💥 Podcast: Ministers called by Jesus share God's views with the church thereby glorifying God

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on February 21, 2021) 

 

Many ministers in today's churches glorify themselves by sharing what they think.  These are ministers of Satan as they seem to be "angels of light," deceiving churches.

Paul says: II Corinthians 11:13-15   For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Some years ago, I heard the Catholic pope say on TV news that he didn't see anything wrong with homosexuals.

I screamed out:  "What about the Bible."

Romans 1:26-27  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

The scriptures glorify God, showing God's view of the situations.

The Catholic pope glorifies himself giving his views.

A divorced woman wanted to remarry.  She went to a pastor to see if she, being divorced, could remarry.  The pastor said, "My sister divorced and remarried.  I don't see anything wrong with this."   

So this woman remarried after divorce.  Later she was born again and began reading the Bible and saw by the various scriptures that the divorced woman who remarries commits adultery.

The pope and the pastor lead people into damnation, failing to present the Word of God on the issue.  And they glorify their own selves by their own opinions.

Ministers of God glorify God by presenting the views spoken by God.

Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

10-12  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Damnation to every minister who speaks his own opinions and fails to share the words of God on the matter at hand.

The Words of God are salvation to us who believe, and those Words glorify God when we speak them.

*****

In today's church, ministers of Jesus are called by Jesus from heaven.

The apostle Paul tells king Agrippa about his calling by Jesus from heaven to be a minister of Jesus.

Acts 26   Paul says:

12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13  At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And HE said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in ME.

19  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

Today, each minister of Jesus is called from heaven by Jesus, as was Paul, and put into the ministry offices by Jesus according to the will of God.  It is not by his own will that a minister to the New Testament church goes into the ministry.  It is by the call of the Spirit of Jesus.

Ephesians 4

8 Wherefore HE saith, When HE ascended up on high, HE led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

11 And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into HIM in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

***

But today many ministers are ministers of Satan.  They, by their own will, not by the call of Jesus, put themselves into the ministry.

II Corinthians 11

13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

***

Jesus says, concerning the last days:

Matthew 24:4-5 Take heed that no man deceive you.  For many shall come in MY name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

💥💥💥💥💥 

💥 Scriptures:

 

Ephesians 3:16-19  That HE would grant you, according to the riches of HIS glory, to be strengthened with might by HIS Spirit in the inner man;

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

 

 ***

 

Psalm 119:18  Open THOU mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of THY law.

 

 ***

 

1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to HIS abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

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

 

 ***

 

Romans 13:10-11  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

 

*** 

 

Jeremiah 17:5-8  Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.

6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. 

 

*** 

1Peter 1:13-14  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as HE which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

 

*** 

 

Psalm 48:1-2  Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of HIS holiness.

2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

 

*** 

 

Proverbs 27:2  Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

 

 

💥💥💥💥💥 

💥 Luke 12 (Reading through the Bible)

In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, HE began to say unto HIS disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

² For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

³ Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

***

⁴ And I say unto you MY friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

⁵ But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear HIM, which after HE hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear HIM.

***

⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

⁷ But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

***

⁸ Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess ME (The Word) before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

⁹ But he that denieth ME (The Word) before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

***

¹⁰ And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.

***

¹¹ And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

¹² For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

***

¹³ And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

¹⁴ And HE said unto him, Man, who made ME a judge or a divider over you?

¹⁵ And HE said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

***

¹⁶ And He spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

¹⁷ And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

¹⁸ And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.  ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

²⁰ But God said unto him,  Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

²¹ So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

***

²² And HE said unto HIS disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

²³ The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

²⁴ Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

²⁵ And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

(What good are your many thoughts?  You can't grow one inch taller by thinking about it.)

²⁶ If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

²⁷ Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

²⁸ If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will HE clothe you, O ye of little faith?

²⁹ And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

³⁰ For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

³¹ But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

³² Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

***

³³ Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

³⁴ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

***

³⁵ Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

³⁶ And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

³⁷ Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

³⁸ And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

³⁹ And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

⁴⁰ Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

***

⁴¹ Then Peter said unto Him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

⁴² And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
⁴³ Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
⁴⁴ Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

⁴⁵ But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
⁴⁶ The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷ And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

⁴⁸ But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

***

⁴⁹ I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

⁵⁰ But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

⁵¹ Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

⁵² For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

⁵³ The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

(When the WORD comes, it divides the believer from the unbeliever.)

***

⁵⁴ And HE said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

⁵⁵ And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.

⁵⁶ Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

⁵⁷ Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

⁵⁸ When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. ⁵⁹ I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

💥💥💥💥💥

💥 Podcast: Fornication in the church. Paul tells us what to do concerning this and other sins in the church.

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on February 25, 2021) 

  

People think it wise to pray for that "brother" who is committing fornication and to counsel him.

But the apostle Paul tells us the following concerning a man who is said to be a Christian and he is committing the sin of fornication (or sins of being covetous, an idolater, a railer,  a drunkard, or an extortioner)

I Corinthians 5

3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

This may be the only hope such an one has after committing such a sin after he is born again and enlightened to the truth of that sin.

Peter says:  II Peter 2:20-22   For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

But to the minds of fleshly humans in the churches, it seems so harsh and even unreasonable to put such an one out of the church.  It seems "nicer" to pray for him and counsel him.

But the apostle Paul in the Bible says put him away from you and to turn him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.  (I Corinthians 5:5)

Few in churches will actually do what the Bible says.

I Corinthians 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

*****

What the Bible says:

I Corinthians 5

1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

* fornicator: to have sexual intercourse outside of marriage

* covetous: having or showing a great desire to possess something belonging to someone else; desire for wealth or possessions or power

* idolater: to worship a physical image, such as a statue or person in place of God; could be to worship a church or a pastor or other religious leader

* railer: to express objections or criticisms in bitter, harsh, or abusive language

* drunkard: a person who is habitually drunk; a person who is drunk or often gets drunk

* extortioner: practice of obtaining benefit through coercion; plying money out of another person through use of scripture to make person feel guilty if he does not give or make him feel God will not bless him if he fails to give money at church

12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

***

Hebrews 10

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

30 For we know HIM that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto ME, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge HIS people.

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

***

Hebrews 6

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put HIM to an open shame.

7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

***

Revelation 3:5   Jesus says:

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before MY Father, and before HIS angels.

***

I Corinthians 6

9  Know ye 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,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 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.

***

II Peter 2

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

 

 

💥💥💥💥💥 

💥 Scriptures:

 

1 John 1: 3- 4  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

 

 ***

 

 Isaiah 26:3  THOU wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on THEE:  because he trusteth in THEE.

 

*** 

 

Mark 12:29-31  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 

 

*** 

 

Psalm 119:162  I rejoice at THY word, as one that findeth great spoil.

 

 ***

 

Psalm 46:10  Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

 

*** 

Psalm 40:11 Withhold not THOU THY tender mercies from me, O Lord: let THY lovingkindness and THY truth continually preserve me.

 

 

💥💥💥💥💥 

💥 Luke 11 (Reading through the Bible)

 

And it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

And He said unto them, When ye pray, say, 

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

³ Give us day by day our daily bread.

⁴ And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.

And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

⁵ And He said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;  ⁶ For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?  ⁷ And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.  ⁸ I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

⁹ And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

¹⁰ For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

¹¹ If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?  ¹² Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

¹³ If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?

***

¹⁴ And He was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.

¹⁵ But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.

¹⁶ And others, tempting Him, sought of Him a sign from heaven.

¹⁷ But He, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

¹⁸ If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.

¹⁹ And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

²⁰ But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

²¹ When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:

²² But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

²³ He that is not with Me is against Me: and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth.

²⁴ When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

²⁵ And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

²⁶ Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

***

²⁷ And it came to pass, as He spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

²⁸ But He said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

***

²⁹ And when the people were gathered thick together, He began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. ³⁰ For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

³¹ The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

³² The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

***

³³ No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.

***

³⁴ The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

³⁵ Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.

³⁶ If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

***

³⁷ And as He spake, a certain Pharisee besought Him to dine with him: and He went in, and sat down to meat.

³⁸ And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that He had not first washed before dinner.

³⁹ And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

⁴⁰ Ye fools, did not He that made that which is without make that which is within also?

⁴¹ But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

⁴² But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

⁴³ Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

⁴⁴ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

⁴⁵ Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto Him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.

⁴⁶ And He said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

⁴⁷ Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

⁴⁸ Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.

⁴⁹ Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:   ⁵⁰ That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;  ⁵¹ From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

⁵² Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

⁵³ And as He said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge Him vehemently, and to provoke Him to speak of many things:  ⁵⁴ Laying wait for Him, and seeking to catch something out of His mouth, that they might accuse Him.

💥💥💥💥💥

💥 Answers to prayer

 

Pam Padgett, member of the body of Christ

 

Over the past 3-4 years, near-by neighbors have been friendly and offered to help if I needed anything. One of the neighbors even cleared snow for me. But over the past couple months, 3 neighbor's have moved away and another is planning to move.

I found myself feeling a little isolated. Also, some fearful thoughts came such as "What if I need help with something?"   I turned to God with these things and was very quickly reminded of:

But my God shall supply all your need according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

This calmed me right away. I simply prayed that any new neighbors would be such that I can live in peace.

Until a few days ago, we have had an unusually warm and dry winter, with just one snow event and it was only a few inches deep. I easily shoveled this, which I enjoy doing. But this week a snow storm moved in and we got about 7-8" of snow. I didn't feel it was wise for me to try to shovel that much snow.

So I prayed and was reminded of the NextDoor app. There I saw a post from an 18-year old young man who lives in this area and would shovel snow. I contacted him, and he and a friend came a few hours later and began shoveling. I thought it would probably take them about 30 minutes to finish.

When nearly an hour passed and they had not finished, I looked out the window and noticed that there was obviously a thick layer of ice that had been exposed when the snow was removed ... and they were working to get the ice broken up and removed!

I realized how dangerous it would have been for me to have tried to clear the snow myself, especially with the ice. (One of my neighbors, who is finishing moving this weekend, told me he wasn't aware of the ice under the snow and fell and slid completely down his driveway. He was not injured, but is fairly young, about 35 years old.  At 70 years old, the outcome for me could easily have been very serious.)

Certainly God provided exactly the help I needed and I am so grateful to HIM for this!

 

 ***

 

Cathy Varner, member of the body of Christ

I, too, am concerned with slipping on icy surfaces and God answered some prayers for me recently.

I was taking care of a woman’s cats for 10 days while she was away. Some were indoor and some outdoor, where I had to walk to an old garage to put food out for them. It wasn’t real far from the house, but partially on cement. For the first few days the weather was very nice, no snow. Then one night it rained and the next day temperatures would be below freezing. I was concerned there would be icy places where I had to walk so I prayed, asking God to please let it not be slippery. Everything was fine the next day, no icy places at all.

After this it was very cold and it snowed some. I was concerned about places I had to walk plus the condition of the roads. Her house is out in the country, where I didn’t know if the roads would get plowed. I prayed about these things. Everything was fine, roads not too snowy or icy.

Then one day before my last day there, as I was walking from my car to the house, I dropped her house key in the snow. I kept brushing away snow around the area but couldn’t see the key. I thought if it had fallen onto the snow that wasn’t trodden down, that I’d see an indentation in the snow. But I didn’t see anything. I kept praying for help to find it. I walked to the porch, put my purse down, and walked back to the area where I’d dropped the key. This time I saw a very tiny hole. It didn’t seem big enough for the key to have made, but I checked it out and there was the key!

I was so relieved and grateful for these answers to prayer.

*** 

 

Juliett Walton, member of the body of Christ

 

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

 

 

💥💥💥💥💥 

💥 Podcast: "I can of mine own self do nothing." (Jn. 5:30)

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on March 4, 2021) 

 

Jesus always heard from God and did the will of God.  

Jesus said:  I can of MINE own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and MY judgment is just; because I seek not MINE own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent ME.  (John 5:30)

That is what we do also as we hear that which the Holy Spirit speaks to us and walk in those directions as we live on this present earth.

For the Holy Spirit lives in each of the children of God, in the elect, the chosen of God, and HE shows them the will of God in the situations of this present life.

I Corinthians 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

John 14:26  Jesus says:  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:13  Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever HE shall hear, that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.

We are connected to God by HIS Spirit who shows us the will of God in the situations of this life.

I Corinthians 2

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love HIM.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by HIS Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

 

💥💥💥💥💥