Eden's River

Introduction

God is great. I don't know how that statement effects you but I know that God's greatness stirs me deeply. God's greatness propels me to want to be everything I can for Him. This work is my effort to lay in order the wonderful words of truth God has allowed me to understand of all His greatness and goodness. Like the Apostle John, I must concede that all that can be said could take the rest of my life and the next life too! So I will try to limit myself. No, actually there is a very specific purpose for this effort. The title of this book was chosen because throughout history nations settled along rivers - because those rivers became a source of sustenance. In the beginning Eden had a river and we find a river in Heaven too. This book is going to define the role of that river in both personal and church life in providing the bounty of God in our lives.

And as you read through you will note some uniqueness in the themes and format. The reason for this is specifically because this is more than just a book it is a manual, a teaching guide. The need for me to do this work is born out of my intense desire to be a blessing to the church and God. It actually grieves me to see saints lacking spiritually knowing God's intense desire to bestow EVERY BLESSING richly and freely. Therefore, I would like to at least share the blessings of God's word with the desire that you also be inspired and blessed.

This work is directed to every saint of God. To the new born and to the great gray-haired veteran alike. The reason I say this work is a blessing to the veteran of God is because after having lived so long for God laboring tirelessly it is good to know that the torch continues to be passed on to the next generation. We know that the signs of the end are a breakdown of respect of the younger generation towards the elder. But another often overlooked sign is that of the coming of Elijah. Not necessarily in bodily form, but the spirit of Elijah, turning the hearts of the sons back to the fathers. Which will ultimately turn all our hearts back to our heavenly Father.

This is the truest essence of revival - the joy of the church family young and old united in service to God. This is the way God always wanted it. That is the essence of this book an aid in helping us all know God. Because as anyone who has lived for God for any period of time can joyously attest there can be no more noble quest than to desire to know God more fully. So an exposition of God's word laid out in an orderly, enriching, revealing fashion is indeed a great asset. I am not going to discuss every topic but only those I feel that will bless and establish the reader giving the greatest possible benefit. I would like to move the reader into a relationship with God that will indeed cause him to be ...’complete in Him’...

We live in a world where the uncertainties are multiplying exponentially, so to be firmly grounded in a deep relationship with our Savior is beyond all measure the greatest asset any individual can ever hope to attain. We come to God shaken by the violence of this world and I know it is God's desire to ground us firmly filling us with His peace. Sometimes we fail to let go of the fears and insecurities that Satan has so successfully caused this world to reel in. God has remedies but too often it just takes time for us to figure that God's ways are best. When we finally surrender then God can do His handiwork. In the world surrender means defeat, being overtaken, usually by the violent. But in the church surrender means being overtaken by the God of love, peace, and joy.

Wouldn't it be a shame to let old hurts, fears, and insecurities prevent you from being overtaken by God? We need to let God do what He has to do. We can look at all the beauty of the heavens and the earth and stand in awe at God's handiwork. Yet the reality is that God just spoke all these things into being, He took no real time creating all that is. But with mankind God has chosen to spend much time, effort, and price in perfecting His people. If we can stand in awe at the glories of this temporal cosmos, that cost God nothing, how much more should we be overwhelmed by anticipating the glory of a church that cost God the shedding of His blood?

So surrender is the first step towards allowing God the prerogative in making of us what He would. Allowing God's loving hand to reach down deep into our being and caress the wounds away. Filling our hearts and mind with a glorious new light. Giving us a hope of what we are to be in God's grand scheme. I have confidence in the God of my salvation. I thrill in His faithfulness in keeping me, though out the years – admittedly I have had my ups and downs with my faithfulness to Him. His assurance is that He will indeed finish His work in me. This work is my testimony of faith in His handiwork. Seeking to share of the grace that God has shown me in filling me with knowledge of Him. To God be the glory. Amen.

All good things begin with God and a clear understanding of His person, essence, will and ways are essential to fulfilling the Christians quest of joining our Lord in eternity. In furtherance of our common goal I place myself in God's hands to deliver to you this work. The themes have been chosen with the intent of building unto God a Christian character, a temple, well pleasing for His use. We anticipate our Lords soon return, and want to be ready. Whether for an early rapture or a delay with greater trails, we want to be prepared to meet the challenge. In either case God's grace is sufficient. God's will be done. Amen.

Chapter 1 – His Heart

If two people walked into a room whom we've never met before, knowing only that one was a long lost relative, the other being a murderous impostor. The care we would take in determining which one to trust could not be too careful. Yet spiritually this is exactly the case we humans face in determining our eternity. Humankind is far too casual and careless in where we place our faith the results obviously being disastrous. We live in a world of perilous conditions. This is an age of "Strong delusion" and "Angels of light". These times call for a far greater discernment of the spirits of men. The Word of God must be held as absolutely true and able to reveal the hearts of men.

We will never see God with the eyes of this flesh so the evidence we take into account in determining where to place our faith is of course of utmost importance. The word that God has sent us beforehand, our Bible, gives us our descriptions of God and also of the devil the impostor. We must KNOW God thoroughly in order to escape the deceptions that are being perpetrated upon this world by the impostor. This is accomplished by knowing God's heart, His innermost essence of character. Knowing your Savior is imperative if we are to escape the sure fate of this world. Being unlearned or half hearted can bring us too close to the snares of a brutal devil. Consider the evidence presented here very carefully, very prayerfully. May God reveal Himself to you.

We know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, even His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 1 John 5:20

By this know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 1 John 4:13

I had an experience when I read the words "of His Spirit" I saw Jesus in Gethsemane during His agony. I was made to understand Jesus as being completely and absolutely selfless. As being totally unselfish, willing to give Himself without reservation and going to any length to obey the will of God. We then with "His Spirit" then are able to be totally obedient to God. I must confess that I was overcome by the weight of how much FLESH really dictates our lives.

At that time I can't say that I was enraptured with this aspect of understanding God's will. As a matter of fact I became frightened. Because I knew that "I" had to die, and HE had to live. I did not readily choose to assimilate the full impact of this truth. I therefore wasted much time circling and justifying my humanness. Looking back, I now realize how much more I have suffered avoiding the depths of the relationship that God was inviting me to. But thank God His mercies endure forever and today I can finally say I want all He wants for me. I surrendered to the God of peace and His faithfulness is bringing me through past the foolishness of my flesh.

Knowing Jesus as completely selfless, unselfish, truly caring, and loving adds tremendous depth to the Bible descriptions of His activities. Not seeing Him with these natural eyes but seeing Him with the eyes of faith I can see the finest details of what God is really like. And thereby the disguises of the impostor become so futile. With this discernment, with this knowledge, it saddens me to see how many are still tangled in vain pursuits. Hence my commitment to this work, this being my attempt to let God's glorious light shine into the dark corners of men's lives. Thus recognizing the agents of the enemy through superficial, self-aggrandizing, flesh appealing pursuits of those with the impostor's spirit.

The winds of this age are blowing hard against unprotected people. There are spirits working hard to prepare the way for the coming of their dark master. For I find it no coincidence that there is so much publicity concerning our guardian angels these days. Helpers from heaven they are reported to be. It all seems so innocent. But to activate their helping power people are told to clear their minds of all activity, meditate deeply and call out to these angels. Inviting them to be your spiritual guides, friend and helper. I have to tell you friend, that Satan is wasting no time capturing the minds of untold multitudes. If we are to call out to anyone IT MUST BE JESUS!

The very God who made all things is the only one capable of being the helper this very deceived generation needs. Inviting spirits is inviting an escort to hell! Way back when, while I was in high school, like everyone else I spent my time sizzling my brain with drugs. I went to school, but my mind with its expanded consciousness (duh) wandered out the window. I spent much time pondering the state of this world of ours and with my deep intellect concluded that what this world needs was a benevolent dictator who would help build a united states of the world, ending all wars, creating utopia.

Now let me assure you I was very far from being a Christian, and knew absolutely nothing about Bible prophesy. But this is a perfect example of whose voice fills the voids of ignorance. Meditating on anything but the true word of God is so very dangerous. KNOWING, KNOWING, KNOWING God, knowing Jesus, knowing His voice, knowing the absolute truth of THE BIBLE is the ONLY WAY to save your souls. Knowing His heart is the only way to be firmly held in His hands. Hear what Jesus says about His inner most essence:

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

What a self-description of the Almighty God! I am meek and lowly in heart. Is this how you would expect God to describe Himself? I am meek and lowly in heart? When I was just saved, this was one of the scriptures that filled my heart with peace because this description helped me be unafraid to develop a relationship with a God I really knew nothing about. This scripture spoke to my heart in such an inviting way, making me know that God was not a controlling bully, but someone who could be my friend. I have indeed found a great rest for my soul. I have found more than I could ever anticipate! Nothing compels me to love God more than to know that there is nothing in God that is willing to cause me harm. On the contrary His love is so willing to give us all that is beneficial to our well-being. There are no hidden agendas with God. He doesn't forsake, He doesn't change His mind, He finishes what He starts, He is exactly what He says He is.

It is impossible for God to lie... Heb. 6:18

What a consolation! Just the fact that He is willing to describe Himself as meek and lowly is so non-threatening and non-controlling. To the carnal mind those words stir up images of weakness. But as we will see throughout these pages, those words are the formula for untold security in God. Whenever carnal persons speak of themselves, they usually pick the grandest adjectives they can think of to puff themselves up. This is indicative of insecurity. Obviously there is no one more secure than God. And He is willing to identify Himself not as unapproachable and above the common, but He says "Hey, I'm just like you!" As a matter of fact, understanding the truth of that statement is really mind-boggling. God is not a foreigner or alien. He so much wants us to know He IS OUR FATHER!

For both he that sanctifies [God] and they who are sanctified [us] are all of one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren. Heb. 2:11

God is not ashamed to be called their God... Heb.11:16

He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was found made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross Phil. 2:7-8

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.
Gen. 1:27

Consider the full depths of what these verses are implying. God made man in the likeness of God – and - God made Himself in the likeness of man. Wow! What a concept. Give this some thought. It is not below the Almighty to identify as a man. The illustration forcefully demonstrates closeness. God demonstrated that He was not insulted by robing Himself in flesh. So on the other hand we should have no ambivalence to robe ourselves in God or as the Bible says to “put on Christ”. Or “think it not robbery to be equal with God” – not in origin – but in character.

Our subject here is the heart of God. Revealing His inner most essence of character. This Holy writ goes so far as declaring that originally and even now after being regenerated by the power of the Spirit that God and man "Are all of one" in essence of heart only though when we have a submitted meek and lowly spirit. When Jesus walked this earth, He taught His disciples to pray Our Father. Revealing the true depths of the relationship God wanted with mankind. While in Gethsemane when Jesus prayed for you and me, He stated His desire for all those who come to believe in Him.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you have sent me. And the glory which you gave me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one. John 17:20-22

Believing in our ONENESS is the key that will unlock the glory of the church as God intends it to be glorious! Being like God obviously necessitates us understanding what God is like, Yes? Most definitely! So getting back to understanding what God meant when He described Himself as meek and lowly. We need to see with the eyes of faith who that great God is that is sitting on the throne of heaven.

But before I get to that I want to lay down some principles to help you open your eyes to the truths being expressed. Humility is a wonderful asset. To be humble is to be like God. For whatever reason people choose to appear better then they really are; and we know that the world just does that to people; the whole facade indicates a mire of unresolved hurts and unfortunate misgivings about ourselves and a real inability to cope with our insecurities. Living outside of God's will for us we can find no adequate answer to understanding our identity. Without God it is impossible to understand who we are so we invent identities. Just take a walk down the streets of New York City or anywhere for that matter and you will witness some really bizarre invented images.

From our earliest ages we all work at inventing identities that express who we are on the inside. We are influenced by our parents, our peers, the society in which we live and even the devil himself and we are moved to create our image based on those inputs. I know this is not what God has in mind for mankind.

God created us and God gave us His very own likeness. I want us to be ecstatic about what God has intended for us. We need to know that we are ‘complete in Him’ without external posturing. Gaining a security about who we are in Jesus is to take on the very image of the One who created you. First let me say that we need to understand the age in which we live. This is the age of "Angels of light" and "Strong delusion that they might believe a lie". To be over-comers during these last days we need to learn to discern the enemy's guises and what he wants to put over on us.

The principle is this; God uses men to do His work, Satan uses men to do his work, without being able to discern the spirit of the work there is no way to protect ourselves from the effects of the deception. After Jesus' resurrection he appeared to the disciples in a different likeness' every time. That was to prepare their hearts to learn to discern the Spirit of Jesus through the ‘Works’ being done. Jesus taught the disciple to recognize the Father through the works of Jesus. We need to learn to recognize spirits in men through their works.

Beloved, Believe not every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1

All the unlearned will ever see are men with differing opinions and programs not realizing the eternal consequences of being ignorant. In the book of Revelation, the eleventh chapter, the Bible tells us of two men. We know them as witnesses of God. These men are endowed with ‘Power’ much like that of Moses. Being able to smite their enemies and the earth with plagues. Afterwards even being resurrected and carried up into heaven in the sight of their enemies. These men working for God were unable to turn the hearts of mankind in general towards repentance and truth. Only a small remnant – ‘the elect’ believed their witness.

In contrast, in the thirteenth chapter again it speaks of two men, we know them as the antichrist and false prophet. These men also having ‘Power doing great works, wonders and miracles in the sight of all men. Yet these men working diabolical schemes for Satan were able to cause all men to worship and accept the deceptions as good. Men doing miracles is one thing, but the spirit behind those miracles is extremely different.

In these last days we need to know who is who. And don't assume you can escape the delusions especially if you have no idea what the ‘real’ looks like. In simplest terms the Spirit of God will always teach concerning God in heaven. It will always seek to lead us out of this world. It will give us the desire to seek God's truth and righteousness as laid out in the established Word of God - the Bible - and will give us the desire to seek our rewards in heaven above.

In contrast with Satan - his only desire is to establish his kingdom on earth. His leading will cause the seeking of the things of the earth. He will cause you to fulfill canal appetites. His spirit will destroy any desire for truth. He will cause you to justify your own desires and allow you to hold on to excuses for self-indulgence. " I don't care bout right or wrong just fill my life with the things I do long" This is the song of the damned.

My desire is to seek enlightenment from the Spirit of Truth, God my Savior, Jesus my Lord. Amen. I am His child, and want to be what He wants me to be. I want to dissociate from any likeness of deception. Thus the heart of this thesis, the reason I am expounding what God has shown me.

Now let's continue in seeing Jesus. There are certain established truths. First, we are created in the image of God. Second, God as a Spirit is invisible. Third, Jesus is the express image of the invisible God. Therefore the image that we were created in is the image of Jesus. So in order for us to grasp onto all God intends for us we must know all we can about Jesus. In order to grasp the truth, I'm going to contrast between Jesus and the devil throughout this book so as to give us a crystal clear understanding between what God created us to be and the lies the devil has smeared onto our lives. Beginning with Jesus the Bible states that:

He has no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see Him there is no beauty that we should desire Him.
Isaiah 53:2

Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. 1 John 3:2

It does not appear to these carnal eyes, and our limited intellect what God has in store for us. But it is plainly understood that whatever Jesus is like, we are also just like Him. And what we know is that He is the Almighty God sitting on the throne of heaven. And what we know is that God chose to represent Himself to His creation as Jesus for an intensely significant purpose. That purpose is what I intend to convey. Again I must lay some more groundwork so please hold on. Let's look at the Bible's only description of the God that is seated ON the throne. (Other descriptions are of Him off the throne where He is fulfilling different roles)

...in the midst of the throne... stood a Lamb as though it had been slain... Rev. 5:6

1) Alter what our image should be.
2) Make us think we need more than what God has provided.
3) Make us believe that external beauty has any real value.
4) Make us believe that we need external beauty and things to make us complete.
5) Make us believe that externals can make us something other or more than what we really are.

These are all lies from the pit of hell. Our best labors will be spent purifying our hearts from all these vanities. Now take a close look at the devil to plainly see where these vanities come from. Speaking of Lucifer:

Thou sealest up the sum, [he had it all] full of wisdom, perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was thy covering, [jewelry head to toe] the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold; the workmanship of thy timbrels and of thy flutes was prepared in thee in the day thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth, and I have set thee so; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day thou was created, till iniquity was found in thee, by the multitude of thy merchandise [he had much possessions] they have filled the midst of the with violence, and thou hast sinned; I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God, and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; [became proud, vain] thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness; I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by thy multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy merchandise; therefore will I bring forth a fire [a consuming desire] from the midst of thee; it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be appalled at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. Ezekiel 28:12-19

Satan loved external beauty. Satan loved being covered in jewelry. Satan loved having many possessions and is still insatiable. Satan is proud and vain. Satan is wise in his own eyes. Satan wants more and more and more. Satan thinks he should be praised like God. Satan thinks he could get away with his rebellion against the will of God. The big question here is do you see him for what he is? Is there any resemblance in his ways and yours? The Word stated that: "All they that know thee shall be appalled at thee." Are you appalled with the ways of the devil? OK here we go. The Bible stated that God represents Himself as the Lamb Slain. The Bible states that the Lamb has no form or comeliness that we should desire Him. So I see Satan looking down his nose at Jesus wondering why should plain Jesus get all the praise when I'm so much more beautiful. And thus because of his narrowly looking down on Jesus with contempt, and disdain - we have the judgment of God upon Satan:

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, [God's judgments are right] and consider thee saying, is this the man who made the earth to tremble, who did shake kingdoms, who made the world like a wilderness, and destroyed its cities, who opened not the house of his prisoners? Isaiah 14:15-17

God does not hold external qualities with any high regard. He is not a respecter of persons, not even His own. Man and Satan judge the outside God judges the heart. It is the qualities of the heart, the fruit of the Spirit that God holds as true riches. God chooses to be represented by Jesus the Lamb, because Jesus is THE most perfect representation of the character of God's Heart. Everything we see in Jesus is everything that God is.

No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. John 1:18

The Son, who is in the bosom, the very heart of God, declares what God is! Jesus was the perfect example of love, mercy, grace, goodness, gentleness, forgiveness, kindness, caring, and of course meekness. All qualities of the heart! "By this know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit" Do you have His Spirit? Do you have His heart? Do you love what He loves? Or do you still love the things the devil loves? Jesus came to set us free. Free to be what God originally intended man to be, the image of God. Now we know that God created man completely unadorned to the point of being naked! Or was he? In understanding the intentions of creating a being that represents His image we find a wonderful truth.

God named His creation Adam, which can be interpreted as meaning red earth. Now it could be that God went to Georgia to get some of that famous red clay but I don't think so. It would be more proper to say that God named man red, because that is exactly what God saw when looking at man. God was looking at the blood of the Lamb that covers us. Thereby seeing Jesus, His Image! So in God's eyes we were physically naked but spiritually complete. And it is understanding our spiritual completeness that makes us unashamed.

Now again we were created bearing the image of God but not just any image. It was a specific representation of a specific event. Remember the ‘Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world’. Man was created naked – but who else was naked at the point of His greatest moment of representing God? The Lamb Slain! Jesus was naked as He hung on the cross. He went to the cross in shame so we could be unashamed. When we look at the cross and see Him we are seeing the most perfect representation of the heart of God. We should be very unashamed to find and embrace that image and lifestyle for in so doing we embrace our completeness. And when we embrace the fact that God sees us as complete regardless of we seeing ourselves as imperfect – in Him – being clothed in Him - we can be unashamed.

Man was already clothed with the most perfect covering available. He was clothed with the IMAGE OF GOD! We were like God! So for all of Satan's wanting to be "Like God" through the acquisition of wealth and power we find the devil cast into hell. And to the man who can see that he is complete in Christ, humble and unadorned we find in Rev. 21:11 that the bride has THE GLORY OF GOD. Jesus said in John 17:22

And the glory which you have given me I have given them that they may be one, even as we are one.

Our glory comes from being in Christ Jesus. The promise of glory eternal is really too much to fully comprehend with this finite mind. But I comprehend enough to know I want to do it God's way!

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in the fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philipians 2:5-8

Again not equal in origin and substance but equal in methods. Equal in the methods and attitudes that actually demonstrate God’s nature and character. God made Himself of no reputation and put on the form of a servant - so we should not be ashamed to do what God did. God humbled Himself and became obedient – so we should humble ourselves and become obedient. This is what Jesus is talking about we becoming one with God. It’s not external posturing nor external ornamentation that leads to us receiving the blessings of God as too many do in vain.

I do have to say at this point that Jesus actually does have ornamentation that is a perfect representation of His love for the church, ornamentation that He intends to keep for eternity. Can you guess what it is? He has the nail prints in His hands, and the wound in His side. Symbols of His love for us! That is why the Apostles were able to rejoice when beaten. Because they were able to identify with their Lord, even to the point of having that same ornamentation!

The true glory of the church will be revealed when the saints of God can fully grasp exactly what it means to be created in the image of God. When the saints of God are really full of the Spirit of Jesus, when we have the same heart God will empower the saints to be the true representatives of His Divine Person. We know that God knows all things. He is omniscient. He knows the end from the beginning. God can see all eternity in one view. And with this truth in mind, we know that the Bible states that Jesus was the firstborn of all creation. Meaning when God chose to begin His creation He obviously needed His creatures to be able to see Him. Remember that God is an invisible Spirit. So God chose to become visible through the person of Jesus.

Now with this groundwork prepared remembering that God knows the future. He knew the conflict that Satan would cause. And this conflict is an example to all creation of the supremacy of God in Jesus. First, God chose to represent Himself as meek and lowly. Then Satan chooses to look down his nose at Jesus, imagining himself to be superior. Then God chooses to pick up a mud ball, and to this mud ball give the promise of one day being God's bride - with the glory of God.

Remember all creation is witnessing this happen. And compared to eternity, this all unfolds as a rather rapid event. So what creation is seeing is this outwardly beautiful being with grand schemes in his mind, rebel against this outwardly plain unadorned being. Now obviously, God wants to teach all creation an extremely valuable lesson. Really there is so much that can be said, but the major points are these:

1) The power to accomplish any scheme does not come from anything external whether beauty, or wealth, or personal talents.
2) Satan, with these attributes obviously has no power to fulfill any of his promises, whether to himself, or to those who follow him. Because he gets cast into hell for all eternity with those that follow him.
3) GOD IS THE ONLY ONE WITH POWER TO ACCOMPLISH ALL HIS WILL.
4) God can represent Himself any way He wants and always have all power.
5) God can choose anything He wants whether a perfect being or a mud ball and still accomplish all He wants (He chose the mud ball just to make the perfect being furious!) God chooses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise.
6) Rebellion against the office, and will of God will be punished.
7) God has shown all creation that true power is in love, mercy, forgiveness, meekness, humility, and obedience.
8) That there is no power in vanity and pride.
9) God has shown creation that there is only ONE GOD.
10) And the way to that one God, the way to His heart, is by having the Spirit of Jesus, the fruit of the Spirit, and loving the image we were created in.

Church of the living God, we have not just God on our side, but in our hearts. We have nothing to be ashamed of. We are not the rejects, but the saved, the redeemed! We have more going for us than we could ever really realize. STAND UP and be the glory of God! The rewards are intense!

Being able to see God for what He is, and also being able to see Satan for what he is has a tremendous visual impact on the understanding. Because more than the black and white of the printed page. I see living examples of what is right and wrong. The principles that become foundational to Christian living are indeed living principles. The practical applications to just understanding and applying the truths here revealed are many.

First among these is Holiness. To be able to see holiness as a living way of life, to know that when the Word says "Be ye Holy for I am Holy" that Word is teaching us that holiness is the image we were created in. We are not asked to be what we are not but we are asked to once again love what we were - what God made you originally.

On the contrary, it is Satan that contorts and perverts and compels us to create images designed after Satan's image. Just look at an infant, fresh and new, with an innocent beauty that no one can resist. Then look at the styles and fashions currently thrust on this generation. Do you think that is what God had in mind for mankind? God wants us to be clean inside and out. Free from the vain gunk the devil dresses his own with. Another way of looking at this is to see holiness as solidarity with Jesus. Satan committed a crime against God by thinking all his beauty made him better than God. Satan insulted the Lord I am in love with. Therefore when I choose holiness as a way of life that is my way to reject the devil's foolishness and say that I am firmly committed to identify my position as being on the Lord's side.

People display banners, wear ribbons, wear pins, burn candles, they do all sorts of things when they choose to identify with some cause. Well, I choose to identify with Jesus by living according to the Word, by living the modest lifestyle, clean and well groomed. Without putting on gold or jewelry, makeup, or airs. I want to be plain, just like Jesus.

He has no form or comeliness, and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and we hid our face from Him; He was despised, and we esteem Him not. Isaiah 53:2-3

I personally do not want to be identified as one of the ones that reject the image He chose. Well enough on this. I hope you can see and love this truth.

The second principle is the respect for authority. The Bible plainly states that it is God that establishes all authority whether we see them as Godly or not whether we see them as competent or not. The principle is this; our relationship to authority is with the office not the person. Satan rebelled against the office of God despising the meek and lowly character of Jesus thinking himself more worthy of honor. Throughout the Bible we see the great men of God always having the utmost respect for dignities, thereby always being elevated and given favor. I know that God has a sense of humor in some of the things He does. One thing that comes to mind is the relationship between husband and wife. I think God created man bumbling and doting less organized and sometimes helpless just to see if the superior woman will still respect him.

Being a husband is an office created by God to be honored regardless of the person of the man. Being a parent is an office that no matter how clue less the parents are, must by command of God be revered. The officers of government, all government must be respected whether we see them as good or not. Tough to chew on but Biblically correct. Respect for office is respect for office. From the least up to God on High the principle is the same. Being faithful to the least is the same as being faithful to God. And by the way, this would also include just honoring one another as fellow servants of God created in His image. If we love God we will love one another.

Third is being content in whatever position of life God sees fit to keep you in. Again, Satan wanted more for himself than what he had. I recognize the reality that we should make the most of ourselves and strive to grow in grace but attitude is critical. The Bible teaches that our talents will make room for us, meaning let God open the doors. If someone is currently in the position you want even if you're just as good, if not better qualified, just think of Satan wanting God's position. Remember this, if it is God's will for you, it will happen. Besides position, this also includes possessions and wealth in general. Godliness with contentment is great gain. The word only promises food and clothing everything above that is riches.

So Satan's crimes were:

1) To insult the image of God and exalting his own.
2) To disrespect the throne, or authority of God.
3) Actively choosing a life course outside of God's original plan, being discontented, and seeking fortune and glory his own way.
4) Not only rebel himself but then involve others including angels and humans.

So to reverse the influence of this corrupted flesh, to reject Satan and be appalled at him, I choose to live holy. I choose to respect all authority. I choose to be utterly content and ecstatic with the life God has chosen as right for me. Then once again I can claim to be born again recreated in His image, with His heart. Holiness, respect for authority and contentment, all this just from being able to see God's heart.

I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me by my Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, except the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:25-30

Labor to enter into His rest. Labor to achieve the above principles and your soul will be blessed and restored above all imagination!
Finally, as I conclude this chapter it is my prayer that as we see the true and living God, our Lord Jesus Christ, that we desire to be filled with His Spirit. That we should desire to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and fulfill the image we were originally created in. In this generation, we need to carefully discern spirits; not of ghosts and goblins, but of the people all around us. Realizing that a man's word alone is not a good indicator of his spirit. Neither are his actions, even if they are miracle filled.

We need to see as God sees, into the heart, looking for Jesus reigning there. As Jesus taught by their fruits you shall know them. By their obedience to all the Word of God and by the fruit of their character. Let me quickly say I don't want you to think everyone is demon possessed. I'm saying you can have the Holy Ghost and through ignorance still be living a substandard life. Or you can be FULL of the Holy Ghost, FILLED with ALL knowledge of Jesus, and FULLY aware of all you are in Christ Jesus. Knowing you are complete in Him.

To meet the challenge of this hour I just want you to be aware of the subtle differences and how the promises of God for abundant life, victorious Christian living, and true Holy Ghost power will become most active in your life. What you don't know can hurt you. I just want you to know for your own benefit. With this thought in mind I will continue to delve deep into God's Word and present to you meat to make you strong. I see a pattern in the Word of God that I am using as the format for this book. There are no accidents with the works of God. Everything is done according to a pattern that is established in heaven. God created the heavens and the earth. And on the earth He created His garden. And in the garden there were two trees and a river and Adam and Eve. I will revisit Eden in our quest towards God.

Chapter 2 – The Tale of Two Trees

Every human ever created has needs. Every human faces the day wondering how those needs will be met. This is the universal situation of all mankind. We can look around us, we can look at history, we can look at the Bible and we can see that some of mankind goes about having their needs met legitimately. While others have sought errant ways. The question so often asked, Why is there so much bad in the world? The simplest answer being because of lots people doing lots of things in the wrong way. But, Why does God allow man and devil to continue in doing wrong? The full answer will only be understood in the end, but can be partially understood by reasoning that God wants a creation with it's own ability to determine right and wrong.

God did not create robots, nor does God rule by fear. We are truly free agents with a free will. However we must learn for ourselves and willingly choose to do right. Experiencing the failure of doing wrong and evil is part of the object lesson that shapes our psyche and molds our personal morality. In the end we all will have our own consciousness and moral fiber designed by our own free will as an expression of ultimate love towards God.

For now we have to deal with wrong doers, beginning with the number one wrong doer the devil who sought to be like God, without loving God. He has lied, stole, killed, and invented every evil way but he will get cast into hell regardless of whatever efforts he puts out. I don't know if God could have elevated him higher than he already was. I do know that God can do all things if it pleases Him. I do know that the devil sought out some very wrong ways in trying with disastrous results.

Next in line was Eve with the devils help of course. The devil being the original source of discontentment made Eve think she needed something more to make her better. But remember please that God had, past tense, already created her in the image of God. And given them a covering, the blood of Jesus, a covering more glorious than all of Satan's jewels. Unfortunately she didn't seem to know this and fell to the devil's devices. Also we know that God chose the mud ball to make the devil mad so the devil did not come to do man any favors but came to steal what he wanted. Satan wanted the obeisance of man thereby subjugating him and eventually desiring to see mankind destroyed.

Remember also that God knows the end from the beginning. So while the devil thought he was getting one over on God, God was demonstrating that He was not finished with mankind, and that God could still accomplish all His will in spite of man's failures. This also demonstrates that the blood of Jesus is THE most powerful covering available. I said all that to say this, God has provided us with all the right things to live. God has provided us with the right approach to achieving our needs met. God has provided us with the right approach to God Himself. And it is God's promise to make us one with Him.

The devil is an impotent liar whose only motive is to destroy you, period. We can look around us and question if the devil has no power then how does he accomplish so much evil. The answer again may sound simplistic, but the devil's power is in the power of a lie. His power is in the ability to deceive. He first deceived himself into believing his own lies. Then he set about corrupting as much as he could.

Look at it this way; the devil tempts individuals with things that seem benefiting. Then the individual by his own power acts accordingly to gain what he wants. The power comes from the actions of the individual acting out the devil's wishes. This is in effect a de facto power. A spirit manipulating a human to accomplish physical goals.

The devil doesn't even use his own voice, when we think in our own minds the voice is always our own, aiding in convincing us that it is our own desires being acted out. Obviously I am not discussing persons that are insane or possessed, let's not. The devil cannot make you do anything. You have to want to do what is being suggested. The book of James puts it this way:

...Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin when it is finished brings forth death. James 1:14-15

There is an abundance of bad in the world because there are an abundance of people sinning. Sin is a transgression against God. Acting against God prevents God from blessing and interceding. The sinner then has only the fruit of judgment to reap in the form of diseases and disaster. Which is the devil's goal in the first place to see you receive judgment like him.

There is a lot of judgment going on, this is what the natural man sees as the bad in the world. The bad in the world is the fruit of sin, the result of people doing things the wrong way. Fortunately for the few that can see this truth and can repent of their ways, God can and does forgive. God's ability to forgive is intensely far reaching. God's desire to give us every spiritual blessing can just hardly be understood. I'm going to try to make my dent in comprehending the depths of God's love for us. A subject so inexhaustible because God is love and God is inexhaustible.

So if the power of lie can have so much visible results - How much more should the power of the truth? Not least among the promises to those who love and do the truth is the saving of your soul. Jesus said most plainly, unless we love the truth there is no option but to perish. I want to spend a little time with this thought before I get into the body of this chapter. I need to lay a foundation for us to stand on because in the balance of this dialog I will be discussing some very powerful truths and I want your heart to receive it.

Again as you will see I like using contrasts. In this case between what the Bible teaches as the right way of doing things and the way the Bible teaches is the wrong way. The subject is how God wants us to go about having ALL our needs met legally, and the extent of all God has provided to make us whole and happy campers.

First the power of the truth; unless we really understand the our need for truth there is no point in calling ourselves Christian. Jesus said He was The Truth. So as much as we can say that we need Jesus we must also say we need the truth.

Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. John 17:17

The power of truth is the power that sanctifies us. The word sanctify here means: to make holy, purify, consecrate. Which in even simpler terms is to be set apart from the rest, to be made different. Isn't that what salvation is? To be set apart from those who will be punished for their wrong doing? Unless you see your life as it is suppose to be different from the rest, it will be difficult to appreciate truth. The purpose of truth is to make you fit to be saved.

I'm talking real plain English here on purpose. I don't want anybody to miss this. You're going to want to be different because you realize that being different is being what God wants you to be - or you will want to be just like everyone else who now are ‘normal’ – like everyone else who has been influenced by the power of Satan’s lies.

This was one of Israel's major downfalls always wanting to be just like all the rest of the nations and today Israel remains under the judgment of God as a result.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:19-21

Almost every Christian can quote by heart John 3:16 but when it comes to this portion just 3 lines further down the passage, the blinders are on. If you don't love truth you don't love light. If you don't love light, you can’t see that there is a difference between deeds that are evil because they originate with Satan and the deeds that are good because they originate with God. Living in darkness is a life guided by the devil. Again I'm going to make it real simple. When you say you love Jesus, I'm hoping that you mean ALL of Jesus. Would it make sense to say that you love Jesus, But not His feet? Or to say that you love Jesus, But not His nose? These are stupid questions aren't they? But using the same logic, when Jesus says He is The Truth mustn't we then conclude that need to love all truth? For 1 John 5:3 says:

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments…

And again Jesus said:

If you love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15

Keeping God's commandments is loving Him. Keeping God's commandments means doing things the right way, legally. Doing things the right way means invoking the blessings and love of God. Invoking the blessings and love of God means having ALL YOUR NEEDS MET. Understood? Praise God! OK with this foundation laid, IT'S TRUTH TIME!

We know that there were two trees in the garden one being the tree of life the other being the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The first tree being provided to give us life the other tree being the cause of death. The commandment being for the tree of life that we may freely eat and the commandment for the other being that in the day we eat we shall surely die.

We were created with a free will and God placed us in the garden with both trees present to lead lives of liberty. Unfortunately for Adam and Eve, they apparently did not posses the experience to stay free very long. They being snared by Satan's devices, being deceived into believing lies.

The lies being:

1) That God is capable of lying.
2) That God is willingly denying you something that is capable of making you better than you are.
3) That God's motives are untrustworthy.
4) That there is something outside of what God has provided freely that is capable of elevating our status of living.
5) That the devil knows what that something is.
6) That judgment or death will not follow disobeying God.

Now to the seasoned saint the above lies are easily understood to be from the pits of hell, I won't expound further. But what I will say is this, that this generation has great advantages over all previous in this, that we have the record of the Word of God. Also we have the record of man's history and we can just look around us and admit mankind has made mistakes. Now with all this we have gained the experience and hindsight our predecessors lacked. Now we can know that God is true and that God did provide us with the greatest of all potentials. God wanting to eventually elevate us to heights we aren't even capable of fully imagining.

Now we have been provided with both the hindsight to recognize our mistakes and the foresight of prophecy and promises to give us hope of greater things than can ever be achieved on this temporal earth. Now we can recognize the devil as the liar he is. Now we can press on not making the same mistakes as the rest of the world. Or do we as the saints of God still dwell in the tangled web of Satan's lies? It is truth we are after. The Word says buy the truth and sell it not.

The term buy indicates a trading, a putting off of lies, and a receiving of truth. Knowing the truth will give us the ability to look the devil straight in the eye and command his departure. The calling is high, we must be willing to make the sacrifices. Although they are not sacrifices but merely letting go of things that are really designed to cause you pain. The Bible teaches us that there is an opportunity to once again be permitted access to the tree of life. Not figuratively, but literally. If you can once again be part of Eden, Would you go?

He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches: To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev. 2:7

Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the city. Rev. 22:14

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. John 10:1

Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes unto the Father but by me.
John 14:6

Well, have you thought about it? Do you want to be restored to Eden and the tree of life? If God says it's possible then don't doubt. God's truth is a wonderful thing. If you want to see God's kingdom then you must come to God's light. If you want to come to the light then you must know what God's commandments are and DO THEM!

The first scripture makes us aware of the opportunity. The second scripture establishes an order of procedure to achieve the opportunity: first, obey His commandments, second gain access to the tree of life, and third, be allowed to enter the New Jerusalem. The third scripture lets us know that any attempt to seek any other way into the kingdom is unlawful and God will judge them as thieves and robbers. Finally Jesus tells us that He is the lawful way to heaven, by His truth and through His life. I have a tremendous burden for the truth. I cannot in any way excuse a lie. Why? Because the Bible makes absolutely no room for liars or the ignorant.

All liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire. Rev. 21:8

And there shall in no way enter into it anything...that makes a lie... Rev. 21:27

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee...
Hosea 4:6

Climbing up another way and looking for another door is futile when considering entering the New Jerusalem. In context and in perspective with scriptural understanding we need to view the 21st chapter of Revelation with the mind of the society to which it was originally written. A city in Biblical times was a city-state. And a walled city was a fortress against invasion. The city was all the protection the dwellers there had. Now history tells us of an innumerable number of fortresses that have come and gone. Every last fortress finally falling to the persistence of the invading forces and the ravages of time.

So with these thoughts in mind descriptions of a walled city 1500 miles high and wide meant that whatever was on the outside was going to stay out and whatever was on the inside was going to stay in. The whole point of this description of the New Jerusalem is to illustrate the eternal safety of our heavenly home.

To the ancient mind whose best technology could only build up 100+ feet stating that this 1500 hundred mile high city was invincible would be a gross understatement. But the real point here is how striking and poignant Jesus' words become when he states only thieves and robbers seek to get in from the outside. How futile it is to believe anyone can just walk in just as casual as can be.

Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gate into the city. For outside are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. Rev. 22:14-15

Remember the invitation of God instructs us to:

ONE: WASH YOUR ROBES.
TWO: EAT FROM THE TREE OF LIFE
THREE: THEN BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE GATE INTO THE CITY

There is a legal way into the city, it is THE ONLY WAY!

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. The thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:7-10

When Jesus said He was the way, the truth, and the life, He meant it! If books could shout this one would be shouting from the mountain top! There is only one door to heaven by which all must pass and Jesus is His name! I am 100% certain that Jesus alone is the only way to gain legal access into the Kingdom.

I'll be discussing getting your robes washed and the tree of life later as we go along so just bear with me as I lay all the foundational truths. We're going somewhere folks and unless the principles are laid out properly the impact of all the truths won't take hold of our hearts the way it should.

The original Greek words for door, ( thura ) and gate, ( pulon ) can both be interpreted as meaning an entrance way, or portal. But in dealing with the spiritual entrance into the kingdom of heaven we need to get away from thinking of a natural physical literal hole in the wall. We need to get away from the fairy tales of Saint Peter standing at the gate deciding who can come in. These are carnal interpretations.

The spiritual interpretation makes us understand that the entrance is spiritual. The spiritual interpretation makes us understand that the entrance is Jesus Himself. As a matter of fact the spiritual truth is that the entire city is a spiritual entity. However being that we have finite minds with carnal natures God takes the extra steps in describing spiritual realities in natural terms so perhaps we can come to understand.

The Bible is very full of symbolic descriptions. It becomes interesting to notice that sometimes God describes spiritual things with natural descriptions and sometimes he describes natural things with spiritual descriptions. I can't take the time to give examples here but just take note as you study the Word and find them for yourself.

This concept can be further developed in understanding the door to the tabernacle in the wilderness and also the curtain before the Most Holy Place. Both being symbols of Jesus. I don't want to dwell here forever but we need to move on towards the point of this thesis. I want you to understand the extreme importance of knowing Jesus, in knowing ALL the truth and obeying ALL truth because in these is the ONLY true way to heaven.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ and be found in Him. Philippians 3:8-9

When this life's journey is over, when we close our eyes to this world, and in the next instant when we open them again, I want to find I am in the place I want to be. I want to be found in Him. For where He is, (heaven) I want to be also.

...I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know. ...I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes unto the Father, but by me. John 14:3,6

Jesus was speaking to His disciples explaining that after three years of walking together, three years of training under the Master's hand, three years of being taught the kingdom principles, now they were just about ready to go into all the world with the gospel message. They were entrusted with an awesome responsibility, to teach the whole world that there is only one way to be saved.

The nations were asked to buy the truth and sell it not. They had to give up their idols and evil lifestyles and posses the truth. Which would sanctify them and save their souls. The teachings of the Apostles carry supreme weight and authority. Their word and their authority came from Jesus Christ Himself. They called their message the glorious gospel message. Glory means light, and light and truth were used synonymously in the New Testament.

Just to underscore the authority of the Apostles word I want to take a look at the seventeenth chapter of John for a moment this of course being the prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane before His arrest. I just want to highlight the verses that are pertinent to my point.

Verse 8) For I have given unto them (the Apostles) the words which you gave me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou did send me.
Verse 14) I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Verse 17) Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.
Verse 18} As thou has sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into world.
Verse 20) Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word
Verse 22) And the glory which you gave me I have given them, that they be one, even as we are one (be found in Him)

God gave His word to Jesus, Jesus gave His word to the Apostles, the Apostles gave the word to the world. The power of the word to save has come from God through the Apostles and on to all believers.

I believe the term glory in verse 22 refers to the sum total completeness that makes us like God, made in His image, His glory. It refers to the power the word has to recreate us back to our original relationship with God. It refers to the end product of having God's word working in and through us. We can only be considered believers in God only if we have first received the Apostles word.

And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe ALL things whatsoever I have commanded you;... Matthew 28:18-20

It is impossible to bypass the word of the Apostles and still claim to be in the family of God. There is a tremendous amount of error in the assumptions of the so called church world. The Bible is crystal clear loud and strong there is no excuse for error. Again, lies come from the devil.

They are of the world; therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. (the Apostles) He that knows God hears us; he that is NOT of God HEARS NOT US. (then who? the devil that's who!) By this know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:5-6

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord, our God, shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized; (into Jesus Christ ), and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine... Acts 3:37-42

But as many as received Him, to them gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name; Who were born , not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13

If we are born into the kingdom of God then we have to be born of His word. If we are to be born of His word then we would have to receive that word from the Apostles doctrines else we be bastards. We must be born by the will of God and it is God's will for anyone to be a professing Christian to be totally obedient to the Bible which was given to us by the Apostles by the way – the New Testament that is.

The subject of this chapter is receiving our needs from God legally. I've laid a pretty heavy duty foundation for the principle I want to continue to convey. I want to create a hunger, a desire, and a passion to want to know the truth. And I want to show you that God has not left His heritage without the means to be made the glory of God. I'm excited and ecstatic. The church of the Living God is at the door of its greatest hour.

I am determined to let go of everything that has ever held me back. I am determined to stand up and glorify the God that will glorify me. There is no more room for the devil's lies. As I am writing this book I could not tell of every obstacle to thwart my effort. Just to spite the devil, I've doubled and redoubled my labor in this work.

I'm rejoicing and loving God keeping my mind stayed on Him. I'm just thoroughly enjoying my Christianity. It's just so awesome to know that whether you’re in the church just a few days or even a few decades there is always so much more to God to achieve. The things of this world always fade so quickly never filling that void inside. But having God on the inside makes you want to bust out and explode with a never ending enthusiasm and excitement. It's a fire within my bones!
OK, the topic is being in a place in our relationship with God whereby we are filled our cup runneth over, so to speak. Being in a place where we are filled with the serene sense of satisfaction where we know we have everything we can ever need. Where we know that we don't have to worry about cares of life. No more stress and anxiety where struggling is a thing of the past. This obviously sounds too good to be true! Yet, I want to ask you, If there was such a place; knowing that Disney land charges thousands of dollars a week; How much would you pay for an eternal reservation at a place where the joys never fade away?

I want to tell you that by the word of God such a place exists. The only reason people don't go there is because they won't pay the price. Is the price high? No, actually it is 100% free. It's just a matter of understanding the true value of what we have now versus the value of what God has provided.

The name of the place is Eden. The literal translation of the name Eden is: pleasant, the voluptuous life, delicate pleasure. You see this is the place that everyone is actually seeking in their life's quest. The only problem is that as long as people are influenced by the devil he points people in the wrong direction or he sends people down dead ends. Or he gives a close enough copy to keep people deceived. Now you would think that people were smart enough to figure out that all they need to do is stop listening to the devil and basically that is the answer. Stop listening to the devil, and obey the Bible. People in general never learn.

The human condition and the human psyche have a bent on shortcuts convenience and a greater willingness to believe lies over truth. Two quick examples are the lottery and diets. People looking for shortcuts to a better life willing to put down hard earned money on a trillion to one shot. Or in the case of diets always willing to believe in the next new fad.

Reality is right in front of our faces. A better life is earned by discipline whether as simple as choosing to live within your means or putting that cookie down. The problem is that people want what they want and usually always take the shortcuts in the attempts at achieving goals.

The serpent's temptation was a shortcut, eat the fruit become like God. He still uses shortcuts, buy the ticket and get rich quick or take this or that pill and instantly become whatever that particular pill promises, and today's society has a pill for everything. I must ever so clearly declare I am offering no shortcuts at all. I'll lay out the goals, I'll lay out the agenda for achieving those goals, but you are the one to decide to choose to discipline yourself.

The discipline only asks loving God and giving the devil the boot. The concept is simple but this world has become so completely tangled and poisoned that in reality it takes true determination to separate our lives from the entrapments around us. I'm going to assume that if you've read this book this far you may just want to know what the deal is here. I just pray that you be willing to consider the cost.

Peter's word on the day of Pentecost was repent. Repentance simply means turn around. We need to recognize the devil has been leading us down a dead end road, literally. We simply need to turn around and go in the opposite direction.

Romans chapter 1 verses 19-32, (open your Bible and read that section please). Here the Apostle Paul gives us a capsule description of the errant course of world history. How mankind traded the knowledge of God and our relationship with Him for what ultimately amounts to death and destruction.

Eden was a place where man was given EVERYTHING! And little by little the devil has managed to steer and drive mankind to exist in this world of despair. We traded God, peace, joy, tranquility, and every good thing for what we have now. That one shortcut cost us six thousand years of anguish. We can pretend everything is wonderful, we can isolate ourselves to a certain extent and ease our conscience and try to believe we are just fine. But the honest seeking soul would have to acknowledge that every corner of this world is literally a war zone. Nation against nation, race against race, family against family, parents against children, and visa versa, individual against individual, the young against the old, the living against the unborn, on and on I could go. Am I telling the truth?

At this point I must say I'm angry. Because I must say none of this had to happen. None of this was of God's design, God created all things good. All the evil in the world is a result of one bad decision after the next. Mankind listening to the voice of the devil time and time again. I'm mad at the devil. My desire is to eliminate altogether his influences in my life. My desire is to get back to Eden. And I thank my God, my Lord Jesus, in that He has placed that will within me and has shown me the way to perform that will. I just pray that I be able to carefully consider my life's choices and be fully assured that they are in the will of God.

Referring to Romans 1 again: we see that time and time again the Bible tells us that man gave up on God. They traded the appreciation for having a Living God for unthankfulness. They traded having a Living God for dead idols. They traded the truth for lies. They traded goodness for evil. So as a result of mankind continually giving up the things of God, we see that God had no choice but to give them up to reprobate lifestyles causing judgment to fall on mankind. My choice is to look into the Word of God and see every place they left God, I want to go "RIGHT". I want to turn around, repent, and follow a course I know leads straight towards God! Buy the truth and sell it not!

To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, (they will receive) eternal life; But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, (they will receive) indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish.
Romans 2:7-8

Now you may realize that mankind has accumulated 6000 years worth of left turns and judgment. How could it be possible for mankind to find its way back to Eden? Now I want to say to those who question saying, If God is love, why does He allow bad to happen or If God is love how can He send anyone to hell? I want to say that the love and mercies of God are most gloriously evident in that for 6000 years He has patiently called out to, and wooed those who would like to retain a relationship with Him. Although they have not been many, He HAS BEEN THERE for them and although there have been MANY who have rebelled against God, God has CHOSE to not destroy but rather exercise patience and mercy.

The fact that mankind exists at all reveals God's love for man. We need to realize it is not God's fault for the bad in this world. IT IS OUR FAULT, our partnering with the devil is the problem. We must STOP believing God causes bad things to happen and stop blaming Him! This is the real dilemma of God, He must either patiently "ALLOW" us to continue in sin or send us directly to hell. Which would you choose? I am truly thankful for what He allows. It IS THE LOVE OF GOD that waits for man to get its act together!!! THANK YOU JESUS, FOR YOUR GREAT MERCIES!!!

Or despisest thou the riches if His goodness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Romans 2:4

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that ANY should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

In meekness instructing those that oppose him, if God, perhaps, will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 2 Timothy 2:25-26

It is God's will for mankind to repent, (turn around) to get back on a road towards where we came from (Eden). Then guess what? If it is God's will then God will provide the way Himself. He'll take us back instantly. We don't have to concern ourselves with trying to find our own way. If you have found God you have found Eden. Do you want to go? Do you realize the right turns we must make may cost you? Cost what?

Well, we have to be willing to give the devil back everything he ever gave us. We're going to have to hate those things otherwise the devil will wave them under our nose tempting us to go the wrong way again. We are going to have to hate the devil and all his options otherwise we will get weighed down and lose out. God is willing to take us but we must be willing to travel LIGHT. As in Jesus the light of the world. We must love the light. Be children of the light. Walk in the light. Be the light of the world. So if that is what you want let's go!

He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches: To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev. 2:7

Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life... Rev. 22:14

Can you understand what is available to be had? Can you see the way to get where we are going? Jesus says first obey his commandments. This means that first you must know what they are. Then decide to do what is right in God's sight. There will be obstacles, otherwise Jesus would not have said, ‘To those who overcome.’ The devil is going to try his hardest to keep you away because he knows having access to the tree of life is the true way to become like God.

Remember he told Eve the tree of knowledge would make her like God. Did he lie? Most definitely. You see there were two trees in the garden. One being provided by God to give us life eternal. The other being commanded that we partake not of, or else receive death. Who was honest in telling us the right way? Well, God of course! I may be simple, and redundant, but I want to drive home the point. Believe God. Hate the devil, and his lies. That will make you an over comer.

Before I continue I want to explain that today Eden and the tree of life are a spiritual reality not a physical actual place. It is a spiritual place of being at complete peace with God. God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth.

The tree of life represents absolutely everything God has provided to make you complete, happy, and at peace. It represents God's whole spiritual economy for giving us eternal life and everything to be had in God's kingdom. It is through the tree of life that we attain the fullness of all God intends for us. The principle is simple: obey the word, receive the fruit. The more we obey, the more we receive. The more we receive, the more we become like God. If we limit how much we are willing to obey then we limit our access, thereby limiting our potential for spiritual growth.

It really is that simple because God really wants us to have every spiritual blessing! God gave us everything freely in the beginning without reservation. Do you think God wants to hold out now? God didn't change His mind, it isn't His desire to deny us of anything good. It's the devil's tactics and guilt trips that make you doubt who you are in God and make us question what we are worthy of. The devil wants you to lose out. Hold on to the word of God, it's good for you!

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 2 Peter 1:3

We know that the tree of life was denied us because of the entrance of sin into our lives. We were infected with the poisons of the devil's lies. God denied us access because He did not want us to continue in a state of perpetual sin. It stands to reason that if we take a stand against the devil and eliminate the infection of sin that God can allow us access to the tree of life. That's why we need the word of God, to identify the sin in us. The Bible is the anti-sin vaccine! Hence, Blessed are they that do His commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life...

I want to continue to expound the reality that the trees in the garden represented the whole sphere, the whole system of provision, through economic, social, religious, and political means. The tree of life of course being the right system of receiving all that is good for us. And the tree of knowledge being the wrong system, providing ultimately only death. Spiritually both trees exist in this world, and we still have the choice of which system to participate in.

I will begin my discourse with the tree of knowledge and will venture forth to declare that it has indeed prospered profusely these last 6000 years. Again, we need to recognize it as the perpetuator of death and very determinably remove ourselves from its poisonous branches.

During the life of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, he had two visions. One concerning a great image which represented all the coming empires of the world with Babylon being the head. Then the second, vision concerned a great tree, that grew until the end of the earth being described thusly:

Its leaves were fair, and its fruit much, and in it was food for all; the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heavens dwelt in its boughs, all flesh was fed from it. Daniel 4:12

Of all the nations of the world, next to Israel, Babylon is the most often referred to nation in the Bible. Babylon stands in the spotlight for the most significant reason in that Babylon comes to represent every rebellious standard. From its very founding by Nimrod the hunter, Babylon's first king, the spirit of rebellion takes center stage with the building of the tower of Babel. Then throughout scripture the status of Babylon grows to becoming the source of all demonic dominion. Babylon comes to represent a false worldly religion. Babylon comes to represent all forms of human anti-God government. Finally Babylon represents the system of merchandising the goods of this world for greedy gain.

The eighteenth chapter of Revelation, very clearly expounds Babylon's position in the world. Babylon is the habitation of every foul and unclean spirit. Babylon is drunk with the blood of the martyrs determined to destroy true Godly religion. Babylon has committed fornication with the kings of the earth perpetuating ungodly human government. And the merchants of the world have been made rich through her delicacies perpetuating the worldly lusts and appetites and the greed of this world. All in all not a very good standing in the sight of God. We know that the great judgment is held in reserve for Babylon. But the calling of God is to: "Come out of her my people". Several places in the Old Testament and New we hear God repeating His plea:

...Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues...
Rev. 18:4

Scripture reveals that the spiritual leader of Babylon is Satan himself, the prince of Persia. Babylon represents the entire sphere of all that Satan is feeding this world. Nebuchadnezzar saw Satan's kingdom as the great tree that grew until the end of the earth. The tree that fed all flesh. From here on we know that the tree of knowledge has a name we will call it the Babylon tree. This is the system that Satan has used to propagate his world dominion. This tree has many branches, many leaves, much fruit, and shadow it is all poison.

We as the church of the living God, we who will judge the earth with Jesus, we must know what we are judging. We must identify all the evil contained in the tree and separate ourselves in order for us to escape its influence in our lives and also to escape the same judgment Babylon will receive. We want to be free from sin so we can once again be permitted access to the tree of life. We know that we must choose one tree or the other, in no wise can it be both. God will not allow sin to continue forever and we know that the end is near.

We need strong leadership with a strong voice to break the yokes that keep us too close to the influences of the enemy. Any perpetuation of false religion is sin. The perpetuation and trust in a human government to solve the worlds problems is a misplacement of your faith. Any desire towards excessive possessions and profiteering is sin. These are the three main trunks of the Babylon tree. Partaking in any of these areas is eating from the tree of knowledge. Let him that has an ear hear.

God is looking for a bride that is willing to make herself ready. I think that we can feel our job is cut out for us. Let me assure you, if God were not with us, we would not have much of a chance. God's arms are outstretched towards the people He shed His blood for. His desires for us are greater than what we could ever imagine for ourselves. Paul called it the high calling in Christ Jesus. Something worth pressing towards. Certainly worth letting go of the poisonous branches of the devil's destructive designs.

We need to receive of the good things of God. We need His life working in us. We need His strength to do a truly anointed work. This generation is so accustomed to dining at the smorgasbord of worldly desires. Jesus called it adulterous, mixing this and that. Choosing the delicacies that look so tempting. But even in the natural, we know that junk food is just no good for us, being of no nutritional value, adding nothing to a better life. Healthy food may not always make your mouth water with desire like a death by chocolate cake. But the spiritual strength and anointing the church needs to be effective in this last call for salvation can only come by DOING His commandments and eating thoroughly of the tree of life. This is an invitation to dine at God's table.

If there ever was a curiosity to wonder what it would be like if the church was full of Moses', and Joshuas', and Elijahs, and Elishas, and Pauls, etc. etc.. This is the avenue to developing the church to her highest potential in anointing and power. God help us all. Amen. Before I continue further developing this theme. I want to spend just a few moments to identify further the three main categories of Satan's devices.

1) False religion: The Bible gives us much details concerning man's tendency to stray from the true and living God. From the beginning Cain strayed with his invented traditions and so went the rest. Men believing that their invented customs and ceremonies, their religion, was just as good as any in their approach to being at peace with the supreme being. Men being bent on doing what pleased themselves most rather than seeking the truths concerning the true God. It seems such a paradox that even though mankind is absolutely set in doing their own thing without God. Yet they still invent religions and profess forms of godliness. This course is set by Satan because he wants to be worshipped as God. So eliminating religion isn't in his game plan. It is however his plan to create a universal religion of mutual tolerance and acceptance. Rev. 13:12 states:

...he causes the earth and them who dwell on it to worship the first beast...

Also in Rev. 6:2

The rider of the white horse represents false religion. The fact that he represents himself as white indicates his intention to mimic the true church of God as closely as possible. We need to be aware that just because they look like us doesn't mean they have any real relationship with God. Remember the first section of this book "His Heart". We need to learn to discern the spirits at work around us. Many will say in that day Lord, Lord... they are workers of iniquity! Absolute scriptural accuracy is essential in having a secure foundation. Remember God gave the Apostles the gospel and the doctrines that God says we must obey. You can't just do as you please. There is only one way to be saved. Peter declared that one way on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:38-39

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

The honest truth seeking soul will find the answers in the word of God essential to salvation. More than we are seeking God the Bible tells us God is seeking individuals who will appreciate the truth. John 4:23 states:

But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeks such to worship Him.

Having the assurance of being a true worshiper is the essence of this book. If all that is being written can be received by you then your on the right track. Just keep reading, and put into practice the principles being taught, and we will be walking down those glory roads soon enough.

The next branch of the Babylon tree is: Human government

Now I must say that on earth all government is going to be run by men. What I want to bring out is that God's kingdom is a theocracy, a kingdom of men under God's command. In this world we know the god of this world is Satan. Both systems, at this point in time, are co-existing side by side. Just like the two trees in the garden one very good the other evil. What we must understand is that the Bible sets limits on our involvement in the affairs of this world. Yes, we must be respectful and law abiding. We want to be able to operate in this world in peaceful relations with all. The question is in which system do we place our trust and confidence in to meet our needs.

Remember the topic under discussion is having our needs met legally in God's sight. If we are trusting God, then we must have faith and believe He is in control of our lives, giving us exactly what we need. If we think men and the god of this world have the answers to better our lives then you are barking up the wrong tree. Our position on earth is temporal, we are just passing through. This place is not my home, I am not a citizen of this earth. I am citizen of Heaven. On earth I am an ambassador of heaven. My rights, my privileges, and my provisions are granted to me by God. We are in the world but we are not of the world. I must have the faith to declare I don't want what the governments of this world are offering. We need to get off the fence and in the sight of God declare in whom do we trust making a statement of faith.

Our role is to live at peace as much as possible. Thinking we can change governments to our liking misdirects our hopes. Thinking that there is really such a thing as a lesser evil, or thinking that this world can conform to a more godly standard is delusional at best. The course of this world is set. God Himself raises up men and God Himself puts down men. Perhaps for a season we can have peace but ultimately the world will unite against God and truth. So in faith towards God, I vote to leave all things in His hands. Wanting the church to operate in peace is legitimate. Wanting the positions of the church to be heard is legitimate. Wanting a government that is sympathetic towards its populace, and the church is understandable but sometimes it just doesn't work out that way.

Governments tend to be self-perpetuating working on the buddy system. You know, the scratch my back, I'll scratch your back system. I just need to say that the church was not placed in this earth to scratch anybody's back. The prophets of God who shed their blood boldly declaring the word of God weren't looking for friends in this world. When we stand next to them in heaven, how are we ever going to be able to hold our heads up. Wanting a decent life is one thing, but expecting it to come through the servants of Satan is quite another. If God gives us favor in the sight of men it will be because we were absolutely faithful to God first. I am seeking the same faith that was delivered to the prophets. I want my life to declare the same confessions.

...And we confess that we are pilgrims, and strangers on the earth...

...We seek a country who's builder and maker is God...

...For here we have NO continuing city, but we seek one to come.

1 John 4:5-6 states:

They (false prophets, politicians, men with answers) are of the world; therefore they speak of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God. He that knows God hears us; he that is not of God hears us not. By this we KNOW the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Men building power bases advancing justice and God's will? Men building heaven on earth? Who's the builder and maker? Is it men or God? "Lord, Lord, have we not done many wonderful works in thy name?" (using the name of Jesus and religion, but actually promoting self interest) "Depart from me you workers of INIQUITY." (promoters of Satan's causes). How clean is clean? How white is white? When the word says without spot, blemish, or wrinkle, how seriously should we take it? Hopefully as seriously as you take your salvation. I love the blood of Jesus. I love what the blood of Jesus can make me. Not just white, but RADIANT!

The final branch is: Merchandising:

There is a whole realm of Buying and Selling that is relatively untouched. Yet I find this area is easily the most deceptive of all Satan's devices. Mankind is so bent and so like the devil in desiring to posses many things - that the devil has an easy job entrapping the covetous of this world. We know all about what the Bible teaches on loving riches and unrighteous mammon etc.. Yet the depths of the truths involved with this topic go uncovered. We know that Satan will number all of earth's inhabitants because we also know that those numbered will become his possessions. But what we need to know, is the exact avenue he will use to coral the whole world of their own volition. This is certainly an avenue I want to keep far from! Revelation 6:5-6 states:

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say Come. And I beheld and lo, a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny, and see thou hurt the oil and the wine.

Black is as far from white as you can get! Yet we see there is no attempt whatsoever to disguise this evil entity. Remember the white horse represents false religion, being white to closely mimic the true church. Here we see that there is no need to have to fool anyone because people are so ready to accept riches! Satan deceived the angels of heaven with bribes offering better stations if they followed him. Satan deceived Eve offering to elevate her station in life. And so has gone many, many a soul. This avenue works very well indeed!

The only way to stay far from this trap is to be completely satisfied with what God allows. Godliness with contentment is great gain. The key to understanding what the Spirit is saying to us here is that in the Kingdom of God everything is given to us freely. In the garden everything was free. In the old testament the prophets were to require by God to accept no payment for their service. Remember the sin of Balaam? wanting payment for his treachery.

In the New Testament, Jesus taught saying, "Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver nor copper in your purses... for the workman is worth of his meat." And in the book of Acts the early church's example was to have all things in common.

In the kingdom of heaven gold is just for walking on. Throughout scripture we find God setting the standard for legitimate currency. That currency is love! God loves mankind. And when God had to pay our ransom, He gave his life! The highest form of love bought His church! We as the church of the living God must stop measuring and counting what this and that is to cost. (I don't know if you have noticed but nowhere on this web site do I sell anything. All content is offered freely and I pay to run this site. I do include a pay it forward option for the purpose of partnering in this effort so you are directly blessing others with free material. What He has given me I freely share with all.

It is the devil that measures a penny for this, and a penny for that. BEWARE THIS AVENUE! When God looks at us He does NOT SEE DOLLAR SIGNS. Neither should anyone representing themselves as being from God. When God sees us He wants to GIVE what He has, NOT get what we have. The example of the Apostles: "Gold and silver have I none, but such as I have, GIVE I thee..." CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD, GET UP AND WALK. I could really get going here. Just let me say the only true currency of heaven is love. When God looks at an action or desire, if it is not done in love it is illegitimate. You can not buy your way into heaven, but you can give your way there.

There is no point to holding on to the things of this world in excess. It's all going to burn. Can you see how easy it is to be held dangerously within arms reach of the enemy? Where you set your affections is where the devil will come after you. If your heart is in heaven then the devil can never reach you. Remember the 1500 mile high walls! If your affections are for the things of this world, then the devil has legitimate claim to YOU, because this is his world! We need to free ourselves from the cares of this life. May God help us all.

These are the three main trunks of the Babylon tree. In short the tree represents an economy being operated by the god of this world. An economy is the source of supply that meets the needs of its citizens. The question to ask is who or what is the supply of all your needs? And remember Eden had many trees and only one forbidden. Where are we hanging out?

Remember the Bible also mentions many branches, leaves, fruit, and shadow. If we are in the world, then we are exposed to the extremely tangled soul destroying thicket. That is why the only safe haven is to be IN Jesus and in the Church. In the world, but not of it. Jesus passed through and came out victorious.

Our privilege is not just to follow Him through but to be hidden in Christ who already has passed into the heavenlies. My desire is to go on to what God has for me. And now is come the time for me to have the privilege to expound on the tree of life. Having had to caution us about snares it is going to be so good to talk about the riches that we may freely eat! I like good food, now here, God's the cook! And you ain't gonna find no better! God has a tree of life planted in the midst of His garden. That's the way it was in Eden. And that' how it is today. For we find that the Bible declares that the church is the garden of God!

...That they (the church) might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified. Isaiah 61:3

For we are laborers together with God; ye are God's husbandry, (cultivated planting) ye are God's building.
1 Cor. 3:9

The first scripture is the last portion of scripture that Jesus quoted when he declared his mission on earth. Jesus quoted the first two verses, then left out the third. I believe there was a reason for that. The first two verses were fulfilled during his lifetime on earth. The third is the work being done by the Holy Ghost from Pentecost until the rapture. What we want to focus on is the fact that God sees the church as His cultivated field, His garden in the midst of this chaotic world. And just as the tree of life was planted in the midst of Eden. We also find that the very heart of the Church is Jesus. Jesus hanging on Calvary's tree is the center most focus of all God's creation. The most monumental event ever for all time.

Jesus' actions that day on that tree - bought life for every soul ever created. From Adam to the last child to be born. A gift freely given by God, but unfortunately not always received by mankind. At any rate we know Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst, also." Jesus is the Churches living source of all life giving sustenance's. Every good thing comes to us by the work of Jesus. In God's economy Jesus is the sum total of everything good. Throughout scripture we find Jesus fulfilling absolutely every essential role that is necessary for the benefit of mankind. I have to fall back in awe at the immense position of Jesus. There just are not enough superlatives to adequately attribute to His greatness! Paul just had to throw up his hands, realizing the futility of trying to describe Jesus. Then just declared that He is more, and can do more, than we can ever ask or think.

Having had to describe the devil earlier, I absolutely do agree with the word that says "All that know thee shall be appalled at thee". I am completely insulted that the devil could ever think he is anything in comparison with the God I so totally adore. The devil is sum total zero minus! The only thing he could ever add is aggravation.

I need to calm myself down now. I want to focus on the goodness of my friend, my Lord Jesus Christ. Through scripture we have seen that the tree of knowledge has a name. That name is Babylon. Babylon represents the Satanic system of capturing, enslaving, and destroying mankind.

Now, I want us to see that the tree of life also, has a proper name. That name is Jesus! Jesus embodies everything pertaining to eternal life and sustenance. Jesus is the center of the system, the Church, that God commanded we may freely eat. Through which we are given hope of glory eternal! So the Church and Eden are synonymous. You wanted to know how to get back into Eden? Well obviously it's by being in the church of God. The next most important question to answer is What is the legal way to enter Eden, or the Church? Good question! I'm glad you asked!

Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and enter through the gate into the city. Rev. 22:14

Disobedience got us kicked out and locked out. So then by the grace of God, we find in His word that OBEDIENCE is the key to unlock every lock in the kingdom of God! Remember 1 John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.

Remember also that Jesus commanded His disciples to go into all the world, preach the gospel and teach them to observe ALL THINGS, whatsoever Jesus commanded. In reading the New Testament we are reading the teachings and commands of the Apostles. Remember, it is impossible to disregard Apostolic Biblical teaching and still consider yourself part of the family of God! There are many truths we hold dear, I don't want to re-lay the Apostolic foundation of our faith in God. Let it suffice to repeat Peter's summary on the day of Pentecost, commanding the crowd to:

1) REPENT

2) BE BAPTIZED by immersion IN JESUS NAME

3) RECEIVE THE INFILLING OF THE HOLY GHOST, evidenced by speaking in tongues

4) CONTINUING IN FELLOWSHIP, THE BREAKING OF BREAD, AND THE APOSTLES DOCTRINES, AND PRAYERS Acts 2:38-42

These are the commands of God and the Apostles, that ALL MUST OBEY! This is what makes you a legitimate child of God. This is what makes you part of the Church and spiritually part of Eden. And having been obedient to these commands you have spiritually partaken of the Tree of life!

Revelation chapter 22 tells us the entire kingdom of heaven rests on the foundations of the Apostles. There is an Apostolic doctrine on repentance. There is an Apostolic doctrine on baptism. There is an Apostolic doctrine on the infilling of the Holy Ghost. There is an Apostolic doctrine on the communion, and fellowship of saints. And there are Apostolic doctrines on Holy, Godly, righteous living. Disregarding any of them will limit your ability to receive the blessings of God. I can't hold an open Bible in front of me and say I see any other way. Authoritatively, there is no other way to be saved. This topic is too important, so I will give us more details as I go along. Please be patient with me.

The assumption of this book is that you are saved. So with that in mind I'll continue to expound onward. OK, we're back in Eden, the garden of God, the Church. Now we too have this wonderful place of God's design to live in. We have all the opportunities to freely eat of all God's blessings. A wonderful church family to enjoy our fellowship with. Jesus Himself is in our midst. Paradise at last! Is there something wrong with this picture?

Well, that depends on the viewpoint. Are we seeing with our new eyes of faith, or our old carnal eyes? Is our life still effected by the poisons of our past? Or are we still too involved with the Babylon tree? God created all His creatures with a free will. And yes, the Babylon tree is still within reach. Yes, we still hear that snakes voice. And yes, we still have a body of flesh. But the real question now is, Given the same opportunities as Adam and Eve with our free will, will we make the same mistakes? The purpose of this book is to give light, Light, LIGHT. Sight, sight, SIGHT, hindsight, foresight, every kind of sight. DO YOU SEE YET?

OK. I'll get real. I look around me and I can see things are not quite as Utopian as I would expect Eden to be, not even in the church itself. What happened? Well, you see, for the last 6000 years sinful mankind has allowed the Babylon tree to multiply, multiply, multiply, multiply, multiply, quite exponentially. It is a scientific fact that trees have a drastic effect on the environment. Look at the rain forests of South America. When they are stripped off the land, the land literally becomes wasted, and they say the climate of the whole world is effected. But when kept preserved everything stays in balance.

So trees themselves create environments for self preservation. Fill the world with anti-God systems and the results – a Utopia it is not.

Along these lines - man was originally commanded to subdue the earth. That was before mankind became sinful. Righteous man was to spread the domain of the tree of life, by spreading the seeds of righteousness.

Wherever man has traveled over the face of this world it is his habit to take with him the things he loves and the things he needs to survive. So it would stand to reason that righteous man would have taken something as important as the tree of life with him. But mankind fell, became sinful, and instead spread the seeds of sinfulness.

And hence the climate of this world has changed negatively to say the least. It is also a fact that certain trees like the Black Walnut, exude toxins into the soil around them to prevent any possibility of any other species from sprouting up around them. So trees can be hostile. Does this appear more like the world we see? You bet! Do not despair! The word of God reveals a plan to reverse 6000 years of mismanagement by the evil stewards of this world. Hey, we win! At this point in time I must say that the only place Eden exists is:

1) in the hearts of blood bought, Holy Ghost filled believers, and hence

2) within the boundaries of our Apostolic fellowship. And otherwise, we see that this world is hostile.

OK, so what do we have here so far? We find that Eden is a spiritual reality. Eden is the place God wants all saints to be. The true Church are those who will obey all of God's commandments: blood bought, following the Apostolic teachings, having repented, been baptized by immersion in Jesus name, and having been filled with the Holy Spirit. We find that Eden is the place where we should freely receive every GOOD spiritual blessing, and NOT carnal delights. Having been commanded to freely eat of every good tree, including the tree of life, Jesus. And having been commanded NOT to consume of the tree of knowledge, Babylon.

Yes, we have a free will. Yes, we still hear that snakes voice. Now from here the BIG question becomes, What do we do with our free will every day? We have been given a life of spiritual liberty to enjoy and pursue. Will we use our experience of hindsight, seeing the mistakes of our forefathers, to give us foresight, with the determination to stay free and within the reach of the tree of life? That is the goal of this book, that's my personal goal. Let it become our goal together. I'm naturally a gardening type of guy. And I am well aware of all the hard work that goes into being a keeper of a garden. (God placed man into His garden to till and keep it.) But I do it year after year because in it I see the ways of God. The power of the land to produce. The power of a seed to come to life and bear fruit. The unique satisfaction of tasting foods right out of the garden fresh and full of real flavor. I understand the principles of cultivation, of pruning, of weeding, so many things Jesus alluded to in His teachings.

I use to live on a half acre planted with all sorts of fruit trees and a few chickens. My wife tells me, if I could, I'd be a farmer. She also tells me I love being dirty! There are two kinds of dirt, one makes you filthy, the other is the type that produces life. The latter being the stuff that God sunk His fingers into to form us from! I don't mind having that stuff on me. It reminds me of where I came from and God's awesome ability to do something miraculous with a mud ball! I want to be soft clay in His fingers!

All right, we know God placed man who He formed into the garden to till and keep it. God also commanding that mankind multiply, fill and subdue the earth. But as mankind became wicked, they propagated the Babylon tree everywhere they went instead of the tree of life. This world now, having become hostile to God's original intentions. Now we the Church, wanting to fulfill all of God's desires, having the opportunity to be restored to Eden - find that the tree of life can only prosper within our hearts and the confines of our fellowship. The seed of His word and Spirit having been hidden in our hearts - we loving God and His word want desperately to see all of God's original designs restored. In so far as it was man's disobedience that messed things up. It will be through obedient man and God of course that things will get turned around. And so during the millennium, we as the restored stewards of God, will reestablish God's order in the earth.

For 4000 years prior to the coming of Jesus, God continually beckoned to mankind with no avail. This world having become more and more anti truth. God finding few hearts to keep His word alive. But the miracle of life is - that it doesn't take much for new life to begin again. One seed is sufficient to start the whole thing over again. And Jesus is that seed. The seed of the tree of life! Just to illustrate how much the tree of life got cut back and trampled for 4000 years, we find Isaiah describing Jesus, the tree of life thusly:

Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he (Jesus) shall grow up before him like a tender plant, and like a root out of dry ground... Isaiah 53:1-2

Jesus was revealed as the root out of dry ground – not just dry but pushed out. This is how much the sinful people of this world trampled the gift of God under foot. The tree that was given to provide eternal life to all, was only able to come to the very few who patiently waited for the truth of God to be revealed in Jerusalem. They received Him and He healed them. He put His life into them. And they went everywhere planting hope and truth. But as it was not time for all things to be restored - what was begun then had to go into dormancy for 2000 years. But now as the latter rain has begun to fall true to God's promises - we find that the tree of life has sprouted again!

And what I want us to consider is this, If in that time the dry root of the tree of life was able to accomplish all that He did, How much can be restored under the power of the whole tree! For I declare never again will God allow His dominion to be trampled. For now has come the judgment of sinners. And now has come the restoration of all things. The Church who has held His word dear will now be witness to the fulfillment of His promise that: "Of the increase of His government there shall be no end." Isaiah 9:7 states in full:

Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

But we as the church have a very active responsibility to carry out. We will not be made kings and priests for nothing. The word that is hidden in our heart must be allowed to begin growing. We have the responsibility to till and keep in God's garden. All trees need certain care and the tree of life is no exception. We will now go back into God's word for instructions on how to manage the tree of life. It is my intention and privilege to be able to deliver God's instructions enabling us to have the whole tree in our midst. I believe with all my heart we are at the doorstep of the greatest revival of all time! And it will be our actions ministering to the dry root that will cause it all to come about. Our work begins now and will continue during the millennium, until the whole earth is filled with HIS GLORY!!!

We are witness to the reality that Satan has fulfilled his work very well. Isaiah 14:17 stating, speaking of Satan:

...Who made the world like a wilderness…

and again in Revelation 13:12 we find a very dismal report:

He...causeth the earth and them who dwell on it to worship the first beast…

Note that it says not just the people but the earth itself will yield to Satan. You see what I'm saying, his activities have completely altered the planet that was created by God for His glory. The Babylon tree has devastated the righteous environment. The earth that was created to declare God's glory, that provided a glimpse into God's awesome handiwork and splendor. This earth has been raped and left for dead. But God's not finished yet. For we are just beginning to take back our rightful dominion. And shortly His glory will return!

In causing a dry root to grow, the most obvious beginning is to provide water. And as we consider the council of God, we will glean back in Genesis to find how it was done in the beginning. Then apply that knowledge to our situation today. Genesis 2:10 says: "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden..." We have Eden, we have the Tree of life, now we need Eden's river also.

Chapter 3 – Eden's River

There are many factors that will come into play as we endeavor to discover God's original plans and purposes. We know that the Bible contains many symbols, shadows and types. Things in the Old Testament that foreshadowed things in the New Testament and things on earth that are types of things in heaven.

Examples being: the sacrificial lamb being a type of The Lamb Jesus: Noah's ark being an example of baptism: the Red sea and the cloud of fire being symbols of baptism and the Holy Ghost the tabernacle being a symbol of the salvation plan and our approach service to Jesus on and on we could go.

What I see in God's creation of the Garden of Eden is God's system or economy of provision that began back then, continues now and will continue through the millennium and forever. And what He provided is a system that provided not only for the welfare of His creation but ALSO a plan of ministry that provides HIM His desires for fellowship and communion. I am His servant and I look into His word to find ways that I may make my service complete and ways to please Him, thereby making our relationship whole, thereby making me whole. It is my focus and intent to expound on our responsibilities and service to Him.

I know His heart so I know He loves me and has provided that which is perfect for me today. He has also provided more than I could ever think to attain on my own. I know that I was part of a lost mankind - involved a system that has only caused unimaginable destruction even though natural perceptions and flesh see only great riches and pleasures. With the eyes of faith I see God and His plans. I want to be part of the system that God has ordained to establish His dominion in heaven and earth.

During His first advent the dry root fulfilled this prophesy in Isaiah 61:1-2:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; comfort all that mourn.

The above is what Jesus Himself quoted at the onset of his ministry and indeed He has done that which was impossible for mankind to do on its own. In the book of Revelation the fifth chapter we find the Apostle John weeping because no man was able to open the scroll neither to look on it. Later in the sixth chapter we see that same scroll being used as part of the judgment against mankind. The scroll itself being described as having writings on the inside and outside sealed with seven seals.

Now I would find it difficult to believe that the Apostle was weeping for something that ultimately would be used against us. But in verse 5 it states:

Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll, and loose its seven seals.

What no man in heaven or earth could do, Jesus did; and what He did is this:

Gal. 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree;

Rom. 8:2 ....Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.

Rom. 5:13 For until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Rom. 5:18 Therefore as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto the justification of life.

Rom. 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath; for where no law is, there is no transgression.

Col. 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Eph. 2:12-18 That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off are made near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us, Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, to make in himself of two, one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, And came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to them that were near. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Jesus by His love and mercy destroyed the many ordinances [written within and without] that were going to be used against us. He redeemed us and intends to make of us a “kingdom of priests” according to Rev. 5:9-10. A kingdom of ministers to not only meet the spiritual needs of mankind but also to God Himself. Jesus made a way for believers to be readmitted to Eden and the tree of life.

But to those who have rejected the provisions of God the judgments remain in full force. As we see in Revelation chapter six the very hands that once reached down into the mud to create man - that once reached out to beckon to a lost mankind - and finally stretched out on the cross to pay huge price to redeem us - those very same hands will ultimately also unseal and unleash the forces of destruction that are reserved for the degenerate.

The Bible says that because men failed to retain the knowledge of God in their lives, God gave them up to a reprobate lifestyle. Because we gave up on God, God is then forced to give up on the lost. Quickly noting in Rev. 6 the white horse represents false religion which began with Cain who tried to worship God with his own invented way. Then because of Cain's envy of Abel, Cain slew his brother thus ushering in the next horse. The color of this horse being red representing shed blood because of hatred, war, envy, and lust.

James 4:1-2 From where come wars and fighting among you? Come they not here, even of your lusts that war in your members? You lust, and have not; you kill, and desire to have and cannot obtain; you fight and war, yet you have not…

The third horse represents the merchandising and profiteering spirits of this world. This horse being black no attempt at all necessary to disguise this evil because of man's overwhelming desire to have riches. Satan has a consuming desire to become the possessor of all things in this world. Unfortunately he has a very willing company of cohorts. This area of control is his most effective. What religion could not do to reign in control over the whole earth - what all the empires and empire builders could not do in unifying control over the world - we find that this area of control over mankind easily dominates every crevice of society. This is Satan's avenue that will make the whole world one in it's desire to create a global economy. This is the avenue that will allow Satan to have full control of over all buying and selling - bringing this world to Satan's feet. BEWARE OF THIS DECEPTION!

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Revelation 13:16-17

The fourth seal represents man's total rejection of truth. This ushers in Death personified - Satan himself to come and be elected as the ruler of this world. The fifth seal represents man's guilt for spilling the blood of the martyrs of all ages. The sixth seal represents man's willful ignorance of God's impending judgment - completely ignoring the signs that specifically point to God's return - and man's blatant refusal to repent. Noting verse 17:

For the great day of His wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?

This world ignores the call to turn to God. Their only concern is in being able to stand. The word stand here means: to continue in. Their priority is only being allowed to continue in their evil deeds rather than repent. They only being sorry that God will crash their party and interrupt things. When the Bible describes mankind hiding in caves and calling to the rocks to fall on them; those terms do not indicate fear. Those terms are the same as when the Church is described as being hid in Christ and when we ask for the Holy Ghost to fall on us.

The world has been trying to deny that God exists by going into caves and finding evidence that they say proves God is a fairy tale. They have been trusting in rocks, in fossil evidence, in archaeological evidence as a cover or excuse for their sin and to deny the existence of God. They have been using their enlightened scientific gods as their excuse to keep their backs turned on the TRUE AND LIVING GOD.

I don't care what kind of evidence they find. I have the evidence of the living God abiding in my soul. I have the evidence of the creator of all things. If natural evidences exist it is because God has His purposes to fulfill. To accept the witness of a created stone versus the creator of that stone is judicial folly. The world will be judged for all its follies

A quick recap: 1) False religion 2) Envy, lust, hatred, these being the root cause of murder and wars, 3) Greed, the love of unrighteous mammon being the root of ALL EVIL 4) Allowing Satan to become the elected god of this world 5) The world's guilt in spilling the blood of the martyrs, sent to save 6) Man's willful ignorance and the blatant refusal to repent.

These are the classifications of sins that the world is guilty of and will be judged for. This is the judgment that the Church has been saved from by the actions of Jesus. He took the ordinances that were against us and nailed them to His cross destroying them. He took our names out of the book of judgment and rewrote them into the Lamb's book of life. The call still goes out to whosoever will. The command of God being:

Come out of her (Babylon) my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues. Rev. 18:4

And again:

...come out from among them, and be you separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 2 Cor. 6:17-18

Be ye separate from the tangled thicket of Babylon's system to enslave and destroy. Separated by loving the truth: separated by believing in the effectual works of Jesus the tree of life, who freely gives us eternal life and every good thing. We become separated from the evil in this world by obeying God's commandments neither adding to nor ignoring the council of God.

...Lest He take your part away of the tree of life… Rev. 22:18-19

Back to Isaiah 61:3 which states: ‘To appoint unto those who mourn in Zion...’ Mourn what? To mourn for all the evil this world has fallen into; to mourn the demise of true godliness in this world. ‘...to give them (the mourners) beauty for ashes...’ We need to show God our ashes in order to receive beauty.

The judgment of this world is that it will burn. The Bible tells us that if we judge ourselves we will not be judged. So if we take the sinful actions and attitudes in our lives, and sacrifice them on the alter of repentance, we will have our ashes as an offering of true repentance. Then instead of mourning in hell for eternity God will give us - ‘the oil of joy for mourning, the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.’

If we have a crystal clear understanding of God's true intentions for mankind - then seeing the extent of the destruction caused by man's willful ways - and knowing that it does not have to be this way. We then can decide not to be included in the lifestyles that have called down the judgment of God. But rather determine with every ounce of fortitude within you and declare - I want to be a part of the healing force of God's promises. Then God will appoint to those mournful and repentant the status of being called the trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD.

These individuals are God's garden - God's chosen stewards called to recreate God's order in the earth. God is offering an open door to Eden - Are there any takers?

The Israelite captives were given the choice of going back to restore Jerusalem or stay in Babylon. We know that some went back to their heritage in Israel and some preferred Babylon. Today choose ye whom you will serve. The Israelites had a lot of hard work ahead of them - the ones that went back to their heritage that is. But the Bible tells us they had a mind to work and they did their work diligently, rigorously, and quickly.

We who will be part of the millennial kingdom, we who choose to be restored to our heritage under Jesus our king must display even more determination because we're not just restoring a nation - but will be restoring whatever is left of this world. Of course having a glorified body and God present will make the work exciting. But we are called to make our choice now. Again, are there any takers?

To those capable of falling on their knees and touching God for the needs of this world, Isaiah continues to declare in verses 4-11 of the 61st chapter:

That 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.... But you shall be named the Priests of the LORD; men shall call you the Ministers of our God; you shall eat the riches of the nations, and in their glory shall you boast yourselves..... For I the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed that the LORD has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth her bud, and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

WOW, wow, wow, wow, wow! WOW! Do we have something to look forward to! To any one who has felt the power of God in intercession or the burden to reach a lost soul, let me assure you God's ways are not futile. For as much as we see the enemy has successful tactics. They are soap bubbles compared to the works of God! There is absolutely nothing greater than to be in the will of God. And it is God's will for His Church to be intercessors. There is no higher calling and no greater reward than what will be given to those who yield themselves to the ministry of prayer.

The above passage of scripture reveals just a glimpse of the exalted positions awaiting those who humble themselves to pray. I already mentioned in the first chapter of HIS HEART how I had an experience when I read in 1 John 4:13 ‘By this know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His spirit.’ When I read those words, I saw Jesus in Gethsemane, during His agony. I saw Jesus completely empty Himself of self, and decide to give His life for the benefit of others.

That image of Jesus is forever etched into my mind. This is how I see Him this is what I ‘Know’ of Him. The Bible tells us He sweat great drops of blood during that time. The closest I have ever seen personally of blood vessels bursting in a person like that is when I witnessed the birthing of my son. When my wife was told to push she wanted to get this thing over with and she PUSHED! I saw blood vessels come to the surface of her skin and I know they were ready to burst. Fortunately, the baby came first!

Now Jesus had come to the point where He needed to do what was necessary to give birth to the Church and He took His job seriously. He pushed and poured Himself out until He knew He could face Calgary's tree and become the fruit thereof - the fruit capable of providing eternal life for the nations. Now we are called to partake ‘Of His Spirit’. The purpose thereof is to make us ‘Like Him’ - like God created in His image having His glory. Can there be anything greater?

What do you say my friends? If you have read this book this far I feel safe in saying you are my friend indeed. What do you say, let's go for it. We have reached the doorstep of the next millennia it is time we PUSH. God has dealt with me at various times and in various ways in leading me to a prayer life. I will confess I am not an easy student to work with, you know, Frank Scarola alive and well, in the flesh. But I tell you God is one patient teacher. He has held on to me regardless of my stubbornness. I'm glad for the word that says He does not reward us according to our ways. I'm glad He rewards us according to His ways in love and mercy!

At any rate, one of the most beautiful passages of scripture that God has used in teaching me about prayer is found in Isaiah chapter 38. One Sunday while praying, I was feeling something like what the Apostle Paul described when he said he had a great desire to do good but never found a way to perform the good he wanted to do. I was feeling too human, feeling the limitations of this flesh. The presence of the Lord was so rich that day I could just feel His reassurance. Throughout the service a thought continually went through my mind. That thought was that I needed to ‘walk softly’ before the Lord. When I got home that day I looked up the word softly in my concordance. I came across this passage: Isaiah 38:14-19

Like a crane or swallow, so did I chatter; I did mourn like a dove. Mine eyes fail with looking upward; O LORD, I am oppressed: undertake for me. What shall I say? He hath both spoken to me, and himself hath done it; I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou restore me, and make me live. Behold for peace I had great bitterness, but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For hell cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day…

In verse 15, the word ‘bitterness’, the literal translation is: a trickle, a drop, a distillation. Then immediately the image came to my mind. The intense emotions one feels when interceding in prayer. Your insides turning this way and that way, and then all that emotion distilling in us and out comes drops – tears. God was telling me that it was a good thing to be able to cry before Him. That everything was in working order on the inside. It is good that I should go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.

God was revealing to me that as it states in verse 16 that: ...’by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit’. What things? To be able to walk softly before the Lord, to walk humbly before the Lord with a mourning spirit. If you can't cry when you know there is so much pain in the world then something is wrong.

I, as Hezekiah, want to declare as in verse 17 that: ‘Behold, for my peace I had great bitterness’ For peace: I want to see the church made strong. For peace: I want to see the blessings of God poured out upon those who so desperately need Him. For peace: I want to see my brethren healed. For peace: I want to walk righteously before my God. For peace: the list is long, long, long. For peace: I cry!

Fortunately it’s not all crying. The end of Hezekiah’s prayer also mentions celebrating God and Praising him – which are the living sacrifices made by the New Priesthood bought by His Blood. Celebrating God for all He has done brings on the joy unspeakable that is full of glory.

In God I do rejoice because He is the one who is so, so willing to deliver all good things for the benefit of my soul. I needed a Savior, and He in love delivered it from the pit of corruption. He has cast all my sins behind His back, far into the sea of oblivion. Do we as the church of the Living God have cause to celebrate? I declare with a resounding YES!! Let everything that has breath PRAISE THE LORD!

The occasion of Hezekiah's dialog was this: Hezekiah sinned the sin of pride. In 2 Chronicles 32:23,25 we read:

...Many brought gifts unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and to Hezekiah, king of Judah; so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from that time forward. But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; (he was unthankful) for his heart was lifted up. (filled with pride) Therefore, there was wrath upon him.

Then in Isaiah 38:1-3:

In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah , the prophet, the son of Amoz, came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed unto the LORD, and said Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Hezekiah did the right thing. He, like us all, had a death sentence upon him. Pride and riches, (sound familiar?) these things filled his life, and he sinned. But fortunately for him, he knew enough to turn to God. He humbled himself, and wept bitterly, feeling tremendous remorse for his actions. This is the perfect formula for a great deliverance.

Continuing from verse 4:

Then came the word of the LORD, the God of David, thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years... And this shall be sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken: Behold, I will bring again the shadow of degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees…

Friend of mine, my God is an answering God! Friend of mine my God is full of tender mercies. My God can do the impossible in order to restore a truly humbled heart. This is exactly the opportunity all mankind needs - to have the clock turned back in their lives. Whether an individual needs to be restored from the effects of sin or whether all humanity can be restored back to Eden. Whether God turns the clock back ten degrees or whether God turns the clock back a million and ten degrees. It is God who invented time and it is He who has His hands on the controls. God can do anything with a humble heart.

We all make our share of mistakes some to the point of death. But the answer is always the same for all. Humble yourself, feel remorse, and PRAY! ‘Walk softly, and go in the bitterness of your soul’. Isn't the deliverance of our God altogether wonderful! Look again at verse 5:

...Thus saith the LORD... I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears; Behold I will______________.

Go ahead fill in the blank yourself. What is your need today? Do you need the LORD to turn back the clock for you? God is rich in mercy, rich in love, rich in awesome power! It is God's promise - to be there no matter what the need.

While we saw that the enemy's tactics are based on the gratification of self. God's most effective cure for the influence of self is prayer. Real Holy Ghost power filled prayer is designed to eliminate all traces of self. Just like Jesus' example in Gethsemane. Prayer is the fire we need to be baptized in to be refined pure as gold. Prayer is a glorious privilege designed specifically as the tool that will clean us up sufficiently to regain our like God image.

The disciples, seeing all the wonderful miracles Jesus did - did not ask Him to teach them to do miracles. Miracles are the result of God manifesting His power. The disciples did however ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Miracles are God manifesting on the outside. Prayer is God manifesting on the inside. Prayer is our personal relationship with God rooting us as the trees of righteousness.

Prayer reestablishes God's order, first in ourselves then in our effect on our environment. After the day of Pentecost the Apostles declared their primary purpose in Acts 6:4:

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Prayer is an apostolic privilege. There is an intensely profound and absolutely divine - God ordained purpose for prayer. The key to understanding it all is discovered in the word ‘bitterness’. Which means: a drop, a tear, a distillation. My prayer now, is that your eyes be opened, and your heart ready to receive the profound truths now being revealed. God, let your truth shine.

‘And a river went out of Eden to water the garden. ...And the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to till it and to keep it.’

The word here in Genesis, doesn't specifically state the source of the waters feeding the river. But continues to say:

‘That the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth....But there went up a mist from the face of the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.’

Now it is my stated desire to expound on a truth that in our day will cause the dry root of the tree of life to grow and prosper, until it becomes the whole tree. Now we will go into the book of Revelation chapter 22.

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bore twelve kinds of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him; And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no lamp, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign forever and ever.

God is giving us a glimpse into an incredible scenario. Remember trees represent an economy that derive resources from the earth – for trees are planted in the earth. This heavenly scenario is now depicting a tree growing in the midst of a heavenly river – the river of life. So the resource that feeds this tree is the river of life. And the economy of this tree now provides resources that ‘heal the nations.’ Jesus at His first advent was a ‘dry root’ but not for long. Now Jesus is seated on the Throne in heaven. Now Jesus is seated on the very source of the River of Life. Earth’s economy is based on earth’s resources but Heavens economy is based on the Throne’s resources.

Again – ‘the dry root’ in that day was still God and still able to provide for all needs. But now imagine what God will be supplying when the whole tree is available on earth.

At first glance that scenario appears to be of our heavenly future but careful and prayerful consideration makes us understand that our future is NOW. The reason I feel confident in that statement is this. If this scene related only to life in heaven, this scene would be chronologically after Satan is cast into hell in chapter 20, and chronologically after chapter 21, in which God eliminates all tears, all crying, all dying, all sorrow, all pain. We would then be left hard pressed to explain where these nations that need healing come from. The only nations that need healing exist on this earth today.

God here is revealing the atmosphere and conditions in which God is unfettered and unhindered to be the source of healing and life that He is. I believe that this scene is of the joint work of the Bride and the Groom - God and His faithful servants. Remember we are coheirs and co-rulers together with Jesus. God is showing us the work that will provide this world the healing it needs. And it is this work that I will continue to discuss.

Notice it states that there will be "no more curse" there. The curse came as a result of disobedience which in effect pushed God out of our lives. This scene clearly places God rightfully center stage and in full control. So if these nations get healed, it is evident that it is Jesus the tree of life and fully submissive servants that get the job done. And if this tree is to prosper then it is the river that causes the dry root to grow. And the river proceeds out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Now where does the water come from? In chapter 21:1 it states that there is “no more sea”. So this water is not of typical origin, but it does say that the river comes out of the throne.

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. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Rev. 3:20-22

But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath made us alive together with Christ (by grace ye are saved), and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Eph. 2:4-7

Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Heb. 4:16

Now lets put the picture together. We know the word says Eden was watered by a mist. And it says that our prayers produce a distillation, drops of tears. And it does say that we are seated with Him in the heavenly places. And it does say that the throne is available to go to, and be seated on. And it does say that the river comes from the throne.

So now I declare that the accumulated tears of the saints, His Bride, form the river that ministers to the tree of life – Jesus - who heals the nations.

It is those who pray, those who humble themselves and go in the bitterness of their souls. To those who want peace, not as the world gives, but as only our God can give. The peace that passes understanding. It is to those who are able to give themselves, to pour out their hearts to God. That God will appoint them as the Priests of the LORD, the Ministers of our God, His chosen Bride.

Our tears are being collected to form the river of life. The river of life gives God what He desires in our communion and fellowship with Him. And when God gets ministered to, the whole world receives His blessings. He, as the tree of life, will provide for THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS!!!

Isa 61:1-4 KJVR (1) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (2) To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (3) To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. (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.

What the Babylon tree – being rooted in this earth - has destroyed these many centuries - our tears ministering to God - will wash away forever.

I find a very significant, and rather poetic justice to the ways of God. In that by woman, Satan got his foothold in this world - afterwards her name was changed from Isha, (woman) to Eve, (mother of all living). God pronounced a prophetic utterance in changing her name. You see I find it no accident that women tend to give themselves to prayer more readily than men.

God has given to the woman her chance to turn back the clock!

Through prayer, through travail, she will bring forth her children. Through prayer, through travail, she will become the mother of all the eternally alive. Through prayer, through travail, she will KICK THE DEVIL BACK OUT!

...For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children…

...The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day…

When that snake comes crawling around and says - Do you have any significant position in this world? Can you ever amount to anything? Come back into my world you were beautiful then, remember? When he uses all those sceevy darts of doubt he casts at you - you stand your position and declare: THE LORD IS MY HUSBAND, WE RULE OVER THE LIVING, devil get thee lost!!!

For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth... Isa 54:5-8

What a purpose! What a high calling! What a hope! What an opportunity to turn back the clock, all the way back to Eden like conditions!

...for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. Isa 65:22-25

The promises are great! But Jesus didn't say ...’to him that overcomes’... for nothing. Because the prize will be to him that overcomes. And the highest prize is to sit on the throne of God. What Satan wanted, but went about attempting to gain in every illegal manner he could devise. And now he is not going up with the over-comers, but he is going down with the undertakers.

The legal way to gain all things is to acknowledge God's rightful supremacy in all things, humbly walk before Him, and just ask. If the request is right in His sight - according to His wisdom and understanding and in His will - you will have whatever you ask. Just a quick note: they say that the Apostle Paul had bad eyes, I wonder why?

I did mourn like a dove. Mine eyes fail with looking upward; O LORD I am oppressed; undertake for me. Isa. 38:14

Also you do know that God did name his church didn't you? Most often when we quote Jesus when He said, "Upon this rock I will build my church" we say that he didn't bother to give that church a name. Well, He didn't name it there because God already named it in the Old Testament, and Jesus confirmed it later. God said:

"My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people"

In Hebrew: ‘Beth Tephillah’ or ‘House of prayer’. That is what it is called because that is the reputation it should have because prayer is the heart of the Church.

We have seen that the co-rulership partnership we have with Jesus is that the Church should pray - which is ministering to Jesus - and Jesus will heal all nations. By the river of the Church's prayer God's kingdom will forever prosper. That scene in Revelation 22 is symbolic of this work during the millennium. Right now because the church is not yet universal, nor is Jesus' dominion on earth accepted by all people. We find in Revelation Chapter 6 that what someday will be a river, is only enough to fill the golden cups now.

Rev. 6:8 When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

The word incense, or odors in the KJV, literally means that which is burnt. And that which is burnt obviously produces ashes. Remember trading ashes for beauty? Being sorry and repenting at the altar of sacrifice, sacrificing self-will? What do ashes have to do with water you may ask? In the Old Testament, in order to be declared clean, an individual had to be first sprinkled with what was called the water of separation. What is this water of separation? We'll find out in Numbers 19:9,13

And a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up outside the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man who is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel; because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.

We've been talking about coming out of Babylon, God's command that we touch not the unclean thing. God has ordained the proper legal methods to be restored back to cleanness. In the Old Testament, being sprinkled with the ashes of a heifer mixed with water. In the New Testament, total repentance and prayer. So far in this book, being made clean is the whole point.

In His Heart, the point is making our hearts clean, clean on the inside. In The Tale of Two Trees, We are seeking to be cleansed from Babylon, the body of a dead world. We wanting to be cleansed on the outside. Whether inside, or outside, the answer is the same. Knowing what God considers sin, repenting, and giving yourself to a life of prayer. ONLY THEN can you be considered spiritually clean. Then when clean, a most glorious life is our guaranteed future. In the next chapters our discourse will cover our new life as a true servant of God. A vessel fit for the master's use.

Chapter 4 – The New Adam

As we began this book by declaring that all things begin with God. By this point I pray that our goals include a desire for all the truth of God - all that our Bible declares we should be in our new life and also a clear understanding of our godly service to God. To attain these goals we again turn our attention to our Lord Jesus Christ - the author and finisher of our faith. As I'm focusing my mind on God wanting to say something fitting - I know that I could write another dozen chapters. I can identify totally with the Apostle John who said if all that could be written, was written, the world could not contain all the books.

Being concise I want to at least say that what the Great I Am was in the Old Testament, - Jesus as the tree of life is to us today. Jesus is EVERYTHING! Just as in Eden man had every good thing for his welfare, today being in the true Church with Jesus in our midst we have untold spiritual blessings! Now I want to go on and freely consume of all God's blessings. Many say that as long as we live on this planet we will never attain perfection. And of course I agree to a degree. I suppose much depends on how we define perfection. One thing I know for sure that as long as we are " living in the flesh " we will never be perfect. The flesh will never be perfect but will be destroyed.

We know that it is to those who walk in the Spirit that God counts as perfect. And that was the entire point of Jesus' coming, to show us the way to walk in the Spirit. So many people can be in the church for a long time, and yet never understand the fullness of all that Jesus has accomplished for them. I've referred to Jesus being the tree of life many times. To clarify that thought we need to realize several points. Just as the tree of life was given to man as food - food being building blocks of nutritional sustenance - so in Jesus we find ALL the necessary building blocks to build our lives. And just as a tree is a symbol of an entire economic system through which we receive all pertaining to our welfare. So the Bible declares that we are complete in Him. And just as the tree of life sustained life indefinitely. So as we go to Jesus to receive of His Spirit our lives are eternally sustained. And we know that in no wise can we expect to freely eat of  both trees, the Babylon tree and the tree of life. We must gain ALL that we are from one tree only. And of course our choice is the tree of life. I'm going to put forth a theory that lends some support to the above statements. In Genesis 6:2-4 it states:

That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and took them wives of all they chose. And the LORD said My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them, the same became mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

The most common interpretation is that the sons of God referred to were demon spirits taking wives creating freak giants. But Jesus said that angels are neither male nor female, and I believe that would include fallen angels. Also I have a hard time believing spirits have any personal interest that way. Plus God here states that the sons of God referred to  “also is flesh” and not spirits as angels would be. His Spirit would not strive with “man” So I find it a stretch to believe this verse refers to intermarriage between mankind and spirits.

So who were these sons of God? My assessment and personal opinion in this case is rather simple actually. God commanded man to be ‘fruitful and multiply’ back in Gen.1:28 way before the encounter with the serpent. This is the only command of God that humanity has no problem partaking in. And also in Gen. 5:4 it states:

And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and ‘he begot sons and daughters’.

It would be easy for me to believe that some of those sons and daughters were born before the fall of Adam and Eve and did not partake of the forbidden fruit and did not fall as servants to sin. But rather were still part of the first estate, innocence. And being there were no laws it wasn't illegal to intermarry. But we see that this union produced giants, men of renown, offspring of the intermingling of two estates. The free sons of God marrying the sin bound daughters of the fallen.

This caused strife with God and thus they received a judgment against them. Bringing this close to home making some relevance to what I'm saying. Today we see the offspring of the union of the children of two estates, great Spirit filled men redeemed from the curse - operating in the power and gifts of the Spirit. And yet because they have NOT come out from among her (Babylon), NOT operating in full TRUTH, but rather adulterating the pure word of God – their main goal is making a name for themselves and becoming renowned. It is THESE MEN that Jesus will command: Depart from me you workers of iniquity!! These men are NOT operating in the fullness of TRUTH, they are still entangled in Babylon's web, they are examples of what happens to those gathering from BOTH trees. These are they mentioned in Romans 1:18:

 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness

Truth and unrighteousness cannot be contained in one vessel and expect to go unjudged. The gifts of the Spirit are valid, God's word is true, we can claim the promises of God in faith; and do many wonderful works in Jesus name; but these men are choosing the fairest daughters from among Babylon's children; they are choosing the sensational and spectacular. These men, though operating the gifts of the Spirit, are actually increasing Satan's realm of false religion, Babylon the WHORE, and will receive her rewards. But the command of God is, COME OUT OF HER, COME OUT OF HER, COME OUT OF HER. Three times in various places, this term is repeated.

We will never be perfect if we continue to choose to fall to the appetites of the flesh. We can not hold ‘Truth’ in unrighteous vessels. We can even ignorantly inadvertently fall prey to Satan's devices even if we are truly sincere in our intents Remember, there was no law saying they couldn't marry yet the word stated that their actions caused strife with God. Today the word admonishes us NOT to grieve the Holy Spirit and again it says NOT to use our liberty as a cloak of deception. The blood of Jesus has cleansed us from ALL sin. The blood of Jesus has redeemed us from the curse. The blood of Jesus has reinstated our position into the estate of the justified.

Jesus has justified us; meaning there are no charges against God's elect, no ordinances against us, no hand writing against us. There is no law other than to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are under the perfect law of liberty meaning we ARE FREE MEN! Paul said all things are lawful for me but not all things are profitable.

As free men are we going to go to the world for sustenance? We get in trouble because of our mingling with Babylon. That's where Jesus comes in He is our perfect example of character and service. From Him we receive the building blocks to fulfill our status as the temple of God. In Jesus dwelt all the fullness of God bodily; and it is our goal to:

...come into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ....[we]....are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom you are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready.... and he showed me the bride.... and he showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem.... built upon twelve foundations.... being the city of God.... and I saw no temple in it; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the  temple of it.... we in Him, and He in us.... THAT GOD MAY BE ALL, AND IN ALL....

Look up the scriptures for yourself the reading will do you good!  OK, I'll give you this one, 2 Tim. 2:19-21:

...Nevertheless, the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal... ...The Lord knows them that are His... ...and, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity... ...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 honor, and some to dishonor... ...If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and fit for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work...

The path to honor goes by way of purging, sanctification and separation. What path do you choose?

This is the greatest hour this is the hour that will witness the churches greatest moments - the hour that will finally end Satan's dominion - the hour that will usher in the millennium. Then why is it I hear most people sounding tired, just wanting to get it all over with and just wanting to go home? You see I view the events of this last series of events as one continuous event. The rapture doesn't end our work, it is the event that joins us with Jesus - it is our marriage and then we return to clean up. I'm personally excited, I'm not looking to end my work rather I know it's just getting started. I'm not sure that being tired is going to help us ‘get ready’.

I want to apprehend that for which I was apprehended. I want to press forth towards the high calling in Christ Jesus. Even though all things are legal for me, I want to apprehend those things that are profitable for me. (remember the good steward) I desire the things that will propel me towards my goal. And for help I look to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. The One I know loves me more than I can ever comprehend with my finite mind. And not only is He willing to adorn us with His righteousness, He's been waiting patiently for us to have the same love for Him. He has labored six thousand years to come to this point, let us labor just one hour to make ourselves ready - not to quit work but to begin our eternity, together with Him.

Now I need to make clear some very important points. If God sees me through the blood, if God sees me as perfect, if there are no rules, and all things are lawful, if God's grace covers me, then why should I endeavor to become like Jesus? What did Paul say?

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

If there is no codified law then where does the awareness of sin come from? The answer is actually simple; We are created in the image of God, Jesus, and what He wouldn't do, we shouldn't do, and what He would do, we should do.

The consciousness of our image - what we are suppose to be comes from knowing HIM, His heart, His will and His desires. Rather than being encumbered and burdened with regulations and written ordinances - we are commanded to behold the glory of the Lord. We are commanded to develop an awareness of what He is, thereby we are changed into the same image.

2 Cor.3:17-18    But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 

The point of "works" and "holiness" (what the workers of iniquity call bondage) is to make Christ complete in you so we can receive ALL THE BUILDING BLOCKS THAT WILL MAKE OUR HEAVENLY TEMPLE COMPLETE, which is the body we will receive after the rapture. This body of flesh will be destroyed, and when this body is destroyed, our spirits are going to need a home, a new body. And the glory and position and the reward and the quality of our eternal home is EARNED HERE ON EARTH. 1 Corinthians 3:11- 17 says:

For another foundation can no man lay, other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (He did ALL the works of salvation, and HE is our example of perfection) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (there ARE degrees of quality, and that quality depends on OUR WORKS) 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 test every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he has built upon it, he shall receive a reward. (How much do you regard Jesus? How much do you value your salvation? What are you willing to do to work on your ETERNAL REWARD?) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved...(his soul and not much else) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God (act contrary, sin, behave in ways Jesus wouldn't) him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

I would like to further explain, let me say that when we are saved; having repented, being baptized, and filled with the Spirit - the blood covers us, we are then allowed access to the throne of grace and we receive what we need to live - and for as much as we have received all our sustenance and conformed to the image of Jesus - we will receive as much reward. To those who say we will never be perfect on earth, according to the flesh, they say well; but according to the Spirit? If God didn't think, or desire us to be perfect in spirit - Why would He show us, through Jesus, the ideal?

When we choose to move forward towards what we may think of as being becoming perfect – this is not a perfection that is defined by a lack of flaws. Bibliically the best way to understand what defines us as being ‘perfect’ is very simple. After our initial repentance and turning to God in obedience, getting baptized and being filled with the Holy Ghost – you are at that moment – ‘Born again’ as a ‘New Creature’ into the family of God. Once part of the family – always part of the family. However from ‘newness’ we ‘grow and mature in nature and stature’.

Growing and maturing is what defines perfection – not as being without flaws – but rather as a ‘continuing path’ towards Jesus.

Just the same as any infant grows and matures because: 1) there are adults that watch over it, and 2) these ‘adults’ do some proper training as the child grows, and 3) the child eats.

If the child stops eating, stops receiving instruction, and stops abiding under the supervision of the ‘adults’ then rather than grow into a responsible, mature adulthood – that child either stagnates or worse – reverses back into paths leading to death.

So attaining perfection is never an alone – by myself thing. Never operating outside being ‘raised’ by adults - thing. And never stop eating – thing. Perfection in Christ is not the absence of weakness, but the continual growth of a life that abides, receives, and is being formed into His image. The very shortest way to say all I just said is ‘Never go backwards towards whence you came.’

The Adults:

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Ephesians 4:11-12

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, Hebrews 13:17

The continuing Path:

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, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Ephesians 4:13

Eat, Eat, Eat…

...It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4

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. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life... For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed... ... so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven.. he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. John 6:53-58

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: Peter 2:2

Abiding and continuing is moving forward towards Maturity:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:4-5

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

After all He did say to those who overcome, those who endure, those who finish the race, will receive the prize.

Now admittedly I concede that so far I have shown you the very highest we can go, to be seated on the very throne of God. You can't get any closer to God than that! And that comes through strict, strict discipline, and much, much, much, much, much, much, prayer! What is impossible with man is possible with God. It's just a matter of believing, receiving, and obeying.

The problem is the flesh just doesn't want to obey and we justify ourselves saying “I'm just human” But the Bible does use the words sacrifice, mortify, crucify, and Paul did say I want to know Christ in the fellowship of His suffering, to become obedient even to the point of death.

After the famous heroes of faith chapter in Hebrews 11 the writer of Hebrews goes on to explain in verse 12:4 that:

You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

The heroes of faith became heroes because they went to extremes (beyond caring for the flesh) in their obedience to God. But this verse points out very glaringly that we haven't yet even been willing to fight against our own sinful flesh, let alone spill our own blood. The balance of chapter twelve and thirteen, are extremely pertinent to making my point, the opportunity justifies the sacrifice, and I would exhort you to even stop reading this work, and read there. The highlights are these; that we MUST endure the chastening of the Lord to become perfect. That God is worth it all, and that we must conduct our lives in a most Godly manner.

I've tried to be positive and expositive thus far encouraging and uplifting - I hate to rain on anyone's parade - but I want to be able to march just as straight and as far as God's grace will allow. And God's grace is awesome! But there are also limits to His grace, the city does have walls, speaking of the New Jerusalem, and there is an outside where the abominable suffer, and there are gates which never close, but even in Heaven there reminders that will eternally illustrate the two paths. First the path of obedience that has found you becoming a resident of the Eternal City.

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14

Second is the eternal reminder that choosing the first path was a good choice.

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. Isaiah 66:22-24

Again if God didn't think we could do it, then why would He bother offering. And if He offers the best, then that is my goal. Onward and upward Christian soldier

We know God’s word does not return to Him void. God’s word is sent with an intended purpose to produce an intended result. Jesus compared God’s word to seed that is sown in the hearts of those who would hear it. The parable explains that it is our own attentiveness and how our hearts are conditioned that determines how God’s word prospers in our lives. God’s stated goal is for His word to produce fruit in our lives. Our responsibility is then to not look for excuses to stay beat up and defeated. Our responsible reaction to hearing the word of God is to apply it by faith believing God can and will do what he says He can and will do. Through our obedience then comes fruitfulness and thus our eternal stature is made complete. On the flip side if we neglect our salvation God has no choice but to take our part away and we will suffer losses in our life.

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Rev 22:19

If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 1Co 3:14-15 

God has freely given absolutely everything possible in order to see you become a resident of the Eternal City. However we control the “If’s” within the power of our choices – choose wisely.

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:3-4

Let me do a quick recap. Always first, Jesus has done every work to assure our salvation. He has provided the most perfect adorning any creature could ever desire, His own image. We are made complete in Him. As the Tree of Life, Jesus has provided for us to regain everything we ever lost to the enemy. God’s word provides the tools and building blocks for us to build fruitful lives that not only honor God himself but also ensure an eternal reward for our service. Having become born of His word and His will we become new creatures in Christ. We are a new type of Adam readmitted to our original position as priests of God. Created to be ministers to Jesus - the Tree of Life - through our prayers, communion and our fellowship. All this once again causes the River of Life to flow.

Then finally after 6000 years of strife this Earth will become our Eden once again for the next thousand years - then after that an eternity as co-heirs forever with Christ. The Church will be a Bride meet for Him because we were created out of obedience to His word. We will be equal in humility and equal in godliness - knowing that all things come from Him and are for Him. His word has the power to accomplish ALL it has been sent to do. His word has been invested in our lives in order to make us like Him, full of glory and truth.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. 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. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Joh 14:1-7

We have seen God. We know His intentions for us, and we know Jesus is the way for us to fully realize and fully apprehend all of God’s blessings for us. Let’s continue forward, following The Way to the throne of glory.

There really are no advantages to continue tangled up in the affairs of this life. Having the opportunity to set our affections on our eternal reward is so far greater a goal and hope. Every day stands out in anticipation when we are fully operating under God's guidance. As we learn to manifest our love for Him - He in return allows such a wonderful flow of hope and joy - that any troubled thoughts of this life's cares fades gladly away.

Let’s delve into what our magnificent God has done for us and so willingly and lovingly wants to continue doing.

God Almighty took some lifeless dust and so wonderfully caressed every inch of what was to be His child. Filling it with the capacity to love God, speak, and fellowship with God. Filling it with the capacity to enjoy the life God ordained for it. Filling its heart and mind with all sorts of feelings and emotions - and giving it the capacity to express its feelings. Sometimes with a smile, sometimes with a laugh, sometimes with a shout for joy, sometimes with a song of praise and thanksgiving.

Then of course we know all too well there are times of confusion and wonder and times of feeling afraid because we don't always know everything. There are times when we feel alone, times when we feel pain and times when we suffer. On and on every feeling - even yet not always understood or even wanted - and of course there are times of tears, whether of joy, or sadness. All this goes into making up who we are - and we must understand God has ordained us to be so. God is so wonderfully mysterious there being so much to learn of Him and there always being more to learn.

And then God is so wonderfully revealing - His wisdom, His council, His enlightenment, His control, His control, His control. There really is a reason for the things we see as madness. The Bible does say that we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ does it not? But then also it says - ‘Who can understand the noise of this temple?’ More often we experience the latter ‘noisy confusion’ -. Asking God Almighty why have you made me so? Why are these situations allowed in my life? Why are there times of suffering and pain? These questions have endured unshakable throughout all history - the answer not readily yielding itself to our queries. That is of course unless you have seen God and can acknowledge that in ALL things He is perfect and makes NO mistakes that we should question Him about.

I'm going to go back to Isaiah 38:15-17 for some more wonderful gleaning, Gods word is so inexhaustible!

What shall I say? He has both spoken unto me, and himself has done it; I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit; so will you restore me, and make me to live. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness, but you have in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

The word ‘bitterness’ here means: a distillation, a tear, a drop. And if ever there was an answer to our questions as to why things are the way they are - understanding this one word is THE KEY to a whole new realm of purpose and power.

First understanding the distillation process: depending on the desired fluid we are seeking - whether alcohol, gasoline, oils, chemicals of all sorts - there are very specific contraptions with very specific procedures with very specific ingredients to go about obtaining the desired fluid. Any chemist will understand that is just the way it is. He understands the chemical properties and reactions, and exploits his understanding to gain what he wants.

Now we are peculiar contraptions indeed. And as mentioned before God has created us with a multitude of emotions, desires, and needs. And we GIVING God the prerogative, the right, as our creator to manipulate, to add, to take away, to heat up, or cool down, to stir, to press down, to stretch, WHATEVER! Because God KNOWS what distillation He wants whether a tear of joy or a tear of grief. Because those tears, those drops SPEAK in a way that our intellect, and words cannot.

Those tears come from deep inside from our very spirits and those tears speak - saying either something is very right or very wrong. And those tears, those drops accumulate to produce something that God has ordained, and that is THE RIVER OF LIFE! Our whole purpose of being created with weaknesses, with fears, or joys and triumphs is so God can commune with us on a deeper level, deeper than our intellect, and this communing ministers to Him.

God created us to commune - which we typically call praying. God created us to produce a distillation that He wants - that He uses to minister to the needs of the Tree of life. It is our prayers cause God’s economy on earth - His Kingdom - to prosper and grow. Or our lack of prayers cause His Kingdom to diminish in our midst. If God controls the situations in our lives in a way that our intellect doesn't understand - understand this: God knows the procedures to produce the desired distillation and that distillation goes to allowing God to rule in the affairs of men.

I want to be a vessel of honor, I'm just a ‘still’ – a vessel designed to distill a HOLY fluid - from deep within, beyond the realm of the intellect, it is my purpose, it is my gift to Him, I want to pray, I want to say, I love you, I thank you, for making me thus, to my God be all the glory throughout all eternity, AMEN.

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. Revelation 5:8

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. Revelation 8:3

And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. Revelation 8:5

So what we see in the above verses is the prayers are stored in the golden vials. When the prayers are actually going to be answered they are transferred into the golden censer and mixed with fire. On surface value and at first glance our immediate thought might be that ‘casting into the earth’ and unleashing ‘thunders and lightnings and earthquakes’ might be a dreadful thing. And our natural response to all that might be to fall backwards in fear – like the Israelites did at the foot of Mount Sinai. BUT ‘Fear not’ because all that noise and shaking is in actuality the realities of what happens when Heaven touches Earth. When the actual presence of God comes down for a visitation.

And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. Exodus 19:16-19

Do you understand what you just read? “Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God.” Elsewhere it says “they all saw God.” Do you see the parallels between the event of God’s visit to Mount Sinai and the unfolding of future events represented in Revelations? The thunders and lightning and earthquake aren’t signs of doom – They are signs of a direct visible visitation by God. Only in Revelations that visitation is preceded by “thorough purging of the threshing floor’ before the Rider on the White horse shows up.

BUT - Revelations adds details that relate directly to our direct role in getting God to show up. Go over these verses slowly look at what is being said and see that God’s visitation upon the earth is initiated by golden vials being filled with the prayers of the saints. The prayers of the saints get mixed into the golden censure along with fire from from the altar. That mixture of prayers and fire get sent back to earth as a purifying agent – “The water of separation” and - Boom – the presence of God manifests.

Jesus taught ‘on earth as it is in Heaven’ – the scenario just covered is what delivers the powers of Heaven made available on earth. So what are praying for? Isn’t always that God’s will be done and blessings be poured out upon people? Or if the needs are personal we ask God to meet those needs. In the case of King Hezekiah’s prayer – God heard his prayer and saw his tears and God responded by sending Isaiah to tell him he would be healed.

So on a global scale God responds to our prayers by sending answers via angels as is in the case of Revelations. Sometimes those angels have to clear out some devils before God’s will gets to be done. On a personal level God sent another type of messenger – a prophet – to Hezekiah – but Hezekiah’s message could also be your message. Read the following message and go ahead and personalize it.

Isaiah 38:5 Go, and say to_________________(fill in your name), Thus says the LORD, the God of__________(your name), I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears; behold I will__________________(fill in the need)

God answers prayer in response to a heart that has been humbled and postures itself before God with the right attitudes – knowing humility and accountability can make the impossible happen simply because that is when God shows up. Notice how Hezekiah prays:

Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me. What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly (not arguing) all my years in the bitterness of my soul. (I will pray) O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: (because I want the peace of God for me and everyone I pray a lot) but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. Isaiah 38:14-19

Now this is the prayer of one man that got answered in a miraculous way – transfer the right humility and attitudes into the corporate body of the Church and the same God who showed up for one man will again show up on a global scale.

Rev. 22:1-3 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bore twelve kinds of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the HEALING OF THE NATIONS. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him.

God can sure do a lot with a dust ball!!! We are going someplace! From dust, to glory! The devil and this world has nothing to offer me; maybe someplace in all this we can understand the devils failure, (not that I really want to understand the devil) but maybe he had some understanding of Gods intentions for mankind, and got mixed up in his thinking. The devils curse in the garden was that he had to crawl on his belly, and eat dust. Dust is what God made man from, and what unregenerate man will return to. Also Jesus stated that the devil savors the things of men.

It is interesting to note that the very highest pinnacle of accomplishment of the devil is when he manifests himself in a man. The very highest he can go is to become a man. The very highest he can go is in all reality is to become dust! EAT DUST devil!

But to regenerate man Jesus said:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life... John 6:53-54

You are what you eat. The devil eats dust and his highest aspiration will be to become a man. To the individual who eats – or partakes of the things of God and eats from the tree of life - and dust become the children of God!

I don't want to participate in the devils curse - I don't want to live a substandard life - eating dust, living with no hope, being less than all that God has in store for me. I want to be everything God created me to be. Get out from under the shadow of  the Babylon tree - live, eat, and be of good cheer, God is our destiny. If we PRAY!

Jesus is definitely calling to this generation. There is most definitely a need. Jesus is showing us the ONLY way to meet the need. Not with programs, and agendas. Not with our talents, or intellect. There is only one way to do Gods work and that is do things His way. Sidestepping and offering strangefire or just plain ignoring what is most obvious will reap sorrows. Just be what God created you to be. There is nothing very demanding about that. Just do all you do unto God.

If you feel like laughing, do it unto God. If you feel like crying, do it unto God. If you feel like eating, eat unto God. If you feel like not eating, do it unto God. If you feel like talking, talk to God. If you want a spouse, let God be that spouse. Let everything you do in word or deed be done unto God and Eden will be restored unto you.

Not as far as this earth itself yet to be restored - but rather in our relationship with God. All restored, our position, our communion, our faith, our having what we need in God and in the Church. Now we add our faithfulness - Adam and Eve weren't faithful - but we being restored in Christ are learning faithfulness.

Isn't that the sin of all past generations? Of Adam and Eve? Of the sons of God? Of Isreal? All backsliding, all turning away from God all choosing "other gods". Faithfulness! Wasn't Abraham called the father of the faithful? Who is your Husband? Who is your Maker? Who is your Savior? God really isn't complicated in His requirements for us; not in relation to the reward. The gospel is so simple and yet so complete and so, so giving and forgiving. God is love. And that is the nature of love, giving. Giving equals loving.

 ‘God so loved that He gave His only begotten son…’
 ‘No greater love has a man for his friends, than he give his life for them’

On and on. God has given ALL for the people He loves. And our only requirement is that we love Him in return and be faithful.

Human nature looks for complicated demanding proofs of love. And we become blinded by preconceptions and complex demands. I call this the Naaman syndrome, or in relation to God sin-drome. Naaman was the captain of the Syrian army who sought to be healed by Elisha. Who when he came to Elisha was told to dip in the river. But Naaman became uncooperative having preconceived notions on how things were suppose to be done. And of course Naaman was too good to dip in a dirty muddy river. But Naaman's servant reasoned with him saying If you were told to do some great thing you would have done it. If the program was more fitting Naaman’s grandness he would gladly participate.

At any rate Naaman did eventually obey the simple command to wash in the river and was healed. But the point is this, that we tend to try to figure out what's the best way for God to do His job and we look for complicated agendas. This was Naaman’s problem.

It was also Sarah’s problem in trying to help God giving them a son. Also it was the Jews problem having preconceived notions of what the Messiah was to be like. Always looking for signs that would fit their program. The writer of the book of Hebrews was addressing this problem in that book. He was emphatically proving that Jesus was the Messiah and the old covenant was no longer in force. He was in fact rebuking the Jewish tendency to complicate Gods requirements, always looking to add to the word of God.

The writer looking to deliver these people from "The sin that so easily besets us" This letter was written to the Jews so the ‘us’ are the Jews and "the sin" was specifically the tendency for them not to trust in the simplicity of the gospel, the absolute completeness of the gospel, causing a wavering of faith in the "Perfect works of Christ". To varying degrees we all share in the Naaman sin-drome.

Our call is to a life of faith and faithfulness. Faith is believing in the invisible - that which cannot be perceived with the eyes of flesh - that which cannot be comprehended with our carnal minds - that which cannot be apprehended with human strength and means. And being faithful to the foolishness of the gospel will always be trying experience to the carnal man.

Why do we close our eyes in prayer? Really it is a symbolic gesture in our attempt to focus on God. In Revelation 22 in various places, the Bible tells us that in heaven there is no sun, stars or moon - that God alone is the sole source of light. Also we know that in the tabernacle - the golden lampstand was the sole source of light. This all signifying that if we want  "See" God - we will first have to become blind to the natural (sun, moon, stars). Learn first to deny all our human means of receiving enlightenment - close these eyes of flesh then become faithful to the Spirit – to the invisible and then through the eyes of faith see God.   

Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.

Purify your hearts from the desire of the flesh to always be in control then we finally will see God in all His omnipotence. Let go and let God is the saying. The life we are called into is really so simple, after all God has completed ALL the "complex" works. He created the universe and everything therein. He created man and restored man - and placed that man in a finished environment.

The only requirement is to enjoy the blessings of God, be thankful, and always remember where the blessings come from. Yes, it is that simple! Our command is to love God and the brethren. True love becomes hindered when our flesh becomes demanding requiring signs of love. Have you ever wondered why some denominations seem to be more free in their demonstration of love? Well, we know that they believe in a very undemanding gospel. And their simplicity aids the works of love.

Now of course we know that their simplicity has in deed taken away from the truth of Gods commands in the actual requirements of salvation - repentance, baptism, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost. But the reality is that God does want us to be free to exercise love. And being burdened with feelings like " Am I good enough", "Am I holy enough", "Am I educated in His word enough", or "Are they good enough to join our club". These attitudes DO NOT originate with God.

Growth is good and normal, and we all can grow in God - but trying to determine what is enough, or when we have arrived puts us at odds with the essence of love. Freely you have received, freely give. Give, and expect nothing back again. Forgive, forgive, forgive, forgive without necessitating being asked to forgive and then FORGET! Once a person is saved they belong to God, and we need to respect them as the chosen of the Lord and be guides not judges. Luke 18:8 says:

....when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth? 

The literal translation would be ‘the’ faith. God himself took the time to personally deliver a great message we call the gospel. This He gave to the apostles and they in turn taught the church. Now 2000 years later the message has come through many doctrines and persuasions, (and we know how the telephone game works, each messenger adding, and altering) but we standing on the threshold of Jesus' eminent return, want to be found doing what He would expect of us. Therefore we want to be careful to do all things according to the pattern shown us, the pattern of God’s ways in heaven.

We want to replicate accurately His word - His seed capable of recreating us into His perfect Image.  When a cell forgets how to accurately duplicate it becomes cancerous causing death. We need to bypass 2000 years of ignorance and get back to THE FAITH. And in this last hour we need to hear from God, each for ourselves, we need to pray, pray, pray!

Again I will make reference to Jesus in Gethsemane. I can't help it, that image is burned into my mind. Because of all the experiences I've had in the church, I can definitely positively point to that experience and say that is when I "KNEW GOD". That is when I saw God. So like the duckling that is imprinted by the first thing it sees - I have been imprinted to know God through prayer.

My calling is to a life of prayer. I'll go ahead and tell you in case you were wondering. I'm not a Pastor. I'm not an evangelist. I'm not a missionary. I'm not a scholar. I'm not even really an author. I have no college education. I hold no dignified post. All I could feel comfortable in saying that I am is clay in the master's hand.

I'm just someone who wants desperately to be a vessel of honor.

If I'm allowed to boast at all it might be in this - God has seen my heart, and then He chose to show me His heart.

I cherish the words He has chosen to form me with - the words of His Bible - then relayed into the words of this book. I will also say that this clay has had it's ample share of lumps with a lot of things having had to be pulled out of my life. But always ecstatic with what God has put in! I've traded my share of ashes. Although I'm in no way a beauty! I will always look to that image burned into my mind, and always hope that someday I might attain what I see in God.

Chapter 5 – His Bride

Exodus 40:33-34 says:

....So Moses finished the work... (of building the tabernacle)

Then...the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

When we finish building this earthly tabernacle, when we conform to the image of Christ then we can expect the Glory of the LORD to fill our lives. God told Moses “See to it that you build it according to the pattern shown you in the mount” And Moses did. The results of obeying God will always be God fulfilling His promises to us.

A very well respected, and dear friend in my congregation once told me that they had a vision one Sunday, and in that vision they saw me steadfastly gazing into heaven at God, and that was it. Now this book is my report of what I saw in my steadfast gazing - through His word - the pattern of God’s will for His Saints.

Now basically we could sum things up by saying that we need to pray and obey God in all things. And you may wonder is that all we can expect from looking into heaven? Well what would you expect? Another gospel?

NO, NO, NO, there is only ONE gospel. I have MORE confidence in my understanding because in all things it lines up with the word of God. Let me say here, that the doctrines of the Bible are clear enough as taught by the Apostles. This work goes into the shadows and types but with the light of God - these areas become equally luminous.

So what is the purpose of all this if I'm just reiterating what we should know already? Well for me, just having head knowledge of God is one thing, but when the written word becomes the living word, when I know the promises of the Bible are my promises, when God’s purposes become my purposes, when I know God is my God, when everything about the word becomes personal and real, then I know God has seen my willingness and He Himself is willing to lead me in the paths that I should go.

Then I know that my submission into His hands has been accepted. Then I know that I CAN become what He expects of me. According to Genesis 1:27 we know that Adam and Eve both were created in the image of God. The male was created in the image of God and so was the female. We also know that Jesus is the second Adam and is the express image of the invisible God. So also the Church His bride also is being formed to be the express image of God. We know that in Rev. 21:11 it states that His bride HAS the glory of God. We know that in Isaiah 48:11 it states that God will NOT give His glory to another. We know that it is God’s stated purpose to make the Church His bride one with Him.

John 17:21-23 That they may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you have sent me. And the GLORY which you have given me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, you in me, that they MAY BE MADE PERFECT IN ONE; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me.

The repetition makes me think Jesus had something on His mind that He needed to get out. I'm really trying to pound home some positional realities contrasting the profound difference between what God is offering and what the world offers.

In a world that from the day you are born makes every attempt to totally demean what you are and tells you, you are worthless - then monopolizes on that worthlessness to go about selling products that give you worth. Worth according to who? Only it’s not ‘worth' he is selling you – it is corruption.

In a world that force-feeds you with the same dust the devil eats - causing you to live a substandard lifestyle ­_causing you to live a life crawling on your belly, bellyaching, whining and complaining - never really receiving any satisfaction with life, always starved for just a moment of happiness and contentment. In a world that is always crying “There must be a better way” yet always held in chains of darkness away from “The Only Way”.

In the midst of this very forsaken world WE THE CHURCH - HAVE, HAVE, HAVE the GLORY of God (glory means light) Jesus gave it to us.

We have the light to show the world the better way. But the problem is we are just not standing up and being all that WE REALLY ARE. I know that there is a difficulty in reasoning: how do we really believe that we as the Bride of Christ are meet or equal with God and not get puffed up? Or if we are so loved by God then how come our prayers go unanswered? So because of not really having adequate answers, we sit down, continuing unfulfilled.

But you see my friend, it is NOT God telling you to resign yourself. It is however the devil keeping you away from pressing on to achieve your full potential. Let's face it - the devil does not want you to bring light into his miserably dark kingdom.

I've been trying to get you to take hold of the keys to the kingdom. We all need to keep pressing for a breakthrough. For when you do this world will never be the same.

First key: God is great - God is omnipotent - God loves YOU - God created you PERFECT in His eyes - and ONLY God has all that is capable of elevating us to our greatest heights - and only God HAS provided us with the means to get us where we are going.

Second key: STOP listening to the devil when he tells you to sit down and stay down. He'll reason with you if you let him - but we must not reason at all - because the battle is NOT won with reason - it is won with FAITH. Even faith that says as a bride - I AM EQUAL WITH GOD. Not in origin or self created power – but equal in accomplishing tasks ordained of God. The early church understood this and manifested the realities of being one body in union with God. The devil's talking to you now. He is condemned to eat dust, and become dust. We are commanded to eat of His flesh, and become one with God!

GO FOR IT! Of course a sinner can never have this hope - but only those willing to divest themselves totally of Satan’s lies and place themselves into the fire of God’s love - our ‘God is a consuming fire’ - getting close to Him necessitates having the dross burned away. But the invitation is to come up with * Him onto His throne! *

Third key: YOU HAVE JUST INHERITED THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING ELSE FOR ALL ETERNITY - NOW ACT LIKE IT!

WE HAVE THE GLORY OF GOD. We have what this world so desperately needs. We have the light of this glorious gospel. We need to BE ALL God intended for us.

In Rev. 6:5-6 During the times of the black horse (today by the way) the whole world is cataloged and made merchandise for the pleasure of Satan. But right smack in the middle of all the diabolical schemes unfolding around us there is this assurance:

..."And see to it thou hurt not the oil and the wine”

We know that both these symbols are of the Holy Ghost. The oil is the anointing and power - and the wine is the joy. For as much as the devil would like to make merchandise of you he has absolutely NO authority or means to achieve his desires. We have ALL the anointing and power and we must express the tremendous victory of our great salvation through JOY, through thanksgiving, through the offering of ourselves in prayer to God and love towards the brethren.

In the name of the LORD JESUS: BRIDE COME FORTH!

Finish your tabernacle - make yourself ready - for behold the bridegroom comes! Filling your heart with the joy of the Lord and having a continual expectation of the imminent return of Jesus is really all that Jesus ever required of us in being ‘ready’

Allowing God's word to be fulfilled in you will allow the prophetic destiny of the church to become ‘the mother of all the living’ to be fulfilled.

If Jesus is also known as the new Adam, should the Church also be known as the new Eve? What did Mary say when she was told she would be the mother of Jesus? She said let it be done unto me according to thy word. The angel announced some pretty intense news. Certainly very hard to receive - but the angel said with God all things are possible. We need to express the same faith as Mary - to allow God to be born in us - “until Christ be formed in you” We need to say Amen to His word; ‘let it be according to your word’.

Throughout this book I've extensively used the symbols, types, and shadows to express God's plans, desires and will for mankind. I know not everybody can grasp symbols. They like things black and white plain and simple - say it like you mean it. So I'll take this direction for a moment.

In Revelation chapter 22 it speaks of the throne, the river of life and the tree of life. These are all symbolic of types of work being done. The throne represents the source of all authority. More than just being a seat in heaven - the throne represents the absolute, irrevocable will of The Almighty God.

Now from the throne flows the River of Life. This represents the saints that are 100% in the will of God - being allowed to rule with God. We have seen that it is God's will for the church to pray. This is the authorized legitimate work of the church.

PRAYER is THE method that God has AUTHORIZED the church to RULE with Him in the affairs of men with.

NOT like the world where authority equals subjugating those under you. God's authorized method of rulership equals ministering to those under you - serving them and praying for them. Prayer is also our method of ministering to Jesus. We were created to talk to God. God absolutely loves us talking to Him.

Finally the tree of life represents ALL the works of Jesus. And we know that His works are intensely awesome. So far greatly exceeding anything any man, or multitude of men, or devil, or multitude of devils can ever barely even think to do.

So putting this all together this statement is sure. It is the ordained, authorized work of the church, in the simple act of prayer that Jesus just goes bonkers for! And when Jesus is happy, everybody is happy!

When I was a working-man - I got up at 4:45 am every morning. It is my ritual to pray for and kiss good-bye, my wife and son before I walk out the door to go to work, even though they are fast asleep. When I visit them, I look at them, and remember what for. Why do I get up at the ungodly hour of 4:45 am? Why do I face the rat race of traffic, aggravation, and ulcers? Well, I look at them, and it reminds me that I love them enough to want to do the work I have to do to provide for them. Now if they happen to wake up as I'm smothering them in kisses, and return the affection, as they usually do. Well that just gives me that extra jump start I REALLY need.

You see Jesus is really the same. He has His work cut out for Him and us expressing our affections for Him really gets Him going! If we're allowed to see our relationship as a love story, we could imagine Jesus hard at work in His fields, and after laboring a long time in the heat of the day. He raises His eyes in anticipation looking for a moment of rest. Then He sees His beloved coming out into the fields bringing a cool drink and meal, sharing a smile and some time. All this reminding Jesus of what for.

If this was Hollywood we could do this up with all the dramatic effects. You know how they do things. There always seems to be room for another love story, or song. People never seem to tire of one more couple finding their dream come true. This is a universal dream all people share.

Jesus and His bride is the true love story. The bride worth dying for. His work was rigorous. All He wants in return is the cool refreshing drink of fellowship and our returned affection. Isn't that worth it in attaining our dream come true? A romance writer I'm certainly not But there will be a love story told in the diary of eternity. Hopefully pages written by Jesus of the precious moments shared with you!

Chapter 6 – Lord Teach us to Pray

Luke 11:1 And it came to pass that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray...

Gen. 2:5-6 ...the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth,.. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

You know where I'm going already! Don't you! Alas your eyes are opening! Well let's see. You know that there is a need, and the only way to meet these needs is for God to intercede.

There are no programs or agendas that can succeed in this hour unless God is in it. And I'm not coming to you with any fancy proposals to razzle dazzle you. The reason for this is simple, mainly because the only way to do anything is God's way. And the only way that He has shown us to accomplish His will on this earth is for His Church to be the church that prays.

It may not be what you want to hear, but this is the way it is. If ever there was a time when the reality that this world is a spiritual desert and wasteland as far as true godliness is concerned - we must concede that it is today. Deserts are created directly because of the lack of rain. And spiritually speaking: rain represents the blessings of God, His prosperity and growth producing elements.

We must also concede that over the millenniums mankind has drastically failed to seek God out. Thereby eliminating the very essence of life itself, which of course is God's benevolence. And in this hour when mankind is not calling on the name of the Lord - we see the world barren of the riches of what could be when God’s fullness and presence is manifest. So in our desire to recreate Eden, we must concede that there must be a mist to go up to water the face of the earth. In this hour we the Church need to create the atmosphere that invites spiritual blessings. It's only as much as we allow the power of God to operate in us - that the power of God is made available to this earth.

There is a tremendous responsibility to think that the only drink a person can have must come from us - and without us they will die. Nevertheless spiritually this is reality.

The most profound privilege of having the Holy Ghost is in the fact that you have the eternal wellspring of life resident in you. This Jesus described as the river of living water flowing out of your innermost being. And the keywords are flowing out.

We know that in prayer it is the Holy Ghost that makes intercession for us because with our own intellect we don't know what to ask. In prayer, it is God speaking, stirring and distilling the very essence of life through us.

We know that no living thing can exist without water. So spiritually that water must come out of us, go up first to God, then from God back to this earth in the form of His will being done on earth.

Just as in the natural vapors go up and collect in the clouds, (in the case of God, THE CLOUD) and then once again returning to the thirsty of this earth. So also the spiritual cycle is established. And if rain is to fall the vapors must first go up. So that is exactly what prayer is.

Now how to pray properly is the discipline leading to the very highest callings in God. There have been volumes said great resources already expounding the great art. My desire is to highlight absolutes that need to be well understood. And of course we also will ask Jesus to teach us to pray. It is my desire to be concise in order to avoid wandering through all that can be said concerning prayer. So let me first set my guidelines to keep the boundaries straight. We want to concern ourselves in what we want to develop to be an effective dialog with the Lord.

Even though this is most obvious let me quickly eliminate this thought. Even if you had the ability to talk for hours on end this is not necessarily effective prayer. Prayer is the honest communication that results in the bringing together of our innermost beings with God and aligning ourselves with His purpose and His desires.

Prayer is bringing our spirits to His very throne, touching that throne and receiving of the grace of God.

Prayer is ministering to God and for God - the end. As priests prayer is our job, our responsibility and it is what we were created for. Although, let me state that even though prayer is a requirement and our minds tend to shun things that are required - prayer is really a good time with God.

Even though we may have a burden to pray, prayer itself is not a burden, it is a joy when done effectively and purposefully. To be able to see God move is a glorious honor and privilege. And that alone is incentive let alone knowing people will be saved, nations will be saved, you will be saved, all this achieved because you prayed.

Let me break things down this way by listing the ingredients then proceeding to illustrate each step.

1) Recognition of God
2) Honest communication
3) Our innermost being
4) God’s intentions
5) Ministering to God
6) Receiving from God
7) Thanking God

I'm not going to tell you what to pray. But rather focus on attitudes that help in developing an effective relationship with God. While many of the ideas overlap this will serve to reinforce and strengthen each principle.

The Recognition and Acknowledgment of God:

Romans 1:21,24,25,26,28 Because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful...Wherefore, God also, gave them up to uncleanness... ( they ) exchanged the truth for a lie...for this cause, God gave them up unto vile affections....And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind...

While this chapter deals with the errant course of the gentile world we can glean some important insight into reordering our attitudes. Where ‘THEY’ made left turns away from God. We will make the ‘right’ turns back to God. While it was their desire to give up on God - God therefore having no choice but to give up on them and they then going down into the depths of degradation.

We declare it is our desire to lift up God giving Him all the glory He deserves. Thereby we are lifted up into the uttermost heights of all God desires for us. Jesus taught; Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. We as Pentecostals, particularly Jesus name Pentecostals, know who God is and have sit in enough services to be thoroughly familiar with praising God. But that praise and adoration has to come from the heart and be sincere thoroughly mixed with faith.

"They" turned from God not having faith in God. Eve disobeyed because of distrust planted by the serpent. She didn't have enough faith to trust God's intentions and motives. She thereby placed faith in the devil’s word and so went the rest of mankind. If by now God's intentions and motives aren't crystal clear then you better read this book from the beginning all over again. And if these discourses haven't reached your heart then it is evident that God isn't your treasure. For where your treasure is so there will be your heart also.

True praise and true adoration is going to come forth when you know that God is your treasure. Dozens of times God told the Levites - the priests - that He was their inheritance. In Psalm 16 David wrote that the LORD was his portion, in God he placed his trust, to God he set his eyes, in God he had faith, therefore David would not be moved, his heart was glad, and able to rejoice, and had hope in God's future for him. Read it when you have time it fits perfectly with what I have said here.

At any rate, the proper attitude is to praise God with complete faith, trust, and hope. The wrong attitude is setting your eyes on the things of this world for we know their end.

That's why Jesus said Our father in Heaven He wants you to look up into heaven, set your eyes and heart and affections on things above. James said, “You ask and have not...” because your intentions are to fulfill your earthly lusts, then because we don't receive we stop asking and believing.

The purpose of prayer is to make your spirit rich and make God's presence rich in your life. If prayer is nothing more than a routine and work of the flesh then the reason we don't pray more is because God will never answer a prayer of the flesh.

Prayer should kill the flesh hence the flesh will never be enthusiastic about prayer. Where are you right now? Hopefully you are praying and rejoicing. If not, make the "right" turn back to God for help. God is our Father, our only source of true life and sustenance. And as such is absolutely worthy of all adoration. I know in this world there always seems to be that generation gap that gets in the way between parents and child.

Children just have to grow up and experience a bit of life to really appreciate their parents. Don't let this carry over into the spiritual. Learn to see God's motives as completely pure. Learn to recognize His intentions as overwhelmingly willing to bestow the greatest of all treasures and you will not have any problem worshiping, asking or receiving.

Honest communication:

Learning to speak to God and know that He is really listening. We should not be just making noise and vain babbling. Babbling is for Babylonians not us!

We should be real with God honest with your feelings - knowing that if there is a problem whether from outside or within­ - God is the one who has the answers. God is interested in the affairs of your life. Didn't He even ask the devil what he was up to in the book of Job? And even the devil replied, Just hanging around on the earth.

God has an interest in what YOU want and how things are going with you. Didn't God call out to Adam, Where are you? It's not that He doesn't know. He wants YOU to see where you are! Honesty is the light that will show YOU where you are planting your feet. And then honestly wanting what God wants for you.

Come Christmas day, watching a child open presents you KNOW exactly which ones they just love. God watches very carefully everyday and he feels your excitement or lack thereof. God wants to honestly feel loved and appreciated. And your honesty and openness is the barometer that shows your affection for the things of God. Honesty is what will lead you to a rapid maturity of character by honestly assessing yourself and honestly desiring God's desires for you.

Our innermost being - our spirit:

Feeding our soul, who we really are, the inner man that needs to be fed and nurtured as a newborn child. This flesh, this body is just an empty jar of clay, our spirits get fed through the yielding of the body to the will of God and when the time comes this body will be cut off and discarded but our spirits are eternal.

God is willing to pour out His life blood to see our spirits grow. But it is only the yielding flesh that allows our spirits to receive the sustenance of God. The Bible tells us that our true essence is spirit. Not in the future, but right now. And if we can't see this point, then everything about living for God is senseless. It is in knowing that we are spirit, that we will mind the things of the Spirit.

The Bible tells us that “It does not yet appear what we shall be, but when He appears we shall be like Him” What we are doesn't appear because we are under the blood, still in the womb, if you will. But when we are born into the next realm we know that we will be just like Him - a chip off the old ROCK.

Now ideally, an expecting mom would be very careful about her activities and intake knowing that whatever affected her as the vessel would also affect the child. So also we recognizing the need to see to it that our bodies are yielded to God so that our spirits can receive all ‘till Christ be formed in you.’

Therefore we submit ourselves to the ordinances of God because obeying God's word is eating from the tree life. So what does this have to do with prayer? Well friend, the course of our lives is determined by the course of our prayers.

So knowing who we are and where we are going will allow us to pray for the things that will achieve our goals. Our goals are not minding the things of the flesh, not praying to fulfill earthly appetites because these things do nothing for the inner man. But praying for the will of God will yield our eternal reward.

So we pray because we - the spiritual we - want to live, grow and prosper. And we pray according to the will of God because we want to be spiritually complete and whole when we appear before Him.

God's intentions:

In this area it is God's intentions for the world and how He plans to bring about His will in this world that will be discussed. This whole book covered God's intentions for us. What we need to really get a handle on is God's program for this world because our wires can become crossed. We can be praying one way and God wanting something else.

There are some profound principles laid out in scripture that we need to pay close heed to in perfecting our prayer life. We will discuss what I call God's prophetic will. Where God's will is spelled out in black and white, but we failing to recognize and apply the instructions. We then can be unintentionally crossing God.

I'm going to spend some time here so get into your easy chair shut the door behind you and fasten your seat belts. Looking at Satan's third temptation of Jesus where he offered Jesus the whole world and all its glory. On the surface it would appear to be the devil's most obvious, most shallow bluff like a last feeble attempt to get his way. And we could apply many logical illustrations expounding the meanings of what transpired there.

But let me say that there is nothing obvious about the devil to the ignorant. He is not feeble in his deceptions. He is called the adversary very rightly. I'm going to go a little deeper here, paraphrasing and illustrating to show my point.

We know that the devil is the god of this world. Also that the devil couldn't give away something that was not under his control. Also, we know that the devil and ALL his will be cast into the lake of fire which will include all unsaved from all generations. He's going to hell and all his and he knows it.

Satan was really testing Jesus in several ways here. He was testing not only Jesus’ knowledge of God’s will for Jesus to go Calvary but was really testing Jesus’ humanity in being willing to have to die.

Consider now what the devil was telling Jesus: I would be willing to give you back control of this world and all those souls that come with it - you could save billions of innocent people, become the king of this world, and save yourself from having to die. You could accomplish every good thing you want.

You could accomplish every good thing you want! I repeated this though on purpose because there is a profound choice being offered. You can accomplish all the good you ever wanted either by God’s way which includes having to die or you can accomplish all the good you ever wanted an easier way - Satan’s way.

My friend, there is nothing shallow or feeble about this offer because the natural tendency of the human will is bent towards being self centered and self preservation. So wanting to accomplish good AND riding high on notoriety And having a successful ministry is right up our alley.

If you were in Jesus' place would you consider saving all those souls the easy way? I think there are all too many “Ministries” that have bit onto this hook. The fast road to accomplishing much good sounds like a good deal except of course for the strings attached - which would be to acknowledge that the devil's got a reasonable plan.

That thought caused the fall of 1/3 of Heaven’s angels. What the devil was trying to do was buy ‘his’ salvation, trading souls for his continued existence.

What we must understand completely is that there is no salvation for the devil, no salvation for this world, and no salvation to those who don't obey all the commands of God.

And God will NEVER alter His prophetic will. His word is FOREVER settled in heaven. It was God's will for Jesus to learn obedience, even to the giving of His life. Maybe not the easy way, but it was the prophesied way.

Peter made the mistake of crossing God's will in declaring he would never allow Jesus to die. Jesus then sharply rebuked Peter calling him Satan - because only the spirit of the devil influences us to cross God's ordained will.

Jesus knew His destiny, Jesus knew exactly what God wanted. So to seek anything else would have been sin. In Jesus' case it would have been mankind's only hope lost. For the devil, it would have been his salvation.

Is knowing God's will important? What does this have to do with our prayer life? Well as priests and mediators, it is incumbent upon us to know what we are mediating. Ambassadors have to know the will of their governments otherwise grave tactical consequences can be incurred. For us specifically, we know that we are at war and anyone not seeking to follow all of God's will remains susceptible to the enemy. Harsh? Wasn't Jesus calling Peter, Satan harsh? Didn't Jesus say who is my mother or brethren, but those who do the will of God?

All this has to do with separating ourselves from the Babylon tree. Remember I said just because they may look like us and call themselves Christian doesn't mean they are truly advancing God's will.

We have to ask ourselves is there not only One saving gospel? Yes there is. Just in case you didn't know. I cringe when people say of Trinitarians or any other persuasion that at least they are better than the heathens. There is no least when it comes to our eternal salvation. You are either saved or not. Paul wrote unless you are filled with God's Spirit you are none of His. But they have the Holy Ghost. But what tree are they eating from? Who's will are they obeying? It doesn't help God's cause to dilute His truth.

God is looking for people who are completely committed to the truth. For it is the truth that will set people free. We are looking for a world wide revival and that cannot be achieved with delusion. So what does this have to do with my prayer life? Didn't Jesus say, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?

What I'm saying is that we must be very careful to know what God's will is and not assume anything. An ambassador is a person of authority. That authority was given because of absolute trust to do the right thing in representing the cause. The authority to accomplish a world wide revival will only be given to a fully submitted people, as was Jesus’ victorious example of submission to “Thy will be done” Bottom line.

Rev.22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal..

The key words here are pure and clear as crystal. Our motivations, our intentions, our desires, and our actions all have to be ‘of God’, because pure things only come from God.

Now in just being sensible when I say our actions – I’m speaking of specific actions related to representing God. Normal actions like eating, drinking, going to work, what to wear today, on and on – normal things don’t need to be signed off through the angelic command up to God Himself. Sensibilities and moderation are ‘normal’.

But if you are going to do a live telecast and declare to the whole world - ‘Thus sayeth the Lord’ – well then as a person representing God – it’s a good idea to know what God thinks on the matter.

So in contrast with ‘pure’ and ‘clear as crystal’ - This is a very mixed and stained world. Only God can distill a pure flow of life achieving prayer and listening and yielding is as much a part of prayer as speaking.

It is only pure prayer that is received by Jesus that will account towards the healing of the nations. Let me say that all prayer is good if sincere. Let me also state that there are different kinds of praying. I am talking about a very specific level of prayer that is unselfish, self-sacrificing and ministers to God’s needs.

We are talking specifically of the prayer that will cause God to move in such a way that this world will indeed quake at His very presence. An ambassador is a person who speaks for their nation and in our case for God.

Now Jesus said my sheep hear my voice and another they will not follow. We can also say that the inverse is true. Jesus hears the voice of His sheep because they are the ones praying in the will of God.

1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us; And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him.

1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

This world is saturated with lifeless endeavors and John's conclusion must also be ours. We must separate ourselves from Satan's lies and offers because injecting any amount of self-gratification into our “Ministries” is idolatry. We must learn to speak the truth and do the truth. And then THE TRUTH will set us free.

Acts 2:17-19 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy: And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath:...

The best is yet to come! But it will come because of those who would be willing to submit themselves to the awesome ministry of prayer. I believe that there will be a dramatic manifestations of the Spirit as the church receives and does the will of God in these last days. So how do we know what the will of God is for any given circumstance? The short answer is ask Him! The long answer is another book.

Ministering to God:

This is of course what we were originally created for. But we have been alien so long that the road back to Eden is indeed a long trek. But thank God the vision is in sight.

The Bible tells us that God came walking in the cool of the day and that was to come be with and commune with His creation. And we know that we are to walk with God. The Bible also states that how can two walk unless they be agreed. So the whole point of prayer is to come to an agreement with God. So ministering to God is in its essence agreeing with God. Not just consent with the mouth, but of the heart.

What does the Bible say?

...with their lips they do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me...Isa. 29:13

Again where is your treasure? It's a matter of do you really love God? Our entire approach to God is based on agreeing with His word. Our salvation, our lifestyle, our life choices, all derived from believing His word. Now in prayer too - it is necessary to agree with and believe His word. How would you enjoy talking to someone who called you a liar every time you opened your mouth? So is prayer without faith.

2 Cor. 3:16 Nevertheless, when (the heart) shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

The veil is of course our flesh with its own will and doubts. But believing in Jesus and having a total trust and faith in Him – removes the influence of the flesh. It’s strength will diminish as the heart believes and submits to the will of God. It is the veil, our flesh and unbelief that denies us access to the throne of God. Let's learn to agree with the word of God, Amen?

2 Cor. 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face (a believing heart) beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory...

Now I am sure that when you look into a mirror you see yourself: Yes? Well this verse tells me that with faith, when I look into a mirror I should see the glory of the Lord. (What have I been telling you?)

Faith in His word, which equals obeying His word, will change us from this corruptible flesh, to incorruptible, which are our heavenly bodies. So it is obedient faith that turns the tables on the old man, and faith transforms the new creature.

So in ministering to God in prayer we agree with Him and His word, we believe in Him and His word, we have faith in Him and His word, and we obey Him and His word and we become the creature that He originally intended us to be!

The Bible says that we should labor to enter into His rest. Now while this terminology seems to be contradictory. This is stressing the point that we should force ourselves to believe even when our intellect can't. “Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief”

Why do we quote scripture while praying? Isn't it to express faith in His word. We are then agreeing with God. Why do we read the Bible and sit through countless sermons? Isn't it to raise our level of faith? Yes, all these things specifically aid growing in faith.

And faith aids us being useful ministers of God. When the two disciples asked to be seated with Jesus in heaven - Jesus questioned if they were able to drink the same cup as Jesus and have the same baptism. (anointing) His question wasn't because He didn't know. It was because He wanted to hear them confess their faith. Then because they were positive in their confession, He told them that they would indeed minister as Jesus did. Faith is the key element that allows God to do the work He wants to do in our lives.

Why was He angry at the Israelites after coming out of Egypt? Doesn't the word teach us that God was angry because they had no faith? Before coming out of Egypt there is no word concerning their attitudes; and that was probably because they had agreement in their hearts, and wanted to come out of Egypt.

But when it came time for the Israelites to walk with God wherever He would lead, their lack of faith became quickly evident. They lost the race coming out of the starting gate with an entire generation having to die in the desert.

Now we know that God is so very willing to save as many and all that can be delivered from Egypt being separated from sin and living faith filled lives. But our call is not just to live but to live overcoming lives full of faith, glorifying to God.

God does not want us to live in the desert. God wants us to GO and conquer in the land of milk and honey. And all this is brought about because of faith! Referring back to 2 Cor. 3:16

Nevertheless when (the heart) shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

If our lives are a struggle it is because of unbelief. If we are walking in the desert of unanswered prayer - it is because we are praying out of His will and without faith. So if perhaps you want to have faith sometimes we have to force ourselves to believe. This is why we must obey those who have the rule over us.

The Israelites not having faith, rebelled constantly, always complaining and murmuring. They thereby incurred the anger of God. But we putting a bridle on unbelief, force ourselves to learn faith through faithfulness. So we with one talent knowing we must be fruitful go to the ones having experience being fruitful and submit to them. We should obey their word, watch their lives and learn.

Why were the people of God given such ridiculous, nonsensical instructions when going into battle, or in receiving some miracle from God? It is because obedience is accounted as faith. We may not all be generals but we all can be credited with the victories through obedience!

So when the man of God instructs us in the way we should go - What are we going to do? Obey and march right into the promised land. And so having learned faithfulness then live lives that are overcoming, past the restrictions of unbelief, past the restrictions of this veil our flesh, past the restrictions of a rainless desert, we then finally can come into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

2 Cor. 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Faith liberates us to live in the realm of the Glory of God.

2 Cor. 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image....

Having faith allows us to see the glory of God in our lives! Without faith it is impossible to please God. Pleasing God is ministering to Him. Ministering is declaring that in all things God is true and able. Without believing He is true and able, we are condemned to wander in the wilderness. Let us by all means press forth to the promised land.

Receiving from God:

Give us this day our daily bread. Our sustenance - whether physical or spiritual - God is the giver. The key is in the word daily. And again we will examine the Israelites. They were commanded to gather manna daily and then just enough to meet their requirements. And again the key word is requirements, not by our standards but by His.

Prayer is not a free for all shopping list. Prayer is placing your life in His hands and knowing He then becomes responsible to meet the needs of the day according to His will. The problem in this western society is that we are too accustomed to wanting so much. It is not that God won't supply, He does. But we had better learn to be very generous in our giving. To whom much is given, much is required. And then we need to be extremely thankful for His blessings.

Scripture tells us that bottom line, food and clothes are guaranteed, everything else besides is purely God's generosity. We in this abundantly rich nation have absolutely no right to complain. Even the person receiving public assistance is rich compared to other nations. That's why so many immigrants flock to these shores. According to the word of God we have abundantly more than just food and clothes.

The Bible tells us that God was pleased with Solomon's prayer in that it was totally unselfish in scope. Solomon in essence - asked for things that would make him a blessing to God's people. God then making him filthy rich, knowing that it would be passed on unselfishly. The Bible stating that gold and silver were like pebbles in the street. The Bible says we are called to be a blessing.

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38

So the key to receiving is in giving and being thankful, VERY thankful for what you do have. Everything beyond a daily meal and a set of clothes is abundant riches. Appreciate God’s generosity, which brings us to our next heading.

Thanking God:

It is just so indicative of this age; people just never showing gratitude. A major sign of the end is the rise of the unthankful. It seems that this should be such a simple thing, but again this society is breeding such a stock of ingrates.

People are taught that society owes them. People are taught that they are victims and have a right to demand remuneration. This was man's first step away from God, being unthankful. Being unthankful that there is a God that:

1) Created them
2) Provided for all their needs
3) Kept them alive after sinning
4) Provided a way to have those sins covered
5) Provided a sure hope for the future

All this they walked away from choosing rather to pursue after the vanity of their imaginations. But we, thank God, know the pit from which we were dug and are grateful for the abundance of all His blessings now and in the future. All God wants is for us to say thank you. This is not much considering we are the beneficiaries of a heaven unimaginable.

I was once involved in a hold up. I was in a store that was being robbed. One of three gunmen pointed his gun straight at my head - screaming he would blow my brains out - commanding I get down on the floor. I remember very clearly as I did get down - all I thought of was to thank God for the wonderful life He gave me.

Ever since I have been keenly aware that life is a vapor. I appreciated God then - but now I never take life for granted. I am very grateful to still be experiencing this wonderful life. I will indeed enter His courts with thanksgiving in my mouth.

Thanksgiving is the fruit of our lips and actually a living sacrifice required of a Preist. Thanksgiving is a true sign that God is alive in our hearts. For out of the heart the mouth speaks. And praise and thanks come from a heart that is full of the goodness of God.

True thankfulness also aids our humility. For we know that everything, everything, everything, comes from God. Of ourselves comes nothing good - we cannot boast of ourselves. We can only boast in His awesome mercies and grace. All He wants is for you to be grateful! Man has involved himself in many, many sins, but God has never deserved ingratitude.

The simplest attitude strikes the hardest blow. Ingratitude is a shaking fist pointed towards heaven. Proudly expressing to God - I don't need you! No lie can be so devastatingly wrong. God help us to give Him His rightful due. For HIS is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

The prayer of faith, as the Bible calls it; would be communing with God. Not talking at Him, or vainly blabbing along, mindlessly uttering sounds that mean nothing to you or Him. Besides speaking, communing is also listening. It is better to say a few words that mean something to you and then listen, and feel after God’s thoughts. Then continue feeling the adoration, feeling the gratitude, praying His word. Make His word personal. And always, always be willing to obey when He does make His mind known to you.

Try to feel faith, although we don't necessarily go by feelings alone. There are those times when you KNOW that God hears you, and your request will be answered. Or you feel directed to pray, or say certain things. Then obey and do what He prompts you to do. When prayer really means something to you, when you feel the purpose, when you know God is listening, when you know you are listening, you will be surprised at how much time passes and you will regret having to open your eyes and see that you are still on earth.

If we are here it is because He has something for us to do. But know this - that someday when we open our eyes we will have actually been brought home.

To conclude this heading I'd like to leave you with something to focus on in prayer. First of all, effective prayer equals touching the throne of grace. Prayer equals meeting God and finding an answer. Prayer becomes effective when you leave self on the altar FIRST. The word does say that the prayers of a RIGHTEOUS man avails much. We tend to leave that word out (righteous), feeling satisfied to just having done our hour. My time is valuable and I hate wasting it. Unless I feel I have accomplished something I just don't feel satisfied. And there is no reason why we shouldn't receive enough direction during prayer to feel accomplished. God is God, period.

The problem isn't on His end. Prayer equals beholding His glory and then being CHANGED into the image we see. God is love. God is forgiving. God is Holy. God is merciful. God is power over temptation. God is power over all unrighteousness. I could go on and on. Let it suffice to say that prayer equals touching the throne and receiving what you have need of in making you like God. God has all we need and is passing everything out freely.

So don't say you pray and come back from the throne still feeling anger, hatred, being unforgiving, unloving, uncaring, un-giving, on and on I could go. If you go to prayer and come back the same, then the image you've focused on is SELF!

That's why nothing changes you have received the reward of image you have focused on! Do you like what you see? Do you like being human, with no power? Do you like going on and on, stuck in the same rut with no enduring victories? I tell you focus on His glory, leave self DEAD on the altar of sacrifice, come with a CLEAN and EMPTY vessel and He will FILL YOU WITH HIS GLORY!

Chapter 7 – Then Began Men to Call on the Name of the Lord

The heading of this section is taken from Gen. 4:26 which says:

And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh: then began men calling on the name of the LORD.

The literal translation of the name ‘Enosh’ is: mortal, frail, and feeble. It appears that the idea of our mortality was sinking into the mind of this third generation. After all, how would you explain death to someone who never experienced this loss? How do you explain death to a young child?

To Adam and Eve this would be an alien concept. But after the death of Abel the experience became very real. To Seth who was Abel's substitute the reality was keenly embedded into his conscience. So much so, that he would name his child mortal.

Apparently Seth wanted his child to forever be reminded that he would someday die - that he was frail - that he was feeble. This was of course to forever remind his child of his dependence on God. And hence, Enosh learned to call on the name of the LORD.

He learned that his mortality could only be overcome by his dependence on the very source of life itself - God Almighty.

This was a sharp contrast to the descendants of Cain who became more defiant of God. Lamech pridefully boasting that he had slain two men. But to any God fearing person the need to call on His name is an essential part of hoping for deliverance, acknowledging that sin has caused us to become mortal. To acknowledge that sin has caused us to become frail is the right step towards God. For we know that the way up is down.

Humility is an absolute essential, so much so that we can say that in H.I.S. church Humility Is Supreme.

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench; Isa. 42:3

The LORD is near unto them who are of a broken heart, and saves such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17

For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isa. 57:15

Thus says the LORD: The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house that you build unto me? And where is the place of my rest? For all those things has my hand made, and all those things have been, says the LORD; but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word. Isa. 66:1-2

The word contrite means crushed, crumbled. And it is very apparent the sort of person God can work with. As a matter of fact God holds such people in such high esteem that in the last verse God asks what kind of house can man build for Him? Seeing that heaven is His throne, and the earth is His footstool.

All these things existed before man ever was. So what can man build that would suit God Almighty? The high and might of this world build exquisite structures they call churches. Man is so vain to think God is interested in the work of man's hands.

Now really, think how foolish it is to compare the work of man’s hands versus the works of God’s hands. Does any cathedral or temple or any other structure ever erected compare to the glory of the heavens? In that last verse in effect God is saying: Get a grip and buy a clue.

Do you really want to know where God Almighty Himself would choose to live? God Himself declares His choice in choosing His habitation – and this is what He would choose:

“But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word.”

It is God's desire to dwell in the heart of a completely submitted person - a person who is completely aware of the consequences of sin and crumbles under the hand of Almighty God. This is what the Bible calls a vessel of honor unto God.

Those first generations must have been keenly aware of the profound changes that sin caused. Having come out of the Garden of Eden, which means garden of pleasures and delights, and then being cast out to a place where they were seeing children and grandchildren murdered. Children and grandchildren become blatantly disrespectful of the God who created them. How they must have felt the crushing weight of guilt for having been responsible for it all. If it weren't for Gods grace and mercy, His love and hope, what would be the end of man?

It is interesting to note that everywhere in the Bible, whenever someone receives a name change it has been after some test of faith. But here woman's name was changed to Eve after the fall. This says something about both God and Eve. I'm convinced that Eve was absolutely crushed and totally remorseful over what she had done and within herself felt hopeless. But at this point of despair God chose to intercede in giving her hope for the future. God chose to tell her that she would someday become the mother of all the living. He changed her name from Ishshah Nashiym which is what Adam named her. Which means taken from man and as such she was a partner to man. But here at this point of most miserable despair God chose to reveal to her that He Himself was going to partner with them so that in the end through the work of one of her offspring she would ultimately end up being the mother of all the living - which is what Eve means. God so wonderfully showing that even after the most miserable of all failures - as long as genuine remorse is felt and we continue to cling to God there is hope.

So now Seth grabbing hold of this precept chose to name his child frail, feeble, mortal. Not to say that this child was weak, but to drive home the reality that God is merciful to the humble.

Now there was a man who brought the art of calling on the name of the LORD to perfection. And that man's name was Enoch - the literal translation being ‘disciplined’. This is his account:

And Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for took him. Gen. 5:24

Now it doesn't use many words; but what it says is extremely meaningful. A good example for dialog. Without knowing the depth of those words they may not mean anything. But it does say he walked with God. And walking with God means he was in total agreement with God, at total peace with God and had overcoming faith in God.

And we do know that his name meant disciplined, which means he was no slouch. It means he was zealous towards the things of God. It means that he knew how to commune with God.

Elsewhere in Hebrews it states that because of his faith, walk and discipline he was translated meaning he was taken into heaven alive. So what this means is that this man was so advanced in his relationship with God that he was raptured 5000 years ahead of the rest of us.

This also means that he had to know God as the resurrection 3000 years before Jesus came and was resurrected. Through prayer he had to see Jesus, believe in Jesus and be translated - changed into that image!

Faith sure does go a long way! Now I said all that to say this Enoch is the perfect example of one who received ALL that God intended for mankind. Although being born 5000 years before the actual rapture of the church. Through faith he was not restricted to time! Enoch had received all, and become all, enough to become rapture ready way ahead of time!

God seeing his faith and discipline said I'm not going to wait - I want him NOW! After all he spends SO MUCH time with me NOW, it would be a waste to make him wait! Now for us, who are still waiting to be raptured - let me tell you that Enoch is going to be at the head of the line. Our faith is going to be measured up against his faith. HELLO! Where are you? Are you feeling a little crushed? Perfect! That is exactly the right way to feel. Because in our humility being submitted we can catch up to Enoch in no time as long God is our helper.

Now I have looked into the word of God and I have laid out what I see. This is the pattern of God's design. I looked back at a time when the testimony of God was that His creation was "Very good". We all know for sure that those words couldn't be applied to this generation except in the hearts of individuals who have exalted God to His rightful position in their lives.

I'm sure you have noted that the theme of this work adapts some different perspectives in bringing together Genesis and Revelation. The reason being this - in Genesis God began and finished His work calling it all “Very good” He set an example that He finishes what He starts. We also know that God does not change. Satan changed, he tried to thwart God but none the less God remains the same. In Revelation we see a continuation of God’s work creating an order out of chaos and darkness - which are the same materials He used in Genesis by the way. So just as He finished His work and declared it “Very Good” back then - so also eventually one day our present darkness and chaos will be displaced by "Very Good" again.

Most people when they read Revelation focus on the disasters and judgment, looking for indications of when these are to occur. My focus in the Bible is of The Mighty God. The same God who created all things for His pleasure has always been reigning omnipotent. I take tremendous joy in knowing that my God is always in control. Jesus who created all things, Jesus who left His throne in glory wrapped Himself in flesh and died, Jesus coming out of the grave and declaring all authority in heaven and earth is His. This same Jesus makes known to the Apostle John that He is forever the same!

So in the book of Revelation which begins with the words “The revelation of Jesus” in which He so gloriously displays all His awesome power in establishing His eternal rule. We the Church should be focusing on the One we love so much beholding our God hard at work. The Christian’s focus should not be in just trying to set our alarm clocks so we will wake up just in time to "Make the rapture". I want to focus on His work because it is my understanding that we are ordained to do the same work.

We know the scriptures, we go to church, we hear countless sermons, we do what we know to do, so what's missing? What’s missing has been the essential message of this book - which is going into the depths of true consecration and prayer. I'm not saying that we haven’t been doing all that we know to do. As a matter of fact I am thrilled to be part of a fellowship that indeed thrives on prayer. The United Pentecostal fellowship is a praying organization. My pastor is a praying pastor. My congregation is a praying congregation. So what I'm saying is that things are proportional. Our vision and understanding needs to fully comprehend that our “Work” of personal consecration and prayer is what builds the church one lively stone at a time. The more we invest into the kingdom’s work the faster the work gets done. And the rapture will occur when the work is finished, period. And this is our work, the bride making herself ready.

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. Rev 19:7

Our work includes reaching every soul possible. Our work includes our establishing God's order in our midst as much as God's grace allows. The big question is: Do you believe? Do we have our work cut out for us? Sure. But God has placed into our hands the tools to get the job done. God has shown us what the goal is. God has shown us exactly what His intentions are. And God has shown us how to get to get the job done. Now the choices are ours. Choose you this day whom you will serve.

Chapter 8 – The Conclusion of the Whole Matter

As Solomon wrote: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter” This journey has given us a glimpse into heaven. We behold His glory. We see God at work. In Genesis God created all things including man. Man then just opened his eyes and was. I really can’t say how conscious or cognizant man was of God’s involvement in forming him from the dust of the ground. Nor can we say we know that mankind understood the heights of glory he possessed in being given dominion over this earth, or in having been created in the image of God.

We do know man made a huge mistake and got duped by the devil. Now, in Revelation I see the same God Jesus making for Himself a kingdom of priests and kings - His Bride. Now though, we are very cognizant of the depths from which Jesus drew us from and we are filled with a great hope for the glory that awaits us.

We now are privileged to be witness to the whole process of God’s handiwork of pulling us from the pit and seating us in the heavenlies. We now also have a partnership with God in bringing the chaos of this present age into His subjection and dominion. I for one am utterly blessed and thankful that there is a God willing to save me. Amen.

Now I want to conclude this journal with an overview of the book of Revelation, a revelation of Jesus Christ. Let me make my perspective very clear before I continue. Basically I have a top down perspective rather than the normal bottom up viewpoint. What does that mean?

Normally Revelations is interpreted by focusing on trying to identify events on earth and connecting these events to a particular verse and then creating a timeline so we will know when to get ready. This focus is from down on earth trying to interpret what heaven is getting ready to do. For the purposes of this book I take a different approach. All I see is Jesus operating in all His glory. I make no attempt to interpret any particular event, but rather see in simplest terms Jesus dealing either with His own, or those in perdition. While most people see one disaster after another. I know I am not appointed unto wrath and these things will not overtake me. The following verse sums up my perspective.

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. Hab 3:17-19

Jesus is the grand orchestrator in control over every affair in this universe. Revelations reveals how He puts down all rebellion and sin. It also reveals how He ever so lovingly restores and preserves all those willing to acknowledge His Lordship. The first three chapters reveal Jesus as the Head of the church being in our midst. He orders and sets direction and rule, He raises up and puts down. I know there are countless interpretations to these chapters but I will simply state the most obvious in that Jesus is keeping His house in order. Judgment begins in the house of God.

Jesus declares that He sees our efforts, our motives, our zeal, or lack thereof and He admonishes us accordingly. Our responsibility is to comply with His wishes. WHEN we have gotten ourselves lined up with God’s word, THEN chapter 4 reveals that a door opens up to us, THEN we will hear a voice like a trumpet saying “Come up hither”

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. Rev 4:1

Immediately we are brought into the very throne room of our Lord. Command and control central for the universe and Jesus is at the helm! Chapter 5 reveals that not only is Jesus the Head of the Church but now He will stand to be Judge over all the earth.

This chapter deals with the sealed book - which is a record of the multitude of mankind’s sins being written within and without. To the saved who have judged themselves and repented the contents of this book is does not apply because the Lamb has prevailed in providing for our justification or being declared innocent. He now makes us a Kingdom of priests and kings, a Bride of His own. His blood has bought and brought us from the brink of destruction and we reign with Him forever!

Now in chapter 6 the very same hands that were willing to stretch out to reach us. The very same hands that were willing to be stretched out and be nailed to a cross. The very same hands that were willing to touch and heal us to the utmost. Now these very same hands are set to open the seven seals of judgment against those who have willingly ignored such a great salvation.

Our God is an orderly God doing things lawfully. In a judicial proceeding the first thing to be done is a formal charge must be declared and the penalties must be made known. During the times of the unsealing of the seven seals God is making His formal declaration of the pending charges and penalties against the unrepentant. I have already covered this information in chapter 2 of this book so I’ll move on.

The seventh seal begins the next phase of the proceedings, which in effect is the trial itself. The angels now through the times of the trumpets are making manifest the evils of this world and attempting to make mankind realize their accountability to God. Yet we find sadly that mankind is unrepentant, defiant, and holding on to a defense that there is no God that they need to account to. The sounding of the trumpets are signals that this world is losing its case with evidence all around us that God is indeed making His authority known and the time now is just about finished. The seventh trumpet indeed announcing the fact that there is “Time no longer”

And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And swore by him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. Rev 10:5-7

The age of grace in which God is calling His Bride and building His Church is officially over and God now is finishing up business with Israel and the rest of the world. Part of that business is now calling out and preserving the ‘Remnant’ also known as the ‘Election’ who are saved in order to move forward into the Davidic Kingdom.

Humanity has chosen their sides. The unrighteous have declared allegiance to the antichrist and the Remnant are on this side of Heaven. The Bride is now with the Lord on the other side. All are poised for the final battle of domination. At this point mercy and grace are reserved for the Elect and the meek who shall inherit the earth.

God now must allow the pouring out of the vials of wrath. This world loses its case and gets the penalties that have been long in store.

I’m going to shed some light on a different perspective concerning the seven vials. My focus is not on the disasters awaiting to unfold upon this world because you and I are not appointed unto wrath. You and I will not partake of these plagues because we will not be here. Again my focus is on the One in center stage orchestrating this whole show. My view is of Jesus the great God of eternity. There are fascinating facts tucked away in chapters 14 and 15 that make my case a done deal. I’m going to finish off with these so hold on.

The setting is just before the pouring out of seven bowls so technically still during the time of the last trump of God. Here we find described the activities of two angels. Both these angels had in their hands sickles to harvest the earth. Both in turn thrust in their sickles and both in turn had a harvest. First let’s consider the details of the first angel.

And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. Rev 14:14-16

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1Th 4:16-17

I find the similarity here overwhelmingly convincing noting the corresponding colors that parallel the same thought. I am convinced that these verses both are describing the same event, the rapture of the church.

Then in succession the passage continues to describe a second angel conducting a second harvest only here specific mention is made that the vines of the earth are harvested. Isaiah chapter 5 makes specific reference to this vineyard and clearly identifies the peoples involved.

For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. Isa 5:7

After the rapture God’s full attention now turns to the house of Israel and His dealings with them are harsh to say the least but when He is done with this harvest it will be time for Jesus to return in full glory and authority. Upon this return He is leading the charge along with the peoples that were harvested.

Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine vat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. Isa 63:2-4

And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. Rev 14:18-20

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Rev 19:11-16

We are told that the second harvest are those who were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Rev 20:4

I am thoroughly convinced that the Church is already gone when the antichrist begins executing those who will not bow to him. This of course officially ends the dispensation of grace. Grace has been the time when Jesus has been willing to provide a covering for our sins through the sacrifice He made. We who are saved by grace have obeyed the commands of God - we have repented, we have been baptized in Jesus name and have been infilled with the Spirit. These actions on our part have legally, scripturally, and Apolitically applied Jesus own blood to us for the remission of our sins. Thereby qualifying us to be eligible to be in the rapture.

Yet we see that there is a second harvest - only this time the only way to get right with God is by having to be beheaded and shedding their own blood. The scripture very plainly tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. For six thousand years Jesus has been willing to be substitutionary and allow His own blood to make the payment for our ransom for deliverance from Satan’s hold.

Now to all those who have ignored this salvation they will have to endure what he really wanted to save them from all along - having to endure the shedding of their own blood. Notice now and see according to the previous verses above that it is now the blood of these slain that is now being applied to Jesus the High priest versus the Blood of Jesus having always been applied to us.

The fifteenth chapter of Revelations reveals the host of both harvests worshiping before our great Lord. Now here is my final conclusion. We want to take particular note of the seven golden vials that are used to pour out the seven last plagues. In God’s pattern of doing things we know that all items used in service to God are consecrated for a very specific purpose and never used outside that purpose. The very first time these golden vials appear in service to God are in chapter 5 of Revelations where they are brought before God filled with the prayers of the saints, a sweet smelling incense.

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. Rev 5:8

We already understand that our prayers minister to God. He loves them and answers with blessings for the whole world. Now in this 15th chapter after the conclusion of both harvests we come to a very heart wrenching realization. There is not one single solitary soul left on earth offering up any prayers to God. Not one soul acknowledging Him as the benefactor of all humanity.

Rather we read that this whole earth, the planet, and those remaining here are all worshiping Satan. After 6000 years of doing absolutely everything possible to save as many as would hear Him. We find that for the very first time ever in human history not one soul on earth is ministering to God at all. It is this reality that makes it crystal clear that OUR PRAYERS are keeping this planet alive. Our prayers are called the river of life for a reason.

Normally those vials would come filled with requests for blessings that God would lovingly return filled again with answers and healings. Now, after the harvests those vials are coming before God not with prayers of love and concern, but now they have come to God empty. For the first time God will be prevented completely from doing what He wants to do most, love His people, righteous and unrighteous alike. God really is love and nothing pleases him more than to intercede on behalf of some soul.

Now we find these vials come to God empty and now being poured out again void of any life essence. What our normal reasoning perceives as wrath or vengeance being unleashed is in reality that the world will receive what it itself has put in. The wages of sin. The wages of what the world is owed for the works it has done.

Now mankind will finally reap the reward of a planet completely void of the intercession of the saints and God. This world sowing wrath and malice will now only then reap the same.

In the very beginning of creation God’s presence hovered over an earth that was dark void and empty. The definitions of the words used to describe this planet gives us insight into how blessed it is to have God working on our behalf. The earth was:

Without form: meaning to lie waste; a desolation, a desert; figuratively a worthless thing; adverbially vain, confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, waste, wilderness.

And void: meaning to be empty, an undistinguishable ruin: - emptiness, void

And darkness covered the earth: meaning the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness:

God’s benevolence took something that was worthless, undistinguishable and miserable and His presence made all things “Very good” Then using the same base material He chose to form a man. Mankind without God is literally worthless, empty and miserable. Humanities endless struggle has been to attempt to make ourselves more that what we really are and it ain’t gonna happen. This world needs God in the worst way. Unfortunately mankind under the control of Satan has continually pushed God out of the picture and Satan does that specifically because he only wants to see our eternal demise.

God takes no pleasure in the destruction of the unrighteous. Satan is full of wrath and that is his reward to spread around. This world will choose to bow to Satan and this world will then receive the very best he has to give. The rewards of wrath.

I ask you my friend, Do you think the intersession of the saints has an important role in the very welfare of all mankind? You know it does. I want more of God’s presence, more of His benevolence and more of His Lordship in my life. If you share these hopes with me then my friend I ask you right now, PLEASE PRAY! For this is the conclusion of the whole matter.