the problem of Lilith

The only place that "liliths" appear in the Bible is in Isaiah 34:14 which is a list of wild animals or demons -- likely both in that the infestation of wild animals often is a physical representation or manifestation of the infestation of demons.

Isaiah 34:14 is one verse is a series of verses outlining the judgments of God against nations that have turned their backs to Him.  Taken in context, it is clear that one of the judgments or consequences of rejecting God is that the nation will become the abode of demons and wild unclean animals.

Judgment on Bozrah and Edom  Isaiah 34:6-15

For the LORD holds a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom.

Wild oxen will fall together with them—young steers and mighty bulls.

Their land will be drenchedi with blood, and their soil will be swollen with fat.

For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for Zion’s cause.

Edom’s streams will be turned into burning sulfur, and its dust into sulfur; its land will become pitch.

It will burn night and day, and will never be extinguished.

Its smoke will rise from generation to generation, and it will lie desolate forever and ever.

And no one will pass through it.

“But hawks and hedgehogs will possess it; owls and ravens will nest in it.

God will stretch out over it a measuring line, and chaos, and plumb lines of emptiness, and its nobles.

They will name it “No Kingdom There,” and all its princes will come to nothing.

Thorns will grow over its palaces, nettles and brambles its fortresses.

It will become a haunt for jackals, a home for ostriches.

And desert creatures will meet with hyenas, and goat-demons will call out to each other.

There also liliths will settle, and find for themselves a resting place.

Owls will nest there, lay eggs, hatch them, and care for their young under the shadow of their wings; yes indeed, vultures will gather there, each one with its mate.

This concept of a land becoming the abode of demons and unclean birds is common to prophetic literature and the same phenomena is described by John in Revelation

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. (Revelation 18:12)

Contemporary to Isaiah at the time (~725BC) was increasing wickedness of Israel and adoption of the surrounding Assyrian, and Babylonian pagan religions.  It would then be these nations (whose religions that they chose over God) that would invade and overtake the northern kingdom of Israel (~722BC) and later the southern kingdom of Judah (~586BC).

Artifacts from the period reference lilith (a.k.a. lamia) only as a demon or classification of demons from Assyrian myths.  They are often depicted as demons that seek to seduce men to their deaths, similar to if not just another name for a succubus. It would not be unusual for Isaiah to include this term in his list of demons that will infest a nation that has turned its back on God since the terms would be familiar to his audience.

Lilith demons only begin to appear in jewish myths and mysticism during the captivity in Babylon and later Assyria.  They are not documented or described in jewish literature until the Babylonian Talmud was compiled over 900 years later in the 3rd-5th centuries AD.  Even so, it was until another 500 years later in the 8th-10th centuries when the demon Lilith is described as "Adam's first wife" in the anonymously compiled medieval text called the "Alphabet of Sirach".

This makes it unlikely that the "liliths" Isaiah had in mind when this verse was penned were related to the "Lilith, wife of Adam" myth.

In any case, one cannot hang an entire doctrine on a single verse, especially if that doctrine contradicts and conflicts with the rest of scripture.

Also, we should never reinterpret clear and unambiguous versus to make them fit a particular interpretation of ambiguous and unclear verses.  Instead, the clear and unambiguous verses should be used to clear up the ambiguous.

The problem of "Lilith" is that it conflicts with the justification for our salvation.  Sin and death didn't enter into the world through "Lilith", it entered in through one man, Adam.  Since it came into the world through one man, then our salvation can be made by one man, Jesus.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned ... For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many ...  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous (Romans 5:12-21)

Being that liliths consistently refers to a class of seductive demons it is not surprising that this shaky myth continues to distract people from the true word of God and to leave them questioning the reliability of scripture.  Since it was Satan's first step in seducing Adam & Eve into sin by leading them to question "Yea, hath God said..."

a new heavenly body awaits us

 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Corinthians 5:1

when the door shuts

Then the LORD shut him in...  And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. - Genesis 7:16, 23

“When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are”  -  Luke 13:25

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matt 7:22-24

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  Matt 25:1-12

correction

Whoever loves discipline is wise, but he who hates correction is stupid - Proverbs 12:1

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.  Proverbs 9:9

Correct a wise man, and he will love thee...  Proverbs 9:8

Wise men love to be corrected, for they know it is the only way to be wiser (Pr 9:9). This is true, even if the correction hurts (Ps 141:5). They know that true love will rebuke and wound them, and they prefer this to the kisses and deceitful love of enemies (Pr 27:5-6). When you reprove such a man, he will appreciate and love you for it, so do it (Pr 25:12).

It is easy to ignore things and just let them slide.  Talking to someone about difficult things may lead to a confrontation, make them mad, or cause them to not want to be around you.

But, if you really care for someone, you care enough to let them know when they are a path to destruction and be willing to speak the truth motivated by love...

Whoever does not discipline his son hates him, but whoever loves him is diligent to correct him.
Proverbs 13:24

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he corrects every son he accepts. Hebrews 12:6

through the fire

In all the land, says the LORD, two thirds of them shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left.

I will bring the one third through fire, and I will refine them as silver is refined, and I will test them as gold is tested. They shall call upon my name, and I will hear them. I will say, "They are my people," and they shall say, "The LORD is my God."

Zech 13:8-9

Consequences for ignorance

Hosea 4: 6 My people perish from a lack of knowledge.

quips of wisdom

better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it

Endurance: last man standing wins -- even the weakest fellow can beat you if he outlasts you

do the right thing, even when it costs you -- and, doing the right thing will often cost you

do the right thing, it is the right thing to do...

better to be poor with integrity than rich with ill-gotten gains -- of course, it is even better to be rich with integrity

You get more of the behavior you reward

Save early, save often

Love is a choice made every day, every hour, every minute

Inconsistency destroys credibility

No one who abides in him keeps on sinning

No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning;

no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or known Him.

Little children, let no one deceive you.

Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

1 John 3:6-9

should we cover sin?

Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.

1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

Proverbs 17:9
Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

Reading these verses, it would seem that we should just ignore and cover up the wrongdoings of others...

Taken by themselves, these verses seem to be in conflict with scripture that tells us we are not to tolerate evil, but instead to expose it...

For example, we see the consequences of covering up sin in the book of first Samuel.  By doing nothing to restrain or punish his sons, Eli sent them to hell. Therefore, had he really loved them, he would have made certain that they not only knew that their behavior was evil but regretted ever behaving that way. By failing to act in accordance with love, he not only lost his sons but also brought God’s condemnation on himself (read 1 Samuel chapters 2 and 3).

Good ole' James comes to the rescue with the resolution to these seemingly contradictory concepts:

James 5:20
remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

The easy way out for ourselves is to ignore and cover up the wrongdoing of others.  However, if we love someone, we will be willing to do the hard thing and seek to correct them and have them repent, turn from their error, in order to save them.  Once they have repented, it is the Love of God, not us, that can then cover their sin.

If someone has behaved sinfully, we can and should love them and not harbor hatred of them for our own sake (Luke 17:3-4).  However we are NOT obligated to trust them or put them in a position where they can harm us or someone else again.

Instead of hiding or ignoring their sin, we are obligated to do the most loving thing and ensure they are held accountable for the behavior so that they can realize what they did was wrong and come to repentance and a saving relationship with Jesus.

do not bring abominations into your house

Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it:but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

Deut 7:26

multiplying horses

Only he must not amass horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt to obtain more horses. For the LORD said you must never return that way again.
Deut 17:16


Horses in the time of the Kings of Israel were considered an offensive weapon similar to tanks would be today.  The kings of Israel were not to rely on the strength of their own offensive arsenal, but instead rely on Yaweh.

prosperity

If it really worked the way those prosperity preachers say, then why aren't they sending me money so they can get rich?

2 Peter 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

good churchmembers

Most modern churches are more concerned with teaching folks how to be good churchmembers rather than how to be strong Jesus followers...

disrespectful

A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone.
Billy Graham

Lord's Supper

Luke 22:7-20
Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. And He [Jesus] sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.” So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?” And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.” So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”


Matthew 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-26
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.


Introduction

The Lord's Supper, also called communion or the eucharist (meaning "thanksgiving" in Greek), holds deep significance for a believer and should not be underestimated. More than just a memorial to remember Jesus' death and resurrection, the Lord's Supper is also a declaration of one's continual dependance upon Christ's life and a regular reminder of His soon return.

Luke 22:19
“do this in remembrance of Me”

Communion is about remembrance, about looking back to Jesus’ last supper with the disciples, which in turn reminds us to be thankful for the sacrifice of his body and the shedding of his blood. Important as this is, there is no special “sacrament” here. Rather, the talk is of “ordinance”. We take Communion together regularly because Jesus told us to, “in remembrance of me”.

Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

The presence of Christ takes on a special nature when “two or three” gather around this meal. It is a celebration and time of union of individuals as the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:26
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

The Apostle Paul talks of communion looking forward in anticipation. Communion anticipates the return of Jesus. This adds a richness of hope and expectation to an event which doesn’t need to be only a sombre recollection of sacrifice.

Communion, then, is about remembering, anticipating and celebrating what God has done, will do and is doing. The ritual itself isn’t the sacrament. The bread and the wine have no unique quality. They are significant because they are part of a bigger mystery in which God reconciles us to himself, to each other and to the whole of creation. The “sacrament” is in the gathering. This is an event about which we should have no uncertainty or ambivalence.


Historical Background

Passover Instituted

Read Exodus Chapter 12


Lord's Supper Instituted

Observance of the Lord's Supper began when Jesus initiated it at His last meal during Passover before His death with His disciples. It was a revelation of what the Passover foreshadowed. The Apostle Paul wrote about this in:

I Corinthians 11:23-26:
“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament [covenant] in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come."

Thus, the Lord's Supper involves partaking of two elements, bread and grape juice (or wine) and is preceded by a blessing or prayer of thanksgiving.


The Two Elements

I Corinthians 10:16
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?



1) The Bread, Representing the Body of Jesus

Blessed are you, O Lord God, King of the Universe, who brings bread up from the earth.

By partaking of the bread in communion, we acknowledge that Jesus is our source of life. Indeed, He is the Bread of Life whereby we may satisfy our spiritual hunger. He said,

John 6:51
"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world"

Bread signifies the body that was broken, so when Jesus broke the unleavened bread and gave it to His disciples, He illustrated that His body would be broken in order that our body may be whole both now and completely so in the Resurrection.

Isaiah 53:5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

1 Peter 2:24
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

Also, the broken body of Jesus ushered in the new covenant, signified by the temple veil tearing in two.

Matthew 27:50-52
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

Hebrews 10:19-20
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh

This "new and living way" is by His Spirit, allowing us to approach God with a heart made pure by the blood of Jesus. Furthermore, the resurrected body of Jesus validates the new covenant, because the same Holy Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead is the same Spirit dwelling in the children of God, Who will raise them, too, at the last day!

Romans 8:11
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.


Finally, the breaking of bread with other believers signifies fellowship within the Body of Christ and unity by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:41-42
Then those who gladly received his [Peter's] word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

The Body of Christ is strengthened and Jesus is glorified when the Body serves one another in humility and shares blessings in selfless love.

I Corinthians 10:17
"For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread [Jesus]"


2) The Cup, Representing the Blood of Jesus

Blessed are you, O Lord God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

The symbol of a cup represents a measure or portion, and blood signifies suffering and death. Blood is the life of the body. The wages of sin is death. Jesus' blood was poured out to make atonement for our sin.

Leviticus 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’

The Father gave Jesus a cup of suffering to drink, requiring Him to be the sacrificial Lamb of atonement for sin and to pour out His sinless blood through a torturous death; for only the shed blood of Jesus can cleanse and make permanent atonement for all sin (see I John 1:7).

Jesus cried out in Gethsemane, "Abba [Daddy], Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt" (Mark 14:36). Later, Jesus said to Peter, "Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11). Jesus submitted Himself to His Father's will and drank the dark and terrible cup of wrath for our sin. "For he [the Father] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (II Corinthians 5:21).

By partaking of the communion cup, we are remembering the atonement that Jesus purchased for us and committing to follow Jesus no matter the cost. Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath for our sin, and we partake in His sufferings for righteousness' sake. Jesus said, "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). Paul knew from experience that all who "live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (II Timothy 3:12). And Peter encouraged believers to respond to persecution even as Christ did:

I Peter 2:21-23
"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously"

The Lord's Supper gives believers the opportunity to identify themselves with Jesus, Mediator of the new covenant, and show that they are willing to experience both His life (power) and death (suffering) in their daily walk. The apostle Paul said it best: "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead" (Philippians 3:10-11). Just as the Passover was a symbol of the old covenant, so the Lord's Supper is a symbol of the new. Christians remember the sacrificial death of the Lamb of God for their sin (bondage) while anticipating the consummation of their salvation in the Kingdom of heaven (Promised Land). King David knew only the old covenant, yet by faith he declared, "I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD" (Psalm 116:13).


Biblical Warnings

Hebrews 10:29
Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

The Lord's Supper should be taken seriously, with respect and introspection.

Conduct at the Lord’s Supper

I Corinthians 11:17-22
Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.


Examine Yourself

I Corinthians 11:27-34
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner[d] eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.


Because of the significance of identifying with Christ in communion, unbelievers and hypocrites (those who profess to be Christians but live according to the world) should not participate. Everyone else should examine his own heart prior to partaking the Lord's Supper to be certain of a pure conscience toward God.

The word "discern" in this context means to make a distinction or set apart the holy from that which is common; it means to not regard "the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing"

Although you should certainly rejoice and celebrate the finished work of Christ's death and resurrection, be sure you also

I Thessalonians 2:12
"walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory".

Eating and drinking unworthily has to do with trying to identify with Christ but elsewhere living like the world (a hypocrite). We are warned to turn from sin before identifying with Christ so as not to come under judgment. Paul said,

I Corinthians 5:6-8
"Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.".

Paul gave some additional warnings about the right approach to the table of the Lord. The Corinthian church had divisions over their communion meal because some people were selfish and overindulgent while others left hungry. Paul corrected them sternly, saying that this was not the Lord's Supper at all. He said,

I Corinthians 11:33-34
"Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry [wait] one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation".

Paul understood that the purpose of the Lord's Supper was to remember Christ and His example of love and servanthood, not to feast and indulge. One interpretation of Paul's correction here is that whenever the Body of Christ comes together, there should be unity in eating and drinking; if everyone is not eating, then no one should eat. If anyone is hungry, Paul said, let him eat at home - instead of eating, for example, while the rest of the Body is worshipping the Lord.



Bond of Fellowship

Communion illustrates fellowship with the Lord and with His Body. We read:

* Our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus (I Corinthians 1:9, 1 John 1:3).
* Our fellowship is through the Holy Ghost (II Corinthians 13:14, Philippians 2:1).
* Believers fellowship in the Gospel. We all are partakers in the saving power and message of the good news (I Corinthians 9:23; Philippians 1:5).
* Those who walk in the light have fellowship with each other (1 John 1:7).
* Some may break fellowship with the Body, as one who betrays a brother (Leviticus 6:2, John 21:20).
* If we say we have fellowship with Jesus Christ, but walk in darkness, we lie (I John 1:6).
* Righteousness and unrighteousness cannot walk in fellowship together (Psalm 94:20, I Corinthians 10:20, Ephesians 5:11).

So precious is the bond of fellowship portrayed in communion that it cannot be shared with other "gods." Paul said,

I Corinthians 10:21
"Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils"

No one can serve two masters (see Luke 16:13), neither can a person keep idols in his or her heart while fellowshipping with the Lord. Some may pretend to do so (as a hypocrite), but the Scripture says,

James 4:4
"Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God"



Looking Ahead

Last but not least, the Lord's Supper is a time to anticipate the day when we will see our Lord and King face to face. He will drink of the fruit of the vine for the first time since His death, just as He said: "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matthew 26:29).

There will be a great marriage supper of the Lamb and judgment on the wicked (see Revelation 19:7-18).

In that day, those who do not share in the cup of the Lord will have their own cup of judgment to drink (Psalm 75:8, Revelation 14:9-10)




Questions and Answers

Here are a few questions that some may ask about the Lord's Supper.

Q: How often should communion be observed?

A: There is no biblical guideline for how often a group of believers should observe the Lord's Supper. In light of Jesus' instruction to do it in remembrance of Him as well as Paul's teaching in I Corinthians 11, communion should be held periodically as a reminder of believers' mutual fellowship (koinonia in Greek) with the Lord and with one another. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" (I Corinthians 10:16). A general guideline to follow would be to not take communion so often that it becomes ritualistic and routine, but often enough that believers benefit from the reminder.


Q: Does the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of the Lord, as some churches teach?

A: Certainly not! This is a perversion of the spiritual truth Jesus taught in John 6:53-56 about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. The Catholic church has built a whole doctrine called transubstantiation on this one passage, ignoring the fact that just a few verses later, Jesus said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). In addition, God forbids the practice of eating blood and would never command His children to do something He had already forbidden: "But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat" (Genesis 9:4, see also Deuteronomy 12:23). Those who teach this unscriptural tradition would rather have you eating Jesus than placing your faith in Him. If that weren't enough, Catholic priests allegedly have the supernatural power to turn the bread and wine into the literal body and blood of Jesus Christ. This is blatant idolatry, for they are exalting themselves to the position of God. The Bible teaches that all spiritual life comes through faith in Jesus; for He said, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). Jesus is not physically with us now; our communion with Him is by His Spirit.


Q: Is it okay to use alcoholic wine in communion?

A: The biblical mandate here is this: "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak" (Romans 14:21). While some believers have the liberty to drink wine on occasion (we are not to be drunk with wine - see Ephesians 5:18 and I Timothy 5:23), other believers count it as sin. Let every one be convinced in his own heart, "for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). A believer who has the liberty to drink wine with a pure conscience should "take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak" (I Corinthians 8:9). In Christ there is liberty, but the Body of Christ is not to use that liberty as an occasion to the flesh (see Galatians 5:13). We are to consider others ahead of ourselves and honor the Lord in everything we do. "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31). Those who prepare the communion elements should be sensitive to the weaknesses of those they serve; for example, if there is a new believer who has forsaken alcohol with his old life, it is probably not a good idea to serve him alcoholic communion wine.

Conclusion

The Lord's Supper is a symbol of the new covenant we have with God by Christ Jesus. This covenant is the "new and living way" whereby we follow God's law written on our hearts by the power of His Spirit. The next time you participate in the Lord's supper, remember not only Jesus' death and resurrection, but also reflect on the deeper meaning that He is your continual source of spiritual life.

jealousy and covetousness

one thing that sticks in my craw is the redefinition of terms

it is interesting how covetousness has been redefined as "jealousy" and the original meaning of jealousy has been lost...

today we say that one person is jealous over what another person has...

that is NOT jealousy, that is covetousness.

covetousness is desiring something that is not rightfully yours, and it is a sin.

by calling covetousness "jealously", it seems to take the sting of sinfulness out of the behavior in people's minds.

also, the loss of the true meaning and role of jealousy causes us to question God's character when the God reveals jealousy as one of His characteristics.

jealousy is actually the opposite of covetousness...

jealousy is the guarding of something that is rightfully yours...

to best understand this, we can examine the role of righteous jealousy in the marriage covenant.

there are affections of a husband that should only be reserved for his wife

the wife has every right to be jealous over those affections that are rightfully due her only and no one else.

by the same token, there are affections of a wife that should be reserved only for her husband

the husband has every right to be jealous over those affections that are rightfully due to him and to no one else.

matter of fact, i would question a person's profession of love if they were never jealous.  lack of any jealousy is an indicator of a lack of any true healthy emotional attachment.

the marriage relationship is often used to help us understand our relationship with God and helps us to understand how God is jealous over our affections that are due to Him and Him alone.

that is why the first and second commanded are what they are, written by God Himself with His own finger, God describes Himself as jealous:

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make up for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shalt not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:3-6

God has demonstrated His great love toward us through His paying the ultimate price for us, and He is righteously jealous concerning our attentions and affections that are due Him.

while covetousness is a sin, jealously is an essential component of Love.

perfectly legal

Blind support of government is a hazardous thing.  

Note that all the atrocities carried out by Nazi Germany were all perfectly and meticulously "legal" and supported by laws put into effect by democratically elected representatives.  

The laws were of course immoral, but the government sponsored church of the time said that since God instituted government, then we should follow whatever the "law of the land" was without question.  

This left even "christians" without the moral grounding to say "no" to things that were clearly against God's law because they were "legal" according to man's law.

This is due to an erroneous interpretation of Romans 13 that civil government must be submitted to regardless of how evil or immoral its laws might be. This fallacious interpretation of Romans 13 (which is taught in practically every Christian school and college in America) has made them de facto slaves and worshippers of the state. 

As did Germany’s pastors and Christians in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, America’s pastors and Christians suffer from national “exceptionalism.” 

This fallacy leads them to believe that by serving the state, they are serving God. In their minds, one cannot be “right with God” if they are not totally submissive to the state.

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29

wanting more

the pleasure of what we enjoy is lost by wanting more...

one thing that is prevalent today is covetousness.

our marketing saturated society has not only made covetousness "ok", it has made covetousness an essential part of our daily lives.

Concerning nations...

Those who say that we should submit willingly to government because all governments were established by God, need to read the following...

"The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,"if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it."And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,"if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.” Jeremiah 18:7-10

Blind support of government is a hazardous thing.  Note that all the atrocities carried out by Nazi Germany were all perfectly and meticulously "legal" and supported by laws put into effect by democratically elected representatives.  The laws were of course immoral, but the government sponsored church of the time said that since God instituted government, then we should follow whatever the "law of the land" was without question.  This left even "christians" without the moral grounding to say "no" to things that were clearly against God's law because they were "legal" according to man's law.

the blind

 Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? - Luke 6:39

friendly

Public service announcement to girls and women everywhere:

Don't be fooled and don't be naive...

Men see relationships with women differently than women see relationships with men...

Men are friendly with a women for one reason and one reason only...




friendly: anything beyond common courtesy and politeness

last days

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come 

For men will be:

lovers of themselves,
lovers of money,
boasters,
proud,
blasphemers,
disobedient to parents,
unthankful,
unholy,
unloving,
unforgiving,
slanderers,
without self-control,
brutal,
despisers of good,
traitors,
headstrong,
haughty,
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God

2 Timothy 3:1-4

permissiveness

letting others do whatever they want is not love, it is permissiveness

God is the God of Love, not permissiveness...

suffer for righteousness sake

suffer for the sake of righteousness 1 Peter 3:8-15

righteousness includes standing for righteousness even when none other stands with you

it is not laying down letting others walk all over you

silent prayer

relationships with anyone, be it your spouse, children, family and/or friends, is best built on communication that has lots of variety, sincerity, and humility (preferring the other in love). 

praying silently to the Lord is great, and personally i spend probably 99% of my prayer life praying silently and/or quietly privately between myself and the Lord throughout each day.

however, some folks make it a religious practice of silent prayer being the ONLY way to pray, and they look down their noses at anyone that thinks otherwise.

the truth is, praying silently can be abused as a religious practice as much as praying out loud can be abused as a religious practice.

the key is moderation in all things, and while we have a lot of liberty in how we pray and worship, whatever we do must be done decently and in order, within the boundaries described by God in scripture. (1Cor 14:40)

i can find nothing in the Bible that would suggest that we should ONLY pray out loud, and nothing in the Bible that we should ONLY pray silently.  instead, there are lots of examples in the old and new testament of both silent and out loud prayer.

there are numerous examples of both corporate and individual prayer being done out loud.  Jesus Himself prayed out loud and prayed out loud when making the meal time blessing (Matt 14:19-21; Matt 15:34-36; Matt 26:26; Luke 24:30; John 17; Acts 1:14; 1:24; 8:15; 16:25; 20:36; 27:35; 1Cor 10:30)

if there wasn't spoken prayer, then how could the other members of the body be in agreement?  Matt 18:19-20

the Bible clearly teaches that having someone pray out loud in a way that others could understand during a gathering of believers was good for the edification, teaching, and agreement of others (1Cor 14:15-19)

at the same time, there are clearly wrong ways of praying out loud.  prayer becomes a religious exercise when it is just vain repetition that loses meaning and/or when the motivation for praying is done to draw attention to the "piety" of the one praying  (Luke 18:10-14; Luke 20:46-47; Matt 6:5)

the key to keep in mind is not the religious practice, but the relationship...

the question to ask is: how can i best go about building my relationship with God?

relationships with anyone, be it your spouse, children, family and/or friends, is best built on communication that has lots of variety, sincerity, and humility (preferring the other in love).

so the answer is to pray both silently and out loud, and whatever you do, be sure it is sincerely motivated by a desire for a stronger relationship with God.

bless your bread and your water

You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you.  Exodus 23:25

training

i had an opportunity to observe a mother and her child the other day...

she told the child several times to do something, but did not enforce it...

then she got upset with the child when the child ignored her...

i don't know why she was upset with the child, the kid was only doing what she had trained him to do...

In spite of

Christians are violent in spite of what the Bible says...

Muslims are peaceful in spite of what the Koran says

Important

Husbands...

You say you love your wife

Yet why do you sell her for $15 an hour to her boss?

extrabiblical

doctrinal beliefs should be based only on what can be found in scripture without adding to or taking away from it.

in cases where extra-biblical material confirms scripture, great

in cases where extra-biblical sources add additional background details to something established in scripture, good to know, but should be considered as commentary and/or historical background.

anything not directly substantiated in scripture should be relegated to educated speculation.

throw out anything that contradicts scripture

the awakening

"The Awakening" Sculpture is set in the sand on the shores of the Potomac River at National Harbor in Prince George's County, Maryland. In 2008, the Peterson Companies, the developer of National Harbor, purchased the sculpture and moved it from Hains Point in Washington, DC to its current location. “The Awakening” is a five piece cast iron sculpture depicting the arousing of a bearded giant with a head, hand, outstretched arm, bent knee and foot arranged to suggest that the giant is breaking free from the earth. The sculpture was part of a city-wide public art exhibition in 1980 and was on loan to the National Park Service for almost three decades.


Is this the awakening of the Nephilim and the return of the days of Noah?  The ascendance of Apollyon out of the pit?  The return of Nimrod as the Antichrist?

seed of satan: Nimrod the first false messiah

Judges 2:13: And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth

Nimrod, mighty hunter, ruler of Babel aka: Marduk, Mithra, Gilgamesh, Osiris, Apollo/Apollyon, Dionysis, Ninurta, Baal

Semiramus - mother and wife of Nimrod; aka: Ishtar, Asherah, Anaita, Andromeda, Queen of Heaven with the ancient Phoenicians, was Astarte; Greeks, Hera; Romans, Juno; Trivia, Hecate, Diana, the Egyptian Isis, etc., were all so called; but with the Roman Catholics it is the Virgin Mary (Ester, Easter, Ashteroth, Shekhina, Aphrodite, Venus)

Jeremiah 7,18: The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

Tammuz - son of Nimrod and Semiramus, supposed reincarnation of Nimrod; aka: Horus,

Ezekiel 8:14: Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for *Tammuz (babylonian idol).


Why so many names for same legendary figure?

All were gathered together in Babel under rule of Nimrod, all followed the religion of mystery Babylon.

Then came confusion of the languages, so they all had the common experience, but around 70 different words for it - a different word in each language for the same thing...

They all worshiped the same figure, but then had 70 different names for him.  As time went on the different language groups separated geographically and socially and though the religion/mythos had the same root, they diverged over time from generation to generation.

why liberty?

Why do we need liberty?

Why should we expect something that is a contradictory to 6000 years of recorded history.

When you look back through history, you see the rise and fall of one slave empire after another.  Individual liberty has consistently been a short-lived aberration to the norm.

We get the government we deserve

Proverbs 28:2a For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof

Mankind has a fallen nature and is unable to rule himself.

Left to themselves, the general public sinks lower and lower into depravity and requires a stronger and stronger central authority to maintain order.

The result is a corrupt government, due to any government of men by men will become as corrupt as the men that run it.

It is not only that power corrupts, but also that power attracts corrupt men.  The greater the power, the more corrupt those who covet it.

Our lack of moral character and lack of willingness to govern ourselves has resulted in the loss of freedom in exchange for 'security'.

Squandered

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. - John Adams

We have been given a unique opportunity in that we can freely and openly practice and express our faith, and raise up the next generation to be stronger in faith than any previous.

Instead, we have squandered the opportunity.  Each generation becomes more morally depraved than the one before it.

open my understanding

And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures 
Luke 24:45

two witnesses

Zech 4:2-14

And he said to me, "What do you see?"

So I said, "I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps.  Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left."
       
Then I answered and said to him, "What are these two olive trees; at the right of the lampstand and at its left?"

And I further answered and said to him, "What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?"

Then he answered me and said, "Do you not know what these are?"

And I said, "No, my lord."

So he said, "These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."



Rev 11:3-12 (after 6th Trumpet, before 7th)

And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 

And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.  These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit (Rev 9, 5th Trumpet) will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

familiar spirits

familiar spirits are demons

also known as...

imaginary friend/playmate
spirit guides
spirit animal
ascended masters
telepathic communications
aliens/extraterrestrials
the voice within
angels
reiki master
ancestors
the dead / ghosts
channeled entities


Leviticus 19:31 - Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I [am] the LORD your God.

Leviticus 20:27 - A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood [shall be] upon them.

Leviticus 20:6 - And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

Isaiah 8:19 - And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

Isaiah 19:3 - And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

2 Chronicles 33:6 - And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

2 Kings 23:24 - Moreover the [workers with] familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.

2 Kings 21:6 - And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke [him] to anger.

Deuteronomy 18:10 - There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

Galatians 5:20 - Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Og of Bashan

Only King Og of Bashan remained from the remnants of the Rephaim. In fact, his bed was made of iron. It's in Rabbah of the Ammonites, isn't it? It was nine cubits long and four cubits wide."
Deut 3:11

ramparts of Gog

 in some ancient Arabic documents, the Great Wall of China is called the Ramparts of Gog and Magog

sharing

sharing presupposes respect for one another's property

without respect for one another's property, it is not sharing, it is "every one for themselves..."

motives

we need to be careful when trying to assign motives as to the "why" God / Jesus / The Holy Spirit does something.

while it might be fine and fun to ponder what various persons in the Bible might have been thinking in various circumstances, we must not do that when it comes to God.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

so, unless God tells us in scripture the "why" He has done or is doing something, we should refrain from speculation

the whole Bible is about Jesus

Then I said, "Here I am! I have come! In the scroll of the book it is written about me. Psalm 40:7

Then I said, 'See, I have come to do your will, O God' In the volume of the scroll this is written about me." Hebrews 10:7

past present future

past is a memory
future is a hope
right now is a gift (that's why they call it a 'present')

discernment

“Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon

scoffers in the last days

2 Peter 3:3

First of all you must understand this: In the last days mockers will come and, following their own desires, will ridicule us


Interestingly, two movies have just been released this month that mock and scoff the Rapture and the return of Messiah.

Rapture-palooza - described as "silly, infantile, obsessed with sex", blasphemes God and Jesus.

This is the End - presents false gospel of salvation by good works, those "raptured" are carried away by beams of light (UFOs?), characters portrayed as self-centered and self-serving (following their own desires...)

The growing public ridicule of the Lord's return shows that the scoffers will be "without excuse" (cannot plead ignorant) on the day of Judgement.

This just all the more demonstrated that the real harpazo (rapture) is near at hand.

disillusioned

i've personally been thoroughly disillusioned with people and the money grubbing organizations that call themselves 'christian', and i most certainly empathize with all the other folks out there who feel the same way.

it's true that you've never really been stabbed in the back until you've been stabbed in the back by someone who calls you 'brother in Christ'.

i've seen my share of people who put on a great show.  they have a big smile, hold open doors, and seem to go out of their way to be nice to folks -- at least until they get home where they drink, yell, cuss, and beat their wife and children or even kick their wife in the stomach to murder their yet to be born children.

Ghandi reportedly had said something to the effect "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

half of 'christian' marriages fail, 9 out of 10 self-identifying 'christians' don't even know how to explain salvation, seems every time you turn around some 'christian' leader is sleeping around or embezzling money from their 'ministry'.

the enemy's greatest assets are the tares among the wheat.  they take the name of the Lord in vain, and drag His name through the mud by misrepresenting Him.

broad is the road to hell, and there are many that travel it.  narrow is the road to salvation and there are few that find it...

this means that the majority of people you meet are on the broad road to hell...

throughout history true followers of Christ have been the always been the minority.

these few have always been persecuted by the unbelieving Jews, the Romans, the Catholics, the Muslims, the Reformers ('reformed' Catholics), Communists, Nazis, and today we see a 'soft' persecution gaining momentum by our own government, and the 'New Agers'/neo-pagans/false christians

if anyone said that being a Christian was easy, guaranteed that person was not a Christian.

Jesus never said we would have it easy, matter of fact, He flat out stated we would have it hard -- guaranteed.

if they persecuted Him, how can we think ourselves greater than Him in expecting to escape?

you do well if you are disillusioned by the shenanigans of the tares. 

it means there is hope for you

what we need exists only in Jesus Himself as recorded in scripture and revealed by His Holy Spirit and not in any thing or any people here on earth.

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. - John Adams

those whom the Lord loves He disciplines

My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord
   Nor faint when you are corrected by Him

for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines
   and scourges every son whom He receives

It is because of discipline
   that you remain in His son

God deals with you as with sons
   for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, 
   but sorrowful

yet to those who have been trained by it
   afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness

Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak 
   and the knees that are feeble
   and make straight paths for your feet

Hebrews 12:5-13

assurance

1 John 5:13 - These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

John 5:24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 10:13 - For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

1 Peter 3:18-22 - For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit

1 John 5:11-13 - And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

1 John 3:14 - We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death.

1 John 2:3-4 - And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

1 Corinthians 11:1-2 - Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.

John 20:31 - But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

John 10:28 - And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.

1 John 5:16-17 - If any man see his brother sin a sin [which is] not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

Hebrews 9:27 - And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Titus 3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

2 Thessalonians 3:6 - Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

2 Thessalonians 2:14-15 - Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

2 Corinthians 13:5 - Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Romans 11:19-22 - Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

Romans 8:16 - The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Romans 8:1 - [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Acts 4:12 - Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

John 20:19-23 - Then the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you.

John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:1-5 - There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

1 John 5:5-8 - Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

1 John 3:20 - For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

2 Timothy 1:12 - For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Philippians 2:12-13 - Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

1 Corinthians 11:27-30 - Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 - And unto the married I command, [yet] not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from [her] husband:

Romans 2:6-8 - Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

Acts 16:31 - And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Acts 2:38-39 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:21 - And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

John 6:39 - And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

John 3:22-26 - After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

Luke 1:47-48 - And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Matthew 9:6-8 - But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

Matthew 6:9-13 - After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

1 John 5:1 - Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

1 John 3:10 - In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

1 John 3:9 - Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1 John 2:3 - And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:8 - If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

2 Peter 1:10 - Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

2 Timothy 3:15 - And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

Ephesians 1:4 - According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Romans 8:38-39 - For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Romans 8:32 - He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Romans 5:1 - Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 10:27-30 - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

John 6:37 - All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 1:12 - But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

Matthew 7:21-23 - Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:21 - Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

1 John 5:18 - We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

1 John 5:4 - For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.

1 John 4:6 - We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1 John 3:24 - And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

1 John 2:27 - But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

1 John 2:15 - Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

1 Peter 1:5 - Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

James 2:19 - Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Hebrews 6:18 - That by two immutable things, in which [it was] impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Colossians 2:2 - That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

Philippians 1:6 - Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:

Ephesians 2:5 - Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Romans 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 8:35 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Romans 8:15-16 - For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Romans 8:1-39 - [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:8 - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 4:25 - Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Romans 3:10 - As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Luke 8:13 - They on the rock [are they], which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

Mark 16:16 - He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Matthew 7:23 - And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

which one do you feed the most?

a fellow had a very disturbing dream...

he dreamed that he had two dogs that were violently and constantly fighting and biting each other...

he was asked which one won the most...

he answered it was the one he fed the most...

understanding scripture

Midrash

Peshet - literal interpretation
Pesher - spiritual interpretation (depends on the peshet or literal interpretation)

Mashal - description of something from everyday life, from nature

Nimshal - spiritual meaning in back of the mashal

All four can be simultaneously applied and true, not exclusive to each other.

Prophecy

The hellenistic view of prophecy is prediction/fulfillment.  

Hebraic prophecy is pattern, multiple partial fulfillments of different aspects of a prophesied event pointing to the ultimate fulfillment where all details come together, even those that seem to be in conflict with each other. (For example, Rabbis argued over whether Messiah would come from Bethlehem or Egypt because there was scripture indicating both.  In fulfillment, both were true)

for the lawless, insubordinate, ungodly and sinners

     "Knowing this:

       that the Law is not made for a righteous person,

       but for the lawless and insubordinate,

       for the ungodly and for sinners,

       for the unholy and profane,

       for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers,

       for manslayers,  

       for sexually immoral (fornicators),

       for homosexuals (sodomites),

       for kidnappers,

       for liars,

       for perjurers,

       and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine"

       (1 Timothy 1:8-10)

     "But the cowardly, unbelieving,

       abominable, murderers,

       sexually immoral,

       sorcerers, (drugs ... "pharmakeus")

       idolaters,

       AND ALL LIARS

       shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone,

       which is the SECOND death ."   (The darkness, aloneness, and torments of Hell)

       (Revelation 21:8)

Then he opened their minds so that they might understand the Scriptures

Luke 24:45

the heart is deceitful

Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?

waxing worse and worse

2 Timothy 3:13
But evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

The Hand that Destroys the Establishment of the Eye

Each Hebrew letter has an ideographic meaning.

Each word not only has the meaning of the word itself but also the combined meaning of the letters that comprise the word.

The name "Yeshua" is made up of the letters

"Yud" which means "Hand"
"Shin," which means "destroy"
"Vav," which means "secure or establish"
"Ayin," which means "Eye."

So, the name Yeshua can be translated to mean, "The Hand that Destroys the Establishment of the Eye"

value

your value does not come from how "good" a person you are...

your value comes from God's love for you being such that He, Himself paid for your sins so that you could have a relationship with Him.


Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:13

13 and 33

The antichrist is referred to by 33 different names in the old testament, and 13 names in the new testament...


The 33 References to Antichrist in Hebrew Scriptures

Below are listed the 33 titles that the Antichrist is known by. The most commonly known of these are: The Assyrian, The Prince that Shall Come, The King of Babylon, The Seed of the Serpent, The Little Horn, The Rod of God’s [Yahweh’s] Anger, The King of the North, The Prince of Tyre and The Willful King.

The 33 References to Antichrist in Hebrew Scriptures

Below are listed the various titles that the Antichrist is known by. The most commonly known of these are: The Assyrian, The Prince that Shall Come, The King of Babylon, The Seed of the Serpent, The Little Horn, The Rod of God’s [Yahweh’s] Anger, The King of the North, The Prince of Tyre and The Willful King.

The Adversary: Psa. 74:8-10; Isa. 59:19; Lam. 4:11,12; Amos 3:11

The Assyrian: Isaiah 10:5,12; Micah 5:5-6

Belial: Nahum 1:15

The Bloody and Deceitful Man: Psalms 5:5-6

BRANCH OF THE TERRIBLE ONES: Isa 25:5

The Chief Prince:

The Crooked Serpent: Isaiah 27:1

The Cruel One: Jeremiah 30:14, 23

The Destroyer of the Gentiles: Jeremiah 4:7

The Enemy: Psalms 55:3

The Evil Man: Psalms 140:1

The Head over Many Countries: Psalms 110:6

The Head of the Northern Army: Joel 2:20

The Idol Shepherd: Zechariah 11:15, 17

The King of Princes: Hosea 8:10

The King of Babylon: Isa. 14:4; Isaiah 14:11-20

The Little Horn: Daniel 7:8, 8:9

The Man of the Earth: Psa. 10:18

The Merchant with Scales of Deceit: Hosea 12:7

The Mighty Man: Psalms 52:1

The Nail: Isa 22:25

The Prince that Shall Come: Daniel 9:26

The Prince of Tyre: Ezekiel 28

The Profane and Wicked Prince of Israel: Ezekiel 21:25-27

The Proud Man: Habakkuk 2:5

The Rod of God’s [Yahweh’s] Anger: Isaiah 10:5

The Seed of the Serpent: Genesis 3:15

The Son of the Morning: Isaiah 14:12

The Spoiler and the Destroyer: Isa. 16:4-5; Isaiah 15:4-5

The Vile Person: Daniel 11:21

The Violent Man: Ps. 140:1; Psalms 140:10-11

The Wicked One: Psalms 9:17, 10:2, 4, Isaiah 11:4, Jeremiah 30:14, 23

The Willful King: Daniel 11:36




ANTICHRIST: 1 John 2:22
MAN OF SIN: 2 Thess 2:3
SON OF PERDITION: 2 Thess 2:3
LAWLESS ONE: 2 Thess 2:8
BEAST: Rev 11:7
ANGEL OF THE BOTTOMLESS PIT: Rev 9:11
Vine of the Earth: Rev 14:18
Star: Rev 8:10; Rev 9:1

train up a child

Train up a child in the way they should go; and, when he is old, he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6

People often mistake "training" with "education", but they are very different things...

Education is basically throwing information at a someone and seeing what sticks...

Those who believe that the basic nature of man is good think that all a child needs is enough education and the right environment for them to be functional, well-behaved, and successful people.

This sounds nice, but is not in line with reality.

It is not consistent with what God has revealed about the way we function in our "Owner's Manual", the Bible.

Reality is, we are all born with a fallen nature.

No one has to teach a child to lie, steal, or behave selfishly.  We all come out of the womb that way, and a child has to be trained differently.

Training involves consistency and repetition -- doing it over again and again until it is done right.

It takes years of consistency and repetition to instill the "way they should go" into a child.  The younger and earlier this training is started, the better.

For they cannot sleep unless they are doing evil, and they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause someone to stumble.

Proverbs 4:16

deliberately keep on sinning...

If we deliberately keep on sinning 
   after we have received the knowledge of the Truth,
NO sacrifice for sin is left,
but only fearful expectation of judgement and of raging fire
that will consume the enemies of God.  

Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died
without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  
How much more severely 
   do you think a man deserves to be punished
who has trampled to Son of God under foot,
who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant
that sanctified him, and
who has insulted the Spirit of Grace?

Hebrews 10:26-29

There is nothing hidden that won’t be revealed, and there is nothing secret that won’t become known and come to light.  Luke 8:17

judgement of abandonment

Just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.   -  Romans 1:28-32

responsibility

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2 Thess 3:10


If anyone does not take care of his own relatives, especially his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
1 Tim 5:8


A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children ...
Prov 13:22a

sin no more

John 8:11
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

John 15:14
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

heresy

All heresy is either the Bible plus, or the Bible minus.

--Lewis S. Chafer (1871-1952, first president of Dallas Theological Seminary)

Be not deceived

Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?

Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Cor 6:9


“A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God."

Deuteronomy 22:5

the whole field

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.  Matt 13:44


Notice the purchase of the whole field for the purpose of gaining the treasure.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Jesus died for the whole world so that he could gain those who believe on Him.

two kinds of seed

Deut 22:9
Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled


Lev 19:19
Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.


Some say "eat the meat and throw out the bones".  However, the thing is truth is more akin to mixing tea and milk.  You can't drink the tea and spit out the milk.

Matthew 13:24-30
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’  He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’  But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”


Notice that the enemy sows false seed in among the good seed.  It is not until harvest that the tares and wheat are separated -- by then it is too late for the tares to become wheat...

Neuro-linguistic programming

Timed sounds and images intended to bring about hypnotic suggestive state

viewers clone-off what they see on MTV...

DENIAL - Don't Even kNow I Am Lying

the "secret" to success

You used to be in Eden— God's paradise! You wore precious stones for clothing:

1. ruby,
2. topaz,
3. diamond,
4. beryl,
5. onyx,
6. jasper,
7. sapphire,
8. turquoise,
9. and carbuncle.

Your settings were crafted in gold, along with your engravings. On the day of your creation they had been prepared!

Ezekiel 28:13


The kaballah numerological secret to worldly success...  Sell your soul to Satan (9) and get the wealth of the world (gold)....