JOEL 2 GENERATION PODCAST

The Divine Council is a central Old Testament teaching. I would argue that much of the Old Testament doesn't even make sense unless one grasps this concept.

In a recent message on Zechariah 6, which itself is a Divine Council passage (revealing the outcome of a Divine Council meeting), I reviewed two of the most important Divine Council passages in the Old Testament: 1 Kings 22 and Psalm 82.

Due initially to the abandonment of this teaching by the rabbis around the year 100AD, and for Augustine's influence later, the Divine Council concept has been at best ignored and at worst utterly rejected.

Thankfully, in recent years, there seems to have been a recovery of this truth.

In AD 180, Charismatic ministry was very different than today. By God's grace, we need to somehow recover what was lost.

Irenaeus (AD 180) - “Those who are in truth His disciples, receiving grace from Him, do in His name perform miracles, so as to promote the welfare of others, according to the gift which each one has received from Him. For some do certainly and truly drive out devils, so that those who have thus been cleansed from evil spirits frequently both believe [in Christ] and join the Church. Others have foreknowledge of things to come: they see visions and speak the prophecies they have received. Others still, heal the sick by laying their hands upon them, and they are healed. Moreover, as I have said, even the dead have been raised and remained among us for many years. And what more can I even say? It is not even possible to number all of the gifts which the Church, throughout the whole world, has received from God, in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and which Christians demonstrate daily for the benefit of the unbelievers, neither deceiving them nor taking any financial reward from them [on account of such miraculous ministry]. For as Christians have received freely from God, freely also do they minister [to others]” Matt. 10:8 (Against Heresies , Book 2, Chapter 32, Section 4 )

We have had this podcast now for nearly 20 years. As I've gone back, I realize that there are ministries and people mentioned, and even endorsed, that we can no longer recommend.

Some of the ministries we would reject entirely - i.e., Todd Bentley and Fresh Fire. He marked, and to be avoided as an unrepentant sexual deviant. Other ministries still have good things but they have also had mixture, and/or have tolerated teachers/teachings that are false.

Ideally, I will one day go back and either give a disclaimer on each podcast that endorses one of these teachers/ministries or will edit the podcast. But until then, I have put out this disclaimer.

#mikebickle #ihop #toddbentley #freshfire #rickjoyner #morningstarministries #physicsofheaven #bethel #toddwhite #lifestylechristianity

There are a tragic number of Christians who have been deceived into believing that they can live their Christian lives WITHOUT attending Church. I meet them all the time. I have friends who have been taken in by this LIE.

We were baptized INTO A BODY, and BY DESIGN we need God's people. To fulfill our mandate we must be gathering IN PERSON with God's people. There are things that God only supplies in the gathering.

This is short message but an important one.

APOLOGIES for the quality of the recording while I was driving

1 Peter 4:17 - For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God

There is a growing consensus that God is currently judging His Church and Christian ministries. Of course, He has always done so. It was happening in the 1st Century when the Apostle Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote the Epistle of 1st Peter. And it seems to be happening at an ever-increasing pace today. He's exposing sin and false teachings. He is shedding light onto lifestyles that are hard to imagine belong to followers of the one who said He "has no place to lay his head" (Matt. 8:20).

It should be producing the fear of God amongst His people. It should be producing repentance in the ones being exposed. I am not sure it is producing either.

I end this podcast by highlighting something else I believe God is judging - the very structure and nature of Church and ministries. I think many who are applauding the exposures and correction God is bringing are not yet discerning that it is celebrity Christianity that God intends to judge and bring down. The platforms, the money, the idolatry, the power/influence - He wants to renovate it all! It hasn't been healthy for the sheep, and it has effectively destroyed so many of the shepherds.

I am sure that many will not get the memo and continue to pursue bigger and bigger platforms, will justify that pursuit in the name of "godly influence". The money will continue to flow - honorarium will get larger and larger, etc. etc. But if what I am saying is true, the cloud will have moved elsewhere. God's anointing will no longer be upon those who are sure it is upon them. God's Word says that "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble". That is where we are sure to find God's power as we insist on humility.

Continuing on in 1 Peter 3, we conclude with some further thoughts about suffering. God is NOT the author of evil and the causes of suffering are often the antithesis of His will. The second part of this message is all about a Biblical narrative and I would argue an interpretive key that many Christians have rejected (at least since the time of Augustine). Rightly understanding Genesis 6:1-4 from the ancient Jewish perspective and from the that of Jesus and His Apostles is critical to understand the evil we face today. Our Gospel mandate is BROADER than many Christians realize. I try to capture some of that in this message.

Looking at the background of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Essenes, we explore WHY Jesus warned His followers to BEWARE of the "teaching" of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt. 16:6). What "teaching" was He warning them about? What did the Essenes believe and what did/do the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) reveal about the coming Messiah? We look at a couple of fragments from the DSS, in particular, the Melchizedek Document that reveal what they believed the Messiah was coming to do and WHO the Messiah would be. We can then better understand the purpose of the Book of Hebrews. This is part 1 in a series.

This is the beginning of a message where I consider the idea of being a 'Remnant' in this hour. Defining the word/concept; what it means and also at least one of the dangers inherent in the term.

The 2nd part of the message, I have decided to leave off as I presented the irrefutable evidence that Christmas is NOT a pagan holiday. I will share 2 blog links where I have presented the evidence.

Title #1: Is Christmas a 'Pagan' Holiday/ (2023)
Link #1 - https://joel2generation.blogspot.com/2023/11/is-christmas-pagan-holiday.html

Title #1 - Is celebrating Christmas on December 25th something that came from paganism? NO.
Link #2 - https://joel2generation.blogspot.com/2022/11/is-celebrating-christmas-on-december.html

Additionally, I shared an 8 minute video by Mike Winger (YouTube) where he completely dismantles the arguments that Christmas Trees are pagan.
Title: "People are still making stuff up about Christmas Trees"
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BionQkX2i7w

I will follow this message with Part 2 which is the challenge of entering Advent (which begins today) with the mentality of what God would require of us to prepare for what lies ahead.

Over 20% of the Gospel of Matthew deals with the Pharisees. Is this so that we can use them as our 'whipping posts' to illustrate all the bad things religious people can do? Or, did God have those verses included because we are more like the Pharisees than we realize? I believe the latter is the case.

In this message, I share my own "pharisaical tendencies".

I begin with a play off of Tim Hawkin's, "You might be a Redneck if..."

My version - I might be a Pharisee if...

…IF I AM THE SELF-APPOINTED CORRECTOR OF EVERYONE ELSE'S DOCTRINE

IF I THINK THAT THE "SPEAK THE TRUTH " PART OF "SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE" IS THE "KEY" TO THAT VERSE…

…IF ONE OF MY FAVORITE VERSES IS "THE SPIRITUAL MAN JUDGES ALL THINGS" (1 Cor. 2:15)

IF PRAYING THE IMPRECATORY PSALMS MAKES ME OUTRAGEOUSLY HAPPY…

…IF I THINK THE “GIFT OF DISCERNMENT” MEANS KNOWING WHAT IS WRONG IN EVERYBODY ELSE'S LIFE

IF I AM SITTING HERE THINKING ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE WHO REALLY NEEDS TO HEAR THIS MESSAGE…

I continue in 1 Peter 3 - basically, there are 3 sections to this passage. One of them deals with suffering in the Christian's life being God's will. Not an easy topic. Thus the title. But there are some other key things in this passage - Christ's "descent to the dead" from the Apostle's Creed (2nd Century) is referenced. Part of Christ's descent was His proclamation to the "spirits in prison" which is discussed in this message. I end with the importance of baptism which is often de-emphasized in modern Christianity. That was not the case in the Apostolic age and the early church.

The word submission is not a popular word. I would say it is a despised word. But it is also a Biblical one.

The Apostle Peter writes some of the most challenging words in the New Testament when he instructs us to submit to human institutions, unjust employers (in the 1st century it was actual "masters") and within marriage.

How do we reconcile the commandment to submit to these things while obeying God in other areas? Peter broke laws and didn't submit at times. What about abusive situations? We get into all of these things in this message.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you searched and investigated carefully. 11 They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory. 12 They were shown that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things angels long to catch a glimpse of.

13 Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober, and set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 Like obedient children, do not comply with the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance, 15 but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, 16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy .” 17 And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence. 18 You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed—not by perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you now trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For

all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers and the flower falls off,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever .

And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

This is the final message in a 13-part series looking at the phenomenon of house churches in the Book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament.

In addition to considering the house churches Paul planted, visited, and wrote to, we consider again Paul's suffering in the midst of all the ministry he was doing. Paul's vision of the Christian life was radically different than what is preached in many churches today. Who should we be following?

The counterfeit ideologies that we find today in Western Culture want to root people's identity in their race/ethnicity, gender, or sexual preference.

Our identity in Christ however eradicates those other false identities. Much of the church has even capitulated to these false/counterfeit identities.

The Apostle Paul faced similar challenges in the 1st Century. He demonstrated that no other earthly identity mattered any longer if people were in Christ.

In this message, we consider our TRUE IDENTITY in Christ. We also look at Gnosticism and how a modern version of it also attacks our Biblical identity and lifestyle as followers of Jesus.

Paul warned Colossian believers of "human philosophies" that were actually demonically inspired infiltrating the church in the 1st century. Today, many such philosophies have infiltrated the church as has been well-documented in Megan Basham's new book, Shepherds for Sale - How Evangelical Leaders Have Trade the Truth for a Leftist Agenda.

In this podcast, we get into Colossians 2 and apply it to the Marxist ideologies that have infected many parts of the modern Evangelical Church. The Supremacy of Christ and His Gospel trump all of these man-made, demonic ideologies. #shepherdsforsale, #marxism, #critcaltheory, #criticalracetheory, #CRT, #intersectionality, #systemicracism, #MeToo, #whiteprivilege, #creationcare, #loveislove, #LGBTQ+

Hebrews 10:23-27, 29-31, 32-37 / 11:32-40

Deuteronomy 28

There was simply no version of the modern "Prosperity Gospel" in the Early Church. The Apostles would not have recognized much of what is being preached/promised today to Christians.

Many have walked away from Christ (I have known more than I can remember) because, and it was because troubles came into their lives as Christians and they got offended.

Tragically, they were LIED to by well-meaning Christians - they were told that following Jesus would be easy, or pain-free, or simply a "Blessing Fest" - a life of constant and continual breakthroughs.

That is NOT what happened to the Apostles. Nor was it the experience of the 1st Century Christians that received the Letter to the Hebrews.

Hebrews also knows NOTHING of the Hyper Grace message nor does it a Pretribulational Rapture.

#endurance, #problem-freechristianity, #prosperitygospel, #pretribrapture, #augustine, #luther, #calvin, #creflodollar, #joniearecksontada, #josephprince, #hypergrace, #oldcovennat, #newcovenant, #mosaiccovenant, #promises, #blessings, #curses, #covenants

Part 12 in the Houses of Fire series - IMITATING PAUL

Paul’s 3rd Missionary Journey (AD 54-57) Acts 19:8-12, 20:6-12, 20:18-38

A message that will challenge both the Evangelical and the Charismatic Christian: A challenge for the Evangelical because they will often find ways to minimize the possibility of living like the Apostle Paul due to his unique office and authority as a 1st Century Apostle. And, this message will challenge the Charismatic because so much ministry done by modern charismatics violates much of what Paul practiced and preached.

Paul was/is an equal-opportunity offender!

Acts 19:8-10 - "Reasoning and Persuading"

Hall of Tyrannus? - “was either a building for hire, named after its owner, or the private residence of a sympathetic donor”

Acts 19:11-12 - "Extraordinary Miracles"

Kingdom Ministry = BOTH/AND

Acts 19 - V. 8, 9 & 11 – Paul was BOTH “reasoning and persuading them about the Kingdom of God…reasoning daily AND God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul

Imitating Paul? 6 NT passages where he exhorts us to do what he was doing!

Acts 20:6-12
•Sunday worship (first day of the week)

•Communion included

•In a HOUSE

•LONG meetings (till midnight…Paul talked still longer…conversed until daybreak)

•Miracle of resurrection

1st Century Christian Calendar developing - Sunday worship and Pentecost

Acts 20:18-38 - Paul's message to his Ephesian Elders

*So, how Did Paul LIVE?

*Humility – “with ALL humility”

*Tears, Trials & Suffering = PART of following Christ) – imprisonments & afflictions

*Public (Synagogues) & Private (House Churches) – Evangelism & Teaching

*Jews & Greeks (for 10 years)

*Message included REPENTANCE (not just faith)

*Led by Holy Spirit
*Dead to Self – Surrendered to Christ’s Lordship & Plan (v. 24)

*Believed we are RESPONSIBLE (v. 26-27)

*Warning - False teachers/teaching coming (v. 29-31)

*Trusted in God’s Ability & God’s Word to keep them & grow them (v. 32)

*Paul & the Prosperity Gospel (v. 33-35) – Giving – to who? - PAY ATTENTION CHARISMATICS!!!

*Paul’s relationship with his team (v. 36-38)

****AND WHO ARE WE TO IMITATE??****

In this message, I look at the issue of dying to self and living a life of humility.

I begin by comparing two very different Christians - Kanye and the Roman Catholic nun Frances Cabrini (1850-1917). Clearly, they were given two different "Sign-Up Sheets" for the Christian life. Frances finished well. Kanye is currently very confused calling himself "god".

Many Christians today are not getting THIS MESSAGE. They are not being told that we must die to ourselves to begin the Christian life, and they are not being told that the Christian life is a life of ongoing humility.

This is a radical departure from the way Christians have viewed the Christian life since the beginning. Going forward, we must get this right. We must repent from the self-focused messages that many pastors and leaders have tragically given and continue to give modern Christians.

#deathtoself #selfdeath #humility #dyingtoself #pride #grace #kanye #cabrini #kanyewest

As Holy Week is about to begin, I start my message by slaying some of the 'internet myths' that many Christians have heard about Easter. (back in December it was all the Christmas is pagan propaganda and now that we are nearing Easter, it is the same mantra, "Easter is pagan").

So we settle these issues by answer these questions:

Isn't Easter pagan?
What about the word "Easter"?
Wasn't Jesus crucified on Wednesday?
Did Jesus rise on the Sabbath?

After this, I look at the Biblical events of Holy Week and why we call certain days by certain names - Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday.

What happened on each of the days - and how can we reflect on these events devotionally as we approach Easter.

I shared a PLAN for Holy Week that I found online produced by Backcountry Church - https://www.backcountry.church/trail2victory

I get into the practice of fasting before Easter which was the universal practice of ALL Christians in the Early Church. The length of time varied, but it was clearly something that came down from Apostolic times. When Jesus said, "then my disciples will fast", the ENTIRE ANCIENT CHURCH believed that fasting before the celebration of His Resurrection was one of those times. No exceptions.

I end the message by giving a corporate charge for pressing into to Holy Week and fasting before Resurrection Sunday.

For such a time as this...

Insights from Hebrews 11 and 12 - trials are what produces faith in our lives and yet most Christians do not have the right view, the Biblical view of the trials they face.

Natalie shares a powerful message that challenges the typical Gospel message and narrative that is so common in today's church. This is NOT one of those messages that tickle people's ears. Fasten your seatbelt.

WHY IS THIS TOPIC/SUBJECT RELEVANT?
1. Because of a lot of Christian practices today
2. Because heavenly encounters are increasing and will continue to increase in the days to come
3. Because we need to understand God's role and our role in such encounters
4. Because we need to know how to stay safe and be protected
5. Because we need to be Biblically grounded

This podcast looks carefully at several angelic visitations - we look at what the people were doing, how they were living, and the nature of the visitations. Who initiated? Who addresses the other first? Who gives the instructions? Who obeys?

In this podcast
- We look at Daniel's encounter.
- We look at Zechariah's encounter.
- We look at Mary's encounter.
- We look at all of the Apostle John's encounters in Revelation
- We look at Cornelius' encounter.
- We look at Peter's encounter
- We look at one of Paul's encounters

SUMMARY

We find the same pattern with Daniel, Zechariah, Mary, Cornelius, Peter, Paul and John

* Heaven initiates heavenly encounters

* Heaven initiates IN those encounters

* We respond to heaven’s initiation

*We can position ourselves by living godly lives, lives of prayer and fasting

*We do not command angels! How/when do we interact with them?

*We ASK GOD … we TALK to Him - For our own protection & the angels?

*We deal RUTHLESSLY with envy & jealousy of those who have 'seer' gifts we do not.

*Remember: God has covered many of us in our foolishness

Let’s REPENT tonight if we have tried to initiate encounters or have done any of these practices. If we have envied others.

Disclaimer - This teaching is LONG.

Disclaimer #2 - it is important because many Christians believe it is their mandate to command/rebuke/bind so-called "Territorial Spirits". This practice has become known as doing Strategic Level Spirit Warfare (SLSW). Other parts of SLWS include "Spiritual Mapping" and Identificational Repentance".

I used to practice many of these things. Hundreds of thousands of Christians, if not millions, are regularly engaging in SLSW.

In this message, I will be demonstrating that this type of SLSW is not only unBiblical, and was not done throughout Church History, but will make the strong case that we do NOT have the authority to do it, and because of that they are dangerous practices.

But, "Don't we have "all authority""? I deal with this all-important question. We do have authority - to fulfill OUR MANDATE. And where is our mandate? ON EARTH. Not in the 2nd Heavens.

We can and do have a role to play in prayer and I will make that point over and over again. We talk to GOD and GOD ALONE about these matters. We ask Him to battle, to release Angels to engage these entities. That is the Righteous Angels' mandate! Not ours. We pray. Angels engage.

#SLSW #bindingandloosing #fallenangels #angels #territorialspirits #authority #prayer #spiritualwarfare #intercession #princeofpersia #daniel10 #psalm82 #deuteronomy32 #divinecouncil #archangelmichael #theLordrebukeyou #secondheavens

RELATED WORDS/CONCEPTS to address our “self-deception”

Envy - painful or resentful awareness of an advantage or possession (situation) enjoyed by another and the desire to possess the same thing. Theological: Sin of jealousy over the blessings and achievements of others.

Jealousy – synonym of envy
Covetousness - the feeling of having a strong desire for the things that other people have (situations/circumstances/ministries)

Discontentment
FOMO – Fear of Missing Out Resentment
Bitterness

James 3:16 - For where you have envy (jealousy) and selfish ambition (selfishness), there you find disorder and every evil practice. (NIV)

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing . (NASB)

“evil of every kind” (NLT) “confusion and every evil work.” (KJV)
“every vile practice” (ESV)

“every kind of evil.” (HCSB) “chaos and every evil thing.”

“confusion and every perverse work.” “insurrection and every evil matter”

ORIGIN of DEMONIC REALM - Satan / Satan’s Fall – Who? When? What?

Ezekiel 28:13-15 – 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God...14 You were an anointed guardian Cherub; I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.

Isaiah 14:12-14 - “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star/shining one/O Lucifer, son of Dawn!

What was the devil’s 1st sin? Pride or Envy??

ANCIENT JEWISH COMMENTARY - But by the envy of the devil , death entered the world, and they who are allied with him experience it. Wisdom 2:24

COMMENTARY OF THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS

Irenaeus (AD 180) - For he [the devil] was envious of God's workmanship
...becoming envious of man , he was rendered an apostate from the divine law.

Tertullian (AD 210) - the malignant being who, in the beginning, regarded them with envious eye .

Cyprian (AD 250) - he broke forth into jealous and malevolent envy . ...How great an evil it was... that caused an angel to fall!

THE SECRET OF THE AGES - CONTENTMENT - Phil 4:11 - ...I have learned to be content (to be satisfied) regardless of my circumstances

1 Cor. 13:4 - ...love does NOT envy (therefore envy = hate)

Gal 5:19-21 - Envy = work of the flesh

Overcoming Envy?

1. Agree that it is SIN, MY SIN? (the devil’s original sin). Serious.
2. Know/Believe = open door for ALL evil
3. Learn to be content (wage war on discontentment)
4. Grow in love (love does NOT envy!)
5. By the Spirit...STOP - Galatians 5:25-26
6. Put it away/Get rid of it (1 Pet. 2:1) – So, put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander

7. Fixing our eyes upon Jesus! (not on others) – Social Media? 8. Thankfulness

This is an unusual message. And even the title will be confusing to some as we are NOT in the year 5784 as many believe. According to the most ancient Hebrew calendar, we are actually in the year 7576. A change the rabbis made to the Hebrew Bible's chronology and therefore the Jewish calendar nearly 100 years AFTER Christ. And they did that for a very specific reason that I explain at the beginning of this message.

Advent has all but been lost in our day and age. We begin celebrating Christmas often right after Thanksgiving. By the time we get to Christmas, everyone is mostly ready to think about the New Year. Historically, Advent was the season leading up to Christmas wherein believers reflected upon what it was like BEFORE Jesus came. Advent songs are somber and reflective.

In this message, I attempt to capture the dire situation humanity was facing before Christ came to earth. I look at the effects of sin, of angelic rebellion, and the pollution/corruption they introduced. Advent was a time when Christians focused on the problems that Jesus came to address, to solve.

I stopped the recording to cast a personal vision for our church to REDEEM Advent this year. If you'd like to hear that, email me at: joel2generation@gmail.com and I'll send it to you.

It is incredible how we can read Acts and see a verse like Acts 15:41 - "And he [Paul] went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches." And what we don't realize is that there were NO CHURCHES at that time as we would envision or experience churches today. Paul wasn't doing "conferences" at First Baptist Berea or Philippi Pentecostal Assembly. He was visiting churches that met in people's homes. This was the center of 1st-century Christianity.

In a series entitled, Houses of Fire, we continue working through the Book of Acts looking at the phenomenon of the House Church. Paul's 2nd Missionary Journey is the focus of this message - beginning at the end of Acts 15 and ending in Acts 18.

One of the greatest theological questions that has ever faced the church (or should I say "the church since the 5th century"?) is, "What did the Apostle Paul mean when he penned Romans 7?"

Was Paul talking about his present struggle with sin in the passage or was he referring to either his life before Christ (or the life of someone else outside of Christ)?

For many years of my Christian life, I sided with St. Augustine (who actually changed his position) and the Protestant Reformers that Paul was talking about his current life struggle with sin.

And due to that "tradition", many Christian leaders today continue to teach that the Apostle Paul was simply being honest in his ongoing battle with sin. It seems so humble of him and teachers will argue provides a great example for us.

HOWEVER, was that the way Paul intended his chapter to be interpreted? The ENTIRE EARLY CHURCH for over 300 years with a single, uniform voice (whenever they addressed this passage) did NOT BELIEVE PAUL WAS WRITING ABOUT HIS CURRENT STRUGGLE WITH SIN.

In this podcast, we look closely at Romans 7 (and also Romans 6 & 8) to arrive at the Apostolic Understanding (yes, and by 'Apostolic', we mean what the Apostle Paul himself meant when he wrote Romans). Get ready to have your 'tradition' challenged as it may not be Paul's!

In this message, we consider Acts 14 and slay the "myth" that the Christian life is somehow problem-free. Paul's life was anything but problem-free. Somehow through nearly 2000 years of Church History, a "version" of Christianity has been (is being) preached that gives people the impression that following Jesus amounts to life enhancement and the disappearance of problems. It may not be stated as such, but it is often implied. It is a version of the so-called "Prosperity Gospel" which Paul's life completely undermines. It is truly ANOTHER Gospel that is being presented by advocates of the Prosperity Gospel (ironically, they completely misuse/abuse Old Testament promises that not only do not apply to them, but as part of a covenant that required the death penalty for multiple reasons - something they "conveniently" overlook!!!)

Can we eliminate many of the problems that might be a part of life? - Sure, if choose NOT TO LIVE as radical disciples of Jesus preaching the Gospel! But, if we live as faithful followers of Christ who preach the Gospel (that demands repentance), then we will be persecuted - we will face tribulation.

Philippians 2:1-17 (ESV)

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count
others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

We begin by reviewing what a New Testament False Prophet was/is and more importantly IS NOT. Many today are being called "False Prophets" who according to the New Testament are not.

Next, we turn back to Paul's 1st Missionary and look at HOW Paul shares the Gospel in Acts 13. What was his message? Who was his audience?

Who we are sharing the Gospel with will determine how we share the Gospel. What is the worldview of our audience? Paul is communicating the Gospel in Acts 13 in Jewish synagogues to a Jewish audience (and/or Gentiles who have been influenced by Judaism). Today if we are sharing the Gospel with New Agers we will need to apply the Gospel quite differently and adjust our message. Or to Muslims. We need to be prepared for the audience we may have. Paul was clearly prepared to communicate the Gospel in a Jewish setting!

Some aspects of the Gospel message need to be communicated to every type of listener - the death & resurrection of Christ, the forgiveness of sin, and the freedom from sin that is available through Christ alone!

The Gospel will also elicit many different responses - we see this in Acts 13. Excitement. People influenced and wanting to hear more. New disciples. But at the same time - anger, jealousy, people provoked. So much so, that sometimes it leads to violent opposition. Popular acceptance AND violent rejection. If today we are communicating the Gospel accurately, we too will find the same types of responses - whether in individuals and/or groups.

We end this message with a challenge to be prepared to share the Gospel which means knowing the beliefs of our hearer(s) and knowing how the Gospel specifically addresses what is lacking in their belief system. We also moved into a time of ministry where we prayed for people who needed forgiveness, who needed freedom (from sin)., and who wanted to be filled afresh with joy and the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52)

It was in the fulness of time, the PERFECT TIMING that Christ came. The fulfillment of prophecies from thousands of years earlier, including the 5500-year prophecy that ancient Judaism and the early Christians believed was given to Adam when he and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden.

The world was ready for the spread of the Gospel - a Roman Empire characterized by peace, roads built and a unifying language (Greek) - and the Jews had a Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, that fit into all of this - the Messianic prophecies contained within and a chronology that pointed to the time of Christ as the fulfillment of the 5500-year prophecy. The later Rabbis removed 1500 years out of their Hebrew Old Testament (that became the Masoretic text) to discredit the Septuagint (LXX). Why? To discredit the belief that Jesus of Nazareth was/is the promised Jewish Messiah!

In Acts 13, we meet a "false prophet" and interestingly, that term is used and abused by many Christians today who have little idea what the New Testament and the earliest Christians believed false prophets to be. Today, misusing OT passages that NO LONGER APPLY because they are a part of the Old Covenant that ended/passed away, Christians often think (I call it "the Myth of the False Prophet") that if a Christian prophetic person/prophet misses a prophetic word or gets it wrong that that makes them a "false prophet". Unfortunately, that is NOT what a false prophet is in the New Testament.

Beyond the New Testament, the earliest Christians had ways that they "tested" for false prophets - IF ONLY WE USED THEIR TESTS TODAY! In short, if $$$ was involved, the so-called 'prophet' was to be rejected! Supernatural ministry was not linked to finances in the early church. OH, THE WISDOM!!! And if any supernatural ministry today is charging money (requiring $$) for their supernatural ministry, then RUN from it!!! Should those in supernatural ministry (prophetic, healing, deliverance) be supported??? ABSOLUTELY. But not "for" their the use of their gifts!!! Charging $$$ for supernatural ministry was considered a serious sin in the early church.

So we delve into all of these topics - the timing of Christ's 1st coming, false prophets vs. true prophets today and ultimately end by discussing the prophetic times in which we are currently living. What is God saying?

There is arguably no greater story in Biblical and Church History that the collection, translations, canonization, and preservation (or as you shall see the attempts to corrupt the text) of the Old Testament Scriptures.

Everyone is the product of a "Tradition" and we will look at some of them.

The main question that is looked at is why there are differences between the Masoretic Text (MT) and the Septuagint (LXX) of the Old Testament. The New Testament writers quote the LXX 80-90% of the time and most often their quotations do NOT match what we find in our Old Testaments. Why is that? How did the MT and the LXX become different?

What about the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) - which contained mostly Hebrew and some Aramaic Old Testament scrolls and fragments? They are more than 1000 years OLDER than the extant MT manuscripts we possess (from around 1000AD).

What you will learn is that the rabbis "attempted" to corrupt/change/alter the Hebrew Bible by tampering with Messianic prophecies that clearly pointed to Jesus as their Messiah. The timing of His coming, the nature and scope of His Mission, and even His very identity.

But thank to God's sovereignty and to the work of Textual Criticism, we can know what the Original Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures contained!

God preserved His Word and often did so in an unusual manner. To think a translation into another language (i.e. the Greek Septuagint from nearly 300 years BEFORE Christ) reveals the original Hebrew better than the MT Hebrew text that was only canonized around AD100 (400 years later). To think that God would use the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (from 1947 to 2017) to in many cases confirm that it was the LXX that reflected the Hebrew original Tanakh better than the existing Hebrew Tanakh.

This evidence flies in the face of what many of us were taught in our seminaries and Bible colleges. I for one was told that the Masoretic Text (MT) that my Old Testament was based upon (I was using the NASB) was meticulously preserved and copied. The memo I got was that I could "trust" my Old Testament and that because it was translated from the MT, it was as closer to the original Hebrew than any other textual tradition could provide.

This is simply a MYTH. The Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls end up "correcting" the MT text in many places where the actual text of the Hebrew was modified by Rabbi Akiba and others between AD90-AD110 - close to 100 years AFTER Christ. To think we would trust unbelieving rabbis who rejected Jesus as their Messiah who were doing all they could to stop the growing Christian movement! And in this podcast, I provide a number of actual examples of where they altered and changed their Hebrew Bible from its original.

Thankfully, God has preserved for us the Old Testament. And for the first time in history, a critical text of the Hebrew Old Testament is being worked on. It is called The Hebrew Bible: A Critical Edition (HBCE) which so far only has the book of Proverbs completed. We have had a critical text of our Greek New Testament now for more than 150 years. By comparing ALL of the extant Greek manuscripts, it has been estimated that we can know we have the text of the original New Testament to an accuracy of 99.5%. A critical text of the Old Testament will accomplish the same thing. Thankfully today, we have many Old Testament translations - like the ESV and NET that incorporate the LXX and the DSS and when they "correct" the MT, they will render the English accordingly.

A message from Natalie out of the Epistle of 2nd Peter which challenges ideas that many Christians have about "freedom". In the name of "being free", many are actually getting hardened, saying yes to sin, and actually getting deceived.

Here is the key Scriptural passage - 2 Peter 1:1-15

1 Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ,

To those who have received and possess [by God’s will] a precious faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be multiplied to you in the [true, intimate] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has bestowed on us His precious and magnificent promises [of inexpressible value], so that by them you may escape from the immoral freedom that is in the world because of disreputable desire, and become sharers of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises, make every effort] in [exercising] your faith to, develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding), 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, steadfastness, and in your steadfastness, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly affection, and in your brotherly affection, [develop Christian] love [that is, learn to unselfishly seek the best for others and to do things for their benefit]. 8 For as these qualities are yours and are increasing [in you as you grow toward spiritual maturity], they will keep you from being useless and unproductive in regard to the true knowledge and greater understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is blind—shortsighted [closing his spiritual eyes to the truth], having become oblivious to the fact that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin]; 11 for in this way entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly provided to you. 12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and are established in the truth which is held firmly in your grasp. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this earthly tent, to inspire you by reminding you, 14 knowing that the laying aside of this earthly tent of mine is imminent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 Moreover, I will diligently endeavor [to see to it] that even after my departure you will be able, at all times, to call these things to mind.

Acts 11:27-30 – What? Prophets in the Church?

No epistles by Agabus? / "Foretelling” / Prophets from Jerusalem

Response: People believed and acted

GIFT OF PROPHECY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH - QUESTIONS

1. Difference between OT Prophets and NT Prophets – Authority in OT vs. NT?

2. Who can prophesy in the NT? Who can be prophets?

3. What do we do with prophetic revelation in the NT?

3. Prophetic Gifts vs. Prophet(s) - Office

4. What are the prophetic gifts?

5. Why would we still NEED prophetic gifts? We have the Scriptures.

6. Types of Prophetic Revelation

7. How do you get prophetic gifts?

8. How do you grow in prophetic gifting?

9. Our role? God’s role? (sovereign)

10. Current Misuse of the Prophetic Gifts

11. What if a prophet makes a mistake? (Deuteronomy 13)

12. Does making a mistake make one a “false prophet”?

RELEVANT NT PASSAGES ABOUT THE GIFT OF PROPHECY

Acts 2:6-8, 42 - 42 ... devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching

1 Cor 12:1, 4-11, 27-31

1 Cor 14:1, 3-5, 22-25, 26-32, 37-40
1 Thes 5:19-21

Acts 13:1-2

Acts 21:8-14 - 8

Eph 3:3-5 - 3

Eph 4:11-13

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OT & NT PROPHETS

OT & NT Prophets receive revelation

NT Prophets do NOT have the same authority as OT Prophets!

No OT command – “Test everything" or “Let the others judge”

Old Testament Prophets established/defined doctrine

The Apostles (who all prophesied) established/defined doctrine in the NT – Today??

NT Prophets were NOT establishing doctrine, defining doctrine!

Discern times (spirits), edify/encourage/console, direction, warn

DID THE GIFT OF PROPHECY CONTINUE AFTER THE APOSTLES??

Didache & Shepherd of Hermas – $ = False Prophet

Justin Martyr (AD 160) - The prophetic gifts remain with us, even to the present time….Now, it is possible to see among us women and men who possess gifts of the Spirit of God.

Irenaeus (AD 180) - ...perform [works] in His name, in order to promote the welfare of others, according to the gift that each one has received from Him. Some truly and certainly cast out devils. The result is that those who have been cleansed from evil spirits frequently both believe and join themselves to the Church. Others have foreknowledge of things to come. They see visions, and they utter prophetic expressions. Still others heal the sick by laying their hands upon them, and the sick are made whole. ...for the benefit of the Gentiles, neither practicing deception upon any, nor taking any reward from them. For, just as she has received without charge from God, so does she minister without charge . ... has worked miracles for the benefit of mankind, and not to lead them into error. The name of our Lord Jesus Christ even now confers benefits.... many brethren in the Church who possess prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit speak all kinds of languages, and bring to light for the general benefit the hidden things of men.

GENTILE REVIVAL BEGINS - AD 41

Acts 11:19-26 - 19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen (AD 34-5) traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews . 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord . 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church (where? ) and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians .

**God’s Intention of the New Covenant = Jews & Gentiles**

THE NEW COVENANT'S INTENTION - ONE NEW HOUSE/MAN

•AD 41 – Still “speaking the word to no one except Jews” (Acts 11:19) – 11 years AFTER Pentecost!!!

•A new name emerges – “Christian” – a new era/day, the full intent of Messiah’s mission, in a new city (Antioch – center of “CHRISTIAN-ity”)

•WHY PAUL? former Pharisee who had been “un-pharisee-ized”) – would have had his “leaven” removed. 3 years in “Damascus” (Essenes)

Prophecy found amongst the Dead Sea Scroll

Testament of Benjamin - “I will no longer be called a ravening wolf on account of your ravages, but a worker of the Lord, distributing food to them that work what is good. One will rise up from my seed in the latter times, beloved of the Lord, hearing His voice on the earth, enlightening with new knowledge all the Gentiles, bursting in on Israel for salvation with the light of knowledge, and tearing it away from them like a wolf, and giving it to the synagogue of the Gentiles. Until the consummation of the ages, he will be in the synagogues of the Gentiles, and among their rulers, as a strain of music in the mouth of all; and he will be inscribed in the holy books , both his work and his word, and he will be a chosen one of God forever; and because of him my father Jacob instructed me, saying, ‘He will fill up that which lacks from your tribe.’”

Paul learned of his “Prophetic destiny” - Life & Ministry, Writings = Scripture, Gentile MissionTribe of Benjamin (Phil 3:5)/ “Apostle of the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13; 1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11) - His Epistles – expound the new law , the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2 – “…so fulfill the Law of Christ ) = the Law of the New Covenant.

Ephesians 2:12-21 - 11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances , that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two , so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

NEW COVENANT'S INTENTION (continued) - UNDOING the Effects of the Tower of Babel and the 3rd Angelic Fall

Genesis 11:1-9 – Tower of Babel incident, God’s judgment = disinheriting the nations (i.e. the Gentiles) - disinherited/divorces the nations (before this God was in covenant w/ ALL of Noah’s descendants (Gen 9:1) – God’s judgment. Gen 12 – calls Abram OUT OF MESOPOTAMIA.

3RD ANGELIC FALL – the Fall of Sons of God put over the Nations – (Deut. 32/Psalm 82)

Deuteronomy 32:8–9 - When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He divided mankind, He fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God/angels of God . 9 - But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.

“Deuteronomy 32:8–9 informs us that the act of judgment enacted on humanity at Babel resulted not only in dividing and scattering them but assigning them to members of Yahweh’s heavenly host-council.”

“In terms of a human perspective, while Yahweh’s judgment was harsh, it was not final. When God chose to raise up a new human family (Israel) in the wake of Babel, he left room for the salvation of the forsaken nations in his covenant with Abram. It would be through Abram’s descendants that all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen 12:1–3). The promise would, of course, be fulfilled in Christ (Gal 3:16: “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to off-springs,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ”). Prior to the coming of the Promised One, gentiles had to join themselves to Israel (i.e. proselytes/circumcision), forsaking other gods, to be in right relationship to the true God. Israel was to be a kingdom of priests bearing witness to the goodness of life with Yahweh as their God, but there was no overt attempt to evangelize the inhabitants of the nations. They were under judgment.”

NEW COVENANT'S INTENTION - Dealing with the 3rd Angelic Fall

Psalm 82:1-6, 8 – the corruption of those Gods! (Describes their fall!)

1 God [elohim ] has taken his place/stands in the divine council; in the midst of the gods [elohim ] he holds judgment: 2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” 5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods [elohim ], sons of the Most High [beney elyon ], all of you; 7 nevertheless, like men you shall die , and fall like any prince.” 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations ! (Through Messiah!)

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Commentary - “The gods charged with the rule of the nations became corrupt administrators and, in so doing, sowed chaos in the heavenly realm as well. Yahweh created a world characterized by righteousness (ṣedāqâ) and well-being (šālôm ). In Psalm 82, “The gods are condemned to death for their failure to carry out justice in the human realm.…”

The concept that the nations of the world were allotted to lesser gods as a punishment at Babel and that those gods sowed chaos on earth and were hostile to Yahweh and his people can be seen in a variety of Second Temple [Jewish] texts.”

God disinherited humanity (the Gentiles) at the Babel event, assigning the nations to ‘lesser gods’ (angels/sons of God) who sowed chaos amongst their charge. “The notion that different nations were allotted to different gods or heavenly beings was widespread in the ancient world…The origin of this idea is to be sought in the ancient Near Eastern concept of the Divine Council.

3 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW COVENANT

1. New Covenant – for who? Displaces the Old Covenant, obsolete (AD70 – End of Temple Judaism) – Why the Apostle Paul?

Jeremiah 31:31-34 - 31 “…I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah , 32 not like the covenant [Mosaic] that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke,…33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,… (Why it took them so long to get the “gentile part” of the memo?)

Ephesians 2:15 - 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances – Now? Christ’s commandments…“a new commandment I give you”

Hebrews 8:13 - 13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one [Mosaic] obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away . (AD 70 approaching)

Hebrews 9:9-10 - 9 According to this arrangement [the Mosaic Covenant], gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation .

God thus shows that the ancient covenant [Mosaic] is temporary only , when He indicates its change. Also, when He promises that it will be followed by an eternal one [New Covenant ]. …The epistle that we also allow to be the most decisive against Judaism, is that in which the apostle [Paul] instructs the Galatians. For we fully admit the abolition of the ancient Law . We hold that it actually proceeds from the dispensation of the Creator. ...Christ marks the period of the separation when He says, “The Law and the Prophets were until John.” [Lk. 16:16] He thus made the Baptist the boundary between the two dispensations of the old things that were then terminating and the new things that were then beginning. Tertullian (AD 207)

**Not Replacement Theology – “One New House (Man) under the Priesthood and Law of Christ” Theology**

2. Reversing the Tower of Babel Judgment on mankind – from disinheritance to remarrying the nations (the Gentiles)! - Testimony - “God wants to put a ring on your finger”

3. Disempowerment of those “gods” over the nations – = our empowerment - prayer, EVANGELISM - preaching the Gospel (setting captives free), exorcism, healing, gifts of the Spirit, discernment, enforcing their original (pre-fallen) mandate (justice, etc.) - Where? in the 1st Heavens (on Earth)

In early June, an Air Force officer and former intelligence officer named David Grusch came forward as a protected whistleblower and testified that the U.S. Government is in possession of 12 crafts/vehicles (made by "non-human intelligence") that either landed or crashed and had also recovered "non-human bodies". Additionally, he claimed the secret Pentagon program has been working on reverse engineering of the technologically advanced "spacecraft".

The US Government tried to take control of the "narrative" by denying the veracity of the report both a week before and a week afterward including from the agency that Grusch had previously worked for.

In this podcast, I look at the modern history of the UFO phenomenon which began in the 1940s. I then look at the modern "Occult History" which is directly related to the modern UFO phenomenon. A Christian perspective MUST factor in the occult/spiritual dynamics that have characterized the modern era.

I next go back into the Ancient History of the UFO phenomenon - looking at the Fall of Angelic beings. We look at and consider many of the relevant Biblical passages in both the Old and New Testaments.

I argue at the end of the podcast that we must interpret the Biblical Passages correctly if we hope to explain the modern UFO/Alien phenomenon. Many Christians do not interpret the key Biblical passages according to their ancient and Apostolic understandings. This will result in an inability to respond to any "evidence" that emerges pointing to "non-human" craft and entities. If it is simply "all spiritual, all demonic" as many Christians superficially claim, then how will they explain what a man like David Grusch is claiming?

Finally, we look at why we should we care? What, if any application, is there for Christians? The Bible rightly understood/interpreted in fact can explain ALL of the paranormal phenomena that is so ubiquitous in modern Western Culture. The Church must be prepared and sadly, right now, much of it is entirely unprepared to "give an answer" to the questions that millions are now asking!

#ufos, #uaps, #aliens, #disclosure, #spacecrafts, #flyingsaucers, #roswell, #deception, #abduction, #grusch, #whistleblower

Are we under the Law of Moses (Mosaic Law/Sinai Covenant/Old Covenant) today? There is so much confusion amongst followers of Jesus as to what from the Old Testament

In this podcast, we will look at Acts 11:1-18 where Peter explains what happened with Cornelius and a group of Gentiles in Acts 10. We will also look at Acts 15 where under the Holy Spirit's inspiration, we learn exactly what God required of Gentile believers. We will also see that as the 1st century progressed there was in fact a shift from the Old Covenant (Mosaic/Sinai) to the New Covenant as there was no longer any way for Jews to carry out the requirements of "the Law" that was given to Moses because there was no longer a Jewish Temple. Jesus FULFILLED the Law and the Old Covenant was deemed "obsolete".

Summary of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)

GENTILES DO NOT HAVE TO KEEP THE MOSAIC LAW – ceremonial, civic, dietary

NO SEXUAL IMMORALITY (moral law) – fornication, adultery, homosexuality, etc.

NO CIRCUMCISION (from Abrahamic Covenant)

NO DETAILED DIETARY LAWS (only blood, strangled animal meat, meat sacrificed to idols)

NO SABBATH OBSERVANCE COMMANDED (ceremonial)

NO FESTIVALS COMMANDED

What LAW are we commanded to obey today? The Law of Christ – His Teachings and His Apostles

“If you love me, you will keep/obey MY commandments” – John 14:15

(9 of the 10 commandments repeated in the New Testament – the MORAL LAW)

Confusion about Biblical Covenants

How many are there? Who were they made with? Who did they apply to? What were/are the conditions?

Which still apply TODAY? Which commandments are we supposed to obey?

What commandments/regulations/ordinances are “perpetual”? (“everlasting”/ “forever”)

Were any commandments “temporary”?

Seventh-Day Adventists / Messianic Judaism (*for Jewish background)

(Some) Word of Faith Prosperity Teachers – blessings, curses?

Hebrew Roots / Torah Observant – “Lawlessness”?

Biblical Covenants - Are there 4? 5? 6?

Adamic (?) / Noahic / Abrahamic / Mosaic/Sinai (Old Covenant) / Davidic / New Covenant

1. Noahic – WHO? all mankind (Gen 8-9) / SIGN? Rainbow

2. Abrahamic – WHO? Abraham and his Seed (Gen 12, 15, 17, 22) / SIGN? Circumcision

3. Mosaic (Old) – WHO? Nation of Israel (Exodus 19-40, Deuteronomy) / SIGN? Sabbath

4. Davidic – WHO? David & his Son (2 Sam. 7, 1 Kgs. 2 & 9, Ps 2, 89) / SIGN? Throne

5. New Covenant – WHO? Jews & Gentiles (Jer. 31:31-34, Ez. 36) / SIGN? Baptism

Jeremiah 31:31-34 - 31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah , 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke , though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts . And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

In this message, I synthesize the 2 messages I've recently posted about House Churches.

I share my journey and prophetic history with how God has led us and spoken to us.

I discuss the issue/question "What about the Big Church?" - the way we have been doing church for so long.

I then look at 4 points:

1. Church BEGAN in houses
2. Revival REQUIRED/WILL REQUIRE houses
3. Houses are KEY to evangelism - to reach the unreached/despised
4. Holy Spirit Ministry and House Churches
5. The future - will the Church that began in houses, END in houses?

Ezekiel 47:1, 8-12 - 1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.

…8 And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. 9 And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea[e ] may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. 12 And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

Psalm 1:1-3 - 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

John 15:1-11 - 1 “I am a true sprouting vine, and the farmer who tends the vine is my Father. 2 He cares for the branches connected to me by lifting and propping up the fruitless branches and pruning every fruitful branch to yield a greater harvest. 3 The words I have spoken over you have already cleansed you. 4 So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine. 5 “I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. 6 If a person is separated from me, he is discarded; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire to be burned. 7 But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done. 8 When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify my Father! 9 “I love each of you with the same love that the Father loves me. You must continually let my love nourish your hearts. 10 If you keep my commands, you will live in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands, for I continually live nourished and empowered by his love. 11 My purpose for telling you these things is so that the joy that I experience will fill your hearts with overflowing gladness!

Galatians 5:22-23 - 22 But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions : joy that overflows , peace that subdues , patience that endures , kindness in action , a life full of virtue, faith that prevails , 23 gentleness of heart , and strength of spirit . Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.

Summary of Part 1
+ The Church BEGAN in a house (will it END in houses?)

+ No Church ‘buildings’ (earliest in the 200s, converted house)

+ Revival needed houses – evangelism/teaching/discipling

+ Public Meetings (i.e. Temple) often led to problems

+ First 10-year period involved ONLY Jews & circumcised proselytes (2:5 - “devout Jews”, 2:11 - “both Jews and converts to Judaism”)

+ House-sized churches are still the norm in many places on Earth

+ Fearful (masked) people won’t go to big meetings, but homes?

+ House meetings necessitate relational evangelism (vs. contact)

ACTS TIMELINE/EVENTS – AD 40 – Gentile Pentecost (3.0)

ACTS 9:43 - 43 And he [Peter] stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner. [in a house]

Acts 10:1-5 - 1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day (WHILE IN PRAYER – v. 30 ) he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” (HIS NAME ) 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. (HIS PRAYERS ) 5 And now send men to Joppa (PETER’S CITY ) and bring one Simon who is called Peter (PETER’S FULL NAME ).

*WHO IS CALLING WHO?* - Lost calling the saved – Are we expecting this??

Acts 10:6-8 - 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. (PETER’S ADDRESS from an Angel!)” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

*FIRST-TIME OBEDIENCE*

Acts 10:9-20 - 9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. (WHILE IN PRAYER ) 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance (MOST VULNERABLE ) 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. 17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate (DIVINE TIMING) 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.”

*ROLE OF SUPERNATURAL* - New Wineskins often require it. i.e. Muslims

*DIETARY LAWS? OLD COVENANT* – also an entirely NEW WINESKIN

*3 encounters + 1 Holy Spirit “says”* - WE can be STUCK in our ways, methods, expectations

Acts 10:21-33 - 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house (VIOLATION!) and to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests . The next day he rose and *went away with them* (WITHOUT the “Approval” of the other Apostles!), and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him (CONFUSION ). 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation , but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection (LOL ). I ask then why you sent for me.” 30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying (+ “fasting” – some translations) in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ (SHARED THE DETAILED PROPHETIC WORD ) 33 So I sent for you at once (TRUE ), and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear ALL that you have been COMMANDED by the Lord.”

*LOST want to hear ALL* - not watering anything down, avoiding the difficult

(Jesus = ONLY WAY, issue of sin/repentance, judgment)

Acts 10:34-48 - 34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil , for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And *he commanded us to preach * to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (THE GOSPEL ) 44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on ALL who heard the word. 45 And THE BELIEVERS from among the circumcised [Jewish background] who had come with Peter WERE AMAZED , because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles . 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they [Gentiles] asked him [Peter] to remain [in their house] for some days.

*Preaching* - not “listening” – an apostle w/ an apostolic mandate

*Not just praying for people, prophesying…but also PREACHING!

*Who will we be “amazed” by when the Holy Spirit comes upon them? “even on the _______”

*BELIEVE & BE BAPTIZED – no delays / Spirit baptism!

SUMMARY

1. Meetings in HOMES (2 Biblical Strategies – are there more?)

a. PENTECOST 1.0 – For Jewish believers (a church w/ house groups to a church OF house groups)

b. PENTECOST 2.0 - For the harvest/lost/despised/rejected – 1st Century - Gentiles/Muslims/LGBTQ+?/Homeless?

This new wineskin was a HUGE barrier for Peter – going into THEIR homes! Jewish Dietary laws = obsolete (Old Covenant)

HOW will we find modern-day “God Fearers”? We don’t want it to take 10 years to discover the fullness of our calling!!

2. God pouring out His Spirit on house churches - Iran – 1 million believers? Evangelism in the U.S.?

*Both sides needed revelation – Cornelius (lost) & Peter (Christians)

*The bigger barrier was on the side of the believers – today? LGBTQ+? / *Jews & Arabs? – End Time harvest?

3. New means NEW – not going back to normal, will we learn what God has been trying to teach us? New approaches, new lifestyles, new obedience? Holding things loosely.

4. Not getting distracted – silence other “voices” GOSPEL!!! – “run in such a way that you get the prize” (I Cor 9:24)

5. More Prophetic Direction – More training/equipping/teaching - only doing what we see/hear the Father doing/saying

WHOSE HOME NEEDS TO BE OPENED NEXT?

Why do I think we can re-affirm that there is a strong case of "Endtime-itis" today in the Body of Christ?

Just recently I found the following titles for podcasts/videos being done by Christians:

•“Has the Tribulation Begun?”

•“The End has Begun”

•“Is the United States Mystery Babylon [in] THE BOOK OF REVELATION?”

•“What is the system of the Beast”?
•“End of the World”

•“God of Magog and the Antichrist”

•“The Antichrist Agenda”

•“666 and the Last Generation of Humans”

In this podcast, I will look at the different End-Time Views.

We will discuss the 3 main approaches to the fulfillment of Biblical End Time prophecies - Preterism, Historicism, and Futurism. What they are? How do they interpret the Book of RevelationWho held/holds them?

Next, we'll look at the Timing and Nature of Christ's Return and the Millennium - We will look at the 3 main views - Amillennialism, Postmillennialism, and Premillennialism - What do each of them teach? What are their strengths/weaknesses? Who held to/holds these positions?

After that, I will break down the 2 main views of Premillennialism - Historic and Dispensational. I will add a third one that has been termed "Apostolic Premillennialism". What doe they teach? Who held/holds them?

We look at well as the viewpoints on the Rapture - What exactly is the so-called "Rapture" and when will it occur? Does it happen BEFORE, DURING, or AFTER the Tribulation ? This gets us into the doctrine of the Great Tribulation. What have people believed about it throughout Church History?

We get into the main passage of Scripture that many of the End Times beliefs come from - Matthew 24.

We also get into the passages/verses that talk about the Anti-Christ, the 1000-year Millennium, and the Great Tribulation - that includes Daniel 7:25, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Revelation 3:10, 7:17 and 20:1-3.

A main part of the message was looking at what happened in AD 70. Were many/most of the End Times prophecies fulfilled at that time? Or has AD 70 been ignored? Is it being over-emphasized and viewed as too important?

Perhaps the most important part of this message is to see what the Early Christians from the early 2nd Century and onwards believed. What did they believe about AD 70? Did they believe in a 1000-year literal Millennial Reign of Christ on the Earth? Did they believe that the Anti-Christ came in the 1st Century or was he still going to come in the future? Did they believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church?

We KNOW what they believed. Were they right? Who should we be listening to? What is clear is that many Christians today do not know what they believed and base their End Times views on what their pastor/s have taught and/or what their 'traditions' teach.

I've personally held to several of the viewpoints covered. I will share my "eclectic" one - wherein I try to take the "best of" the different viewpoints to inform my own today. Regardless of where people end up landing, this historical journey will help you to understand some of the most divisive topics in the Church today. May this help any of us who happen to be battling "Endtime-itis"!

#preterism #preterist #historicism #futurism #futurist #antichrist #postmillennialism #postmillennial
#premillennialism #premillennial #panmillennialism #panmillennial #rapture #millennium #1000-years #Revelation #tribulation #pretrib #midtrib #posttrib #prewrath #secondcoming #2ndcoming #endtimes #endtimeprophecy #prophecy #matthew24 #olivetdiscourse #70AD #jerusalem #deception #greattribulation

Pascha 2023 – Christ’s Descent

Apostle’s Creed - I believe in God the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, descended to the dead (lit. “to the lower”), rose again from the dead on the third day,

Acts 2:22-28, 31-32

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’…
31 he [David] foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

Eph. 4:9 - Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

1 Pet. 3:18-19 - 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which He went and proclaimed/preached to the spirits in prison , 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah,

“Almost without exception in the NT, “spirits” (plural) refers to supernatural beings rather than to people…The word “prison” is not used elsewhere in Scripture as a place of punishment after death for humans beings, while it is used for Satan (Rev. 20:7) and other fallen angels (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). In this case the message Christ proclaimed is almost certainly one of triumph…”

2 Pet. 2:4 – 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into tartarus and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgmen t;

Jude 6 - 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, He has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day —

1 Pet. 4:6 - For this reason, the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Christ rose from the place of the dead, and raised up the race of Adam from the grave below. Melito (c. 170, E), 8.757.

The Lord was made “the First-Begotten of the dead.” Receiving into His bosom the ancient fathers, He has regenerated them into the life of God. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.455.

For their benefit, “He also descended into the lower parts of the earth,” to behold with His eyes the state of those who were resting from their labors. ...For Christ did not come merely for those who believed on Him in the time of Tiberius Caesar. Nor did the Father exercise His providence only for the men who are presently alive. Rather, He exercised it for all men altogether, who from the beginning...have both feared and loved God. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.494.

It was for this reason, too, that the Lord descended into the regions beneath the earth, preaching His advent there also. And He [declared] the remission of sins received by those who believe in Him. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.499.

He gathered from the ends of the earth into His Father's fold the children who were scattered abroad. And He remembered His own dead ones, who had previously fallen asleep. He came down to them so that He might deliver them. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.506.

For three days He dwelt in the place where the dead were, as the prophet said concerning Him. “And the Lord remembered His dead saints who slept formerly in the land of the dead. And He descended to them to rescue and save them.” The Lord Himself said, “As Jonah remained three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so will the Son of man be in the heart of the earth.” Irenaeus

The Lord preached the Gospel to those in Hades. ...Do not [the Scriptures] show that the Lord preached the Gospel to those who perished in the flood, or rather had been chained, as to those kept in ward and guard? And it has been shown also...that the apostles, following the Lord, preached the Gospel to those in Hades. ...If, then, the Lord descended to Hades for no other reason but to preach the Gospel (as He did descend), it was either to preach the Gospel to all , or else to the Hebrews only. If, accordingly, He preached to all, then all who believe will be saved on making their profession there—even though they may be Gentiles. For God's punishments are saving and disciplinary, leading to conversion. He desires the repentance, rather than the death, of a sinner. This is especially so since souls, although darkened by passions, when released from their bodies, are able to perceive more clearly. For they are no longer obstructed by the paltry flesh. ...Did not the same dispensation obtain in Hades? For even there, all the souls, on hearing the proclamation, could either exhibit repentance, or confess that their punishment was just, because they did not believe. And it was not arbitrary that they could obtain either salvation or punishment. For those who had departed before the coming of the Lord had not had the Gospel preached to them. So, they had been given no opportunity to either believe or not believe. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195)

He preached the Gospel to those in the flesh so that they would not be condemned unjustly. So how is it conceivable that He did not for the same reason preach the Gospel to those who had departed this life before His coming? Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.492.

Hades is not supposed by us to be a bare cavity, nor some subterranean sewer of the world. Rather it is a vast deep space in the interior of the earth. ...For we read that Christ in His death spent three days in the heart of the earth. ...He did not ascend into the heights of heaven before descending into the lower parts of the earth. This was so that He might there [in Hades] make the patriarchs and prophets partakers of Himself. Tertullian (c. 210, W), 3.231.

[Christ is Lord of] things under the earth, because He was also reckoned among the dead. For He preached the Gospel to the souls of the saints. Through death, He overcame death. Hippolytus (c. 200, W), 5.209.

[John the Baptist] also first preached to those in Hades, becoming a forerunner there when he was put to death by Herod. So even there, too, John revealed that the Savior would descend to ransom the souls of the saints from the hand of death. Hippolytus (c. 200, W), 5.213.

Christ delivered the first man of earth from the lowest Hades, when he was lost and bound by the chains of death. ...This is He who was to become the preacher of the gospel to the dead. Hippolytus (c. 205, W), 5.170.

The jailers of Hades trembled when they saw Him. And the gates of brass and the bolts of iron were broken. For, look! The Only-Begotten, God the Word, had entered Hades with a soul—a soul among souls. Hippolytus (c. 205, W), 5.194.

It was the same among the dead. Christ was the only free person there, and His soul was not left in Hades. As a result, then, He is the first and the last. Origen (c. 228, E), 10.315.

When Christ became a soul, without the covering of the body, He dwelled among those souls who were also without bodily covering. And He converted those of them who were willing. Origen (c. 248)

Meanwhile, Hades was resplendent with light. For the Star had descended to there. Actually, the Lord did not descend into Hades in His body, but in His spirit. In short, He is working every­where. For while He raised the dead by His body, by His spirit He was liberating souls. ...For the Lord had conquered Hades, had trodden down death. Alexander of Alexandria (c. 324)

TEXT - ROMANS 7:14-24

2 "Roman Roads" of Interpretations - Romans 7

1. Paul is describing his current situation/struggle as a Christian - Portrays the experience of believers after their conversion . They have died and risen with Christ with the capacity to renounce sin. Yet as children of Adam, they continue to possess a sinful nature that dogs their well-intended efforts to do what is right. This sets up the struggle that Paul presents in this chapter. It is his struggle and every believer’s struggle until the return of Christ.

2. Paul is describing his past before Christ - Romans 7 presents Paul’s description of his own struggle prior to his conversion to Christ. Paul describes the unregenerate state in which he (and, by extension, others) struggles to do what is right [under the law] and confesses to sin’s repeated victories prior to the entrance of the Spirit into his life.

ROMANS 7 Commentary/Interpretation

“If Paul was describing the dilemma of a Christian in verses 13-25, then “in my spirit” (rather than “in my inner being”) would have been the natural phrase to describe the source of a Christian’s longing for God. But Paul avoids “S/spirit” language throughout this whole passage since it DOES NOT APPLY to the one who does not belong to Christ”. (pg. 745, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary )

“Most of the early church fathers thought that these verses described an unregenerate person . Augustine as well, but he changed his position after the controversy with Pelagius. Almost all of the reformers held to the regenerate interpretation. It was the basis of Luther’s ‘simul iustus et peccator .’” (simultaneous justified and sinner) - Nick Campbell

“It should be of interest to the reader that Romans 7 was never interpreted as a believer in the first 300 years of the Christian Church .” – James Shelly

“The Greek Fathers, during the first three hundred years of church history, unanimously interpreted this scripture as describing a thoughtful moralist endeavoring, without the grace of God, to realize his highest ideal of moral purity. Augustine, to rob his opponent Pelagius of the two proof-texts, originated the theory that the seventh of Romans delineated a regenerate man” - Dr. Daniel Steele

“The more ancient teachers of the Church had unanimously explained it of the man who has not yet become a Christian, nor is upheld in the struggle by the Spirit of Christ” - Tholuck

“Among those who reject this teaching (a regenerate man in vv. 14-25), the view of the Greek fathers prevails. It is worthy of note that this is the earlier opinion and was accepted by nearly all who spoke as their mother-tongue the language in which this epistle was written.” - Joseph Abgar Beet

“In analyzing the early Christian understanding of Romans 7 it has become very clear that the early church did not understand this passage to teach the necessity of sin in believers, usually attributing to it the interpretation that it was a man who was striving to please God under the Law of Moses. In fact, this interpretation was so prevalent that when discussing this passage around 415AD, Pelagius [said]… 'that which you wish us to understand of the apostle himself, all Church writers assert that he spoke in the person of the sinner, and of one who was still under the law...' Augustine, in his attempt to refute this statement of Pelagius, was unable to offer any church writers who disagreed with Pelagius.” - Daniel Jennings

TEXT - ROMANS 6:1-7, 11-22

TEXT - ROMANS 8:2-13

DO WE STILL HAVE A "SIN NATURE"?

We have a “sin nature” before we were saved. As believers, we have the Holy Spirit living within us. We still have an unrenewed mind. In as much as our mind is unrenewed, we still have ungodly emotions. But this is NOT our Nature now. I have sinful propensities in my emotions and in my thinking, but they are getting changed little by little (process) the more I renew my mind. To say I have no sin propensity, even though I no longer have a sin nature, isn’t true. I have propensities to sin in my emotions, my thinking and my bodily desires but NOW have the ability to challenge them and have victory… Some people over-exaggerate it and say we have none of this and they are living in total unreality and dishonesty to say that they don’t have sinful thought processes, emotions or sinful desires in your body.

Roman 6:11 – “Consider yourself to be DEAD TO SIN”

Meaning - Sin nature killed = free from the mandatory reign of sin, not sinful “feelings”) - “It didn’t say that sin is dead in you. It didn’t say there are no more sinful promptings in the life of a believer. It doesn’t say you’ll never feel anger again. It didn’t say that sinful feelings are dead in you. That is NOT what is says and that’s how a lot of people read it… It says that you are dead to the ‘reign of sin’… You are no longer in the place where you are under the mandatory slavery of sin. The feelings still arise, but you have the power to challenge them”.

2 Cor. 5:17 - “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

Gal 2:20 - “I have been crucified with Christ…

A follow-up to the last podcast message - wherein we definitely need a BAPTISM of BOLDNESS to preach the Gospel, throughout Church History the most spectacular expression of BOLDNESS is undoubtedly the hundreds of thousands of Christians who have lost their lives for their faith as martyrs.

In this follow-up message, I share many of those stories - from the Apostle Peter's martyrdom in the first century to Polycarp's (a personal disciple of the Apostle John) in the 2nd century to the innumerable martyrs in the early 4th century (AD 303-AD 313) that was infamously known as the "Diocletian Persecution".

The level of boldness that the martyrdoms during the Diocletian Persecution illustrate is hard for us to believe today. However, annually they estimate that today more than 300,000 Christian martyrs die annually for their faith around the world. So, maybe it is for us Western Christians that this level of boldness is so hard to believe.

May we be inspired to live our lives differently as we consider the names and stories of these early Christian martyrs! Many of them had many opportunities to deny Christ and save their lives - and yet, they chose NOT to deny their Lord and suffered the most horrible torture and painful deaths in the Name of the Lord Jesus.

A powerful message by my wife Natalie where she looks at the transformation that took place in the life of the Apostle Peter when he received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. A baptism we ALL need as well. May this message inspire you to pursue God for the type of encounter that Peter himself had so that we can live the lives that God is calling us to live!

Acts 2:16-21 - 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Matthew 14:28-30 - 28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”

Matthew 16:21-23 - 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Matthew 26:30-35 - 30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

Matthew 26:36-44 - 36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.

Matthew 26:69-72 - 69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.”

John 19:25-26 - 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”

John 20:19 - On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 2:1-4 – 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:14 - But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

Acts 2:36, 38 - 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”…38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 3:14-16, 26 - 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.... 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Acts 4:3 - And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

Acts 4:8-13 - 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:18-20 - 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

Acts 4:29-31 - 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Acts 5:14-21 - 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. 17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Acts 5:27-32 - 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted

him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Acts 5:40-42 - 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

SECOND TEMPLE JEWISH VIEW of the Origin of Sickness & Demons

“And we acted in accord with all of his words. All of the evil ones, who were cruel, we bound in the place of judgment, but a tenth of them we let remain so that they might be subject to Satan upon the earth. And the healing of all their illnesses together with their seductions we told Noah so that he might heal by means of herbs of the earth. And Noah wrote everything in a book just as we taught him according to every kind of healing. And the evil spirits were restrained from following the sons of Noah. (Jub 10:11–13)

Commentary – Mastema [fallen angel] required assistance in his work of corrupting and afflicting humanity. The key item to observe is the reference to healing (Jub 10:13). VanderKam explains, “One way the spirits harmed humans was by causing diseases; so, God ordered the angels to teach Noah medicines to counteract their influence.” The Second Temple Jewish mind saw a clear connection between illness and demonic activity. This consequentially blurred the line between healing and exorcism and, as we have seen, the overlap is discernible in the Gospels. Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness

NEW TESTAMENT VIEW OF SICKNESS & DEMONS

John 10:37-38 - If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”

John 14:12 - “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits , to cast them out , and to heal every disease and every affliction.… These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles (no Stage 3) and enter no town of the Samaritans (no Stage 2), but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Stage 1). And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons .” (Matt 10:1, 5–7a; compare Mark 3:13–15; 6:7–13; Luke 6:13; 9:1, 2)

Luke 7:18-23 - 18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits , and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Luke 8:1-2 - “Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities : Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out.

Luke 8:36 - And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed . (Gerasene/Gadarene demonic)

Luke 9:37-43 - 37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him , and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. 40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy , and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God.

Luke 13:10-16 - 10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit (spirit of infirmity) for eighteen years . She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability .” 13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years , be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? ”

Acts 5:16 - The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed .

Acts 10:38 - how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil , for God was with him.

EARLY CHRISTIAN VIEW of the Origin of Sickness & Demons

Furthermore, we are instructed by our sacred books how from certain angels, who fell of their own free will, there sprang a more wicked demon brood, condemned of God along with the authors of their race. ...Their great business is the ruin of mankind. So, from the start, spiritual wickedness sought our destruction. Accordingly, they inflict upon our bodies diseases and other grievous calamities . And by violent assaults, they hurry the soul into sudden and extraordinary excesses. ...By an influence equally obscure, demons and angels breathe into the soul, and rouse up its corruptions with furious passions and vile excesses. Tertullian (AD 197)

“…the demons…No doubt, they are very kind, too, in regard to the healing of diseases! For, first of all, they make you ill. Then, to get a miracle out of it,...they withdraw their hurtful influence. Supposedly, then, they have wrought a cure!” Tertullian (AD197)

From the seed [of the fallen angels and women], giants [nephilim ] are said to have been born. By them, arts were made known in the earth. They taught the dyeing of wool and everything that is done. When they died, men erected images to them. Yet, because they were of an evil seed, the Almighty did not approve of their being brought back from death when they had died. For that reason, they wander and they now subvert many bodies. And it is these whom you [pagans] presently worship and pray to as gods. Commodianus (AD 240)

...As I was saying, these contaminated and abandoned spirits wander over the whole earth. They console their own ruin by destroying others. Therefore, they fill every place with snares, deceits, frauds, and errors. For they cling to individuals and even occupy whole houses, from door to door. ...And since spirits are without physical substance and cannot be held, they slink into the bodies of men. Secretly working in their inward parts, they corrupt the health of these persons, bring on diseases, terrify their souls with dreams, and harass their minds with frenzies. They do this so that by these evils, they may cause men to come to them for aid. Lactantius (AD 304-313)

Awareness of & Standing Against “the schemes of the devil”
2 Corinthians 2:11 - 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Ephesians 6:10-12 - 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

1 Corinthians 12:10 – “to another the ability to distinguish between spirits”

“He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit.”

“…the ability to tell the difference between gifts that come from the Spirit and those that do not”

A Vision for Freedom
Luke 6:17-18 - 17 When Jesus had come down from the hill with the apostles, he stood on a level place with a large number of his disciples. A large crowd of people was there from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon; 18 they had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those who were troubled by evil spirits also came and were healed.

ROCK OC = A PLACE FOR ALL TYPES OF HEALING!!

Origin of Demonic Realm - Satan
Satan’s Fall – Who? When? What?

Ezekiel 28:13-15 – 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God… 14 You were an anointed guardian cherub . I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.

Isaiah 14:12-14 - “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star/shining one/O Lucifer, son of Dawn!

“...When he saw man made in the image of God, he [Satan] broke forth into jealous and malevolent envy. ...How great an evil it was, beloved brethren, that caused an angel to fall!” Cyprian (AD250)

The devil was one of those angels who are placed over the spirit of the air. ...However, becoming envious of man, he was rendered an apostate from the divine law. Irenaeus (AD180)

Origin of Demonic Realm - Fallen Angels & Demons
•Fallen Angelic Beings – “Sons of God”/ “Watchers” / “ elohim ” - embodied

•Nephilim - LXX –γίγαντες ( gigantes ) = Demons (disembodied spirits)

Genesis 6:1-4 - When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

Psalm 82:1, 6-7 – 1 God [ elohim ] has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods [ elohim ] He holds judgment…6 I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; 7 nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”

Origin and Schemes of the Demonic Realm
The angels transgressed this appointment and were captivated by love of women. And they begat children [the nephilim ], who are those who are called demons. Justin Martyr (AD 160)

These angels, then, who have fallen from heaven, and haunt the air and the earth, and are no longer able to rise to heavenly things, and the souls of the giants [ nephilim ], who are the demons who wander about the world, perform similar actions. Athenagoras (AD 175)

Furthermore, we are instructed by our sacred books how from certain angels, who fell of their own free will, there sprang a more wicked demon brood, condemned of God along with the authors of their race. ...Their great business is the ruin of mankind. So, from the start, spiritual wickedness sought our destruction. Accordingly, they inflict upon our bodies diseases and other grievous calamities. And by violent assaults, they hurry the soul into sudden and extraordinary excesses. ...By an influence equally obscure, demons and angels breathe into the soul, and rouse up its corruptions with furious passions and vile excesses. Tertullian (AD 197)

“…the demons…No doubt, they are very kind, too, in regard to the healing of diseases! For, first of all, they make you ill. Then, to get a miracle out of it,...they withdraw their hurtful influence. Supposedly, then, they have wrought a cure!” Tertullian (AD197)

The angels transgressed this appointment and were captivated by love of women. And they begat…certain wicked demons (so to speak, of the race of Titans or giants [ nephilim ]) who have been guilty of impiety towards the true God and towards the angels in heaven. They have fallen from it, and they haunt the denser parts of bodies. They also frequent unclean places on the earth. Since they are without bodies of earthly material, they possess some power of foretelling future events. So, they engage in works of this kind, desiring to lead the human race away from the true God. They also secretly enter the bodies of the more predatory, savage, and wicked of animals and stir them up to do whatever they choose, whenever they choose. They can turn the fancies of these animals to make flights and movements of various kinds, in order to entrap men by such power of divination. Origen (AD 248)

Among angels, some are angels of God, and others are angels of the devil. But among demons, there is no such distinction. For they are all said to be wicked. Origen (AD 248)

From the seed [of the fallen angels and women], giants [ nephilim ] are said to have been born. By them, arts were made known in the earth. They taught the dyeing of wool and everything that is done. When they died, men erected images to them. Yet, because they were of an evil seed, the Almighty did not approve of their being brought back from death when they had died. For that reason, they wander and they now subvert many bodies. And it is these whom you [pagans] presently worship and pray to as gods. Commodianus (AD 240)

However, those who were born from [the relations of angels with women]—because they were neither angels nor men, but had a mixed nature—were not admitted into Hades [when they died]. Similarly, their fathers had not been admitted into heaven, either. Thus, there came to be two kinds of demons: one of heaven, the other of the earth. The latter are the wicked spirits, who are the authors of all the evils that are done. This same devil is their prince. ...However, grammari­ans say that the reason they are called demons...is because they are skilled and acquainted with matters. For the grammarians think they are gods. In truth, the demons are acquainted with some future events, but not with all. For He has not permitted them to know entirely the counsel of God. ...As I was saying, these contaminated and abandoned spirits wander over the whole earth. They console their own ruin by destroying others. Therefore, they fill every place with snares, deceits, frauds, and errors. For they cling to individuals and even occupy whole houses, from door to door. ...And since spirits are without physical substance and cannot be held, they slink into the bodies of men. Secretly working in their inward parts, they corrupt the health of these persons, bring on diseases, terrify their souls with dreams, and harass their minds with frenzies. They do this so that by these evils, they may cause men to come to them for aid. Lactantius (AD 304-313)

Summary of the Schemes of the Demonic Realm
Seduction & secret knowledge (fallen angels)

Haunt the air and the earth (both)

Business = ruin of humanity (demons)

Inflict bodily disease (demons) – ‘calamities’?

Soul into sudden & extraordinary excesses (demons)

Rouse corruptions, passions, vile excesses (both)

Illness & then demonic healing (demons)

Haunt denser parts of human bodies (demons)

Hang around “unclean places” (demons)

Disembodied (demons)

“Some power” of foretelling future (demons)

Lead humanity away from God/deception (demons)
Possess animals, affect behavior to entrap us (demons)

All wicked (demons)

Arts revealed (demons? fallen angels)

Source of idolatry & false religions (demons)

Wander & subvert bodies (demons)

Worshipped as false gods (demons)

Authors of ALL evils (demons)

Devil = their prince (both)

Sow snares, deceits, frauds, and errors (demons)

Nightmares (demons)

Work secretly in our inward parts (demons)

Harrass minds (demons)

MODERN APPLICATIONS
Mental Health issues – anxiety, paranoia

Addictions

Sexual perversions, abominations

Channeling – Sex Magick, spirit guides

Reincarnation

Yoga (false religious ideas/practices)

Fortune Telling

New Age ideas

Horoscope (Astrology)

SUMMARY OF DEMONIC SCHEMES - "THE WATCHERS"

“…the same angels who rushed from heaven on the daughters of men . ... they laid bare the operations of metallurgy, divulged the natural properties of herbs, promulgated the powers of enchantments, and traced out every curiosity, even to the interpreta­tion of the stars . They conferred appropriately—and as it were, peculiarly—upon women that instrumental means of womanly ostentation: the radiances of jewels,...the dyes of orchil with which wools are dyed, and that black powder itself with which the eyelids and eyelashes are made prominent. Tertullian (AD 198)

“those angels—the deserters from God, the lovers of women —were likewise the discoverers of this curious art [of astrology]...For we know the mutual alliance of magic and astrology . Tertullian (AD200)

Secret Knowledge (forbidden)

Art of seduction (make-up, jewelry)

Advanced Technology

Astrology

Magic

pharmakeia (herbs)

Future Deception??

Alien agenda? “as in the days of Noah”

Medical? – Rev. 18:23 - … your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery (Gk. pharmakeia ).

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY
Demons – documentary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H41Lw2YEY74

Demons: What the Bible Really Says about the Powers of Darkness – Michael Heiser

The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible – Michael Heiser

REVIEWING THE QUESTIONS
How long would you have had to follow Jesus around until you saw someone healed?

How long would someone have to follow YOU around until they saw someone healed!?!?

Previous Healing messages - 1. Healing Revisited 1.0 – The Issue of God’s Will / 2. Healing Revisited 2.0 – The Issue of Fear

MESSAGE - HEALING Revisited 3.0 - The ISSUE OF LACK OF LOVE

Why don't we heal the sick?
•Ignorance

•Deception / False Teaching (God’s will, Gifts ceased)

•Unbelief

•Fear – Fear of Failure? Fear of Man?

•Lack of Love

Picture of Love - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQv6zN06JHA

What motivated Jesus?
•Matthew 14:14 - And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick .

•Romans 5:5 - And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Lack of Love - My greatest issue/sin

•1 John 3:17-18 - But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

If anyone has the Holy Spirit inside of them, with the mandate and authority to heal the sick and sees someone who needs healing, yet closes his heart against him-how can God’s love be in that person?” (DOV – Dave’s Ouch Version)

How do we get "this love"? - 1st way - BY HOLY SPIRIT

•Romans 5:5 - And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

How do we get "this love"? - 1st way - THROUGH OBEDIENCE

•1 John 2:4-5 - 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.

•1 John 2:15-16 - 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life —is not from the Father but is from the world.

•1 John 5:2-3 - 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.

•1 John 4:7-12 - 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us.

•1 John 4:16-21 - 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because He first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

OUR RESPONSE

•Obedience – Time to REPENT again. Confess.

•Encounter – God’s love deposited by the Holy Spirit, “love is from God”

•Commitment

“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17) Is there something “at Hand” in 2023?

REPENTANCE and the KINGDOM OF GOD

John the Baptist - In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt 3:1-2)

Jesus - From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt 4:17)

Peter - “Repent” (Acts 2:38, 3:19) – to believing Jews

Paul - “Repent” (Acts 17:30) – to pagan Greeks in Athens

DO CHRISTIANS NEED TO REPENT? – turn from sin (stop) and obey God

Lord’s Prayer - …And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. (Matthew 6:12)

James – Book of James written to believers!

Apostle John - 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)

Apostle John – to CHRISTIAN churches

in Ephesus “Repent” (Rev. 2:4)

in Pergamum “Repent” (Rev. 2:16)

in Thyatira “Repent” (Rev. 2:22) - only those committing immorality

in Sardis “Repent” (Rev. 3:3)

in Laodicea “Repent” (Rev. 3:19)

Pete(r) - to the church in 2023

in Irvine “Repent” (PEF) PEF = Pete EVERY Friday

THE ANSWER? – YES…but only on an “as needed basis”

What might our repent on an “as-needed basis” be this morning?

Complaining? Arguing?

Philippians 2:14 - Do everything without complaining or arguing.

Broken relationships?

Matthew 5:23-24 - 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Inappropriate Talk?

Ephesians 4:29 - Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

“Let no foul language come from your mouth”

“Stop all your dirty talk…”

Giving? Mistreated?

Luke 6:30 - Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.

1 John 3:17 - 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

Sharing the Gospel?

Mark 16:15 – He [Jesus] said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Unbelief? Doubting God’s Word?

John 14:26 - But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you .

Lustful thoughts? Impure thinking?

Matthew 5:28 - But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her [with lust for her] has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brothers, …whatever is pure…think about [dwell on] these things.

Anger? Slander? Unkindness? Unforgiveness? (“Cluster Bomb”)

Ephesians 4:31-32 - 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

James 4:11 - 11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers (Slander)

Prayerlessness? Unthankfulness?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 - “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing , give thanks in all circumstances ; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”

Selfishness? Pride? Superiority?

Philippians 2:3 - Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

Favoritism? (especially towards rich/powerful)

James 2:1, 9 – 1 My brothers and sisters, believers …must not show favoritism …. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

Worldliness?

James 4:4 – …Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

Romans 12:2 – Do not be conformed to this world

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world

Don’t be like the people of this world…

Gluttony/Care of Body?

1 Cor 6:19-20 – body = temple of the Holy Spirit…glorify God in your body

This could be the greatest barrier people face in terms of going after the ministry of healing - the Fear of Man is gigantic - What will people think? What if they don't get healed? Beyond that, there is another fear that became all too apparent during COVID - namely that people were fearful of the virus. A virus that 99.83% of the people who contracted it survived. God gave us an "underhand pitch" to see where His people were at - what would they do? Would they do what Jesus did or would they "socially distance" and pray from a distance? We all know what the answer to that question was! The FEAR in the Body of Christ manifested for all to see. This podcast is about overcoming fear as it relates to healing. And wherever we have succumbed to fear, we need to repent. God wants His people to rise up in fearlessness. I guaranteed that future pandemics will be far more serious (that is if we believe the Book of Revelation - which I do!).

What is God's will when it comes to physical healing?

Everyone is in full agreement that God CAN heal and most would say that He does heal.

But Is it God's will to ALWAYS heal? Is healing something that God has promised? Is it something that He has provided for?

In this message, I explore these and other important questions with regard to God's will and healing. If something is known to be God's will, then by definition it will radically affect the way Christians live who are seeking to obey God.

ANYBODY who wants to pray for the sick and to see God use them in the ministry of healing must wrestle with this issue.

The Church Began in Houses

“When Christianity first started after the ascension of Jesus [i.e. Pentecost], Christians did not gather in church buildings but in people’s homes. These were known as "house churches." One reason Christians…met in homes was monetary: the money collected went to help poorer Christians and to support missionaries and perhaps even clergy. As Christianity grew larger, the Roman Empire began persecuting Christians. Therefore, Christians were not able to build churches because that would be like putting on a big target and saying, “Here we are.” So, Christians gathered and held their meetings secretly in people’s homes.”

Part 1 - Acts 1-9 – AD 30-AD 40

BOOK OF ACTS TIMELINE/EVENTS - AD 30 (33) PENTECOST

How am I currently reading/studying ACTS? Personal ’House Church Movement’ Disclaimer

ACTS 1:13 - 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room , where they were staying

ACTS 2:1-4 - 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place . 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and restedon each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Where did Stage 1 of Pentecost begin?

ACTS 2:6 - 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together (?)

ACTS 2:46-47 - 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes , they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Saved? Revival. 3000 on Pentecost.

ACTS 4:4 – 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand .

5000+ - including women and children (10,000+???)

ACTS 4:23 - 23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

ACTS 4:31 - 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Pentecost 2.0! Where does it happen?

BOOK OF ACTS TIMELINE/EVENTS - AD 34-35

By AD 34, possibly 15,000-20,000 new believers in the Jerusalem church. 400+ House Churches would have been needed! Leadership issues?

What about bigger gatherings? – Temple (2:6?, 2:46, 3:1), Solomon’s Colonnade next to Temple (3:11, 5:12)

ACTS 4:1-2 - 1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead

What doctrines will “greatly annoy” the authorities today? Where?

ACTS 5:17-18 - 17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.

ACTS 5:20-21 - 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this

Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

ACTS 5:42 - 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house , they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

What are our “temples” today? Restaurants? Malls? Stores? Parks?

ACTS 8:3 - 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house , he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Does the “house” guarantee no persecution?

ACTS 9:17-18 - 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house . And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;

ACTS 9:19b-20 – 19 …For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues , saying, “He is the Son of God.

What are our “synagogues”? Same as our “temples”.

BOOK OF ACTS TIMELINE/EVENTS - AD 39-40

ACTS 9:32-34 - 32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda . 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.”

ACTS 9:37, 39-42 - 37 In those days she [Tabitha] became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room …39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room . 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa , and many believed in the Lord.

What is the result of what happens in the house?

Source : The Book of Acts – The Timeline, History & the Writings of the New Testament Letters , Bob Emery

FINAL OBSERVATIONS/THOUGHTS

+ The Church BEGAN in a house

+ No Church ‘buildings’ (earliest in the 200s, converted house)

+ Revival needed houses – evangelism/teaching/discipling

+ Public Meetings (i.e. Temple) often led to problems

+ First 10-year period involved ONLY Jews (2:5 - “devout Jews”, 2:11 - “both Jews and converts to Judaism”)

+ House-sized churches are still the norm in many places

+ Fearful (masked) people won’t go to big meetings, but homes?

+ House meetings necessitate relational evangelism (vs. contact)

KNOW, RESIST, and PURSUE - 3 Principles found in the book of Romans - We must KNOW who we are, our identities, and the truth of what God's Word says we have access to as sons and daughters. We must RESIST sin and the kingdom of darkness in all the ways the enemy seeks to derail us spiritually. And we must PURSUE loving God and loving others.

If we are doing these 3 things we will be living fruitful, victorious Christian lives. If we are neglecting any of them, we will be experiencing deficit and defeat.

We also deal with Romans 7 - is this a chapter describing the Christian's current life or a Christian's past? You may be surprised that the Bible teachers you have trusted and been listening to have gotten Romans 7 all wrong!!

hupomoné (Gk) - steadfastness, constancy, endurance (Hebrews 10:36, 12:1)

10:23 Let us hold fast [*unswervingly] the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Faithful? 2 Tim. 2:13 – if we are faithless/not steadfast, He remains faithful/steadfast)

Heb 10:36 - For you have need of endurance (hupomoné - Gk), so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Heb 12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also throw off every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance (hupomoné - Gk) the race that is set before us…

#1 - GATHERING - HEB 10:24-25 - 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

#2 - Repent / Deal with Sin - HEB 10:26-27, 12:1 - 10:26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment,…

12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also throw off every weight, and sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race…

Jn 8:34 - Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin

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

#3 – Fear - HEB 11:23, 27, 33-34; 13:5-6 - 11:23 - By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, …and they [his parents] were not afraid of the king's edict.

11:27- By faith he [Moses] left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

11:33 - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight

Heb. 13:5-6 - 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

#4 – FORGIVE - HEB 12:14-15 - 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled…

Colossians 3:13 – “forgive one another AS GOD IN CHRIST has forgiven you. So, you must also forgive”

Matt. 6:14-15 - 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

#5 – LOVE - HEB 10:24; 13:1

10:24 -And let us consider how to stir up one another to love

13:1 - Let brotherly love continue

#6 – SELF-PITY - HEB 11:35-39, 12:2-4 - 12:2 - looking to Jesus , the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted . 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Definitions - “to have a victim mentality”

“Don’t Feel Sorry for Yourself” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUt5DDYTpbA&t=25s

PART 2 – SOME KEYS TO ENDURANCE

James 4:6 – But He gives (a) GREATER Grace / MORE grace

Other Definitions – 1. Being “gracious”/ “grace-oriented” – 2. Saved by Grace” (undeserved favor)

Grace? charis (gk) - “the power of God to enable Christians to live the new life in Christ”

Divine Enablement - “an influence that produces a result… it is the essence, the energy, the power and working wrought within as HE DOES for us, to us, in us, and through us! God’s grace, divine grace, then, is DIVINE ENABLEMENT!”

Hebrews 4:16 - Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need .

****THE KEYS****

1. ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

Heb. 10:34 - For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one

Heb. 11:13-16 – 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.

Heb. 13:13-14 - 13 Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured . 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

James 4:14 - …What is your life? For you are a mist (a vapor) that appears for a little time and then vanishes

2. DEAL WITH FEAR

Heb. 11:23 - By faith Moses , when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents , …and they [his parents] were not afraid of the king's edict .

Heb. 11:27 - By faith he [Moses] left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king , for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

Heb. 11:33 - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight

Heb. 13:5-6 - 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me ?”

Rev. 21:7 (Cowards?) - 8 But as for the cowardly , the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

3. GATHER IN PERSON

Heb. 10:24-25 - 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works , 25 not neglecting to meet together , as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another , and all the more as you see the Day drawing near .

John MacArthur - "Look, Zoom church is not church . It’s not church; it’s watching TV . There’s nothing, there’s nothing about that that fulfills the biblical definition of coming togethe r: stimulating one another to love and good works, coming together, singing, speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord, sitting under the Word of God, praying together, being led by those who preach the Word and open the Scripture.

The definition of a church is crystal clear in the New Testament; we see the picture of it. They came together on the first day of the week . They worshiped the Lord. They prayed; we know it was the apostles’ doctrine, prayer. It was fellowship, and it was the breaking of bread in the Lord’s Supper .

So the church is defined clearly, and it’s the communion of the saints, it’s fellowship, it’s partnership. And the term koinōnia means “a coming together,” “a unifying together.” It doesn’t even function unless people are mutually—as we were saying this morning—mutually using their spiritual gifts for one another, and meeting the wonderful fulfillment of all the one anothers .

How many times in the New Testament—edify one another, pray for one another, rebuke one another, build up one another. On and on, one anothers, one anothers. We’re only the church when we are together ; and the church is the church when it corporately worships , when it corporately prays, when it corporately hears the preaching of the Word of God. Those are the things that define the church.

I was listening to the latest in the podcast that Austin Duncan’s been doing…how the church is this communion of people, this fellowship of people whose lives are all blended together in a profound expression of love and unity. And that does not happen in any kind of video environment . I don’t think it even happens in a “church” where you’re watching a video of a pastor, because it’s very important that that man’s life be exposed and visible and known to everyone."

James 5:16 - Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another , that you may be healed..

4. FORGIVENESS

Recent Encounter – PhD – Getting, being and remaining offended)

Heb. 12:15 - See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

Colossians 3:13 – “forgive one another AS GOD IN CHRIST has forgiven you. So, you must also forgive”

Matt. 6:14-15 - 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

5. REJECT “LAZY RIVER” CHRISTIANITY – No problems, Cheap Grace, Do nothing…

Heb. 10:32-36 - 32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings , 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners (companions/associates) with those so treated . … joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, …36 For you have need of endurance (hupomoné - Gk ) , so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Heb. 11:25-26 - 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin . 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

Heb. 11:35b-38 - 35 …Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated - 38 of whom the world was not worthy - wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth

Heb. 12:5-7 - 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

2 Tim. 3:1, 12 – 1 …in the last days there will come times of difficulty… 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

Matt. 10:22 – and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

1 John 3:7 – …make sure no one deceives you…the one who practices righteousness is righteous (obedience)

1 Pet. 1:15-16 - but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

I Tim 4:7-8 …train yourself to be godly.

6. REPENTANCE (Dealing with sin in our lives)

Heb. 10:26-31 - 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people .” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Heb. 12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside (throw off) every weight , and the sin that so easily entangles , and let us run with endurance the race…

Rev. 2:14-16 – Church in Pergamum – “I have a few things against you…practice sexual immorality…therefore repent ” (To believers, to the church)

False Grace / Hyper-Grace Message = No need for Christians to repent

7. BELIEVING GOD’S WORD (AGAIN?) - PRESUPPOSITION

Heb. 12:25 - 25 See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking

2 Tim 3:14-17 – 14…continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed…15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God (God-breathed) and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work .

John 14:26 - But …the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you .

Daniel Wallace (Dallas Theological Seminary) – “voice of Jesus”

Mike Licona – Matt 27:52 vs. Early Church Father

PART 1 – GOD’S PERSPECTIVE ON STEADFASTNESS/ENDURANCE

hupomoné (Gk) - steadfastness, constancy, endurance (Hebrews 10:36, 12:1)

In the N. T., the characteristic of a man who is unswerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings. Especially as God enables the believer to "remain (endure ) under " the challenges in life.

Hebrews 1:1-10:18 – The Superiority of Christ, the New Covenant, Only Salvation

“His conclusion is clear: Christ is the ultimate and final plan of God for Salvation…There must be no retreat in the Christian life. Instead, believers must remain steadfast in faith, in perserverance, and in holness in order to inherit the promises of God…Faith is the entryway into Christ and all the spiritual promises embodied in Him.”

Hebrews 10:19-22

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:23-31

23 Let us hold fast [*unswervingly] the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful . *to be firm, stable, steadfast

Faithful? 2 Tim. 2:13 – if we are faithless/not steadfast, He remains faithful/steadfast)

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works , 25 not neglecting to meet together , as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another , and all the more as you see the Day drawing near .

New Covid Variant – “End Times-itis” – “The Day…”? A Day? (There are “Days”)

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people .” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

(1 Pet. 4:17 – “…judgment BEGINS with the household of God”)

Hebrews 10:32-39

32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings , 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners (companions/associates) with those so treated . 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance (hupomoné - Gk ) , so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

37 For, “Yet a little while, and the Coming One will come and will not delay ; 38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls .

Hebrews 11 = The Hall of Faith – Old Testament Believers

Hebrews 11:1-5

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Creation ex nihilo – “Historic Christianity has always maintained a belief in Creation ex nihilo (CEN) as expressed in the ancient Nicene Creed: “We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” Scripture teaches that there was nothing but God, and that God by means of his incalculable wisdom and infinite power alone brought the universe (all matter, energy, time, and space) into existence from nothing. There was no preexistent physical reality; therefore, nothing should not be understood as an actual something.”

4 By faith Abel…

5 By faith Enoch…

Hebrews 11:6-8, 10-11, 13-16

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly] seek Him.

PRESUPPOSITIONALIST – God exists, His Word is inerrant

7 By faith Noah , being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen ,

8 By faith Abraham obeyed …And he went out, not knowing where he was going … 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

11 By faith Sarah…

13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth . 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Hebrews 11:17, 20-25,27,29-31

17 By faith Abraham …

20 By faith Isaac …

21 By faith Jacob…

22 By faith Joseph…

23 By faith Moses , when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents , …and they were not afraid of the king's edict .

24 By faith Moses , …refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin . 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king , for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned . (A “Day” of the Lord)

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down …

31 By faith Rahab the prostitute...

Hebrews 11:32-40

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak,

Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets – 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated - 38 of whom the world was not worthy - wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Hebrews 12:1-11

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance ( hupomoné - Gk) the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted . 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness . 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:12-16, 22-24

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled ;

16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, …

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Hebrews 12:25-29

25 See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking . For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain . 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 13:1-6,9

1 Let brotherly love continue . 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated , since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me ?”…

9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace , …

Hebrews 13:12-16,20-21

12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured . 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God…

20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do His will , working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

**JOEL 2:1-2, 11 – Judgment Announced

1 - Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming; it is near, (LXX – “for the day of the Lord is PRESENT”) 2 - a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations.

11 - The LORD utters his voice before His army, for His camp is exceedingly great; he who executes His word is powerful. For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome; who can endure it?

* Past - 587/6BC – Babylonians = “His army” (Joel 2:1-11) – Judgment

* Future - anti-Christ Army at the end of the age against Israel

**JOEL 2:12-14 – Remnant Response

12 - “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 - and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster.

14 - Who knows whether He will not turn and relent, and leave behind His blessing, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?

**JOEL 2:15-17 – Remnant Response (cont.)

15 - Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly;

16 - gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.

17 - Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, for the nations to rule them, in order that they not say among the nations, ‘Where is their God?’”

**JOEL 2:18-27 – God’s Response to Remnant 18 - Then the Lord became jealous for His land and had pity on His people.

19 - The Lord answered and said to His people “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

20 - “I will remove the northerner far from you, and drive him into a parched and desolate land, his vanguard into the eastern sea, and his rear guard into the western sea; the stench and foul smell of him will rise, for he has done great things.

21 - “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things!

22 - Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield.

23 - “Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given the early rain for your vindication; He has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.

24 - “The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

25 - I will restore (LXX – repay) to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.

26 – “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

27 – You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame. (LXX – disgraced)

**JOEL 2:28-32 (Acts 2:17-21) – God’s Response to Remnant (cont.)

28 - “And it will be after these things, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

Acts 2:17 – ‘And in the last days it will be, God says, - The phrase in the last days is not quoted from Joel, but represents Peter’s interpretive explanation of the current events as falling “in the last days.”

29 - Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out My Spirit. Acts 2:18 adds – “…and they wil prophesy”

30 - “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.

31 - The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome Day of the Lord comes.

32 - And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

**Joel 2:28-32 – location?

• Peter quotes the LXX in Acts 2

• Earlier Hebrew Bible / Early Church – Septuagint/LXX – Joel 2

• Hebrew Bible/Masoretic Text (Rabbis) – Joel 3

• Prophetic Significance??

**Joel 3:1-3, 14 – Deliverance of Remnant & Punishment of Enemies 1 - “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, (LXX – when I turned around the captives…)

2 - I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage (LXX – inheritance) Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, 3 - and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it. (Justice for human trafficking!!)

14 - Sounds have sounded forth in the valley of justice (LXX) , because the Day of the Lord is near in the valley of justice. (Masoretic – valley of decision)

**God’s Judgment

• Mike Bickle – “At the heart of God’s judgment is Jesus, intervening to deliver the oppressed and to stop oppressors. Think of the implications of a God who would not intervene to stop oppressors. What would you think of a father who would not intervene to prevent a man kidnapping his children? God’s judgments are an expression of His love for His children. Furthermore, in the midst of those very judgments, God offers mercy to the oppressors if

they will only repent and receive it.”

**Joel 3:16-21 - Deliverance of Remnant & Punishment of Enemies (cont.)

16 - The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earthquake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.

17 - “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it.

18 - “And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord and water the Valley of Shittim.

19 - “Egypt shall become a desolation and Edom a desolate wilderness, for the violence (LXX – injustices) done to the people of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.

20 - But Judah shall be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem to all generations.

21 - I will avenge their blood, blood I have not avenged, for the Lord dwells in Zion.”

**Final thoughts

• NOT the End – not the “perilous times” (2 Tim 3), greater works?

• Remnant Rising – PREPARED, over-prepared?, pre-Trib rapture?

• Judgment

• Deliverance – “shall be saved”

• Vindication

• Believing the prophets, “Will the Son of Man find faith…”

• If it is the end? If Jesus is about to Return?

Joel 2 & 3 - “The Day of the Lord” - Judgment & Deliverance

Past, Present and Future

**Initial Thoughts for ROCK

1. Joel 2 Generation Blog & Podcast –

Mike Bickle – “Explanation: The term Joel’s army has been used to signify the people who walk out the principles of prayer with fasting as taught in Joel 2:12–17.

The term has been used much like “Joseph Company,” “Gideon Band,” or “David Company” to signify the people who embraced the godly qualities that Joel taught about prayer, fasting, and wholehearted obedience. Paul Cain had a prophetic word about a “Joel’s army in training,” referring to a group of people who would give themselves to prayer and fasting according to Joel 2:12–17. When used like this,

“Joel’s army” does not refer specifically to the destroying army mentioned in Joel 2:1–11, but to people who walk out the lifestyle portrayed in Joel 2:12–17. The misunderstanding comes from giving the title “Joel’s army” to both the destroying army (Joel 2:1–11) and the group of people who give themselves to fasting and prayer (Joel 2:12–17).”

2. Johnny Enlow – Red Sea moment – Judgment & Deliverance

**Why study the Book of Joel?

The reason is because it was meant to be received as a prophetic book to equip end-time forerunners to prepare the unprepared for the unique dynamics that will occur in the generation in which Jesus returns. We study this three-chapter prophecy because God has uniquely designed its message to prepare the end-time Church for glory and crisis in the Day of the Lord. Joel is a dynamic instruction manual to prepare the Bride of Christ for such a time as this.

In the Lord’s kindness, He has given this book as a preparatory tool to equip the generation living at the Lord’s return for the heightened scope of glory and crisis they will encounter. (Mike Bickle)

**Context / Background – Joel 2 & 3

931BC – Kingdom Divides (Northern = 10 tribes / Southern = 2 tribes

?? Joel written (800s)??

722BC – Assyrians (Judgment)

?? Joel written (from 606-586) – Mike Bickle??

586BC – Babylonians/Nebuchadnezzar – (Judgment) - 70-year exile (586BC-516BC) 516BC - Persians conquer Babylon - Cyrus decrees Jews can return to Jerusalem 516BC – Begin to Rebuild Temple

??Joel written (400s-300s)??

175BC – Antiochus IV Epiphanes conquered Israel – Seleucid Dynasty. Deposed rightful High Priest (Zadok Priesthood ended) – outlawed Jewish religious rituals (i.e. circumcision), desecrated the Temple (slaughtered a pig), ordered Jews to worship Zeus 166BC – Maccabean Revolt – successful, cleansed Temple, Hanukkah established! Hasmonean Dynasty began ruling.

153BC – High Priest, Jonathan the Hasmonean – NOT a Zadokite! Hasmoneans had NO TIES to the line of David – so illegitimate priesthood and rulership (kingship)! Later – King Herod 110BC – Got Rome to recognize the Hasmonean Kingdom – start conquering surrounding peoples, forcing them (Gentiles) to convert to Judaism (especially Gentiles)

**Prophetic Fulfillment(s)?

Day of the Lord = Judgment, Justice, Vindication

“Within Joel, the “day” refers not only to the final day of judgment upon the nations (3:2) but also to God’s ongoing judgment of Israel, both past and future (1:15, 2:2, 11), and instances of His intervention between Israel and the nations (3:1-2, 12, 14, 16). In each case, the “day of the Lord” indicates a time when the presence of the Lord brings judgment and/or deliverance and blessing, depending upon the circumstances.

Therefore, although the “day” heralds destruction for the nations, it also functions as a time of salvation for God’s people: the Lord remains a refuge amid the chaos of judgment (3:15-16).”

1. Past fulfillments (Red Sea, Assyrians, Babylonians, Acts 2, Romans 10, AD70, Islam)

2. Current Application / Ongoing fulfillment

3. Future fulfillment (Return of Christ, Final Judgment)

**AN OVERVIEW OF JOEL’S MESSAGE

A. Joel 1 – a natural disaster (agricultural crisis)

B. Joel 2:1-11 – a military crisis (Babylonian invasion of Israel as a type of the Antichrist’s empire)

C. Joel 2:12-17 – the response that God requires in order to release protection and blessing

D. Joel 2:18-31 – the breakthrough of God’s blessing (agriculturally, militarily, spiritually)

E. Joel 3 – God’s punishment of His enemies (end-time Gentile nations attacking Israel)

**JOEL 2:1

DEFINING THE TERMS
Canon – a set of texts (also called "books") which a particular Jewish or

Christian religious community regards as part of the Bible. Greek – “rule”,

“measuring stick”

Urtext - In Biblical studies, the Urtext is the theorized original, uniform text of

the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), preceding both the Septuagint (LXX) and

the Masoretic Text (MT). An original or the earliest version of a text.
Vorlage - A Vorlage (from the German for prototype or template) is a prior

version or manifestation of a text under consideration.

Inspiration – All Scripture is “God-breathed”… (2 Tim 3:16)
Inerrancy – The Bible is without error in its original manuscripts

Our Protestant “Tradition” - 66 Books in the Bile
39 Old Testament Books

27 New Testament Books

JEWISH CANONS
Masoretic Text (MT) – Rabbis (descendants of the Pharisees) - the Hebrew Bible numbers the

same books as 24. The Hebrew Bible counts Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles as one book

each, and the 12 minor prophets are one book, and also Ezra and Nehemiah form a single

book. This is the same Canon as the 39 Books in Protestant OTs. No Apocrypha

When? AD110-125 – Rabbinic/Talmudic Judaism

Septuagint (LXX) – 52 OT Books (13 more that the MS), OT Apocrypha, Psalms of Solomon –

When? 250BC – 2nd Temple Judaism

Ethiopian Jews (Beta Israel) – Testaments of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Essenes/Qumran Community/Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) - Testaments of the 12 Patriarchs (affirm

Enoch!) – DSS contain fragments of 5 of them (Levi, Judah, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin).

WHAT ABOUT "THE TESTAMENTS OF THE PATRIARCHS"?
ALL Jews believed that all the patriarchs from Adam to Aaron (37+) were prophets that wrote “Testaments ”.

2nd Century - Rabbis believed they were lost. REJECTED – Why??

1600s – Found in an Armenian Orthodox Bible – REJECTED as “too Christian” (see below)

Essenes / Dead Sea Scrolls - Testaments of the 12 Patriarchs – DSS contain fragments of 5 of them (Levi,

Judah, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin).

**Quoted/referenced by Paul in the NT (1 Thes 2:16, Rom 12:18, 21, 2 Cor 7:10 and Eph 5:6)**

Fragments from 8 other “Testaments ” of these were found in the DSS. (Enosh, Enoch, Lamech, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Kohath, Amram)

Christian "Content" in the " Testaments of the 12 Patriarchs "

-Messiah = Son of God

-Messiah is God incarnate

-Levi’s Priesthood ONLY until Messiah comes

-Levi’s ordinances and sacrifices ONLY until Messiah comes

-Messiah born of a virgin

-Messiah will be worshipped

-Messiah will be sinless
-Messiah would die for our sins to reconcile us to God

-The Levites would crucify Messiah

-Messiah would be resurrected

-Messiah would ascend

-Messiah would create a new priesthood

-Veil of Temple would be torn

-Apostle Paul – called from Jews to Gentiles, his writings = inspired

CHRISTIAN CANONS
-Muratorian Canon (AD 170) – The Apocalypse of Peter

-Codex Sinaiticus (AD 330) – LXX OT – includes OT Apocrypa & Shepherd of Hermas , Epistle of Barnabas (29 NT Books)

-Codex Alexandrinus (AD 400) – 1st and 2nd Clement

-Protestants - 39 OT Books / 27 NT Books = 66 Books / Martin Luther

-Ethiopian Orthodox – OT Apocrypha + 2 Edras, **Book of Enoch** (only one) – 81 books total (35NT, LXX and Enoch) also “Didache - Teaching of the 12 Apostles” , Book of Jubilees

-Armenian Orthodox – Testaments of the 12 Patriarchs

-Catholics & Orthodox – OT Apocrypha (Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Additions to Daniel & Esther)
-Orthodox – add 1 Edras, 3 Maccabees, Prayer of Manasseh (Russian Orthodox – 2 Edras)

DISPUTED TEXTS (DISAGREEMENTS)
6 Disputed New Testament Books

1. The Didache (or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)

2. The Shepherd of Hermas

3. The Apocalypse of Peter,

4. The Epistle of Barnabas and

5. The First Epistle(s) of Clement.

6. The Second Epistle of Clement

* EVERY BOOK THAT HAS EVER BEEN CONSIDERED SCRIPTURAL CANON HAS BEEN LISTED ON THE PAST FEW SLIDES

* NEVER the Gnostic Texts!!! (Gospels, Epistles) - i.e. Gospel of Thomas ( 2nd Century)

*No Roman Catholic Conspiracies!

PART 2 – BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN
Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:6)

BACKGROUND of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Essenes
-175BC – Antiochus IV Epiphanes conquered Israel – Seleucid Dynasty. Deposed rightful High Priest (Zadok Priesthood ended) – outlawed Jewish religious rituals (i.e. circumcision), desecrated the Temple (slaughtered a pig), ordered Jews to worship Zeus

-166BC – Maccabean Revolt – successful, cleansed Temple, Hanukkah established! Hasmonean Dynasty began ruling.

-153BC – High Priest, Jonathan the Hasmonean – NOT a Zadokite! Hasmoneans had NO TIES to the line of David – so illegitimate priesthood and rulership (kingship)! Later – King Herod

-110BC – Got Rome to recognize the Hasmonean Kingdom – start conquering surrounding peoples, forcing them (Gentiles) to convert to Judaism (especially Gentiles)

TWO GROUPS FORMED
1. Pharisees - against this forced practice (Oral Torah – Talmud)
2. Sadducees – Hellenized Jews (follow the government) & Sons of Zadok

THIRD GROUP - THE ESSENES / QUMRAN COMMUNITY
Beliefs/Practices of the Qumran Community / Essenes

- Separated themselves (1st Century “Remnant”)
- Broader Canon - Dead Sea Scrolls - LXX – Apocrypha, Enoch, Testaments
- Temple leadership corrupt (not from the Sons of Zadok/non-Levitical)
- Government corrupt – not from the line of David (i.e. King Herod).
- Change in the calendar – Pharisees and Sadducees followed the pagan lunar calendar. All Jewish rituals were therefore corrupt/unacceptable.
- Solar Calendar predicted the coming of Messiah between 10BC and 4BC.

- Messiah would be God in the flesh

- Two Comings of ONE Messiah – once to die as an atoning sacrifice for sins, 2nd time to judge the world ( Melchizedek Document )

- Messiah would “make the dead live” ( Messianic Apocalypse )/Matt. 11:5

-Prophecy continued…(No “Cessationism”) - Matthew 11:13 – “For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied UNTIL JOHN”

- Were waiting and ready for the Messiah when He came

WHAT WAS "THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES"?
Beliefs of the Pharisees
- TWO Messiahs – first one only a man to liberate Israel – NOT for the Gentiles!!!
- Accepted both the Pagan Lunar Calendar and the non-Davidic Priesthood (Feasts? Temple?)
- Cessationists – Prophecy ended (400 silent years – from Malachi?)
- Rejected “ Testaments of the Patriarchs ”
- Oral Torah (“Tradition”) over and against God’s written word ( Talmud )
- 2nd Century Rabbis – Narrowed the Canon, Tampered with the OT Text, radically ANTI-CHRIST

WHAT WAS "THE LEAVEN OF THE SADDUCEES"?
- Stopped believing in the supernatural (angels, afterlife) – Theological liberals

- Accepted the Pagan Lunar Calendar - Capitulation to culture / compromise
- “Romans 13ers” of the 1st Century - Romans 13:1-2 - Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed , and those who resist will incur judgment.
- Disappeared in history

MATTHEW 16:1-12
And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times . 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign , but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So, he left them and departed. 5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees .” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread , but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees .

APPLICATION for the Remnant today
What is today’s “teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees”?

1. Believe the prophets!

2. Don’t capitulate to the political – Critical Race Theory (CRT), Cultural Marxism, "Safe & Effective", "Free & Fair Elections"

3. RE-think your idea of Canon – especially in light of the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS)

4. Essenes (1st Century “Remnant”) = the only ones able to discern the “fake news”

5. Essenes recognized and accepted Jesus as the Messiah

6. The Remnant will be “ready and waiting” for the Messiah when He returns

This is our 3rd and final message of this important teaching that tragically is so neglected in the teaching/preaching of the Church today.

Somehow, where we are going at this junction in history will require a renewed emphasis on dying to ourselves, on humbling ourselves, and utterly rejecting the culture of self-promotion that is so prevalent in much of the Body of Christ today. This isn't an extreme teaching - this is the basis of the Christian life!

Here are the notes for the teaching:

DEATH TO SELF – 2022 – PART 3 - IS HUMILITY THE GREATEST NEED IN GOD’S KINGDOM?

Scene from Indiana Jones - “ONLY THE PENITENT MAN SHALL PASS. THE PENITENT MAN IS HUMBLE BEFORE GOD. THE PENITENT. PENITENT. ..WHAT DOES A PENITENT MAN DO? KNEEL!”

THE "NEW" HUMILITY PRAYER

” IN LIGHT OF MY IDENTITY IN CHRIST …

"O Jesus, meek and humble of heart,

hear me, Deliver me, Jesus,

from the desire of being loved (BY OTHERS),

from the desire of being extolled,

from the desire of being honored,

from the desire of being praised,

from the desire of being preferred to others,

from the desire of being consulted,

from the desire of being approved,

from the fear of being humiliated,

from the fear of being despised,

from the fear of being forgotten,

from the fear of being wronged,

from the fear of being suspected,

And, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire

that others might be loved more than I,

that others might be esteemed more than I,

that in the opinion of the world

others may increase and I may decrease,

that others may be chosen, and I set aside,

that others may be praised and I unnoticed,

that others may be preferred to me in everything,

that others may become holier than I,

provided that I become as holy as I should."

QUOTE: A.B. SIMPSON – THE SELF LIFE & THE CHRIST LIFE

"It is one thing to be little in our own eyes, it is another thing to be out of our own sight altogether. True

humility is not thinking meanly of ourselves, it is not thinking of ourselves at all ".

HUMILITY/DEATH TO SELF – KEY VERSES/PASSAGES

Matt.16:24-25 - Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and fol ow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

John 3:30 - “He [Jesus] must become greater, I must become less”

John 15:5 – “…apart from me you can do nothing”

I Peter 5:5 - Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:6, 10 - “…God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble…Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

JOHN THE BAPTIST CRUCIFIES “SELF PROMOTION”

Luke 7:28 - I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John . Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

John 3:30 – “He [Jesus] must become greater(increase), I must become less(decrease)”

”Jesus must become more important, while I become less important”

“On Social Media, Jesus must get more fol owers, likes and partners on His greater platform, while I lose fol owers and donors as my reputation fades into obscurity” (DIV - Dave’s International Version)

THINGS WE WOULD HAVE NEVER SEEN!!! (and SHOULD NOT see today!!)

John the Baptist Fivefold Prophetic Ministries

www.johnthebaptist.com

www.noneisgreaterthanme.com

LUKE 14:7-11 – PARABLE OF THE GUESTS

7 When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: 8 “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9 The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

10 “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

LUKE 14:12-14 – PARABLE OF THE GUESTS (CONTINUED) 12 He also said to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, don’t invite your friends, your brothers, your relatives, or your rich neighbors, lest/because they might invite you back, and you would be repaid. 13 On the contrary, when you host a banquet, invite those who are poor, maimed, lame, or blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Definition: …so that it refers to the preceding verb and indicates the purpose of the designated action

LUKE 14:16-24 – PARABLE OF THE LARGE BANQUET (DINNER PARTY) 16 Then He told him: “A man was giving a large banquet and invited many. 17 At the time of the banquet, he sent his slave to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ 18 “But without exception, they all began to make excuses.

The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. I ask you to excuse me.’ 19 “Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m going to try them out. I ask you to excuse me.’ 20 “And another said, ‘I just got married, and therefore I’m unable to come.’ 21 “So the slave came back and reported these things to his master. Then in anger, the master of the house told his slave, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and al eys of the city, and bring in here the poor, maimed, blind, and lame!’

22 “‘Master,’ the slave said, ‘what you ordered has been done, and there’s still room.’

23 “Then the master told the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and lanes and make them come in, so that my house may be fil ed. 24 For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will enjoy my banquet!’”

LUKE 14:25-33 – COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

25 Now large crowds were going along with Him, and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it ? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who are watching it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build, and was not able to finish!’ 31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to face the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 Otherwise, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and requests terms of peace. 33 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

LUKE 14:34-35 / MATT 5:13 – SALT OF THE WORLD

LUKE 14:34-35 - “Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? 35 It is useless either for the soil or the manure pile, so it is thrown out. The one who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

MATTHEW 5:13 - “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

REVIEWING OUR “ROCK OC” DNA / OUR VALUES

* NO SELF-PROMOTION / PLATFORMS? / TITLES? – BEING LIKE JOHN THE BAPTIST
* THE WAY WE WANT TO MINISTER TO OTHERS
* THE WAY WE WANT TO TESTIFY / HOW WE TELL STORIES (IF…)
* NO REBUKE FOR BEING “TOO HUMBLE” – “HUMILITY ATTRACTS HEAVEN”
* MOTIVES MATTER – God SEES ALL!

Matt.16: 24-25 - denying ourselves and losing our lives? (Luke 14 reaffirms)
John 3:30 – becoming less? MUST…

John 15:5 – how much can we do apart from Him? WHY do people think it’s them!!!

I Peter 5:5 - Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – HOW TO FAIL IN LIFE & MINISTRY

James 4:6, 10 - “…OUR JOB - Humble ourselves / HIS JOB - He will exalt us.”

Luke 14:11- Exalt ourselves? Humble ourselves?

THE HOLY SPIRIT MAKES US HOLY – A MESSAGE TO HISTORY’S MOST DEFILED GENERATION

James 1:26-27 – If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 – Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

PURPOSE OF PENTECOST?

1. POWER - Acts 1:8 - 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

2. REVELATION - Acts 2:17-18 -17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

3. HOLINESS - Acts 2:37-38, 40 - “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…“Save yourselves from this perverse/wicked generation.”

GOAL = A NEW VISION for Holiness and the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives

A.W. Tozer – Holy Spirit makes us holy

Name? Power Spirit?? NO – The HOLY SPIRIT

Porn Stats

1978 vs. 1985 – 5% vs. 55% Viewed hardcore porn video / 2022??

John Bevere – 2/3 of men IN CHURCH are watching porn regularly
1/3 of women

50% of the pastors

POWERLESS – Kryptonite – Defiled Church

Billy Graham – “If we lose THIS BATTLE, we lose the battle of the Christian life”

20th Century = Explosion of Perversion – the occult (sex magick), film, video, the internet, (technology), abortion, homosexuality, human trafficking, pedophilia, freedom=bondage

Matthew 27:37 - 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Sinfulness Stage 1 - Genesis 3 – Fall of Adam/Eve (Satan)

Sinfulness Stage 2 - Genesis 6 – Fall of the Watchers – effect?? Many

EFFECTS - Sexual perversion/lust/gross immorality/homosexuality/beastiality/abortion

• Quote: “We were sinners because of the Fall of Adam, but the Fallen Watchers taught mankind to be even better sinners” – Heiser

Genesis 6:1-8 - 1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. 5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Two Views about WHO the “Sons of God” were:

1. Angels – Who? 2nd Temple Judaism, the Apostles, Early Church

2. Humans – Who? (called the “Sethite View”) - 1st suggested by Julius Africanus (3rd Century), Augustine (5th century)

It really wasn’t until the 5th century that the so-called “Sethite View” (i.e. that the ’sons of God’ were humans and not angels) was INVENTED.

The evidence from history is insurmountable that the Sethite view is wrong. That the Sethite interpretation was a late innovation and not the Apostolic understanding (or the historic Jewish one).

A. New Testament writers who refer to these angels in Genesis 6:1-4

The Apostle Peter - 2 Peter 2:4-5 - 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into tartarus (the abyss) and committed/delivered them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
The Apostle Jude (Jesus’ brother) - Jude 1:6-7 - 6 And the angels who did not stay/keep in their proper domain, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

B. Early Church leaders who affirm that the Sons of God were in fact angels and whose offspring were the Nephilim /giants.

Clement of Rome (1st century, the Apostle Peter’s Disciple)
Justin Martyr (2nd century) - The angels transgressed this appointment and were captivated by love of women . And they begat children [nephilim /giants], who are those who are called demons. (AD160)
Athenagoras (2nd century) But some outraged both the constitution of their nature and the oversight entrusted to them. ...These angels fell into impure love of virgins and were subjugated by the flesh. ...Those who are called giants were begotten from these lovers of virgins. (AD175)
Irenaeus (2nd century)
Clement of Alexandria - The angels who had obtained the superior rank, having sunk into pleasures, told to the women the secrets that had come to their knowledge . In contrast, the rest of the angels concealed them, or rather, reserved them for the coming of the Lord. (late 2nd/early 3rd century)
Tertullian - If it is on account of the angels—those whom we read of as having fallen from God and from heaven because of lusting after females —we can presume that such angels yearned after bodies that were already defiled and were relics of human lust. (late 2nd/early 3rd cent. – gave us the word “Trinity”)
Ambrose (4th century)
Lactantius (4th century, tutor of Emperor Constantine)

C. Well-known Evangelicals who affirm w/ the Early Church that the Sons of God were angelic beings.

A.W. Pink – Reformed theologian
Donald Grey Barnhouse – Presbyterian theologian, pastor
Henry Morris – author of The Genesis Flood, founder of CRI (Creation Research Institute)
Merril F. Unger – Dallas Theological Seminary professor, theologian
Arnold Fruchtenbaum – Messianic leader, Dallas Theological Seminary-trained
Hal Lindsey – author of “The Late Great Planet Earth

John MacArthur
Pastor Chuck Smith – Calvary Chapel
Dr. Michael Heiser – OT scholar, Ancient Near East language scholar
Chuck Missler – Bible teacher

I Corinthians 6:9-13, 18-20 (3 out of 9 in the list!)

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteouswill not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body…. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sina person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.

WHAT SHALL WE NOW DO? (Acts 2:37)

1. AGREE w/ God’s assessment = Defiled

Matthew 24:9-13 - 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness (wickedness/iniquity) will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Sin will be rampant everywhere/multiplication of wickedness/abundance of evil

2. SIN = SLAVERY (John 8:34 – everyone who sins…) – Message of FREEDOM!!

3. Reject False Grace teaching (Titus 2:11-12 – Grace teaches us to turn from ungodliness and sinful pleasures/worldly lusts)

Titus 2:11-12, 14 – “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 – TEACHING US TO RENOUNCE UNGODLINESS and WORLDLY PASSIONS (immoral desires/lusts), and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age...14 – who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people…”

4. REPENT - Acts 2:38, 40 – REPENT, SAVE YOURSELVES from perverse generation

5. Get rid of whatever is needed / No Moderation (“Porn on Tuesdays”)

Matthew 5:30 – “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”

6. Confess – James 5:16 – To each other, MAY be healed

7. FLEE - 1 Cor 6:18 (Tolerate?)

8. Believe holiness is possible (1 Pet 1:16 – “Be holy…”)

I Peter 1:15-16 – “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 For it is written, “Be holy even as I am holy”

Ephesian 5:3 - But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual

immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people

9. Get the Holy Spirit working more in your life (“eagerly pursue…”) for HOLINESS

FREEING PEOPLE FROM DEMONIC DARKNESS…a Key (THE Key?) in the next move of God

Explosion of the Demonic (Days of Noah)

* History of the 20th Century – occult, UFO/aliens, drugs, sexual perversion, abortion (infanticide), trafficking, division, fear, transhumanism, globalism

* Today’s Entertainment (movies, TV, internet ­ gaming)

* Our Experiences – evangelism, night terrors, prophetic dream last night

* Programming, False Narratives, Hive Mind/Group Think

* Roe v. Wade overturned?

How was the Pagan Roman Empire Won?

Dr. MacMullen (Christianizing the Roman Empire) states unequivocally that the main way Rome was converted to Christianity were healing and, most especially, exorcism. (Francis MacNutt, pg. 87, Healing Reawakening)

Professor Ramsey MacMullen – Emeritus Professor of History, Yale University, "the greatest

historian of the Roman Empire alive today”

Ramsey MacMullen Interview – Yale Historian

MacMullen: When we consider how the early Christians brought people to Christ, we might think of Paul’s preaching. One might think that this “method” was what subsequent generations of Christians employed, but IT AIN’T SO. It didn’t happen that way.

My guess is that because of the persecution open preaching was simply too difficult most of the time. In contrast what worked best was “one on one talk about the proofs of the truth of Christianity and by proofs, I mean EXORCISM above all.

Christianity advertised its own particular powers through driving out demons that caused sickness and driving out all demonic influences in general. Miracle stories are the main reason people came to Christ.

As for preaching THERE IS HARDLY A WORD throughout all the centuries I look at – from the early 2nd century through the 10th. VERY, VERY little mention of Christians talking to the unpersuaded and trying to bring them over by reasoning. Instead, what is talked about is the operation of wonderful things by holy people. They wanted the benevolent power the Christians promised.

Pagan Rome vs. Pagan America

*AD30­AD400 ­ “the main way [Pagan] Rome was converted to Christianity were healing and, most especially, exorcism”

*AD2022 – “the main way Pagan America WILL BE converted to Christianity WILL BE healing and, most especially, exorcism”

What did Jesus do? (emphasis on exorcism)

* Acts 10:38 ­ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

* Matt. 4:24-25 – and they brought Him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them

* Matt. 8:16 ­ That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick

* Matt. 12:22 ­ Then a demon­oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw.

* Matt 17:18 ­ And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.

* Lk. 6:17-19 ­ And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people…18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And THOSE who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And ALL the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them ALL.

A Word about the Origin of Demons

* The angels transgressed this appointment and were captivated by love of women. And they begat children [the nephilim ], who are those who are called demons. Justin Martyr (AD160)

* These angels, then, who have fallen from heaven, and haunt the air and the earth, and are no longer able to rise to heavenly things, and the souls of the giants [nephilim ], who are the demons who wander about the world, perform similar actions. Athenagoras (AD175)

* Furthermore, we are instructed by our sacred books how from certain angels, who fell of their own free will, there sprang a more wicked demon brood…” Tertullian (AD197)

* Among angels, some are angels of God, and others are angels of the devil. But among demons, there is no such distinction. For they are all said to be wicked. Origen (AD 248)

* However, those who were born from [the relations of angels with women]—because they were neither angels nor men, but had a mixed nature—were not admitted into Hades [when they died]. Similarly, their fathers had not been admitted into heaven, either. Thus, there came to be two kinds of demons: one of heaven, the other of the earth. The latter are the wicked spirits, who are the authors of all the evils that are done. This same devil is their prince. ...However, grammarians say that the reason they are called demons...is because they are skilled and acquainted with matters. For the grammarians think they are gods. In truth, the demons are acquainted with some future events, but not with all. For He has not permitted them to know entirely the counsel of God. ...As I was saying, these contaminated and abandoned spirits wander over the whole earth. They console their own ruin by destroying others. Therefore, they fill every place with snares, deceits, frauds, and errors. For they cling to individuals and even occupy whole houses, from door to door…(Lactanius AD 304­312)

A Word about Sickness & the Demonic

* “…condemned of God along with the authors of their race. ...Their great business is

the ruin of mankind. So, from the start, spiritual wickedness sought our destruction.

Accordingly, they [demons] inflict upon our bodies diseases and other grievous

calamities. And by violent assaults, they hurry the soul into sudden and extraordinary

excesses. ...By an influence equally obscure, demons and angels breathe into the

soul, and rouse up its corruptions with furious passions and vile excesses.” Tertullian (AD197)

* “...And since spirits are without physical substance and cannot be held, they slink

into the bodies of men. Secretly working in their inward parts, they corrupt the health

of these persons, bring on diseases, terrify their souls with dreams, and harass their

minds with frenzies. They do this so that by these evils, they may cause men to come

to them for aid.” Lactantius (AD304­313)

To Summarize

* Demons are NOT Fallen Angels

* Demons are the disembodied spirits of the dead Nephilim (their parents are Fallen Angels)

* Demons can and do cause sickness, but not all sickness is caused by demons

* Freeing people from demons is also called/considered HEALING in the Gospels

* Demons are the paranormal entities that we have been given authority over

* Fallen Angels & Demons cannot be saved

Hebrews 2:16 – “For surely it is NOT angels that He (Christ) helps but Abraham’s descendants.”

Although there is also assigned to angels perdition in “the fire prepared for the devil and his angels,” yet a restoration is never promised to them. No directive about the salvation of angels did Christ ever receive from the Father. Tertullian (AD 210)

What did the 12 Disciples do?

* Luke 9:1-2 ­ And He [Jesus] called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of

God and to heal…

NOTE: WHO/WHAT we have been given authority over

What did the 72 do?

* Lk. 10:1,8-9, 17-20 ­ After this the Lord appointed seventy­two others and sent them

on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was

about to go… 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set

before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come

near to you.’ 17 The seventy­two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons

are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like

lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents

and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt

you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but

rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

NOTE: 1. WHO/WHAT was subject to them? Principalities? Fallen Cherub? DEMONS

2. Healing/Exorcism – WHERE/WHEN? (v. 8) / WHO? (v. 9)

What did the Apostles & the Apostle Paul do?

* Acts 5:16 – [to the Apostles] …bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

* Acts 16:18 - And she was doing this for many days. And Paul, having been greatly-annoyed, and having turned to the spirit, said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to depart from her!” And it went out at the very hour.

* Acts 19:11-12 - And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.

* Acts 28:8-9 - It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. 9 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.

1 Cor. 4:16 - “…I urge you to imitate me”

1 Cor. 11:1 - “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ”

What did Philip the Deacon do?

*Acts 8:4-7 - Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed, or lame were healed.

But didn’t the supernatural gifts cease?

*Cessationism (and “Practical Cessationism”)

*It’s a matter of history

What did Christians in the 2nd & 3rd Century do?

* Irenaeus (late 2nd century, spiritual grandson of the Apostle John) – to followers of false teachers/heretics - “You are unable to heal the blind, the crippled, the deaf, the paralyzed…or to free the demonized…moreover as I have said, the dead even have been raised up, and remained among us for many years”

* Tertullian (early 3rd century) – “For what could be more delightful…than to find yourself trampling underfoot the gods of false religions, casting out demons, healing the sick, seeking prophetic revelation and living for God? These are our pleasures, These are our pleasures, the signs, and wonders of Christians holy, eternal and free…count these as your entertainment" (On the Spectacles , Ch. 29)

Irenaeus 2.0

* Irenaeus (late 2nd century) - “Those who are in truth His disciples, receiving grace from Him, do in His name perform miracles, so as to promote the welfare of others, according to the gift which each one has received from Him. For some do certainly and truly drive out devils, so that those who have thus been cleansed from evil spirits frequently both believe [in Christ] and join the Church. Others have foreknowledge of things to come: they see visions and speak the prophecies they have received. Others still, heal the sick by laying their hands upon them, and they are healed. Moreover, as I have said, even the dead have been raised and remained among us for many years. And what more can I even say? It is not even possible to number all of the gifts which the Church, throughout the whole world, has received from God, in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and which Christians demonstrate daily for the benefit of the unbelievers, neither deceiving them nor taking any financial reward from them [on account of such miraculous ministry]. For as Christians have received freely from God, freely also do they minister [to others]**. (Against Heresies , book 2, chapter 32, section 4)

What were Future Disciples expected to do?

* Matt. 28:20 – “…teaching them to observe everything I have commanded YOU….until the end of the age”

NOTE: Do WHAT? Until WHEN?

* Mk. 16:18 – “…they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover”

HOW SHALL WE THEN LIVE??

If “the main way Pagan America WILL BE converted to Christianity WILL BE healing and, most especially, exorcism”

* KNOW the demonic is only going to increase (“as in the days of Noah”)

* Share the Gospel with the supernatural/demonic in mind – be transparent!

* WWJD in 2022? What He did in AD30. What disciples did in AD200.

* Normal works? “and he cast out the spirits with a word" / Greater works?

* Fasting? “this kind [of demon] only come out by prayer AND fasting” (Mk. 9:29)

* Holiness in 2022 - “Do not give the devil a place [topos ]” (Eph. 4:27)

* Get around those who are moving in the power you long for

* “If you can live without something, you will! (Mike Bickle)

* “I will never change the channel again!” (Bill Johnson)

HOLY SPIRIT PRODUCES HOLINESS

POWER - Acts 1:8 - 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Act 2:1-4 - When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

REVELATION - Acts 2:17-18 -“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

EXPLOSION OF REVELATION!!!

Questions – What did you get? Tongues of fire? Do you want MORE?

A.W. TOZER Quote - "Whatever else the Holy Spirit does in your life, minimally He makes us holy"

A NEW ASPECT of the Day of PENTECOST

1. A REVERSAL of the Genesis 6 perversion – Holy Spirit comes

2ND ANGELIC FALL - Fall of the Sons of God/Watchers (Gen 6:1-8) – more corruption

6:1-8 - 1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. 5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

When? Genesis 6 BEFORE the flood

Two Views about WHO the “Sons of God” were:

1. Angels – Who? 2nd Temple Judaism, the Apostles, Early Church (till 5th century)

2. Humans – Who? (called the “Sethite View”) - 1st suggested by Julius Africanus (3rd Century), Augustine (popularized in the 5th century)

It really wasn’t until the 5th century that the so-called “Sethite View” (i.e. that the ’sons of God’ were humans and not angels) was INVENTED.

The evidence from history is insurmountable that the Sethite view is wrong. That the Sethite interpretation was a late innovation and not the Apostolic understanding (or the historic Jewish one).

A. New Testament writers who refer to these angels in Genesis 6:1-4

The Apostle Peter (2 Peter 2:4-5)
Jude (Jude 1:6)

B. Early Church leaders who affirm that the Sons of God were in fact angels and whose offspring were the Nephilim /giants.

Clement of Rome (1st century, the Apostle Peter’s Disciple)
Justin Martyr (2nd century)
Irenaeus (2nd century)
Clement of Alexandria (late 2nd/early 3rd century)
Tertullian (late 2nd/early 3rd century – gave us the word “Trinity”)
Ambrose (4th century)
Lactantius (4th century, tutor of Emperor Constantine)

C. Well-known Evangelicals who affirm w/ the Early Church that the Sons of God were angels.

A.W. Pink – Reformed theologian
Donald Grey Barnhouse – Presbyterian theologian, pastor
Henry Morris – author of The Genesis Flood, founder of CRI (Creation Research Institute)
Merril F. Unger – Dallas Theological Seminary professor, theologian
Arnold Fruchtenbaum – Messianic leader, Dallas Theological Seminary-trained
Hal Lindsey – author of “The Late Great Planet Earth

John MacArthur
Pastor Chuck Smith – Calvary Chapel
Dr. Michael Heiser – OT scholar, Ancient Near East language scholar
Chuck Missler – Bible teacher

2 Peter 2:4-5 - 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into tartarus (the abyss) and committed them to chainsof gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Jude 1:6-24

6 And the angels who did not stay/keep in their proper domain, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

But some outraged both the constitution of their nature and the oversight entrusted to them. ...These angels fell into impure love of virgins and were subjugated by the flesh. ...Those who are called giants were begotten from these lovers of virgins. Athenagoras (AD175)

Angels sinned and revolted from God. Justin Martyr (AD160)

The angels transgressed this appointment and were captivated by love of women . And they begat children [nephilim /giants], who are those who are called demons. Justin Martyr (AD160)

The angels who had obtained the superior rank, having sunk into pleasures, told to the women the secrets that had come to their knowledge . In contrast, the rest of the angels concealed them, or rather, reserved them for the coming of the Lord. Clement of Alexandria (AD195)

Those angels who invented them [jewelry, etc.] are assigned under condemnation to the penalty of death. They are the same angels who rushed from heaven on the daughters of men . ...If it is true, they laid bare the operations of metallurgy, divulged the natural properties of herbs, promulgated the powers of enchantments, and traced out every curiosity, even to the interpreta­tion of the stars . They conferred appropriately—and as it were, peculiarly—upon women that instrumental means of womanly ostentation: the radiances of jewels,...the dyes of orchil with which wools are dyed, and that black powder itself with which the eyelids and eyelashes are made prominent. Tertullian (AD 198)

If it is on account of the angels—those whom we read of as having fallen from God and from heaven because of lusting after females —we can presume that such angels yearned after bodies that were already defiled and were relics of human lust. Tertullian (AD207)

Extent of corruption?

• Watchers “taught” mankind things – “secrets of heaven” (see Tertullian below)

• Lust/perversion –taken to a new level

• Technology – misused

• Quote: “We were sinners because of the Fall of Adam, but the Fallen Watchers taught mankind to be even better sinners” – Heiser

• Gen 6:1-4 PRECEDES the Flood

• Watchers judged – imprisoned in the abyss (tartarus )

Acts 2:37-38 - “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:40 - “Save yourselves from this perverse generation.”

1) crooked, curved 2a) perverse, wicked

Matthew 5:20 - For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

I Peter 1:16 – For it is written, “Be holy even as I am holy”

Ephesian 5:3 - But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people

I Corinthians 6:9-20 (3 out of 9 in the list!)

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.

ACTS 10 – Houses of Fire – A New Wineskin? A New Strategy?

A. Introduction

· December 31st, 2019 – “No Disease known to man” (in a HOUSE )

· March 2020 – our Church moved back into our HOUSE

· May 1st, 2020 – Governor Newsom said churches will be closed for months

Holy Spirit spoke - “It’s time to come home ”

“There’s no place like homes, there’s no place like homes”

· June 2020 - House Church? Confusion. For the Church? For the lost? (evangelistic)

Trip to Oregon – Cornelius – Persian Motors

· January 2022 – ROCK OC begins in a house

B. ACTS 10 – “Houses of Fire – A New Wineskin? A New Strategy?

1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day (WHILE IN PRAYER – v. 30 ) he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” (HIS NAME ) 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. (HIS PRAYERS ) 5 And now send men to Joppa (PETER’S CITY ) and bring one Simon who is called Peter (PETER’S FULL NAME ).

*WHO IS CALLING WHO?* - Lost calling the saved – Are we expecting this??

6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. (PETER’S ADDRESS!)”

7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

*FIRST-TIME OBEDIENCE*

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. (WHILE IN PRAYER ) 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. 17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.”

*ROLE OF SUPERNATURAL* - New Wineskins often require it. i.e. Muslims

*3 encounters + 1 Holy Spirit “says”* - WE can be STUCK in our ways, methods, expectations

21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house (VIOLATION!) and to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests . The next day he rose and *went away with them* (WITHOUT the “Approval” of the other Apostles!), and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him (CONFUSION ). 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation , but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection (LOL ). I ask then why you sent for me.” 30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ (SHARED THE DETAILED PROPHETIC WORD ) 33 So I sent for you at once (TRUE ), and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear ALL that you have been COMMANDED by the Lord.”

*LOST want to hear ALL* - not watering anything down, avoiding the difficult (Jesus = ONLY WAY, issue of sin/repentance, judgment)

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,

35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And *he commanded us to preach * to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (THE GOSPEL )

*Preaching* - not “listening” – an apostle w/ an apostolic mandate

*Not just praying for people, prophesying…but also PREACHING!

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on ALL who heard the word. 45 And THE BELIEVERS from among the circumcised who had come with Peter WERE AMAZED , because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles . 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

*BELIEVE & BE BAPTIZED – no delays / Spirit baptism!

C. APPLICATION

1. Meetings in HOMES

a. For believers (a church with house groups to a church OF house groups) – my eschatology. This was/is a “wake up call”

Pastor in Oregon – “the church needs to stop being a church WITH house groups and become a church OF house groups.”

ROCK Kuwait was back in our house! (March 2020)
ROCK OC begins in California (January 2022)

b. For the harvest/lost – Iranians getting healed in house meeting in California

This new wineskin was a HUGE barrier for Peter – going into THEIR homes!

2. God pouring out His Spirit? - Iran – 1 million believers? Evangelism in the U.S.?

*Both sides needed revelation – Cornelius (lost) & Peter (Christians)

*The bigger barrier was on the side of the believers – today?

3. New means NEW – not going back to normal, will we learn what God has been trying to teach us? New approaches, new lifestyles, new obedience? Holding things loosely.

4. Not getting distracted – turn off the other “voices” / be careful WHO you listen to / GOSPEL!!! – “run in such a way that you get the prize” (I Cor 9:24)

5. Prophetic Direction – only doing what we see/hear the Father doing/saying
We MUST have a new level of prophetic direction, encounters, guidance! Undoubtedly!!!

Names? Addresses? Locations?

Expecting MORE dreams and visions??

6. Increased Prayer (and fasting?)

7. Finding the “God Fearers” (the Cornelius types!)

8. Traps, Deception, False Teaching, Division, Betrayals

*expect opposition, criticism
The OLD Wineskin will always criticize (even demonize the new one!)

One of the greatest needs in the Christian life and clearly one of the greatest (if not 'the greatest') needs today is for disciples to get free/be free from the fear of man - from the opinions of others - from what other people think. So many have succumbed to this fear in this hour and it has literally cost peoples' lives.

May this be a major priority going forward in our discipleship and spiritual formation - to emphasize once again, "though NONE GO WITH ME...still I will follow...no turning back, no turning back"

HOLY SPIRIT PRODUCES HOLINESS

POWER - Acts 1:8 - 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Act 2:1-4 - When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

REVELATION - Acts 2:17-18 -“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

EXPLOSION OF REVELATION!!!

A.W. TOZER Quote - Holiness

A NEW ASPECT of the Day of PENTECOST

1. A REVERSAL of the Genesis 6 perversion – Holy Spirit comes

2. A REVERSAL of the Tower of Babel event / Languages confused vs. Language uniting

2ND ANGELIC FALL - Fall of the Sons of God/Watchers (Gen 6:1-8) – more corruption

6:1-8 - 1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. 5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

When? Genesis 6 BEFORE the flood

Two Views about WHO the “Sons of God” were:

1. Angels – Who? 2nd Temple Judaism, the Apostles, Early Church

2. Humans – Who? (called the “Sethite View”) - 1st suggested by Julius Africanus (3rd Century), Augustine (5th century)

It really wasn’t until the 5th century that the so-called “Sethite View” (i.e. that the ’sons of God’ were humans and not angels) was INVENTED.

The evidence from history is insurmountable that the Sethite view is wrong. That the Sethite interpretation was a late innovation and not the Apostolic understanding (or the historic Jewish one).

A. New Testament writers who refer to these angels in Genesis 6:1-4

The Apostle Peter (2 Peter 2:4-5)
Jude (Jude 1:6)

B. Early Church leaders who affirm that the Sons of God were in fact angels and whose offspring were the Nephilim /giants.

Clement of Rome (1st century, the Apostle Peter’s Disciple)
Justin Martyr (2nd century)
Irenaeus (2nd century)
Clement of Alexandria (late 2nd/early 3rd century)
Tertullian (late 2nd/early 3rd century – gave us the word “Trinity”)
Ambrose (4th century)
Lactantius (4th century, tutor of Emperor Constantine)

C. Well-known Evangelicals who affirm w/ the Early Church that the Sons of God were angels.

A.W. Pink – Reformed theologian
Donald Grey Barnhouse – Presbyterian theologian, pastor
Henry Morris – author of The Genesis Flood, founder of CRI (Creation Research Institute)
Merril F. Unger – Dallas Theological Seminary professor, theologian
Arnold Fruchtenbaum – Messianic leader, Dallas Theological Seminary-trained
Hal Lindsey – author of “The Late Great Planet Earth

John MacArthur
Pastor Chuck Smith – Calvary Chapel
Dr. Michael Heiser – OT scholar, Ancient Near East language scholar
Chuck Missler – Bible teacher

Extent of corruption? (from the Watchers in Genesis 6)

• Watchers “taught” mankind things – “secrets of heaven” (see Tertullian below)

• Lust/perversion –taken to a new level

• Technology – misused

• Quote: “We were sinners because of the Fall of Adam, but the Fallen Watchers taught mankind to be even better sinners” – Heiser

• Gen 6:1-4 PRECEDES the Flood

• Watchers judged – imprisoned in the abyss (tartarus )

God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to tartarus (the abyss) and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah. 2 Peter 2:4,5

The angels who did not keep their proper domain , but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. Jude 6

Jude 1:6-24

6 And the angels who did not stay/keep in their proper domain, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

But some outraged both the constitution of their nature and the oversight entrusted to them. ...These angels fell into impure love of virgins and were subjugated by the flesh. ...Those who are called giants were begotten from these lovers of virgins. Athenagoras (AD175)

Angels sinned and revolted from God. Justin Martyr (AD160)

The angels transgressed this appointment and were captivated by love of women . And they begat children [nephilim /giants], who are those who are called demons. Justin Martyr (AD160)

The angels who had obtained the superior rank, having sunk into pleasures, told to the women the secrets that had come to their knowledge . In contrast, the rest of the angels concealed them, or rather, reserved them for the coming of the Lord. Clement of Alexandria (AD195)

Those angels who invented them [jewelry, etc.] are assigned under condemnation to the penalty of death. They are the same angels who rushed from heaven on the daughters of men . ...If it is true, they laid bare the operations of metallurgy, divulged the natural properties of herbs, promulgated the powers of enchantments, and traced out every curiosity, even to the interpreta­tion of the stars . They conferred appropriately—and as it were, peculiarly—upon women that instrumental means of womanly ostentation: the radiances of jewels,...the dyes of orchil with which wools are dyed, and that black powder itself with which the eyelids and eyelashes are made prominent. Tertullian (AD 198)

If it is on account of the angels—those whom we read of as having fallen from God and from heaven because of lusting after females —we can presume that such angels yearned after bodies that were already defiled and were relics of human lust. Tertullian (AD207)

Acts 2: 37-38 - “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:40 - “Save yourselves from this perverse generation.”

1) crooked, curved 2a) perverse, wicked

Matthew 5:20 - For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

I Peter 1:16 – For it is written, “Be holy even as I am holy”

Ephesian 5:3 - But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people

I Corinthians 6:9-20

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.

Covid ‘Vaccines’ and Christians 2.0

Afterthoughts about Repentance, Vaccine Injuries, Abortion, Deception, Presumption

New Discussion of Transhumanism, the Days of Noah and the Demonic element in the 'vaccines'

Dr. Sherry Tenpenny & Dr. Larry Palevsky - https://rumble.com/vu4p7q-critically-thinking-with-dr.-t-and-dr.-p-episode-80-feb-03-2022.html

Nanotech in the shots? https://archive.md/O8uUS#selection-549.0-565.3

Gene Wars – Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yBQw004MlY

Unquestionably the most controversial podcast I've ever done. I will gain new friends and will lose others. Let the truth be known.

“Covid Vaccines & Christians” Resources/Citations

X22 Report – Original Interview : https://x22report.com/aiovg_videos/dr-tenpenny-c-clark-the-vaccination-agenda-is-darker-than-anyone-could-imagine/

Dr. Tenpenny Website : https://www.drtenpenny.com/

Clay Clark Website : https://timetofreeamerica.com/

https://timetofreeamerica.com/revelation

Covid Vaccines and Aborted Fetal Cells : https://cogforlife.org/guidance/

Are any COVID-19 vaccines available that are not tested or produced using a cell line derived from an aborted child?

No, for now, all vaccines for the COVID-19 virus being distributed are produced and/or tested with cell lines that originated from an aborted child.

A COVID-19 vaccine that does not use aborted fetal cell lines in research or production is not expected in the foreseeable future.

Soros-funded Catholic “fact-checking” group - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/catholic-fact-checking-group-pushing-covid-jabs-linked-to-gates-soros-pontifical-academy-for-life/

Further Roman Catholic Objections

https://everymancommentary.com/the-ghost-in-the-vaccines-a-religious-objection-to-the-covid-vaccine/

Roman Catholic writer - “…The Covid vaccines (as well as many other vaccines) are developed and tested using cell lines that are obtained from electively aborted fetuses.

...The reasoning behind allowing someone in good conscience to receive the Covid vaccines is that, according to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), the abortions that provided the cell lines that were used to develop these vaccines happened decades ago. Thus it is asserted that since the cell lines are now “immortal” (i.e. they can be grown and multiplied over and over again), there is a sufficient degree of separation from the original abortion so that getting the vaccine would only constitute "remote passive material cooperation” with a gravely immoral act.

While this may seem to be an overly-technical or even (to non-Catholics at the very least) a specious moral pass to get around rigid church doctrines, it is a de facto acknowledgment and a reasoned attempt to deal with of the sort of moral compromises that all of us are faced with and accept in a fallen world. However, when it comes to the use of aborted fetal cell tissue in the production of vaccines, and in particular the Covid-19 ones, there is one key flaw in the CDF’s assertion that getting the jab would only amount to a “remote passive material cooperation” – there is nothing “remote” about the Covid vaccines’ connection with abortion.”

“…there is both anecdotal and well-documented** evidence that the notion that the fetal cells used to develop the Covid vaccines came from some long-ago abortion is simply not true .”

**Documented evidence - https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2021/05/26/exploring-the-dark-world-of-vaccines-and-fetal-tissue-research-part-2/

Another Roman Catholic Voice – Archbishop Vigano

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/02/archbishop-vigano-time-will-make-masks-fall-disguised-saviors-humanity-sought-subjugate-exterminate-citizens-make-chronica/

General Information on Covid shots : https://main.nojabforme.info/

American Frontline Doctors: https://www.americasfrontlinedoctors.org/

Dr. Peter McCullough: https://www.americaoutloud.com/author/dr-peter-mccullough/

Dr. Vladimir Zelenko: https://vladimirzelenkomd.com/

Dr. Jane Ruby: http://drjaneruby.com/

Dr. Carrie Madej - https://www.carriemadej.com/

Dr. Judy Mikovits - https://drjudyamikovits.com/

Political Activism in United Kingdom: https://www.saveusnow.org.uk/

Don’t Vaccinate Children:

https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/think-twice-before-you-vaccinate-your-kids-dr-robert-malone-warns-parents-on-covid-19-shots_4193975.html

ROCK OC – “The Shaking” – JAN 29, 2022

Introduction - Veronika West - Don't pray away the shaking - Love and judgment, redemptive...a rescue mission to AWAKEN America. Purging and purification / Refining fire

James 1:2-4 - 2 Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Hebrews 12

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which so closely entangles, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering , 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

His Baptism (first encounter?) - John 1:32 - remains!! - And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.

His Testing (Shaking – another encounter) - Matt 4:1 - Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit

Matt 4:4 ...but by EVERY word... (Full Counsel) - 4 But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matt 4:5-7 - Devil misusing God's word. How?? Presumption!! Many are doing the same today..."God will cover you"..."We can drink poison", etc.

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Matt 4:11 - Angelic assistance - Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. (afterwards)

Mark 1:13 - not just AFTER the trial...but DURING it. "ministered CONTINUOUSLY"

He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted [to do evil] by Satan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered continually to Him. (were ministering to Him) - AMP

Hebrews 1:14 - Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

Hebrew 12:22 – the opposition?? Fallen angels?? Righteous angels? innumerable!!

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,

Did 1/3rd of the Angels fall?? https://readingacts.com/2020/05/26/the-dragon-and-the-stars-revelation-123-4/

Luke 4:14 - And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee… (Anointed AFTER the Shaking) – only Luke mentions this

Matt 4:17 - Message - Repent/KoG at hand - From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (near)

God's blessings WITHOUT meeting God's conditions?? (healing, forgiveness)

Matt 4:19 - Fruit - "Fishers of Men"

Good News Translation - Jesus said to them, "Come with me, and I will teach you to catch people."

Passion - Jesus called out to them and said, “Come and follow me, and I will transform you into men who catch people for God."

Mark 1:29-31 - Jesus and fevers?? (WWJD) - 29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

John 3:34 - Spirit w/o measure (OT – measured. Jesus NT – without measure!)

· The Son was sent to speak God's message, and he has been given the full power of God's Spirit. (CEV)

· The one whom God has sent speaks God's words, because God gives him the fullness of his Spirit. (GNT)

· For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit (measure). (NLT)

Paul Cain..."to the Church without mixture, I will give the Spirit without measure"

Romans 8:19 - For the creation eagerly waits for the manifestation/revelation of the sons of God.

Is this the “latter-day rain”(Joel 2)? “…the glory on the latter house exceeding the former”(Haggai – context of shaking)? “…the greater works”?

We are living in days where there has been a famine of discernment in the church. Many leaders have not known who to listen to, who to trust, and what to do. There is arguably nothing we need more in this hour than real discernment. It has truly become a matter of life or death.

A VISION FOR HOUSE CHURCHES

Houses – Why houses? nuclear submarines, freedom, truth, holistic

Family - 1 Peter 3:8 - Finally, all of you should ·be in agreement [be like-minded; live in harmony], ·understanding each other [sympathetic], ·loving each other as

family [L showing brotherly love], being ·kind [tender; compassionate] and humble.

Remnant – “Spa Day vs. Spartan” Christianity – 1 Timothy 4:7-8 - 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life, and also for the life to come.

SONS/DAUGHTERS OF ISSACHAR

1 Chronicles 12:32 - From (the sons of) Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 leaders with all their kinsmen at their command.

1. Discernment

2. Action (what/when?)

3. Limited in number (Remnant)

4. Submitted followers

THINGS THAT WILL DEFILE/BLOCK WISDOM/DISCERNMENT

Deuteronomy 32:19-20 - 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you, life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 - 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

James 3:13-18 - 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy/envy and selfish ambition (selfishness) exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

2 Timothy 1:6-7 - 6 For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (God's Spirit doesn't make cowards out of us.)

Paul to the Hebrews - Hebrews 12: 1-15, 28-29 - 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;… 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

2 Tim 1:3-7, 13 - 3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. …13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

2 Timothy 2: 1-7 - 1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

2 Timothy 3: 1-10 - 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my
persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 4: 1-8 - 1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

In this message, I look at 9 distinctive elements of the New Covenant as I compare it with the Old Covenant.

1. Better promises – Hebrews 8:6 – “But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

2. Old is OLD…New is NEW …Hebrews 8:13 – “In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

3. Healing – OT provided vs. NT - provided AND authority to heal

4. Priesthood of ALL believers – Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then with confidence draw near to (boldly approach) the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

5. Prophethood of ALL believers – Cessationism? – Everyone CAN hear from God! Blessing and ABUSED. Risky relationships.

6. Everyone gets access – Joel 2/Acts 2 – young/old, rich/poor, male/female, Jews/Gentiles

7. Holy Spirit permanently resides INSIDE / New Creation & Nature / Law on hearts

1 John 2:27 - And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him remains in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you remain in Him.

8. Became Sons/Daughters – God became man so that mankind could become sons of God. Inheritance. New type of relationship. Father/Son! OT – Sons of God were ONLY angels.

9. Leadership’s Purpose (5-fold Ministry) is different (upside-down pyramid) – Ephesian 4:11-12 -11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds (pastors) and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ

Jesus vs. Moses – “greater works YOU SHALL DO…”

In this podcast, I teach on the 5 main covenants of the Old Testament (and yes, I'm aware some say there are 7 or even as many as 8). I explore these 5 Covenants: the Noahic, the Abrahamic, the Sinai (Mosaic) the Davidic, and the New Covenant.

A lot of problems occur when people read their Bibles and "mix and match" the different covenants. They assume that the promises of one covenant can be claimed today for themselves - but what if that covenant isn't for them? What if it has ended?

What were they? Who were they made with? What were the "conditions"? Which ones are still 'in effect' today? Which ones affect us as Christians? Which one(s) was for the people of Israel only?

The teaching ends by looking briefly at 3 theological camps - Replacement Theology (Supersessionism), Dispensationalism, and a new one called Commonwealth theology.

God is BOTH a God of GRACE. He is merciful, loving, and full of compassion. AT THE SAME TIME, He is a God of JUSTICE...He judges the evil, He vindicates and punishes the wicked. The Biblical view of God is that He is ALL of those things. The tendency is to emphasize one to neglect the other. Or to relegate one of them to the "end of history" at some time far in the future. God is the God who acts IN HISTORY. He does hear the cries of His people. He delivers. He overcomes evil. And at this time in history, it is critical that we embrace the FULLNESS of who God is.

I can't away from this topic. God is preparing a REMNANT. Tragically, much of the church is asleep and not discerning what God has been saying and what He wants to do in this critical hour. God is purifying His Bride and He is growing our faith. Will we heed the words of Jesus who said, "To him/her who has ears to hear, let him/her hear"? What are some of the qualities or characteristics of Remnant believers in this hour? That is what I was preaching on this past weekend.

It was over a year ago at the beginning of COVID that the Lord spoke to us to be "Fear Extinguishers" - little did we know that FEAR would be arguably the biggest issue that people would face globally. It remains a huge issue - with more fears that have been added in 2021. May this inspire you to continue to allow the Lord to move through your life to extinguish the fear in the lives of others. May you yourself be kept from fear! For such a time as this...

The Ministry of Jesus during His time on the earth (1.0), the way the Church carried on His ministry after His Ascension in the Book of Acts AND also in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries (2.0). And finally what about us today (3.0). If you are a Cessationist (believing the miraculous gifts ended), you have an impossible time maintaining that position after you hear what happened in the Church in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries.

God brings great good out of evil and especially when that evil is directed as persecution of His people, His remnant, the Body of Christ - And right now we are facing a level of persecution that many Christians in the West have never had to face. In this podcast, I want to share what God did, God's response, in Acts 8 after one of his sons was murdered (Acts 7) and His Church arrested and imprisoned (Acts 8). God who was NOT THE AUTHOR of the murder and/or the imprisonments, ended up making the Kingdom of Darkness pay severely for the evil that came against His Remnant. God is a redeemer and let us look to Him right now to pour out His Spirit in America where His will is not being done in so many ways.

Who is this message for?

Any Christian/Christian leader that voted for Biden/Harris or supported those who did.

Any NeverTrumper Christian that refused to vote for Trump/Pence and influenced others not to vote for them.

Finally, and to a far lesser degree - Any Christian that is now giving up believing what God revealed and what He wants for America (and the world) in the months and years to come.

Unquestionably the most controversial podcast I've ever done.

No regrets. What I have spoken is the Word of the Lord.

For such a time as this!

God has spoken a number of things to us and our community since the end of 2019 and throughout 2020. This is a summary of some of those things - from a promise of protection against COVID, to a mandate to be "Fear Extinguishers", to the priority of house church meetings, and that it is a season of Harvest...I think that you will find that God has been speaking many of the same things to His Church all around the world. I've had a number of men and women confirm that God has said the same things to them and their communties - Maybe some of the language was/is a little different, but the substance is the same. ...for such a time as this!