Archive for the 'Religion' Category

“36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.” – John 4:36-38

As the prophets of old sowed, preparing the way for our Lord Jesus Christ, did the apostles reap. And today, as the apostles and disciples sowed, leaving us the New Testament to share with all men, we too reap of their reward as God brings souls to faith while we tell them of Christ.

We sow and reap from one man to another. Some share a verse or two, and some mention their love and service to Christ. Some plant the word in the field, telling strangers of the glories of the Kingdom of God by salvation in Christ Jesus. Other men follow behind, reaping those precious souls sown by us that the Lord has watered and nurtured. We laborers together commend those newborn Christians unto Holy Father God as desirous of Him, and life eternal, condemned no more but to be sons of God, converted to the truth.

“But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.” – Matthew 13:8

If the seed is fallen on good ground converting you to Christ, you are to sow and reap, bringing forth much fruit (John 15:8), good fruit (Matthew 7:17), and ordained to bear fruit that remains (John 15:16), even leading 100 souls or more to Jesus Christ. This work is done one soul at a time.

Pray for the lost, that God would send those to you looking for answers, sinners in need of salvation. Pray that you might show them what great things Christ has done for them if they would only believe. Some will reap where you sow, and you will reap where others have planted so that we may all rejoice together as Father God gets all the glory through His Son.

Bring them before the throne that every knee bow and every tongue confess Christ as King (Philippians 2:10-11).

“15 Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. 16 Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. 17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. 18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; 19 When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place. 20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.” – Isaiah 32:15-20

Read Isaiah 32. The text points to a day coming that is Messianic, but the current state is one of sin against God being careless about Him and all He commands. Judgment is nigh, the people are having their blessings (comfort, ease, food) removed, and hard times are coming. But, when they repent, turning back to God, He will pour out His Spirit from on high upon them. But, very importantly, that’s not the end, nor are God’s blessings fully reinstituted. First, they must do the works of God.

The Christian life is this; stop sinning, call upon God, and do His works ordained for you to walk in. This is not a cycle that you go back to the beginning and repeat; it’s ongoing as you go forward, removing yet another sin, calling upon His holy name, and doing further what is right in His sight. What is the book of Chronicles but the cycle of wickedness and curses that follow, repentance, service, and subsequent blessings? This cycle will be broken if we cut out the wickedness part.

Verse 11 shows the repentance of a contrite heart. “Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.” – Isaiah 32:11

America has left the God of her fathers. Hard times are coming, but Isaiah 32 provides explicit instruction on what to do.

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31

Having trembled before the living God in verse 11, Isaiah 32 points to a day God will pour out His Spirit in verse 15. That day has arrived, and two thousand years past, we are without excuse for failing to work the works of God. Secondly, something is striking in verse 17, the effect of righteousness. Verse 17 shows us what to do. Verses 18 and 19 show us how the blessings of God almighty shall return to the land and the people for doing the ongoing works of God as instructed by Christ in His word. Verse 20 indicates how to maintain those blessings.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

The New Religion loves this verse. They talk about it often. They desire an abiding change for America; they know something is desperately wrong with their religion. But they won’t do it. They won’t abandon their lifestyle Christianity, roll up their sleeves and work righteousness being salt and light. Christianity is not a feeling; it’s not an experience; it is doing what Jesus Christ said to do. The answer is not only kindness, love, and light, but salt and righteousness rebuking sin.

The American Church loves to talk about praying for revival and having a spirit of repentance, asking God to pour out His Spirit and blessings, but they seldom mention the work of God’s men needed to bring about that change. Over and over, the Bible portrays repentance by doing that which was right in the eyes of the Almighty.

Verse 17 says that “the work of righteousness shall be peace.” It’s nonsensical to the human mind because it’s not of this world. It’s a heavenly kingdom. When God’s people do righteousness before the sons of men in the name of Christ, it brings peace. We’re not talking about the new religion; we’re talking about salt and light, demanding sin cease, telling the wicked that, no, we don’t do that, we’re Christian, and neither do we tolerate it! This is the work of righteousness. We think; I don’t’ want to cause trouble, or I don’t want to be ‘that guy,’ but you would be shocked at how many are immediately reproved of their sin when you point it out and tell them to stop. You would also be amazed by the number of people that thank you or chime in with agreement. Righteous salt and light into a situation further bring peace; it’s counterintuitive.

“By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.” – Proverbs 11:11

7 “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” – Proverbs 16:7

God has given us the greatest gifts of any epoch in history, the completed canon showing His purposes in judgment, grace, and for instruction in righteousness. He’s given the power of the knowledge of good and evil from His word, and the Holy Spirit poured out from on high that we might effect righteousness unto peace on earth. These were the tidings of the angles to the shepherds at Christ’s birth. Undoubtedly great upheaval occurred, and sometimes it will when God’s people publicly stand for Christ, but the providential long-term results, when the upright reprove sin and require that all Christ teaches be observed, the whole of society will change.

Verse 17 continues, “and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” It’s contrary to man’s understanding. Christians must stop relying on their own understanding and turn to live in the Kingdom of God, not as a part-time enterprise or a hyper-personalized experiential feeling, but by bringing the Kingdom to fruition by praying down the power of God, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, making competent Christian men and women, and reproving the world of sin within the scriptural authority given us that it will be like heaven on earth. Quietness and assurance forever are the result, causing even the enemies of the Kingdom of God to stop making war on Him so that just men would be at peace.

Not only is the Kingdom of God counterintuitive when interacting with the world personally and through the church at large, but what Jesus tried to teach, and we perhaps have forgotten, is that the entire Kingdom is not of this world, even how to lead and work within it.

“25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:25-28

“10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” – Matthew 23:10-11

And the foremost example of your fallen human understanding being dull to the contrary nature of the Kingdom of God is that persecution causes the church to grow. This is why we have endeavored to give you the tools you need so that when people start looking for answers as hard times arrive, you will be able to tell them, clearly and from Scripture, of our King and a better Kingdom to come. You must start now bringing needed experience. You have to be ready, not to whine and lament with the lost but to tell them of salvation in Christ Jesus. A Christian civilization is only attainable through Christians making more Christians by salvation in Christ under the work of the Holy Spirit of God and teaching and training believers to make them competent soldiers for Jesus Christ.

The American seminaries have made CEOs of pastors, so they teach timidity through self-help by new age pop-psychology within a top-down hierarchy. That’s not the church of Jesus Christ! The American Church is broken at its core, dysfunctional, and unable to do the works of God because it has become just another enterprise co-equal with, and even submitted to, government, business, leisure, economics, entertainment, etc. Christ has no equal on earth and is made head of all things; you are to bring to fruition that outcome which will bring peace, quietness, and assurance to the land, on earth as it is in heaven.

Judgment is arriving; your blood is upon your heads. America deserves everything that’s coming, and it is Christian’s fault!

Verse 20, “Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.”

Jesus used agricultural parables, we suppose, for at least two reasons, the promise given to Abram of a land that would flow with milk and honey and because it was somewhat of an agricultural society. The people could easily relate to those. In verse 20, they were to sow beside all waters, sending forth their beasts of labor to bring in the harvests of blessings given by Holy God. Jesus has told us, in parables and plainly, to sow the gospel, be salt, light, and righteousness, and to teach all nations to observe what He has commanded. That’s how you could have kept your civilization.

In the Garden, Adam blamed the woman, the woman blamed the serpent, and they all pointed fingers at each other. God cursed them all. God will hold you to account for losing your civilization.

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” – 1 Corinthians 1:27

Yes, you are chosen by God to work the works of righteousness. The mighty cannot stand before the seemingly weak when you go in the Spirit and power of God. Within this post are the tools for rebuilding after the judgment.

If we read our Holy Bible right, deserved judgment looms upon America but teach the sons of God, if for no other reason, as the prophets did, they might know how to return to God and rebuild their civilization in His holy name. Never give up; God’s word does not return to Him void. Christ’s men must go forward with His works but barring a national revival and subsequent reformation from the new religion, by the hard work of service to Christ, planting, watering, and preparing for a rebuild seems wise. Many of the prophets of old taught that judgment was upon the people for their sin, but when they knocked it off by forsaking their iniquity and did the works of God, peace, quietness, and assurance forever would come. Though we hold out hope, this message seems fitting today.

There is no more peaceable habitation, sure dwelling, and quiet resting place than in Christ Jesus. Lastly, but foremost, here is the counterintuitive nature of the Kingdom of God fully realized: peace and quietness and assurance forever through the violence, torture, and blood of the cross of Christ.

Isaiah 32 is, generally, part of the prophesy continued from Chapter 31, that’s about the defeat of the dreaded Syrian army. We’ll not bore you with regurgitating a history lesson, and there are much more qualified to bring one at any rate. we’ll do the necessity of instruction by application, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” – Romans 15:4

The chapter is in three parts. The first marvelously Messianic, and the last is the works of God by His own, who live in peace and prosperity by effecting righteousness. The middle part is the problem; similarly, America is dying, the vintage is failing, and evil has taken root for rejecting the God of her founding.

We’ll look at the middle part first since this would seem to be the pressing matter for America and Western Civilization. The American Church hates God; therefore, the works of righteousness are not being done.

Everywhere Jesus went, He stirred up trouble, speaking truth and being salt and light by showing forth the righteousness of Holy Father God. There are only those few who won’t sit down, won’t shut up, won’t deny the commands of God. The rest have succumbed to the new religion living for the world, its kings, systems, and riches.

“5 The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful. 6 For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.” – Isaiah 32:5-6

The term liberal here means charitable, which is the proper definition. Still, today’s liberal has the wicked charity of demanding we be stolen from under grievous taxation so the “liberal” can “give” to the needy. A churl was defined as a man and then redefined for commoner or lowest form of freeman. At any rate, the money is drying up. The American Church greedily accepted the social welfare state to keep the alms to themselves. Before the liberal in America became a communist after the takeover of central banking, the church of Jesus Christ took great care of the needy. The problem falls squarely on the church, as verse 6 points out, all utter error against the Almighty. So those that once gave became vile in the eyes of the Lord (Verse 5), and commoners no longer had a bountiful existence.

Perhaps for a few years still, but it used to be that the lowest freeman could hang out a shingle and reach far above his station if he were able and of good report among his patrons. That was the American dream. The American Dream gone wrong is handing that duty to make prosperous the commoner to the government; that’s communism 101.

Verse 6 above gives the first glimpses of the famine; the food and drink will fail. Perhaps God by Isaiah is making spiritual application, but rejecting God’s Law will lead to actual famines. The once free market to buy in America is changing. The very well-to-do must pre-order items, and the rest of us, well, if the shelf is bare, we do without, knowing the price will be 20 to 50 percent higher when (if) the items return to the shelves. In verse six, the hearts of the men have turned to villainy, iniquity, and hypocrisy because they have rejected the mercies of God; they no longer work the works of God because they know Him not.

“7 The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right. 8 But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.”

In verse 7, God blames the men for the problems that are coming labeling them all workers of iniquity, but notes, in verse 8, how those of a good heart toward their neighbor shall be remembered by the Lord God. It’s important to note that in America, all of this is rolling downhill from the money changer’s implementation of debt-based central banking 100 years ago. Both tacit and open acceptance by the American Church of usury banking is a root cause of evil abounding in the land as it has chosen Caesar over salt, light, and righteousness to rebuke all sin.

Isaiah then shifts to lament what will become of them by pointing to their womenfolk. This freight-train-load of trouble barreling down the track at an alarming rate is headed straight to every town in America. The women then were dependent on the men. We don’t have this problem now; the women are every bit as empowered as the men, and in increasing numbers, they are the men, so crises are averted. Well, maybe that won’t help, in fact, hmm? Never mind. Joking aside, do note the trend from liberated, to empowered, to killing babies, to career gal (IRS tax slave), to not knowing if they have a vagina or a penis. How many know that encouraging women to enter the workforce is designed to get them on the tax plantation? Under the curse of sin in the Garden, the woman has her own four-fold curse; why would she seek to add the afflictions of the man by trying to be like him; she knows not the God of creation.

“9 Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech. 10 Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come. 11 Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins. 12 They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. 13 Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city: 14 Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks” – Isaiah 32:9-14

Isaiah points out that the days of careless living are over, warning them that their comfort and ease are ending. Today we see the problem unfolding gradually; now, the train whistle blows, and few hear. The fields and vines will be bare; the children will have no suck due to the women’s want. So grueling will the situation be in verse 13 that the ground will be left fallow returning to the wilderness. Of course, restoring the “balance of nature” by moving everyone into hives, owning nothing, and eating bugs is all part of the plan under the New Agenda. We could point to the curse of the man Adam.

Read Genesis 3:17-19, given here in part: “…cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread…”

The curse includes hard work with thorns and thistles, in being fed and having to eat off the land instead of the pleasant and bountiful supply of the Lord God in the comfort and ease of the Garden. God reminds us of the results of the fall into sin that happened. Like a dog, America returns to its vomit.

As best as we can recon, joy will leave the houses, and sorrows are coming to America. And the once fertile lands are returned to the wild animals and wandering flocks. The picture is that of desolation, scorn, mournfulness, and want.

We’ll point out that no special revelation of God’s plan is being made. We’re simply looking at His word and warning any who will listen. History and recent events come into sharper focus when seen through God’s word. God’s given all the instruction we need to know the coming of His judgments in forsaking His laws. But know too that He is a gracious, loving, and forgiving God. Great mercies will be found in the hardships that may be approaching. America will come to understand that the debt-based money changers communist regime are no god at all; He will not be mocked.

“3 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; 4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5 And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.” – Leviticus 26:3-5 (Read the whole chapter)

Strange are those that accept God would bless them but deny the curses of a heart of hardness or failing to keep His statutes as a people. They admit the curse of sin and the need for salvation from the wrath of God, but how can they claim personal sin under the curse of the Garden and deny that God removes blessings as He chastens disobedience personally and nationally?

Though this question is one of logic, the problem rests in your heart. It’s a part of the new religion, and it’ll cost you your civilization. The new faith must be destroyed. All famines start as spiritual famines.

Also, read Amos chapter 6, which has excellent detail about removing blessings for national sin and disobedience.

Don’t forget, perhaps even the more so, to give all glory to God no matter the days ahead, for He is God, and we are not. Examples from Habakkuk and Job.

“17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:17-18.

“21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” – Job 1:21-22

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” – John 3:18-19

The wardens of the global prison are ever-tightening the noose of control as you wallow on death row. We’ll not lie about it; perhaps they’ll starve you, but going along with the kings, small and great, of this world may get you to your grave at a ripe old age. That might seem easier than serving in light and the whole truth but think of the ends thereof, which are hell. They are the kings of murder, war, and money. And the proverb is true, “Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.” Proverbs 24:1.

Surrendering to God will be the first thing in the best things to come that you will ever do. He has no co-equals, no partners; only soldiers, servants, slaves, and sons; you must surrender first. How can you save those that need saving while chained to the kingdoms of this world, which are your bondage? They are the servants of death; you can’t beat them except in the power of God. There is a better King, an High King.

You are condemned already, simply for rejecting Jesus. It sounds so judgmental. The light of God has come into the world, but you love darkness rather than light. You’ve chosen the deeds of evil walking in sin. Perhaps you’ve considered what you’ve been charged with, shame and guilt flooding your mind. But what are you condemned to; what is the end of them that live under the condemnation? Maybe you should keep your head down, pretending to be ok; nobody will know. After all, you rather feel pretty good about yourself while addressing none of your sin before the throne of Almighty God. Your appointment with death fast approaches. Jesus came not to condemn the world because you are guilty already, a walking dead man.

Everybody loves to talk about John 3:16. It’s America’s favorite verse. You see bumper stickers and T-shirts, and people quote it often. Many have been saved by God, coming to faith upon hearing this verse, and you can too. It’s perhaps the most famous verse in the entire English-speaking world. But many more figure that God will save them only because they exist in the world, “For God so loved the world.” They think that Jesus wouldn’t condemn anybody, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world.” Hey, Jesus loves me just as I am; He wouldn’t condemn anybody. This is the new religion. Pity you didn’t read the following several verses. You’ve already been judged guilty, sentenced to eternal death.

“11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” – John 3:11-12

There is murder, war, adultery, child trafficking, and on and on the list of grievous sins could go. From the earliest days of history, Holy God has sent many witnesses into the world to testify of the things they have seen and heard of God. Jesus says if you can’t hear of the earthly things, how shall you believe the heavenly things? If you won’t believe that God made you in the first place, how will you believe that He can make you anew by His Spirit? Evil and the sins thereby are real, with very real consequences; there will be an accounting.

If you can’t discern which way the wind is blowing, how can you turn to the Spirit of God? People love darkness rather than light. They look for the darkness; they analyze the darkness, loving it so much that they make an idol of the darkest of sinners. Some spend all day fully immersed, seeking the darkest “news” they can find; there is a grip on you, holding you to the darkness. You love darkness rather than light! Being cursed with sin already, what are you going to do about it!

If you can’t see the darkness for what it is, can’t understand earthly things, how shall you believe in the light of God to save your soul? For there is a love greater than all sin; you can overcome this world by faith in Holy God. You say your eyes are opened, but if they are, why won’t you fear before God, asking Him to save you from this present world and the wrath to come?

“For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” – John 3:20

People fear the light. You don’t want to face your sins because you know that by admitting to being a sinner, you will be reproved, that your sin will find you out, but you can’t ignore it forever. Being condemned already means not just being dressed down for your guilt, but that the wrath of God Almighty abides on all who reject the Son of God, you’re a walking dead man. Deep in your mind, where you dare not plunge, you know you’re guilty, appointed to face God in His wrath.

You know you will face Him. Shocking is that you have a clue of this and will not seek His answer and talk to Him. That guilt doesn’t come from nowhere; made in His image, your guilt answers; you are a witness against yourself before His throne! His answer is not of this world, and it’s not in you. Holy God isn’t asking that you straighten up, fly right, or try to square yourself away or undertake self-reformation of any kind; He that believeth on Him is not condemned! Believe by faith in the only begotten Son of God.

You have Christians, real Christians, figured all wrong.

“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.” – Titus 3:3

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being disobedient to the truth, serving lusts and pleasures, hating and envying. And willfully causing harm to others for the kings and kingdoms of this world, sometimes in ignorance but more often desiring to hurt and even kill others on the orders of some faceless distant “leader.” We are all these wicked things and worse, but, in this moment of clarity, Christ can forgive you by His grace. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” – John 6:47

The kingdoms of this world claw at you convincing you to stay in the darkness. Yes, evil is real; it is a spirit and wants you dead. Isn’t that interesting? The same spirit that wants you dead is the same spirit you have lived by. Do you see the deception? Being so deceived that you refuse to accept the condemnation of God, while death and hell laugh at you, claiming your soul to eternal damnation to be cast into outer darkness, tormented forever. That’s right; death isn’t the blessed end to those under the torment of darkness; it gets worse. What you’ve wrought in this world will be visited upon you, and without the mercy of the Christ of God, you will burn.

God wants to help you, but He is the perfect gentleman; you must enter His throne room in prayer seeking mercy by faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He won’t force you. Jesus Christ is the only sinless, nailed to a cross by the darkness of this world. He paid your debt to God that God would free you to live in darkness no more; you can come into the light. Free from the condemnation, forgiven, brought into the love of Holy Father God, remade into a living man. Jesus does love you.

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” – Matthew 6:22

Turn your eye to Jesus Christ, resurrected from the tomb, proving that death and hell are no match for Holy God. Keep your eyes heavenward on the things of mercy. God can change everything about you; He can remove the evil desires that have a grip on you. That’s our story; turned to the true and living God, given a new heart with a desire to carry out the orders of God, forsaking the petty kings of the world and their sin, for which of their lies ever led to any good thing at all. What have they gotten you but pain and misery, hate and anger? Sympathy and empathy were words of philosophical meaning, with no desire; God can change all of that, bringing you into the light and love of the completed truth.

Your eyes are opened to truth; the kings and kingdoms of this world are a sham, evil, and control all the time. Thank God for opening your eyes, for most remain in darkness. But don’t stop there; there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Ask Him for a new heart to be delivered from death and hell and translated into the kingdom of light, life, and eternal life in Jesus Christ. Then, you will see, startling, two kingdoms with two masters, and you will pity this world and the dead souls, condemned already, wandering in it.

Nobody is coming to save you because Jesus already came to save you. You already rejected the kingdoms of this world, come out of them as much as you can, but how will you escape death and hell and the wrath of Almighty God for your sin? Through Christ to Holy Father God is the way, the final break from this hostile planet. The Kingdom of God is real, and you can see it. What more can we say but that you have to believe God has made a way, and that way is through His Son’s forgiveness. Be deceived no more; come all the way into the light and love of the truth of God.

Being condemned already, a walking dead man, now you can hear the mercy and grace of God.

“That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” – John 3:15-17

“11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.” – Luke 8:11-14 (If need be, start back in verse 5 of luke 8 to get the full context of this parable.)

We don’t know why these stay in the Churches. The Churches are full of them. In verses 13 and 14, they fall away, but nobody holds them to account, and there are so many of them their excuses become a kindred fellowship one with another. Deceiving themselves (James 1:22), they failed to withstand the tests and trials of this world; having only a form of godliness (2 Timothy 3:5), they do none of the word of God. How can they sit in Churches for years and do nothing the Bible instructs?

Maybe they stay because they like that Church. A terrible situation across America and quite a mess indeed; whether you like a church or not shouldn’t even be a secondary issue but perhaps tertiary, if at all. Almost 100 percent of Americans will tell you that they chose their Church based on “liking” it or something very similar. They say things like; it’s a great place for the kids. Goats have kids! They hear not God; they seek not the will of the Father in all things. Verse 14 points to them all; barren and fruitless. They give themselves away because they say things, subtle things, denying the power of God (2 Timothy 3:5). Beware of these; take heed, brothers, and sisters.

Refusing to bear fruit or even to have their boughs purged (John 15:2), they will be cast; root, trunk, branch, and leaf into the fire!

“Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” – Matthew 7:17

The fruit of the American Churches is evil; those with a good heart are leaving. The problem with those on their own is that they may know Jesus but have no teacher, no instruction. They sense that what the Churches have become is not what the Bible says, but without leadership, they wander. This was one of the laments of Jesus (Matthew 9:36), that the religious administration was the blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:12-14); those that hear the Master’s voice have no shepherd. They may claim Christ as their shepherd, but they have no iron sharpening iron (Proverbs 17:17). The Churches in America are fake, even their pastors realize it, and there’s no secret whatsoever kept from God Almighty.

Nobody preaches on this parable, ever. It would empty the Churches; then, how would they keep 501(c)3 status and pay their millions of dollars mortgage to the Global Banking Cartel?

In the DoD, they have an expression; 90 percent of the work is done by the top ten percent of the people, and ninety percent of the problems are caused by the bottom ten percent. It seems fitting to consider with this parable of Jesus, and perhaps the leaders of these corporations are at the root of the real problem. The Churches are full of fakers and phonies, almost all of whom have some personal agenda found nowhere in the beloved instruction given us in the Holy Bible.

The Church leaders even use the Wheat and Tares parable (Matthew 13:24-30) as an excuse to allow unbelievers to overpopulate the congregation. That parable is not an instruction for church foundation, framing, or function; it’s about the Kingdom of Heaven, where lamentably, there are fakers and phonies all around. That parable doesn’t say to hang out with the lost and turn Christ’s church a social club full of goats and tares; in fact, God has commanded: from such turn away, for they deny the power of God (2 Timothy 3:5).

“15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” – Luke 8:15

Via PJM.

See also Townhall.

See also Daily Wire.

I suspect the leak was from a clerk of one of the communist justices, and perhaps by a clerk for Roberts.  I also expect Roberts to side with the communists.

The intent, of course, is to pressure the court to change, and/or to pressure Congress for a law in order to render the decision moot.

If the Congress becomes involved, I expect some states will ignore Congress and do what they want.  Then I expect Congress to withhold funds for all sorts of things, after which those states will further separate from FedGov.

Some states will keep it, of course, and some states will legalize worship services to Baal on the steps of their capitols while they kill babies in vats of boiling oil.

The Balkanization of America will continue apace, and issues such as gun rights, abortion and taxes will continue to render decisions made in Washington less relevant.  You get to pick your state.

If the majority stands strong, this isn’t a huge win on the national level, but it is for states who will now determine what sort of society they want to live in.

The difficulty here is that a Balkanized America isn’t separated by geography so much. The admixture is ready-made and tailored for conflict, I’m afraid, with neighbors and cities right down the road from each other finding themselves on far different sides of all of these issues.

Be careful. This is a setup for the country to tire of the conflict and demand for a strong man (or a stronger centralized government) to step in and bring peace on earth and global income for all men.

Read Isaiah 24:21-25:9

You can’t understand the book of Revelation because, perhaps, you started in the last book of the Bible expecting to need no prior knowledge and background to understand this final apocalyptic writing in scripture. So, most then look for some man’s opinion about what all of the imagery means.

Revelation is not about a dragon, a giant woman, bowls of wrath, or locusts with tails of scorpions although those things are in the book. The Revelation is about Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1)! Reducing Revelation to anything other than the conquest of Christ over His enemies and the curse of sin from the fall is to miss God’s purposes completely.

To understand the book of Revelation, you must study the entire Bible. There are many ongoing revelations in God’s broader redemptive plan, in choosing a people to be His, in grace and mercy unto salvation, instruction in righteousness, and yes, judgment.

Apocalyptic Judgments in the Holy Bible appear from the start. It would help if you started by understanding the magnitude of the fall (Genesis 3); the entire earth is cursed, and everything is dying. There are many separate curses and consequent judgments pronounced by Holy God at the fall; the woman is cursed, satan is cursed, and the man is cursed, and with him, the very ground you walk on is cursed. As can be pretty typical of Apocalyptic writing throughout the Scripture, each of these curses has four parts. Keep that in mind when reading the prophetic portions of scripture; often, judgment comes in fours.

An example seems necessary. Most straightforward to see is the four upon the woman.

“Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” Genesis 3:16:

1 Great sorrow

2 Pain and distress in conception and childbirth

3 In yearning for and need of a provider/protector husband

4 And made subject to that man

In God’s ongoing redemptive plan, every aspect of the sin curse in Genesis 3 is being addressed. Matthew 22:30 is one of the many verses that convince us amillennialism is flawed. All of it is ended by the close of history, the Kingdom of God now being a picture. God brought and is bringing judgment to every man, for all have sinned, but He is the God of mercies, grace abounding unto redemption; at the close of history, all those blood-bought faithful will be redeemed with no more curse (Revelation 22:3). Though we live by faith now in a type of the final kingdom, in the end, we hold out our hope by faith toward the God that restores for perfect (complete) restoration.

We reject the notion that Jesus Christ was tortured to death for an allegory. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” – Romans 5:12. Sin is real, the consequences of which can be devastating to not only individuals but to nations. There is no more thoroughly documented occurrence in antiquity than the resurrection of Christ. Almighty God, the creator of the heaven and the earth, reached across the expanse of His creation and through time eternal to personally contact you, offering salvation, a glimpse of the final Kingdom, and a knowledge of Him that only His own can receive. Is your salvation an allegory? You know better! Those claiming such things read the Bible as mere literature but having been brought to new life in Christ, His word is revealed, we know that the Bible is the words of life. There are just too many verses that point to an end state with God, not just spiritually now, but free from all corruption. Don’t doubt His power to have a people that live in fellowship and truth and worship with Him at the end.

Within this section of Isaiah (Chapters 24 through 27), we’ll narrow our study to some verses from 24 and 25 that can help build your knowledge of the apocalyptic type of language. Also, see Matthew 24, Part Four, Definition of Terms Primer.

The specific target of the judgments rendered in our verses is not given. Isaiah, in general, is the judgment of Israel using Babylon as His instrument, and then, as is also God’s typical manner, those used in judgment against God’s own are also judged; this too can help you understand the prophetic books. But we can’t miss the language, as many of these verses seem to point to a distant future yet unknown to the people then living.

God is not hiding what He is doing; He reveals it; scripture always answers scripture. In the book of Revelation, you must understand the language of prophecy. You must study God’s purposes in judgment, His means, and the modalities of bringing judgment, which is by human instrumentation with a few exceptions.

The addressees of Revelation, seven first-century churches, would have had some knowledge of what that book spoke about when using those apocalyptic images. Those that were Jews, notably, would have been very familiar with the meanings, types, symbols, and language in Revelation. But today, Gentiles are not raised from their youth in the knowledge of the Tora. Keeping in mind that the New Testament interprets the Old Testament to understand Revelation, you must study apocalyptic forms and language from Genesis onward, especially the prophetic books.

Holy God uses language throughout the Old Testament that is brought forward to Revelation. It’s NOT some new thing mystically veiled by God to keep us in ignorance.

“21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” – Isaiah 24:21-23

[ And “In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.” Isaiah 27:1 ]

We see war in Heaven and judgments on the earth (verse 21) with similar apocalyptic imagery and symbols of serpents and “the Dragon” destined for the pit (27:1 above. See Revelation 20:2-3) and ultimately to be no more (Revelation 20:10). See also Daniel Ten about war in Heaven come to earth, against the kingdoms of this world, on behalf of just men.

Verses in Revelation to consider here include 12:7-12, and Chapter 20, especially verses 1-3, 7, 10.

No moon, no sun shall compare to the Glory of Christ, who shall be the light of the city. Compare verse 23 (above) with Revelation 21:23 and Revelation 22:5.

And compare verse 23 (above) with Revelation 4:4, the Lord on His throne surrounded by the “ancients” or “four and twenty elders.”

Know that God’s angels would make war in Heaven and earth for you who cry out to Him day and night that He would avenge His own elect. (Deuteronomy 32:35, Luke 18:7, Romans 12:19/Hebrews 10:30)

“O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” Isaiah 25:1

This verse seems to point to a soon-coming day of victory by God, knowing full well that Christ is triumphant.

Verses in Revelation to consider here include; Revelation 19:1-3.

“2 For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built. 3 Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee.” Isaiah 25:2-3

Many apocalyptic verses and some parables come to mind but immediately, Luke 19:41-44 and Mark 13:2. This language is striking. Perhaps Isaiah points to Babylon (see Revelation 16:19, a type). Still, it’s impossible to miss that God may be reaching across a span of many centuries pointing to the true Israel of God, that would worship Him in spirit and in truth when the “strangers” who knew Him not would reject the cornerstone (Luke 20:17-19) of the building, God creating much greater worship; “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” – 1 Corinthians 3:16. These verses are about a city run by God’s enemies, standing in the way of the new heavenly city, and the vengeance of God for His faithful (strong followers, Philippians 4:13).

“4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

5 Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.

6 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.

8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”  – Isaiah 25:4-9

The needy, the poor, and those in distress remind us of Luke 4:17-21. Imagine being there; “And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.” Wonder not at how many misunderstood or questioned but marvel in His sight that you, of all creatures, would be made aware.

We see salvation in verses 4-9, where this prophecy of Isaiah turns beautifully messianic. The veil is rent in verse 7 (Matthew 27:51), the heathen may have their faces uncovered (eyes opened), salvation has come to all people (Revelation 12:10), who shall live in the love and knowledge of our Lord, the great Redeemer, Creator and merciful giver of the breath of new life into His reborn creatures, salvation in Christ is at hand!

By the time we reach verse 8, what else could we have but the Revelation of God Almighty in final victory; all tears are wiped away (Revelation 21:4). The ending of the curse of sin and the last enemy death, is roundly defeated (1 Corinthians 15:26), for God is life, and to His own, He brings life eternal. The strong city, the heavenly Jerusalem, is born. The enemies of Holy Father God shall be tread upon by Christ’s hosts (Revelation 11:2) as Babylon the Harlot (Revelation 17:5) falls not only to physical destruction (Matthew 24) but into ruinous darkness (Romans 11:7). Christ has left the old temple desolate (Luke 13:35, Matthew 23:38).

“1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” – Revelation 21:1-7

In the judgments of God, the Bible shows us how God made them to war against each other, took their ability to sustain themselves, and brought diseases and famines. To understand Revelation, you must pursue prophetic language from Genesis onward.  To understand the freight-train-load of trouble coming at America, you must understand why God brings judgment and the means and modalities of destruction for those who hate Him.

And again, though full of typology and symbols, we reject the notion that all is an allegory and that the Kingdom of God now is the end. Christ is coming again for those that are His and His final estate with Him; there shall be no defiled thing, watch, therefore, keep your garments spotless, and be ready for no man knows the hour.

Edit: We should have noted that the concept for this post and some of the reference verses came from M. S. Terry.

Daniel saw the vision of the Ancient of days commissioning the church, handing it to the Son of man with His army of witnesses, His Christian Soldiers, to conquer the world that all people should serve Him.

“13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” – Daniel 7:13-14

From the moment the church was birthed, Jesus declares that through His death, burial, and resurrection, He has been given the keys to bind hell and death.

“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” – Revelation 1:18

Satan is a defeated foe; Christ binds evil that the world will be overflooded with the knowledge of the glory of God (Habakkuk 2:14) by the spreading of the Gospel (Acts 1:8) that all people should serve Him (Daniel 7:14).

All people are subject to Christ, but some, a precious too few, are citizens of the Kingdom of God, building His domain that all enemies be made His footstool. When you got saved, you were to have abandoned your pagan kings and kingdoms; EVERYTHING about you should have changed; do you not hear Him calling His sheep, feeling the gentle pressure of the drawing and calling to serve your new High King? This is hard for folks saved in their youth, with so many years of cultural Churchianity ingrained in them. You must fight to overcome the world for Jesus Christ that you might be a son of God (Revelation 21:7).

There is nothing defensive about the Great Commission. Its offense, all the time, taking the field in the name of our High King and attacking the gates of hell relentlessly (Matthew 16:18), submitting yourself to the will of God (James 4:7).

Jesus has provided the practical instruction for His followers to carry out this deputation.

“14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” – Mark 16:14-16

“18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” – Matthew 28:18-20

The Great Commission is relatively simple.

1. You tell lost people about Jesus.
2. You teach converts all that He commands (the Word of God).

Both distinct missions seek the growth of the body of Christ. Soul-winning aims to grow the number of true converts, while discipleship seeks the development of individual believers in their depth and breadth of maturity in Christ. You are supposed to be on the battlefield taking the world one new convert at a time, teaching the nations all that Christ commands.

Standing Orders are those given to soldiers in the absence of their commander. They are what you are supposed to do until you receive new orders. The Great Commission is our standing order; it’s the church’s mission. It’s what you are commanded to accomplish by the Captain of your salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ, until His return. With Acts 1:8, these are the last words of our Lord Jesus, and these are His standing orders.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

We assure you that if you set about to accomplish this, the Lord will immediately and miraculously bless, prepare, and anoint your efforts! All of you who are saved were saved through the hearing of the Gospel under this commission. If any of you claim salvation and don’t continue in the work of carrying out this commission, you fail your brothers, and you fail Christ.

Acts 1:8 does not directly cross-reference the Great Commission verses in the Gospels, but it’s Jesus telling His disciples that the start of the mission is nigh, and the Holy Spirit’s arrival is imminent. They were to start witnessing right away after Pentecost, and they did. God added to the groups of believers popping up in and around Jerusalem as they spread the good news. And then the Gentile (Roman Soldier) Cornelius and his house got saved (acts 10), and the Gospel took off. After that, the disciples began to teach the converts and start communities of believers while seeking to expand the reach of the Gospel to the entire Roman Empire. God created new groups of believers who were instructed to change everything about their lives away from their pagan historical past, following after Christ being salt and light and righteousness. They turned the world upside down, and that’s what we’re supposed to be doing, changing whole civilizations by making them Christian.

“Matt. 28:19 – μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη (NA28 – Nestle-Aland, 28th Edition Greek New Testament). The first word here, μαθητεύσατε, means “make a disciple of or a follower, which involves instruction or teaching.” The last word is ἔθνος ethnos (from which we derive our English word “ethnic”) and can mean multitude, company, people, but in the broader application, as here, means all nations or peoples. Jesus wanted (and still wants) the gospel to be taken to the entire world and “every creature” (Mark 16:15).” – Roger L. Leonard.

Literal translation: disciple-make all the people/nations

Go and make disciples of all the people of the nations (every creature) that Christ may subjugate every man to His kingdom. The job is to conquer the world in the name and power of Jesus Christ. Nobody is coming to save us. Our Lord commands His disciples to overthrow the world by the power of God, the Holy Spirit in us, wielding His sword, which is the word of God through proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is not hyperbole; it is your God-ordained duty in service of the One who saved you from the wrath and death and hell you deserve and has given you eternal life. Acts 1:8 and Mark 16:15 and Matthew 28:16-20 are clear enough; these are our Standing Orders.

We are all made witnesses for Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit in us. This mission is unto the ends of the earth. This is put forth to instruct us what our job is in the Kingdom of God while we work toward His return. Conquer the world because He’s coming back, not despite His coming back. Every soul on earth must needs hear the Gospel. It is not a limited ministry in any sense. Father God wants us to tell all people the Gospel of the finished work of His Son on the cross, making and training converts.

Once you believe, you become a witness for Jesus Christ, the witness being a legal term for which you will be held to account at the Judgment. If you know that you are supposed to tell people about Jesus, and you are, then failing to do is a sin.

A witness is someone that testifies as to the veracity of the facts. A witness for Jesus Christ testifies of Him. Discuss with every creature the atoning death, the resurrection, how He saved and changed you and has blessed you, how He is the Son of God, the only way to the Father (John 14:6) that sinners may be forgiven entering into eternal life.

Acts 1:8 with Mark 16:15 are the commands of God that make us the tip of the sword of the Gospel we are to wield at every soul on earth, giving them a stark choice under the threat of wrath and death and hell, or salvation unto eternal life in heaven with Christ Jesus. This is their choice, and telling them is the duty of every Christian; showing every soul, whosoever, and howsoever you may meet them, that our King saves.

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15

We are to show by opening the Scriptures that Christ died shedding His blood to cover the sins of the lost sinner, that He was buried, and that he rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Although not called to be a Preacher proper as from the pulpit, every believer is called to share the Gospel and win souls to Christ. The Holy Spirit of God convicts and saves the lost sinner; you are His witnesses, His messengers of the good news of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Don’t confuse the Gospel of Peace with anything other than peace in Christ Jesus. It’s not a feeling or how to get along with the lost world. The glad tidings are the resurrection of Jesus Christ fulfilling the promise of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world that salvation by faith in Holy God through the cross and the blessing of eternal life in His Son had come to all who would only believe. That’s the good news.

Simple does not mean easy. Jesus trained His disciples for years and gave them the Holy Spirit. Nobody but God will be on your side if you decide to take this on unless you are blessed to be around a very mature and seasoned (well-salted) group of believers. This is why most Christians shy away. They don’t feel supported; there is no sense of having a team to carry out the mission of Christ with singleness of purpose.

We put some thought into structuring a group of believers for this two-part commission; reaching the lost and building whole communities centered around Christ. Seeing the fruit of the American Churches, they are lost in a sea of endless activity to no avail. They leave a wide wake of a form of godliness, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory while losing ground to the workers of iniquity year after year.

Suppose you have the rare and distinct blessing of being in a mission (not missions) oriented group of believers with regular purposeful soul winning and training that grows the believers. In that case, it’s your duty to replicate this effort. Under this commission, use all resources directly to support this tip of this spear mission ordained by Christ Jesus. All believers must share the Gospel and help the soldiers returning from battle by uplifting them and encouraging them while ministering among the saints. Tell every soul the Gospel; this is a direct order of Holy God, and teach each other how to be Christ-like!

If only the Churches were places to get instructed, uplifted, encouraged, and prepared. Suppose churches were a place to share battlefield tactics, prayer, and partnering for practical strategies; other serious men and women would want to be part of the success. People love to win. We should prepare each other to re-enter the battlefield for another round of wielding the Gospel at the sons of men who are living in the kingdom of death and hell in this world.

It is your duty to make men and women competent Christians. The greatness of the Great Commission is also not to be reduced or watered down. Teaching converts is the natural follow-on conclusion to winning the lost sinner to God, as it was always God’s plan to have fellowship with them. Even if the new converts are not the ones you are teaching, both jobs need to be done. Sometimes you win a soul to Christ and never see them again, but that’s no excuse for not doing this work. Sometimes you teach an infant, and as they grow, they move away to follow God’s plan for them. You’ve done your part. It’s work; although a blessing to fellowship, it’s not a social hour. The great commission is the work in support of making yet more converts to the way, the truth, and the life of Jesus Christ by training up the young, not of age but spirit, in the way that they should go (Proverbs 22:6) so that they too can share the Gospel of Jesus Christ while living and growing in ever-expanding and multiplying Christian communities forsaking sin and rebuking the workers of hell.

The hard part is building the communities of believers. The Covid shutdowns proved that. We can count on very few people, but this is very likely due to the lack of a team approach. Christianity in America is hyper-personalized with no sense of a larger mission or single team. The Great Commission is that mission; to tell every creature of Christ in a way that they may choose to live or die while we build centers of support for new, growing, and seasoned Christian men, women, and families.

We are not to be snatching brands from the fire when we make believers; we are supposed to be making a new soldier; all power and authority having been given to Jesus Christ on earth for the discipleship of all nations. The command is that we, faithful followers of the way, take every aspect of society and claim it in the name of our King, including recreation, social, corporate, government, trade, etc. Adding by the will of Holy God; Peoples, Nations, Countries, and Kingdoms, making them all, every last one, disciples of Jesus Christ is what God has intended by this commission.

“Teach all nations – The word rendered “teach,” here, is not the one that is usually so translated in the New Testament. This word properly means “to disciple, or to make disciples of.” This was to be done, however, by teaching, and by administering baptism…Jesus broke down the partition wall, and commissioned his disciples to go everywhere, and bring the “world” to the knowledge of himself.” – Albert Barnes.

“As the numbers of converts increase, this providentially leads to the subsuming under the authority of Christ whole institutions, cultures, societies, and governments.” – Ken Gentry.

“Christianity should be twisted in with national constitutions…the kingdoms of the world should become Christ’s kingdoms, and their kings the church’s nursing fathers…do your utmost to make the nations Christian nations…Christ the Mediator is setting up a kingdom in the world, bring the nations to be His subjects.” – Matthew Henry.

It’s on the test, folks!

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” – 1 Peter 3:15

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 10:32-33

Who do you love, Jesus or your lost friends? Jesus or your lost social media buddies? Jesus or your lost family? Who do you love, Jesus or your lost Churchianity?

Part One  Part Two

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” – 1 John 3:2

Jesus is the firstborn from the dead. Having been made into flesh, resurrected, and glorified, we follow after by His power to raise us, change us, and bring us. At least, that is the hope of eternal life from before the world began (Titus 1:2). Yea, we rely on Christ the eldest heir, for He is the way to the Father and by none other shall any approach (John 14:6).

We’ll share a few verses that perhaps support our exploration.

Jesus is entirely God and fully man.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. Or, as the Hebrews writer says, the express image of God. Made in God’s image to be resurrected and given a sinless body, we will be like Him.

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature” – Colossians 1:15

“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” – Hebrews 1:3

“[T]he express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power” is something to ponder. Here we could write five more pages. Perhaps one day we will. Try entering into the throne room of Heaven and ask Him how this can be and how He does it. It sounds like a good way to end up at an end, disassembled and headed to clean out the cat litter box, mumbling incoherently to yourself.

We are His possession purchased now, though forgiven of sin and saved, but not yet fully redeemed.

[The Holy Spirit of promise] “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” – Ephesians 1:14

The earnest of our inheritance? Perhaps you put down “earnest money” if you’ve purchased a house. It shows that you are serious about your intent. Jesus is serious about His intent. Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, and especially 5. As Ephesians 1:14 does, it shows that the Holy Spirit given to us is His earnest intent to collect on His promise.

“And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.” – 1 Corinthians 3:23

In these next verses, we see the Kingdom of God in Spirit now that may point to the end state when we shall all be one.

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” – 1 Corinthians 3:16

“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” – 1 John 4:15

“At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” – John 14:20

And so we conclude in prayer that we’ve done no damage to the word of God but searched out meat to grow by. Made in the image and likeness of God, to look at the creature to find the creator is fruitless. There’s too much sin, too much baggage, too much pride, fear, and unbelief. You might as well see a shrink for the knowledge of God it’ll get you. To look at oneself to see a picture of God is to so grievously injure the image of the Holy One that it rightly would call for a good old-fashioned whoopin’ from the Father for supposing such an approach.

To enter into the presence of God, this vile body first must be ejected. Surely you don’t want to be there in your current wicked receptacle. We suppose this to be the purposes of the resurrection and glorified body; at any rate, He wouldn’t have us thus, or He would not have given His Son a sacrifice to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

If you’re reading this and finding it hard to know what to do, know only that you must be ready to meet Him, must be numbered among those belonging to Christ Jesus, for the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. The kingdoms of death and hell will not abide. The only things left will be the Holy One and His vessels to give Him honor and glory forever. You don’t have to be full of knowledge; you must only be full of faith, ready to be received of Christ. “For we walk by faith, not by sight. – 2 Corinthians 5:7

God gave His Son an inheritance. Christ is bringing to fruition that Kingdom. God is doing His own good pleasure, the object being not only the end but the leaving behind of any doubt that He is God; the ends of men will come, some to the presence and glory of the Almighty and some to fire. Be among those fit vessels firstly surrendered to Father God through faith in His Son, crucify your desires daily, seek the lost with the Gospel, assemble with the saints in lovingkindness, support one another, teaching all nations that which Christ commands.

“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” – Revelation 21:22

Part One

The Old Covenant is a mere shadow and type of the Kingdom of God that was to come as a heaven on earth. Let’s compare Deuteronomy 11:21 with Matthew 6:10.

“That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.” – Deuteronomy 11:21

But now, the realization of the Kingdom in Christ Jesus, occupying that which has been conquered (Luke 19:13). The occupation was handed to the keepers of the Old Covenant but now falls to Christ’s men under the New Covenant in the Kingdom of God. As they were to take a kingdom physically, we are to take the domain spiritually. Occupation assumes taking. The goal in the Kingdom of God is to take the world for God by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ unto salvation; the Father’s will be accomplished on earth, that is, entirely subjected to Him, as those in Heaven are. Work toward this goal to bring in the Kingdom that now is; are still and only a type of the final domain in Christ yet to come. But as a type, we should not be slack but desirous of bringing Him glory.

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:10

These words in the New Covenant aren’t mere words to recite in vain repetition: “Thy Kingdom come.” If only Christians meant it with all seriousness when they prayed this. Nothing happens in Heaven except what God commands. All proceeds from His throne. God to rule and reign in every Family, State, and all aspects and enterprises of civilization because Christ is the head of His church and all things are the design of God that every Christian should seek (1 Corinthians 15:25). Though our weapons are not carnal, call it Christian Militancy; we take no offense at the label. Every soul saved and serving (James 2:20) takes and occupies ground for Christ in the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).

The messianic portion of this Psalm is a look at Christ’s conquering of the world in the Kingdom of God now.

“7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” – Psalm 2:7-8

The end is that God may be all in all. We can find the answer in the ongoing redemptive work of Christ through the ages, for no man can imagine the things that God has prepared (1 Corinthians 2:8-9); God has made a place (John 14:2-3) for those that love Him. Surly, our wicked bodies cannot attend.

First, the Potter made a vessel in Adam; in the time to come, we would be fitted as the habitation of the Spirit of God for the Kingdom of God but remain only a foretaste of the end. We move in increments to our mind, knowing that God inhabits all times at once, always marching toward the likeness of God that we will be at the end.

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

When we see Him, we will be like Him (1 John 3:2). This world is the beginning of the end, the preparation and proving ground of the final kingdom yet to come. To be fit for that estate, He is remaking us in His image and likeness. Our bodies are prepared at first not only to tend toward religion but a housing, a temple for the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16) that would come to indwell in the New Covenant at the second birth. This temporary spiritual Kingdom of God we inhabit now would prepare us to be fully translated into being like Him at the resurrection. If we are made joint-heirs, types of Christ, little Christ’s, yay Christians than to inherit eternity with Christ, we must have been a receptacle from the very start, that could at the final day, be like Christ (1 Corinthians 15:23-24).

Christ is the express image. We are closer than fallen Adam, now a type of Christ by His Spirit in us. But it would seem that we must be like Him to come into the place prepared.

“2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” – Hebrews 1:2-3

Like us, Christ was made flesh and the first (re)born from the dead (Colossians 1:18) by His physical resurrection. We are now spiritually reborn (baptism the like figure 1 Peter 3:21); it naturally follows that we will be fit unto glorified bodies (Philippians 3:20-21) at the resurrection. All one with another, zero error left in us, we can then fully enter into Christ and Christ in us, that as the Father and Christ are one, we in Christ with God will be all in all when Christ hands us up with His kingdom.

What a beautiful thing that from the start, the Father would prepare for His only begotten Son an inheritance and that Christ would work miracles through the ages on earth and in the hearts and minds of men as He brings His wedding to fruition to finally consummate the great domain that God intended from the start. And Jesus, when He completes all that the Father has given Him to accomplish, will hand it right back to the One that conceived it all. Want to know humility; look to Christ.

Too many straddle the fence on this. Pick a side; either God is error-prone and not a god making the church age an aside or parenthetical era, or God is holy and perfect, driving glory unto Himself in the obedience of men and, yes, in our failures. We reject the notion that life now is an audible, either by Adam’s fall into sin or the rejection of Messiah by the Hebrews. All are planned for God’s great glory that His purposes in judgment, grace & mercy, and for instruction in righteousness would lead us to have zero doubt, for there shall be no fearful, no unbelieving thing, no doubt, and not a molecule of it. There can be no lack of faith in the end state. We cry holy now but wonder what we’ll do. Only worship, we suppose, for what else could one do; holy will finally be defined; for we shall gaze upon it and see Him as He is.

If the end object is God be all in all, then these bodies with questions of perception and prone to sin must be disposed. There is no misperception of God in His presence; Holy is He.