I was listening to someone named Todd Friel of Way of the Master Radio talk of the Covenants, and did a search on Tabernacle (cute word, my sister says), and found this website: The Tabernacle
It was so paradigm for me to learn what God set up in that type and shadow, because I understand now the 7 churches of Revelations and how that relates to God's revelation and redemptive plan... sort of. It's starting to make a lot more sense. Cheers!
The Da Vinci Code presents quite a number of lies and then attempts to make them popular, then having declared that they are fiction, attempts to pass them and their 'sources' off as true facts. I've been to the Ink and Blood museum and seen the third century Gospel of John. I mean, the Gospel of Phillip that it derives its Mary Magdalene thing from - there's only one fragmented copy of it in existance, and the words that the Da Vinci Code holds and uses as evidence don't even exist within the text... Yet there are 5000 manuscripts of Matthew-John, and writings dating 184 AD as to confirm that nearly all of the 27 were accepted within a single lifetime of their writing, which is remarkable considering that the first half of God's revelation under the Old Covenant was penned by 40 different authors over several thousand years with no clue what the other guy's book said, yet with one integrated design. Just a little Da Vinci Code slam here... More to come, maybe. May 19th is the day that the movie comes out, and there are a lot of lies circulating because of these things. But like that Anglican church, lets all in the body of Christ be obedient to Jesus Christ and let the light given to us shine out the darkness. Cheers!
I'd like to go to church. I am dying to fellowship with those not complacent to just feel holy, sing songs, play music, eat... Those are great. I love praising the Lord. It's just that He's commanded we do more than that. Those are superficial. I've met some wonderful people in Tampa with so great a faith... At USF... But when I go to church here in Saint Pete, there's no one like that... If anyone reads this that is soundly saved, please pray for me - I'd like to find a church, even if it means moving to Tampa. Blah. :-(
"If I say to you, Why did Jesus came into the world? You'd say to me, He came into the world to save sinners. That's not what Jesus said. What did Jesus say? In the 17th Chapter of the Gospel of John, the Most amazing chapter maybe in the bible, what did it say? It says that they may know Thee the only true God. ... He didn't come to make bad man good, he came to make dead men live! Unless men are born again, they go back to the same thing"
"Someone quoted it the other day... 'Oh well, we're only human' What do you mean, You're re deemed and you're only human? If you're really in the Spirit, according to Romans 8, You have the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God, and the Holy Spirit. How can you have a 3-fold filling of God and be human merely?! Human? ... Your pastor backs you off, you know why? Because of that word, 'You're only human.' That covers your failure, it covers your weakness, it covers your disobedience. You may think everyone else are failures, so it doesn't matter! Forget it! Tell your pastor to get a shot from heaven. I'm sick to death of people limping around...I want God to touch my will, my mind, my heart, my vision. I don't want to live like other guys!"
Man... Wish I had friends like that in high school. Though, one thing he said, I think he was just getting excited over: If there's something wrong with your pastor, pray for him. He's anointed by the Lord to lead the flock, and don't cut him up - pray for him and have the Captain of our Salvation lead him out. That's the shot from heaven...
I saw a statistic that in 2004, 76.5% of this country professes to be Christian. Are they? They may name the name of Christ, but that doesn't mean that they are saved and will go to heaven when they die, according to scripture. God said they have to have the righteousness of Christ, no exceptions.
But lets use the number. the population of the USA is 295,734,134 people.
295,734,134 * .765 = 226,236,612.51 Lets round that to 226,236,613 people that name the name of Christ...
Let me explain: The bible defines an evangelist as someone that edifys the body of Christ Ephesians Chapter 4, Verses 11 and 12, and thenon... So, the great commission in Matthew Chapter 28 to go and share the Gospel is a matter of obedience for the entire body. We're all called to share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I heard Oswald J. Smith say that we're not called to Christian-ize, but to evangelize the world, meaning that the Gospel must be published among all nations, as a witness before all nations, before the end will come, just like scripture says Matthew Chapter 24, Verse 14. The whole body of Christ needs to share the Gospel.
Now lets say that same 226 million were to do what they were supposed to do and go out and share the Gospel, regardless of if they truly were repentant and saved by grace or not. Lets be generous. 2 people a day, 3 times a week, for half a year.
226,236,613 people * (2 people) * (3 days) * (26 weeks) = 35292911628 people
35 billion people in half a year. Now, lets see how that goes to today's population of 6 billion.
35292911628 people / 6,000,000,000 = 5.882151938. 5.882151938 rounded to 6.
That means, if the entire "body" of Christ (if the ones that called themselves Christian) were truly following Christ, we would have reached the entire 6 billion population of the world nearly 6 times over. The Gospel would have been well-published. The scripture out of the Lord Jesus Christ's mouth would have been fulfilled. And the end would come: meaning, we could all go home, packing it all up.
The question is, why aren't they following Christ commandments. And a deeper question is, what makes them think that they are serving Christ, and are Christians and are saved? Is this the lukewarmity that Christ spoke about in Revelations Chapter 3, Verse 16? If so, that means that they're going to be vomitted out of Christ's mouth just as it says. Meaning, the body of Christ in America makes Christ sick to His stomach.
Made me think... I'm just hoping these statistics are all bogus and I'm a fool, because it would mean that the lost and most of the people that think they're saved, yet they serve themselves, are living in rebellion to God, not listening to Him, and are going to go to hell. :-(
Essenes - According to the historian Pliny the Elder, the Essenes lived a communal life in the wilderness of Judea, beside the north-western tip of the Dead Sea. In 1947, what is likely to have been the library of the Essene community was discovered in eleven caves at Qumran. Translations of these 'Dead Sea Scrolls' as they came to be called, reveal that this community was a Jewish sect of monastic persuasion whose daily life comprised, for the most part, study and prayer.
There is no mention of the Essenes - they probably existed from the second century BC to the second century AD - but they were clearly a part of the Jewish life of the time, even though they chose to withdraw to the ascetic life. Was there a connection between the Essene community and John the Baptist's appearance 'in the wilderness of Judea'? (Matthew 3.1) It is unlikely that his preaching would have seemed alien to the Essenes: perhaps he had spent time within their community...
Kings of Other Lands
Seti I - Pharaoh from 1305 BC to 1290 BC and was probably the pharaoh during whose reign the Exodus was conceived, planned and, may be, executed, though it is likely that the Exodus took place at the beginning of the reign of Seti's son, Ramses II. Some scholars will argue that Seti I may have been the pharaoh 'who did not know Joseph' (Exodus 1.8) and enslaved the Hebrews, but the stronger argument places the enslavedment much earlier, during the reign of Ahmose, some two hundred years earlier.
Ramses II - Pharaoh of Egypt and the son of Seti I. He reigned from 1290 to 1224 BC and was probably the pharaoh of Exodus, though some scholars have made arguments against this proposition.
Cover of Black Enterprise that came through the mail: "The Business of Faith:" 'Black Megachurches are turning pastors into CEOs of multimillion-dollar enterprises.' "The line between church and business is often blurred as ministries grant pastors oversight powers of both for-prift and nonprofit ventures....By embracing the gospel of entrepreneurship and sound business practices, [***] says he's answering God's calling. 'Economically empowering minorities is a crictical part of my mission'... [***] represents a growing number of black megachurch ministers who pursue business interests while shepherding the ecclesial flock... In today's encironment, many pastors function as CEOs, developing & executing strategic plans that utilize financial and human resources to achieve objectives..." "To secure the flow of revenue for his far-reaching endeavors, Jakes employs what he calls the three Ps: partners, corporations that help fund programs and initiatives; products, items that are sold to the public for proceeds, which are returned to the church; and people, congregants who make significant contributions to the church. [Blank] also receives its share of corporate sponsorship. Unlike traditional church revivals, last year's wildly popular MegaFest conference was financed by major coprorations such as Coca-Cola, St. Joseph's Aspirin, and American Airlines. These compaines provide financial assistance in exchange for the opportunity to promote their product lines."/Black Enterprise
"And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:" "And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;" "And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise." /John
"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves," "And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves."/Matthew
"Church resources are buttressed by the tithing of millions across the globe, philanthropic contributions, as well as sales from tapes of [***]'s sermons. 'The parishioners we see today are vastly different from the ones 25 years ago. They have more money and are more diverse,' [***] says. 'We are pastoring to the equivalent of a small city. That power is in part a reflection of the size and sophistication of many modern, large churches.'"
How would Jesus Christ reply? Who's greater, this pastor, or my Lord Jesus Christ? I have nothing against pastors: I'm not one. I'm not anointed or called to lead a flock or anything. But I know my Lord, and His will be done. What would Jesus do about this? Drive them out! If only I could do something. I heard Chuck Missler say one day, 'You have something more powerful than the ballot box. It's called the prayer closet.' Lets pray for these crooked people, that the Lord will have mercy on them in the day of Judgement.
The Holy Spirit showed me something. I once heard a wise pastor look straight into the TV screen on the television and say, 'If you send your tithes to us, and I know its your tithe, I'm going to send it back to you. Don't send your tithes here. I'm not your pastor. And don't send me letters about visiting you in your hospital. I'm in Florida, for goodness' sakes! You need to go to your pastor!' ...or something to that affect... It's pretty close to what he said. Greatest thing I'd ever heard come from the television in a while.
It's funny because we've just looked at their works. We haven't even gone into what they're preaching yet. But from their works I can see their faith - they're not preaching the right Gospel. How can you live by the Gospel that says it's the power of salvation to die to running your own life, living for worldly goods, putting yourself and your family in your heart, and forsaking all to please God and own a $45 million dollar sanctuary and multimillion dollar business and whatnot? I'm no judge. I have no part in saying what they should and should not do, Jesus does. I just better make sure my own works are gold, silver, and precious stones rather than wood, hay, stubble, before my Lord puts the fire to my devotional life. Even if I am judging them, like Jesus said, it's a righteousness judgement - it's by the Father (John Chatper 8, Verses 15 and 16).
One of the first questions people seem to ask someone who shares the Gospel is, 'What church do you go to?' I don't know why... Perhaps because they think that I learned all these things about Jesus in church? Or, I'm a big church guy?
I have just now started going to church and getting under the authority of a Pastor. I love church, and fellowship. Christ calls those that He has saved, Bride, and Church (capital C); but it doesn't take church (small c, building) to get to know Jesus Christ. To get saved, or receive eternal life. It's not church-life that you need to accept, it's Jesus Christ. It's not church that will judge you, but the Son will sit on the white throne of Judgement and put all that you've done in the darkness on display. It was fun going to church yesterday, but I'd rather be out there casting the net so my Lord can fill it, and use me to do what He's trying to get done for so many years. He'll fill the nets if I trust Him enough to cast it. He'll clean the fish if I obey Him and catch them. It's great singing and dancing. And I love to worship my Lord. But there's a world of people out there dying, and it's hard enough to hear their crying from hell while they're rejecting a tract or telling me 'Get away, you wont convert me.' It's hard enough as it is... Lets go out there and do our work. Plow the field, so the Master can come and give us our wage. Get this job done so that all that Jesus spoke of that is truth can come to pass. Lets share the Gospel. Even if we make ourselves fools for our Lord.
This Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday, or Easter, please... Don't just go to church because it's right. Please go there because you want to repent and put your trust in the Savior. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen, even an answer off of someone's test? Have you ever looked at a woman with lust? Or even used the Lord's name in vain? Jesus said that those that do such things cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven. Please recognize that you've sinned against God. Even if you think that you're a good person, see yourself from God's eyes, that you're condemned under the law, and there's no righteousness in you. See that you have the disease, and turn from it and be ready to seek after the cure in Jesus Christ's name. You need God more than anything else, and everything else is more of a waste of time compared to your eternal salvation. The soul that sins, it shall die, but those that put their trust in God have their sins forgiven and will see God's face. Please, give no regard to those burning questions you have in your mind. Turn on the light and be born again, receiving the Holy Spirit, and let the darkness flee.
LesPaulKing##: do you believe in the power of evil? CharnonIsaac: How do you know what the power of evil is unless the commandments have told you what it is? CharnonIsaac: Didn't you know that when Christ died on the cross, He became all the power of the devil, the serpent, and the demonic authority, and He killed it in His crucifixion on the cross within Himself? CharnonIsaac: The Hebrews were God's people in the desert, He set them free. But their heart was far from Him. And when they bowed down to idols and whatnot, God sent serpents to bite them. But He had mercy on them. And so He sent Moses to make a brazen serpent on a pole. And to walk around. And whosoever looks upon this serpent on a pole, their venomous bite wouldn't kill them, and they'd live. And so Jesus assumed the power of this serpent on a cross. He took all the power of satan and the devil and the authority, and crucified it. He died to set you free from all the power of death. If you've ever told a lie, stolen, lusted after a woman, hated someone. Had an evil thought. Or done something that your conscience bears witness of, like broken a promise. Gotten impatient with someone: Then the power of the devil and of evil has taken root inside of you. And its growing like a plant and when it's fully matured, it will blossom and bear the fruit death. You'll die. Death was made to destroy sin. But God doesn't want you to die. He wants to be able to call you His child. But He can't do that if your unrighteousness is present. You have to see that you've sinned against Him and broken His laws. And to see that Jesus Christ is the only way out of the wrath of God. In hell. Repent (turn from your sins) and put your trust in Jesus Christ. CharnonIsaac: Thank you for letting me tell you that. CharnonIsaac: Is it okay if I let others know the answers to your question in my blog? LesPaulKing##: sure CharnonIsaac: Thanks. LesPaulKing## signed off at 6:46:03 PM.
We're concerned for the sinner in China And the heathen in Mandalay, But say, do we care, have we offered a prayer For the neighbor just over the way?
We say we would go with the Gospel To lighten dark Africa's shore, but Have we spoken a word in the Name of the Lord To people who live just next door?
The person who lives down the highway, Who looks so forbidding and grim; Do we have no "call" to witness at all Or speak of the Savior to him?
We'd take the Gospel to savages, We'd cross the stormy tide; But we will not "tell out" what the Gospel's about To the fellow who works by our side!
We'd tell of our wonderful Savior And His love we have found so sweet To some far-off lot, but certainly not To folks we will meet on the street!
Oh, we would be missionaries And go out the lost ones to seek. We'll send a preacher to Hindustan And we'll buy New Testaments for Japan, But never a word will we speak!
Dear Joel Osteen, I have something to say, but it's not very funny. And it's not about me, it's about Jesus. I started following Christ 3 years ago at the age of 17, and afterward read my bible daily at the minimum of 4 hours a day, every day. I was and am to this day, on fire for the Lord. I'd read through Ezekiel and Isaiah and Jeremiah and knew all sorts of biblical facts. I could present a case of things to say the Lord had given me and taught me by revelation by the Holy Spirit, and I'd go to work at my telesales job with my team in their cubicles reading my bible and tell them about the amazing God I serve. And they'd find it hard to believe me. So I'd tell them this (Ezekiel Ch. 1), and that (Isaiah 14). And afterward, about 3 months after I started the job, I found that none of the people I was telling these facts to were getting saved. They weren't brought to the Saviour and bowing on their knees to humble themselves or having the same passion I was. And under the covers I was still falling into sexual sin. I came to find that I didn't know what sin was, and from then on, even though I knew and loved my Lord Jesus, I hadn't understood why it was so important for Him to die on the cross, saying, "Yes, generally, we're all sinners. We all fall short." But I didn't know who went to hell or what I was saved *from*. I was a false convert. The tree was good, in that I was saved, but the fruit was bad. So I'd keep coming to the cross, and soon enough He taught me that I'd gotten saved, but I hadn't repented. I hadn't turned from my sin. I didn't have to say generally I'm a sinner, I was *required* to say first, I'm a liar, thief, and a murderer at heart. You see, I added Christ and accepted Him into my life. When, really, I myself needed God's acceptance first and foremost. I had told people they had a hole in their heart that needed filling with God, that money and drugs couldn't fill it, but God made it for Himself to fit. But that was twisted - they have a filthy, dirty heart that doesn't need filling, but cleansing! I had followed Christ to the cross without being crucified in Christ Jesus. How could I carry my cross daily and deny myself if it was all about me? Is it Christ I serve, or is it myself? So it's oh-so important to be crucified with Christ Jesus on the cross and repent and turn from sins - that it's Jesus that we serve and not ourselves, otherwise we experience a false conversion, like I did, fall away from the faith soon enough, and do nothing for the body of Christ or the kingdom of our God here on earth.
If I had preached this innocuous Gospel - that God can improve your finances, take away your debts, lead you to lasting happiness, and fill you with love and joy - without first telling them that they needed to be saved from God's wrath and repent, everyone that would have heard it (well not everyone, I'm one that heard it, and now know better) may have fallen away from the faith! The Gospel should always be these three things that Paul understood in First Corinthians Chapter 15 - Christ crucified, Christ buried, and Christ risen.
Crucified in that We triumph by the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony and that we've killed our own dead lives and dead works on the cross with Jesus in repentance, continuing to put ourselves away to serve God; buried in that the old nature and its ways are dead in that grave and have been put to rest and true Sabbath is to do God's will rather than ours; and ascended in that we walk in the Spirit, and live to please the Lord rather than our own flesh!
You see God *can* rid me of debts and fill me with happiness and love! Those are fruit of the Spirit, and I love Him for that and thank Him for showing me the truth, but if I wasn't made right with the Lord first, I would never have understood it, never been right with the Lord totally in my own conscience, and fallen into unimportant theological things.
God is no longer my enemy because I've come to Him a sinner and surrendered, and as I follow Christ an ally, I now know and see that if God's judging flame was put to my devotional life back then - my wood-hay-stubble devotional life that was solely based around satisfying my intellect - would have been burnt up. Instead, we should be sharing the Gospel based around Christ dying for us, worth it, and not just restricted to our life down here, but that we actually have eternal life and forgiven sins down here on earth! Christ is able! I didn't need to hear that I was forgiven before I could know what the God I'd serve forever was forgiving me *of*. I know now that I'm saved from God's wrath in a literal hell, and I'm so thankful one can truly understand what God's grace and forgiveness *is*.
