despised the word of the LORD

Numbers 15:31 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

strong delusion

2 Thess 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Note: "that day" refers to 2 Thess 1:1 "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him"

2 Thess 2:11-12 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Notice it is God who allows the false prophet to prove you.

Deut 13:1-3 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

the refreshing

Isaiah 28:9-13
Whom shall he teach knowledge?
and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?
them that are weaned from the milk,
and drawn from the breasts. 

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept;
line upon line, line upon line;
here a little, and there a little:
for with stammering lips and another tongue
will he speak to this people. 

To whom he said,
This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest;
and this is the refreshing:
yet they would not hear. 

But the word of the Lord was unto them
precept upon precept, precept upon precept;
line upon line, line upon line;
here a little, and there a little;
that they might go, and fall backward,
and be broken, and snared, and taken.

In contrast to the unteachable prideful ones in Isaiah 28:1-8 who produce immature fruit, those who are teachable in knowledge and understanding of doctrine are mature [have been weaned from milk - note you must first be raised on the milk before you mature, those who are still on milk still have not been practicing the basics].

The crown of pride (ie: bible correctors) is contrasted with those who study God's words repeatedly line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little.

To contrary, the elders who are spiritually mature from laboring in the word and doctrine wear their gray hair as a crown of glory.

Proverbs 16:31 The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

1 Tim 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

Notice to that the refreshing (the Holy Spirit) in v11-12 is in between studying God's words in v10 and v13.

what has been done

we are NOT the result of what has been done to us...

we ARE the result of what we have done and how we have reacted to what has been done to us...

do not think of yourself more highly than you ought

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

if it has a name

if it has a name, then you already have victory over it in Jesus

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him [Jesus], and given Him a name which is above every name (Phil 2:9)

faith?

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

How can I have faith for something that is not in the Bible?

ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil

Gen 3:5b ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil

Being made in the image of God, Adam and Eve were already "like" God.   Appealing to pride, Satan's temptation was that knowledge would enable them to decide good and evil for themselves thereby making them as gods.

Instead of trusting in God's words (the tree of life), they sought knowledge so they could decide good an evil for themselves.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  There is no other avenue to the Father. (John 14:6)

Gen 3:24b a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Eph 6:17b the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

God's word is truth (John 17:17)

Godly wisdom, a wholesome tongue, and the fruit of righteousness is a tree of life (Prov 3:18; Prov 11:30; Prov 15:4)

crown of pride

So many ministries and movements start out full of glorious beauty, however, at some point begin to fade...

Isaiah 28:1-8 

1 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!
2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
4 and the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower,
and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth,
while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
5 In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
6 and for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way;
the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine,
they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.

The spiritual leaders and elders, instead of wearing a crown of glory are wearing a crown of pride.

Proverbs 16:31 The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

The crown of pride is worn by those who should be spiritually mature (wearing a crown of glory), but instead of submitting to and maturing in God's truth, they are drunk on their own authority (ie: bible correctors) and produce immature fruit.

Notice how a "crown of pride" leads to drunkenness.

They are drunk on the strong drink of old (fermented/corrupted) wine from the vine of sodom.

Drunkenness leads to error in vision, stumbling in judgement, and being "out of the way".

The judge at the gate is put to sleep.

What was once glorious beauty is now become a fading flower to the point that there was no longer any place not corrupted (no place clean).

be not drunk

Some folks who seek to defend the "drunk in the spirit" behavior are often long on experiential anecdotes and philosophical musings but short on scripture.  One scripture that is often cited is Acts 2:12-15.

Acts 2:12-15 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?  Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judæa, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:  for these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

The mockers said "These men are full of new wine".  The sugar in unfermented new wine brightens your countenance in same way as honey (see 1 Samuel 14:27) and can make you feel and appear joyful and energetic.

No doubt that those who had just heard the mighty rushing wind, seeing the tongues of fire, and been filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time were very excited, jubilant, and rightfully full of the joy of the Lord!

Read Isaiah 28:1-13 - God contrasts drunkenness on the fermented (corrupted) old wine from the vine of Sodom (Deut 32:32) in Isaiah 28:1-8 to His plan of "new wine" from the True Vine (John 15:1) that is refreshing in Isaiah 28:9-13.

If you are drunk on "old wine" you stumble in judgement, your senses dulled, and the judge at the gate is put to sleep.  Your only goal is to increase and prolong the drunkenness (Prov 23:35).   You are not interested in new wine as it would not help you get drunker -- to the contrary new wine would begin to "wake you up".

Luke 5:39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better

Notice Peter had stated in Acts 2:15 "these are not drunken".  How can we say they were "drunk in the spirit" if Peter plainly states that they were "not drunken"?

Contrary to promoting drunkenness, Peter admonishes that we should "be sober":

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Notice that the way to resist steadfastly in the faith hinges on being sober and vigilant.  The adversary the devil seeks who he "may" devour.  Those who he "may" devour are those who are not sober and vigilant.

We must be sober and vigilant because the brethren (believers) are vulnerable to the same afflictions (weaknesses) that are accomplished in the world.  Being sober is an antidote to the affliction of drunkenness.

Paul also says in Ephesians 5:18 to "be not drunk".

Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Paul links drunkenness with darkness in 1 Thess 5:7 "For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night."

He also tells the Corinthians in 1 Cor 6:10 that drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Paul tells Timothy in 1 Tim 3:2 that a pastor should be sober and of good behavior and also says in 1 Cor 14:26, "Let all things be done unto edifying".

How is behaving drunk edifying to the church or any different than the flesh driven distractions and incoherent behaviors Paul is correcting the Corinthians about in his letters to the Corinthians?

1 Cor 11:20-22 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper.  For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.  What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.  

Paul says that what they are doing when they are coming together is NOT the Lord’s supper. Some are there only to appease their fleshly appetites in drunkenness (both physical and spiritual) and this leaves others famished (both physically and spiritually) – the pursuit of fleshly experiences is a distraction and not edifying to the body, resulting in people go hungry for not hearing the words of the Lord -- a famine in the land for a lack of hearing the words of the Lord (Amos 8:11).

If there remains any doubt concerning drunkenness being a work of the flesh, please read:

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

not given us the spirit of fear

Haggai 2:5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Change your thinking

do not change God's words to match your thinking

change your thinking to match God's words

He hath blinded their eyes

John 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Romans 11:7-12 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (according as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:  let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.  I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.  Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.


Most of talmudic judaism is corrupted with the tradition (Kabbalah, Zohar, Babylonian Mysticism) [Matthew 15:6; Mark 7:8-9; Col 2:8; 1 Peter 1:18] .  They are currently blinded, mistake the darkness for light [Isaiah 5:20; John 12:35, Matthew 6:22-24], and the Gospel is a stumblingblock [1 Cor 1:23].

The current nation of Israel is a fulfillment of prophecy [Isaiah 66:8] and they are gathered together in unbelief in preparation for the rise of the false messiah [John 5:43].

Even so, we should always remember that those who bless Israel will be blessed, and those who curse Israel will be cursed.  Pray daily for the peace of Jerusalem.

God has never abandoned or forgotten Israel. The God of Israel has always been faithful to keep a “remnant” of believing Jews to Himself.  Many Jews are getting to know the Messiah spoken of in the Tanakh (Torah and Prophets) on a daily basis.  Additionally, in the last days God will send 144,000 servants of God [Rev 7:3-8;Rev 14:3-5], two witnesses [Rev 11:3], and an angel proclaiming the Gospel [Rev 14:6].

Messiah Himself will return and establish His Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.  He will rule over the whole earth from Jerusalem and Israel.

God acts

God acts, the devil re-acts.

God is the one who has the plan and is acting on it

early and latter rain

Joel 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

1. There are multiple outpourings

2. The former/early rains are the beginnings

3. The latter rain is toward the end

4. The latter rain, like the travail of a woman with child, comes more frequently and with increasing intensity as the hour draws near

that which is in part shall be done away

1 Corinthians 13:9-12

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

That which is in part shall indeed be done away with, but only after that which is perfect is come.  

How will we know that which is perfect has come?  We shall see Him face to face.

Revelation 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

Modern "bibles" deny glorifying God in your spirit

In the King James Bible:

1 Cor 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Modern per-versions only say that God redeemed and owns your body and leaves out your spirit

AMP You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.

AMPC You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.

Note:  Interesting that the "Amplified" is not so amplified as it selectively leaves things out...

ASV for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.

CEB You have been bought and paid for, so honor God with your body.

CJB for you were bought at a price. So use your bodies to glorify God.

CEV God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God.

DARBY for ye have been bought with a price: glorify now then God in your body.

DLNT for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

DRA For you are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body.

ERV God paid a very high price to make you his. So honor God with your body.

ESV for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

ESVUK for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

EXB because you were ·bought by God [L bought] for a price. So honor God with your bodies.

GW You were bought for a price. So bring glory to God in the way you use your body.

GNT he bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God's glory.

HCSB for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

ICB You were bought by God for a price. So honor God with your bodies.

ISV because you were bought for a price. Therefore, glorify God with your bodies.

LEB For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God with your body.

TLB For God has bought you with a great price. So use every part of your body to give glory back to God because he owns it.

MOUNCE For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify · God with · your body.

NOG You were bought for a price. So bring glory to God in the way you use your body.

NABRE For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

NASB For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

NCV because you were bought by God for a price. So honor God with your bodies.

NET For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

NIRV Christ has paid the price for you. So use your bodies in a way that honors God.

NIV you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

NIVUK you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.

NLV God bought you with a great price. So honor God with your body. You belong to Him.

NLT for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

NRSV For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

NRSVA For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

NRSVACE For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

NRSVCE For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

NTE You were quite an expensive purchase! So glorify God in your body.

RSV you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

RSVCE you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

TLV For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

VOICE You have been purchased at a great price, so use your body to bring glory to God!

WE But you were bought and paid for. So then, bring glory to God with your bodies.

WYC For ye be bought with great price. Glorify ye, and bear ye God in your body.

Therefore thou art inexcusable

Romans 2:1-4

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man,

whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

changes

you don't change words of the LORD to line up with your thinking

you change your thinking to line up with the words of the LORD



Psalms 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

prove all things

I recently questioned a popular teaching that I couldn't find in the Bible

It was suggested that it was a "deeper thing of God"

To me, the basics are as follows:

- Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thess 5:21)
- So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom 10:17)
- for whatsoever is not of faith is sin (Rom 14:23b)

Seems to me that if it a "deeper thing" does not pass the test of the basic things, then it is probably not some-thing we need to be messing with.

Timing of the Rapture Revealed!

2 Thess 2:1-3 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition

False prophets and teachers

2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.


False prophets and teachers mix in error among the true, using the truth as camouflage for their destructive heresies.

wear that which pertaineth

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. Deut 22:5

Men and women should dress modestly and in such a way as they maintain their distinction as a man or women.   

Modesty is more about showing love and compassion for others not wanting to tempt them to sin.  It also shows that you value and appreciate the body that God has given you.

Are there or should there be hard fast rules and measurements?  No need to go beyond what scripture actually says because pertaineth can be determined by "we know it when we see it".  

Men can wear a kilt, but not a women's dress.  Men can wear jeans, but men wearing women's skinny jeans with bling is just so wrong (cring).

Women can wear dresses, slacks, jeans, etc that maintain and compliment their appearance as a woman.

Folks dress the way they do either out of a motivation of love of God and putting others ahead of themselves, or a motivation of rebellion and self-centeredness.