It’s one am
and the Lord woke me up with the Word “TWELVE” ringing through my head. He showed me I have 12 women coming to the REST Approach and I have 12 women participating in the Maranatha Study. Jesus had TWELVE men He called to Him, to be his disciples and learn from Him. TWELVE men who responded to His call, TWELVE men who would be sent out. And then I remembered Revelation 21 and saw the New Jerusalem as I remembered the 12. “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” Revelation 21:2 And I peered in and I saw the glory of God, “and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with TWELVE gates, and with TWELVE angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the TWELVE tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had TWELVE foundations, and on them were the names of the TWELVE apostles of the Lamb.” Revelation 21:11-14 So, now I am curious, and shocked! The Lord woke me up out of a deep sleep to seek and understand the meaning of TWELVE, and this is what I found, “Twelve can be found in 187 places in God's word. The Revelation of Jesus, written by John, alone has 22 occurrences of 12. The meaning of 12, which is considered a perfect number, is that it symbolizes God's power and authority, as well as serving as a perfect governmental foundation. It can also symbolize completeness or the nation of Israel as a whole.” And so, now I am about to continue to read the next section of Matthew 20. I know in my heart and to the depth of my soul, that Holy Spirit is about to show me more about the significance of the number TWELVE. This is what the scripture says, “Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” Wait, stop! Holy Spirit is showing me that Jesus is not going but coming back. And He’s bringing with Him the New Jerusalem. “Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right tht or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles Lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:17-28 TWELVE Holy Spirit is saying to me that 12 must serve and 12 must teach. TWELVE must drink from the cup of prosperity and then spit it all out in the floor. TWELVE women will come together to support and encourage each other, as they learn to die to self and not let the cup of Jesus pass from them. The Lord is saying to me, Do not forget the Word that I gave - “I am wringing out the remnant for one drop of My blood covers a multitude of sin.” “In 2016, you heard the trumpet sing, it won’t be long before you hear it again.” “2020 represented the year of reckoning, it’s the year I declared I would be bringing My judgement down - across the globe.” “In 2021, I showed you flint. Iron sharpens Iron is what I am doing with TWELVES. I am building My Kingdom back!” “The Lord is multiplying. There will be much suffering until the Lion of Judah roars out loud!” “The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick.” Revelation 21:15-17 12 times 12 equals 144 It will all be worth it! The humble shall inherit the earth. “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:22-27 The Lord says, “I am preparing hearts for engagement.” “Get ready, says the Lord, the battle is coming. The Day of the Lord is quickly advancing.” “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” What I’ve learned in this last hour is that TWELVE must suffer and TWELVE must serve as we cry out, Maranatha - Lord Come!
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This morning, I move on to Matthew 20, and it starts with a parable that does not seem fair, at all! It’s the Parable of The Workers in the Vineyard. And today I learned that I am but a grape still needing to be crushed, because I still have an evil eye. Let me explain. Did you know the Word of God reflects our evil eye, and proves that we aren’t good at all! It is true. Let me show you. Jesus said. “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’ ‘So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ But he answered and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.” Matthew 20:1-16 So, what did you see? Is your eye good or evil? When I first read this parable a long time ago, I thought, “How can God be so cruel?” Why would God allow one man to burden for so long, and give a man who barely labored the same reward? It’s just did not seem fair, at all! Then I heard a sermon, and the pastor taught on this concept - “the last will be first, and the first last” and because God is loving, His sole desire is for everyone to go to Heaven, despite the amount of work they’ve done while here on the earth. I loved the message because it reflected how loving our God is. He offers everyone the same reward as long as they come to Him, and do some work for the Kingdom of Heaven. But then this morning, the Holy Spirit taught me and He showed me so much more! The Word that was highlighted was not about who is last and who is first, or their reward. The Word that Holy Spirit underscored is this, “Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ Oh My God! How had I not seen this before? I guess it’s because “many are called, but few chosen.” Apparently, my heart was not ready to receive the deeper, more transforming part of this message before. You alone are God. You set the law. I am but a human, here today and gone tomorrow. Thank you Lord for opening my eyes and showing me the truth of who I am and who you are. Who am I to question you, of your fairness or your justice? Because there is no way I can understand the whole reason behind your plan. Who am I to think that I get to choose or to approve of your mercy or your goodness? I am but a human. Like Job, I am not righteous - despite the wonderful deeds I’ve done. You alone are God. I am just a part of the Potter’s plan. Who am I to decide? For you are Master Gardener and you own the whole Vineyard. I am but a grape. A grape that continues to be crushed, beneath your heavy foot - because of my hardness of heart. Thank you Jesus, for turning this contaminated water of mine, into expensive wine. Only you are just. Today’s sermon is both
difficult and great at the same time. It’s about a man who is extremely rich who does everything right in the eyes of God, except one thing - he refuses to give away all that he has to follow Christ, the Messiah; Christ, the King. No wait - I am mistaken! Let me restart. This section of Matthew is about a man who is not good, but chooses to obey every command given by God. It’s about the one and only beloved Son - the only person ever born from God’s Spirit and a virgin human. It’s about Jesus. “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Revelation 5:6-13 Let’s press in - “Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Let’s stop here so that we can take in and understand exactly what Jesus just said. Jesus asked the question, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” Jesus wants his followers to know and understand that all good things come from God. There is nothing in a man that makes him good, other than a heart that beats for God. God is the source from which all good things flow, without being connected to him, humans are just evil. This must be why God told Adam and Eve, they could eat the fruit from all the other trees - just not the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It was the only tree that separated mankind from God. Then Jesus said, “But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” The man said, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “You shall not murder,’ “You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” The young man said to Jesus, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” 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.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” Matthew 19:16-22 I believe Jesus was trying to make a point, that for a man to enter Heaven he must love God above everything else. He must be willing to pick up his cross, and he must be willing to lay his life down. His faith in God must be amplified by letting go of all that he knows. And this is exactly what Jesus did. He trusted God above everything else. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus asked his Father to take this cup of suffering away, and He also said, “Not my will but yours be done.” Jesus laid down his life, all to complete the Will of the Father. “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. 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.” When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Isn’t it relieving to know that we do not need to be perfect! There is nothing that any human can do to earn their way into Heaven. All the good works in the world mean absolutely nothing to God when you don’t love Him first. Also, let me just add - “Nothing is impossible with God” is another scripture that has been twisted, and taken out of the original context in which Jesus said it. Jesus was referring to access to the Kingdom of Heaven, not the glory and riches of this world. I’ll just leave it at that - because this whole section could be another sermon! Then Peter said to Jesus, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Matthew 19:23-30 Oh, glory be to God! There will be regeneration! This generation shall come to end. The Lamb will become a Lion! And the Lion of Judah shall reign! “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Revelation 21:1-5 For those of you who do not know me, My name is Cherie, and I am a daughter of God. I have seen the Kingdom of God. Not in full, but in part. Enough to know it exists. God saved me. He turned my wretched soul into a warrior for Christ. All in a boardwalk vision. There is nothing I could have done on my own to deserve access to the throne. All good things come from God. He showed it. This body of mine shall someday pass away, but I believe in regeneration. There will be a New Kingdom. There will be a New Jerusalem. And Christ will be its King. The Kingdom of Heaven is already advancing! And I say, “Lord Come.” Over the last few days
I’ve been writing about some very difficult stuff - like Independent thought, progressive Christianity, Marriage and divorce, adultery and celibacy. It’s really been a lot! So today, I just want to rest in the arms of Jesus, and write about what a great husband He is. You see, Just as God made Eve, from a rib in Adam’s body, God reached down and took a remnant from humanity to create the Bride of Christ. A rib is such a special bone, its flat and curvy and protects the organs, including the heart and the lungs. A remnant is special too, it is what is left after the rest has been used. Isn’t God amazing! Who would have thought He had a plan to make a new Adam and a new Bride for Him? He is the Master Planner! And did you know that our Maker is referred to as our husband? It’s true, read Isaiah 54:5. This is what he says, “For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called." Isaiah 54:5 Father God prepared a Bride for Christ! Man or Woman, Jew or Gentile, Black or White, Young or Old, All come together to form the Church, the Bride of Christ, all made holy by the blood of God. “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure” for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Revelation 19:7-9 Oh, This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:32 Jesus is the bridegroom, and those who love him are His Bride. We are told, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.” "In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your EQUAL partner in God's gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered." 1 Peter 3:7 “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” Revelation 21:9 Read on to verse ten and you will see the New Jerusalem. Yes it is true, “When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” Hosea 1:2 But it’s also true “And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more. And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety. And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.” Hosea 2:16-23 Oh, how our husband is good! “When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine. Ezekiel 17:8 The Bride. “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21: “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Revelation 21:22-27 Oh, the glory. “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” Revelation 22:7 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Revelation 22:16-21 Today I write on a topic I know all too well.
In fact, I wrote a book about it. Read on to learn more. It’s a topic that often leads to divorce. It’s a topic that breaks many hearts. It’s a topic that rips many families apart. It’s a topic that cuts God straight to the heart! The topic is Adultery, and its what happened to me, and my marriage and my family. It’s “the thing” that almost killed me, and its “the thing” that saved me - my eternal life with God. Coming to terms with adultery is what led me to repentance at the cross. Let me try to explain what adultery means to God, without making a whole book out of this poem with my own personal experience. But - if you want to know more about my personal story, then you can find my book on Amazon. It’s called, Spiritual Healing After Adultery: A Memoir of Hope. I was certainly being vulnerable in letting my story go out, but I think it’s a really important subject because more than half of marriages end in divorce, due to cheating spouses, and yet no one talks about it. Well, let’s define it. Webster’s dictionary defines Adultery as: voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than that person's current spouse or partner. This is just another example of man’s progressive thinking - because this definition does not even come close to the biblical explanation. In fact, there is so much room for being off course! This just reminds of what Jesus said, “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” Matthew 18:6-9 Do me a favor, forget the common definition of adultery, and take a closer look at what God says. First, lust is NOT love. Lust is the feeling we get when we follow the flesh - not the Spirit of God! Lust comes in many forms, but it’s basically any human desire that takes our eyes off of God. And we just read that if our eye causes us to stumble and fall into sin, then we should gouge it out and get rid of it! Adultery in scripture is less about the actual act of sex, and more about breaking a marriage covenant. Adultery is an act that has been committed by every human who has ever existed towards God. God’s number one command is to love Him above everything else. And not one person has been able to put Him first, all the time, except Christ. And this my friend is why the Father calls Jesus his “One and Only Beloved Son.” Jesus is the only creation who willing and completely sacrificed His life for God. Only the Lamb of God was worthy to open the scroll! Adultery was never really about sex outside of marriage, although that is the human representation of what adultery is. Adultery is having a lustful attachment with someone else other than your spouse. It can be emotional or physical. It’s all about the desire of the heart. In Matthew 19 we see Jesus’s disciples asking, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, is it better not to marry?” Jesus said, “All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs (People who are celibate) who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs (People who are celibate) who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs (People who are celibate) who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.” Matthew 19:10-12 You see, celibacy is about abstaining from behaviors that break the marriage vow. Celibacy is a desire to keep oneself pure. And just like Peter had to learn that it’s not what goes in but what comes out, regarding food - we too need to understand that purity is about protecting the heart and giving it all back to God. “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Matthew 25:1-13 The answer to adultery is this - When your heart is right with God, your marriage can withstand any test! And when a man and a woman are One, and tied to the cord of God, nothing can separate them. Adultery between humans, illustrates hearts that are already broken apart. Voluntary sex with someone outside the marriage covenant is grounds for separation and divorce because the marriage agreement has already ended, and been determined as null and void. The union is contaminated. And even if two people stay together, the act has already happened. The sin is already done! And ONLY the blood of Jesus can rectify it. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” Matthew 19:7-9 Unfortunately, humans are excellent at spreading disease! Sex outside of marriage is just another example of this. God, Please forgive us! Help us to have hearts only for you. Thank you for your Son who saves us from all our sin, and brings us back into marriage covenant with you. You are good, and we love you. Yesterday, I started to read Matthew Chapter 19.
I was about to write on the topic of marriage and divorce, when I came to verse 8, and the Lord suddenly told me to stop, and consider the problems with progressive thought. So - before going on and reading the rest of this poem, I invite you to look back at Matthew 19 Part 1. It’s called, Progressive Christianity, because it addresses the human problem of enlightenment thinking. Apparently, Holy Spirit wanted me to understand the problem with progressive thinking before addressing the topic of marriage and divorce. And now I understand because it set the stage for what I’m about to say. In this passage, Jesus is seen ministering to people about the Kingdom of Heaven, when the Pharisees come questioning Him about the Law. Just a reminder- The hypocrites motive was never to listen to what Jesus said. They just wanted to entice Him and try to prove Him wrong. They were what God calls, "Blind." Scripture says, “The Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” Jesus said, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ ‘For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate.” Matthew 19:4-6 So, there it is. Jesus's answer is precise! Marriage was never intended for separation. Marriage was never intended for divorce. The Pharisees then asked a great question, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and send her away?” Matthew 19:7 Jesus responded again, “Because of the hardness of your hearts, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” Matthew 19:8 I find it so interesting that God would allow a law to be given that does not reflect His heart. I mean, think about it. God permitted a Law to extend from the heart of a man, rather than extend from the heart of God. Jesus made it very clear why divorce exists. He said it's because of "hardness of heart." The prophet Malachi said this, “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, covers his garment with violence, So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.” Malachi 2:16 God spoke through Malachi, that divorce is bad. He said when a man divorces his wife, he covers his heart with violence and expresses faithlessness towards God. That is not good! You see, divorce implies a lack of love. And lacking love implies a lack of faith in God. So, what is love? And “if we are supposed to love then why is God giving us permission to lack in it?” This is what Paul said, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast. Love is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 So now that we know what love is, how do we apply it? The Apostle Paul said, Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1 John 4:7-21 So basically, God’s definition of love is way more than we can possibly understand. But true love is always connected to Him. Divorce is bad in the eyes of God, even though he permits it. Divorce is tied to personal gain, bitter feelings, a violent heart and pride. Divorce is destructive and rips what God intended to be One, APART Divorce typically leads to many hurt hearts. Divorce is tied to progressive thought where man decides what is wrong or right. Do we ever stop to think, "What does God want?" Did you know that Jesus PERMITTED the demons to live when He cast them out of a man, put them into pigs and cast them into the sea. Read this. “The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.” Mark 5:12-13 You may be wondering why. Why does God allow for things that do not reflect His heart? Well, once again, Paul says it best. In His letter to Timothy, he said, “the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.” 1 Timothy 1:8-10 You see, the Law that was set by God for man to follow is just an instrument for us to reflect. The mirror shows how perfect God is and how imperfect we are. It is impossible for us, as humans, who have deceitful hearts, to fully comply with the Law set by God. The law is a shadow of the good things to come - not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Hebrews 10:1 “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can NEVER take away sins. But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for ALL time ONE sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by ONE sacrifice (Jesus) he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.” Hebrews 10:11-18 Do you see? God looks at our hearts. Is He looking at yours? Forgiveness is needed when a union that has been broken. It's just the ways of God. Can you imagine a marriage where the husband so loved his wife, that he would always put her first? A marriage where the wife submitted to the husband’s love, and would always be satisfied with everything he does. Can you imagine a marriage where patience and kindness and humility always exist? To love a partner who never boasted, or used sarcasm? Can you imagine a marriage where two become One flesh? A marriage that has no beginning and no end? This my friend, does not exist between humans, At least not on their own accord. This type of marriage is only obtained through a heart that loves the Lord - A marriage that is made of three cords. We live at a time when humans view
Progressive Christianity as more important than the words of Jesus Christ. Let me explain. Until I was rooted in the Word of God, I had no idea how offensive Jesus's words were. Now I totally understand why so many people hated Him. And I totally understand why He said, “And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22 “Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.” Luke 12:51 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” Matthew 10:34 The list of Jesus’s really tough words goes on and on... but those are not the words that most churches teach on, especially the progressive ones. Most people like to hear a Christianity where the Word of God is twisted to fit man’s enlightened thinking. Humans like to make man the center of everything instead of giving the glory back to God. This is called humanism. Humans are notorious for twisting God’s truth to make it fit the beliefs they want. Few of us know it's just the flesh response. And it’s only because we have come to repentance. You see, Progressive Christianity is characterized by questioning tradition, which, in reality, is a really good thing because tradition does not necessarily express the Word of God. Progressive Christianity has some really good points. They like to address diversity, fight for social justice and steward the earth. And while these attributes are perfectly good, and highlight the love of God, they focus their attention on doing good works with or without faithful hearts. Another example is women's reproductive rights and abortion. Progressive Christians believe that women should have the right to do with their bodies what they want. If they want to have sex and get pregnant, then that is there prerogative. And if they want to abort an preborn child, then that is their decision. One of the hallmarks of progressive Christianity is the way they view Jesus. Instead of believing that Jesus is the divine Son of God and bowing down to His Lordship, they put more emphasis on moralism. Jesus is more like a big brother (like Jesus from The Chosen) that sets a pattern that we should walk in. Jesus is just a picture of what we can be and what we can do and his main point is just to set an example for us. The lowering of Jesus's Lordship is the first mark of progressive Christianity. rts.edu/resources/what-is-progressive-christianity/ The truth is - faith in Jesus is all that is required to receive salvation. And the fruit of the Spirit is it's expression. It’s not the other way around. Works without faith in Jesus's Lordship is dead. Good works without faith in Christ is the same as buying a one-way ticket to hell. Works-based teaching and moralism is man's definition of love. And any belief or any teaching that dismisses Jesus as the only acceptable sacrifice to God is 100% completely demonic. Without the covering of Jesus, and the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit we are just empty shells - dead men walking, totally blind, straight into hell. And while Progressive Christianity is beautiful and totally appealing, we know the Devil masquerades as light. Progressive Christianity that promotes a universal, enlightened social thinking that goes against the very Word of God is lawlessness. It's an abomination to God. Progressive Christianity is not grounded in The Truth! Let me explain- Compassion, justice, mercy, and tolerance, become more important than Jesus’s primary reason for coming - “From that time (when Jesus resisted the temptations of Satan) Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 Somewhere along the line, humans decided our interpretation of scripture is more important than the Word itself. What I mean is, God is good and we are not. Unless we trust in Him, and make Jesus the Lord of our lives, we foolishly believe that we know best because we are following the flesh. We throw away the truth in favor of the grace, to spare a person from receiving Christ and coming into repentance with God. And for some reason, we think this is good. But In the end, this only leads to death. And anyone who does this will be held accountable on the Day of Judgement. So in reality, when we give compassion without pointing to Christ, we are just elevating ourselves. It makes us think we are just and good, when we really aren’t! Ugh! You got to give it to Satan! He truly twisted a masterpiece with Progressive Christianity! I must say, It has to be Satan’s best attempt at creating deception to keep a man from walking with God. And since people do not know the Word of God themselves, nor believe that scripture is Holy Spirit inspired, they move away from God towards even more human-centered thinking. Progressive Christians believe that since the Bible was written by many men, then it must be filled with error and contradiction, despite being influenced by God. Progressive Christians believe that science, medicine, and other man-made doctrine created from evolutionary thinking is more reflective of the God-head, than what the actual Word says. The problem with their thinking is that God’s Word NEVER changes! And when you eat the Whole Lamb of God, there is no confusion. The scripture is self-evident. Jesus said exactly what He meant! So, I think I will stop here. This is my opening to Matthew 19. Tomorrow we will look at the topic of marriage and divorce. In Matthew Chapter 19, I have a feeling we will see why sexual immorality continues to rise. My guess - it has much to do with progressive Christianity and man’s enlightened thinking instead of walking with God. Matthew 18 has five parts,
and most of what is said comes directly through Jesus’s mouth. To be quite frank, it’s really an interesting Chapter - especially if you want to learn about God’s children and what He, as a parent, expects from them. This portion of scripture is about the insolent child, Who pouts until he gets what he wants, and then defies the Hand that feeds him. It’s the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. The Scripture says, “Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, and said, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.” So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” Matthew 18:21-35 The words of Jesus are so simple and true - “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Isn't it interesting that humans expect God to forgive them of sin, over and over again, and yet, we find it difficult to forgive each other. I wonder why? What do you think the answer to this question is? In Matthew Chapter 18,
Jesus explained how a sibling in Christ is to handle a sinning brother (or sister of the same account). Jesus said, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:15-20 What a great reminder on how we are to handle a brother or sister in Christ, when there is discord or doubt. We must remember that sin is not about us, but rather it’s about a thought or a deed that goes against God. And, although we may be hurt by the offense that took place, when a person sins it’s really an offense to God. Also, if you do not know God, then you do not know sin. You only know what man has defined to be good or bad. And as the culture changes, and depending on who is in charge, humans create laws based on a man thinks. But the ways of God are always the same. They do not change. “The grass withers, and the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8 God’s character is comprised purely of light and love, and sin is anything that goes against Him. Sin exists only in the dark. You see, sin existed before the downfall of man. Sin existed when the first son of God rebelled against Him - when Lucifer desired to be exalted high above God. We must remember that Satan is God’s creation. For God to be God, everything has to come from Him. That includes the angels and demons and humans; everything that exists in both the physical and spiritual realms. Satan is not a human, but an angel of darkness. An spiritual being who masquerades as light in the earthly realm. “He was the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. He was in Eden, the garden of God; And every precious stone was his covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of his timbrels and pipes was prepared for him on the day of his creation.” “He was the anointed cherub and God established him; He was on the holy mountain of God; And he walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. He was perfect in his ways from the day he was created, Till iniquity was found in Him.” Ezekiel 28:12-15 Then the Lord responded to Him with the only consequence that could be given for such rebellion. “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.” Isaiah 14:12-15 You see, “free will” means there is always a chance that God’s creation will not love Him above everything else. But God does not want robots. He wants children who is willing to keep His Word. He wants a child who stays and doesn’t run. You see, evil does not come from God. Evil comes from the intent of a being’s heart. When the creation decides they are like the Creator, they become an idol and worship themselves. That is why Satan has been given authority over the earth realm, at least until Gods appointed time when He creates a New Earth and a New Heaven. Revelation 22 Satan attempts to tempt us to worship the flesh, rather than worshipping the One True God out of love. Satan knows very well - a creation without salvation only means death. He knows he is going down, and he wants to bring us to hell with him! And this is why God puts us to the test. It’s because of His unfailing love and constant forgiveness that God provides his children with constant correction in the purification process. It’s only God’s love through His faithful son, Jesus, that saves us! And it’s only His blood makes us clean. As the Spirit of God transforms our heart, we become better and better at submitting to Him. That is why brothers and sisters in Christ are told to address sin with loving kindness and a servant’s heart. “If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted” Galatians 6:1 The goal is to approach the person who is in sin, alone, in love, and without condemnation. If the person is unable or unwilling to hear, then we are told to gather one or two more witnesses, and establish the Word. We are called to be brave. To reach out to the person and have the conversation. We should not be talking behind their back because all this does is stir up strife which creates a whole new offense against God. Our attitude in how we approach is very important for the success of the conversation. A person should not feel like they have to go on the defense. They should be open and ready to listen to another servant’s heart. The ultimate goal is for your brother or sister to have reconciliation with the Lord and not to wallow in the same sin. Finding fault is not about keeping someone in the dark. It should be about shedding light on blind spots, and guess what - we all have them! Often times, what I have found, Is that a person might not even know they have offended. They may not even realize they are operating in sin. A simple conversation could lead to quick clarification of what was intended by the offending comment or action. I know it’s hard. It’s easier said than done. No one wants to approach a person on sin, because it feels the opposite of love. It feels like your judging them. I have personally fallen into this trap! Offense is often the Bait of Satan. And all too many times, I have gotten stuck, and then realize I’m now offending God! At first it can be an uncomfortable position! But it’s part of speaking the truth in love. Forgiveness is also an extremely part! It should be the immediate response! The scripture says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:23 Can you imagine if God did not forgive? I’m pretty sure we would all be screwed! Now, if we go to the person and they refuse to accept the Truth, then we are told to gather 2 or 3 other witnesses and go back to them and address the sin again. And then, if that does not work, we are to bring the offense to the whole congregation. And ask them to help that person out. Now listen. Not once did Jesus say to address the sin of another church member by going to the Pastor or the elders, unless of course, they are the ones walking in blindness. Perhaps this practice is in another place in scripture, and I have just not run across it yet? We need to remember that as children of God we are all equal; and under the blood of Christ, we are all priests! Sin can entangle any one of us. We have to stop putting people on pedestals. This is often how teachers and pastors burnout! Also, It’s very important to remember the context that Jesus is talking in. Jesus is speaking about how to handle lost sheep, not how to handle wolves! They are two very different seeds. The goal is always to bring the sheep back into the fold! The goal is always to bring light through peace. “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9 |
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