In Matthew Chapter 10,
we learn the names
of the 12 disciples
whom Jesus called
to be his apostles.

Luke 6:13-16 says,
One day soon afterward
Jesus went up on a mountain to pray,
and he prayed to God all night.
At daybreak he called together
all of his disciples
and chose twelve of them to be apostles.
Here are their names:
Simon Peter
Andrew (Peter’s brother)
James (son of Zebedee)
John (James’s brother)
Philip
Nathaniel (also called Bartholomew)
Thomas (the one who doubted)
Matthew (the tax collector aka Levi)
James (son of Alphaeus)
Thaddeus (aka St.Jude)
Simon (the zealot)
Judas Iscariot (the betrayer)
who was replaced by Matthias.

These 12 men each gave their life
to carry out the message
given to them by Jesus Christ.

This past year,
I recently learned
that Jesus had many disciples -
but only 12 were called
to be his foundation stones.

“There were three gates
on each side -
east, north, south, and west.
The wall of the city
had twelve foundation stones,
and on them were written
the names of the twelve apostles
of the Lamb.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:13-14‬

12 men
died to self
and gave their lives
as a living sacrifice
to send forth the message
of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 10:2-8 says,
Jesus sent out the twelve apostles
with these instructions:
“Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans,
but only to the people of Israel -
God’s lost sheep.
Go and announce to them
that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.
Heal the sick, raise the dead,
cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons.
Give as freely as you have received!”

Jesus said so much more,
which I will explore tomorrow.

But for now, I ask you two questions:
#1 - Why do you think
Jesus told these 12 men
to only address the Israelite nation?

#2 - How can a person
say they know God
but not be aware of His presence
when He is with them?

I mean, this is not a foreign God.

This is the Most High God
standing in the flesh
right in front of them.

The creator Elohim.
The supplier and provider,
Jehovah Jireh.

The healer and banner,
yet they could not see.
The master and sanctifier
was speaking
“The Kingdom of Heaven is near”
and still they could not hear.

Now I have another question.

Paul was an apostle too,
but he was called after Jesus died,
resurrected and ascended
back into Heaven.
Paul was handpicked
to spread the gospel message to the Gentiles.
He is also considered an apostle -
because he was sent to spread the gospel.

How could a man
who hated Christians
suddenly turn from killing them
to wanting save them?

There had to be a miraculous transformation!

Acts 9 speaks to the conversion of Paul,
who's birth name was actually Saul.
He was on the road to Damascus,
getting ready to go kill more Christians
when suddenly a light shone around him
from heaven, 
and he heard a voice call out to him.
Jesus spoke to him in that moment,
and created a way for him to be forgiven.

So, let me ask you -
If Jesus can call out to Paul from Heaven
and give him an important work to do,
then what makes you think he can't do that for you too?

#Maranatha

Written 6-19-21

I never thought
we’d live in a time
when we would see so many
“Now Hiring” signs.
How could it be
that we have such a need -
when so many people
are living in poverty?
Why would someone
choose to sit on their hands
instead of going out
and making a difference?
This is not the path
anyone should take,
especially the ones
who follow Christ.

The Apostle Paul said,
“For even when we were with you,
we used to give you this order:
if anyone is not willing to work,
then he is not to eat, either.
For we hear that some among you
are leading an undisciplined life,
doing no work at all,
but acting like busybodies.
Now such persons
we command and exhort
in Christ Jesus
in the Lord Jesus Christ
to work in quiet fashion
and eat their own bread.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

I mean really,
shouldn’t we be a true community -
where all people partake
in social responsibility?

I get that some can not work,
like the young and the old
and widows and disabled.
But anyone who is able-bodied,
should participate in the work force.

Paul also said,
“He who steals
must steal no longer;
but rather he must labor,
performing with his own hands
what is good,
so that he will have
something to share
with one who has need.”
Ephesians 4:28

We have to be so careful.
We are quick to judge
those who have wealth
because we feel they should pay
for everyone else.
We see what they have
and covet their possessions,
and accuse the rich of exploiting the poor.
But what happens
when the rich owners
are willing to hire,
but no one comes to inquire?
What happens when the government
gives more to a person than what they work for?
Why in the world would work be an option? 

In these instances,
these rich businesses
will probably move to a different place
where they can find workers
who are willing to labor.

And what happens
to the community that’s left?
Well, we all know the answer to that -
we develop a stronger reliance on government.

In my opinion,
BIG government is worse than rich corporations,
because they tax the workers to "give to the poor."
But the reality is 
food and gas prices go so high
that the average person can barely get by!

BIG government mentality
makes "hard work" a rare commodity.

The politicians funnel tax-payer money
through their deep pockets,
then they subsidize programs
to create community dependence.

As long as there are people
who do not contribute -
the burden of all falls on the few.

Did you know
that this same philosophy
exists in the spirit realm?
The harvest is ripe but the workers are few!

God expects his children to work.
Not for money but for His Kingdom.

Let me explain -
“Jesus traveled through all the towns
and villages of that area,
teaching in the synagogues
and announcing the Good News
about the Kingdom.
And he healed every kind of disease and illness.
When he saw the crowds,
he had compassion on them
because they were confused and helpless,
like sheep without a shepherd.
He said to his disciples,
“The harvest is great, but the workers are few.
So pray to the Lord
who is in charge of the harvest;
ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Matthew‬ ‭9:35-38‬

You see,
God designed you and me
to work in unity,
caring for our community.

He created the heart of every Christian
to do the work that glorifies Him.

Jesus says,
“the harvest is great
but the workers are few.”
So, where are the workers -
this is the question I have for you?

And why is there so much need?
Why is there so much carnality?
Why is there so much passivity,
covetousness and greed?

Don’t you see?
Satan has sunk his teeth
into “humanity meat”
and he is chewing on human flesh.
We live in a dog eat dog world -
where narcissism has filled the land. 

Compassion is needed
in these end times;
and it's only the gospel message
that revives.

People are desperate
to hear the Good News.
People are desperate
to experience miracles.

The heart of a Christian
is always to submit -
to come beneath
and hold someone up.

When every deed done
is done out of love,
we won't need the government
to take care of our stuff.

Jesus says,
"Whoever wants to be my disciple
must deny themselves
and take up their cross and follow me.
For whoever wants to save their life
will lose it, but whoever loses their life
for me and for the gospel will save it.
What good is it for someone
to gain the whole world,
yet forfeit their soul?
Or what can anyone give
in exchange for their soul?
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words
in this adulterous and sinful generation,
the Son of Man
will be ashamed of them
when he comes in his Father’s glory
with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:34-38

The harvest is ripe
but the workers are few;
and the Most High God
wants to hire YOU!

A community that does not work,
will not last, but when we 
"Commit our works to the Lord,
our plans will be established.”
Proverb 16:3

When we stop asking God
to do what we want,
but commit our actions
to bring glory to Him,
we will love our neighbors
as we love ourselves -
and we will stop coveting
another’s possessions,
and focusing on self.

Remember, whatever you do
is good enough,
as long as you 
"work at it with all our heart,
as working for the Lord,
not for human masters,
since we know that we will receive
an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.
It is the Lord Christ we are serving."
Colossians 3:23-24

This is a message to the Church.

It is time to pay attention.
In these days,
at the end of the Church age,
we must beware
of false teachers and prophets;
there will come a time
when people will say
I have arrived -
but I have not!

Some will exclaim
“I am great!”
But don’t pay attention
to their “self” talk.

Arrogant ways
will be extremely heavy
in the coming of days!
“Abuser behaviors”
will be THE global pandemic.

Yo-yo mentality
is what you will see,
“I love you -
Don’t you love me?”

There will be a coming
and going of stability;
A coming and going
of tranquility and peace.

The anti-Christ spirit has an objective
which is to breed your “need”
and create an emotional 
and spiritual dependency for him.

Don’t be misled-
for there is a fight,
happening for your soul,
between the princes
of the heavenly realms -
and it is much stronger
than you actually know.

The Lord our God
wants his children to know,
they don’t need to worry
about these satanic attacks
as long as they stay the course
and keep their eyes focused on Jesus.

The Lord says,
“Be like Daniel.”
Set your heart to understand
and humble yourself
before your God.
I am faithful
and will fulfill
my will and my works.”

Know this -
The prince of Persia
is still standing in the way,
but Michael,
one of the chief princes,
is helping to hold him back.

The Lord says listen to my words,
“At the appointed time
the king of the north
will once again invade the south,
but warships
from western coastlands
will scare him off,
and he will withdraw and return home.
But the king of the north
will vent his anger
against the people
of the holy covenant
and reward those
who forsake the covenant.
His army will take over
the Temple fortress,
pollute the sanctuary,
put a stop to the daily sacrifices,
and set up the sacrilegious object
that causes desecration.
He will flatter and win over
those who have violated the covenant.
But the people
who know their God
will be strong and will resist him.”
Know this -
“Wise leaders
will give instruction to many,
but these teachers will die
by fire and sword,
or they will be jailed and robbed.
During these persecutions,
little help will arrive,
and many who join them
will not be sincere.
And some of the wise
will fall victim to persecution.
In this way, they will be refined
and cleansed and made pure
until the time of the end,
for the appointed time is still to come”
“The king of the north
will do as he pleases,
exalting himself
and claiming to be greater
than every god,
even blaspheming the God of gods.
He will succeed, but only until
the time of wrath is completed.
For what has been determined
will surely take place.
He will have no respect
for the gods of his ancestors,
or for the god loved by women,
or for any other god,
for he will boast that he is greater
than them all.
Instead of these,
he will worship
the god of fortresses -
a god his ancestors never knew -
and lavish on him gold, silver,
precious stones, and expensive gifts.
Claiming this foreign god’s help,
he will attack the strongest fortresses.
He will honor those
who submit to him,
appointing them
to positions of authority
and dividing the land
among them as their reward.
Then at the time of the end,
the king of the south
will attack the king of the north.
The king of the north
will storm out with chariots,
charioteers, and a vast navy.
He will invade various lands
and sweep through them like a flood.
He will enter
the glorious land of Israel,
and many nations will fall,
but Moab, Edom,
and the best part of Ammon
will escape.
He will conquer many countries,
and even Egypt will not escape.
He will gain control over the gold, silver, and treasures of Egypt,
and the Libyans and Ethiopians
will be his servants.
But then news from the east
and the north will alarm him,
and he will set out in great anger
to destroy and obliterate many.
He will stop between
the glorious holy mountain
and the sea
and will pitch his royal tents.
But while he is there,
his time will suddenly run out,
and no one will help him.”
‭‭Daniel‬ ‭11:29-45‬

“At that time,
Michael, the archangel
who stands guard over Israel
will arise!”
Then there will be a time of anguish
greater than any since nations
first came into existence.
But at that time,
every Israeli
whose name is written in the book
will be rescued.
Many of those
whose bodies lie dead and buried
will rise up,
some to everlasting life
and some to shame
and everlasting disgrace.
Those who are wise
will shine as bright as the sky,
and those who lead many
to righteousness
will shine like the stars forever.”
‭‭Daniel‬ ‭12:1-3‬

“This will go on
for a time, times, and half a time.
When the shattering
of the holy people
has finally come to an end,
all these things will have happened.”
Daniel‬ ‭12:7

“Many will be purified, cleansed,
and refined by these trials.
But the wicked will continue
in their wickedness,
and none of them will understand.
Only those who are wise
will know what it means.”
From the time
the daily sacrifice is stopped
and the sacrilegious object
that causes desecration
is set up to be worshiped,
there will be 1,290 days.
And blessed are those
who wait and remain until the end
of the 1,335 days!”
‭‭Daniel 12: 10-12‬ ‭

#Maranatha

“Jesus, my daughter has just died”
but you can bring her back to life.
Please come. Lay your hand on her
and she will come alive.”

So Jesus and his disciples got up
and went with him.
​
Just then,
a woman who had suffered
for twelve years
with constant bleeding
came up behind him.
She touched
the fringe of his robe,
for she thought,
“If I can just touch his robe,
I will be healed.”
Jesus turned around,
and when he saw her he said,
“Daughter, be encouraged!
Your faith has made you well.”

And the woman was healed
at that moment.

​When Jesus arrived
at the official’s home,
he saw the noisy crowd
and heard the funeral music.
“Get out!” he told them.
“The girl isn’t dead;
she’s only asleep.”
But the crowd laughed at him.
After the crowd
was put outside,
Jesus went in
and took the girl
by the hand,
and she stood up!
The report of this miracle
swept through the entire countryside.
After Jesus left the girl’s home,
two blind men
followed along behind him,
shouting, “Son of David,
have mercy on us!”
They went right into the house
where he was staying,
and Jesus asked them,
“Do you believe I can make you see?”
“Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”
Then he touched their eyes and said,
“Because of your faith, it will happen.”
Then their eyes were opened,
and they could see!
Jesus sternly warned them,
“Don’t tell anyone about this.”
But instead, they went out
and spread his fame
all over the region.
When they left,
a demon-possessed man
who couldn’t speak
was brought to Jesus.
So Jesus cast out the demon,
and then the man began to speak.
The crowds were amazed.
“Nothing like this
has ever happened in Israel!”
they exclaimed.
But the Pharisees said,
“He can cast out demons
because he is empowered
by the prince of demons.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:18-34‬

The faith of the few just knew.
They knew that Jesus is the truth.
Any other is under demonic influence.

Matthew 9:1-8
has to be
one of my favorite healings yet!
Listen to this -
“Jesus climbed into a boat
and went back across the lake
to his own town.
Some people brought to him
a paralyzed man on a mat.
Seeing their faith,
Jesus said to the paralyzed man,
“Be encouraged, my child!
Your sins are forgiven.”

Isn’t that amazing!

Instead of saying,
“Be encouraged, you are healed!”
Jesus said, “Be encouraged.
Your sins are forgiven.”

I just find this so sweet to my soul!

By declaring
the forgiveness of sin,
Jesus gave the man eternal life -
so much more
than he could ask or imagine!
He was no longer bound
to the seed of Adam;
He was set free and totally forgiven.

Yet, some of the teachers
of the religious law
said to themselves,
“That’s blasphemy!
Does he think he’s God?”
But Jesus knew
what they were thinking,
so he asked them,
“Why do you have
such evil thoughts
in your hearts?
Is it easier to say
“Your sins are forgiven,’
or ‘Stand up and walk’?
So I will prove to you
that the Son of Man
has the authority on earth
to forgive sins.”

Then Jesus turned
to the paralyzed man and said,
“Stand up, pick up your mat,
and go home!”
And the man jumped up
and went home!
Fear swept through the crowd
as they saw this happen.
And they praised God
for giving humans such authority.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:1-8‬

Honestly, I don’t think
there is too much more
I can add to this,
other than to say
God’s grace is sufficient!

We must remember
that although beautiful,
and wonderful
physical healing is still
a temporary band-aid.

The true healing
that is offered to man,
comes through the Great Physician,
the Most High God.

He came in the flesh,
to bear our burden.
He sacrificed himself
as the Lamb of God.
He hung on the cross
for our redemption.
He shed his blood
to cleanse our unrighteousness.

He took on the burden
of the whole human race,
and He became sin for us:
“God made him
who had no sin
to be sin for us,
so that in him
we might become
the righteousness of God”
2 Corinthians 5:21

“As Jesus neared death,
He said, “It is finished.”
His suffering in our place
was completed.
His soul/spirit went to hades
(the place of the dead).
Jesus did not go to “hell”
or the suffering side of hades;
He went to “Abraham’s side”
or the blessed side of hades.
Jesus’ suffering
ended the moment He died.
The payment for sin was paid.
He then awaited
the resurrection of His body
and His return to glory
in His ascension.
Did Jesus go to hell?
The answer is No.
Did Jesus go to sheol/hades?
The answer is Yes.”
(From Got Questions)
https://www.gotquestions.org/did-Jesus-go-to-hell.html?fbclid=IwAR0FbgLug9MPN2a6urdxfu98UNpIimEbOyYYL-TMk2mAUQ_hfGsvlWE4Uuw

Church -
I’m no seamstress but since Jesus said it, I’m going to believe it is true.
“Who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:16

I guess people prefer to continue to wear what is comfortable
instead of going out and buying something new.
But what if you didn’t have to?
What if someone gave you a gift and the new clothing was free?
Would you throw out the old clothing and wear the new?
Or would you try to hold on to the two?

Let’s suppose Jesus isn’t talking about jeans, shirts, a dress or shoes, but the skin of the heart that contains our spirit - the vessel that was created to carry the essence of God.  Perhaps that is also why Jesus said, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:17

There is no way our spiritual hearts could contain the Spirit of God and still serve Satan, the prince of this world! Our spiritual temples would burst under this kind of spirit-filled pressure.  It would be like trying to balance on a fence; when a whirlwind comes we would buckle and bend and either fall to one side, or become lukewarm by putting one foot into each other.

Don’t you know that we were not created to “serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” Matthew 6:24

This is where the Parable of the Tenants that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 21 comes from.
I implore you to read it and decide which kind of tenant you are.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
2 Corinthians 5:17

The Lord says to those who choose to keep one foot in this world,
“Let me sing for my well-beloved
A song of my beloved
concerning His vineyard.
My well-beloved had a vineyard
on a fertile hill.
He dug it all around, removed its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
And He built a tower in the middle of it.
And also hewed out a wine vat in it;
Then He expected it to produce
good grapes, But it produced only
worthless ones.”
Isaiah 5:1-2

“He sent his son to them, saying, They will respect my son.’
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves,
This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’
And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.”
“When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes,
what will he do to those tenants?”

Jesus said,
“I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21:37-41, 43‬ ‭

The Lord says,
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert”. Isaiah 43:19

God, He who is seated on the throne says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he says, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  Revelation 21:5

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17-19‬ ‭

#Maranatha

​Written June 13, 2021

Did you know that John the Baptist was a teacher and he had his very own students?
It’s true! He taught the Word of God and the act of repentance.

His message was that God’s judgment on the world was imminent,
therefore people needed to act fast to repent from sin and be baptized before it was too late.

John also also said,
"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Isn’t it interesting?

So many people today believe that water baptism is the final will of Jesus. Many churches teach this. But here we see John declaring the truth in love.

Water baptism is only the beginning!

It represents a symbol of repentance.
Going into the water and coming out,
represents the cleansing of a person’s heart -
by washing off the sins of the flesh and exposing their heart.

You SEE, the act of water baptism is to expose yourself. 
If your spiritual heart is still mixed with dirt -
then 7 more demons will come into your home.

This is why pastors are doing a disservice
when they equate spiritual success with the number of water baptisms!

Instead, churches should be teaching discipleship,
so that the gospel message becomes the foundational doctrine!

Let me tell you a story.
One day John’s students went to Jesus to ask him why his students didn’t fast,
and this is how Jesus replied,
“Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

So, let me ask, what do you think Jesus meant by this?

The answer is this -
“The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them.
But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast again.”
Mark 9:14-15

Do you not SEE?
Jesus IS the bridegroom!

John, Jesus’s beloved student, said that at the end of the age, the bride will “rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7

The Lamb is no other than the Lamb of God!
The only One worthy to open the scroll!
And His bride is the Church -
the whosever who believe that Jesus is Lord!

Jesus and his disciples walked in perfect union,
they were equally yoked by their unending faith.
Jesus had trust in the Father, and his disciples had trust in Him.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. My refuge and my fortress lies in my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2

And then there was Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus.
He did not know how to be monogamous. His love was divided.
He had a love for the world, and for God.

And yet, his adulterous heart was used to glorify God.
Judas gave Jesus into Roman hands.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 2:28

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

You SEE,
God knew Judas’s heart.
“There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”  Hebrews 4:13

Judas’s heart was divided.
His love for money was more than his love for God.

God says, “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.” Exodus 20:4-5

God is monogamous and He gets jealous when we covet.
He desires a pure heart.  A virgin bride who only has eyes for Him.

The apostle Paul said to the Corinthian Church,
“For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband - Christ.  But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11:2-4‬ ‭

Fasting is about casting off the desires of the flesh,
closing your physical senses to things that your body wants.
Fasting is about making a decision to be monogamous.
Fasting is a choice to stay at home instead of going out.
Fasting is also about mourning a loss.
It reflects our sin condition - anytime we are separated from God.
Fasting is about spiritual endurance.
It’s a mindset - a willingness to be corrected by God.
A willingness to bow down and serve Him.

Jesus is our bridegroom.
He has been taken away from us
but only for a season!
He came as God in the flesh,
to be a willing sacrifice for us,
to save His bride from eternal death!
Jesus is the suffering servant.
He laid down his life
and shed his blood for us.
He died on the cross,
resurrected and then ascended
back into Heaven.
He did this to make a Way!
To create a Highway of Holiness,
as described in Isaiah 35:8.

Those who have faith to believe t
that Jesus is the Son Of God,
the Lamb of God that was slain for us,
also believe that He is the Risen King
who will rule and reign in the new earth and heaven
when the appointed time comes.

You SEE, the Day of the Lord is coming soon.

“Michael, the great prince who protects the people of Israel, is preparing to arise.”

“There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people - everyone whose name is found written in the book - will be delivered.”
“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”
Daniel 12:1-3

Do you not SEE?
Jesus IS the engagement ring!
The promised seed that makes a new harvest of grain that gives life to a filling bread!
And Holy Spirit is God’s wedding ring.
He is the person of God who impregnates the bride of Christ with His Word.
Daniel was told to roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end.
Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.
I believe that “here and there to increase knowledge”
means that when the Bride of Christ quiets herself
and pays attention to the Word of God ,
the Old and the New Testament -
the Law of Moses, the Old Testament Prophets
and Gospel of Christ,
then she will feel her baby move,
and prepare for His new birth.

​Prepare the way of the Lord!
The Lion of Judah is coming soon!

Written June 12, 2021

​All this time,
I was under the impression,
that the Apostle Matthew
wrote this gospel account;
But now, while reading Chapter 9,
I thought it was strange
for Matthew to talk about himself
in third person.

The scripture says,
“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.”

When I read this passage I wondered,
“Why is Matthew writing in third person?”
And “Why is Matthew just now identifying himself?”
It’s already Chapter 9!
And then I remembered the show,
The Chosen, and I considered
how Matthew’s character is depicted
as being one who exhibits signs of autism.
I thought, “Well…maybe Matthew is using self-talk?”
Perhaps he doesn’t like pronouns and has a fuzzy sense of self?
I don’t know.
Maybe Matthew is writing in chronological order
based off his memory of Jesus’s life?
I don’t know the answer, so I googled it.
Apparently the author
is not completely known;
it could be the Apostle Matthew,
a tax collector who was one of the 12,
or it could be another person
who had a passion for evangelism.

Wikipedia says that “most scholars believe the gospel was composed between AD 80 and 90, with a range of possibility between AD 70 to 110; a pre-70 date remains a minority view. The work does not identify its author, and the early tradition attributing it to the apostle Matthew is rejected by modern scholars. He was probably a male Jew, standing on the margin between traditional and non-traditional Jewish values, and familiar with technical legal aspects of scripture being debated in his time.”

I don’t know enough
to make a definitive decision,
so I’ll just wait on the Holy Spirit.

The passage says,
“Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:9-13‬

In the past,
when I’ve heard messages on this,
the pastors teach about Jesus’s mercy.
But since Holy Spirit has put
the Maranatha cry in my heart,
I can’t seem to shake
“the sickness part.”

Right before Jesus said,
“I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” He said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor - sick people do.”

You SEE, we live in a different time.
Instead of our church leaders
condemning a person as the Pharisees did,
they teach a person all about self-love.

We have become like the drunkards of Ephraim:
Self-indulging in our own self- righteousness.

Today’s American gospel is just as twisted
as the beliefs of that time.
While theirs was based on laws,
regulations, and condemning attitudes,
ours is based on universal love,
no boundaries set by God,
a prosperity theology and absolutely
no fear of the Lord.

Jesus referred to the people around him as “sick” -
we must remember this!
He said he came to call those
who know they are sick,
not those who are sick but act like they are healthy!

You SEE, self-righteousness
prevents God’s mercy from changing us
because when pride hardens our heart
we think we know best!

“God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.”
‭‭Matthew 5:5

Jesus said,
“For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

The question I have is this -
Are you the humble sinner or the self-righteous proud?

At first, Matthew 8 Part 5 is going to APPEAR to look like the opposite of what I wrote in the “Blanket of Peace.” But the truth is - it is actually the other side of it!

You see, the opposite of Peace is complete Chaos;
and the opposite of eternal life is eternal death.

Matthew 8 Part 5 symbolizes what is to happen to the spiritually dead when they get to the other side if they don’t have Jesus.

I invite you to hop into this message, and join me for the ride.

“When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him.”

The scripture says, “They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one could go through that area.
They began screaming at him and said,
“Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s APPOINTED TIME?”

There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. So the demons begged, “If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.” “All right, go!” Jesus commanded them.

So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs,
and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭8:28-34‬

Don’t you SEE?

This story is the epitome of our eternal damnation when Jesus is NOT with us.
This story represents what is waiting for us on the other side of physical death!

If we are NOT clothed in God’s blanket of peace, which is His Divine Spirit,
and if we do NOT carry HIS Seed of Promise, which is God made flesh - then we are just like the men, living in caves, who live in the dark, indwelled by demonic spirits.

Lord, help me to shed your light on this.

First, we have to SEE that Jesus has always been with us!
The Word of God was spoken and manifested since the beginning of time!

Jesus IS the Promised Seed, and through His spiritual
bloodline, the children of God are birthed through His spiritual DNA. And it's through the expression of the gene of faith, that they are no longer birthed through the Seed of Adam.

Humans were given a spirit that will return to God,
but God has already declared eternal damnation for the children of Adam. And God is not like a man that He should lie!

And yet, because of His abundant love,

God made a way to save humanity from eternal death -
He kept His Word. He kept His promise, and He declared war between Satan and the Woman. He said to Satan, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; her seed shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."
Genesis 3:15

This passage is the first mention in the scripture of God's redemption plan because it came right after the fall of man. Satan will have temporary power over the Seed of Adam, but the Seed of God's Promise (which is Jesus) will destroy His opponent by stomping on his head.

Isn't it amazing that God loves us so much that He sent His beloved Son to die for us. The Apostle John wrote in Revelation Chapter 5 that no one in heaven or on earth was worthy enough to open the scroll, except for the Lamb of God.

"Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

God made a way! He came out of heaven to be made flesh so that His blood could purify us.

As Isaiah described,
“It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord.
He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple.
Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings.
With two wings they covered their faces,
with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
They were calling out to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations,
and the entire building was filled with smoke."

Then I said,
“It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6:1-7‬ ‭

It is so unreal to think that by His blood we are purified. By His blood our sins are forgiven.

It's crazy to me that the Lamb of God came out of Heaven, to be slaughtered - so that His blood
could be placed on the alter of God as a final sacrifice for our sin.

It's unbelievable that those with faith who place His blood on the doorposts of their hearts,
will have the angel of death pass over them.

What an image!
Human beings are like boats, they are just physical vessels who carry the spirit of man within them.
And we must understand that the spirit of man, through the seed of Adam, has been declared as spiritually dead.

Unless our spirit is impregnated with the Word of God, through the Seed of Jesus Christ, they we will not live.

This is so important! I urge you to listen with spiritual ears.
Let me say this again.

The Word of God has always existed, and at the appointed time, God put on flesh and came as a man to redeem those who would listen, trust and follow Him.

You must know that “no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation.
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
2 Peter 1:20-21

These words are not my own! For I am human and way too dumb to have this kind of wisdom.

Salvation does not come by man alone, but by the very Word of God. For it is written,
"Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

The question is, when the Word of God comes to the spiritually dead person, who is infected by the curse that was placed upon the Seed of Adam - will they receive Him?

When His light is shed into the tombs of dark places, what will happen?

The fallen angels who hate God have inhabited men for long enough.

They know that the Son of God, the Lion of Judah is coming for them!

“Have you come here to torture us before God’s APPOINTED TIME?” the demons said.
The demons begged Jesus, “If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.” “All right, go!” Jesus commanded.

You SEE, even the demons knew who Jesus was! And they also know that they only have an appointed time. They absolutely know who has complete authority over them! And they know, for a fact, that God is preparing a new Heaven and new earth, while also preparing their eternal death!

In the meantime, until the appointed time comes, the demons use our bodies as their playground,
but the time is coming when they will exist no more!

We must SEE.

Every human who is not inhabited by the Spirit of God is nothing more than the walking dead, and their body is an open door for Satan.

And then there's the herdsmen who "fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.”

This is no different then what happens today. The Word of God is seen as a threat to most humans, and they cast Him away. It’s only through mustard seed faith that humans can come to believe “that the Word of God is alive and active. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:12-13‬

My prayer is that many hearts will return to the Lord before their vessel reaches the other side.