💥 Podcast: Tradition of men renders the word of God void, says Jesus

 

 

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

 

Many churches today are teaching doctrines that are traditions of men instead of the commandments of God from the New Testament Bible. 

This is antichrist in the end time church.  This is the apostasy that Paul said had to come before Jesus returns.

II Thessalonians 2:3-4  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

"The falling away" are churches falling away from scripture.  When this happens the door is open for antichrist to come into the church and set up doctrines of men, departing from scripture which is the doctrine of Christ for the church.

For example:  The Catholic church teaches their followers to pray to Mary.  This is their "tradition" set up by men and not by God. 

Jesus says:  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.

In the New Testament Bible, we are taught to pray directly to God through Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:6   Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Mary is dead.  She is sleeping.  She cannot hear you or watch over you.  No dead person can do these things.  Dead people are asleep.  

Jesus shows us that dead people are "asleep".

John 11:11-14  These things said HE (Jesus): and after that HE saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

12 Then said His disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that HE had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Some church people in both Catholic and Protestant churches think dead people watch over them.

The Bible shows us that dead people are asleep.

I Thessalonians 4:13-17  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep (dead).

16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

God watches over us.  Dead people are sleeping until Jesus returns.

In churches today, there are many traditions of men which are opposite to the doctrines of Christ in the Holy Bible.

*****

The protestant churches usually call crackers and grape juice, "The Lord's Supper."  

But we commune with God through prayer and through the Bible which is the Word of God.  

As we partake of scripture correctly and apply scripture to our lives, we "eat and drink" the flesh of Jesus and the blood of Jesus.  This is "The Lord's Supper."

Therefore those who wrongly apply scripture, "eat and drink" damnation to themselves.

I Corinthians 11

27  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.

28 But let a man examine himself (as he reads Bible), and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

***

Matthew 15

1-2 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,  Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

 

3 But HE answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. 

Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto ME with their mouth, and honoureth ME with their lips; but their heart is far from ME.

9 But in vain they do worship ME, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

***

In February, 2021, a pastor of a Baptist church in Georgia (USA), announced to the world news media that homosexuals and lesbians were welcome to come to their church.

This is shockingly against the Bible.

Romans 1:26-28  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:

27 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.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

When I read this on CNN International, I thought of how close we must be getting to the return of Jesus and the great tribulation and the end of this world!

For when the churches fall away from scripture this way, we draw much closer to the end.

The Southern Baptist Convention removed that Baptist church in Georgia from their association of approved churches.  They said they were removed because they went against the "tradition" of the Baptist church.  (They did not mention any scripture at all, just "tradition.")  

Even the Southern Baptist Convention pulled away from citing scripture.  (antichrist and the end times)

In The Bible, we read the following concerning homosexuals and lesbians:

Romans 1:26-28

26 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:

27 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.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

When we, who are of God, give a reason for doing something, it should be because of a scripture in the Bible and we should present that scripture for all to see.

***

But to be approved by man, many omit Bible.

The Bible, the scriptures, are the only thing keeping antichrist back.

2 Thessalonians 2:7-8  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only HE who now letteth will let, until HE be taken out of the way.

When Jesus, THE WORD, the Holy Scriptures, are removed, then antichrist moves into the church.

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of HIS mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of HIS coming:

The apostle Paul said antichrist was already there in the churches, among the elders even, just waiting until Paul was out of the way so he could move in and speak perverse things to the church.  

Acts 20:29-30  Paul says to the elders of the church at Ephesus:  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

The apostle John also told us there were "many" antichrists in his day coming into their church.  They came into their church, in John's time, and stayed there until they saw they could not take over and speak their perverse doctrines, and then they left.

I John 2:18-19  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.  

Many denominations came as a result of those who did not want to follow sound doctrines in the church groups.  

These denominations set up their own doctrines and left the doctrines of Christ.  They set up their own churches by their own fleshly preferences.

Some churches even use some scripture for a time, only to "fall away" from that instruction and set up other teachings by their own thinking to please men.

It seems unreasonable to say:

*  whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.  (The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery)   Words spoken by Jesus in Matthew 5:32

*  Let not the wife depart from her husband:  But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.  (I Corinthians 7:10-11 ... a commandment of the Lord says Paul)

*  For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.  So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.  (Romans 7:2-3)

If the divorced woman remarries, she commits adultery.

*  Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.   And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.  (Words of Jesus in Mark 10:11-12)

*  The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.  (I Corinthians 7:39)

*  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

(Word of Jesus in Matthew 32:5)

   - Man who divorces "a faithful wife" will be the cause of her adultery if she remarries.

   - Faithful wife who has been divorced by her husband commits adultery if she remarries after divorce.

   - Man who marries divorced woman commits adultery.

When churches change the doctrines of Christ away from the New Testament Bible, they fall away from the Word of God and this allows antichrist to come into that church group and reign over the church group.

***

The Catholic church once taught their followers that if a woman was divorced and she remarried it was a sin. Also they taught that a man could not marry a divorced woman.  But they taught no scripture to back up their rules.  

(Also the Catholics taught their followers that they could not read the Bible for they would not understand the Bible and they might get it wrong.)

And more than once, I have heard Catholic individuals say their church told them they did not need to read the Bible, for the Catholic priest would tell them what they needed to know.)

***

The current Southern Baptist Convention is now stating that they do not welcome to their churches homosexuals or lesbians because it is against their "tradition", but they present no scripture.

As time goes by, they change their rules in their churches, falling away from the doctrines of the scripture of the New Testament Bible, and this is antichrist in the churches.

Their followers often do not know what God says in the Holy Bible about these subjects.

When we say what we believe, we must also tell the scripture upon which our belief is based, otherwise the doctrine is weakened and we get to the point we don't know if this is really what God says or not.

***

Satan came to Eve to cause Eve to doubt that which God said:  

Genesis 3:1  Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

The devil is the father of lies.  Even in his statement to Eve, he presented perversion of the word from God, for devil said, "every" tree?  No, God didn't say "every" tree.  The devil twists scripture.

(When I recall a scripture, I like to go to that exact scripture in the Bible, for the devil has a way of adding things which are not in the scripture.  So I like to read that section of scripture from the Bible and check exactly what the Bible says to us.)

Genesis 2:9  And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

(See how the devil twisted this scripture when he spoke with Eve.)

Jesus said this concerning the devil.

John 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

And when we fail to quote exact scripture, we are beginning the falling away from scripture.

Soon it becomes tradition and something other than the exact word from God.

Then we, too, fall away from scripture.

We must deal very carefully with the Word of God and quote that word correctly to others even when they will not understand.  

The scripture is all that stands between us and antichrist.

Do not try to lure people to yourself.  Speak the pure Word of God and let them depart if they wish to do so.

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.

I Timothy 4:2-3   Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

***

Other scriptures in this Podcast:

II Corinthians 6

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be MY people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean; and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

***

When we speak the exact scriptures to them, they will often depart from us when they are unbelievers.

If the unbeliever depart, let him depart.

They will be as thorns in our sides and pricks in our eyes if they are unbelievers and we try to be with them.

Numbers 33:55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

By speaking the scriptures, we drive the unbelievers away from us.  

If they agree with scripture, when we speak, then they will be saved and given the Spirit of God.

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.

But as long as an unbeliever chooses to come around you, speak the Word of God as the Spirit brings that word to your mind.

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💥 Scriptures:

 

3 John 1:11  Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

 

  ***

 

Revelation 4:8-11  (Part of what John was shown of heaven) And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to HIM that sat on the throne, WHO liveth for ever and ever,
 

10 The four and twenty elders fall down before HIM that sat on the throne, and worship HIM that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
 

11 THOU art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for THOU hast created all things, and for THY pleasure they are and were created.

 

***

Psalm 37:30-31  The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. 

 

31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

 

***

 

John 6:63  Jesus says: It is the spirit that quickeneth (makes alive); the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

 

*** 

 

Proverbs 25:21-22  If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: 

 

22  For thou shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.

 

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💥 Acts 20 (Reading through the Bible)

 

And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.

² And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece,

³ And there abode three months.

And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.

⁴ And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.

⁵ These going before tarried for us at Troas.

⁶ And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.

⁷ And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
⁸ And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.

⁹ And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

¹⁰ And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

¹¹ When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

¹² And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.


***

¹³ And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.

¹⁴ And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.

¹⁵ And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus.

¹⁶ For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.


***

¹⁷ And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.

¹⁸ And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,¹⁹ Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:

²⁰ And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,

²¹ Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (The Word).

²² And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: ²³ Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

²⁴ But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

²⁵ And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

²⁶ Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.

²⁷ For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

²⁸ Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.

²⁹ For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
³⁰ Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

³¹ Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

³² And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

(To those which are sanctified … to those set aside by God for HIS kingdom.)

³³ I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.

³⁴ Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

³⁵ I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

³⁶ And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.

³⁷ And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,

³⁸ Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.

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💥 Podcast: Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on April 28, 2021)

 

When a problem comes, those persons who ask God what to do will overcome on this earth.

Those people who try to ignore the problem, or who run to other people, telling others their problems, will not overcome on this earth.

When we have a problem or a concern, what are we as Christians supposed to do?

Philippians 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (The Word).

Acts 2:19-21   God says:

19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

***

When these things happen, some will run into their house to be safe.  Others will run to friends.  Some will try to forget that which is happening by watching TV or reading a book.

Those who stop and fall down before God, doing nothing but depending totally on God, will be saved.

It is the same with the problems we encounter daily.

We can try to forget that problem by soaking ourselves in TV.  But those who cease all their efforts and fall down before God in prayer, committing their fears and concerns to God, and waiting on God, will be saved from the problem.

A woman told me of the following dream:  She and her husband were going out to buy a TV.  She was at the car waiting for him when all of a sudden the sun turned totally dark!  She started to run back into their house.  But then she realized that wouldn't do any good. She just fell down on her knees.

In the mid-80's, I had the following dream: The earth slipped on it's axis.  People were terrified.  The government was meeting with scientists and religious leaders to see what could be done.  (Nothing can be done by men for this was of God.)  A TV newscaster was trying to give a report about the event, but he was so frightened that he just stopped talking and walked out of the studio in the middle of the broadcast.

Isaiah 13:13  God says:  Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.

*****

Recently thoughts began coming to me telling me I would not be saved.  

But I remembered two scriptures to the contrary.   

Mark 10

28 Then Peter began to say unto HIM (Jesus), Lo, we have left all, and have followed Thee.

29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for MY sake, and the gospel's,

30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

John 10  Jesus said:

27 MY sheep hear MY voice, and I know them, and they follow ME:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of MY hand.

29 MY Father, which gave them ME, is greater than all; and no (none) is able to pluck them out of MY Father's hand.

I said to Jesus:  "You told me I would inherit eternal life."  Mark 10  That is what will happen.  And You told me "I would never perish."  John 10  That is what will happen.

And as I was asking God to help me, I heard:  "You're being attacked by a devil."

I did not talk to devil.  I did not even address that devil.  I just kept talking to Jesus and stating what HE had told me in Mark 10 and John 10 and kept asking God to help me.

And I believed those words of Jesus.

***

Those persons who run to other people with their problems or try to forget their problems through TV and such, will not overcome.

Those who turn to God for help and cling to HIS Word and to HIM will be helped and saved and will overcome on this earth.

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💥 Scriptures:

 

1 John 4:15  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

 ***

 

Psalm 86:4-5  Rejoice the soul of THY servant: for unto THEE, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5 For THOU, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon THEE.

 

***

Hebrews 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

 

***

 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8  To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

 

*** 

 

Romans 13:12-14  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ (the Word), and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

 

***

 

Proverbs 15:1  A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

 

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💥 Acts 19 (Reading through the Bible)

 

 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

² He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

³ And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

⁴ Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

⁶ And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

⁷ And all the men were about twelve.


***

⁸ And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

⁹ But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

¹⁰ And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

¹¹ And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

¹² So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.


***

¹³ Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
¹⁴ And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
¹⁵ And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
¹⁶ And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
¹⁷ And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

¹⁸ And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

¹⁹ Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

²⁰ So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.


***

²¹ After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

²² So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

²³ And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.

²⁴ For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;

²⁵ Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

²⁶ Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

²⁷ So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

²⁸ And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

²⁹ And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

³⁰ And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

³¹ And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.

³² Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused: and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

³³ And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.

³⁴ But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

³⁵ And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

³⁶ Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

³⁷ For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

³⁸ Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.

³⁹ But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

⁴⁰ For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.

⁴¹ And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

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💥 God promises that HE will never leave us nor forsake us

 

Pam Padgett, member of the body of Christ

 

Earlier this week I took the car for annual maintenance at the dealership, which is on the opposite side of the city from where I live. A few days before this I kept having the thought that I should take the file folder containing car maintenance information with me to this appointment, which I did.  (This is not something I typically do)

 

When the car service was done, the man at the service desk said this was the last paid maintenance service (under the service plan I bought when we purchased the car). But I recalled that there had been a mix-up about the car's service when we purchased the car, so one more maintenance service had been added for the car by the dealer.  Because I had been led to bring the file on this, I had the paperwork needed to take care of this right away and in person. The man at the service desk simply made a copy of the paperwork and said he'd take care of it from that.  This was so much easier than needing to make another trip across town to the dealership, or trying to scan paperwork and email it and discuss it by telephone. 

After returning home from the car appointment, I was thinking about being led to take that file folder with me and how easy this made things for me. It is a seemingly small thing, but it stood out to me that God is constantly watching over us and helping us.  

I was reminded of the last part of Hebrews 13:5 in which we have the assurance that God will never leave us nor forsake us. 

Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for HE (God) hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

 
I was also reminded of having felt a little spiritually "dull" recently and having prayed, asking God to help me. It was during this time of feeling "dull" that I had been reminded to take the file folder to the car appointment.

I felt God was telling me that HIS care and help is not dependent on us and how we feel, but on HIS kindness and mercy toward HIS children, those HE has called to be HIS. 

 

Also, I find it faith-building and comforting to pay attention to the various ways God helps us as we go about our lives.  

 

 

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💥 Podcast: Things showing us how close we are to the return of Jesus

 

(This podcast was previously published on April 23, 2021)

 

When the sins of this world and the sins of the churches around us increase, it signals the coming of Jesus and the great tribulation and the end of this present world.

As the sins in the days of Noah brought the destruction of this world by God, and the open sins of the men of Sodom in the days of Lot signaled the destruction of Sodom, the rampant and blatant sins of today show us how close we are coming to the end of this world.

Jesus says:

Matthew 24

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but MY words shall not pass away.

36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but MY Father only.

37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

***

Luke 21

7 And they asked HIM, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in MY name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

10 Then said HE unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

(pestilences:  Have we ever seen anything before like Coronavirus?)

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

***

According to Matthew 24, the following will happen:

  

   * The great tribulation

   * The powers of heaven will be shaken

   * Jesus comes through the clouds and send HIS angels to gather the elect.

Matthew 24  Jesus says:

29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31 And HE shall send HIS angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together HIS elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

*****

Jesus said:

Luke 21

29 And HE spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;  When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

When we see signs such as:  volcanoes erupting, earthquakes, stars or meteors fall from the heavens ...  God is likely speaking to HIS people.  I always notice when these things happen today.  And I consider that the great tribulation is likely coming soon.  And the shaking of the powers of heaven by the sun failing to give it's light.  The moving of the earth slightly in the solar system. And then the sign of Jesus in the sky.

And we will see open wickedness in both the world and in the apostate churches.

31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

***

Matthew 24:44   Jesus says:  

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

2 Peter 3:14   Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

***

Great wickedness of men came before the destruction from God:

Luke 21  Jesus said:

26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Days of Noah:  Genesis 6

Days of Lot:  Genesis 19

(Read of these)

30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

***

Pestilences:

Coronavirus covered the entire earth.  I think this makes this virus as a "trumpet".  

To me this is just one of the many things that come to tell man, "You are not in charge."

It is just glimpse of the fall of Babylon of Revelation 18 in the end times, where great cities fell.

***

And unspeakable sins begin to surface, especially in the churches.

February, 2021:  A Southern Baptist Church pastor in Georgia makes announcement to the world that homosexuals and lesbians are welcome to their church.  Apostasy in the churches.

The Southern Baptist Convention put this church group out of the Baptist group of churches because they said they did not conform to the "tradition" of the Baptist church.  No report at all was given to USA Today concerning the fact that because of the Holy Bible, this church group was expelled.  They just said they didn't fit the "tradition" of the Baptist church groups.

This is even a bigger sin to me, for the leadership of the Baptist church did not cite scripture in their reason for their action when they reported to the news media.

In everything scripture must be the reason for our action as Christians.  And we must cite the specific scripture upon which we base that which we are doing.

Romans 1:26-28  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. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Before Jesus could return, there would be "a falling away" where churches fell away from scriptures, and the man of sin (antichrist) moved into the churches.

II Thessalonians 2  

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

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of HIS mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of HIS coming:

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

***

And through all these things that come upon this earth, we keep ourselves in peace, without spot, and blameless through constant prayer, connecting us to God in every trouble.

And we cling to the scriptures of the Bible until the end.

II Timothy 3:16-17   All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

 

 

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