God Blog

• "The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalms 19:7-14 NIV

• "God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening. Their words aren’t heard, their voices aren’t recorded, But their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth is spoken everywhere." Psalm 19:1-4 MSG

• "Your wickedness will bring its own punishment. Your turning from me will shame you. You will see what an evil, bitter thing it is to abandon the Lord your God and not to fear him. I, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!" Jeremiah 2:19

• A son honors his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, that despise my name." Malachi 1:6

• Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear." Luke 12:4-5

• Therefore, my beloved, as you 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; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:12-13

• "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap. For the one who sows to his flesh [his sinful capacity, his worldliness, his disgraceful impulses] will reap from the flesh ruin and destruction, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." Galatians 6:718 AMP

• "See to it that you do not refuse [to listen to] Him who is speaking [to you now]. For if those [sons of Israel] did not escape when they refused [to listen to] him who warned them on earth [revealing God’s will], how much less will we escape if we turn our backs on Him who warns from heaven? His voice shook the earth [at Mount Sinai] then, but now He has given a promise, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the [starry] heaven.” Now this [expression], “Yet once more,” indicates the removal and final transformation of all those things which can be shaken—that is, of that which has been created—so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken be shaken, let us show gratitude, and offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for our God is [indeed] a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:25-29 AMP

• "On the whole, I do not find Christians, outside of the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping god may wake someday and take offense, or the waking god may draw us out to where we can never return."

• "Knowing the correct password—saying 'Master, Master,' for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.'" Matthew 7:21-23 MSG

• "But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even scoundrels do that much." Matthew 5:44-46 Living Bible

1. Not starring into the sun.
2. Not living where sunlight is absent.
3. Opening one's eyes.
4. Not being immersed in water.
5. Not committing suicide.
6. Wisely limiting dangerous activities that might cause death.  War, gang violence, criminal activities, extreme sports  etc... can cause comas and advance medical situations and/or death limiting/and or ending usage.
7. Protecting one's health from unnecessary harm.  Example: smoking often causes emphysema requiring continual oxygen supplement. 
8. Spiritual development.  Without which these "gifts" will have produced more harm than good (an eternity in flaming hellish conditions).  This warning was the original intent of Jesus' statement in the passage just referenced.

• "Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?" James 2:14-17 MSG

• "So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. James 2: 17-20, 26

• "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27 MSG

• "Here's how we can be sure that we know God in the right way: Keep his commandments. If someone claims, "I know him well!" but doesn't keep his commandments, he's obviously a liar. His life doesn't match his words. 1 John 2:2-4 MSG

• "But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment..." 1 John 2:5-8

• "We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God." 1 John 3:16-19

• "Don't run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don't sleep with another person's spouse, don't take someone's life, don't take what isn't yours, don't always be wanting what you don't have, and any other "don't" you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can't go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love." Romans 13:8-10 MSG

• "Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived." Galatians 6:2-3 MSG

• "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:15-17

• "In short, God is something like a combination Divine Butler and Cosmic Therapist: he is always on call, takes care of any problems that arise, professionally helps his people to feel better about themselves, and does not become too personally involved in the process."

• "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” Genesis 3:1-7 New International Version - Emphasis QC’s

• "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17 New International Version - Emphasis QC’s

The attractive yet false hope offered by the trinity of sin has proved devastating to humanity. Within modern Christianity, its worldly wisdom is responsible for the delayed growth and mutation of countless perspectives and relationships. Truly a thorn in the flesh for all, up to and including those who truly desire to follow Christ, but find their efforts stymied by various forms of spiritual impasse. 


Concept 7: Grace

The Bible, particularly the New Testament, is largely based on two words beautifully expressing the majestic and glorious Person and purpose of Jesus Christ. These are grace and truth. Twin concepts launched and lauded by the beloved Gospel of John:

• "In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it]." John 1:1-5 AMP

• For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift]. For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father]." John 1:16-18 AMP

• "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you." Titus 2:11-15 NIV

• "Try your best to live in peace with everyone. Try hard to be holy. Without holiness no one will see the Lord.  Be sure that no one misses out on God’s grace. See to it that a bitter plant doesn’t grow up. If it does, it will cause trouble. And it will make many people impure. See to it that no one commits sexual sins. See to it that no one is godless like Esau. He sold the rights to what he would receive as the oldest son. He sold them for a single meal. As you know, after that he wanted to receive his father’s blessing. But he was turned away. With tears he tried to get the blessing. But he couldn’t change what he had done." Hebrews 12:14-17 NIRV

• "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?" 1 Corinthians 3:3-4 NIV

• "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:26 NIV

• "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation." Galatians 6:14-15 NIV

• "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NIV

• "I've told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead. They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he's doing God a favor. They will do these things because they never really understood the Father. I've told you these things so that when the time comes and they start in on you, you'll be well-warned and ready for them." John 16:1-4 MSG

• "But be on your guard. Don't let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it's going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don't go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that's coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man." Luke 21:34-36 MSG

• "So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering." Romans 8:15-17

• "This is what the scriptures mean when they say: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

• "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

• "My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." 1 Corinthians 4:4-5

• "Don’t you know that those doing such things have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who live immoral lives, who are idol worshipers, adulterers or homosexuals—will have no share in his Kingdom. Neither will thieves or greedy people, drunkards, slanderers, or robbers." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 TLB

• "But when you follow your own wrong inclinations, your lives will produce these evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons), hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group—and there will be wrong doctrine, envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21 TLB

• "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:11-15 NASB

• Reverence enough to let Scripture say what it means and mean what it says.
• Faith enough to energize one's imagination without going off the deep end.
• Curiosity enough to examine epic verses and poke around original languages.
• Humility enough to remember who your betters are.
• Honesty enough to recognize and respond to our extreme need for God.
• Desperation enough to ask, seek and knock until insight and/or empowerment is given.
• Love enough to find ways to reveal, rather than conceal, difficult truths.

• "Level of concern: Human interest tend towards issues associated with the most immediate and/or greatest pleasure or pain, first in regards to ourselves and then others. Levels of Christian concern largely depend on our willingness to read and recall Scripture as it is written rather than choosing to omit hundreds if not thousands of verses challenging Churchianity's status quo. Equally important is the development and continual exercise of imaginative empathy. The ability to immerse oneself in the past, present and future human suffering or exaltation described in the Bible is a crucial component in allowing the reader to mentally and emotionally comprehend the passage. Honesty in "Scripturally rendering" a scene allows a fuller understanding of risk/benefit associated with various levels of rebellion verse obedience.

• "Appropriate response: Filtering through tens of thousands of thoughts a day, we select those upon which dwell. A percentage of theses will be discussed. Some of these will merit research and further evaluation... A fraction of thoughts will translate into actions. Depending on a variety of factors, our actions or lack thereof, will either fit or fail the test of appropriateness.

• "Do not judge by appearance [superficially and arrogantly], but judge fairly and righteously." AMP

• "Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly." NLT

• How did I get here? How can a non sentient universe produce a sentient soul? How did the universe itself come to be?

• Is there a purpose to my existence? Is there meaning or relevance beyond a few years of human life?

• Where am I going? Even a lifespan of over a hundred or thousand years would merely be a drop of water in an endless ocean of time. What's to become of me in eternity?

• "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Philippians 2:12-13

• "Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

• "Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things." 2 Timothy 2:3-7

• "Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

• "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14
  

• I confess You are the great I Am and I am nothing great. You have so much, everything. You know so much, everything. You are so much, everything. Tri-Omnity (not just Omnity or Bi-Omnity). Self existing and immutable. We on the other hand are as a mist, here in the morning and burnt off by mid morning. Thinking, feeling, sinful reeds to whom a little water added or withheld can mean life or death. Soulish spirits in bloody meatcycles on skeletal sticks, most "fearfully and wonderfully made" in a fearful and wonderful place, living fearful and/or wonderful lives, facing fearful and/or wonderful futures and a most fearful or wonderful eternity yet with little or no concern over the true demands placed on us by our Maker to be obedient, productive and thankful. And this, even though for the most part we’re born between urine and feces and for all our pomp will die as dogs never really knowing where we come from, who, where and when we are or where we are going, being as it were twisted sideways, backwards and upside down. Nevertheless, it is written that even we might become beloved stardust, heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ. "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."

• Encourage One Another: "See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.  As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart as you did in the rebellion.” Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief." (Hebrews 3:12-19 NIV)

• Oath In My Anger: "Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.  For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” (Hebrews 4:1-3 NIV)

• Never Enter My Rest: "And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” (Hebrews 4:3-5 NIV)

• Today, If You Hear His Voice: "Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day." (Hebrews 4:6-8 NIV)

• Sabbath Rest: There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. (Hebrews 4:9, 10 NIV)

• Enter God's Rest: Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:11 NIV)

• God's Word/Judgment: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12,13 NIV)

• High Priest: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15, 16 NIV)

• "…and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:5-10 NIV

• "The matter is quite simple. The bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament."

• "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord]." Matthew 6:24 AMP

• "So don't be all upset, always concerned about what you will eat and drink. (For the pagans of this world are always concerned about all these things.) Your Father knows that you need these things. Instead, be concerned with his Kingdom, and he will provide you with these things. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom. Sell all your belongings and give the money to the poor. Provide for yourselves purses that don't wear out, and save your riches in heaven, where they will never decrease, because no thief can get to them, and no moth can destroy them." Luke 12:29-33 GNT

• "And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, "Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money." You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, "If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that." As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil." James 4:13-17 MSG

• "And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10

• The context of this verse answers the Great Question of how to attain Heaven!

• Here we have a description of an actual event and not a parable. Regardless of some extra Biblical headings for the verse.  No parable introduction is given and local places are named as a real life chain of events unfold.

• The victim was left "Half Dead." Which happens to be the minimum abortion rate when combining clinical and contraceptive abortion. Even among Christian Nations.

• Both Priest and Levite, Scripturally recognized legitimate Jewish positions of spiritual authority (unlike Pharisees and Sadducees) were the only two identified religious characters in the story. Both fail the test as they "pass by on the other side."  Given the benefit of the doubt, they may well have even been about religious ditties as their professions dictated.

• We are not told why the Priest and Levite neglected to respond or what they were on their way to do.  The inference by Jesus is that it doesn't matter. 

• We are not told the spiritual state of the Priest and Levite, prior to, during or after their encounter.  Again the inference is that it doesn't matter.   According to the context and the comments of Christ, regardless of their situation before encountering the man "half dead" they were OUT of the Kingdom and had LOST their Salvation as they passed by...

• Had compassion on the victim. This does not suggest that the Priest and Levite were without compassion altogether.  Rather, unlike the Samaritan, their compassion failed in this "life and death" instance.

• Went to him. There are several possible reasons the Priest and Levite passed by on the other side.  What ever these were, the Samaritan's compassion and understanding of the situation (physically and/or spiritually) moved him to approach.

• Offered immediate and long term aid.  While the oil and wine for the victim's wounds were helpful, should the Samaritan's aid had stopped there he too would have failed the test.

• Brought the victim (a supposed stranger) to an inn (place of care) and attended him until the next morning.  The inference is the Samaritan personally enters into the life and death struggle for this victim. All the while attending to his personal commitments.

• Pays the innkeeper to continue care and then returns to his own business.  He promises to check back on the condition of the victim and to see if more money is required. The Samaritan seems to be going "the extra mile" to assist an unknown person's needs.  Telling Jesus uses this example to answer the question how to attain Heaven.

• Jesus commands those who would "inherit eternal life" to "Go and do likewise."

• "Not to know that any Christian spirit working kindly in its little sphere, whatever it may be, will find its mortal life too short for its vast means of usefulness. Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused! Yet such was I! Oh! such was I!" "But you were always a good man of business, Jacob," faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself. "Business!" cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. "Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!"

• "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:16 NKJV

• "You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ. Wake up from your sleep, Climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light! So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants." Ephesians 5:8-17 MSG

• Amusement: Literally means "not to think."

• Waisted Time: The average family routinely spends 100's of hours a month watching TV and less than 10 diligently seeking God.

• Immorality: The proliferation of what was once considered soft porn infects everything from cartoons and prime time advertisement to thousands of TV episodes and movies.

• Porn: Tens of thousands of scenes depicting acts of immorality and/or hard porn, not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and music videos dedicated to such programming. CA is one of only two states to recognize the “adult film industry” as legitimate business. Online content alone generates $3 billion per year.

• Profanity: Hundreds of thousands of curse words permeate as many scenes not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and music videos.

• Violence: Tens of thousands of scenes not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and music videos are dedicated to such programming.

• Gore: Tens of thousands of scenes not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and videos are dedicated to such programming. Consider this shocking and censored Youtube clip from Hostel 2.

• Horror: Tens of thousands of scenes not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and videos are dedicated to horror programming.

• Occult: Thousands of scenes not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and music videos are dedicated to such programming.

• “Write to Laodicea, to the Angel of the church. God’s Yes, the Faithful and Accurate Witness, the First of God’s creation, says: “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless. “Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see. The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God! Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors! Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.” Revelation 3:14-22 MSG

• Might this passage be a warning echoing down through the millennia regarding the spiritual dangers of riches, dangers Jesus repeatedly emphasizes in His conversation with the Rich Young Ruler and Rich Man and Lazarus?

• Further, might these verses be prophetic in the sense of recognizing that the last church age would take for granted and over indulge in unprecedented levels of wealth and ease afforded by God through the rise of technology?

• “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:21-22 NIV

• Self deception is far more difficult to overcome than one might think.

• This last of the seven churches is a type of the final church age, thus Laodiceans will have to pass the final exam by surviving the Great Tribulation period. Note: This is yet another reason for Churchianity to immediately come to it’s senses, plunging itself honestly and accurately into every form of Christian discipline and sacrament. Particularly given the entirety of Scripture, including such notables as Jesus, Paul and John, clearly teach the Rapture takes place Mid-Tribulation after the Antichrist and Mark of the Beast are revealed.

• "Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it."  2 Corinthians 13:5-6 MSG

• "But if we evaluated and judged ourselves honestly [recognizing our shortcomings and correcting our behavior], we would not be judged." 1 Corinthians 11:31 AMP

• "Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us." Romans 12:3 NLT

• "Knowing the correct password—saying 'Master, Master,' for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.'" Matthew 7:21-23 MSG

• "You’ve been with me all this time, Philip, and you still don’t understand? To see me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, ‘Where is the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you aren’t mere words. I don’t just make them up on my own. The Father who resides in me crafts each word into a divine act." John 14:9-10 MSG

• "You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I." John 14:28 NIV

• "I can do nothing on my own initiative or authority. Just as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just (fair, righteous, unbiased), because I do not seek My own will, but only the will of Him who sent Me." John 5:30 AMP

• "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself  by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place  and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,   in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:5-11 NIV

• "For He (the Father) has put all things in subjection under His (Christ’s) feet. But when He says, “All things have been put in subjection [under Christ],” it is clear that He (the Father) who put all things in subjection to Him (Christ) is excepted [since the Father is not in subjection to His own Son]. However, when all things are subjected to Him (Christ), then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One (the Father) who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all [manifesting His glory without any opposition, the supreme indwelling and controlling factor of life]." 1 Corinthians 15:27-28 AMP

• "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as [a service] to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church, Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives should be subject to their husbands in everything [respecting both their position as protector and their responsibility to God as head of the house]." Ephesians 5:22-24 AMP

• "Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless. Even so husbands should and are morally obligated to love their own wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself." Ephesians 5:25-28 AMP

• "In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate, not as inferior, but out of respect for the responsibilities entrusted to husbands and their accountability to God, and so partnering with them] so that even if some do not obey the word [of God], they may be won over [to Christ] without discussion by the godly lives of their wives, when they see your modest and respectful behavior [together with your devotion and appreciation—love your husband, encourage him, and enjoy him as a blessing from God]." 1 Peter 3:1-2 AMP

• "For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." 1 Peter 3:5-7 NIV

• Obey: ὑπακούω. Cognate: 5219 hypakoúō (from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 191 /akoúō, "hear") – properly, to obey what is heard (literally, "under hearing"). See 5218 (hypakoē). 5219 /hypakoúō ("obey") is acting under the authority of the one speaking, i.e. really listening to the one giving the charge (order). 5219 /hypakoúō ("to hearken, obey") suggests attentively listening, i.e. fully compliant (responsive).

• Children, obey your parents in the Lord [that is, accept their guidance and discipline as His representatives], for this is right [for obedience teaches wisdom and self-discipline]. Honor [esteem, value as precious] your father and your mother [and be respectful to them]—this is the first commandment with a promise— so that it may be well with you, and that you may have a long life on the earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by showing favoritism or indifference to any of them], but bring them up [tenderly, with lovingkindness] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:1-4 AMP

• "But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." 1 Corinthians 11:3 NIV

• "But a man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for his hat is a sign of subjection to men. God’s glory is man made in his image, and man’s glory is the woman. The first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came out of man. And Adam, the first man, was not made for Eve’s benefit, but Eve was made for Adam. So a woman should wear a covering on her head as a sign that she is under man’s authority, a fact for all the angels to notice and rejoice in… But if anyone wants to argue about this, all I can say is that we never teach anything else than this—that a woman should wear a covering when prophesying or praying publicly in the church, and all the churches feel the same way about it." 1 Corinthians 11:7-10,16 TLB

• "As [is the practice] in all the churches of the saints (God’s people), the women should be silent in the churches, for they are not authorized to speak, but are to take a subordinate place, as the Law says. If there is anything they want to learn [that is, if they have questions about anything being said or taught], they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to talk in church. Did the word of the Lord originate from you [Corinthians], or has it come to you only [so that you know best what God requires]? If anyone thinks and claims that he is a prophet [a true spokesman for God] or spiritually astute [filled with and energized by the Holy Spirit], let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. If anyone does not recognize this [that it is a command of the Lord], he is not recognized [by God]." 1 Corinthians 14:33-38 AMP

• “Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and disputing or quarreling or doubt [in their mind]. Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves modestly and appropriately and discreetly in proper clothing, not with [elaborately] braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but instead adorned by good deeds [helping others], as is proper for women who profess to worship God. A woman must quietly receive instruction with all submissiveness. I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet [in the congregation]. For Adam was formed first [by God from the earth], then Eve; and it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who was led astray and fell into sin. But women will be preserved (saved) through [the pain and dangers of] the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and holiness with self-control and discretion." 1 Timothy 2:8-15 AMP

• "But as for you, teach the things which are in agreement with sound doctrine [which produces men and women of good character whose lifestyle identifies them as true Christians]. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in steadfastness [Christlike in character]. Older women similarly are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor addicted to much wine, teaching what is right and good, so that they may encourage the young women to tenderly love their husbands and their children, to be sensible, pure, makers of a home [where God is honored], good-natured, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored." Titus 2:1-5 AMP

• But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him leave. In such cases the [remaining] brother or sister is not [spiritually or morally] bound. But God has called us to peace.” 1 Corinthians 1:15 AMP

• "Because they lead my people astray, saying, "Peace," when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash…" Ezekiel 13:10 NIV

• "Everyone’s after the dishonest dollar, little people and big people alike. Prophets and priests and everyone in between twist words and doctor truth. My people are broken—shattered!—and they put on Band-Aids, Saying, ‘It’s not so bad. You’ll be just fine.’ But things are not ‘just fine’! Do you suppose they are embarrassed over this outrage? No, they have no shame. They don’t even know how to blush. There’s no hope for them. They’ve hit bottom and there’s no getting up. As far as I’m concerned,  they’re finished. God has spoken." Jeremiah 6:13-15 MSG

• "Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. "If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you." John 8:31-32 MSG

• "Every man who loves truth recognizes my voice." John 18:37 PHILLIPS

• "There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." 2 Timothy 3:15-17 MSG

• "God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what." Hebrews 4:12-13 MSG

• Inference is a fact reasonably implied from another fact. It is a logical consequence. It derives a conclusion from a given fact or premise. It is the deduction of one proposition from another proposition. Such inferential facts or propositions are sufficiently binding when their truth is established by competent and satisfactory evidence. Competent evidence means such evidence as the nature of the thing to be proved admits. Satisfactory evidence means that amount of proof which would ordinarily satisfy an unprejudiced mind beyond a reasonable doubt. Jesus used this rule when he proved the resurrection of the dead to the unbelieving Sadducees in Matt. 22:23-33.

• “Conjecture is an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information. an unproven mathematical or scientific theorem: the Goldbach conjecture. In textual criticism the suggestion or reconstruction of a reading of a text not present in the original source.

• “An inference is an idea or conclusion that's drawn from evidence and reasoning. An inference is an educated guess. We learn about some things by experiencing them first-hand, but we gain other knowledge by inference — the process of inferring things based on what is already known. When you make an inference, you're reading between the lines or just looking carefully at the facts and coming to conclusions.

• "Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."

• "Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him."

• "Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: "ye were bought at a price," and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God."

• “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has granted me [the needed] strength and made me able for this, because He considered me faithful and trustworthy, putting me into service [for this ministry], even though I was formerly a blasphemer [of our Lord] and a persecutor [of His church] and a shameful and outrageous and violent aggressor [toward believers]. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief. The grace of our Lord [His amazing, unmerited favor and blessing] flowed out in superabundance [for me, together] with the faith and love which are [realized] in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 12:14 AMP

• “This is a faithful and trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance and approval, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost [of sinners], Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example or pattern for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King of the ages [eternal], immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 12:15-17 AMP

• “…and that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, the majority of whom are still alive, but some have fallen asleep [in death]. Then He was seen by James, then by all the apostles, and last of all, as to one untimely (prematurely, traumatically) born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least [worthy] of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I [at one time] fiercely oppressed and violently persecuted the church of God. But by the [remarkable] grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not without effect. In fact, I worked harder than all of the apostles, though it was not I, but the grace of God [His unmerited favor and blessing which was] with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:5-10 AMP

• “For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 AMP

• Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage." Matthew 5:13 MSG

• "You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell." Matthew 5:21-22 NLT

• "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28 NIV

• "If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell." Matthew 5:29-30 NIV

• "It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." Matthew 5:31-32 NIV

• "But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:15 NLB

• "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14 AMP

• "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28 NIV

• "Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven." Matthew 10:32-33 NIV

• "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12:36-37 NKJV

• "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are." Matthew 23:15 NIV

• "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel." Matthew 23:23-24 NIV

• "You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You’re like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it’s all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you’re saints, but beneath the skin you’re total frauds." Matthew 23:27-28 MSG

• "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?" Matthew 23:33 NIV

• "Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give the others [in the house] their food and supplies at the proper time? Blessed is that [faithful] servant when his master returns and finds him doing so. I assure you and most solemnly say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that servant is evil and says in his heart, ‘My master is taking his time [he will not return for a long while],’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour of which he is not aware, and will cut him in two and put him with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger]." Matthew 24:45-51 AMP

• "But woe to (alas for) you who are rich ([abounding in material resources), for you already are receiving your consolation (the solace and sense of strengthening and cheer that come from prosperity) and have taken and enjoyed your comfort in full [having nothing left to be awarded you]. Woe to (alas for) you who are full now (completely filled, luxuriously gorged and satiated), for you shall hunger and suffer want! Woe to (alas for) you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep and wail!" Luke 6:24-25 AMP

• "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:32-34 NIV

• "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division." Luke 12:51 NIV

• "Then he said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once that it is going to rain, and so it does. And when you feel the south wind blowing, you say that it is going to be hot, and so it is. You frauds! You know how to interpret the look of the earth and the sky. Why can’t you interpret the meaning of the times in which you live?" Luke 12:54-56 PHILLIPS

• "Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:25-27 NIV

• "Some Pharisees overheard him and said, “Does that mean you’re calling us blind?” Jesus said, “If you were really blind, you would be blameless, but since you claim to see everything so well, you’re accountable for every fault and failure." John 9:40-41 MSG

• "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." John 15:5-6 NIV

• "I see what you’ve done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can’t stomach evil, that you weed out apostolic pretenders. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out. But you walked away from your first love—why? What’s going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you’ve fallen? A Lucifer fall!" Revelation 2:2-5 MSG

• "But why do you indulge that Balaam crowd? Don’t you remember that Balaam was an enemy agent, seducing Balak and sabotaging Israel’s holy pilgrimage by throwing unholy parties? And why do you put up with the Nicolaitans, who do the same thing? Enough! Don’t give in to them; I’ll be with you soon. I’m fed up and about to cut them to pieces with my sword-sharp words." Revelation 2:14-16 MSG

• "But why do you let that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet mislead my dear servants into Cross-denying, self-indulging religion? I gave her a chance to change her ways, but she has no intention of giving up a career in the god-business. I’m about to lay her low, along with her partners, as they play their sex-and-religion games. The bastard offspring of their idol-whoring I’ll kill. Then every church will know that appearances don’t impress me. I x-ray every motive and make sure you get what’s coming to you." Revelation 2:20-23 MSG

• "Write this to Sardis, to the Angel of the church. The One holding the Seven Spirits of God in one hand, a firm grip on the Seven Stars with the other, speaks: I see right through your work. You have a reputation for vigor and zest, but you’re dead, stone-dead." Revelation 3:1 MSG

• "Write to Laodicea, to the Angel of the church. God’s Yes, the Faithful and Accurate Witness, the First of God’s creation, says: “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless." Revelation 3:14-17 MSG

• "I turned and saw the voice. I saw a gold menorah with seven branches, And in the center, the Son of Man, in a robe and gold breastplate, hair a blizzard of white, Eyes pouring fire-blaze, both feet furnace-fired bronze, His voice a cataract, right hand holding the Seven Stars, His mouth a sharp-biting sword, his face a perigee sun. I saw this and fainted dead at his feet." Revelation 1:12-17 MSG

• The Father: Begets. Leader of Godhead. Sets the times and seasons. Great White Throne Judge.

• The Son: Begotten. As Christ experiences the incarnation, humility, ministry, passion, crucifixion, atonement, resurrection, ascension, intercession, second advent, millennial reign, creator of new heaven and earth. Judge and head of the Church.

• The Holy Spirit: Proceeds. Leads into all truth. Empowers through the impartation of Divine nature and power via fruit and gifts.

• “Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.” He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!” Acts 2:38-40 MSG

• “May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].” Ephesians 3:16-19 AMP

• “But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are in direct opposition to each other [continually in conflict], so that you [as believers] do not [always] do whatever [good things] you want to do. But if you are guided and led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.” Galatians 5:16-18 AMP

• "Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead. And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs." Mark 16:14-20

• Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  James 5:13-16 NIV

2. Powerlessness: For obvious and opposite reasons, the dishonest doctrine on both sides of the aisle not only justifies each side's errors, but results in pandemic powerlessness. A anemic condition all the more acute given such entrenched positioning all but guarantees the vast majority of both cessationists and charismatics failure to even recognizing and admit, much less with brokenness and confession repent, of our nearly universal and continual grieving of the Holy Spirit. In this and a myriad of other vital matters.

To illustrate the point, consider again the Cessation vs. Charismatic rift. If the previously discussed debacle is accurate, half the Protestant church is at odds, if not war, with the other. In his book and video series Strange Fire, John Mac Arthur of Grace To You fame basically excommunicated the Charismatic church. He does so exactly along the party lines described earlier, while ironically guilty himself as a hardline cessationist of insulting the Spirit of Grace he seeks to defend.

What is needed is quantum balance and equilibrium. In this case, as a decades old prayer partner once noted in regards to resolving the tension between accurately discerning Scripture and the centrality of the Holy Spirit, "Evangelism without prayer is Fruitless, Prayer without Evangelism is Faithless. Scripture without the Spirit is Lifeless, the Spirit without Scripture is Baseless." With this mind, let us more prayerfully study the Bible, which itself much be spiritually discerned:

• "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 NIV

• "Spirit can be known only by spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God’s Spirit is doing, and can’t be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah’s question, 'Is there anyone around who knows God’s Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?” has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ’s Spirit."' 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 MSG

• "Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20 NKJV

• "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 KJV2000

• "Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?” 1 Corinthians 4:18-21 NKJV

First, we must find the courage to face the undiluted truth of our situation.

In the movie, "First Knight" King Arthur is played by Sean Connery  As the Knights of the Round Table place their shinning swords on the table, Arthur always offers the same prayer, "May God grant us the wisdom to discern the right, the will to choose it and the strength to make it endure."  At this dark hour we should pray and work hard to do the same.

Scripture suggests that given the success of abortion's diabolical attack against the church. Pro-life activists are best prepared to approach God in intercession and pray so God will hear. Yet how few Prophetic Christians are willing to enter the crucible of James 4's Prayer of Anguish to appropriately intercede for ourselves and the Church of our day? As Christ did:

• "Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear."  Hebrews 5:7  

The hope and prayer of pro-life people everywhere is a global repentance along the lines of 2 Chronicles 7:14. As Nineveh embraced Jonah's warning, so America and indeed the world should heed the Bible’s prophetic advice, call for a sacred assembly and receive the Gospel of Life.

Historically, however, Nineveh's response is rare and fleeting. This unfortunate fact, in light of the tremendous weight of Scripture condemning the brutalizing of the weak and shedding of innocent blood, leads us to only one of two plausible conclusions:

1. Our aborting of more than a billion of our children is the pinnacle sin of mankind and will bring God's final judgment.

2. Our aborting of more than a billion of our children is the seed from which a sin of far greater magnitude will grow.

The obvious albeit religiously incorrect truth is that legalized will never be overturned. One needn’t be a prophet to see that never in mankind’s history has even the least of humanity’s sins been successfully repented of. Some cite slavery but sadly several forms of slavery continue unabated. Add to this that according to Scripture slavery, as distasteful as it seems, is not in and of itself a sin. If the smallest of sins has proven to much for the human race, how much more such an entrenched adversary as legalized abortion has become?

From Genesis to Revelation the Bible is replete with warnings and examples that God will not be mocked, that whatever an individual or culture sow shall be reaped. Hosea is even more bold declaring, "They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind." So we see Scripture clearly confirms what we all know, that once planted, even an tiny seed, if not uprooted, will grow into a towering tree. It is inevitable that without an unprecedented global repentance, if not reformation, we shall reap either apocalyptic judgment or a new magnitude of sin that will reduce the death of a billion babies to mere seed.

Simply put, legalized abortion will never be overturned. It can only be ended and that by the Church doing what it should have done for over 15,000 days and counting…

Second, we must admit that the pro-life movement suffers from a similar malady as modern Christian leadership.

As the shepherds fear to alienate the sheep, we fear to alienate both sheep and shepherds.  We’ve spent decades developing methods to quietly gather the crumbs that fall from their table.  Dare we jeopardize our only and already woefully inadequate supply even for the Kingdom’s sake? Dare we must, both quickly and carefully. 

We must hold summit meetings and continue doing so until we reach consensus and unity.  We should carefully measure our failures and limited successes. We should examine every facet of past, present and possible future opportunities and encourage all Christians to become authentically pro-life. As individuals and families, congregations and denominations, we should repent for past inaction, including failure to adequately support all pro-life causes from politics and Rescue, to chastity education and crises pregnancy centers. We must learn to prefer one another, exchange tactics for strategy and develop short term objectives within long term plans.

Third, we must find a way to inoculate the Body of Christ with our new found repentance and unity.

Admittedly this is “a hard saying, who can hear it.”  Yet hard is not impossible.  There are wise and gentle ways we can begin to communicate a fuller picture of the impact of abortion and still make inroads into Churchianity. If we are to provide wise leadership in this arena we must be willing to fully open our own eyes to the challenge before us.  The simple fact is abortion’s holocaust exceeds, in quantity, quality, and diabolic cunning all current sins by and against humanity as in its elevation the moon excels Mt. Everest. Put simply, spiritually abortion and our inadequate response to it, represents the greatest Kingdom catastrophe in millennia. 

There are many opportunities for individuals, churches and organizations to have an impact on people within their communities. For some great simple pro-life ideas just click the link: Change

For an overview of being authentically pro-life click the link below. For an in depth report on serious church and denominational objectives and strategies to enable the church to have a comprehensive pro-life, pro-family and pro-mission strategy click the link: Objectives

Doctrinal Error 6: Times And Seasons

Hundreds of thousands of well educated clergy and laity alike fail the test of "accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth." Most are unfamiliar with repentive and honest Bible study and interpretation. Particularly in regards to the rules of emphasis and inference. Not to mention overlooking or undervaluing the context of conflict theology, an essential element in comprehending Scriptures vast content.

Prophetic Christians are exceptionally honest and studious Bible students and intercessors, grasping much of both the context and content of Scripture. Such men and women seek God in faith, reasoning that He's said what He means and means what He's said. They're persuaded "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." Both in His mercy and love, as well as harsh words and judgment of His church. Possessed of deep and abiding repentance, they labor for revival in the hope and fear of God. Understanding both the love and "terror of the Lord" they endeavor to persuade others to choose eternal life rather than death. Knowing they too are sinners, they treat others as they would be treated: firm, fair, factual and friendly. They compel the lost, including apathetic and disobedient Christians, to come into the Kingdom by first speaking the truth in love. Should compassion fail, they spend themselves and their lives trying to pull lost humanity from the fire.

Yet even with such recommendations, few if any are ready and willing to "pray through" the Prayer of Anguish as commanded in James 4. Rather, like iron mixed with clay, while in many ways nearer the Lord than others in understanding and service, when it comes to true power evangelism and discipleship, we find ourselves all but off-line. We also often find ourselves lacking in one or more areas of radical discipleship. Thus short circuiting our attempts of being capable of praying the kind of effective, fervent and righteous prayers that avail much.

Today's Prophetic Christians also often fail to correctly discern the times and seasons. Those in which we live, and that which is swiftly approaching. For example, having attended and/or led well over a thousand corporate prayer meetings, a rarity in themselves, far more often than not I've listened to intercessors out of tune and step with the what the Spirit is saying to the modern church. Once, deep into an all night prayer meeting that I had arranged, a well versed Christian women with decades of prayer meetings under her belt, skillfully wove together a beautiful tapestry of Scriptures. Most focusing on the promises of God, including those made to Joshua and the Israelites during the Exodus. While sincerely offered, what she and so many fail to realize, is that our time and place in history, and the Scriptures, is not in keeping with the Jewish Exodus but Exile. The Old Testament passages we should be mining for prayerful meaning are not those of exaltations of Joshua but the lamentations of Jeremiah. As well as Habukkuk's complaint and the glaring warnings of all the minor prophets.

Judaism had the glory and deliverance of Moses and the Exodus. Christianity the glory and empowerment of Christ and Pentecost. After nearly two millennia of obedience and blessing, disobedience and reproof, the long foretold Exile created the Jewish diaspora. In keeping with Ezekiel's terrible prophecy, a third of Israel died by "disease or hunger," a third was slaughtered by the sword and "a third thrown to the wind and chased by killers." Along with others, Isaiah, recognized as perhaps the greatest of the major prophets, warned of six woes. Even going so far as to walk about naked for three years to make his point. Understanding the times and seasons strongly suggests that prayers and songs reflecting the Exodus are discordant with Biblical revelation of our time and place in history. Those reminiscent the Exile are far more in keeping with our present and future challenges.

As modern Laodiceans, difficulty with discernment is our stock in trade. Pandemic self deception presents a plethora of problems. One the greatest is accurately assessing our Kingdom nature and identity. Consider the following frequently disregarded passage:

• " But no one can go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man, and then he will ransack and rob his house." Mark 3:27 AMP

• "By faith, Moses, when grown, refused the privileges of the Egyptian royal house. He chose a hard life with God’s people rather than an opportunistic soft life of sin with the oppressors. He valued suffering in the Messiah’s camp far greater than Egyptian wealth because he was looking ahead, anticipating the payoff. By an act of faith, he turned his heel on Egypt, indifferent to the king’s blind rage. He had his eye on the One no eye can see, and kept right on going. By an act of faith, he kept the Passover Feast and sprinkled Passover blood on each house so that the destroyer of the firstborn wouldn’t touch them." Hebrews 11:23-29 MSG

• "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." James 3:13-18 NIV

• “Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 Living Bible

• “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.” John 3:16-17 The Message

• “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.” John 3:19-21 The Message

• "The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It's written, 'I'll turn conventional wisdom on its head, I'll expose so-called experts as crackpots'. So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn't God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation." 1 Corinthians 1:18-21 The Message

• "Christ is God's ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can't begin to compete with God's "weakness." Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of "the brightest and the best" among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these "nobodies" to expose the hollow pretensions of the "somebodies"?" 1 Corinthians 1:25-31 The Message

• "Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?" Mark 8:34-37 MSG

• "And the Dragon stood on the shore of the sea. I saw a Beast rising from the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads—on each horn a crown, and each head inscribed with a blasphemous name. The Beast I saw looked like a leopard with bear paws and a lion's mouth. The Dragon turned over its power to it, its throne and great authority. One of the Beast's heads looked as if it had been struck a deathblow, and then healed. The whole earth was agog, gaping at the Beast. They worshiped the Dragon who gave the Beast authority, and they worshiped the Beast, exclaiming, "There's never been anything like the Beast! No one would dare go to war with the Beast!" The Beast had a loud mouth, boastful and blasphemous. It could do anything it wanted for forty-two months. It yelled blasphemies against God, blasphemed his Name, blasphemed his Church, especially those already dwelling with God in Heaven. It was permitted to make war on God's holy people and conquer them. It held absolute sway over all tribes and peoples, tongues and races. Everyone on earth whose name was not written from the world's foundation in the slaughtered Lamb's Book of Life will worship the Beast. Are you listening to this? They've made their bed; now they must lie in it. Anyone marked for prison goes straight to prison; anyone pulling a sword goes down by the sword. Meanwhile, God's holy people passionately and faithfully stand their ground." Revelation 13:1-10 MSG

• "I looked up, I caught my breath!—a white cloud and one like the Son of Man sitting on it. He wore a gold crown and held a sharp sickle. Another Angel came out of the Temple, shouting to the Cloud-Enthroned, "Swing your sickle and reap. It's harvest time. Earth's harvest is ripe for reaping." The Cloud-Enthroned gave a mighty sweep of his sickle, began harvesting earth in a stroke. Then another Angel came out of the Temple in Heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. Yet another Angel, the one in charge of tending the fire, came from the Altar. He thundered to the Angel who held the sharp sickle, "Swing your sharp sickle. Harvest earth's vineyard. The grapes are bursting with ripeness." The Angel swung his sickle, harvested earth's vintage, and heaved it into the winepress, the giant winepress of God's wrath. The winepress was outside the City. As the vintage was trodden, blood poured from the winepress as high as a horse's bridle, a river of blood for two hundred miles." Revelation 14:14-20 MSG

• “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." Matthew 24:36-39 New International Version

1. Matthew 24-25 are considered Christ’s Olivet Discourse.
2. From Matthew 24:1-13 Jesus offers insight into a variety of topics. These include the destruction of Jewish Temple, Times and Seasons (deceptions, wars, famines, plagues and earthquakes - the beginning of sorrows), Persecution, False Prophets, Lawlessness (love of many growing cold) all calling for the endurance of the saints while the gospel is preached to all nations before the end comes.
3. Matthew 24:15-22 may partially describe Rome’s destruction of Jerusalem while prophetically referencing the ruin at the coming of the Antichrist.
4. Matthew 24:23-26 warns of eschatological errors and offers insight regarding Christ’s Return.
5. Matthew 24:29-31 is a further reference to the Great Tribulation and Rapture. Matthew 24:32-35 uses the fig tree as metaphor for the entire period.
6. Matthew 24:36-39 explains only God the Father knows the day and hour, while using the days of Noah as a warning against being caught unaware, “For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
7. Many have used this verse to introduce a secret Pre-Tribulation Rapture conveniently preceding the Great Tribulation (supposedly negating personal concerns). Others, noting Jesus, Paul and John all teach a Mid Tribulation Rapture, consider Christ’s literative use of the days of Noah suggest a metaphorical interpretation of the entire Book of Revelation.
8. More likely, like the Fig Tree and the remaining passages, Matthew 24:42-51, may simply be Jesus addressing the hardness of mankind’s heart throughout the last days, if not the whole of human history.
9. From a Biblical point of view, few things are more certain than man’s propensity to deception from sin above (fallen angels and demons), about (society) and within (fallen nature). A sad but frequent refrain, reaching its crescendo when even after the judgment and destruction of Revelation’s seven seals and six trumpets we are told, “But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality (also a good fit for contraceptive abortion) or their thefts.”
10. The Olivet Discourse then concludes with Matthew 25’s account of Christs parables of the Ten Virgins, Talents and Sheep and Goats, interestingly placing ”eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” about Mid-Olivet Discourse.
11. BTW: The casualty counts of 1/4 of mankind in Revelation 6:7-8 and 1/3 of mankind in Revelation 9:13-19 present strong evidence for a largely literal interpretation of the Book of Revelation.

• "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV

• "Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." 2 Timothy 2:25-26 NIV

• "Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered." Hebrews 5:7-8 NKJV

• “Jesus, seeing all His friends asleep and all His enemies wakeful, commits Himself entirely to His Father. Jesus does not regard in Judas his enemy, but the order of God, which He loves and admits, since He calls him friend… Jesus tears Himself away from His disciples to enter into His agony; we must tear ourselves away from our (distractions for our) nearest and dearest to imitate Him. Jesus being in agony and in the greatest affliction, let us pray longer.

• All true passion is born out of anguish. All true passion for Christ comes out of a baptism of anguish.

• Hear’s what God said, “I’ve heard the words of this people. They have well said all that they have spoken. O that there were such a heart in them. That they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always that it might be well with them, and their children forever!”

• “When I (Nehemiah) heard these words (regarding the ruin of Jerusalem) I set down and wept. And morned certain days and fasted. And prayed before the God of heaven.”

• We face a similar situation except ours is many times worse.

• Does it matter to you at all that God’s spiritual Jerusalem, the church, is now married to the world?

• Does it matter about the Jerusalem that’s in our own hearts? The sign of ruin that is slowly draining spiritual power and passion? Blind to lukewarmness. Blind to the mixture that’s creeping in.

• You won’t fight. You won’t labor in prayer anymore. You won’t weep before God anymore. You can sit and watch television and your family go to hell!

• Does it really matter to you that your unsaved loved ones are dying and we’re getting closer and closer to the end?

• Where’s the anguish. Where’s the tears. Where’s the mourning? Where’s the fasting?

• It’s going to take more than preaching. More than a new revelation.

• Please don’t tell me you’re concerned. Don’t tell me you want your unsaved loved ones saved while you’re spending hours before the internet or television. Come on…

• There’s going to be no renewal, no revival, no awakening until we’re willing to let Him once again break us. Folk’s it’s getting late and it’s getting serious.

• “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:1-3 NIV

• “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?” James 4:4-5 NIV

• “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:6-10 NIV

• "It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations -these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner – no mere tolerance, or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment.

• "Jesus said, There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side. The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’ Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’ The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’ But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31

• How rich was the rich man? All we are told of the rich man is that he was a likely homeowner who dressed and ate well. It's doubtful his home and furnishings, wardrobe or menu were half as fantastic as the average First World citizen's.

• What was the rich man's sin? While Lazarus lay at the other's gate, we are left to assume the rich man knew of and ignored the beggar's plight. Outside of the possibility of the sin of omission, there is no record of wrong doing on the part of the rich man.

• There is no virtue associated with Lazarus: Scripture is entirely silent as to any apparent faith or righteousness on Lazarus' part. In fact, such dire circumstances suggests quite the opposite. The Bible often assures God's provision to those faithfully seeking and serving Him.

• Lazarus dies from exposure and is carried into safety by multiple angels. With nothing more than extreme poverty and alienation to commend him, the beggar is borne by angels to a place of paradise within Hell.

• Upon death, the rich awakens in flaming torment. Rather than demanding an explanation the rich man humbly requests a few drops of water from Lazarus' hand to cool his tongue.

• Abraham denies this modest request. The father of the Jews answers he's physically unable to comply with his great, great, great....grandson's request. Abraham lays no charge of sin against the one in torment. His only explanation is that on Earth the rich man had received "good things" and Lazarus "evil things." Now their roles would be eternally reversed!

• The rich man becomes an evangelical. The tormented man immediately pleads for the salvation of his family. His charismatic request for an appearance of Lazarus to his father and five brothers is denied.

• The man in torment repeats his request. Fearing his loved ones lack of respect for Scripture, he presses Abraham to send Lazarus. Again his request is denied.

• "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

• "He has forgiven you all your sins: Christ has utterly wiped out the damning evidence of broken laws and commandments which always hung over our heads, and has completely annulled it by nailing it over his own head on the cross. And then having drawn the sting of all the powers ranged against us, he exposed them, shattered, empty and defeated, in his final glorious triumphant act!" Colossians 2:17-19 PHILLIPS