Law of Christ

 

(Written by Steven R. Cook)

The Law of Moses was the covenant God gave to Israel through Moses at Sinai. It included commandments, statutes, and ordinances that governed Israel’s worship, civil life, and moral conduct. Scripture identifies it as a distinct covenant given to a particular nation. Moses wrote, “The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might perform them in the land where you are going over to possess it” (Deut. 4:14). The Law revealed God’s righteousness and exposed human sin, for “through the Law comes the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). However, it was never designed as a permanent rule of life for the Church. With the coming of Christ, the Mosaic covenant reached its fulfillment. Paul states, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom. 10:4), and believers are described as those who have “died to the Law through the body of Christ” (Rom. 7:4).

In contrast, the Christian now lives under the Law of Christ. Paul writes, “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). This refers to the body of instruction given by the Lord and His apostles that governs the life of the believer in the present age. The Law of Christ centers on love, grace, and Spirit-directed obedience. Jesus declared, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you” (John 13:34). The believer is therefore guided not by the Sinai code but by the teachings of Christ and the apostolic instruction that explains His work and its implications for the Church.

Fruchtenbaum states, “The Law of Moses has been disannulled, and believers are now under a new law. This new law is called the law of Messiah in Galatians 6:2 and the law of the Spirit of life in Romans 8:2. This is a brand-new law, totally separate from the Law of Moses. The Law of the Messiah contains all the individual commandments from the Messiah and the apostles that are applicable to a New Testament believer. The details on this period will be discussed under the New Covenant.” (A. G. Fruchtenbaum, The Word of God: Its Nature and Content, p. 104).

The primary body of instruction for believers begins in the upper room discourse recorded in the Gospel of John. Starting in John 13, the Lord prepares His disciples for the coming Church age. He teaches about the new commandment of love (John 13:34–35), union with Him as the vine and branches (John 15:1–5), the coming ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16–17; 16:13), and the believer’s relationship to the world. These chapters function as transitional teaching in which Christ anticipates the spiritual realities that would define the Church.

The doctrinal explanation of the Christian life is then developed in the apostolic epistles, beginning with Romans and extending through Revelation 3. In these writings the apostles explain salvation by faith (Rom. 3:28; 5:1), the believer’s union with Christ (Rom. 6:3–5), life by the Spirit (Rom. 8:1–11), spiritual growth (1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18), and the calling of the Church. The book of Acts provides the historical record of how the gospel spread and how churches were established, but its narratives are descriptive rather than the primary source of doctrine for Christian living.

Therefore, the believer today lives under the Law of Christ, drawing instruction from the Lord’s teaching beginning in the later Gospel material and especially from the apostolic instruction. This body of revelation provides the doctrinal framework for the Church and the practical guidance for the Christian life.

Hell series: (Written by my Wife)

 

Heaven & Hell Series, Part 1: Introduction

Before I move on to the book of Ephesians, I want to interrupt my posts going through the Bible as I feel the need to write a series on a specific topic: heaven and hell. I do not know yet how many parts there will be to this series.

Based on the Christian content I watch on YouTube, a video was recommended for me to watch on the near-death experience of a man named Jim Woodford.  I have seen and read quite a few reports of people who have visions of both heaven and hell, some of them have literally died, while others, like my husband, have had dreams and visions without being near death.  However, I am always skeptical that what the person has to say is legitimate, because quite often these reports are made up for the sake of gaining attention, to appear spiritual, or to gain fame, and/or the visions were influenced by demons and not from God at all in order to confuse and mislead people about what heaven and hell are really like.  I felt that Mr. Woodoford's story was real.  I also read his book titled "Heaven, an Unexpected Journey" where he goes into greater detail of his experience. 

Mr. Woodford's story prompted me to reread Rebecca Springer's book, "Within the Gates" (Their books were checked out from my library's digital selection for free, so you can also read these at no cost.)  I also watched a few more stories on YouTube.

I am going to give a brief synopsis of each of the above people's stories, will be sharing other experiences, as well as give warnings on what not to believe. Before I do that, however, I always tend to overexplain myself, I will do so now!  The reason I feel so compelled to write about this topic is based on an interview I watched where people were asked about their views on heaven and hell.  The large majority of them said they did not believe either place existed or felt that heaven and hell were what we create in our own minds.  It really saddened me that so many people are so blind and callus about what waits for them after time on this earth is over. Our time here is so very very teeny tiny compared to eternity, and yet the way we choose to live our life here will depend on where we spend forever.  That should be a sobering fact to all of us, not something to shrug off so lightly. I pray this series reaches at least one person and helps them to think seriously about eternity.

Although I will share more scriptures as we journey through this series, here are just a few to start things off:

The word "heaven" is found in the Bible 691 times (KJV), 55 of those references are in the book of Revelation alone.  The word hell is only listed 54 times KJV). Hell is not always mentioned by name but as a place with fire and/or brimstone, so technically hell is mentioned more than 54 times, just not by name. For today, I am only going to reference both Revelation 20 & 21 as they mention both places.

(Revelation 20:12-15) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

(Revelation 21:1-27) 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. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 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. 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."

And He that sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new... 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. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

And there came unto me one of the seven angels... And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal...And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Heaven & Hell Series, Part 2A: The Reality of Hell

You may wonder if one of the purposes for me to write this series is to scare people.  The answer would be yes, it is. I don't believe we should choose to accept Jesus' free gift of salvation based on fear of hell, but out of love for a gracious, compassionate, and forgiving Savior. However, if fear of hellish torment prompts you to open your Bible and start seeking Jesus and living for Him, then I will absolutely be happy to share the experiences of what other people saw of hell.  Make no mistake, heaven and hell are both very real places, and if you have actively chosen to live in rebellion against God, you will go there the moment you die.

This will be an eight or nine-part series, and before it is concluded, I will absolutely share with you more scriptures on how you can choose where you spend eternity.  In the meantime, please read the Bible on you own, especially the words of Jesus Christ.

One of the things all the people who have seen heaven, hell, or both have in common are that they feel they were sent back here for the sole purpose of sharing what they saw.  If their stories keep even one person from going to hell, even the terror they experienced was worth it. It is their stories that have inspired me to write this series.  To help further their missions to share the truths that heaven and hell are real.   

Rather than taking the time to write this series, I could simply give you links to YouTube videos to watch, but I know some people prefer to read, some watch videos, or like me, do both.  You can always search each of the people I mention for their testimonies.  Also, the main reason I do not share an entire video is because sometimes there are false testimonies on the same video as the true experiences, and I do not want to confuse anyone.  I will expose some of the frauds I am aware of in a later writing.  

For the sake of not making these blogs the lengths of novels, the stories I am retelling are very much shortened versions.  I am only going to share three stories as they take a while to recount. One in this blog, and two in part 2B.  I will start with the man I mentioned part 1, Jim Woodford.  I will tell more of his story about heaven in part 3. This retelling is taken both from an interview I watched and from his book, "Heaven, an Unexpected Journey." 

Jim Woodford lived a very selfish life where he only cared about his own pleasures and his success as a pilot and businessman.  His marriage was not a happy one, and he was facing debilitating pain due to having Guillain-Barré syndrome.  He was in so much pain he was taking large amounts of pain killers.  One day, desperate just to function, he took an unknown number of prescribed pain pills.  He had unintentionally taken a fatal dose (he said he was not suicidal) and quickly experienced a searing pain throughout his whole body.  Feeling he was dying, he cried out, "Jesus, forgive me." He then suddenly found himself standing outside his truck looking in at his own dead body inside the vehicle.  He was lifted faster and higher than any airplane he had flown and was speeding through a tunnel.  When he finally reached the end, he could see a dark door right next to the beautiful grass (I will save his description of heaven for part 3).  

This was a surprise to me to realize that the entrance to hell was literally next to heaven.  However, if you read the account of a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus (not the one Jesus raised from the dead) in Luke 16:19-31 (posted at the end), the rich man in hell can see the beggar in heaven from his place in the flames.  

Anyway, back to Mr. Woodford's account.  He heard the screeching doors of hell open, and either a demon or Satan himself (he was not sure which it was) was next to him with hideous, grotesque and twisted features.  He said he could feel utter despair in this creature as if he had swallowed and carried tormented souls with him.  He says the voice was as if a snake was speaking.  He told Jim it was his time to go to hell, and Jim was shocked at how well the evil being knew him.  He turned his back to the demon and felt a sharp talon scrape down his back.  In his terror, he called out, "God, save me!"  Suddenly three angels were at his side, and...  I will continue his story in part 3.

In order to keep this reading from being so long no one will read it, I will continue 2 more testimonies of hell in part 2B.

All these accounts as well as the below verse show not only how terrifying real hell is, but also that we do not go to sleep when we die.  We are either immediately ushed to heaven or hell.

(Luke 16:19-31) There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Heaven & Hell Series, Part 2B: The Reality of Hell

When people believe there is no heaven or hell, this means they do not believe there are any consequences for their actions.  They can do whatever they so choose, and then they will simply cease to exist. A free license to sin, however, is not reality.

While there are many more accounts of people seeing hell I could explore, some are credible and others are questionable. The accounts vary based on what God wants that person to see and based on what they can spiritually and mentally handle.  If you choose to search for such stories of heaven and hell, please pray for discernment to know what is real and fake, and what is from God and what is confusion from Satan, who masquerades as an angel of light and loves to trick people (2 Corinthians 11:14 - For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.) I will list two more that I feel are the on credible side. 

Ronald Reagan (NOT the former US president), was admittedly a very rebellious man.  He had suffered abuse from his alcoholic father which turned him to also abuse drugs and alcohol and end up in jail for manslaughter (caused by an automobile accident) by the time he was 15.  His marriage was one the verge of divorce, and he revealed he was abusive with his children as his father had been.  He had a very hot temper, and one day he took his son to the convenience store when he got into a verbal confrontation with a man walking out of the store.  Mr. Reagan shoved the other man who fell onto a pile of glass bottles.  The man than took one of the broken bottles and began attacking Mr. Reagan.  The artery under his arm was cut so severely, he was about to bleed to death.  The store owner took Mr. Reagan to the hospital but the ER could not help and put him in an ambulance to another hospital.  He was sure he would have his arm amputated.  

While Mr. Reagan lay in the ambulance, his wife now by his side, the driver, sensing Mr. Reagan was close to death, urgently told him more than once, "Sir, you need Jesus Christ!"  I fully admire the boldness of that driver!  

Mr. Reagan did not actually die but had a vision.  What happened next was that it appeared to him as if the ambulance had exploded into flames and he was surrounded by smoke.  He was then in a tunnel filled with smoke where a multitude of voices could be heard warning Mr. Reagan not to come to where they were. Their voices were full of agony, pain, and frustration.  He knew if he went where the voices were, he would be there forever.  A tsunami of loneliness and heavy depression washed over him.  It was as if he was looking down a volcano and he could see fire, smoke, and people inside; they were being burned but not consumed by the flames. He realized he recognized some of the people as his former party buddies who had died due to their reckless and rebellious actions.  The smell of sulfur was the most horrible stench he had ever smelled, and he felt a terror he never knew existed.  His wife later told him he was thrashing about in the back of the ambulance, and she could tell he was experiencing extreme fear.

He awoke in the hospital where he was covered in wounds, but they operated and had saved his arm.

In spite of seeing that hell was a very real place full of the consequences of people's rebellion against God, he still fled from God and had not yet repented.  However, sometime later (I am not sure how much time had passed), his wife gave her life to Jesus.  Her once angry face was so full of joy and peace that he agreed to go to church.  It was there he heard the pastor speak about Jesus as the lamb of God.  Due to the love he had had for a pet lamb as a child (that his father had cruelly killed and thus ignited his spiral into a rebellious lifestyle), Mr. Reagan was very sensitive to the idea of Jesus being the perfect lamb who loved him and died for his sins.  God knew Mr. Reagan would be there that day and had planned the perfect message just for him.  He gave his life to Jesus and never looked back as he now lives for Jesus and shares his testimony in order encourage others to repent of their sinful lifestyles and to keep others from hell.

The last account I will share is from a man named Howard Storm, a strong atheist that did not believe in life after death.  Mr. Storm was what you would consider a good man, not living a criminal life by any means.  He had been married for 20 years and had a good marriage.  He did, however, admit that he lived a life that was all about himself. He and his wife were vacationing in Paris when he experienced a perforation in his stomach. He spent 8-10 hours in agony in an ER hallway because the hospital was short staffed.  After the long wait, he was informed that the hospital could not find anyone to operate and they had no idea how much longer he would have to wait.  It was then he gave up fighting to stay alive, and he and his wife tearfully said their goodbyes.

I am not sure if Mr. Storm then died or if like Mr. Regan what he experienced was a vision, but this is a brief version of what he reported.  He saw himself standing outside his own body and heard sweet and gentle voices outside the hospital room calling, "Howard, come out here."  He said they used very "syrupy" tones to entice him out. He exited the room into a grey hallway where about a dozen people waited that he thought might be medical personnel.  They kindly encouraged him to follow them, and he thought maybe he was about to have his operation.  However, they walked for an unknown amount of time because time suddenly had no meaning.  He compared the length of the walk as if they walked from Nashville, TN to Louisville, KY (about 175 miles or about a 4-hour walk).  The longer they walked the more hostile the others became.  They began telling him to hurry and to shut up if he asked any questions.  They eventually ended up in complete darkness, and he refused to go any farther. 

Mr. Storm says that what he experienced next was "too ugly" to fully describe as the dozens of people became 100s or maybe even 1000s.  They tore, bit, scratched, ripped, and gouged his flesh until he was covered in painful wounds.  He was unable to fight them, and it went on for an unknown amount of time.  When they stopped for a time, he lay in the dark in physical pain, but the emotional trauma was many times worse.

He heard his own voice say to him, "Pray to God."  Although he had attended church as a child, he could not remember how to pray.  He quoted what he remembered and every time he said the name of God or Jesus, his abusers would scream and yell the worst profanity he had ever heard, but it kept them away from him.  He kept saying prayers and he was soon alone for what felt like an eternity.  He reflected on his life and realized the only god he had served was himself.  He then remembered singing "Jesus loves me" as a child and that he had once believed that God was good and loved him.  He desperately wanted back what he had thrown away.  He called out, "Jesus please save me!" and Jesus was instantly there.

Although I am saving Jim Woodford's heaven experience for part 3, I will continue with Mr. Storm's account because he did not actually see Heaven.  Jesus took Mr. Storm into His arms and carried him out of the pit and took him to where he called a place in between, neither heaven nor hell. He felt dirty and unworthy, but Jesus cleaned him up, healed the wounds caused by the demons, and filled him with a pure sense of Jesus' love. (Amen! Hallelujah!) He was taken to a different room and shown his life by angels (he did not provide any descriptions of Jesus or the angels) In a nutshell, they made it clear to him that all his kind actions pleased God, but his cruel ones made God unhappy.  Mr. Storm did not want to go back to earth, but Jesus and the angels assured him that they would always be with him as long as he prayed, confessed his sins to God, and gave all his cares, hopes, and dreams to God.

I do not know how long he was dead or unconscious, but as soon as he reentered his body, a doctor miraculously showed up to perform the lifesaving surgery.  

Mr. Storm fully believes he was given the soul changing experience to share so he could help save others.  Which, as I stated at the beginning of this blog, I want the same thing.  If I can convince even one person that there are indeed consequences for living in active rebellion against a holy God because we our soul does indeed continue after we die, then these blogs are worth writing.

(Psalm 9:16-17) The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Please come back for more in this series tomorrow as there is so much hope and beauty of God's goodness and grace still to be revealed!

(Psalm 86:13) For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

My Parent's Ministry

 

My parents were in the prophetic ministry for over 30 years. My Father never claimed to be a prophet. He ministered as a traveling evangelist, tent revivalist, as well as pastored three churches. He started his own organization, and ordained dozens of ministers, as well as founded many churches during his lifetime. My parents lived by what they preached and were a Godly example to me. My father was 45 years old when I was born in 1965.

My father was born in 1919 and was raised on a farm in northern Iowa where he developed a strong work ethic. He attended the Evangelical United Brethren Church as a child into adulthood. When he was a young man, he sang in a barber shop quartet and was a gifted musician. He played the violin, piano, organ, as well as accordion. His grandfather was an Austrian immigrant of German heritage, and he owned his own music shop in Iowa. He made violins, cellos, as well as other musical instruments. 

My Father served in the United States Army during World War Two and was stationed on the Island of Guam. He was engaged to my mother prior to enlisting in the army. They married upon his return from war. My mother was raised Baptist and was from Arkansas. 

After their marriage, they lived on the family farm in Iowa. My mother led my father to Christ. My father had a religious faith but not a personal relationship with Christ. After his salvation, he made friends with a Pentecostal minister who later became his spiritual mentor.

 My father and mother knew nothing about the gifts of the Spirit. One day they were praying together on their knees and asking God for all that he had for them. They asked God to reveal himself to them and a wind entered the room and my father began to speak in an unknown language and my mom prophesied. My father called up his minister friend and told him of the experience. He said, this strange language came out of my mouth, "What is happening?" The pastor said in a booming voice, " Praise God brother Paul, you got the Holy Ghost!"

This Pentecostal minister discipled my father in the faith. My father was called into the full-time ministry, and by faith, he left the farm and set out to travel and preach. His father threatened to disinherit him if he left the farm. His father who was an atheist, told him that if he left the farm, he would leave the farm to his cousin. My father said, "I must obey God." However, his mother was a godly saint who loved the Lord very much. His father only attended church in order to be accepted by the community. His father had a vision of Christ upon his deathbed and got saved. My father prayed for his salvation for many years and God answered! 

My parents started out with a travel trailer that they pulled behind their vehicle. God would speak to both of them through visions, words, as well as angels. In fact, they had many angelic visitations. I have also had many angelic visitations. They were instructed by the Lord where to go and minster, and they planted many churches across the nation. My father preached in churches, tent revivals, at home, on the radio, as well as pastored three different churches.

My mother ministered alongside my father. My father preached and my mother ministered prophetically. She ministered in the word of knowledge. She would have visions, words, and would discern sickness and diseases that God desired to heal. My parents together would then pray over people for healings, as well as deliverance from evil spirits. They saw many miracles of healings and cast out demons through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In the early days of their ministry when they were low on groceries God would always provide. Someone would knock on their door and hand them a bag of groceries. It was usually items that they were in need of. They never made a need known, nor asked for anything, but God heard their prayers. 

My father eventually inherited his father's farm. He then bought his own business and built a church building with his own money. He pastored for free and gave away copies of his book and tracks. He never preached on money and used offerings to pay the utility bills for the church. He desired to be an example like the Apostle Paul and work with his own hands and not be a burden to others.

 My father was my example, and that is why I have pastored and ministered for free my entire life. I am low income and struggle, but I will never ask for money. Freely I have received, and freely I will give, as Christ instructed his disciples. My parent's legacy was that of love, humility, and holiness.

Leonard Ravenhill

The teachings of Leonard Ravenhill and David Wilkerson have greatly influenced my life. I consider both of these men to be spiritual mentors. I highly recommend this audio book about the life and ministry of Leonard Ravenhill.

Faith/ Faithfulness

 

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Faith/Faithfulness

NOTE: I decided to write this Fruit of the Spirit from 2 angles, faith (part A) and faithfulness (part B).

(Galatians 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 

(Mark 11:23-24) "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, 'Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea;' and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."

What are the mountains in your life? Jesus paid the price on the cross to set you free from the evil one. By faith, speak to those mountains and tell them to be gone in Jesus' name! You have the authority by God's Holy Spirit. Faith moves the hand of God on your behalf!

So often people live their lives in fear of what could happen, or they worry about finances, or health problems, however, fear is the opposite of faith. The Lord understands that we are human, and anxiety is common to man, but he desires that we trust him with every aspect of our lives. Fear will empower the enemy in your life. If you live your life in fear, you will never have a breakthrough with God. Fear may even lead to demonic oppression. You must have faith in God that He is able to deliver and heal you to see results.

Fear also hinders many people from pursuing ministry work, because they feel they can’t accomplish the task. If the prophets and apostles had given into fear, we would not have the scriptures to guide us, and Christianity would never have spread beyond Judea.

To be useful for the kingdom of heaven, we must believe that God is bigger and more powerful than our problems or limitations. Moses had a speech problem and argued with God that he was not able to speak to Pharaoh. God commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh and allowed his brother Aaron to speak for him. Moses was chosen from birth to be the deliverer for the captive Hebrews, but he felt inadequate for the task. Fortunately, God did not allow Moses to give in to fear but used him to show forth His power to the entire world. Elijah feared for his life and hid in a cave, but the God of Elijah protected him, and Elijah never saw death because he was taken to heaven in a flaming chariot. The apostle Paul wrote powerful letters, but he did not impress some in person. However, this did not deter Paul from taking the gospel to many lands. Paul understood that he was a vessel for God’s Spirit to work through.

With God, all things are possible; He is looking for humble vessels that he may work through. God is not impressed with your fancy attire, eloquent speech, or theological degrees. God is looking for common people, full of faith, which he may work through. Peter, James, and John were uneducated fishermen; however, Christ chose them to be his Apostles, and to turn the world upside down. If you will put your faith and trust in God, he will use you to minister into the lives of others.

Why do we so often worry about life’s problems? Does not God promise to meet our needs if we seek after him? Does not the Lord feed the birds, and clothe the lilies of the field? If we will replace fear and anxiety, with faith and thankfulness, we will know the peace and provision of the Father. If you live with a defeated attitude, you will not be useful to the kingdom of God. Faith will open the door to many blessings from God, including healings, deliverance, ministry, peace of mind, as well as many answered prayers.

(Hebrews 11:1-10 ) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a [good] testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith [it is] impossible to please [Him,] for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as [in] a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.

(Matthew 6:25-34 ) "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, [will He] not much more [clothe] you, O you of little faith? "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day [is] its own trouble.

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Faith/Faithfulness, Part B

The Lord is always faithful to us even when we are not faithful to Him. One way to show faithfulness to the Lord is obedience. God’s Word states that God desires obedience more than sacrifices. Christ said, that if you love Him, you will keep His commandments.

It is very important to be faithful to your calling in life because the souls of men are at stake. The great commission to spread the gospel to every nation does not apply to missionaries or evangelists only, but to everyone who belongs to Christ. We are ambassadors for the kingdom of God, and it is our responsibility to let our light shine before all. Not only is our life to be an example to all, but we are also to share our faith with others as well. There are people all around us who are on their way to hell, and we may be their only lifeline. Students, co-workers, family, and friends are all people you may share your faith with. I have shared my faith with people in Wal-Mart, as well as on hiking trails. If you pray for divine appointments, God will bring people along your path. Remember the world is watching.

We also need to be faithful to God with our lifestyle. God refers to cold, or lukewarm Christians, as an adulterous bride. Jesus Christ told the church of Laodicea, that because they were lukewarm, He would vomit them out of his mouth (Revelation 3:14-22).  You cannot have one foot in Christianity and the other in the world, the compromise of your faith will lead to spiritual death. Any tree, which does not bring forth good fruit, will be cut off and thrown into the fire, for without holiness no man shall see the father. 

(Hebrews 12:14) Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.  

(2 Corinthians 7:1) Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

(1 Timothy 1:12) And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.

2026 Calendar Identical to the 1914 Calendar

 

A quirk of the Gregorian calendar has drawn the attention of historians and amateur chronologists alike: the 2026 calendar is an exact replica of 1914, the year the world was plunged into its first great war. After a 112-year cycle, every single date falls on the same day of the week. History repeats itself. We have war in the middle east and Trump says Cuba is next. Trump is still threating to take Greenland as well.

The Legacy of Netanyahu

(The Legacy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu)

If these pictures of the death and starvation of Gazan children don't disturb you then you are not human. Netanyahu is a blood thirsty, hate filled, man of war, and he should be held accountable for his war crimes against humanity.

 Donald Trump is the Little Horn of Daniel, as well as the Beast of Revelation, he is the Antichrist. I also believe that Netanyahu is an antichrist. The nation of Israel does not know God because they have rejected the Son of God and the atonement that he provided upon the cross. Many believe that Netanyahu is led by the Holy Spirit in the decisions that he makes. However, you must be saved in Christ alone to have a relationship with God.

I don't support Netanyahu, nor many of the actions of his government. The October 7th attack on Israel was very brutal and savage. I shed tears for the atrocities committed by Hamas. However, there have been war crimes against humanity committed by both sides in this war. The siege placed upon Gaza that resulted in the starvation of many was deplorable and wicked. The constant bombardment reducing Gaza to rubble, resulting in the deaths of many innocents was comparable to the war crimes of Nazi Germany.

Donald Trump is worshipped by many in Israel, but the true Messiah Jesus has been rejected by Israel. Anyone, or nation, that rejects Jesus Christ is an antichrist. The Apostle Paul referred to Jews who reject Christ as the synagogue of Satan.

I was told by a Jewish Rabbi that Israel is the only nation on earth where you must sign a paper that you are not a Christian, nor a follower of Jesus/Yeshua, to be granted citizenship. I checked out his claim and found it to be true. Christians who pray at the wailing wall have been spit upon by Jews and others have had their vehicles vandalized for their faith in Christ.

I love the nation of Israel, and I pray for her salvation and protection. I believe that God has restored the Jewish people to their ancestorial homeland in hope that a remnant will be saved. I believe that when Christ returns and splits the Mount of Olives, many from Israel will mourn over the one whom they have pierced and will flee to him for salvation. Israel will worship the Beast for a period of time, then a remnant will be saved by Christ upon his return (Zechariah 14:3-9).

The United States is at Defcon Level 2 (Red Alert)

 

Update: DEFCON 3: Lowered from DEFCON 2 following IAEA confirmation of no radiological release from Isfahan strikes. IDF claims it struck a covert nuclear weapons development compound; IAEA reports no damage to nuclear material sites. U.S.-Iran military conflict ongoing after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure and Iranian retaliation against the Fifth Fleet. Strait of Hormuz closure and regional tensions keep readiness elevated. Russia-Ukraine war and cyber threats continue Source:

Original post prior to update: The United States is currently at Defcon level 2! This is one level away from nuclear war. There are 5 Defcon levels. Level 5 is the best scenario and 1 is nuclear war. Last week we were at level 4.

Defcon 2: Armed forces ready to deploy and engage in less than 6 hours. Next step to nuclear war.

Link to site: DEFCON 2 Meaning | Fast Pace Alert Level Explained | Defcon Level

Current DEFCON Level 2026 | Today's Alert Status | Defcon Level

US and Israel attack Iran

 

Who will mourn for the over 100 elementary school girls killed by a missile attack on Iran today? The Beast (Donald J. Trump) is rising to world power with the respect of many nations. Don't be deceived, this Messiah of Israel is the Antichrist. He is all about power and control. Trump has a taste for war and has just begun. The rider on the white horse is here and he is conquering.

David Wilkerson Video

 

David Wilkerson exposes the terrifying truth about satanic seduction in the last days.

Hell has opened its mouth to release hordes of seducing spirits that hunt believers by offering doctrines to justify sin.

Those wholly satisfied with Jesus won't take the bait.

Bless me or bless the Father

 

(Bless me or bless the Father?) 

Many Christians have been taught that God desires to bless his children with wealth, healing, as well as power. Although it is true that God desires to bless those who are faithful to Him, our heavenly Father does not want to spoil us. Many people pray bless me, bless me, but never consider how they may bless God. We should not seek after earthly riches, but heavenly riches.

 

 Many of the television evangelists and mega-church leaders live in mansions, drive luxury cars, and steal millions of dollars from their supporters. I have shared my faith with many people on the streets, in stores, as well as churches. The majority of unbelievers that I have spoken with bring up the lavish lifestyle of tv preachers. They claim that Christianity is all about greed, and they want no part of it. I sadly agree with them that the apostate religious leaders on tv represent greed, and not God. The preachers of the prosperity gospel are shutting people out of the kingdom of heaven. The world is repulsed by the riches that they heap upon themselves, as well as their weird hairdos, makeup, and the thrones that they sit upon. If the world can see through their deception, why are many in the church blind to it?

 

 The false prophets on tv tell people to give a thousand dollars, or more, and God will bless them with riches also. They tell people with large credit card debt to send them a large offering, by putting more debt upon their card and God will bless them. Christians need to learn how to bless God, as well as others, and to walk in humility. God desires for his children to have a servant’s heart, not to seek after power, position, or wealth.  

 

God’s Word teaches us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. God’s Word tells us to lay up treasure in heaven, not the earth. However, God does choose to bless some with wealth, so that they may benefit others, as well as his true ministry. Job, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are examples of those blessed for their faithfulness to God. If you have been blessed monetarily in this life, God expects you to share what you have with those in need. If you neglect to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and prisoner, God will say to you on that day, depart from me you worker of iniquity, I never knew you.

 

When we give a cup of cold water, or food, to those in need, we bless the Lord. When we are obedient to the Lord and love one another, we also bless the Lord. If you want to bless the Lord, share your faith with others, and more importantly, live your faith by meeting their needs. If the church was willing to, it could wipe out hunger in the world, instead of supporting dead ministries.

 

The early Apostles were not rich in earthly terms, but were rich in spirit and deed. They did not live in palaces, or have fine things. They were often hungry, destitute, as well as persecuted; however, they learned the secret of being content in all things. We should follow their example, and seek first the Kingdom of God. Please consider the scriptures listed below.

Psalms 103: 1 A Psalm of David.

Bless the Lord, O my soul; 

And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, 

And forget not all His benefits:

3 Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases,

4 Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

 

1 Timothy 6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.  7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

 

Matt 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money).

 

 Matt 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Matt 19:23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

 

James 5:1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!  2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.  3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.  4 Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.  5 You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.

 

 

 

 

Visions and Dreams of the Father and the Afterlife.

 

Visions and Dreams of the Father and the Afterlife.

Father God has visited me in around a dozen dreams. Each dream contained a personal message about my future. God the Father is Spirit, and light, and does not necessarily have a bodily form. However, he appeared to me in the form of a very kind older man. Jesus is the bodily form of God who sits upon the throne in Heaven. In a dream, I saw Christ upon the throne seated on the right side of a great light (The Father).

In a dream, the Father approached me to remind me of his protection. I looked up into his eyes and saw love, compassion, kindness, and tenderness. He kissed me on the forehead as the dream ended. He has kissed me on the forehead in two dreams now.

Around twenty-one years ago I had a very profound experience. I was in a hotel room going to bed for the night and saying my prayers, when I felt like my spirit was pulled upward towards the ceiling of the room. I passed through the ceiling and was enveloped in a soft, but bright, white light. I was floating on my back within this light. The Father spoke to me about the apostasy within Christianity. He sounded very sad as he was describing the leaders who were wolves in sheep's clothing. He told me that he was calling me to expose them and warn his children to not listen to them. The Father named some prominent television evangelists and told me that they were not of his Spirit. The Father was very kind, and I felt embraced in perfect love. I felt secure, like a babe in a parent's arms. This experience lasted for five to six hours, and much was conveyed. Whether I was in my body experiencing a vision, or out of the body, I do not know.

Shortly after the death of my first wife, I had a dream of Paradise. I saw her standing on a cliff looking out onto a beautiful sea, smooth as glass. The sky was radiant bright colors. I looked to my right and saw my father who died when I was eleven years old. He looked like he was around twenty years old. I saw other loved ones who had passed on, and everyone was clothed in white robes and looked to be around twenty. I saw a large amphitheater made of white stone. It seemed like people were gathered there for some unknown reason.

In another dream, I was standing in Heaven, and I saw very bright, lush, green grass full of flowers of all types. I could hear angels playing harps and singing praises to God above me. I could not see them, only hear their gentle voices. The angels were singing, “holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come”. I then woke up from this experience wishing that I could remain in this place forever. I understood in the vision that this was the abode of the departed spirits, awaiting their resurrection.