there were some human inclinations that needed to be dealt with. Well, time to break out the grill and cook out that raw flesh. Here, I must give Peter credit, because whatever transpired in his heart and mind after his denials and failure, he did not walk away from the whole thing.

At the very least, he still remained part of the twelve, and he stayed in the net. Which, again, I say the net represents God's ability to get you where you need to be. Fast forward again to our post-resurrection, Galilee experience.

History repeating itself with the calling of Peter and the disciples version 2

Joh 21:3-22 KJV Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. (4) But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. (5) Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. (6) And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

Meeting Jesus for the First Time, the Third Time

(7) Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. (8) And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. (9) As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

The way I am reading this is, after they caught the multitude of fish, they came to the realization that it was Jesus they were talking to. Peter had a guilty conscience and hid himself by jumping off the boat. Being the ship was too small for both the fish and the disciples, they rowed to shore, dragging a net full of fish in the water along with Peter. The ship reached the shore and the disciples got out first, still leaving the fish and Peter in the water. At this point, Jesus specifically asked to bring the fish ashore. Again, something in Peter's heart had the ability to hear and the willingness to obey. So, Peter, because he was the one still in the water with the fish, brought them to the feet of Jesus.

(10) Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. (11) Simon Peter went up, (out of the water) and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

Peter's example is a powerful example of why we should not disqualify ourselves after failing God; why it is important to always keep our ears and hearts open to hearing the voice of God. Here, in this passage, Peter tried to hide by jumping into the water, yet Peter once again hears the voice of the Lord and, once again, obeys by coming out of the water and bringing the fish with him. Why? Because it might just be getting through Peter's scull that there is no point in hiding from or arguing with the One who knows all things.

A new invitation is now given. Now, this is an interesting twist in the story. Jesus initiates a dialogue with the disciples; Jesus being on the shore and the disciples out on the boat. Jesus asks, "Children, do you have any meat?" To that question, the disciples respond, "No." Yet, we find, once they were all on the shore, Jesus already had a fire started and fish already cooking. Hmm... Remember, Jesus had already told them pre-crucifixion, "The sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad" and "I will go before you and meet you in Galilee."

I'm jumping ahead a bit and injecting a though. We know Jesus said "My meat is to do the will of the father." Jesus asked them that day "Do you have any meat?" because at that moment they were not doing God's will, they were doing their own will and this is what Jesus was going to correct on that shore that day.

Jesus was already waiting and already cooking. Jesus did not need the fish they just caught because those fish were just fish. Jesus had His own dinner cooking and that meal was a divine ordination into doing the eternal will of God, meat indeed!

Now, after Jesus had them all on shore before Him, He then gave an invitation to dine. Supper with Jesus is always a good idea! In this dinner, Jesus was re-gathering His scattered sheep and reconfirming their mission and finalizing their purpose as disciples committed to doing the will of God. Jesus gave them His meat- to do the will of God.

"Come and Dine"

(12) Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. (13) Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. (14) This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

You see, with the first original encounter with Jesus, it was Him casting His net and calling out His disciples and they came out and followed Him. Yet they still had their inclinations that needed to be dealt with, and while it may have been an ordeal to reveal those inclinations, it is our great comfort to know the net that represents God's intentions and abilities remains unbroken, and Jesus intends to get us to shore one way or another.

Yep, all of our "not so Lord" moments, all of our self-willed moments, all of our willfully not hearing what Jesus is saying moments, even all of our faithless self-doubting moments. Yep, nothing is going to break the net. It is not the net of God's abilities to get you to the other shore that will break - it can however be our willingness to remain in net #1, where we still operate with our raw human intellect, willfulness, and human abilities. We can see that net #1 gets you into a relationship as a follower. Fish were created to swim, and even while being inside the net, they have only one instinct which is to swim forward, where they can then eject themselves out of the net. They have no consciousness to understand the net is actually a place of safety, where Jesus now separates and designates, "these are mine," and it's not just the catching, but there is the cooking, where the raw is made palatable, that occurs after being caught.

Despite a group of disciples who were struggling to comprehend Jesus' assurance that he would never leave them nor forsake them, in his absence, they returned to their old lifestyles - yet, they were still found.

Even in their doubts and fears, Jesus was still able to draw them back in. He cast His net and they were pulled in. Although they were still tempted by their natural inclinations, Jesus still provided His safety net.

Through the Church, He catches us and brings us to Himself. It's a guarantee, no matter how uncomfortable or unwilling we are, He will still get us to the other side. He will take us from being raw products, to cooked and ready for consumption in a supernatural dinner - and commission us into the task of fishing for men. He will complete the job and reaffirm His commitment to us.

Now for Peter and the rest of the disciples they had to transition their lives and lifestyles from being fishers of fish to becoming fishers of men. The distinction is not only just a change from chasing fish to chasing men because that alone is all too natural if human intellect and abilities are the only resources.

Mankind is being chased, hunted and captured at will by all sorts of men and demons alike. The paramount distinction is becoming a follower who hears the voice of an invisible risen Lord who instructs cast your net here or there or just one more time. If following only involves human abilities then that net is subject to failure.

When following involves the enormity of God's abilities then nothing is impossible. This is exactly what we see throughout the book of Acts where the Apostles were led by the Spirit all across the known world to seek and save the lost. Sometimes we need to examine ourselves, how much natural vs how much supernatural is going into all our efforts as followers.

Getting back to this encounter on the shore with all the disciples Jesus confirmed He was not done with them, regardless of them all having been offended. He also reaffirmed that their jobs were just getting starting as supernatural followers version 2.0. As long as Jesus is determined to sit and sup with us - our faith and obedience can never be a wrong decision.

Rev 3:20-22 KJV Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (21) To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (22) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

The key is remaining in a place (net #2 the church) where we are exposed to hearing His voice. "What the Spirit saith to the churches" - the universal purpose of the church is as an instrument sounding out God's voice. The advice to the individual is to "hear" that voice. Regardless of where we are in our personal state, or the shame we feel because of that state, we must always keep that door open to hearing God's voice. That is our role as individuals - to hear His voice and open the door to Him.

This exact pattern was set from the beginning with Adam and Eve being called to come out of hiding. Yes, hearing His voice and us opening up to Him brings Him into communion with us. Being in communion and fellowship with Jesus is where our personal inclinations get dealt with, and or, where He shares knowledge and revelation and He makes promises so we can continue with hope. Communion and fellowship is the place that affords us an interaction and opportunity - not just between the sinner and the Saviour, but also between The Light and the light bearers. Between those with no meat, and Him who is meat. Taste and see!

In this present life, we will always be sinners - but our unique distinction is that unrepentant sinners are at war with God, while repentant sinners are at peace with God. Repentant sinners are sinners who hear the voice of God and do His will. The term "sinner" should only point back to what you were before your encounter with Jesus. Once you make peace with God, we look forward and our confession of faith should only be "Now are we the Sons of God."

1Jn 1:6-9 KJV If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Being at peace with God acknowledges not only what we were as sinners but also acknowledges God's sovereignty and purposes for us in our journey forward. Whether it is second time or the hundred thousandth time, it is during personal times of communion with Jesus that our "sinful man" will come up. Yes, those inclinations have to be dealt with and done away with but oh the promise! To be seated in the heavenlies with Him forever!

There is a difference between a sinful man that keeps on sinning; which in simple terms is a man that keeps the enmity or war raging, and a sinful man that puts down his weapons and raises the white flag. Raising the white flag lets you live another day and gets you brought into the custody of a sovereign God. More on this point latter.

Peter's one on one with Jesus on the path to overcoming

(15) So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. (16) He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (17) He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Did you catch it? Did you catch a glimpse of a different Peter? It says "Peter was grieved" You mean like the other times when Jesus said something Peter didn't like? But wait a minute, Peter didn't open his mouth! What? No more saying "Not so Lord" No more rebuking Jesus! No more mouthy Peter! I perceive some overcoming in the mouth department. But wait there is more!

Three times Jesus asks the same exact question and I can see how that can be irritating especially since Peter answered the question all three times. You see Jesus was asking a question but He continued asking until He got the right answer. Peter answered the question by responding "Yes, Lord you know I love you" Yet Jesus kept asking until He heard something else. What was that? "Lord, thou knowest all things" BINGO!!!! Presto changeo!

The real question Jesus wanted answered is if Peter finally came to the conclusion that Jesus knows all things (better than Peter and even better than we think we know all things) minus the inclination for any back talk. Peter had finally reached the point where he concluded, Don't argue with the One who knows all things. That is the transformational understanding where we finally begin receiving His meat to do His will.

Just exactly the same all believers must conclude in their hearts and mind it is impossible to win an argument with someone who knows all things, so stop objecting and arguing and just get on the same page with Jesus. That is the point when we can say we are walking in the light.

Herein is the struggle, the human mind wants to understand the why's and the how's and the when's and we want to have control over outcome. So, now, just some honest reflection and looking into our own hearts - this question needs to be asked, "How often do we willingly follow Jesus into places where we have absolutely no control over the outcome?" Yet, this right here is the absolute distinction that distinguishes between a net #1 natural walk with Jesus versus a net #2 supernatural walk with Jesus.

What we continually observe in scripture is the most powerful individuals are those who relinquish control of their lives. While the most troubled individual are those who keep doing their own thing. This is not easy territory to cover. Our human intellect thinks of salvation as very simply getting into heaven and for a vast majority that is our only goal. And to God's glory a vast majority of believers will indeed ultimately find themselves on that other shore. And yes, Jesus calls us and we can indeed follow that same Jesus we read about in the Gospels. And yes, we can follow and partake of many blessings on this journey. Yes, Jesus loves all of us.

But at the end of the day there will be rewards and eternal positions given to the saints with some having more and some having less all based on the question Jesus is asking of all of us "Do you love me more than these?"

The thing is this, every last professing Christian is going to say they love Jesus, just the same as Peter did on that shore that day. What Jesus really wants to know is what 'other things' also are on your list of things you love. Humans use the term love very loosely and we tend to love innumerable things. Those things are the "These" and nothing else should be loved more that we love Jesus.

For each of us we can only answer for ourselves as we fellowship and commune with Jesus. He alone is going to have to reveal the loves and inclinations that need to be prioritized. Do we love Jesus above all? Just a note, Paul had an inclination to be zealous which at first he used to persecute the church. Jesus then stepped in and used that particular inclination to then grow the Church.

So not all inclinations are evil, they just need to be directed usefully. A 2x4 is a 2x4 but that same 2x4 just needs to be cut to size and put in place to fulfill it's function. So for every last individual there will different set of specific "these" but all of us without exception must conclude that Jesus knows all things and that He alone also knows how to run this show. As a matter of fact the script for this show was written in eternity past.

Psa 139:15-16 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. (16) You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

It is clear that Jesus knows every aspect of our lives, from the words we will speak to the choices we will make. He knows our struggles and issues before we encounter them. Jesus already understands our entire life story, and it is up to us to come to the same conclusion and recognize that Jesus knows all. This point is 'THE' point that allows me to forget everything I ever was and see myself as God sees me.

Psa 139:17 How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

God has precious thoughts about YOU! If God has precious thoughts about us - Is He thinking what a wonderful mudball this is? Or is He thinking of the individual He has destined you to become?

Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

You see God is thinking about the end results, God is reading from the back of the book and if we align our thoughts and plans up with His thoughts and plans then:

Jer 29:12-14 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. (13) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (14) And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity...

My captivity in net #1 equals my natural self-centered , self-willed journey. Being set free from my captivity equals "I will be found" "And I will hearken unto you" where we will be given His meat already cooking on the shore. This is exactly what we saw play out in the conversion of Simon version 1.0 into Peter version 2.0.

Peter achieved God's expected end and the first 12 chapters of the Book of Acts is his legacy on earth and in Heaven we know his name is written into the very foundation of the New Jerusalem. An eternal legacy!!! "Whom He justifies, them He also glorifies."

My mind is exploding because only our God can find us in the mud pit and do all the works involved in justifying and then glorifying. In the bigger picture and grand scheme of things this journey of transformation exists just to prove the devil is a _________, I can think of plenty words but I'm not sure they are proper to express. Moving on.

Forgetting the natural

Php 3:10-14 KJV That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (13) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

I again repeat herein is the struggle, we want to understand the why's and the how's and the when's and we want to have control over outcome and how things get done. Overcoming happens when we can finally turn all that over to Jesus and just let Him be God, because He is the only who truly controls all things.

In the passage above, Paul is a very wordy writer and it takes a bit of sorting out but the gist here is we need to grasp that there is a reason and purpose why Jesus called, or in Paul's word apprehended us. We are apprehended when we raise the white flag and we then are taken into the custody of the authorities. Whatever God saw in us when He chose to apprehend us is what we need to, like Paul, devote all of our time and energy in pursuing.

Being made conformable

In Paul's case as mentioned he possessed a powerful zeal that needed to be channeled correctly, that was his path to conforming. In Peter's case, he needed to put some things behind him and now had to continue to press forth because the calling is not just the first day you come in contact with Jesus but includes the journey. Both Peter and Paul give us excellent examples of before, during and after lives in which we witness the transformation of being made conformable.

Peter knows that Jesus knows

Jesus continues His conversation with Peter and tells him the way it is and will be. When Peter was young he was self reliant and did as he pleased. At the end of his journey however that self will and self reliance will have been dealt with and Peter will finally have been made conformable to Jesus' death. Again, no more arguments or back talk from Peter. Except for one question.

(18) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. (19) This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. (20) Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? (21) Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? (22) Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

Peter cowered and hid at the time of the arrest of Jesus, John was right there the whole time and was at the foot of the cross never forsaking Jesus. John actually did what Peter only boasted about. This was on Peter's mind during the conversation with Jesus and it underscores an important point. We do NOT compare ourselves amongst ourselves. Peter was just handed his role in this whole thing as a strengthener of the brethren and feeder of the flock. What Jesus does with John is NOT part of Peter's business, that is Jesus' business.

A busy body is a person that insists on getting into everybody else's business. Being in everybody else's business is God's job. Please do not try doing God's job for Him. Your job is to wholeheartedly follow Jesus. A good lesson for all of us to learn, just follow Jesus wholeheartedly as Jesus deals with each of us and leave Jesus' role as molder and maker up to Him.

So it is apparent that it is a good thing I am not a loquacious speaker because I just wrote fifteen pages just to make the point that I am finished with asking God "Why are you telling me?" My overstuffed vault is officially opened. The time of the end has got me doing that for which I was apprehended. I am chronicling what Jesus has put into my heart onto paper. Perhaps the keyboard is my crutch but in the least what is in my heart will come out. From there it is all up to Him.

Blessed Lord hasten to that day when we all can affirm our love for you is greater than whatever it is that keeps us captive in the shadows of natural inclinations. Be faithful to your purpose to finish your great work in us. Thank you for being faithful. Our trust is in you alone.

Chapter 2 – New Beginnings

Our Journey of Apprehension definition #2
Definition of apprehension
1 : suspicion or fear especially of future evil: foreboding an atmosphere of nervous apprehension
2 : seizure by legal process: the arrest and apprehension of a criminal
3a : the act or power of perceiving or comprehending something
b : the result of apprehending something mentally: conception according to popular apprehension

Jesus arrests or apprehends criminals

All means all have sinned, and our level of self-importance should absolutely never be more than that. I am a sinner apprehended by the grace of God. I know God has great plans that eventually see us glorified, but being important and valuable to God is different than being self-important.

The difference being: are we going to be glorified by God or glorified by self? I'll leave that right there as self-evident. As long as you can comprehend that the term "saved" is in reality having been apprehended and brought into custody. Too many use the term saved as if we have instant access to the streets of gold. That would be nice, but that's not reality. Salvation simply means we raise the white flag and are not destroyed like those who refuse to surrender. Rather we are kept alive by the grace of God and brought into His custody, we become His, and yes that alone is a very good thing.

But while His we are sent to reform school and our time there is a lifelong process, regardless if the rest of your life is one second or one hundred years from your point of obeying the Gospel. The process was crystal clear in Peter's journey. The Biblical word for the process is sanctification. Sanctification is the process that God uses to transform us from our raw state into a "fit for the Master's use" state. Again, Peter's example is a perfect before-and-after snapshot that illustrates the changes that had to be made in Peter's life.

It is a great error in understanding to believe grace is a license to continue in sin with no changes in our lifestyle. Yes, He accepts us as we are, but He loves us enough to not want to leave us living in lifestyles that created all the current evils of this present world. Just in passing, I want to mention this: there are common activities, lifestyles, and choices that have the direct effect of perpetuating the business as usual of the Satanic control over this current world. Jesus came to destroy the workings of Satan, period. Us participating in the destruction of Satan's kingdom involves us no longer involving ourselves in all the things that give Satan power. Walking in the Light equals giving ourselves over to all the things that empower us and the Kingdom of God.

Chapter 3 – My Personal Apprehensions

Definition of apprehension

1 : suspicion or fear especially of future evil: foreboding an atmosphere of nervous apprehension

Just quickly, I want to touch again on my natural inclination to ask "Why are you telling me?" I do not want to beat a dead horse, but I find personally that I have to work at keeping that horse dead.

My natural inclinations - being reticent, withdrawn, private, all with a vault-like mouth - have been a lifelong battle for me. I have been following all along and gone and done everything I know to do, but there is another level of following that reveals my personal apprehension or fear. Jesus has put a lot of the Word into my heart and mind. I am studious and enjoy learning, but my learning causes me to see a place where I am no longer in control of my life, and boy does that horse want to get up and run.

These are my own personal "Do you love me more than these" issues that tell me that something has got to give, something has to "yield" if I can ever answer Jesus yes, "I love you more than these." This is a current issue that I have to continually work on in order to make it a past and done issue so I can move on as Peter did.

First level of following / Second level of following

Mar 10:17-20 KJV And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? (18) And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. (19) Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. (20) And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

Mat 19:20-21 KJV The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? (21) Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Mar 10:21-22) Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. (22) And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

Three of the Gospels record this event with minor variations on the account. In this story we have an individual running up to Jesus and asking what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. That's a pretty good question I think. He didn't ask for anything like a healing. He asked for a great thing and Jesus gave him a great answer "Keep the commandments."

The individual replying he has done so from his youth up. At that point Mark records that "Jesus beholding him loved him." The individual at that point could have accepted that answer and all could have been 100% OK. Jesus loves me and I'm doing the things I'm supposed to be doing, all good, eternal life here I come. But is that how the story ends? Hmmm, no not quite.

Here the accounts differ. Matthew the eye witness to the event records the individual asking another question, "All that I have done, What lack I yet?" Mark and Luke both second hand testimonials have Jesus continuing by offering "One thing you lack." Either way whether the question was asked, or Jesus went ahead and told him, the second level of following was revealed that takes us a step further even beyond eternal life. These are the kind of issues that will come up in our times of communion and fellowship with Jesus. In a nutshell it's all about levels of control.

1) Following Level one: Jesus loves me and I'm doing everything I know to do. Eternal life here I come.

2) Following Level two: "Sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me."

All following within covenant status is all good and will get you to heaven. The difference between one and two is 1) being in heaven, or 2) being in heaven and having a position and your own personal stash of great treasures.

If that individual chose to sell all his possessions that would have freed him up to answer a call to become follower along with the others. So sometimes asking questions leads to answers that reveal the limitations in our willingness to pay the price for how far we are willing to go in following.

The Treasures in Heaven

I chose the following passage because it highlights a specific group showing us that actions on earth translate into certain exclusive honors in Heaven that are earned by going the extra mile in following.

Rev 14:1,3-5 KJV And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. (3) And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. (4) These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. (5) And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

Remember Paul told us Jesus was THE firstfruit, James told us we are a type of firstfruits, plural more than one type. There is the first and then there is the rest.

Now here John tells us of the firstfruits who follow the Lamb where ever He goes (whether Jesus is visible or invisible) and are without fault before the throne of God. The perfect ones. Perfect meaning complete and whole. Notice they are numbered at 144,000. A relatively small number compared to the ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands that minister before the throne. These alone have certain exclusive rights, First to be able to learn the "New Song." Songs come from the heart and are an expression of a personal experience. Only these individuals who have partaken of some unique personal interrelationship with Jesus can go on to sing about that experience. Only Peter, James and John were on the mount of transfiguration and only they could ever share what that was like. Peter was the one and only human to ever walk on water which gives him a distinction that no other human can ever share. For the rest of us we can only say Wow.

Second, this group get to continue their earthly second level "Following Jesus" to an eternal right to always go where He goes. This is because in life they chose to always go wherever Jesus went and so now that level of obedience has earned them an eternal privilege. Now this group is numbered at a hundred forty four thousand and I liken them to the equivalent of David's mighty men. In this case they are Jesus' mighty ones. The scenario depicted in Revelations is that Jesus has arrived back on earth with these 144,000 as the front line troops to finally put and end to the devil and begin the Millennial Kingdom which will be another honor recorded for the eternal history books.

The point is that certain ones will receive certain privileges based on what I see as levels of following. We all follow, it's just that some follow a little better than others.

So Paul backed up this teaching of reward levels in Corinthians and Timothy.

2Ti 2:19-21 KJV Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (20) But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. (21) If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

1Co 3:11-15 KJV For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (12) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Precious gems are formed in the earth by great heat and pressure. Gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. So these are perfected by fire.

Wood, hay, and stubble would naturally not want to go anywhere near a fire, but a fire is coming to this whole world. That fire is going to cause a separation and "Loss" whether you like it or not. The raw Peter had to experience some of this fire to remove his inclination to say "Not so Lord." So what we see here is we as individuals are all following by building on the foundation of Jesus Christ - the first fruit - who was exalted through His learning obedience, even obedience to death. Speaking of Jesus:

Php 2:7-9 KJV But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (9) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Jesus, "the firstfruit", is the foundation upon whom our lives are to be patterned after. What we build on that foundation reveals our level of accuracy in mirroring His nature. Our humility and obedience have the function of separating us from everything that is not like Christ.

Paul brought out the reality that separation can be either voluntary or involuntary. Paul told Timothy "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." Paul also told us the fire is coming that will purge. So either we have a conscience that understands we are refined, purified, and perfected by a voluntary obedience and separation, or we hold on to the way we are as is and ultimately end up passing through the fires of trials and judgments.

So, ultimately, it breaks down to this: yielding voluntarily to our sanctification and purification equals gold, silver, and precious stones in the Master's hands. Not yielding voluntarily equals wood, still useful, hay, still useful, stubble, still useful, in the Master's hands, but the fire of purification process is going to be painful because nothing impure will ever enter eternity. The fire will come and force a separation, like it or not, and, yes, even ash has value.

Yielding equals greater value in the Master's hands, which equals greater rewards; not yielding equals lesser value in the Master's hands, which equals lesser privileges and rewards. The point of this discussion is that I am not the Judge nor the Purifier. I must yield as God deals with me, while at the same time I must make sure I do not disparage another individual in any way, shape, or form because we are all His in His house to do with as He pleases. This attitude I extend to all peoples, whether I think they are saved or not, because I am neither the Judge nor the Purifier. It is God's role to decide who receives honor or dishonor, or who is lost forever. As God is always good and rains on the just and unjust equally, so I choose to be as good as I can to all peoples.

So here is my perspective: Eternity is a very long time, and today we have choices that effect whether that eternity is spent with exclusive honors and privileges as a firstfruit, or we spend eternity as the rest of the fruits.

Isn't heaven, heaven? Or being in the presence of God, wonderful enough? Yes, of course. But, as humans, we all love exclusive rights and freedom, and choices, don't we? We all love having extra cash, don't we? Why? Because, on earth, that cash buys what we want. The more cash, the more of our dreams come true. However, what I am attempting to get across is that heaven has a different type of currency. Earthly currency buys earthly goods, and Heaven's currency will buy you heavenly rewards. Just like when traveling between nations, we can exchange currencies to do our business with; so even Jesus told that young man, "trade in your earthly goods, and then you will have all the heavenly treasures you could ever imagine."

So, given the opportunity to exercise choice (which would actually be the definition of freedom) would you voluntarily pick front row seats or nosebleed, upper balcony, need binocular seats? I know most will say, "I just want to be in the middle somewhere," and you shall have what you say.

My conscience knowledge makes me accountable to what I understand, so if God is offering me a choice, "If thou wilt be perfect," then I do not want to go away sorrowful, nor do I want to bury my talent, nor do I want to think the net will break and Jesus can't get me to the other shore. I want to believe, I want to have faith, I want to trust God's grace is sufficient, and I want to see the greater value in leaving the things of this world behind. Most of all, I want to hear "Well done." The only way we will hear "Well done" is if we have done well. All this requires that I relinquish all my apprehensions and control. So, to that end, I park myself in front of my keyboard and chronicle away.

Chapter 4 – Choices and Options, Legal and Illegal

Remember Lucifer? The Bible tells us he was perfect, and he had exclusive privileges; yet he wanted more. His problem was that he decided, on his own and to his own detriment, to take more than what God had already ordained for him.

This reveals that even spiritual creatures already in heaven and in the presence of God have wants. So having wants and needs and ambitions is the way God made us and in and of themselves is not bad. In Lucifer's case, he wanted to receive worship like God and he wanted to be a boss like God. He then chose actions to achieve his wants, and the rest has become a painful history that we need to learn from and not repeat. In a nutshell, he went off course because he believed his own lies.

The first lie is that he has the capacity to achieve any of his goals outside of the will of God.
The second lie is that "all wants" are legitimate and good.
The third lie is even with his list of wants that God was willfully withholding as a means to suppress and limit him.
The fourth lie is that the devil believes that God lies.
The fifth lie is that Satan continues to see himself as perfect and if he is not perfect it is because the God who created him is not perfect.
The sixth lie is that he believes God is not perfect and if God is not perfect then Satan who sees himself as being perfect is equally rightful in receiving worship and obeisance.

The only sort of rational and logical conclusion as to why the devil does what he does is that the devil believes and is banking on these lies to be true. He is betting the whole bankroll on what he believes and thinks is true: that he is perfect and God is not perfect, and that he has a legitimate shot at winning.

Otherwise the folly is clearly apparent even to a dim wit like me. The devil put his entire bankroll and his eternity on believing these lies are true. If the devil believes God is a liar, then he does not believe there is neither accountability nor a final judgment with a permanent separation from God. This is the one and only logical conclusion as to why he continues to march forward as fast as he can.

I fear God and do believe everything He says is true, and because of that respect, I put the brakes on, and if possible, I will put it in reverse if I find I am involved in any activity I know is going to get me in trouble. The fact that the devil has no brakes and no reverse tells me he does not believe God, and that he thinks he can actually win this war. Please be smarter than the devil.

Only in one way is the devil perfect - and that is that he is the perfect example of what not to do and believe. He has become the poster child of wanting and creating the justification for achieving those wants. In his case, he created lies that say God is not perfect, that God is withholding, and God is a liar, and therefore, he has the right to strike off on his own. It should be needless to say, but this is the illegal path to having wants fulfilled.

The fact that God gives us choices and options, that not only to get us into heaven, but these choices also get us into heaven either suffering loss (Paul uses the word "loss"; let's just say "less than what was expected") or with banked treasures This tells me God keeps the door open and gives us wiggle room for our personal inclinations. Consider the following:

1) Having choices and options equates with the privilege of freedom and liberty.
2) Exercising my choices and options is me exercising my freedom and liberty.
3) If God shows us the path towards eternal heavenly privilege and we choose not to follow that path or pay that price, it is not God's fault or failure if the reward is not what we were expecting.
4) If we ask "What more do I need?" and He tells us, don't go away sorrowful if we are not willing to pay that price.

Don't ask the question if you're not willing to be accountable to the answer. Don't go away, just back up one step and confess, "I don't think I can go that far and pay that price," just rejoice knowing Jesus still loves you. Pray that you be like the first son who, at first, said no to the father's request but later repented and ended up doing his father's will. Being reluctant was not held against him because he was able to think better of that decision later. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea give us examples of this type of following.. Notice:

Joh 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

Joh 12:42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees (but) they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

Joh 19:38-40 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. (39) And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. (40) Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Nicodemus was only mentioned by name twice in Scripture, but John also states that many chief rulers believed in Jesus, though they did not openly confess Him because they were unwilling to pay the price of being kicked out of synagogue. They were secret disciples, believers who only followed so far, not willing to face scorn.

Yet later we see Nicodemus and Joseph finally stepping up and, at the very least, they were sympathetic and contributed towards the burial of Jesus. What I am saying is that, even though we cannot find ourselves paying the full price, this alone does not disqualify you from at least being a friend to the cause. His love showed you a path, but it is still a choice and option that you are free to either take or decline. He is not sending you away. You can choose to be sorrowful and walk away, or you can choose to stay in the net and rejoice that Jesus will always love us.

Consider that Jesus chose Judas. Jesus called Judas "Friend" knowing full well the diabolical plans he set in motion. Jesus called Judas "Friend" at the very moment of betrayal. If Judas' ears were tuned into Jesus' words rather than Satan's influence, he could have at least remained as a friend and possibly even remained in the number of the twelve. Wasn't Paul a murderer? A persecutor of the church? Yet, Jesus was able to forgive, call, and elevate Paul nonetheless.

But Paul had to exercise his choices and receive that forgiveness and position. Don't you think Satan would have taunted Paul continuously? "You are a murderer! You put woman and children into prison. You were looking into Stephen's eyes as he was being stoned to death. You saw an angelic glow on his face, but you ignored it." Yes, it was hard for Paul to kick against the pricks.

Nonetheless, Jesus apprehended the scoundrel Saul and converted him to the Apostle Paul. I guarantee there were wrestling matches with his conscience, but at the end of the day, Paul had to receive the forgiveness from Jesus as well as forgive himself in order to put the past behind and move on towards the prize.

By Jesus calling Judas "Friend," he was holding the door open and implying all was not lost. As mentioned before, it is us that choose to open the door IF we hear Him knocking. It is imperative to stay in fellowship with Jesus regardless of shame or situation. Peter chose to continue hearing Jesus' voice in spite of his failure, in spite of the shame, and in spite of being naked at the time. Peter chose to continue to hear and obey, and that makes the difference because it all boils down to what Jesus really wants: people that will hear and obey even if they obey later rather than sooner.

Judas, however, chose to permanently disqualify himself and his course ended as a tragedy. Judas walked away from God; God did not walk away from Judas. Not God's fault. Falling is not failure until you choose not to get up again.

God does not withhold either forgiveness or grace, nor any good gift. All are abundant and available. It is up to us to exercise our freedom of access to these things wisely. For the most part, and admittedly, I think my writing is a way to cement and keep my relationship with God moving forward. I wrote it; I believe it; now I just have to live it. My knee is bent, and I remain hopeful that I will apprehend that for which I was apprehended. That is what I want.

What do you want?

We all have wants because that is how God made us. As a matter of fact, we are all insatiable, bottomless pits when it comes to wanting things. That alone is not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, because God's riches are equally unfathomable and beyond all measure, and we, God and us, balance each other out. Our never-ending wants and God's never-ending supply are a match made in heaven.

We are God's children, and what parent has children who never ask for anything? No parent ever! Wanting is the very core of our nature. The issue is learning to want the right things and possibly getting those things in the right way. And that, my friend, is the very core of this thing we call life. That is the ultimate test for all humanity and angels alike: learning to want the right things and choosing a legitimate path to gain those things, if it is in God's will.

If you have a want, Jesus said, "Ask, and ye shall receive." Now, God is not just a good parent; He is the perfect parent. If we have honest hearts and ask in faith, He is easily entreated. However, be aware that, in His wisdom, we may not get what we are asking for, and He may include instructions and stipulations; if this is what you want, then this is how you do it.

This is the example we have with the rich young ruler. It is normal, if we are asked to trade, we will eagerly trade if it is something we want or if we think we are trading up to our advantage. If we say no to a deal it is because at the moment we can't see the advantage. Being we are humans that tend to be a bit slow on the uptake it takes us time to grasp the value of things. Even God saying "No" has value because that is an expression of His love for you. Even if God says "No," what He has actually given you is His divine wisdom and protection. Thank you, Lord, for saving me from myself. God is good all the time. We need to learn to receive that goodness.

Well, all this tells me some things. First, in the case of the devil, if he had more respect he might have asked God, "How can I achieve more for myself?" The act of asking, in and of itself, is a form of humble submission. So, just the respectful submission could have gotten positive results. The conversation could have gone this way: "You want to be a boss? OK, why not? I appreciate your zeal and passion. You see that bunch of angels over there? They are not as industrious as you, why don't you show them how it's done? You want to be worshipped? Well, honor is given to whom honor is due and you will have to earn that level of respect, but let's just sit down and talk about this one for a while. If you want to be worshipped like I am worshipped, well, can you create anything out of nothing? Can you tell me the events of eternity future? Did you give life to all these multitudes of angels and other created creatures? Do you maintain and keep this whole universe working properly? Yes, you are very good at what you do and you have lots of potential. Yes, many of the angels do respect you. For all these things you deserve honor, but to be worshipped like I am worshipped you would have to be, on your own, capable of doing all the things that only I am capable of doing." If Lucifer might have asked, he might have been given some intelligent reasoning, at the very least. And, being given that intelligent reasoning, he would not have had to invent the lies needed to justify his choices. So the lesson here is in agreement with the Apostle James.

Jas 4:2-3 NLT You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. (3) And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong--you want only what will give you pleasure.

Lord Jesus, I ask right now, open our eyes and heal our hearts. Lord Jesus, talk to us and show us the errors of our human ways. Lord Jesus, teach us to be content with what we have; but if You offer us choices, give us the grace to pursue those choices for the glory of Your Kingdom. Thank You for being a loving and guiding Father who has already promised more than our minds can even comprehend. In our earthly state, we cannot even imagine the glory of all Your promises to us. In all humility, though, open our eyes to the prize set before us. There is a high calling, with treasures above and beyond the treasures already promised. In all humility, I ask: Let Your grace working in us make us the people You deserve. You rightfully deserve all adoration and worship, for You alone are the Eternal God, and to You alone we submit in all acts of goodness and righteous service, not because we are either good or righteous in ourselves, but because You are good and righteous, and You are calling us unto Yourself to be like You. Your Word says, “Ask,” and so we ask all in Jesus’ Name, believing You are able, and trusting in Your grace. Forgive us and deliver us from the darkness of this present world, and translate us into the Kingdom of Your Son, Jesus. We thank You for all, and desire You alone to receive all glory. Deliver us from vainglory and strife, and let Your love abound in the Church. We love You because You first loved us. For Your name’s sake, be zealous and keep not silent; speak and rebuke the enemy; rebuke all those who resist Your work and authority. For Zion’s sake, for the sake of Your Bride, the church, remember and be faithful to Your purposes, and please do all according to Your good pleasure. The brightness of Your coming will destroy all the works of the enemy. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Even though it is an undeniable fact that we are created with insatiable wants and needs, a need that should not be overlooked is having the right motives and having the right wants. Ask God for both in all humility and He will show you the right path to achieve both. God wants you to succeed.

The wrong path makes you The children of wrath

Eph 2:2-3 KJV Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (3) Among whom also we all had our conversation (lifestyles) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

All actions and activities have, let's just say, unintended consequences. You just want to enjoy yourself and that is an absolute right and privilege. However, in your quest to enjoy yourself, you indulge yourself in drinking hard liquor, as an example. At the moment, you may very well be having a great time; however, down the road someday, that liquor that you are enjoying right now is doing something else to your liver with fatal consequences. This sort of thing is just a fact of life. There is an enjoyable side and there is a hidden, sinister side to almost any and every activity. Finding balance and making choices that shun the sinister side as much as humanly possible is the wiser path. We absolutely have to eat in order to stay alive; fact of life, period - that's just the way it is. But, we do not have to eat the fats and sugars that end up doing more harm than good. This is why the Bible calls for moderation in all things. In all activities, moderation is wisdom.

The right way will lead to a glorious day!

Psa 37:4 KJV Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Psa 37:7 KJV Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him...

Psa 37:8-9 KJV Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. (9) For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Psa 37:11 KJV But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

The word "peace" above is the Hebrew word "shalom," which is much deeper in meaning than just tranquility, but certainly includes tranquility. The word "shalom" goes deeper to also include completeness, welfare, health, and prosperity. So, as David lets us know, the abundance of completeness, the abundance of your needs being met, the abundance of health, and the abundance of prosperity come through the path of waiting on the Lord in meekness. The word "wait" does not mean to endure a period of time until this or that happens. The literal translation of the word "wait" is to "twist," as in twisting individual strands in order to create a rope. The individual strands are twisted into and incorporated into a larger instrument, the rope.

So, waiting on God is when we actively incorporate ourselves into the larger purposes of God. Thereby we find completeness, fulfillment and abundance by incorporating ourselves into God's purposes. David also advises us to "forsake wrath." Paul tells us the children of wrath are those who delight themselves in the wicked desires of the flesh and mind, but goes on to teach...

Eph 2:17-19 KJV And (Jesus) came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. (18) For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (19) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

If we forsake the activities that lead to wrath, if we incorporate God into our lives as a means to fulfill our wants, if we fully accept God's answers and guidance, if we exchange our old habits for new habits, if we fully make the old habits a thing of "time past," then we are New Creatures adopted and incorporated into a new body, the Church, giving us full access as members of the household of God. God is our Daddy, and God ain't poor.

Now the question becomes, what child is going to be loved more: a child that has an obedient spirit and delights themselves in pleasing the parents, or the child that is self-willed and nothing but disobedient? I'm going to leave this here. Pray about it. David's path is the right path: incorporating ourselves into the larger purposes of God. Finding enjoyment and fulfillment in purer and cleaner activities allows us full access to all the blessings of God. God will be happy and pleased, and wrath (the sinister side) will be nowhere on our horizons or destinies.

Chapter 5 – My New Song

I'm changing gears here and digressing to a personal experience. If I were to mention the name "Frank Scarola," I promise you "Who?" would be your first thought. On the other hand, if you have been in Pentecost for a while and I mentioned "Billy Cole," there would be rightfully deserved, instantaneous recognition of the person responsible for world-wide evangelism that saw multitudes of thousands being filled with the Holy Ghost and /or miraculously healed. Billy Cole has since passed on to his reward, but during his day he was a giant on the missionary field whose contribution to the cause of Christ was monumental. So, what does Frank Scarola have to do with Billy Cole? Well, my journey was tied to his journey by a dream.

The year was 1996. Not a good time for me, as I had many financial struggles that eventually led to my decision to relocate my family from Long Island, NY, to South Florida in 1997. In NY, I was saved under the ministry of D.D. Davis and served in that church for 17 years before relocating. Very hard and heartbreaking describes the struggles of that day quite mildly.

The Dream

So, in 1996, I had a dream, very vivid and very clear. This dream had three elements contained in two parts. In the first part, I was witnessing a massive gathering. I was in a vast open field and, as far as the eye could see in every direction, there were innumerable large haystacks just piled everywhere. Also, in that same field, I could see innumerable multitudes of people all traveling in the same direction. The two elements in this first part are the haystacks, which represent the harvested wheat or churches everywhere. The gathering people is representative of the end-time hunger of people to want to know more about Jesus. Somehow, in my mind, I knew these people were all going to assemble and gather to hear a message. As I was watching all this, I felt awe in that I was witnessing the end-time revival and our final gathering just before the rapture. Then, in the second part of this same dream, I found myself in a church kitchen, specifically at the sink washing spinach that was part of a meal to be served to the church. The sink was positioned in front of a window and, as I was looking out the window, I saw an elderly man walking with a cane, coming up an incline towards the church.

As I was watching this man, I heard a voice telling me, "That is Brother Cole. He is going to be given a "last message" that will be preached at the last dinner. When this dinner is finished, then the church is going home."

So, the third element is the final message that actually is the dinner for the starving multitudes that will be gathering. As mentioned before, like the meal on the shore of Galilee, if God has a dinner prepared, that dinner is going to be meat to finalize and ordain our future purposes.

As mentioned at the time I was having financial issues. Pastor Davis was exceedingly good to me. He would give me jobs to do either at his home or at the church for which he would generously pay me in his attempt to help my issues, so we saw each other fairly frequently. On one of our meetings at the church we were in his office and I asked him if he knew a Brother Cole because I had a dream and I was told the person I saw was Brother Cole. I'm sure pastors must hear about dreams all the time, and I'm sure they are properly filed away someplace. But when I asked about Brother Cole his eyes got as big as dinner plates and seamed eager to hear more. At that time I had never personally heard of Billy Cole and it turns out Pastor Davis and Billy Cole were friends who both served on the missionary board. Well, dreams are one of those let's just wait and see kind of things so there was not much discussion. As it turned out it was not but a couple of months after this conversation that a missionary conference was being held at the Rev. Scotty Teets church in Queens, NY. Pastor Davis took me to that conference and who else just happened to be there? You got it! Billy Cole.

Well the service was of course missionary oriented and at the end, prayer and an altar call were called for. On the floor not 15 feet from me Brother Cole was praying and little old me felt I should go and tell him my dream, and I did. He listened as I spoke and was very humble in his response, "Please pray for me that God would give me the grace to do His will." Well, I'm sure my words were properly filed away someplace. I then returned to my seat and noticed Pastor Davis had been watching all this transpire. I don't remember but I don't think there was any conversation on the matter.

"The Promise of a Message coming"

So now, many years are passing and I see nothing coming to pass as I saw it in my dream, and so you know, this whole event gets filed away someplace properly. As a matter of fact, Billy Cole ends up passing away, and I'm thinking I should chalk this one up to the burrito. Fast forward a bit to December 2021 and I'm hearing testimonies concerning Billy Cole's last days. Billy Cole knew he was going to pass and he had a vision that he was standing on one side of a river and on the other side he saw Jesus standing there. He began having a conversation with Jesus and was shouting across the river that he had been faithful and true to the Apostolic message. Jesus then responded back and said, "Yes, but I wish you would have told them more about me." I'm thinking, "Wow, not 100% sure what to make of that conversation." I know for myself I do not want to hear anything but "Well done."

So, a few more months pass when one morning I'm awakened out of my sleep as a light finally goes off and I'm talking out loud, "That's it!" My wife is now awakened and asks me, "What's it?" So, with tears streaming down my face, I say, "That's it! The last message Brother Cole got from Jesus was "I wish you would tell them more about me." That's it!

I (Frank Scarola) knew Billy Cole was going to be given a last message and that message must be given to the church and when it is, the rapture will occur and we will be going home. An obscure and insignificant nobody (me, by the way) KNOWS the message. When I was awakened and said "That's it" my mind was instantly populated and I was reminded of all the things God has been stuffing me with all these years. At that point the "Why are you telling me?" was no longer the question and my decision to put it all down in writing became my quest.. All this is my personal song that causes me to raise my hands towards Heaven and give God all the glory.

It's not a new message; it's not a different message – it's an old message, but it's a focused message on the most important things we all need to hear, based on Jesus' instructions to "tell them about me." Yes, Frank is cooking in the kitchen, and I'm making spinach – the Popeye kind of spinach that will help us beat back this Bluto devil. I have my very own personal assurance. This is my song; I know a revival is going to break out, and shortly afterwards, we are all going home.

Happening now, concurrent with the writing of this chronicle, (2023) is the Ashbury College revival that is spreading to other campuses across this country—not just here in America, but this same hunger is being manifested globally. This is the masses of people moving in the same direction wanting to hear all about Jesus. This is a preliminary move of God that needs to serve as a wake-up call that the fields are white and begging for gatherers to take in this harvest. These hungry souls must be fed, and that's the point of the third element of my dream. There is a message and a meal being prepared by God and our time of visitation must be embraced.

So the net that has been dragging me around for 42 years and counting has not broken, and already waiting on the shore with a meal already cooked is Jesus, inviting us to "Come and dine."

More than these?

For Peter, there came his season of crushing devastation and utter failure after Jesus was taken away. Peter's fire came and revealed the truth about Peter Version 1: he had too many of his own ideas, was boastful, thought more of himself than he ought, and I'm sure just a bit of arrogance and pride may have been mixed in there, too. All that was dross that needed to be removed, and dross is only removed one way: yep, fire. Remember, we are baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire. Do you not know, "Our God is a consuming fire"? Well, what does God consume?

Heb 12:26-29 KJV Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. (27) And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. (28) Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (29) For our God is a consuming fire.

The term "consume" can be understood to mean the permanent removal of all things that will never enter eternity. It is God's job to permanently remove all things that can be "moved" (cause corruption) whether in Heaven or on earth. The term "moved" means from status or position, not just physically moving. The first creature that moved from his status was Lucifer and then afterwards all who are influenced by him. The Kingdom of God cannot be moved and will never include creatures that will move out of status. God's job is to keep a clean house. I'll just let it suffice with this question: Who is influencing you?

It is very good to know we have a God who finishes what He starts. So, after the fire, we now have Peter Version 2.0 who we witness throughout the Book of Acts as having a spine of steel, very strong and very powerful—all to the glory of God!

And I thank God for the example of this before-and-after transformation process. What I want to focus in on here is that, throughout the journey and process, Jesus knows all things, start to finish, beginning to end, and beyond. Only Jesus can see the full value and potential residing in any individual. Only Jesus has the capacity to bring us through the process that perfects our potential and value. And Jesus does not abandon us anywhere along the transformational journey.

Yes, the hammer and the fire will come, but those things are His instruments in His hands to bring out our full value. In that conversation between Peter and Jesus on that shore that day, Peter was given much-needed assurances. First, that Jesus still loved him and forgave him in spite of Peter denying ever knowing Jesus. Second, Peter needed the assurance that he could still be used, which Jesus did with the instructions to "Feed my Sheep." From that day forward, we see a beyond-all-estimations valuable servant firmly in the hands of Jesus. Only once was there a slight "Not so, Lord" at the time of the conversion of Cornelius in Acts Chapter 10. Jesus gave a short word of correction and Peter snapped right back in line—and thank God for that, as it was the beginning of the inclusion of the Gentiles into the Church body.

Submitting to the process in my case has been a complete opposite from Peter's. In my case, Jesus has had to get it through my thick skull that it was possible for my personality type to have a place in God's scheme. For me, I constantly withdraw, not physically because I have always been faithful to the house of God and participated actively, but I always withdraw and retreat spiritually by withdrawing into the comfort zone of my reticence.

Yes, the Word of God is very powerful in my heart, but my total lack of personal confidence as a communicator has kept me from believing I could have a role beyond my comfortable routine as being a behind-the-scenes support. I'm having a hard time right now even trying to think. Something needs to be born. Something needs to come out of a very safe, obscure place and finally take its place out in God's light.

With the mouth, confession is made to salvation. The problem with me is that my mouth is a shut vault. OUCH!! I'm feeling pain right now as I commit myself to force my vault open. Double OUCH!! I must commit; I must confess. OUCH, OUCH, OUCH!!! Right here, right now on paper, in black and white: my confession of faith is that insignificant and invisible me has a value to God and His Kingdom. My confession of faith is that Jesus has given me a personal assurance and song (that I will not attempt to hide) that I have a role in the endgame unfolding rapidly all around us.

My confession of faith is telling me that at some point, rather than the arduous task of writing down my thoughts, I might just learn that it is easier to open my mouth and speak. That one is still in God's hands to handle, because as of yet I still feel my thoughts are connected to my fingers and not my mouth. Hard to explain, but that is just me, and it is up to God to deal with.

My confession of faith is that all I have explained in my dream with Bro. Cole validates in my heart and mind that I Frank Scarola am a servant in God's hands to do with as He pleases. I have my personal assurance and I have my personal validation, all to separate from me from my personal misgivings and the "These" of my life.

I am now on the shore and standing. I look to a future in which I do believe God is going to do beyond all human imagination, the most awesome things in creating and gathering an endtime harvest. Let God's will be done. Other than my writing I have no further ambitions. For me, un-stuffing my vault and putting it all down on paper is enough. I also stand without delusion at the opposition that is also coming. So love me or hate me let's get this done.

Chapter 6 – The Same Old Message / This Do in Remembrance of Me

In order to grasp the meaning of the message that will culminate this whole church age, we need to grasp the depths of what the message was at the meal that started this whole church age to begin with. Why? Because it's going to be the same meal with the same message. The same meal with the same message is going to have the very same effect now as it did at the beginning of the church age.

Luk 22:14-20 KJV And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. (15) And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: (16) For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. (17) And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: (18) For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. (19) And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. (20) Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

A brand-new institution was going to be created shortly, namely, the Church, and here Jesus begins a new ceremony we know as the Communion supper. It is going to take a bit of time to break down all the significance of this Communion supper, and I hope you will bear with me.

OK, how to sort this out. Jesus tells Billy Cole, "I want you to tell them more about me," and in the above passage Jesus says, "This do in remembrance of me." Who is me?

Remember, Ephesians told us "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God." The unity in our understanding of "The Son of God" is the catalyst that elevates our "measure and stature" up to "the fullness of Christ." To that end my vault is opened. So again Who is me?

Well, the simple answer is Jesus. However, the man we know as Jesus was a bit more complex as an individual than just you or me. You or me as individuals are just another human being. If we happen to be filled with the Spirit of God, then we are still just humans but we now also have a promise of salvation and are now labeled as "New Creatures." In other words, we are not just humans like the rest of humanity. We are humans plus a promise that points forward to a new existence in eternity. From there, there are only allusions as to what exactly this "New Creature" will end up being. The only hint is that whatever we are at that time, we will be like whatever Jesus is.

1Jn 3:1-3 KJV Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (3) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Today, we are on the cusp of our translation, or being converted from what we are now into what He is now. Paul describes this translation as being "clothed upon," and at that moment of being clothed upon is the moment of our glorious liberation when eternal life is finally achieved. That moment is the long awaited finish line for this current life for us and this current reign of darkness for the world at large, and simultaneously the starting line for our new eternity.

2Co 5:1-5, 9-10 KJV For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2) For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: (3) If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. (4) For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. (9) Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. (10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

1Co 15:45-53 NLT The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam, became a living person." But the last Adam--that is, Christ--is a life-giving Spirit. (46) What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. (47) Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second Man, came from heaven. (48) Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly Man. (49) Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly Man. (50) What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. (51) But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! (52) It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. (53) For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

The Heavenly Man

Herein lies the whole point of the message I'm attempting to convey: What knowledge is effectual and transformational in going from the old, movable, destined-to-die creature, to becoming the new, unmovable, eternal, and immortal creature?

1 John 3: above gives us a clue. Notice the world that is destined to perish is the world "that knew Him not". But the children who are like Him when He appears are the children "that see Him as He is." People perish now because they choose not to know Jesus - this has been the way it is from the beginning. Along the same logic the people that have been preserved are the ones who chose to acknowledge God for who He is. Now with the coming of Jesus - He takes us way beyond just preservation into a total transformation and that transformation is directly linked to now "Seeing Him as He is".

This is in agreement with Paul who told us our "Knowledge of the Son of God" is what elevates our status and stature into the "Fullness of Christ." This also agrees with Jesus' word saying "tell them about me" because seeing and knowing Jesus as He is, is the catalyst, the transformational ingredient that passes us from death into life eternal.

So we see that ignorance—not knowing God—leads to death, but a specific knowledge—"seeing Him as He is"—is what transforms us to be "like Him". Some might say that we will see Him as He is after our translation, but in my way of thinking, that point of view diminishes the catalytic effect.

Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?... And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? Mark 8:18-21

Again we can almost sense Jesus' frustration at getting the disciples all on the same page. They see all Jesus is doing and they hear everything Jesus is saying but Jesus is questioning - Do they have ears and eyes? Well, physical senses yes - but spiritual eyes and ears of faith - not so much.

Mary and Martha were crying faithlessly because they saw the resurrection as a future event, but Jesus wept because He so desperately wanted them to understand everything He is in the future - He is right now. Lazarus came out of the grave because a right-now Jesus took him out from corruption and into eternity at that very moment - this one nugget of truth is the catalytic ingredient that changes everything. Believest thou this?

Jesus became a man to give us something to see and handle, a visual representation of what the goal looks like. Paul is in 100% agreement in his assessment that only heaven-minded, heaven-right-now-minded people will be transformed into the “"We shall be like him"” people. This now underscores Jesus' word to Billy Cole that the best thing we could ever do is tell a dying world about Jesus. Not just the Apostolic message of salvation - while yes, it is 100% necessary - but an emphasized message must now include “seeing Him as He is”. Admittedly, this is a battle of the mind and spirit that rages within us - this is the shaking. So, holding on to the only One that is unshakable is the game plan.

The current ongoing war

Just in case you were unaware, the Book of Revelations tells us: "And there was war in heaven" (Rev 12:7). Forgive me for being over simplistic, but this war is being fought because there are two beings who say they are God—namely our True God Jesus, and the wanna-be god, Satan. Again, I am keeping this over simplified and brief.

This war began in Heaven, and while, yes, Satan has managed to gather one-third of the angels into his camp, one-third is still a minority. The Angel Michael and the rest of the angels managed to kick the rebels out of Heaven and, unfortunately for humanity, into this earth. So, the front of this war is no longer in Heaven, but here on earth. The Book of Revelations goes on to tell us: "And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth" (Rev 12:13). You see the word "when"? In my mind, that tells me when he crashed onto this earth, he was knocked out cold. When he woke up, he had a "where am I" moment. He did not know what had happened to him; he had to shake himself off and regain his senses to realize he was permanently cast out of Heaven and now on earth. Hmm...the wanna-be god isn't much of a god if he can get knocked out cold. I'd sure like to know what punch Michael used, wouldn't you? So now, the front of this war has shifted from Heaven to earth.

Rev 12:12-13, 17 KJV Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (13) And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child (17) And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Hmm... That's a thought, here we are all locked in a cage with an angry devil. Woe indeed! Hmm... this just reinforces the fact that this earth itself is a prison for both rebellious angels and sinful humanity. Daniel found himself in a similar situation. Daniel was in a lion's den in a foreign nation - very dire with no allies except One. In his case, God stopped the mouths of those hungry lions and Daniel was saved. In both Daniel's and our situations, there is a great value to having an ally in God - you think!

So now, this Earth has this angry devil waging a war against "the remnant of her seed", those who "have the testimony of Jesus Christ," which at this point is the Church. I do want to be very clear though, and identify this group, those that "have the testimony of Jesus Christ." First of all, what is a testimony? Testimonies are the words of a witness in a legal proceeding. Bear with me and let me lay this out. Consider this question: What is going on in all this war in the Heavens and Earth stuff? First of all, let me obey the words of the "Loud voice from Heaven" (Rev 12:10,12): And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven... (12) Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them... I hear those words - do you? So what are we rejoicing?

The fact is that Heaven's war was won! It is a finished, done deal. The question of who the Most High God seated on Heaven's throne is, is permanently settled. That is an exceedingly good thing. Why? Because Heaven's throne, or control over all that exists, was going to be controlled either by a loving and giving, merciful Creator or a murdering, psychopathic liar. Need I say more? Oh yes indeed, rejoicing is in order - My Jesus is on that throne. Oh yes, give Jesus some praise!

The Devil and his minions are permanently eliminated from the Heavenlies. Satan made a move towards Heaven's throne, but he lost that battle and permanently lost his territory and position. The thing is, Satan made his move but it only took one angel, Michael, to see that devil to the door. Yes, the rest of the angels dealt with the other riff-raff but Michael was the one who grabbed the devil by the scruff of the neck and cast him out. Our minds have the tendency to picture Michael as a super warrior, and that may very well be the case - I'm certainly not wanting to take anything away from Michael, but I'm just thinking it would do my heart good to meet Michael one day and see him as a pip-squeak. Not to take anything away from Michael, but to underscore the powerlessness of Satan - almost laughable - if it were not for the tragic consequences suffered by the one-third who sided with Satan, and the untold millions on Earth still being influenced by Satan's lies.

Rev 12:8 KJV (Satan and his) ...prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

So, what does all that mean? It means, from Heaven's perspective, Satan is no threat whatsoever to the Heavens and those who dwell therein. The "lying lion's mouth" has been stopped in Heaven; the accuser of the brethren has been cast out. All good and a time of rejoicing for those who dwell in Heaven, as that war has ended- done and over. So, from Heaven's perspective, this has transitioned and become a trial of war crimes, where the criminals are in prison (this current earth) and have been (past tense) found guilty, but are now awaiting sentence to be carried out.

Joh 16:11 KJV ...because the prince of this world is judged.

A tactic regularly used by criminals in order to evade prosecution is to eliminate the witnesses against them. And this is where we're at: the devil's war against Heaven was lost, meaning he ain't no god, but the devil on Earth still suffers from the same delusion, thinking he is god. On Earth, he is at war with the witnesses—those that challenge his delusion.

We are currently living in an age of strong delusions. We are witness to the violence unleashed when people with delusions are confronted with truth and their delusions are challenged. Now imagine challenging a psychopathic devil and you might have an idea of what awaits this world after the Church is gone.

Both the Jews and those that have the testimony of Jesus Christ remind Satan that he is not god. This amongst other things is why Satan hates the witnesses. Again, let me lay this out: the following passage is the testimony of John the Baptist regarding Jesus. John makes some very powerful statements. Remember, John is specifically talking about Jesus.

Joh 3:31-36 KJV He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. (32) And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. (33) He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. (34) For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. (35) The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. (36) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John's the Baptist's Testimony

1) "He that cometh from above is above all..." "He that cometh from heaven is above all."
Yes, John says the same thing twice in the same sentence to emphasize this truth. Who is above all? Wouldn't that be God Himself?
2) And what he (speaking of Jesus) hath seen and heard, that he testifieth...
3) "No man" (operating by human intellect) receives Jesus' testimony. What testimony? That Jesus is above all or God Himself.
4) But he that does receive this testimony has "set to his seal" or God has now identified one of His and that man has assured himself a position that God is true. Jesus' testimony is true.

"Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood (no man) hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." Jesus just demonstrated what the Baptist was talking about. It wasn't human intellect that revealed who Jesus was to Simon but it was God now identifying "Peter" as one of His. From that point forward Simon became Peter and was sealed as a leader in the church. Just like David, who was anointed king at one point and was installed at a later date, Peter's installation came on the day of Pentecost. But Peter's transformational moment, he had set to his seal - was the moment when he declared Jesus to be the Son of the living God. This is far more than just a mental ascent in believing - which even the devils do - there is a transformational work being done by God Himself that defines true belief.

Jesus is our star witness on earth giving us testimony to a plethora of truths the devil surely wishes would never see the light of day. Yes, Jesus said and taught many things while here but there was only one specific truth Satan really fought hard against. That one truth challenged Satan's delusion and is the direct cause which led to Jesus being put on the cross.

Jesus' testimony

Chapter 7 – The Message of My Soul - Tell Them About Jesus

Remembering God

In the beginning God created them "male and female." Gen. 1:27 You have read that verse a thousand times and we just keep reading because our minds know what males and females are. At least if your not part of the deluded woke crowd.

One of the greatest blessings in studying the word of God is finding what I call signature moments. Places where God embeds into our spiritual DNA - into the very fabric of our being - things that are just so unmistakably God. This is one of those places that reveals our mission. If you didn't know before please allow me to tell you now. The Hebrew word for 'male' is the word 'zakar' which does not refer to gender at all. 'Zakar' means 'remembered.'

At our creation God knowing the end from the beginning - was already looking down through the generations and seeing the very moment of time when Jesus was speaking these words - "Do this in remembrance of me." So from the beginning mankind was designed as agents to cause the world to remember their Creator. We were created as witnesses against a devil who wants the world to forget the True God.

Jesus wasn't asking - He was invoking - He was remembering and invoking the promise of our mission - knowing that as soon as His blood was shed - the path of restoration would be fully enabled and come to total completion as promised - this very next verse:

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:28

Just to complete the picture to demonstrate that from the very beginning God intrinsically embedded our spiritual DNA with His mission we now look at the word "female". Do you know what a female is? I'm asking this tongue in cheek and at the same time understanding why the devil is trying so hard to erase distinctions. The word 'female' here in Gen 1:27 is derived from the Hebrew root word "naqab" which literally means 'punctured'. What does this mean?

These bear witness - the Blood and the water and the Spirit. Male and female - remember the punctured one - 'do this in remembrance of me.' Gen 1:27 presents the Gospel. The Gospel is in our spiritual DNA - and the devil hates us for being witnesses that God is True.

Jesus was asking to be remembered because he was the connection point that created the path back to God and the original promise of Gen 1:28.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:28

We remember Him in order to remember and know where we stand. We remember Him in order to be enabled to take dominion and be used in His mission. This is the function of the communion table. It is a contract or covenant meal that binds us to the mission as defined by God in Isa. 42:6-7 above. On our part we are committing ourselves to obeying His Word and standing on His promises. On His part comes the pardon with the promise to take us by the hand and forever guard our souls and "give us" to continue opening blinded eyes and opening prison doors.

This is what Jesus gave himself for. He bought Himself partners in His mission. "And you will be a light to guide the nations. You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons." His sacrifice was a noble deed indeed that deserves to be memorialized because the ultimate goal is to win the war on earth using us as witnesses that God is True.

These partners in His mission are called The Bride - His Church. These one are created to be a 'help meet' for Him. So in all reality the Communion supper and the institution of the New Testament covenant is in fact a marriage contract - not just between Jesus and the Church - but we all are married to each other - we all becoming the 'One Flesh' of His body.

Now after the resurrection, the resurrected Jesus ascended and shed His humanity and was glorified with the glory He had from the beginning. Even the disciples had difficulty recognizing this resurrected Jesus as being the same man they walked with for three years. Why? Because this point is really the whole point and again underscores the reality of the two natures. Jesus the man was flesh like all flesh and that flesh died. Yet simultaneously there was another nature inside of Jesus that was revealed after the flesh was shed. When the flesh was torn and shed, the veil in the Temple was also torn and the hidden God now became the available God. This other released nature is what came out of that tomb and was now revealing Himself to His disciples.

The Mind of God

Joh 17:5 KJV And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Ok slow down and absorb what is being said and notice the dual nature of Jesus. Jesus the man was born in a stable and died on the cross. He had a beginning and ending just exactly like any human. But Jesus the man (nature #1) is praying to God (nature #2) and asking for the glory he had (past tense) before the world ever was at a point where only God alone existed. If Jesus the man only came into existence 33 years prior how can he be asking for something he had in eternity past?

Here is the answer. In God's mind everything that He knows will be, is already. Time has no limiting factor on God. We humans live moment by moment and things must come to pass and when they pass they are gone. God lives in all eternity all at the same time. So while we as humans look to the future to have events become a reality, All is a reality to God all the time. This is one aspect of the mind of God.

So here Jesus the 33 year old man is praying, in my opinion a model prayer that exhibited a model faith. Jesus was reaching way, way back to when God alone existed and asking to be glorified with God's "Own self." Hmm... and Jesus the man (nature #1) was asking to be glorified with (nature #2) God Himself. Being glorified with God Himself, being glorified with God Himself. This needs to marinate and sink in deep.

There is something being said here and we need to open our ears. Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life and no man goes to the Father but by me. The mindset and life of the 33 year old man was demonstrating the path to the eternal God. What's happening here in this prayer is the man Christ Jesus is presenting an example to be followed. Otherwise why would it have been recorded in scripture? All scripture is given for our admonition.

The man is modeling a mindset of faith that is commandeering or confiscating as his own, God's own self. The mortal man was commandeering for himself to be glorified with the eternal God - now.

Now, believers readily accept that Jesus was God; no dispute. However, "deep calls unto deep," and something very deep is going on here that goes far beyond Jesus being understood to be God. What Jesus was in both natures—as a man and God—is being extended to include all believers. Why would I say such a thing? Because just a few verses later Jesus also prayed:

Joh 17:22 KJV And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.

Jesus, whom we rightfully acknowledge as God, was as a man praying as a man and asking to be glorified with God Himself, knowing these words were going to be recorded for all posterity. Jesus, whom we rightfully acknowledge was indeed worthy to receive all glory because of His sacrifices, yet here He is willing to share that glory that cost Him everything, with the disciples who at this point were still a miserable lot.

Is this not mind-blowing and overwhelming? Something incredibly bigger than big is cooking here. As mentioned, Jesus in this prayer recorded for all posterity, is modeling a mindset of faith for our benefit.

The mindset includes seeing and confiscating as a reality ALL that God says that is, was, or ever will be ordained for us. That is extreme faith and Jesus the man used that extreme faith to appropriate God Himself. "For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."

The Pharisees saw only a man. The disciples were seeing a man and had to process their experiences through human intellect which caused their halting and faithless doubts at times. Jesus Himself said that he as a man could no nothing on His own. It was not the man that was doing anything at all but it was His example as "The Son of God" that showed us all the path. That man was put on a cross and died. The flesh had an end but the mission did not end. That mission which as we saw was already ordained from the beginning.

Jesus' mission was to restore our mission as partners or as the Bride of Christ. Jesus' mission was to permanently engrave in the hearts and minds of His disciples a faith believing that what comes out of the grave is the eternal being. Jesus came out of the tomb as the Eternal being. Jesus as the example and all of us who follow coming out of the watery grave - rise up into the newness of life as eternal beings. Jesus said all those who 'believe' in Him will never die. "Believest thou this?"

I am saying all this because it is this level of extreme faith that will destroy the works of evil in this present world. That is the mission that God defined for us as mentioned. Always keep in mind that the war that still rages is being fought over the issue of who is deserving to be called God. Just the same as that issue was settled in Heaven, so also that same issue will be settled here on earth. When Jesus told us He is the way and the truth and the life, he was telling us that His lifestyle and His mindset are to be emulated. His appropriation of the mind of God is THE path back to the Father. This is what defines Jesus' role as the Way.

Chapter 8 – Next Level Faith

Eph 4:22-24 KJV That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Paul is confirming a truth. Our minds are to be renewed and modeled after God's mind thereby transforming us into the new creature destined for righteousness and true holiness. Paul again doubles down on this truth:

Php 2:5-6 KJV Let this mind be in YOU, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, (who) thought it not robbery to be equal with God

Not equal with God in terms of origin and power - but equal in terms of a Bride meet for Him - as being His body engaged in the same mission.

Let me just make a quick disclaimer here. Honestly I can't say why my mind tends to see the highest of the high callings in Christ. It's not like I'm any where even close personally. What I see in scripture are the paths made available and what I am articulating is the path. As far as I'm concerned Heaven is yours at the moment of faith and you've obeyed the Gospel. So this isn't about salvation but rather eternal rewards. As much as is within you to want to become whatever His grace allows - all I'm attempting to show you is how great His grace really is in attaining so much more than we can really ever imaging. Paul saw this as a quest to be ever motivated to seek out and reach for everything that would make us more like Jesus. Read Philippians 3:10-15 where Paul describes this quest. Again, I'm not saying what you have is not already wonderful but if we are talking about an infinite God then there is always more is all I'm saying.

Moving on...

If you can imagine a scale, a balance, with a man any man on one side of the scale and on the other side of the scale is God Himself. As you can rightfully imagine that scale would be tipped with God being so immensely more than man. Paul uses the words "equal with God" and my natural mind is blowing fuses being totally incapable of registering that that mind needs to be in me. That scale can never ever, ever balance out, ever never. No man can ever be equal to God and this was the dilemma the Pharisees burned their fuses with.

Nonetheless Paul uses those words and that tells me that my mind needs to be the same as Jesus' mind in humility, nature and purpose. Embracing 'that mind' makes us 'like Him'. Being 'like Him' makes us what? "NOW are we the Sons of God" just like the man Christ Jesus was the Son of God claiming equality with God. Don't burn your fuses!

The scale is balanced because God has reached over and put His finger on our side of the scale and brought us up in status and stature. Jesus the man is the finger of God who is with us on our side of the scale getting the scale to balance. Because Jesus the man had a status that can equate with God almighty. Jesus then shares His status with all of us.

Joh 17:22 KJV And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

Chapter 9 – The Old Wine Skins and the Mind of Satan

Now let me spend some time to clarify because I know this is a big heavy pill and you might be wanting to stone me right now. First we know Jesus taught that the message He was preaching was too powerful to put into old wine skins because the old has lost its ability to expand enough to be a fitting vessel.

Most will say this is simply a reference to the Old testament traditions that needed to be replaced with the New testament message. But Jesus spoke of the traditions as leaven which also bloats and expands. Those traditions of men nullified and corrupted the pure Word of God. Some might say that the Holy Spirit needs to be placed inside of a new vessel and I can agree. Though through the years I have seen many people filled with the Holy Spirit with minimal change to lifestyle. Sad but this is true.

Now think about the message I just shared that we should all be appropriating the mind of Christ. That message if received has the effect of increasing our measure, status and stature up to the very nature and status of Jesus Himself who is the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Talk about expansion! Do you think that message might require a new wineskin? The wineskin is not just our lives and lifestyles, it has to include a new perspective, a new vision for who and what we are, a new understanding of our roles both now and during the Millennium and the rest of eternity. THAT is a wineskin that needs to expand! That all begins in the mind. Before we get into all that I think it best to explore the mindsets that have reeked such havoc and destruction throughout history.

Casting down Imaginations

Our imagination is one of the most powerful tools of the human mind allowing us to dream up things that don't exist in the world we create around us. The bounds of our imagination can vary from the fantastic to the dark and sinister. We have the freedom to make it whatever we will. However, it is important to remember that sometimes the reality that we create can be different than the one originally envisioned.

In our minds everything is always easy and works for our advantage. While hard work and perseverance can help imaginations become reality and we - as humans have achieved many incredible things - we have gone to the moon and sought out the stars.

Yet there are still many ills that our society is in need of healing from. We are far quicker to use our imagination and resources to explore and reach for outer space rather than reach and care for one another. But thankfully, God is always providing for those who are in need. We can be thankful for His wisdom, guidance and providence.

Though many ideas come from our imaginations, it is not always prudent or wise that they should be brought into reality. An example of this we find with God's dealings with humanity after the flood.

Gen 11:1-8 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. (2) And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. (3) And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. (4) And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. (5) And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. (6) And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. (7) Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. (8) So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

Why would building a city cause such a stir that God Himself would choose to come down and see for Himself? Well... lets back up to an event that happened a few years earlier right after the flood. Noah planted a vineyard and um well he managed to get drunk and naked. While he was sleeping it off Ham went into his fathers tent and saw naked Noah sleeping off his drunk. The issue was Ham's indiscretion because he came out and told his brothers "Hey, the old man is naked and sleeping off a drunk" and Ham may have yukked it up a bit. Ham was indiscrete and disrespectful. While his two brothers did exhibit respect by walking into the tent backwards carrying a garment so as to not look upon Noah's nakedness and they covered their father. This event led to Noah pronouncing a curse on Ham's descendants.

Gen 9:25-27 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. (26) And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. (27) God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

So the three sons and all their descendants after them received a permanent status in the world. Remember always as it is extremely important. It is God and God alone that ordains status or position, and when God says it, it IS. No man, no amount of time, no devil, not all men and all devils combined can ever annul a single word the God has spoken, period.

1) Ham's descendants starting with his son Canaan received the status of being the "servant of servants"
2) Shem received the status of being the servant of God, "Blessed be the LORD God of Shem." Shem's descendants would continue as having a relationship with God.
3) Japheth's status was that he would be enlarged or greatly multiplied but would also share in Shem's blessings through his relationship with Shem. "He shall dwell in the tents of Shem" or be included in the household of Shem.

The name Shem literally means "Name" and is derived from a word that means having a conspicuous position, honor, authority, or character, or a reputable name. From Shem comes the Semitic peoples and most notably the Jewish people from whom all the nations of the world have been blessed through Jesus. The name above all names. This status for Shem was ordained.

The world at large or the descendants of Japheth sink or swim is based on their relationship with Shem or Israel and ultimately Jesus. If the nations love Jesus, they are blessed to be included in the household of God. If they hate the Shemites, Israelites, or Jesus, well then no blessings are in the cards. This is the status ordained for Japheth. The literal meaning of the name Japheth is expansion or to be enlarged as God promised. But the name Japheth is derived from the Hebrew word pathah which is most often translated as entice or deceived. So we see that the status of the descendants of Japheth or the Gentile nations can swing in either direction of being enlarged or deceived based on whether they love Jesus or dwell in His tents, or if they are enticed and deceived to dwell elsewhere. Where elsewhere? Bear with me.

Now the name Ham literally means "hot", as in hot tempered. And the literal meaning of the name Canaan is "humiliated". The history of Ham's descendants includes Egypt and pharaoh, and the families of the Canaanites. They represent peoples that needed to be taken down a notch and humiliated because of their lack of discretion and blatant disrespect - the same as their progenitor Ham. So also this status has been ordained for all descendants of Ham. Now getting back to our Babel story.

Gen 10:6-10 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. (7) And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. (8) And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. (9) He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. (10) And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

So Babylon was founded by Nimrod who was the grandson of Ham. And that generation said some things and imagined to do some things that as mentioned caught God's attention. What did they say?

Gen 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

One brick at a time

What they said was an expression of what they "imagined" they could do, one brick at a time. There were three elements being worked on here.

First element: To not be scattered abroad across the whole earth, in defiance of God's command to fill and replenish the earth. (Gen. 9:1)

Second element: To build a tower that can reach high above what? Any possibility of a future flood, maybe? Again in defiance of God's judgments and promise that the earth will not be destroyed by water. (Gen. 9:11)

Third element: "Let us make us a name" The word name there is identical to the word for Shem. The descendants of Shem are ordained to be the servants of God. The descendants of Ham were ordained to be the servants of servants. They wanted to change their name and thereby change their status by their own willfulness, again in defiance of God

They imagined they could disobey the commands of God. They imagined they could avoid any judgments and future catastrophes. They imagined there was a way to do an end run around God and create their own future. They imagined there was a way to take God out of the picture and thereby gain the ability to ordain their own status and create their own destiny. Hmmm... I wonder who was helping them in all their imaginings? Yep, all these imaginings are the same identical imaginings of the devil himself. This then exemplifies the mind of Satan. These same imaginings run rampant throughout humanity and will culminate in God once again coming down to deal with Mystery Babylon. All this imagining invites God to step in and bring humanity down a notch and humiliate them because of their outright defiance to all the things God has ordained.

History has a way of repeating itself mainly because people forget and it is Satan who fosters the imagination to help us forget. These forgetful generations have long thought they can take God out of the picture. Satan keeps doing the same things over and over again and God just keeps cutting him down and bruising him. Satan is incapable of changing and that is why his ultimate demise is inevitable.

Individuals are capable of changing. That is what repentance and forgiveness is all about. Being hot headed and self willed like Ham only leads to being a slave of slaves and a destiny tied to Satan's destiny. Most of us being Gentiles are the descendants of Japheth and need to be mindful of where we dwell. Dwelling in the tents of Shem (being seated in the heavenlies) ties us to the blessings of Shem. Dwelling in the plains of Shinar, or Babylon, or being earthly minded leaves you exposed to Satan's imaginations.

Now the land of Shinar or Babylon is spiritually the queen ruling over all the kings of the earth. (Rev. 18:1-3) The word Shinar literally means land of two rivers. The world is the land of two choices which has been the source of the ongoing war between the God Who is True and Satan's imaginations. Satan believes he is god and he deceives both spirits and humanity into believing that lie and they continue Satan's delusion. Wrong choice.

2Th 2:4 (Satan) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

The land of Shinar is a land of defiance and it is fed by a river of ungodly imaginations.

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

In the world but not of the world is that second river of God's grace that makes us partakers of the blessings of God's imaginations.

Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Joh 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (39) (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive...

Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

We are in the world but not of the world and yes the devil is here making war with us using his imaginations to lead us astray. But we have access to that other river - the Holy Spirit - that leads us into all truth. Yes, we have imaginations that sometimes go out in every direction, but the truth is a bridle that gets our minds under control.

2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

When and if we bring into captivity EVERY thought to the obedience of Christ, then and only then can we say we have the mind of Christ. This is where the war on earth is being waged and fought. In our minds. Knowing this and bringing every captive thought into submission is the high calling of Christ in us. It's a big job!

Having the same mindset as Jesus obviously requires a lot of casting down and the reigning in of many rampant imaginations. So this isn't something that is for everybody, but being this is what I see in the Word I'm going to cast it out there. I see and I understand there is a ton of qualifying factors involved with having a mindset that appropriates equality with God but it all has to do with status. God being for us means a willingness to help us over the hurdles and Satan has set up a ton of hurdles. None of which can keep God from delivering on your intended end.

God ordains status

God ordains status and there is no way to do an end run around it as Satan, or Nimrod, or any of the minions with rampant imaginations mingled with over the top arrogance have been attempting to do for millennia. From the beginning God ordains status. He ordained Lucifer as the covering cherub. God took one ball of mud fashioned it and ordained it to be a beast of the field. God took another ball of mud and fashioned it and ordained that it should have dominion over all. You see it makes absolutely no difference our origins. The only thing that matters on the eternal scale is what God has ordained for you. That is His finger on the scale. Are we all human? Are we all sinners? Yes and yes. Yet one human is the same as all the rest, and then to one single solitary girl, God says you're my kind. What kind? The kind that says "Let it be done according to your will" and the world was forever changed.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. He then created mankind, giving them dominion over all the works of His hands. Adam and Eve enjoyed unfettered access to God, and they communed face to face. The devil stepped in and does what the devil does, he lied about God and His motives. The woman believed the lie and obeyed the serpent's voice, and from that day forward, the world ate at Satan's table, and the veil and shadow began covering the earth, separating mankind from access to God.

And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. Isa 25:7-8 KJV

Satan's Table

Satan set up his roach coach of a table and made the world drunk with every evil vice and the rest is history right up till today. God only maintained a token presence - working through a few chosen men at first - and later through the nation of Israel. God originally made a promise to the woman that Satan would not rule forever - but that one day a Son would be born who would bruise Satan's head and humanity would once again have access to God. We know that Son was Jesus and the work He did at Calvary bruised Satan's head. Now, a bruise is not a fatal blow, but, as Rev. 12:13 tells us, it was enough to knock that devil out cold for a time. Unfortunately, he regained his senses and went right back to deceiving and destroying.

The Bible calls Satan the god of this world. Question: When did Satan become the god of this world? Most will say when he successfully deceived the woman and Adam. Yes, but that was not when he originally gained that title. If we are correct in understanding the angelic host were created first then Adam did not exist yet at the time when Lucifer was created and ordained as the mighty angelic guardian.

Eze 28:14-16 NLT I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire. (15) "You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you. (16) Your rich commerce led you to violence, and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire.

God originally ordained and anointed Lucifer as the mighty angelic guardian, or in the way I see this god of this world. When? From the day he was created. What did he guard? The holy mountain of God. Besides that Lucifer had his own place among the stones of fire. But he sinned by believing and acting upon his own lies and became corrupted so he was banished in disgrace and was expelled from what the Word says was his place and his status as the angelic guardian. This is a bad habit with the devil. First he was banished and expelled by God from where? His place among the stones of fire and the holy mountain of God. Later he was expelled and banished from Heaven itself permanently.

From Guardian To Destroyer

Eze 28:16,18 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence... (18) Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities...

Lucifer defiled what he was suppose to be guarding. His iniquities are what turned this earth into a ruined wasteland. Umm... I'm detecting a pattern with this guy. What he touches he destroys. That is the effect of eating at Satan's table and taking on his mindset.

Chapter 10 – The New Wine Skins

So now on this newly created and sanctified earth God creates man in the image of God and God ordains this man to have dominion over all the earth. As mentioned I like to fix things and when I do a job I like them to stay fixed. This is why my philosophy is to always replace with the best you can afford. If you buy cheep, you get what you pay for and fixing the broken again will soon be on your agenda. Only in God's methods he creates and preordains to guaranteed outcome. So God is now already putting into action plans for victory even before Satan makes his first move. Such as imbedding the plan for victory into the "male and female" creation.

Here is where it is important to pay attention to detail. I read the Genesis account and I'm watching my God in action. He is putting things into order the way they are suppose to be. He puts the sun, moon and stars here. He puts the oceans there with the skies above, and He puts dry land with vegetation over there. He puts everything in order first and then He begins creating living thing. First He created habitats and then He created the creatures to live in those habitats. When God wanted to create the fish He spoke to the seas.

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life...And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind... and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas... Gen 1:20-22 KJV

And when God created land creatures He spoke to the earth.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. Gen 1:24-25 KJV

So God created the seas first, with the intention of making it a habitat for the fish. Then God created dry land first, with the intention of populating it with all sorts of land creatures. The habitat is created for the creature and the creature is created for the habitat. Hold that thought. Now what happens when you take a fish out of water? It dies, because it will suffocate on land. What happens when you take a land creature and hold it under water? It dies, because it will suffocate under water. Taking a creature out of its ordained habitat and putting it someplace it does not belong causes death because they are being cut off from the breath of life. A fish in the water God says is good. Land creatures living on the land, God says is good. So far all good, a place for everything and everything in its place. All good.

Now I want to remind you that all this creation stuff is God is putting into place ordained plans that will fix what the devil hasn't even broke yet. The last thing to get fixed is this corruption thing currently inherent in both man and physical creation. Looking forward and what does the book of Revelation tell us about the earth?

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. Rev 13:11-12 KJV

Can you see that the very earth itself AND those that dwell therein, will do what? Worship the first beast or Satan. Not just the human population - but the earth itself will subject itself to the workings of Satan. This earth that heard the voice of God and obeyed by bringing forth the multitudes of all sorts of creatures. Creatures that we pay all sorts of money to go see in zoos. This earth will soon be hearing the voice of Satan and bringing forth what? Whatever it is, it ain't gonna be pretty.

So the conclusion here is that the very earth itself is a corruptible place and we know that it will be done away with. Before I move on I just want us to notice one more thing about the land creatures. When God created the fish and the fowl, He also pronounced a blessing.

Gen 1:22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

When God was finished creating the beasts of the earth there is no blessing to be found. He said it was good because at the time everything was in it's place and in order, but no blessings pronounced. Hmm. How are the anti-God empires of this world described? As beasts. How is Satan described? As a beast. Hmm. Nope, not going to find any blessings with the beasts. In the mean time back on the ranch, back in Genesis, God is still in the preordaining mode and He is fixing to fix that devil. He is fixing to create something that will be the instrument to deal with the devil. Franks going to tell a secret. Well, it is to me because I've never heard it told before. OK, are you ready? When God was ready to create man, Who did He speak to?

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...Gen 1:26 KJV

Remember I said, whenever I fix something, I always use the best materials I can afford. Why? Because I don't want to go through the hassle of having to fix it again. God has just gone through setting the universe in order including the earth and He is now getting ready to create a creature He wants to give dominion to. He wants this creature to become the new guardian of God's Holy mountain to replenish or replace the expelled and banished Lucifer. The earth is corruptible, Lucifer is corruptible, but God is looking to replace them with something that is incorruptible. What might that be?

Well, the best God can afford, Himself. He spoke to Himself when He created mankind. Now remember I said the habitat and the creature were made for each other. The seas and the fish were made for each other. The earth and the beasts were made for each other. Now, here in Genesis in the very beginning, we see God's original intentions of where "our place" was intended to be. God has had His eye on a Bride from eternity past, God and man were made for each other. Fish get their breath from the waters. Beasts get their breath from the air. But who is the prince of the power of the air? No blessing there my friend. Where does man get his breath from?

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Gen 2:7 KJV

Genesis is the beginning of God's vision / Not the ending

Are you breathing? God is our place of breathing. God is our place of blessing. God's Holy mountain is our place of dominion. And God is our place of eternal life. God ain't gonna break. He is my place of eternal permanence. God did not just give His best, He gave it all! He gave Himself when He poured Himself into our being. Giving it all is a habit with God.

This truth needs to wash over us and cleanse us. I see clear as day the purity and purpose of God's intentions in all He does. Remember I mentioned that I am a craftsman? A doer with my hands. If I can see it in my mind, that job is as good as done. Right now I see things clear as day in my mind, but they have absolutely nothing to do with my hands or abilities. I am left powerless as I submit to His awesomeness. Let it be done according to thy Word. Amen.

What I see is His vision from eternity past is His including us into His vision for eternity future. Remember also God creates the habitat first and then populates that habitat with the creature. Jesus told us He is preparing a place for us - by the pattern already established we know that place is in Himself. Our only glimpse into what He is preparing is the account of The New Jerusalem in Revelations. In my mind I see God preparing a place for us in which there will never be darkness nor corruption nor separation ever again. If God called this corruptible earth good, I can't even begin to imagine that human words even exist that can describe that place.

In the mean time we are in the world but not of the world. Right here right now we are dealing with a corruptible temporal world in which a destroying devil is running loose. Woe is a fitting word. God has chose to bring forth a temporal first and the permanent later. This is His pattern. First a period of darkness and then the period of light. Together first the night, then the light, is what He called day. Later comes a new day in which all darkness and corruption is permanently done away with. Right now we are living in an age of tokens, down payments and promises that point forward to that eternal Day. People of faith count those tokens, down payments and promises as our great treasure that help us deal with the task of being stuck down here with a destroying devil. Oiy!!! The just shall live by faith, that faith is our meat to sustain us as we wait for that better day. None of what I just mentioned is the secret. All of the above is just the result of me knowing how to read and paying attention to details. Now it is time for you to pay attention and open your ears.

The People of the Promise / separating Dark from Day

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Gen 2:7 KJV

Let me just outline a couple of thoughts and then I'll substantiate those thoughts as I go. When God breathed into us, he did not breathe into us air, (who has power over the air?) No not air, He breathed into us Word. That Word is our source of faith by which we live. How does Word come? By inspiration. What does inspiration mean? Breathed into. His Word is His promise. His Word is seed. Seed is a promise of continuation that moves forward from one generation to the next. What do you plant seed into in order for it to grow? Dirt! Man is the vessel of dirt that carries the seed forward to germinate in its due season. Today is not our due season, "It does not yet appear what we shall be" But we know that in our due season, "We shall be like Him." Man was created in the image of God as vessels containing the promises of God. In any generation when God is 'remembered' and sought after His promises germinate and continue the succession of moving destiny forward.

Who is the express image of the invisible God? Jesus! Was Jesus planted? Down into a grave He went. Did Jesus germinate or rise up out of the ground? Oh yes! Death could not keep Him down! In His due season Jesus came as precursor to demonstrate the power of the promise that swallows up death in victory. In our due season it will be manifest or made know that we of faith, living by faith and keeping the promise alive for many generations - that we are the Sons of God. Jesus was the Son of God in His due season. In our due season we will appear as Sons of God. A chain of incorruptible seed continuing forward from start to finish - unbroken and undiminished. The devil tried to destroy this thing over and over again but God fixed it and He fixed it good because He used the best He could afford. He fixed it to be fixed for eternity. I like His style! Whew! Take a deep breath and believe in the power of God.

1Pe 1:23,25 KJV Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever... (25) But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Boom! There it is - God put something inside of man that is incorruptible and eternal. As long as we 'remember' God and keep that word alive through covenant relationship then everything that God has ever ordained for us will come to pass and no devil can stop that.

Brevity is not my strong point. I see what I see and I say what I have to say. I think as far as writing goes I could compete with Paul. Paul was highly educated and even Peter had to say that Paul's writings are sometimes hard to understand. I am from Brooklyn and not educated so my prayer is that I can express the profound complexity of God into words we all can understand easily.

The incorruptible Seed

1Jn 3:9 KJV Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1Jn 1:8-10 KJV If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

OK, which is it? Have we attained a nature that cannot sin? Or are we sinners that need forgiveness? Is John contradicting himself? Think of everything I have just presented. What is man? Man is a vessel of dust that contains the promises of God. Those promises are seed that continue from one generation to the next. That seed is incorruptible. That seed will produce what it was created to produce. That seed cannot deviate from the purpose for which it was created. That seed cannot sin or separate itself from the purposes of God. We can define sin as a deviation, or alternate path other than the path or purposes ordained by God.

John is giving us a glimpse into dual nature of man. Our vessel is of the earth and therefore corruptible. That vessel sins and needs to confess and receive forgiveness and cleansing. The forgiveness and cleansing is in and of itself a promise of God's Word and God is faithful and just to keep His promises. Our confession is a profession that God's Word is true. That God is true. God's Word tells us our flesh is corruptible and when we accept that truth into our beings that truth in and of itself is the incorruptible promise (God is faithful and just) that guides us back to an aligned relationship with God.

So our other incorruptible nature is the nature that holds onto and obeys the Word and believes the promises of God. This nature being faithful to a faithful God cannot sin because it won't, it does not want to, it does not want to be unfaithful to a faithful God.

The kicker is this the same exact Word proceeding from the mouth of God that tells us we are sinners also tells us we are the Sons of God. The same Word of God covers or justifies both natures. It is only that the one nature must repent, confess and submit to our sanctification. Our confession "cleanses us from all unrighteousness." Our confession and obedience is a power. Specifically it is a power ordained by God. What power? We confess - He is faithful. We confess - He is faithful - over and over. This is a process called breathing.

What does breathing do? Breathing brings oxygen to the blood while simultaneously removing carbon dioxide from the blood. The Bible tells us the life is in the blood. Well, yes as long as we keep breathing. If we stop breathing the carbon dioxide stays in the blood and becomes the toxin that kills us. On the other hand breathing allows toxins to be removed and allows the blood to be refreshed with oxygen which is fuel for every cell in the body.

So backing up and looking at the picture. God creates a man that is a breathing creature and his first breath comes from God. Man has a body of flesh that produces toxins that can kill us even without help from the devil. With help from the devil on the spiritual level the devil knows if you don't breath your not being refreshed by the Spirit of God and spiritual death will follow. Confession gets rid of the bad blood and God's faithfulness refreshes us to live until the next breath.

Act 3:19 KJV Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord

Gen 2:7 KJV And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Confession and repentance is an empowerment that affords us the ability to wash off the devils mud. We are in the world but not of the world and while being in the world, well, we are going to get some dirt on us - but there is a continual flow of mercy and grace afforded to us that demonstrates that God has got your back. He has the back end of our earthly nature covered and He is still working on the front end of our place in eternity. Either way front or back God is my permanent dwelling place.

1Co 15:28 KJV ...that God may be all in all.

Paraphrasing the way I see this; That the Eternal may be Eternal and all eternally in Him.

I'm just basking, I'm just feeling all the victory in God's ways. I am finding rest for my soul.

Mat 11:28-30 KJV Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Heb 4:10-11 KJV For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. (11) Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

This is not a man thing, this is not a Frank thing and certainly this is not a devil thing. This all is a God thing. I rest in knowing God has got me covered front and back. There is no thing that I could do to make me righteous nor is there anything I can do to get me out of the grave once I'm gone other that resting in His Word.

All that is in God's able, fix it once and for good, hand's. So in His hands I rest. All of the above is what distinguishes and defines "The people of God's incorruptible seed" and to them dominion and eternity are promised. Perhaps it wasn't a secret. Perhaps it was just the way God has allowed me to see what has always been there. The promises have always been there. Yet in this world though there is still this raging devil.

Chapter 11 – The Other Seed

Gen 3:14-15 KJV And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: (15) And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

I can actually keep this point short for a change, because I hope the picture is getting clearer in your mind. You and I are currently living in a world with a six-thousand-year history, many generations coming and going. Currently, the human population of this earth is some eight billion people. From the very beginning of humanity, people have been sorting themselves out as either individuals who hold onto the promises of God or individuals who disregard God and follow after other options and choices. In the verse above, it speaks of two lines of seed: one line being her seed, or the descendants of Eve. After they sinned, God called out to them where they were hiding; they answered. God asked, "What did you do?" They confessed and God pointed them in the direction of the remedy for the mess they got into.

Right from the get-go, this is the pattern that sets apart all those who would hear the voice of God, and right from the get-go, God was faithful and just to forgive their sins. Their confession is what kept their relationship alive, which also kept God's purposes moving forward. The remedy was the blood of Jesus - foreshadowed by the sacrifice of a lamb. Until that day - in His due season - when Jesus finally showed up as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. That day - Jesus' sacrifice bruised Satan's head and he got booted out of Heaven. Heaven was purged but earth continues to dealing with this devil. So her seed is specifically identified as Jesus but also includes all who choose to acknowledge God's rightful sovereignty.

If we are counted as the offspring of God because we willingly choose to submit and do things God's way. Then it stands that those who willingly choose to submit to the options offered by Satan are counted as his seed. The devil makes promises, left and right, up and down, frontward and backwards, all day and all night. He makes promises wholesale with an additional fifty percent off, and for six-thousand years untold multitudes have bought his lies. They are his seed. Why? Because seed keeps promises moving forward from one generation to the next, and Satan's seed are those who keep his delusions alive from one generation to the next.

Jesus came in His due season to prove that His promises of eternal life are true. Satan's due season is coming up with the advent of the antichrist but the back of the book tells me his day ends in the lake of fire along with all who worship him. I do not need to belabor any of this as all should be self evident. You know the devil has a vested interest in separating people from God because without God people are just dust. What was God's judgment on the serpent? "Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life." A sinner separated from God is dust and destined to be consumed by that serpent. A sinner separated from God is devil's food. That same sinner who can repent and confess becomes a head bruiser. Promises, promises, whose promises are you going to believe?

One field-two sowers

Mat 13:36-43 NLT Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, "Please explain to us the story of the tares in the field." (37) Jesus replied, "The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. (38) The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The tares are the people who belong to the evil one. (39) The enemy who planted the tares among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels. (40) "Just as the tares are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. (41) The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will remove from His Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. (42) And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (43) Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

"Tares are the people that belong to the evil one." Tares are a species of grass that are almost identical to wheat while it is growing. Only at the point of producing the grain or fruit does the difference show. Tares are poisonous while wheat of course is a staple of life. We are rapidly approaching our due season and the fruit we produce is going to determine our destiny. Us producing the acceptable fruit is dependent on us being "cleansed from all unrighteousness."

Sticking with the good seed

The most wonderful and glorious thing about the good seed, or God's Word is that at any point in our lives repentance affords us the power to become the children of God.

Joh 1:12-13 KJV But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

"God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness".

The parable above tells us that the devil spread his seed at night after the field was first sown with the good seed. Genesis chapter one is only one chapter but it represents the time before the devil began spreading his bad seed by calling God a liar, disparaging God's motives, and representing himself as a reliable source for upward mobility. Hmm... What a trash talker.

I think you might be able to tell but I love Genesis because being a doer myself I love watching God in action. That's just my thing. I've already expounded some awesome things my God did when creating mankind by Him using the best He could afford and putting Himself into us. Ok, here we go, this is next level - give the devil a boot powerful - but it requires fresh skins, a fresh mind that can expand and enlarge in order to receive our measure, status and stature.

Let's get clean / becoming new skins

Remember way back in Genesis when God commanded all creatures to multiply after "their kind?" It is just a fact that all creatures can only procreate with their own kind. There is no such thing as cross-species perpetual procreation and God has ordained this to be so. Science has stepped in and has crossed species but the resulting offspring are always infertile and incapable of reproducing. Now tell me, in your mind is the species of God and the species of humanity two separate and different species? Two different "kinds?" I'm pretty sure your mind may be telling you that the species of man is completely and totally different than the species of God. After all, flesh is different than Spirit, yes of course. Well, this is because the devil's bad seed can only get you to look backwards to the mud pit and he focuses on everything you are not.

When God created humanity He hid His Word in us. That is His good seed. The incorruptible seed is the Living Word passed down through our vessels that will abide forever. No, not the vessel itself, it is of the earth and will perish with the earth. But the truth of God hidden in our hearts is forever. This is what God knows and we need to learn. Man is the union of dust and the breath of life coming from God and our ordained dwelling place is in God. The dust is not the same species as God for sure - but the breath of Life coming from God is the same species. Don't look back at where the body of flesh came from - look forward for our dwelling place and dominion are in Him.

Acts 17:24, 28 KJV God that made the world and all things therein... (28) For in him we live, and move, and have our being...

Man with dominion is a union of God in us and us in God.

Joh 17:20-21 KJV Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; (21) That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Didn't God say "Let us make man? Here Jesus is saying 'let them be one in us'. Hmm...

Again, Don't let the Dust Fool You!!

Our ordained status is not in the dust, but in the promise of dominion. The devil talks to the dust telling it to looks back at what we were and what we are not, but dominion looks forward to what God has ordained for us. And what He has ordained for us is a creature capable of union and oneness with God. This is no small thing. This is why the devil has fought against humanity for six thousand years.

So now back to the original question, is the species of man different from the species of God? If you believe this to be true that God and humanity are two separate and distinct species, then did God violate His own rule when He overshadowed Mary and produced Jesus? The only way the God kind and the Mary kind could reproduce the Jesus kind is if in fact we are all the same kind.

Remember the devil has been lying for many millennia and those lies have become ingrained into our thinking. Remember the Word says we need to renew our minds and get those lies washed out of our imaginations.

It is true that dust and flesh have no inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven. Satan comes along and says Oh Yea, Why? Is God holding back on you? Then he tells that dusty flesh I'll give you a place in my kingdom, who needs God anyway.

Truth is telling us, yes the flesh will be cast off, but the Spirit in our hearts makes God my kind, and knowing God is my kind we cry Abba, Father.

The Same Kind

Act 17:24-30 KJV God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; (25) Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; (26) And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; (27) That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: (28) For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (29) Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. (30) And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent

The pagan world created images of gods based on their imaginations. Now look at what Paul is saying point blank. Because "we are the offspring of God", because we are created in the image of God, we ought to know that the Godhead ( that's the word Paul used) doesn't look like a creature, no the Godhead looks like a man. Just exactly the same as Jesus. "The express image of the invisible God." Paul was not just talking about Jesus but all the offspring of God. How can you be an offspring of God and not be the same kind? To think otherwise is ignorance according to Paul and this ignorance needs to be repented of. Don't let the devil squash this witness. I know this becomes a challenge to wrap our minds around and trust me this is the testimony that Satan is at war with and he is wanting to keep your mind darkened. Just think about this: If Heaven has no place for a god wanna be, what will happen on earth when the true Sons of God are made manifest?

This is the faith that makes the impossible possible. From that union between the God kind and the Mary kind the Firstborn was begotten. There is the first and then there is all the rest. As the Word tells us "The Firstborn amongst many brethren" (Rom. 8:29)

This has nothing to do with origin but everything to do with an ordained status that is granted. His finger is on the scale. It is NOT our own fleshly abilities or worthiness. Does the mudball look into the pit and say that is what I am? Or does the mudball, fashioned into the likeness of God and filled with the Spirit of God look into the eyes of God and cry out Abba Father? It's not about origin, it is about destiny. It is Satan that wants to keep your eyes focused on the muddy pit of everything you are not. All the while God is saying look at me the One who has created and ordained you to be My son. Can you see how this level of faith can unleash a heap of harm on Satan and his kingdom? Is it going to be "Woe" is me or devil watch out?

Luk 3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

Adam is the son of God, who unfortunately joined his wife when she moved from her ordained status and the rest is history. Adam was the son of God. The son and the Father are the same kind, equal kinds. Can you see there is a deeper level of understanding that needs to come out? Everybody on this planet can easily and readily proclaim, I am a child of God. Now I ask again, Are you the same species as God? Then the answer changes, No I'm a mortal and God is a Spirit. Hmmm... Sad faced emoji. Let me ask, Are you the same species as your parents? I think... yes. Were your parents the same species as your grandparents? I think...yes. If we back it up all the way was Seth the same species as Adam? I think...yes. Now back up again and remember status has nothing to do with origin particularly the origin of these bodies. The word Son literally means builder of the family name. Isn't God calling out a people for His Name? Aren't we baptized in Jesus name? Of Whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named? Now I ask you was Adam ordained as the Son of God destined to have dominion? Don't scratch your head. Don't rub your jaw. The correct answer is yes. Don't let the devil fill your mind with but, but, but I'm just a human. Being human just means we came from the earth, that is our origin. But our status and our destiny is either going to be tied to Satan's lies who wants you to look back at the pit OR to the miracle working God who does not care where you came from. He is only concerned with where you are going. And where He wants you to go is to be seated next to Him on Heaven's throne as a Son, as an heir, as an equal. This is the New Creature who God thought was worth dying for. Let God breathe on you, let God restore your mind.

The devil cast his deception over mankind and turned us into pig feeding beggars. The Father wants to put the family ring and the family robe around us and restore our status as His sons. The family robe is Jesus! "That they may be one in us."

Jesus is the perfect son, who came to free us from Ham's tent - Babylon, where we were taken captive as a slave of slaves when humanity was enticed and deceived by accepting diabolic imaginations. Jesus came to restore us to Seth's tent, the household of God. Blessed be the LORD God of those in Seth's tent.

Satan has been using the same lies over and over again. What lies? The lies that cause us to question our status and also God's reliability. The lies that say there is a benefit to believing Satan. In short Satan offers us power and when the average human is offered power and authority our sinful nature interprets power to equal having the ability to do whatever we imaging to do.

Our sinful nature interprets authority as being above all others to command all others to do our bidding. This use of power and authority by both spirits and sinful man has given us this current world we live in. This mindset uses power and authority to separate oneself as being better and above all. This is the old mindset originating with Satan, the father of lies, this mindset must be destroyed. I hope you can agree with this point at least. On the other side of this coin, there is a new mindset and a new nature, a new wineskin, a new man that is modeled after Jesus.

Jesus is the Family Robe!

Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

1Co 15:53-54 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Do we have the same mindset as Mary and Martha believing in future resurrections? All the while Jesus is the resurrection and He is standing right there. We have multiple verses saying 'put on Christ' - Christ is now forever glorified and absolutely incorruptible. So when Paul changes up the wording a bit and instead of 'putting on Christ' - Paul says put on incorruption - does our current mindset put on the brakes to wait for a future event? Or does the same right here, right now God want us to believe that when we 'put on Christ' we have - past tense - put on immortality - and as Jesus said 'we will never die'?

This is the distinction between old skins incapable of expanding the mindset versus a mind of faith that says all things are possible - right now. Whose mind is in you?

Righteousness and true holiness is the mindset

Put on Jesus, put on incorruption, put on immortality, put on the new man with the new mind. Putting on is a choice. We first choose to take off the fig leaves, the devices of our own imaginations. We choose to take off the image Satan tells you so desperately need. You first choose to put those things off everything that is corruptible and slated for elimination - and then you choose to be what God and God alone has envisioned for you. The power to choose is the greatest freedom there is.

Put it off

The old mindset and nature sees power as the ability to do whatever we imagine to do, and this mindset sees authority as the right to take advantage of people, to lord over people or even enslave people. This mindset is Satanic and the source of all corruption and will be destroyed. Just as God gave Jesus power and authority, so also He will give the New Creatures with the renewed mindset power and authority. In contrast the renewed mindset or the mind of Christ rather sees power as the power to serve others. Authority serves only to destroy corruption and preserve righteousness and true holiness.

Yep, and there you have it. This is what defines the distinction between Satan's world of self serving power and God's Kingdom of selflessness. Herein is the role of the Sons of God ordained to erase corruption and swallow up death in victory.

The Mind of Christ

Php 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Satan wants to be god but for all the wrong reasons and without an inkling of an idea of what God's true nature is. Being equal with God equals taking on the exact attributes and nature as Paul has so eloquently outlined in the above verse.

Because God is invisible our human intellect and human imagination tends to kick in and we piece together a picture of what God is like based on what we see with our eyes. We see evidence of grandeur and extreme greatness in all creation that leaves us in awe of it all. All that we see in creation is evidence of His handiwork and abilities. Yet none of that adequately helps us know what God is like in His innermost heart. We can be in awe of all the great masters of the arts in music, art or science. We can be in awe at the shear amounts of talent possessed by the masters like Michelangelo or DaVincci, Mozart, or even Einstein. Yet do we even have an inkling of an idea of what they were like as people? Being in awe of talents and abilities is not the same as being in awe of a persons character and personality.

Talents and abilities are separate and distinct from character and personality. Van Goph was a great artist but the man cut off his own ear. There was obviously something very wrong in his mind. We can desire to emulate his talents but I'm not sure I want to emulate Van Goph as a man. You see everything we know about God is what see of the universe around us. That all is His handiwork and talents and rightfully deserving of awe. But Jesus the man came to reveal God's innermost heart of what He is as a being and what did Jesus say of His innermost heart?

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

And ye shall find rest unto your souls

Couple all this together: Jesus being meek and lowly in heart, Jesus making himself of no reputation, Jesus becoming a servant, Jesus humbling himself, Jesus learning obedience. This all paints a picture of what it means to be equal with God. The Pharisees claimed to be sons of Abraham. Jesus said nope, you're not. You are of the devil because you do the works of the devil. If you were the sons of Abraham you would do the works of Abraham.

So we see that being a son is tied to our works, and whose son we are is tied to whose works we are doing.

It's all about the character of God and not the substance or position of God. Just in case you were wondering what I meant by saying we are equal with God. When our character puts on Christ by emulating Jesus' character then just the same as the man Christ Jesus claimed equality with God so exactly we too are God's sons. Father and son are just older and younger versions of the same thing. Father and son are members of the household. As members of the household we all have equal access to all of God's richness.

Remember it is not great works or grandeur on our part. There will be those justifying themselves on that day saying "Didn't we do great works in your name?" Nope, that don't take the prize. The prize is knowing God's character and living His character out in our lives and that is what make us the Sons of God.

Now examine your heart. Most people do enjoy the limelight of a reputation. Most people enjoy being served with some extra attention and perks. Most people enjoy the recognition of their talents and abilities after all they are very special you know.

Most people are not looking for a cross at the end of the day and are not training or learning obedience that leads to that cross at the end of their day. If I am in awe it is because I see Jesus the man being everything I am not. I am not lowly or meek, I am not humble, I am not selfless, and obedience is also quite tough. I see Him and I see a person I aspire to learn of. In my learning I find comfort and rest in my confidence that His blood covers me in spite of everything I am not.

Where will I end up in the grand scheme of things? Well, if nothing else, my trust will always be in Him and in His wisdom, and I leave myself in His hands.

My friend, saying you serve and know God without emulating what all boils down to - the love of God - is continuing to live in darkness. Why did Jesus leave the glories of Heaven, and robe Himself in flesh making Himself of no reputation? Because He loves you. Why did Jesus roam the countryside with no leisure or comfort, serving the needs of others all the while facing ridicule and persecution? Because He loves you. Why did the Creator, the Lord of Glory, the Captain of angel armies, subject Himself to the vile creatures of humanity? Because He loves you. Why did the Giver of Life allow Himself to be put on a cross to die? So He could say "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Why would He say that? Because He loves us. All that is what needs to be emulated so the world can finally see and know the True God. Did you know that God Himself rests? He rests knowing all that needs to be done has been done and when it comes to you not only does he rest but He does a song and a dance.

Zep 3:17  The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Satan has been lying for millennia to angels and humanity alike, convincing and clouding our minds. Satan says to be like god is to be supernatural, super rich, super powerful, super this and super that, on and on. Billions have eaten at that table and we are witness to nothing but the devastation of both world and soul. Satan's day is coming to a close and a new day is being set before us. In that day God will be sending His agents into this world to reverse all of Satan's devastation.

Isa 61:4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

Who are these agents? Well, they are going to have to know a thing or two about God.

Dan 11:32 ... But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

The whole world is waiting for that day when a host of clear-minded, Jesus-minded individuals roam this world with the power of godliness. This will bring rest for the soul and rest to the weary world. Having power and authority in God's Kingdom equals having the power and authority to exercise righteousness and true holiness. In exercising His nature of servanthood, we become the "Sons of God." If we want to be in awe, let us be in awe of God's character as a being.

Chapter 12 – Setting Apart His Sons

Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth (God) and they who are sanctified (us) are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Joh 17:17-23 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (18) As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. (19) And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. (20) Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; (21) That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (22) And the glory (the glory of God's own self) which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (23) I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know (by their testimony) that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Rom 8:19, 21 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (21) Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

They say when anything is repeated in a passage it is for emphasis. Well Jesus repeated the phrase to "be one" four times - do you think He is trying to make a point? This all forms a precept or a line of thought that needs exploration. I know the last verse is talking about the rapture and my mind is racing ahead and crossing dispensations. Remember, God's mind sees all present, past and future as though they are right now. Jesus the man had that mind and appropriated God's "Own self" for himself. The man Christ Jesus did not see himself as unworthy or different than God's own self and therefore acted as God would act. His example changed His world and it is that same message that we need to receive now so we will be equipped to change the world of the next dispensation.

There exists a continuum, "Be fruitful and multiply, replenish and subdue and have dominion." However this is not just touching the natural command to be fruitful and multiply but includes the seed of His Word being fruitful and multiplying. This is us allowing the seed of His Word to bring forth that for which it was ordained to do. Humanity was created and ordained not just to represent God's order but also represent God Himself as we are created in the image of God. The continuum of God's order and presence will subdue and take dominion through multiplying and replenishing. What can multiply? Kind with kind. What kind will take dominion? The Jesus kind. Speaking of Jesus:

Psa 8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

Heb 2:6-7 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? (7) Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands...

Heb 2:11-13 NLT So now Jesus and the ones He makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them His brothers and sisters. (12) For He said to God, "I will proclaim Your name to My brothers and sisters. I will praise You among Your assembled people." (13) He also said, "I will put My trust in Him," that is, "I and the children God has given Me."

We rightfully understand Jesus as the one worthy of dominion. He is the Elder Firstborn and the only begotten; to Him alone belongs the preeminence. To Him, my knee bends, but full dominion belongs to not only Jesus, but also "I and the children God has given me." Dominion is an inheritance that is equally shared between all brothers and sisters. Brothers and sisters all have equal status. We are all equals amongst equals. None better, none worse. Just brothers and sisters in the household of God. It is not robbery to have a legal claim to the legal status of being a son equal with The Son.

At this point the status of being a "Son" needs to be differentiated. Jesus is 'The' Son and head of all things. We are 'Sons' but our roles within the Kingdom have not yet been revealed - "It does not yet appear what we shall be". Nonetheless we are 'Sons' like Him.

Remembering and memorializing Jesus the man as our model to emulate gives us all our connection point to lay hold of the promises of God. Focusing on the humanity of a man, remembering it was a man who learned obedience, a man who humbled himself, a man who made himself as a servant, these attributes are what I as a man can learn and must emulate. If we only think of Jesus as God Almighty then I have to put on the brakes with no hope because quite frankly I ain't it. This man was asking to be memorialized in the communion supper and remembered. Why? Because the life and mindset of the man showed us the path, and defined our mission. The full scope of the Churches mission is not just to get to heaven but is also shutting the mouth of the liar and winning the war on earth. The life of the man Jesus was our connection point that leads us into a greater revelation and relationship to God. Jesus gave us the model to be emulated that leads to eternal life. The man showed us "The Way" back to God. God is an omnipotent and invisible Spirit. I as a human have absolutely zero capacity to relate to and understand an omnipotent eternal and invisible Spirit. It is impossible for me to "Know God" as a personal hands on experience. I can only read about, or guess or invent and imagine, at best I can only pretend to know and what I don't know the devil is all too happy to fill in the blanks for me.

Just pick any character from history unless you are right there with them and experience for yourself their lives, you can never be an eyewitness and know as factual. Anything short of a personal experience just makes anything you think you know second hand hearsay. Second hand hearsay is inadmissible and disqualifies the individual as a legitimate witness. We are only counted as legitimate when we have first hand knowledge.

First hand knowledge that God is and that God is true. That knowledge is gained through knowing Jesus Christ. When I see Jesus the man as He is, when I see the example he set, when I see the sacrifice he made, on and on... Then when I appropriate Jesus' example as my own and the blessings begin flowing my way, then I can experience for myself that God is true and faithful.

Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Jesus the man came and showed me a life I can relate to. At a man to man level I can now see Him as He is and now choose the paths that lead to a destiny as an heir and co-regent in the New Heaven. Just to refine and distill this thought more perfectly. Can I identify with a man that had the miraculous birth of being born of a virgin? Nope. Can I identify with a man that had no sin? Nope. Those are absolute distinctions that belong only to Him as being "The Son", "The only begotten", "The spotless Lamb", "The Firstborn" etc. These distinctions will give Him the eternal preeminence forever.

Remember earlier I noted that by grace Jesus was ordained to taste death, which puts a wrinkle in some theologies. The fact of the matter is I can only be saved because of Jesus' sacrifice and the grace I receive can only be administered because of Jesus' death, period. So in effect I am saved by the grace that was given to Jesus first. Jesus tasted death for every man. He tasted a physical death and paid the price so we do not have to go to a physical cross in order to be saved.

Jesus was made a little lower than the angels just the same as all of us so we all have a point of commonality and identity. So what point can I as a mere mortal man truly identify with? Only one: We both, Jesus the man and Frank the man, must suffer death. "It is appointed unto all men to die once." Dying is our one and only common experience. How we die is another story, but it is ordained for all of us to die. Just as Jesus willingly and joyfully took on His journey to the cross, so must we. Why? What does dying accomplish? As mentioned before, being planted germinates the seed. A seed that has germinated has begun its transformational journey toward fruitfulness. How? Because death destroys the bonds of what we were - subjects of corruption destined to die - and also begins the journey towards what He has ordained us to become.

Heb 2:14-15 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

1Co 15:36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

Death is inevitable and for Jesus His death came on the cross. Again, how the rest of us die is a different story. Being Jesus was the one and only spotless lamb whose blood was the only blood that took away the sins of the world, it was His death only that destroyed the power of Satan who held the power of death.

The rest of us all die but our dying only produces more dust. Which is the devil's food by the way. "You shall eat dust." But God has ordained a "dying" that does not lead to dust, rather this "dying" leads to eternal life. Because that "dying" joins us and incorporates into Jesus' death. And being Jesus' status as sinless deemed Him as having power over death so death could not hold Him, up again He came in the resurrection. That is Jesus' victory over death.

Rom 6:3-7 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (4) Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (7) For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Gal 3:26-29 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

"He that is dead is freed from sin" Rom. 6:7 God are you telling me you are willing to reckon my willingness to be baptized in water the equivalent of a dying that frees me from the penalty from my sins? Yep Frank that is the deal. Help me, Lord, get this all straight. Jesus was sinless, and because of that, Satan had zero power to keep Him in the grave. So, Jesus being sinless gave Him the power to resurrect? Yep, Frank, that's the truth. Now, Lord, the deal You're offering me is, if I'm willing to be planted in a watery grave, You, Lord, will reckon me dead and thereby free me from the penalty of sin and Satan's power, and also give me the promise to resurrect? Yes, Frank, that is the deal. Now Frank...

...Why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Act 22:16

That was a no-brainer for me and I jumped on that opportunity.

That is certainly good news for sure. God offers a deal that reckons our death to be the day we repent and are baptized in a watery grave. The will of God for all is that they repent - and that is the death to self will - "For he that is dead is freed from sin." Beyond death we are also buried with Him, and beyond that grave "We also should walk in newness of life." This is the will of God for all, and this is what was being offered when Jesus broke the bread (His flesh) and said "This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me." Memorialize this action of mine, and just as I gave of myself for the benefit of others, so likewise you remember to give of yourselves for the benefit of others.

Repentance and water baptism in Jesus name is a "dying" as Romans 6 puts it "the likeness of His death" that makes us all one in Christ Jesus. For humanity a watery grave is certainly a better option than a wooden cross. That "option" is what Jesus' sacrifice paid for. It is time for a worship and praise break.... Jesus' one and only efficacious death made it so we don't have to suffer the penalty of our sins. Rejoice ye heavens and earth!!

Jesus' dying bought us the option to not have to suffer the penalties of our sins. Beyond that Jesus also spoke of the blood. "Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." The New Testament in my blood or new contract goes beyond the dying and brings us into a living hope.

Isa 43:19, 21 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert... (21) This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

The New Testament has given opportunity for God to form a new people who are new creatures and ahead of us awaits a New Heaven and a New Jerusalem. For all this Jesus deserves all adoration, worship and glory. Amen.

The New Creature made for the New Heaven

The Apostles had the unique privilege of experiencing Jesus on the man to man level and their writings testify and their lives reflect the connection they made with the Almighty God as He walked this earth as a man. That connection is what changed their world forever.

1Jn 1:1, 4 KJV That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life... (4) And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

So after all these many years later it is through the Apostolic witness we come to know about Jesus and yes that is wonderful in every way. But after all these centuries can I say I know Him and see Him as He is first hand? Hmmm...

There was a power that propelled the Apostles to completely change their entire world. Jesus said "The violent taketh by force". The Apostles appropriated the force of extreme faith and indeed that whole world changed. Their violence was to wield the sword of the Spirit and tell the truth and be a witness that would pierce into the kingdom of the powers that be. Their force was to know who Jesus was and to know who they were in Christ and they fearlessly and unabashedly overwhelmed every foe with that knowledge. The question is, Do we still possess the same power to change this current world? Remember the Word tells us God is shaking heaven and earth to see what moves and then remove it. Heaven had a war because Lucifer moved and he was then cast down.

The world of the Apostles began a transformational process towards godliness but with the passing of all the Apostles the light that was shining so brightly through them grew dim. Remember now that Satan was cast down to begin a war on earth, he took advantage of the passing of the Apostles to influence the powers that be and thereby brought back darkness.

So while a form of Christianity or a form of godliness took a dominant position on the world stage, let's just say something was missing. Something like the power maybe? Now looking at today's situation and we see ungodliness is regaining territory at a mind boggling pace. The world is being shaken and everything that shakes will be removed as promised.

Even though Satan lost Heaven's war and was cast down to earth, his goal remains to convince humanity that he is God. At the very core issue of the war that Satan is waging is this question - Who is deserving to be worshipped as God? Now while this question was settled in Heaven this same question is unsettled here on earth, and this is where we are at today. Very, very shortly will come the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the Antichrist, the one who will have the audacity to appear in the Temple and declare himself God.

2Th 2:4 KJV Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Jesus told Nicodemus "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Joh 3:19 KJV Remember this earth is a holding cell for both Satan and the darkness lovers until they are sentenced and receive their final fate. The war on earth against those who have the testimony of Jesus Christ is being waged because the witnesses are light bearers of the truth the Jesus is God. On Satan's side are the darkness lovers who hate the light. So Satan creates the veil and shadow of darkness with the purpose to get things dark, dark, dark where both the darkness lovers and Satan can pretend to their hearts content that he is God.

Yet the Church, the unshakable Kingdom is still here and we have His promise to be kept from evil while here. The Church will never be shaken and never deviate from its purpose to spread the Gospel. Jesus said:

Mat 24:14 KJV And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

"This Gospel", not another and not a watered down version but "This Gospel" will be preached until the end. The Church is guaranteed to stand and withstand forever, period and Amen. So now we are at a juncture where standing and withstanding is an absolute paramount. We will continue to be light bearers to the absolute truth that there is One God and His name is Jesus. Boy! does this stick in the devil's craw! We are going to do more than just stick however.

2Th 2:8 KJV And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

The epic battle that has been prepared for by both sides for millennia is now set for the final showdown. In that showdown the devil is going to do what he does best "Destroy wonderfully." That is his method of operation from the very beginning.

Our True God Jesus is going to step in and do what He does best and that is He will turn on the light switch, "Let there be light." Darkness will not prevail In that showdown and the Wicked will be destroyed! Satan lost the war in Heaven and he is going to lose here on earth too. How? By the spirit of Jesus' mouth (his testimony) and the brightness of His coming. Brightness is coming and when light is here darkness is destroyed. Darkness is very simply the absence of light. Darkness is absence and light is presence. Light is the presence of God and truth.

The Apostles testified of that light and changed their world forever but with their passing Satan got lulled into a false sense of security and he came out to continue his dirty work. If the light of the Apostles had the rats scurrying what do you suppose the Light of God Almighty is going to do? Did you know the Old Testament prophecies described Jesus at His first advent as "a root out of dry ground"? If the dry root was able to minister in such enormous ways, What do you suppose the power of the whole tree will be? Also at this point I want to plant a word of faith in your heart. At Jesus' first advent He instituted the Lord's table. With Him at that table were twelve men who moved forward and had overwhelming impact on their world. At that same table Jesus also said:

Mat 26:29 KJV But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

Day one, was the day of the Apostles. Day two, will be that day of renewal and I do believe there will be multitudes at that table. Do you think the devil is going to stand a chance against multitudes? Yep! can't wait!

The issues right now are all the uncertainties flooding this world and being uncertain has the effect of making individuals insecure and movable. This is not a good thing. There is got to be an element that the Apostles had that made them not just immovable in there stance in preaching the Gospel, but in reality it made them the bulldozers that overturned their godless society. Let's press on.

Chapter 13 – The Last Supper - Again

As humans and living creatures we eat to stay alive. Yet we live our lives from beginning to end and still end up dying even if we ate the healthiest most nutritious foods known to man. Even manna which God Himself provided from Heaven did not provide eternal life. Yet again there are instructions in the Word of God that tells us plainly there is a source of sustenance that if consumed guarantees eternal life. So in short there are normal regular earthly foods that sustain the body but yet the body dies regardless. What we want to zoom in on and focus is 'The Food' that promises eternal life, not of the body, but of your spirit, the eternal you, remember the other you. The other you that is sitting in Heavenly places.

Following is a compilation of passages concerning the Last supper. I'm putting it all out there because reading and knowing the Word of God is good. Five writers, the four Gospels plus Paul, all have something to say about the institution known as the Last Supper. As you read the passages you can see that three of the Gospels plus Paul give very similar accounts.

The Gospel of John was the last one written and I will surmise John knowing what has already been written decides to go deeper and includes more of the teachings and conversations of Jesus. Just keep this in the forefront of your thinking always, Jesus came as "The Way" to eternal life and in the Last Supper He is asking to do this in remembrance of me in effect making Himself a landmark by which we can be certain we are on the right path. Jesus institutionalizes a permanent landmark as a way to be assured always exactly and precisely what it is to eat that will promise eternal life. This should sound familiar because God is just doing what He always does. He always fixes things by using the very best He can afford.

Luk 22:14-20 KJV And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. (15) And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: (16) For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. (17) And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: (18) For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. (19) And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. (20) Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Mat 26:26-29 KJV And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. (27) And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; (28) For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (29) But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

Mar 14:22-25 KJV And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. (23) And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. (24) And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. (25) Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

1Co 11:23-26 KJV For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: (24) And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. (25) After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. (26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

The words testament and covenant have the same meaning. They are contracts. As mentioned the New Testament contract is the option Jesus paid for you on the cross. That option is for us to die in the watery grave of baptism rather than a physical death on a cross. This is all familiar territory and all I want to say here is that our relationship with God is establish by two specific realities, the life and teachings of Jesus which is the Bread of Life, and also the death of Jesus where He poured out His Blood for us and made us a New Covenant people. All good. As mentioned John takes extra time in his accounting of this event and records this in a full four chapters from chapter 13 thru 16. In chapter 13 John chooses to word the Last Supper completely different but the meaning is exactly the same and actually enhanced so we can understand the mind and intent of God.

Joh 13:31-35 KJV Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. (32) If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. (33) Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. (34) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (35) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Yep, I told you John is different. John is not focused on the literal words that were spoken, but focuses on what is intended by those words. Jesus' life (the bread) and Jesus' death (the blood) are two essential elements of the New covenant that incorporates us all into one new body. As mentioned before, every action and teaching of Jesus all boils down to fulfilling the Royal law, which is to love God and others with all your heart.

God is not one to say "do as I say and not as I do." God practices what He preaches. Jesus said "This is my body that is given." Jesus also told Nicodemus "God so loved the world that He gave." So the connection is this, that the meaning and expression of love is to give.

This is where John picks up. Rather than just repeat the verbal words spoken at the last supper, John chooses to tell us what those words mean in practical terms. God expressed His love in that He gave His Son. The currency of Heaven is giving. If you want to have then you have to give. God has everything because He gave everything.

In observing the Lord's table we are memorializing this - we express God's love by loving one another. The glory of God and the life giving power of the Spirit are put on full display and manifested when we "Love one another." Obeying Jesus' command to love one another is the transformational power that crosses us over from natural life (the you on earth) into Spiritual life (the you sitting in Heaven).

We are all One Body

Rom 12:5 KJV So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

1Co 10:17 KJV For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

Obeying the New Commandment equals Eternal Life

1Jn 3:14 KJV We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

Earlier in John's Gospel we find Jesus expounding the distinction between natural sustenance (regular food and drink) and divine sustenance being derived from doing the will of God.

Joh 6:27-29 KJV Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (28) Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? (29) Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

How can believing something be considered a work? Short answer, because we tend to act and do those things in which we believe. What we truly believe in - motivates us to act. Satan believes his lies and therefore he sets out to destroy anything that doesn't support his delusion. If we are influenced by Satan then we tend to do things that are self destructive. On the other hand having a true faith and belief in Jesus motivates us to do the things that cause healing and restoration. God is a healer and God restores broken things. Those are the works of God. That is His pattern of behavior. Believing in Jesus will cause you to behave like Jesus.

Jesus is "sealed" which can be understood to mean Jesus bears the divine approval as the model to pattern our lives after. Believing in Jesus equals believing in this precept and believing in this precept equals laboring towards the same endeavors and life choices that produced the same world rocking power exhibited by Jesus and all the Apostles. Remember John the Baptist confirms this truth when he stated we also are sealed by believing Jesus' testimony. The Apostles had to learn all this too and also transition from natural to Spiritual.

Joh 4:31-34 KJV In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. (natural foods the natural man) (32) But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. (33) Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? (34) Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (Spiritual sustenance for the spiritual man.)

Jesus doubled down on the teaching that there is a spiritual food for the spiritual individual and as already stated in the previous verse it is spiritual food to do the will of God.

Joh 6:53-58 KJV Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. (54) Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (55) For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. (56) He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. (57) As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. (58) This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

This is a song with a familiar tune, with a refrain that repeats itself over and over again. Jesus says eat my flesh and drink my blood as a source to tap us into the very best God has available - Himself. To eat the flesh of Jesus is to partake of His human nature, in short what we do to make our nature mirror His nature. To drink His blood is to partake of the New Covenant promises. The bread represents the body, but the blood is the life within the body. This is a package deal that if we consume puts God on the inside of us where He belongs. Jesus continues to explain:

Joh 6:63 KJV It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

It should be understood that the flesh and everything that goes into the flesh and everything that is done by the flesh is corruptible and will be done away with. God's words are the power of life within our body that feed the spiritual man, the other you, the one sitting in Heaven. Is this a new massage? Nope, this message is the message that God Himself has been demonstrating from the very beginning.

Isa 55:1-3 KJV Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, but, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.(2) Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.(3) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Jer 15:16 KJV Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Isa 25:6-9 KJV And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. (7) And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. (8) He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. (9) And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Boom! And there you have the direct link between a feast and the destruction of the vail that ultimately ends up with the destruction of the destroyer himself or Mr. Death himself. The first supper was a dinner feast amongst Jesus and the twelve that prepared them to move forward into the age of grace. They used to call communion suppers 'Agape fests" or love feasts and we know the first Church was very powerful in delivering that generation from the powers of darkness. As the age of grace comes to its conclusion, that day of "drinking a new" it will be a feast with the Lord and "All people." that prepares them for the new age coming, the Millennial Kingdom. Nope, the devil won't stand a chance.

Yes, that day is a future day although not very far, and all my efforts are my contribution of a few loaves and fishes. I have faith in God, all I can do is make my contribution into the hands of greater men than me, and the rest, the feast, is up to Him. This feast is more than just bread, there will be plenty fat things, specifically this verse mentions marrow. Marrow is produced inside the bones, and it is the hardest to get to but it is the richest in tenderness and flavor. It is a delicacy. Thinking about it is making me hungry!

I am not rich so I don't spend the money buying big beef bones filled with marrow but I do have the habit of chewing on chicken bones or rib bones when they are tender enough to get to the marrow. If I had a choice I'd throw away everything and just feast on the marrow. Also the wine on the lees is a reserved wine. A wine that has been guarded until the Master decides it's time to drink. It is the best wine saved for last. God does not hold back. He knows what our deepest yearnings are and He has time and time again put Himself out as the best He has to give. Feast on the richness of God and rejoice always.

I have to say there is something very comforting when God suggests that we can delight ourselves with fatness. That speaks volumes of the Lord's graciousness, generosity and willingness to bless us to overflow. Remember Satan accuses God of holding back and denying us of good things. And of course the devil is a liar. As long as we can differentiate that the devil offers us only natural, flesh appealing fatness, and natural fatness will put you in the hospital and eventually kill you. But God offers spiritual fatness and that is exactly what the doctor ordered. Spiritually filling your soul with the Word of God causes your soul to live. It causes you to have joy and rejoicing in your heart.

So what are we talking about when we say "Eat the Word" or when Jesus is says "Eat my flesh?" Think about this: every living creature has to eat something else in order to stay alive. We eat, and the act of putting something into our bodies provides nourishment and sustains us to stay strong and healthy.

Look at the whole picture of what it means to enjoy a meal. In today's society, a majority of individuals just sit at a table and eat whatever has been prepared for them. But food has a long journey from start to finish. What we call food starts out as something alive, whether an animal or vegetable, on a farm or in a field. This animal or vegetable has to be killed and processed into something we find palatable and served on a plate. There are many steps and processes involved that we usually don't think about in this modern society. Actually most Americans would be grossed out completely if they knew what they were actually putting into their bodies.

Again, look at the whole picture. Something edible is taken or commandeered involuntarily. That edible thing is forced to leave whatever life it was living and is butchered or processed and cooked into a tasty meal. Then we humans eat and consume, usually with great relish and glee. After we consume, we are assimilating, bringing in and absorbing something from outside of us. In effect, what we ate now becomes us. You are what you eat, as the saying goes, but we can also say what we eat becomes what we are.

Now, realistically and in reality, we eat all sorts of things, often without thinking, and those things have a full spectrum of effects on us, from flat out poisons that will kill us immediately, to toxins that kill us slowly, to normal foods that will keep us ticking for our lifetime. This is the reality, all of these are natural foods for the natural body, and even the best food, such as manna from heaven, will still see you dead at the end of your days. Therefore, we conclude that caring for the natural body, while still recommended, is at best ineffective at keeping us alive eternally.

Now on the other hand when we are talking about eating the Word or eating Jesus' flesh that is all Spiritual. God's primary and paramount concern is for the health and prosperity of your soul and the spiritual well being that is indeed effective at keeping us alive eternally. This is the entire point of God's table. What we normally call the last supper is in reality was the first supper of the institution we call the Church.

So when Jesus tells us to eat His flesh and drink His blood. He is telling us to commandeer, assimilate and absorb what He is into our spiritual beings thus making Him a permanent part of what we are. Only now at the Lord's table there is a twist to situation because in eating His Word, He not only becomes a part of us but we become a part of Him.

With the creation of man as we discussed earlier God spoke to Himself and then proceeded to put Himself within that mudball. God breathed His Spirit into a mudball, and that mudball became a living soul. The Spirit that God put into us was our first meal, while we were mudballs incapable of life - yet, that meal made us living souls. That mud was not alive, nor ever could be. That mud was force fed the Spirit of God and that mud then became a living soul. That vessel of mud was only the container that stored the promises, or seed of God's word. The seed is stored and then planted in due season and this pattern has continued for many generations. Now at the end of this Church age which has been our reform school, preparing us for graduation day. That graduation day is a due season in which that seed that has been stored in our beings will now be brought out, planted, and allowed to grow. Fulfilling God's eternal purposes and His Word concerning a day in which:

Isa 11:9 KJV ...for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

God does not change and what He did then He does now. Jesus said, "My words are spirit; they are life." Our first food was the Spirit of God, and with the communion table God is back on the plate again. Jesus was taken from the life he was living, and he offered himself as bread and blood. He is on the table. The Bread of life is on the table but the Bread of life is ALL the Word of God. All the Word of God includes that which is hidden in the bones, the marrow that is hard to get to. We are being told now, in due season, to do some bone breaking in order to get to the fullness and richness of all God has to offer

When we believe ALL His word, we are commandeering, and when we obey ALL His word, we are consuming. In consuming, we then partake of ALL His nature and become living souls. Life itself is put into us; this is consuming the fatness of marrow. Most all will readily and joyfully declare there is power in the blood! But put on your thinking cap; the blood is produced in the marrow. God is taking us to the source of the source and inviting us to eat. Instead of the blood being poured over to cleanse us - marrow - the very source of blood, is what God is wanting to put inside of us. If the life is in the blood, what will be the result of having the source of the blood within ourselves? Will that make us eternally living souls? Whew! Bone-breaking time!

Some people are very picky eaters with a very limited palette and then others will eat everything in sight, either way their stature is a direct reflection on what they have been putting into their bodies. So exactly likewise are those who sit at God's table. Lovers of God's Word are robust eaters, strong and full of faith. On other hand are the bird like picky eaters, obeying only what they deem palatable. Chances are they are going to be slim, anemic and weak.

1Co 11:29-30 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. (30) For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

Here specifically Paul is addressing the issue of eating unworthily. Humans have many habits that are hard to break and one of those habits is sneaking snacks between meals, or worse, making snacks the whole meal. Your mom may have been a very consciences cook and put healthy meals on the table, but if you spend your life packing away candy bars and burgers then you will pay a price for those choices.

This is what Paul is addressing. God's table is a complete package with everything for your eternal benefit fully supplied. If you are going elsewhere and sneaking those delicacies your flesh craves then there will be a price to pay.

1Co 10:16-17, 21 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (17) For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. (21) Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

The Lord's table is pure and perfect and complete. Notice Paul calls the cup a cup of blessings. Absolutely every good and perfect gift is provided freely, but a visit to Satan's snack machine will nullify the good and keep you permanently weak. In Paul's day specifically the reference to the cup of devils was idolatry. Today anything goes as long as it is anti God - so all our modern anything but God options are on the devil's table.

God is eternal and complete and if we have more gusto and eat it all, then we will have it all becoming eternal and complete. And as we saw in the Word, God want us fat! Spiritually that is. Keep eating, keep consuming and keep assimilating. "Unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."

The Apostles attained that stature, and they rocked their world. They demonstrated what could be accomplished by being spiritually fat. There was a two thousand year gap of time between what they started, and this generation today. But, today is where I expect God is going to finish what He started. Again let me remind you of the effect of having spiritually strong and healthy saints on the society around us, Isa. 25:7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.

Spiritually healthy and robust saints are a light reflecting the goodness of God. That same light will cause the covering of darkness to be destroyed. The same light will cause the vail of ignorance to be removed. People are delivered from the power of darkness and ignorance by eating and obeying the Word of God. They then are reunited to their loving God as He wipes away their tears. How beautiful is that!!

The catalyst to "Swallow up death in victory"

The Apostles were all spiritually fat and that generation enjoyed a great liberty and power in being able to effect their generation with the Gospel. I see this point right here as the undeniable connection between being Spiritually fat and having the Spiritual strength to destroy the coverings and the veils that separate people from salvation and God. Jesus came to destroy those coverings when He said "Eat my flesh and drink my blood." In creating the institution of the Lord's table Jesus' intent was not just to be memorialized Himself but He created a landmark to guide us back to the source of power of the first century church. In effect history repeated itself, the twelve Apostles were the twelve stones taken from the depths of the sea and placed on land as a memorial for future generations.

The Apostles were at that table and did partake of that meal and we are witness to the effect they had on their generation. They all however were all taken to their eternal reward and again we are witness to the effect of the absence of the Spiritually fat, the world plunged back into darkness and ignorance. Today as mentioned earlier, I have no doubt whatsoever that we are going to see the greatest revival of all time. I have my own personal assurance from the Lord we will see this ingathering and then we are going home. The catalyst for this ingathering is going to be exactly the same now as it was back in the first century. That catalyst is becoming Spiritually fat at the Lord's renewed supper table.

Lord Jesus bring us back to that table. Raise up a generation of saints that will eat your Word to overflowing. Have mercy on the souls of all those living under the dark covering of Satan's evil. Remove the vail that keeps us ignorant and in bondage. Let your chosen lead your flock to that place where even death will be swallowed up in victory. Thank you Lord Jesus for the revelation that you alone are the One True Almighty God and help your chosen join Michael and the Apostles in ridding your creation of the scourge of the devil's lies. Let Heaven and earth both be filled with your glory. Amen.

Chapter 14 – Back to The Table - Come and Dine

The Menu

1) The Bread of Life

Joh 6:51 KJV I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

2) The Blood of the New Covenant

Matt 26:27-28 KJV And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; (28) For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Hmmm... Only two items but the individual consuming these two items "Shall live forever."

Hmmm... Satan's menu? Thousands of treats to indulge and explore, all of which pleasure the flesh, but... lead to eternal destruction. Oh he has variety for sure but everything he offers is a lie. It might look like it is good for food, it might look desirable and tasty, it might look like it is good enough to make you like a god, but we have 6000 years of evidence that tells a different story. Push away from that table for Satan's meal is a dishonest and toxic meal that leads only to death.

Returning to God's table is returning to a pre-devil, pre-fall menu where God has cooked up a meal for us. That meal is Himself, His flesh and His blood and being God is Life we become what we eat, in nature, in character, and in stature. Returning to God's table is of course a call to purity and faithfulness.

1Co 10:21 KJV Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

The Lord's meal may be simple but it is good, honest and effective. Plain water may be bland and tasteless but if you're in a desert and dying of thirst, plain water can suddenly become very delicious. The Israelites loathed the manna that was provided and their carcasses fell in the wilderness. The Lord's table only has bread and wine, yes very simple yet ordained to provide eternal life. Jesus told Paul, "My grace is sufficient" simple but effective. Not always palatable but always effective.

As individuals we simply need to reach that place where we come to the realization that eating from the devil's menu is killing us. We, like Peter must conclude: "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." Jesus preached this message about eating His flesh and drinking His blood and as can be expected the Word tells us many walked away. I am accustomed to hearing all kinds of things from preachers. As of yet I have never heard any preacher invite us to make a meal out of them. Honestly that would bug me out a bit. Those that walked away could only see and hear a man saying these things and without them understanding and knowing who that man was, I really can't fault them because I would do the same. It is only because we understand that Jesus was more than just a mere man that we stick around.

All along my discussion has been about eating the flesh of Jesus, which equals, very to the point, believing and obeying His Word. As also described earlier, eating is taking something from outside of yourself and putting it inside of yourself. As so very simple this all seems, there is so much more going on than what meets the eye. How so? When we eat naturally, for the most part, we are eating something dead and processed. However, when we consume the Word of God, God is alive, and it has the effect of quickening and making the spiritual man inside us alive. More than that, we must ask the question, "Who is eating who?" Because, when we partake of the Lord's table and consume the bread, the spiritual effect is that we are the ones being incorporated into His body. So, if I am being incorporated into His body, "Who is eating who?" Hmmm...

Eph 5:29-32 KJV For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (30) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (31) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (32) This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Discerning the body of Christ

1Co 10:17 KJV For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

Rom 12:5 KJV So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Frank, What ARE you trying to say? Is it hot in here or is it just me? I'm seeing something and sensing something, something wants to be expressed and communicated, born and brought out into the light of day. I am wanting to be very careful, this subject is nothing new yet at the same time this is the very heart of the precepts that will "Swallow death up in victory." No pressure!

Paul is telling us about "A great mystery" and is attempting to explain a spiritual truth. He uses marriage as an illustration in that in God's eyes two separate and distinct individuals become "One flesh" in marriage. In marriage the wife belongs to the husband and the husband belongs to the wife equally. They both equally partake of each other. Marriage is a vow and contract of mutual giving and sharing and unending fidelity.

The context of Eph. 5 above is the relationship between husbands and wives. Paul injects the thought that "No man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth it and cherisheth it." This is more than an implication, Paul is saying that this is the vow and contract we sign up for when we are partakers of the Lord's table. Jesus as the Husband vows to nourish and cherish His body which is the Church. We as individuals acknowledge that our body is now His body. And even more, above and beyond, we are all "Members one of another." It is not just one plus one, or two becoming one flesh. In all reality it is one (us) plus Him (Jesus). But the body of Jesus is ALL of the members of the Church. We all are becoming one. "Every one members one of another" So properly discerning and eating at the Lord's table is that we and God are partaking of a vow of commitment not just between us and God, but our commitment is to the whole body, the Church. God and we are all are mutually committed to cherish and nourish each other. Again this is a level of super faith.

The vow we take is to give and share to ALL members and all members mutually giving and sharing as needed. The questions now becomes: Do you view that vow as unrealistic or impoverishing? Or do you view that vow as becoming enriched and fattened? Read the next passage very slowly. Let each word be absorbed into your heart, because Jesus is praying, He is expressing His desire for all believers.

Joh 17:21-23 KJV That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (22) And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (23) I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, AS thou hast loved me.

Can you see that Jesus not only prayed for Himself to be glorified with the glory of God Himself, but Jesus then turns around and shares that glory with His disciples? Can you see that we are so much more than building attendees and organization members? What did Jesus say at the communion table? 'By this is will all men know you are my disciples - if you love one another.' What did just say in John 17? "That the world may believe." - "That the world might know" - that God has - "Loved them" (the believers) AS "Though has loved me." Under the leadership of the Apostles was the world on track to believing and knowing God? What was being demonstrated in the early church?

Acts 2:44-47 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; (45) And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (46) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, (47) Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

There is a level of faith, fat faith, where "Believers" were demonstrating with real action and commitment to this Communion Table principle. That all of us are to "Nourisheth and Cherisheth" each other. Hey I'm just the messenger. This is His message and I'm sticking with it. He told me a revival is coming to those who eat this word. His word says "Added daily such as should be saved." I'm glad this passage highlights the "Believers" as the engine, Why? Because puts all believers on an equal footing with God Himself, "All made perfect in one." Not equal to God, but equal with God in the same context that woman was created as a help meet for man. We are not equal to God in that we are not an eternal Spirit that fills all space, who has all power and knows all things. Yet woman was taken from man to stand at his side as his co-equal counterpart - but the Bride - the Church is not just the rib or a part of God, we are the whole Body of God. God is the invisible Spirit dwelling within the Church body filling it with His life and His power and that is exactly what the early Church demonstrated with excellence.

The New Jerusalem which is the Bride of Christ has no Temple, no separate far away dwelling place for God. The New Jerusalem is the dwelling place of God. This is when I desire most to be eloquent and have an adequate ability to convey this truth. Even the profound Paul felt it was unlawful to speak of the things he heard and saw while in Heaven. But at the end of the day just consider Jesus went to the cross not to purchase more servants which He already had innumerable multitudes. He went to the cross to purchase a Bride to share His glory with.

John17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them;

Rev 21:10-11 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (11) Having the glory of God:

Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

No not to another, but yes to those who are willing to be "Made perfect in one." This is a marriage vow. My brothers and sisters in Christ are not another, separate and independent. My Brothers and Sisters in Christ are all members in unity with each other and with our God.

That fat faith is the power that rocked the first century church. Now, according to the verse from John 17, the beneficiary of the church in union with God is the world at large: "That the world might believe." Just back up a bit and consider: God and Mary produced Jesus, through whom the entire earth was blessed and the Church was born. The Church in union with God produced an overwhelming force that nearly wiped out the entire pagan world. This is the legacy of the first century Church, and I have no doubt the entire globe could have been reached and converted by the Gospel.

But it wasn't the due season for what God has in store for the Church and it wasn't the devil's time to leave this world stage. God, in His purposes and plans, pulled back on that power, and the enemy kept a foothold on keeping this world in darkness. However, a soon-coming day is approaching when God is going to go full bore again. That day will come when we, the Church, are back in union with the purposes of God.

In instituting the Lord's table, Jesus gave us the landmark by which, though many years later, we, the Church, could double back and pick up where we left off in spreading our light and ridding this world of darkness. The purpose of us all being one with God is so that the world may believe.

Where is the war still raging? Here on earth. Where does the veil of darkness mentioned in Isa 25:7 continue to pervade? Here on earth. Yet we know this war will end and this veil be destroyed forever, How? The way God has ordained for the world at large to come to faith in Jesus is to see and partake of the fruit of our union.

Here is how this all plays out; An individual believing in Jesus Christ is salvation for that individual. The world believing in Jesus Christ is salvation for the world. Salvation for the world is: "And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. (8) He will swallow up death in victory." (Isa. 25:7-8) This is just another one of those things that once you see it, it can't be unseen. I see the connection between a fat, enriched and empowered church and the destruction of evil leading to an eternal Kingdom. If Jesus is the Rock upon which the church was built, then this truth is the mountain that will usher in the Millennial Kingdom that puts Satan in the abyss and the whole world living in the presence of our Almighty Lord Jesus. Again, Jesus started with the power of twelve but He is going to end this thing with the power of a mountain.

The Power of "This Mountain" - Cut Without Hands

Isa 25:6-9 KJV And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. (7) And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. (8) He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. (9) And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Isa 2:2-3 KJV And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. (3) And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Dan 2:34-35, 44 KJV Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. (35) Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

(44) And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

A Little Fire Kindeleth a Great Matter

Lucifer was the mighty angelic guardian of God's Holy mountain but he was banished and expelled from that High mountain into the depths of the abyss because he sinned. He profaned his sanctuaries on earth and caused this earth to become an undistinguishable ruin. Instead of guarding he destroyed. God's purposes can not be destroyed, nor annulled, nor altered. God has a purpose for His Holy mountain that endures. So God created man to replenish the former role of Lucifer. God created man from an earth that was at one point covered under darkness. He raised the earth out from the depths of darkness by Baptism. From the lowest dust of this earth God raised up a creature and ordained it to have the highest dominion. Not just of the earth or God's Holy mountain but over "All the works of God's hands." Satan was not faithful in little and has reaped his reward. Us the Bride standing by His side who will be faithful in little will reap a reward of dominion far greater than just this dusty earth.

Our God is a consuming fire. Will you consume our God? Will you eat of His flesh and drink of His Blood. Will you become part of the Husband and wife team that consumes the world? If I were a better communicator I might be able to flower this up a bit. I'm not a good communicator so I have to give it to you straight and unmixed. This vow taken at the communion table, exactly as I have explained, is the message that ushers in not just a revival, but the whole Millennial Kingdom and beyond. How can I be so sure? Because I see the landmark monument of the Apostolic legacy before me, not built solely on doctrine, as Bro Cole was proud to proclaim. The Apostolic legacy included the marriage commitment to love one another, which gave them favor with all the people. That commitment to union allowed God to add to the church daily. If God's grace lets you catch this fire I'll just let the following passages suffice and move on.

Act 2:42-47 KJV And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (43) And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. (44) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; (45) And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (they did what the rich young ruler balked at) (46) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, (47) Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

1Co 10:33 KJV Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

2Co 9:6-15 NLT Remember this--a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. (7) You must each decide in your heart how much to give. (The choice is always yours) And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. "For God loves a person who gives cheerfully." (8) And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. (9) As the Scriptures say, "They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever." (10) For God is the One who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. (11) Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. (12) So two good things will result from this ministry of giving--the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. (13) As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. (14) And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. (15) Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!

I am completely sure that the vow of the Communion Table was the power that propelled the early church to expand and overwhelm the then-known world. My hope is that you are seeing this. Trusting in the talents and abilities of the flesh alone will never balance that scale. We need the finger of God in this with us, and God responds to hunger and brokenness and obedience. Becoming a people with open hands and open hearts is what meets the needs of the hungry and broken. And, as it says, "God loves a cheerful giver." Do you know why? Because God is a cheerful giver! Who has given ALL He has and is, in order to cherish and nourish His Bride.

I just want to summarize because I do understand this is heavy material. This is not for everybody but I know I'm laboring at this keyboard for somebody. This all involves a transformation of the mind to envision what is being offered by God. As truthful and as powerful as you are capable of believing God is, that is where your faith will settle. This is why Paul gives us the liberty to decide for ourselves as we purpose in our own hearts. Look at this world, What do you see? This evil self-centered world has modeled itself after an evil self-centered devil and they eat at his table and will receive his condemnation. God is not self-centered, if He were all of creation would not exist. He would not have sacrificed Himself for this world. No, God is exceedingly abundant and exceedingly generous. If mankind would take on His mindset and eat at His table this world would be transformed and that right there is the whole point of Jesus' mission. Just envision the possibilities and pray about it.

Opportunities Gained - Opportunities Lost

I'm going to use this chapter to wrap up with some final thoughts. Proverbs tells us that without a vision the people perish. Having a vision does not necessarily mean some supernatural encounter. Having a vision for your life simply means where do you see yourself at some point in the future. A young person who sees themselves as becoming a doctor for example, doesn't just wake up one day being a doctor. If an individual sees themselves as a doctor then from day one they have to purpose in their hearts to go through all the procedures and training involved to one day be certified as a doctor. That is their vision envisioned and fulfilled. On the other hand individuals who never see themselves as anything more than what they are right now, they will stay just the same and never change or improve. So having a vision can be equated with setting goals for the betterment of your life. So visions need to be both envisioned and fulfilled. Others have no goals other than the weekend party and they will leave this earth worse off then when they started. This is all natural and just the way it is.

Now on the spiritual side of things we as humans need to realize that we are wrapped up in a grand scheme not of our own making. God Himself is the one who has mapped out His vision for all eternity. That's some very grand planning. Being to the point, God who was at some point alone and by Himself has envisioned for Himself to have what He calls His Bride. He created a plan and has been taking all the steps and is going through all the procedures to see to it that His vision is one day a reality. If you think about it we all are really living out His dream and His dream come true is when His Bride has her permanent place by His side. We know that His Bride is made up of us dusty human people. At some point in our lives we need to come to an understanding that God is making a proposal to humanity and humanity must either answer yes or no. It is really not much more complicated than that. For those that say yes, they accept the proposal to become the future bride; From that moment forward that bride to be is doing nothing but having visions of that perfect day and planning goes into overdrive.

Now back up a step. God is the only one with foreknowledge of the end from the beginning.

Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Jer 1:5 "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as My prophet to the nations."
Psa 139:15-17 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. (16) You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. (17) How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

How truly awesome. Before we ever came into existence here the Word says God knew us and had precious thoughts and good plans for a good future. Also all these plans were all recorded in His book. God knew us and made plans for us and sealed those plans in a book. Wow! God had a vision for us before we all existed. Jesus the man who was born 33 years prior knew the truth of these pre-recorded blessings and was able to pray "Father glorify me with the glory I had with you before the world was." How could He ask for something from eternity past? Because it is ordained in the Book of God. And with the Mind of God what has been ordained in the past is exactly the same as if it is now. God has precious thoughts about you recorded in His Book too you know.

The record of the Word tells us:

Rom 8:28-30 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

We can rightfully understand that Jesus is worthy of and deserves all glory. All good. But in God's Book there are others whom He foreknows, them He calls, them He justifies, (He puts His finger on the scale) and "Them He also glorifies." Precious thoughts indeed! We can rightfully ask to be glorified according to the ordained purposes of God. Just to be perfectly clear this doesn't mean we have no choice. What is actually preordained is the plan that cannot fail. What is not preordained is who believes in and obeys the plan or not. The plan is preordained - peoples choices are not. Those verses above are talking about the obedient. I know that is a huge pill and that is why we need new wine skins with a new mindset. What we generally call salvation is really coming to a place where we are getting wrapped up in God's vision, His plans to give us a glorious future. His vision needs to become our vision.

Completing the cycle, finishing our course and ending up at the place where God has destined you to be is not dependant on our vision as humans. Why? Because our hearts are not only corruptible but also desperately wicked. We cannot plan for ourselves, period. On the other hand understanding "His purpose" or vision and wrapping ourselves into that vision is what gives us hope for a blessed eternity. What is His purpose and vision? "That we be conformed to the image of His Son"-"The firstborn among many brethren." What reward awaits those that complete that purpose? "Them He also glorified."

Rightfully So

Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Finger on the scale

Joh 17:22-23 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (23) I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, AS thou hast loved me.

Is it a different glory? Jesus said THE glory that you have given me, I have given them. Talk about sharing! Talk about giving! Wow! God loves you, with the same love He has for Jesus whom we know was deserving of that love. "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God" Rom 8:38-39 God's vision for you that He recorded way back before all this ever even started is that He wants you to be glorified with God's own self. Precious thoughts!! Exceedingly above and beyond!! There are no human words, all we can do is marinate in God's abundance. Most will say that salvation is just getting into heaven. If that is your only vision well then yes because that is the only thing you will set your heart on. If you set your heart on God's vision and His precious thoughts then as big as God is, you can raise your expectations quite a bit higher. Just remember having a vision equals having a plan that most importantly is according to God's will.

Chapter 15 – Knowing What Jesus Knows

We began this chronicle with the fact that in many instances the disciples weren't really grasping all that was going on in Jesus' mission on earth. The disciples were trying to grasp the introduction while Jesus was already acting out from the back of the book. In short they were on different pages. Their journey involved getting them caught up to speed and living lives that reflected a faith that expressed the facts that Jesus has all power and knows all things. If we compiled a list of everything the disciples experienced while walking with Jesus for those three and a half years, we know that list included:

Innumerable healings
People being raised from the dead
Jesus commanding the storms to cease
Jesus and Peter both walking on water
The creation of wine and the multiplication of loaves and fish The transfiguration
Them being commissioned to go forth and do their own miracles
And finally witnessing Jesus' own resurrection

We really do need to reflect on this group of guys that Jesus was working with. Three and a half years worth of miracle working powers and at the end of the day the best idea to come out of their head was to go fishing. You know I enjoy fishing but something is wrong with this picture. These men were not ready to rock their world. This is the conclusion: Being exposed to even Jesus Himself for three and a half years did not change the mindset they were born with. The wrong mindset only keeps you operating as you have always operated. I will never cease to thank God for His faithfulness regardless of my outright dumbness. We have to call a spade a spade. In His faithfulness to the enormity of His purposes He works with us to get us on the same page. This is what the re-commissioning on that shore on that day was all about. Jesus knew something was about to happen in just a short time. Jesus told them in essence don't go anywhere, don't do anything, wait and stay in Jerusalem. Wait and stay until you receive the Promise from on high. and then go rock your world. Recap: From the creation of humanity we were created as vessels of a promise. Man became a living soul as the result of God placing the breath of life into him. That was the beginning but that wasn't the ending. God's Word was hidden in our hearts which carried His promises forward over many generations. Now on a certain day in its due season that Word, that Promise, that Seed was about to sprout. Someone was going to be born that would be endued with all power. That Someone - from the blood and water coming from His pierced side - birthed a Church that was going to be filled with God Himself. This is what Jesus knew but the disciples had yet to experience.

Act 2:1-4 KJV And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The Church was born and given a mouth to speak the things of God. "The Spirit and the Bride say come." The first century Church and God were finally on the same page, saying and doing the things of God. So herein is the distinction. Before Pentecost the twelve were eye witnesses to the Glory of God but the best their human intellect could muster up was let's go fishing. After Pentecost with the receiving of the Promise the same twelve were given a mouth to speak and power to act.

Joh 16:13-15 KJV Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (14) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (15) All things that the Father hath ARE MINE: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

The Apostles asked and the Apostles received.

Act 5:12 KJV And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people...

After Pentecost those twelve received the transformation that only comes in due season as they aligned their vision with His vision.

Deu 11:14 KJV That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain... Zec 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

The twelve were the bright clouds of the first century that showered rain on that generation. Being it is now due season for the latter rain, it is now time to pray for those clouds to return. Importantly though it was not the Apostles themselves alone that rocked their world. The Apostles were ordained as teachers to this new creature. So the reality is that God, plus the gifts, plus the Church all acting as one, exactly as Jesus prayed is the force that rocked that world. When everybody was on the same page that is when the New Testament church was born and thrived - that was the first rain. These days now I have reassurances and every expectation that those clouds are coming back.

The First Rain

Act 2:41-47 KJV Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (42) And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (43) And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. (44) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; (45) And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (46) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, (47) Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

God doing His part, the ordained leadership doing their part and the people doing their part, all with singleness of heart, unified as one is the New Creature ordained to destroy in this Holy Mountain all works of darkness and unrighteousness. Guard that mountain!

Our Due Season

The completion of our journey is to understand that WE have a glory in the vision of God before we ever existed and now that we are here, we say yes to the proposal and we get ourselves ready for a marriage by conforming and participating in the vision of God. The following questions are being posed in order to invoke soul searching and reflection.

Joh 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Do you see Him as He is? Are you with Him where He is? Are you on the same page? Seated with Him in the Heavenlies? Being seated is a status or position of authority. Are you living according to that status and authority? Do you behold His glory? Did you know that you had a glory with Him before the creation of the world. That glory was written in His Books. That glory is His vision for you. Are you wrapped up in His vision for your life? Or, your own personal vision for your life? Do you see Him as He is? All those answers to these questions need to be clear in your heart and mind. We need to be fully persuaded to be certified as "The Bride of Christ." Short of that you will be amongst the other vessels of lesser honor. We can only ask for God's grace to help us see where we stand.

Just to complete the picture there is a record of those that say no to the proposal. Something interfered because on the day assigned to actually meet God where will be given our eternal rewards we find another record in scripture.

Mat 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

In God's eternal vision and plan He has already written down the name of every single human to ever come into existence. Yet we find the record of some going from being known before they are born to being not known on the day of judgment. How does God go from knowing to not knowing? The answer is right there, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity." We saw Satan was the original worker of iniquity. We saw that iniquity creates a veil of darkness which is a willful separation from the knowledge of God. These people may have wanted to know God's power but they never knew His heart. Jesus confesses he does not know these individuals because they were self-willed and never really knew Jesus evidenced by the fact that they were workers of iniquity. As mentioned it is not our great works of grandeur that get us into heaven. It is our status as being a child of God in alignment with His will and character that takes the prize. The effect of iniquity takes its toll. Iniquity puts you in a place of darkness where you can not know the truth. If you cannot know the truth then The Truth cannot know you. The effect of living in darkness is that your name gets blotted out of God's book and God will not remember you.

God is omniscient and knows all things but scripture tells us there are two instances when He chooses to not remember or not know. You can either choose to not have your transgressions remembered. Or remaining in iniquity you can have Jesus not remember you.

(1) Isa 43:25 KJV I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

(2) Mat 7:23 KJV And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

If you put a plant in darkness, the chlorophyll produced by the presence of light will cease and the plant will die. We too will die if we do not receive the Light of God's Word. Satan knows this and this is his entire strategy for creating darkness. The effect of humanity not knowing God and His vision will cause many to perish. Satan is the one perpetuating darkness. He has his own table where he offers every delicacy and vice. His table is the table of ignorance and disobedience. Satan deceived Eve by misrepresenting the effects of obeying his word and consuming that fruit. Yes, their eyes were opened, but the effect of these so-called opened eyes is that they only saw their deficits - "they saw that they were naked" - or incompleteness. Now, having a mindset that can only see incompleteness in ourselves gives Satan more opportunity to offer us even more delicacies that fix those shortcomings. So, a cycle of bondage is created in our own minds. Our minds tell us we are incomplete, Satan steps in offering something that will fix that, we obey his suggestions and the things that are supposed to fix us do more damage than before. So... the ultimate effect of eating at Satan's table is that our minds are brought into bondage and darkness where we no longer see our way out. Satan is on that table and offers what he is and the reward for eating at Satan's table is to get the same reward he gets: "the reward of death". Ultimately this is exactly his purpose and intent for humanity - this is the expected end he wants for you.

Rev 20:10-15 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (11) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (14) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Overcoming and Breaking the Cycle

Remember, the Psalmist David told us, "Every day of my life was recorded in Your book." Our lives were recorded before we ever existed. What is recorded is our life as it should be: this is living in the light, with our eyes opened to the truth of God's Word and promises. Below is a short compilation of verses that illustrate the enormous generosity of God, demonstrating His true purposes and intentions. In order to claim these promises, we have to dig our minds out from under Satan's sludge and get our minds to a place where we truly understand Satan's deceptions, as well as God's intentions. Knowing that Satan is a liar and that God is True is what overcoming is all about: Overcoming is coming to a place where Jesus will confess our names instead of denying He ever knew us. So, let these promises marinate and sink deep into your heart, and raise your hands towards Heaven to give God the glory for His willingness and ability to help you see the riches of His goodness towards you.

Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

1Jn 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Rev 2:7 ...To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Rev 2:17 ...To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

All of the above promises are God's vision for you. And just in case you didn't notice the devil has never ever offered anything close to these promises. In desiring to give you all these promise He has been faithful and these are the very reason Jesus thought you were worth dying for, because God sees the finished product as you will be. God sees you as an overcomer, God sees you as ruling the nations, God sees you as the inheritor of all things. God sees you as sitting next to Him on His throne. God sees you as His child, a child He can be well pleased with. Now the question is do you see yourself as God sees you? Catch the vision and prepare for that day of fulfillment.

Notice in the above verses from Revelations that I listed in order - that there is a progression towards the ultimate end where His promise to glorify us is finally realized. The first promise is to grant us access to the Tree of Life. Jesus is the Tree of Life and He is on the table with the promise of eternal life. Attaining the promise of eternal life leads to us having overcome the threat of the "Second death." But wait, there is more! Jesus is on the table and we eat His flesh and drink His blood, bringing us into covenant with Him, but He also offers us "Hidden manna" and a white stone with a "New name." God writing on stones and providing manna are references to our pilgrimage journey towards our Promised land. The manna references supernatural provision and sustenance - demonstrating God's promise to never leave us nor forsake us regardless of the circumstances around us. The Israelites as a nation were given two tablets of stone written with the finger of God. The commandments on those stones pointed towards God's holiness and reminded them they were sinners in need of God's grace. Here, God is not dealing with a nation - He is dealing with YOU as an individual, and one stone engraved with only one name is enough. Why? Because the one stone is a token, a promise of more to come. Remember what was said about Shem? The name Shem literally means "name" but it refers to his position and ordained status as a servant of God. Again, God is not dealing with a nation - He is dealing with YOU, and He is making you a promise: the white stone with a new name is a token promise of things to come. On Earth, His grace is sufficient in all circumstances, and He is not just giving you A name; He is giving you His Name. What higher position? What higher status can possibly be promised. The Bible says we are lively stones upon which His Name is called at baptism - and we are fitly framed into being the Temple of God Himself.

Eph 2:19-22 KJV Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (20) And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (21) In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Both Paul and John are in agreement in revealing the promise of God. On earth a token white stone, but in the end the whole shebang!

Rev 3:12 KJV Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

No other name, no greater name, no greater position, no greater status possible! Now, we have come full circle, full bore, into what God's intentions are for YOU. Receive this message and receive the power to show the devil to the door.

Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Them He calls, He also justifies and them He justifies, them He also glorifies. Does He give His glory to another? No, but only those that incorporate themselves into His vision, making themselves one with His purposes. The price for glorification? Push away from Satan's table.

Catch the Vision for a Little Fire Kindeleth a Great Matter

God has many precious thoughts and promises for all those who overcome. I'm just presenting some loaves and fishes that I pray God will multiply for you. Think about these things so you can reflect on where you are in the grand scheme of things and if it so be in your heart, then purpose in your heart to aim high.

Joh 14:1-7 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (2) In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (4) And where I go ye know, and the way ye know. (5) Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? (6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (7) If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Is this place a future place or a right now place?
Super faith / Believing in the right now God

Joh 11:23-26 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. (24) Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. (25) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Believest thou this? Jesus tells Martha "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." Yet in spite of that statement which is telling Martha I am here now and nothing is impossible if you believe, Martha leaves Jesus to fetch Mary. Then Mary, Martha, and the rest of the mourners come back all crying and Jesus seeing everybody crying is grieved in His Spirit. All that crying indicated to Jesus that they did not believe He was a right now God capable of doing the impossible and that is why Jesus grieved and wept. No words of faith were being uttered by anybody there. The disciples were convinced they were going to die. Mary, Martha and the rest were all crying and uttering words of doubt and questioned Jesus' abilities. They failed and the crowd failed but thank God Jesus just kept doing His thing. "Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me." "That they may believe" tells me that at that moment they did not believe. Even having faithless hearts at the moment did not prevent Jesus from moving forward. Jesus was trying to tell Martha that He was the resurrection and the life - and that with faith in Him even death could be conquered. I am glad God is still faithful even when we are faithless because He wants you to believe and overcome. The point is this, if God is here now then God has all His resources with Him here now. Believest thou this? Is that a reason to rejoice or cry?

Where did Jesus go? Are we with Him also?

1Pe 3:22 (Jesus) Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Eph 2:6 And hath (past tense) raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

In the same exact way that God is a right now God, God is also a right here God. God fills all time and God fills all space. In believing these things - God is with us always and we are with God always - not in body but in status. Believest thou this?

How do we know the way to get there?

Php 2:3-8 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. (5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

The Way is in the mind and I already covered this ground but Believest thou this?

Do you know Him and do you see Him as He is?

1Jn 3:1-3 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (2) Beloved, NOW are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (3) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Again I know I lack in the ability to flower this up to the crescendo it deserves. I just call it like I see it and the way I see it in the above verse "We shall be like Him" NOW Because "We shall see Him as He is" NOW. Then when He appears He will appear with what our rewards "shall be".

For me personally the way I see it is way more than enough to persuade me and fill me with a hope I could never attain for myself. At this point let me interject. While all this is my comprehension of all things God I would be woeful if I thought this was exclusive to me. No, I fully expect these perspectives to be confirmed by many witnesses. Without confirmation I am a liar. So my leap of faith is putting it all out there trusting God is in this and the reason I was apprehended in the first place will be made complete. Better late than never...

Faith tells me that Jesus is a right-now God with all of His infinite resources with Him. He wants us to believe in His vision for us. By believing and incorporating ourselves into His greater purposes - we overcome. Forsaking the mindset of darkness that Satan has created frees us to see and become what God created us to become. Removing the vail frees our mind to expand enough to permit God to put His vision in us. Following Jesus means we must take on the same mind as Christ and humble ourselves to be like Him. Do we wait to until we think we are like Jesus? Pfff... do you have a million years to work on that? Or are we the children of God now simply because God says so? Is God's finger on the scale now tilting that scale in our favor? We are children by adoption meaning God has fast tracked the process. He signed on the dotted line even before the ink has dried and NOW we are His. What we will be when Jesus appears is we will be rewarded and glorified and having the same measure, same name and same stature as Him. How? Because we see Him as He is now, both as the man and the Mighty God - the divine model of the New Creature. Knowing what He is equals knowing what we are. Believest thou this? Always think NOW, knowing God is always ready to make up the difference in our favor. Don't let the devil speak to you concerning any suggested or perceived deficit. In God we are complete and perfectly whole. And with that... quoting Mary, "Let it be done according to thy word"... and let all the Jesus 'kind' come forth. Rejoice always! And expect to see the glory of God.

Chapter 16 – Conclusions

On his last day on earth Moses ascended up Mount Nebo and was allowed to see the promised land with his own eyes. Moses entered his reward knowing two things: first, that God was fully committed and fully able to keep every promise He has made and second, that the people he had been leading for forty years were mischievous. These two facts really characterize much of humanity's journey throughout all history. A faithful God making promises to a faithless people - underscoring that the power is certainly not in the people but only in the God who chooses to be faithful to His promises.

This is not to say God doesn't fully expect obedience and faithfulness because that is exactly what He desires - It's simply that within His tolerance levels His love for you has ordained grace and mercy - not at all to excuse any disobedience or faithlessness. Rather at the end of the day as it states in Titus grace is there to teach us

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Titus 2:11-12

The book of Job can be summarized by saying Job was an unwitting participant in a grand scheme going on between God and Satan. Poor Job was never forwarded the memo that would clue him in to fact that he was just a pawn in a battle between God and Satan. This also characterizes the bulk of humanity's journey.

Now here we are in this last of the last days and we now have resources available that clue us in. We have history afforded to us as a resource to look back upon. To come to what conclusion? We conclude that humanity is a mischievous humanity. The other resource is our Bible that proves God's faithfulness to this mischievous humanity.

The Bible also very clearly lets us know the grand scheme that humanity is caught up in is not just about us. Job's arguments, Job's friends arguments, Job's wife's arguments all wrongfully said this was all about Job's character or failures. The grand scheme is a much bigger picture than just the solitary life of an individual. The grand scheme includes God's eternal purposes from eternity past thought to eternity future. This infinite grand scheme is the work of the infinitely grand mind of God to whom we can only bow in all humility as we as dust are infinitely insignificant. Nope this ain't about us.

The Israelites journey from bondage to the Promised land included a wilderness journey and again this typifies or becomes a model of every man's journey and more than that this same journey is also all of creation's journey. This journey is a pattern of God's design that serves His eternal purposes. God has a purpose where He is envisioning the far future where "God may be ALL in ALL."

1Co 15:28 KJV And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

From where we are now we have absolutely no capacity to understand what that phrase actually means but we do see that in the grand scheme there is a period of subduing. This time period of subduing is creations wilderness journey and is integral or built in to the biggest of all big pictures. What we see and know is that God has created a temporal or temporary world first in which subduing is the course. When the time comes that all is subdued then comes the permanent eternal existence where God is all in all. Now please take note, In the course of our current existence in this temporal world, Who is the one doing all the subduing? The full context of the passage tells us very clearly Jesus is the One subduer.

1Co 15:24-28 KJV Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. (25) For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. (26) The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (27) For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. (28) And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Rev 3:14 KJV ...These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

1) 1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

2) Heb 6:18 KJV That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

From whence cometh man? From the dust of the earth, insignificant and corruptible. When did God create man? After the angels and after Lucifer began plunging into the darkness and lies of his own imagination. In the grand scheme - unbeknown to mankind - man was created as a response to counter every lie told by Satan. Let me remind you of the lies told by Satan:

The lie is that he - Satan - has the capacity to achieve any of his goals outside of the will of God. Satan lies by saying God is willfully withholding as a means to suppress or limit. Satan lies by creating a list of wants that he says you need. Satan lies by saying he is the god willing to give you those wants. Satan lies by saying there is no accountability to God and we can find freedom and purpose by ignoring God. Satan lies by saying we are the creators of our own destinies and we will always be.

Lucifer was created, ordained and anointed by God and given his talents and abilities to be what he is. Lucifer was perfect because he was given that status of perfection. The key word here is given. Given freely, generously and graciously by God. Just exactly the same as God gives graciously to humanity. The questions become - How did Lucifer respond to God's grace? How should we respond to God's grace?

Yet for all of God's gracious and abundant giving, Lucifer wanted more and he set into motion his actions. Actions that did not include asking in humility, actions by which Lucifer regarded God as an opponent. That was Lucifer's response to grace. Satan struck the first blow and put into motion actions and tactics through which he could take what he wants at his pleasure. Lucifer invented the notion that he could take and he passes this notion on to those he deceives. Eve "Took" and the rest is history. Warfare is the legacy of the takers and destruction is the legacy of warfare.

Mankind was created to demonstrate that while the "Perfect" one is going to crash and burn because of his taking, God's graciousness in giving - will elevate insignificant dust to heights beyond imagination because we find true riches is in giving and not taking. Mankind was created to demonstrate the true awesomeness of God in that God can choose whatever He wants and He alone has the capacity to ordain whatever status He chooses. Even if we are clueless, ignorant and willful at times, the promises are greater than our personal will - and to God's glory He remains faithful. Even though our status is not currently visible and all we have is just a promise or a token, what God says will be, will be.

The devil makes promises but he has zero capacity to make good on those promises. Mankind was created to demonstrate to the rest of creation, that a promise placed in his heart by the will of God will always bear fruitfulness and reward. Not because of us but in spite of us because God says so.

The spite is God thumbing His nose at that miserable devil, shaming him in disgrace. God is demonstrating His true glory in that God can use the most insignificant dust and elevate that dust to heights beyond imagination and at the same time bring down all the imaginations that have exalted themselves against God.

This entire battle, this whole war, is being waged because of imaginations. The devil's imaginations versus God's realities. Hmmm... Well I know the side I have chosen - and humanities response to the grace of God should be the same - reject the falseness of all Satan's imaginations and be appalled by him. When he and his ways are out of the picture as a viable 'choice' - Then let grace lead you home back into God's presence.

What is the evident fruit of vain imaginations? Unimaginable misery, pain and destruction. Woe, Woe, Woe. What is the fruit of God's realities? Glories untold in an existence where God is all in all. A place and time of absolute certainty where everything that God is, is enjoyed by all freely and without measure. A place and time where nothing ever again will be subject to the whims of vain imaginations.

Am I, like Job, being used as a pawn in this war with Lucifer? Well, a pawn in the hands of a skillful God has rewards. You do know that a pawn that has reached the final row on the opponents side automatically can become whatever rank the player chooses, even a queen, don't you? Between the row where we start off and the final row where we end up is our wilderness journey. As long as that journey is made in the Hands of God, "Safe and secure am I from all alarm." At the end of this journey the Word tells us the devil will get his final reward.

Rev 20:10 KJV And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

I kind of like the wording not mentioning who or what casts the devil into the lake of fire. For all of Satan's grandiose notions of making himself like God I think it would be poetic justice that a nameless girl gets that job done. Why? Because that is a status that my God can ordain for even dust to do.

Winning the war

The war is being waged here on earth, fought by a devil with an overactive imagination. He roams around seeking whom he may devour, How? By getting individuals to buy into his imaginations whatever that may be. What you think matters. Your beliefs matter. What you imagine matters. Your understanding of who you are matters. We use the word matter because what matters becomes material, it becomes substance. What you think, what you believe and what you imagine all contribute to become the material substance of your life.

'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'

Pain, suffering, misery, hopelessness and death are the substance of having miss-placed faith in lies and living a life in accord with the devil's word working in us - all opposed to God's realities. Proper God ordained faith in God always produces obedience and that obedience produces the substance and rewards of a truthful God.

Winning the war on earth only involves one thing. Light. Light overcomes darkness. God is Light. God placed Himself inside us from the very beginning with His intention to make us un-overcomeable. He built victory into our being. But the issue with humanity is we are free agents that can choose. We can choose to take Light out of our hearts and replace it with darkness and unfortunately for the world at large this is the status they chose. Jesus telling us plainly:

Joh 3:19-20 KJV And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (20) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

The world at large loves their evil deeds and prefer to live under the veil of darkness. They do not want to be corrected and they do not want God. That is their choice and they are members of the devil's team.

Nonetheless, humanity can also freely choose to cast out darkness and bring God back into the core of our being making Him the material substance of our lives. As mentioned God is Light and in Him there is no darkness at all. Again we as free choice individuals have our hands on the control valve. Just as we can turn that valve to let darkness flood our beings so also we can turn that valve to allow Light to flood our beings. Remember we tend to like control and we use that control to choose a comfortable place. Some like the thermostat on sixty-eight and some like eighty. All I will say is if in God there is no darkness at all, then I say Lord, let the noon day sun flood my soul and let the Brightness of your presence destroy all darkness within me. How? How is this accomplished?

2Co 10:3-6 KJV For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (4) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (6) And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Is war a one day thing? No war is a long drawn out ordeal. In this case of Satan's war, it started in his heart, before mankind arrived on the scene and continues to wage. The above verse tells us winning the war involves bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. The obedience of Christ brought Him where? To a death on the cross.

Winning the war involves taking up your cross. Yep, there is a war of control waging within me and I'm feeling those rockets bursting, and those bullets whizzing past my ears. My flesh does not like this war at all. Should I bury myself deeper into this trench? Hide where it is darker and quieter?

There exists a high calling in Christ. That calling is to fight the fight of faith and press on to win this war. Up over the ridge we must go. Bursting bombs and whizzing bullets are part of the deal. But the above verse tells us this war is being waged in the mind, not a physical battle field but an imagined battlefield. This war is being waged in our imaginations and thoughts, so advancing forward involves casting down one lie after another. Becoming a successful warrior involves becoming a successful killer. But what are we killing? Lies and exalted imaginations. We pray for the day when God will take revenge on all evil. Yes? Look at the above verse again. When is revenge executed?

The successful heaven bound warrior must be willing to kill and take revenge on all disobedience. We are called to take revenge on disobedience. Not in others nor the devil, but we are called to take revenge on the disobedience in ourselves.

Where is the stronghold of disobedience? In our mind, in the vain imaginations and in the lies we hold onto. When is revenge on disobedience executed? When YOUR obedience is fulfilled. That is the war. The war is not between you and the world, or you and all demonic forces. That is not our war. The war is between YOUR disobedience and YOUR obedience. Isn't this the war that Paul described?

Rom 7:18-19 KJV For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (19) For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Rom 7:22-23 KJV For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

What did Paul just say? "I delight in the law of God" concerning "the inward man." What does that mean? The immutable law of God concerning your inward man equals the "precious thoughts" and promises that bring you to God's desired end for you. But Satan with his wicked imaginations and delusions wants to keep your mind captive with your own imaginations and delusions. If you're going to fill your mind then fill your mind with His "precious thoughts"

No, no, no, Satan does not want to deal with more head bruising individuals. To him, that would be like him a snake, being stuck in an crowded elevator with a bunch of stomping Pentecostals. I say "Let it be" because war is won when YOUR obedience is fulfilled. Obeying what? By clearing you mind of wicked imaginations and delusions that keep you captive in the mud pit from which you were dug and by renewing your mind by believing in the "precious thoughts."

Eph 4:23-24 KJV And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Php 2:5-6 KJV Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

This is how we win this war from the highest to the lowest, from the janitor to the world wide evangelist. This is the same war for all and this is how Satan is defeated in our lives. I know I'm preaching to myself. I know I'm looking for the courage to get out of my trench and move forward. I know I am as useless as any man that has ever existed. I know I am a much worse than the Jesus denying coward Peter ever was. It didn't take Peter 43 years to step up to his calling. Forgive me, I'm crying, I'm weeping, I'm mourning. If my faith was in me alone, then the pit from which I was dug is to where I will return. But I'm looking into His eyes and I feel the hope that can only emanate from Him. I cry Abba, I cry Daddy.

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (Psa 2:1-12 KJV)

Are not the heathen raging? Are not the heathen casting off all godly sensibility? Are not the heathen devising mischief against God? Are not the people imagining vain things? Is God shaking? Nope, God is laughing. If God is laughing, should we be crying? or cowering in fear? In their derision they are laughing at and scorning God but who is going to have the last laugh when God begins to vex them in His sore displeasure? How is God going to vex these heathen nations? By establishing His King upon the Holy hill of Zion. And what does this King do? He will declare the decree: "the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." Who is the King? None other than Jesus for sure. And what does Jesus say? Hasn't He also said to us "unto me, thou art my Son." Heb 2:13 ... Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Isn't Jesus The Everlasting Father?

A heathen world is putting off the things of God. They desire to break His cords and bands of righteous living according to the truths of God. They will be held in derision and made a laughing stock and God will vex them with wrath. In contrast at the very same time and in answer to their actions - Jesus is calling and ordaining "Sons". And again I repeat "Sons" are the ones doing the works of God. They have "Put on Christ" and choose to obey the bands and cords and are "blessed" to trust in God.

Are we not blessed to put our trust In Him? When we win the war within ourselves then "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." First take out the mote that is your eye and then you can take out the mote that is in your brother's eye. Clean your house and then you will be called to clean many houses.

Being Flesh Need not be Fatal

I began with the Lazarus story and I will conclude with the Lazarus story. Because the Lazarus story is not just about one incidence with one man. His story is an example of the promise made to all men by God. Yes, we are mortal and subject to pain, suffering and death. Our mortality is a sickness but humanities story need not end in the grave. There is a purpose served in our weaknesses and that is to ultimately bring glory to God.

Joh 11:4 KJV When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Lazarus is not alone and the end of the day will bring forth multitudes of Lazarus' and trust me the devil is going to have quite the headache.

Dan 12:2-3 KJV And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (3) And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Dan 11:32-33 KJV ...but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. (33) And they that understand among the people shall instruct many...

Joh 11:40 KJV Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

The war was anticipated and planned for from before the beginning of creation, and to God's glory all has played out exactly as His word has ordained. To God's glory the ones the devil thought he had locked up in his prison called death are up and about "instructing many" and "turning many to righteousness." "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh." Remember he who laughs last, laughs best and God will not be the only one laughing. Apparently he that sitteth in the heavens includes us who are seated with Him.

Luk 6:21, 23 KJV Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh... (23) Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven...

Gen 15:1 KJV ...I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Jesus' Testimony

Joh 10:32-36 NLT Jesus said, "At My Father's direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone Me?" (33) They replied, "We're stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God." (34) Jesus replied, "It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, 'I say, you are gods!' (35) And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God's message were called 'gods,' (36) why do you call it blasphemy when I say, 'I am the Son of God'? After all, the Father set Me apart and sent Me into the world.

Here Jesus is dealing with a bunch of lawyers who were supposed to know scripture. Jesus is saying if you knew Psalm 82 you would know it is not blasphemy when I speak of myself as the Son of God. And look at how Jesus defines being a "Son" as being set apart and sent. So I think a look at Psalm 82 is in order because it might just be saying something we need to know. I'm including the Strong's numbers so we can all see what Jesus was seeing.

Psa 82:1-8 KJV+ (1) A Psalm (H42100) of Asaph. (H623) God (H430) standeth (H5324) in the congregation (H5712) of the mighty; (H410) he judgeth (H8199) among (H7130) the gods. (H430)
(2) How long (H5704 H4970) will ye judge (H8199) unjustly, (H5766) and accept (H5375) the persons (H6440) of the wicked? (H7563) Selah. (H5542)
(3) Defend (H8199) the poor (H1800) and fatherless: (H3490) do justice (H6663) to the afflicted (H6041) and needy. (H7326)
(4) Deliver (H6403) the poor (H1800) and needy: (H34) rid (H5337) them out of the hand (H4480 H3027) of the wicked. (H7563)
(5) They know (H3045) not, (H3808) neither (H3808) will they understand; (H995) they walk on (H1980) in darkness: (H2825) all (H3605) the foundations (H4146) of the earth (H776) are out of course. (H4131)
(6) I (H589) have said, (H559) Ye are gods; (H430) and all (H3605) of you (H859) are children (H1121) of the most High. (H5945)
(7) But (H403) ye shall die (H4191) like men, (H120) and fall (H5307) like one (H259) of the princes. (H8269)
(8) Arise, (H6965) O God, (H430) judge (H8199) the earth:(H776) for (H3588) thou (H859) shalt inherit (H5157) all (H3605) nations. (H1471)

The specific verse Jesus quoted is verse six, God is speaking, "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High." So this is God's testimony on who and what we are. The word for both God and gods used four times in this passage alone are both the same exact Hebrew word 'ĕlôhı̂ym. Elohiym is used 2601 times in the Old Testament. Out of the 2601 verses Elohiym is singular and always interpreted as capitol G God 2366 times. 216 times the plural form of Elohiym is translated as little 'g' gods. Either singular or plural the definition is exactly the same. Elohiym is a derivative of the word Eloahh which means a deity or the deity - God, god.

We are all children or sons, builders of the family name of the Most High. We are all Elohiym - elohiym is our species, we are of the elohiym 'kind'. The term human is a construct of secular intellect. So Jesus defended himself with this fact and it should not be considered blasphemy as the Pharisees charged or as Satan through the Pharisees charged. Why does Satan make this charge? Because he wants to be the only elohiym under his veil of darkness. I say let's rain on his parade. It is time for the white clouds of the latter rain to show up and provide for this truth starved world to find refreshing.

Lord I Pray for Rain!!

Again I will repeat this knowledge is destructive for individuals operating with wrong motives and intentions. Mr. Wrong motives and intentions himself, (Satan) thought he was a smarty pants with his attack that led to the partaking of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Bible tells us Woman saw that the tree was "a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat."

Honestly I'm not sure how one can look at a tree and perceive that it can make you wise. She apparently possessed something more than me at least. Yet here we are after some six thousand years of human history and being full of wisdom isn't exactly how I perceive most of humanity. Nonetheless I can tell you all the wisdom of the ages concerning the knowledge of good and evil in just two statements.

Good equals being submitted to God in all things by always saying "Let it be done to me according to thy will." BOOM! that's it! Nothing more complicated than that, period.

Evil equals taking your own path, taking your own course, period. As Satan did, and as Satan convinced Woman to do and then the rest of humanity all following suit all following a path of self will and self determination.

Psa 82:5 KJV They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

Even if in our own minds we are convinced our motives and intentions are either good or even harmless - effecting no one but yourself - if God is not involved, then any course of life we take will always lead to destruction. Why? Because such do not understand that they walk in darkness. Yep, that is a very wide path.

Jesus said there is only one Good, our Father in heaven. If heaven is your intended destination then there is only one path. Continually asking our Father for His will to be done is asking for the veil of darkness to be destroyed and asking Him to illuminate our path. An illuminated path is a good path.

Into His Marvelous Light

My final, final thought. Thank you and God bless you for bearing with me. Remember we introduced this narrative by talking about the Lazarus story. Upon hearing of Jesus' intentions to return to Bethany to heal Lazarus, His disciples had objections and were asking "Why do you want to go back to Judea being just a few days ago they wanted to stone you there." This real concern was answered by Jesus with a cryptic reply that in no way answered their question of Why would you want to risk being stoned to death?

Joh 11:9-10 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. (10) But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

Beginning in Genesis, God has always demonstrated that light is the resource that eliminates darkness and prevents stumbling. Whenever we ask for God's will in our lives, we are asking for that light. And in asking for that light, we are asking for God Himself, for "God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all."

In the Lazarus story the disciples imagined they might be stoned. As logical an outcome that might be imagination is not a replacement for knowing. Jesus knew that they were not going to be stoned to death but rather, instead, all those present would see "the Glory of God." That knowledge coming from God is light. What all those present saw was Jesus, "The Light," taking dominion over the power of death. So Jesus "walking in the light" was a demonstration of taking dominion over not only imagination but even death itself. Hence Jesus' cryptic response was dead on - we imagine through ignorance but we know through the light of His word. So us followers who choose to ask for God's will to be done are walking in that light and are on the path to dominion. Nope, the devil does not appreciate that, but as I mentioned it is time to rain on Satan's parade. How do we rain on Satan's parade?

1Jn 4:7-21 KJV Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. (8) He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (9) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. (10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (12) No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. (13) Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (14) And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (15) Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. (16) And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. (17) Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (19) We love him, because he first loved us. (20) If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (21) And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

The word torment means punishment. Fear has punishment. We live in a state of punishment when we live in a state of fear. What did Adam and Woman do after they ate the forbidden fruit?

Gen 3:10 KJV And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

The very first time being afraid is mentioned it is in the context of taking advice from Satan. Satan's word introduced fear. And what did they become afraid of? Being naked, or incomplete. And what is the effect of the perception of being naked or incomplete? We imagine our own constructs to cover ourselves and we hide. And what do we hide from? The presence and Voice of God. And what does hiding from God accomplish? It is a self banishment and in effect we are punishing ourselves. What did Peter do when he heard it was Jesus on the shore that day? He jumped into the sea. Why? Because he was naked and had a guilty conscience. A guilty conscience causes us to be afraid and we separate ourselves from God.

So now we back up and look at the picture and what do we see? Satan's voice introduces questions and doubts. What do we question? Our completeness. What do we doubt? God's motives.

Satan universally uses one tactic, he plants one seed in our minds by making you think of one question. What question? That question that Satan plants is this: What am I missing? Or what is being withheld from me? And that's it - once the question is planted a domino effect follows. The question introduces a fear of missing out or being denied. The fear causes actions on our part that seek remedy. "I just want to be happy" becomes our mantra. Once that mantra is part of our mindset then anyone opposing our desire to be happy becomes an opponent, including God.

But we have a built in component in our beings, it is called a conscience. Our conscience is designed as an auto pilot or auto correction mechanism by convicting us or making us feel guilty. You 'know better' is the voice of our conscience. But the conviction and feelings of guilt remain constant until only one of two options are acted on. Kind of like the ding, ding, ding of our cars to remind you to put on your seat belt. Either we put on the seat belt or we wait it out until we no longer hear the ding, ding, ding.

So either we clear our conscience by doing what 'we know better' to do or we learn to ignore the voice of conscience until we can no longer hear it. At that point conviction and guilt still remain and will remain right up to judgment day. So guilt un-dealt with produces punishment, and punishment produces separation from God. Separation from God produces death. So from start to finish the power of death is fear.

On the day they ate they were as good as dead. But the day wasn't over yet and God came to their grave and called out Adam's name. Even in our graves we can hear God's voice. This is something the devil did not know and has no power to control. Yes, the devil plants his seed, he plants his tares and tares are toxic, but this does not prevent God from calling out to us.

Adam and Woman were dead in their trespass. Did God abandon them? Did God leave them where they were and walk away from them? No, God gave gifts unto them. God spoke to them. God made promises unto them. God gave them His eternal wisdom and foreknowledge. God gave them mercy and love as the Father He is. God gave them correction to remedy their situation. God gave them hope that all was not lost. God gave them the very best He has, Himself as the Lamb slain.

Showing them the path, the same path, The Way, that is the same path for all mankind of every generation. That path is: once a son, always a son, even if that son needs some working on. God had no problem handling some mud when He created us and He still has no problem handling some mud in dealing with us. Dealing with us involves us accepting His gifts, clearing our guilty consciences and devoting ourselves to only seeking God's will for our lives.

Asking for God's will equals asking for His voice to 'deliver us from this body of death.' This world is a body of death and is a hiding place for those who will die right where they are. But the day isn't over yet it is time for His children to hear His voice and come out of hiding.

Perfect love casts out fear

There is only one capable of perfect love and that is our God who is love. Can you help being who you are? Paul says no, we are wretched men doing things we can't help ourselves from doing.

Likewise can God help being what He is? No, "He is faithful to Himself" - God can't help being love - calling out at gravesites. The only issue is some answer and some don't. Why? because some choose to cancel the ding, ding, ding and hold onto fear and we know where that ends up

.

The bulk of this work has been my labor in declaring the love of God in every intention and plan He has for us, at least those of us who hear His voice. He created us as His children of His own substance and nature we are His little 'g' elohyims.

The full context of John's passage above is about the love of God and being restored as children with no fear whatsoever. Which means no guilt, no punishment and no separation. As a matter of fact John calls for boldness.

(17) Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Is this not the day of judgment? Then the day calls for boldness. What kind of boldness? A bull in a china shop? Or strong armed militants? No, not quite. The context of the above passage speaks of the boldness of a child living in its parents' home. A child living in its parent's home is full of entitlement to access every asset of that home, including the training, including the correction, including the coming of age to gain more privileges.

In a parent's home siblings are all equals with equal status and in a peaceful home we all love each other. In a parent's home children don't accept "no" very well. We push and push and push. As parents you have stories and I have stories on the bold persuasiveness of our kids. That is the boldness John is speaking of.

Just keep in mind God is the perfect parent with the perfect knowledge operating in perfect love, so all the capitulation is going to be on our part. But when we learn God's mind and learn to ask with wisdom and humility that makes God happy. And a happy parent is a generous parent more than willing to give us every perfect gift. Our ability to love is learned and perfected in the give and take bantering and bartering we do with our Father.

In Lucifer's case there was no asking, there was no bantering and bartering. He took what he wanted and placed himself out of the will of God - except to become the poster child example for all creation to learn to shun. In that example God gets the glory He deserves. God is true.

John's admonishment to cast off all fear is a call to abandon our hiding spot and grasp onto full status as a child of God, living in the household of God. Don't be afraid to be a son equal with the Son, who "thought it not robbery to be equal with God". So that as God is, loving, merciful, and rich in blessing, so also are we.

When we see Him as He is, we shall be like Him - Now. And being like Him is going to displace not just Satan but his minions too. What punch did Michael use to drop that devil? Answer the question: Who is like God? My prayer is I hope you have heard the words of this chronicle. Amen.

Rom 16:19-20 NLT But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong. (20) The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

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