Tag: End of Days

Acts 5:12 — Testudo Formation

~ mikethemissionary

    And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
‭‭Acts‬ ‭5‬:‭12‬ ‭

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In this post, let’s take a closer look at the fellowship they enjoyed in the early church. The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia, which means much more to a Christian than the dictionary definitions like ‘partnership’ or ‘community’. When Christians fellowship, they share a spiritual connection with one another through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. (Matt 18:20) 

I am always amazed at how I can meet a brother from another mother (same Father) 8000 miles or more away from home, who I have nothing in common with except our faith in Christ, and immediately I feel closer to him than I do to my brother from my same mother. (No offense Todd, but you need Jesus.)

In the verse above, we see how strong their fellowship was in the early church. If you do not have Christian friends you need to make some (I John 1:7), which means you are going to have to be friendly. Solomon wrote A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: (‭‭Pr‬ ‭18‬:‭24a‬) The best place to start looking is at church. (Heb 10:25) 

When the fiery darts come, and they will (II Tim 3:12), you do not want to be standing alone. When Roman soldiers saw a barrage of missiles coming, they formed a canopy shell with their shields called the testudo (lit tortoise) formation. Likewise, our shields of faith (Eph 6:16) are more effective when we join them together with the shields of other believers. The way the Christians were all in one accord in Acts 5 is the ideal. This is what Jesus wants to see in his church (Ps 133), but the sad reality is that we have drifted a long way from Acts 5:12. (Matt 24:12; Rev 3:14-22) If you are having trouble finding like-minded believers to fellowship with, remember that all of the heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11 walked alone. Not by choice, but sometimes that is what happens. (Sparrows travel in flocks but eagles don’t.) We should never give up, but when all else fails, remember there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Pr 18:24b) Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. Jesus is with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Father, we pray for unity in the body of Christ. We pray for your church to be in one accord, as they were in Acts 5. If anyone reading this needs help connecting with other Christians, direct her or his path as needed. Fill each of us with your Holy Spirit, that we may follow the more excellent way of I Corinthians 13, that we may obey your commandment to love one another, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 4:32-5:11 — Great Power and Great Grace

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In this post, we will get a closer look at the moving of the Holy Spirit in the early church. The Spirit-filled believers in Acts 4 were of one accord because they were led of the Holy Spirit and they all followed the same Spirit-filled apostles. There was no one to sow division or preach false doctrine. When everyone submits to spiritual authority there is peace and harmony. This is the theme of a book I am reading by Watchman Nee, Spiritual Authority (Christian Fellowship Publishers, Inc, 1972). It will be so in heaven. When we finally make it to the New Jerusalem, we will all be on the same page with Jesus, his Father, the Holy Spirit, and one another. There will be no more backbiting, no squabbling over doctrine, just perfect unity. 

Father, give us understanding as we read thy word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 4:32-5:11
32    And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
33    And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

The Holy Spirit gave great power (Gk dynamei; where we get our English word, dynamite) to the early church as the apostles continued to give witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. That same great power and great grace is still available to us today. I need that grace. I want that power. 

34    Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
35    And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
36    And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

Here is the first mention of Barnabas, a man who lived up to his name. Barnabas will become an important figure in the Book of Acts. 

37    Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

With the great power and great grace came great giving to every man as he had need, but Ananias and Sapphira will be less than honest about their giving. Later in the New Testament, we see there were also those (and still are) who took advantage of the generosity of Christians. (Eg, II Thess 3:10f) We must therefore exercise discernment and ask to be led of the Spirit in our giving. 

BUT a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2    And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3    But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4    Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

There are a few key points here: First, Peter asks Ananias why he lied to the Holy Spirit; then Peter tells Ananias he lied to God. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is God. (Or, more specifically, the third Person in the Godhead, God the Holy Spirit.)

Second, Peter reminds Ananias that his possession was his own before he sold it, and afterward the money was still his to do with as he pleased. He was not obligated to give it to the church. Yet Ananias lied and said he gave it all, when in reality he kept back some for himself. In The Spiritual Man, Watchman Nee talks about how important motive is when we do things for God. In other words, doing the right thing is not always the right thing if we do it for the wrong reason, like to get a reward of some sort, and not simply out of love for Jesus. Barnabas gave out of love for God and love for his brothers and sisters in Christ. Ananias and Sapphira, on the other hand, not only gave with the wrong motive, they lied about it. Under New Covenant grace, our giving is not bound by the letter of the law. II Corinthians 9:7 says I am to give as I purpose in my heart (not a fixed amount). To me, that means I am to give as I am led by the Spirit. 

Third, although great grace was upon them all (4:33), the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable. (Jam 3:17) Grace requires repentance. (Luke 13:5 et al) Ananias and Sappira were engaging in hypocrisy, which literally means ‘acting’. They had not truly repented.

Fourth, Peter asks Ananias why Satan filled his heart. The Greek word for filled is the same word used for being filled with the Holy Sprit. It is often preached that a Christian cannot be demon possessed, and if a Christian is repentant and Spirit-filled, I would agree with that. (I John 4:4) But when a Christian grieves the Holy Spirit by engaging in sinful behavior like Ananias and Sapphira did, I think the Bible is pretty clear that it gives Satan legal ground to enter. That is why we must stay in the word and keep short accounts with God when we sin. I do not wait until I pray before I go to bed. If I sin, I immediately confess it and ask to be forgiven. (I John 1:9) If a Christian is involved in egregious sins like heavy drinking or drug use, homosexuality, etc either before or after he gets saved, I would highly recommend he seek biblical counseling and make a point of confessing and repenting of each and every aspect of his sinful behavior. Furthermore, he must purge his home and his life of all such materials (pornography, drugs, witchcraft books, etc). Not doing so leaves a door open for the enemy to possess or oppress him. Remember Matthew 17:21 (KJV).

5    And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6    And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7    And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8    And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9    Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10    Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11    And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
Acts 4:15-5:11

This matter of Ananias and Sapphira lying about their giving was so crucial that the Holy Spirit simply killed them rather than letting their sin hinder the progress of the church. Watchman Nee would have pointed out that they were rebelling against spiritual authority. Saul, for example, rebelled against spiritual authority by sparing the best of the sheep and the cattle to sacrifice to the LORD. Because he refused to destroy all the Amalekites along with their sheep and cattle, Saul (the first king of Israel) was killed by an Amalekite. This purged the throne of Saul’s rebelliousness, and his crown was given to the line of David.

In I Corinthians 11:30, Paul said that many in Corinth had become sick and even died because they were taking the cup and the bread of holy communion “unworthily.” These along with Ananias and Sapphira are examples of a sin unto death (I John 5:16f). 

Jesus said if we do our alms only to be seen, we have no reward (Matt 6:1). By going a step further and lying about it, Ananias and Sapphira were allowing Satan to get a foothold in the church. They may have even became influential people in the church. Wiersbe points out how God takes particular care to judge impurities when He is starting a new work. (Lev 10; Josh 7) If Ananias and Sapphira had not been judged for their sin, the power the church enjoyed would have soured and the unity would have given way to division.

Ananias and Sapphira were judged by God, but Church discipline is a different matter. Paul exhorted Timothy to rebuke those who sin before all, that others may fear. (I Tim 5:20) That is what happened when Ananias and Sapphira were killed. Great fear came upon all who heard these things. (5:5, 11) In other words, it had a purifying effect and the work of the Spirit proceeded unhindered. First there was great power and great grace. (4:33) Then, God used great fear to purify the body. Let’s pray about how we can purify our thoughts and actions, that the Spirit may feel more at home in our hearts. Let’s pray about how we can do better at submitting to spiritual authority, so the Holy Spirit can guide us and fill us with his power. 

In closing, please pray for a family I know in South Africa. The mom, like Sapphira, has fallen prey to the deception of the enemy. Traditional African healers posing as ‘Christian’ prophets have been telling her to keep away from family members who believe only in the Bible. She has had serious health problems since she started listening to these ‘prophets’. Pray she will have the discernment and courage to repent, trust God, and to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Prophecy Update: It cannot be denied that the structure whereby financial transactions take place is being reengineered into something never dreamt of, except by John the Revelator (Rev 13:16-18). The EU is moving forward with plans for a digital euro. The UK has joined the growing list of nations to require digital ID. The latest ‘improvements’ in transactions are being implemented via the integration of autonomous AI ‘agents’ to assist in the process. To me, these are all warning signs, like the little red light that tells you that you are almost out of gas.

In this post we saw how sin grieves the Holy Spirit. It ought to grieve us as well. In the Book of Ezekiel, an angel with an ink horn is commanded to go through Jerusalem and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof. In ancient Hebrew, each of the characters were pictographs with symbolic meanings. The word for mark is spelled תו. The ancient character for ‘tau’ was a simple cross (+). The symbol for ‘vau’ was a tent peg, or nail. The text literally said to set a cross and a nail on the foreheads of those who were grieved with the sin of the city:

  And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark [ו+] upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
Ezekiel 9:4

Then other angels with slaughter weapons in their hands were commanded to kill all those who did not have the mark of a cross and a nail on their foreheads:

    Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
Ezekiel 9:6

    Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.
Ezekiel 9:9

I believe this was not necessarily something that Ezekiel meant for the people of his day, or if so, not exclusively. I believe Ezekiel was seeing into the future, after the third Temple is built in Jerusalem just before the great tribulation period (which technically is the last 3.5 years of Daniel’s seventieth ‘week’). The Bible says that shortly after the Temple is built, the Antichrist is going to set up the abomination of desolation in that Temple. (Matt 24:15; II Thess 2:4) The iniquity of that event will be exceeding great, but what about the rest of us? Whether one considers what is happening in Israel, America, or just about anyplace else in the world today, the iniquity is exceeding great and should cause all of us to sigh and cry.

Finally, I have a book that was printed in 1973 that said there were 200 priests in Israel who were being trained to perform temple sacrifices. Ever since I committed my life to Christ in 1995, I have been hearing about how they have already built the Temple in Jerusalem, and how it is ready to be assembled at a moment’s notice. We have been warned for a long time now. The Temple is going to be built eventually, just as the Bible says. We are living in the last generation. When judgment comes, only those who are mindful that Jesus was nailed to a cross for us (ו+) will escape. 

Acts 4:15-31 — The Power of the Holy Spirit

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In our last post, Peter and John used their arrest as an opportunity to preach the gospel to the Sanhedrin. In this post, we will see how the Sanhedrin responded to the witness of the Holy Spirit (v 8), and how the church in turn responded afterwards. Give us understanding, Father, as we read thy word, in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Acts 4:15-31
15    But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
16    Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
17    But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. [Jesus]
18    And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19    But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
20    For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
21    So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
22    For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

These scholarly religious leaders continue to resist the voice of the Holy Spirit. Why? Because they were in the flesh, as we saw in our last post. (So they that are in the flesh cannot please God. –Rom 8:8) On the other hand, the common people whom Peter and John reported back to are being led of the Spirit:

23    And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
24    And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
25    Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
26    The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. [Ps 2:1f]
27    For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
28    For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
29    And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
30    By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

There is power in the name of God’s Son. The church understood this just as Peter and John did when they were threatened by the council. I believe almost everybody understands this at some level. If they did not, they would not use Jesus’ name to curse.

31    And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Acts 4:15-31

When Peter and John are threatened, they turn it around and ask their persecutors to judge what is right — to obey them or to obey God. (Luke 21:15)

When the church heard about what happened, they accepted it as God’s will (v 28) and glorified God. When they prayed, they did not ask for the persecution to stop, but rather that they would be given boldness to preach the word, and also that they could see more healings (vv 29f). God must have been pleased with these prayers as the place where they were assembled was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (v 31). Their prayers were answered and they spake the word of God with boldness. That is some powerful prayer. I want that power. 

Father, help us to be bold like they were in the early church. Help us to be led of the Spirit as they were. Help us to be faithful unto death that we may receive a crown of life, the same as them. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Prophecy Update: When Peter and John reported back to their friends after their arrest in the passage above, the situation was urgent. Peter and John being arrested and threatened by the high priest would be sort of like if your pastor was thrown in a federal jail in DC, then threatened by the president. They therefore had a prayer meeting. In their prayer, they viewed Psalm 2 as a prophecy that spoke to their situation. The kings of the earth … and rulers — ie the Jewish leaders, the Roman leadership such as Pilate, and Rome’s vassal, Herod — had set themselves, and taken counsel together against the LORD and his Anointed. When I read Psalm 2, I see the world leaders of our day, nearly all of whom are rebelling against the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as the rebellious leaders in Acts 4 were unable to stop God’s program in the first century, the rebellious leaders of today are powerless to stop his program in the twenty-first century. Psalm 2 goes on to say that God is laughing at these rulers and He is going to break them with a rod of iron. Yet the psalmist says they can still repent: Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Jesus said And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 

The situation is urgent for us too. The gospel has been preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, which means that the end is coming. The chaotic nature of current events can seem at times bewildering, but what seems clear is how the chaos is being used to steer us in a certain direction. Current events, together with information online and elsewhere, are whipping up passions and nudging people towards a race war, if not a civil war. I believe this is by design. I believe there is an evil spirit behind it. I believe it has been going on for a very long time. Over 55 years ago, the Manson cult committed murders for the expressed purpose of starting a race war. They tried to make it look like black people did it. Think about that, and remember that God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. Remember God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God knows what He is doing. We need to trust Him, not the latest narrative on Rumble. We are living in the age of deceit and the biggest hoax of all is ready to be rolled out as soon as God removes his people from the earth — the aliens did it.

Would to God that we could have power like they had in the early church — prayer meetings that make the place where we are assembled together shake and fill us with the Holy Spirit, that we may speak the word of God with boldness. 

Let’s start with the assumption that such a move of the Holy Spirit is possible. (Mark 9:23; Phil 4:13) First, to have powerful prayer meetings, prayer needs to be inspired by the word of God, like in our passage above. (John 15:7) Second, our prayers must be according to God’s will and in harmony with the mind of Christ. (I John 5:14f) Third, powerful prayer is often prayer that is accompanied by fasting. (Neh 1:4; Ps 35:13; Dan 9:3; Matt 17:21; Mark 9:29; Luke 2:37; 5:33; Acts 10:30; 13:3; 14:23; I Cor 7:5) Each of these verses calls for both prayer and fasting. (KJV) The Christians in our passage practiced Hebrews 4:16 before Paul even wrote it; we can pray this way too. When Christians pray out loud, pray often, pray together, when they pray in accordance with God’s will, when they strengthen their prayers with fasting, and when they pray like lives depend on it, miracles happen.

Acts 4:1-14 The Witness of the Holy Spirit

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In this post, we continue with the scene that erupted after Peter healed the lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. While Jesus got in trouble for deliberately healing on the Sabbath, Peter and John are going to get it for healing in Jesus’ name and preaching through Jesus the resurrection of the dead — both of which are central themes in the Book of Acts. 

The Sadducees, who will confront Peter and John, did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. You might say they were the liberal theologians of their day. Yet while the doctrine of the resurrection was offensive to them, the name of Jesus was especially egregious. 

Father, give us understanding as we read thy word, in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Acts 4:1-14
AND as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple [a priest who had the Levitical guard under him(1)], and the Sadducees, came upon them,
2    Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3    And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
4    Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

First a man who was lame from birth was healed; then 5000 are saved through Peter’s preaching. Which then was the greater miracle? 

They say no good deed goes unpunished and I have found that to more or less be true. Anyone who preaches the gospel can tell you that the attacks and false accusations come out of nowhere, even in a ‘free’ country. John and Peter get to spend the night in jail for healing a lame man and preaching the gospel.

5    And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,
6    And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John [possibly Johanan ben Zaccai], and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
7    And when they had set them [Peter and John] in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

When Jesus healed on the Sabbath the religious leaders could not have cared less that a blind man was given sight. They were driven to madness because Jesus did not follow their misinterpretation of the law. Once again, these ‘rulers’ (ie the Sanhedrin; cf v 15), Annas, Caiaphas, along with the elders, scribes, and others — the very ones who condemned Jesus to death — do not care that the lame man was healed. They are irate that Peter healed him by the power and name of Jesus.

8    Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
9    If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
10    Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 

There Peter goes again, preaching on the resurrection — just like Jesus. (John 12:24 et al). And Paul: If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Col 3:1)

11    This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. [Ps 118:22]
12    Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
13    Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
14    And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
Acts 4:1-14

The Sadducees are resisting the witness of the Holy Spirit (v 8), which has been telling them to repent for years now. When God first spoke to his people after 400 years of silence, his very first word to them (through John the Baptist) was ‘Repent’. (Matt 3:2) Then when Jesus began his ministry, the first thing He preached was repentance. (Matt 4:17) Likewise, Peter preached repentance on Pentecost (Acts 2:38), and again in his second sermon as well. (Acts 3:19) Repentance is a theme that continues throughout the Book of Acts. (5:31; 8:22; 11:18; 13:24; 17:30; 19:4; 20:21; 26:20) Everyone needs to repent, which, of course, simply means to change your mind. Why were the religious leaders unmoved and oblivious to the witness of the Holy Spirit? Answer: Because they were in the flesh. 

One day as I was reading Notes on the Pentateuch by C H MacKintosh, I realized that trying to keep the law (Old Covenant) is not merely a theological error, it is in fact a matter of being in the flesh. 

MacKintosh explained how Romans 9 is not only about predestination. Predestination is there, but Romans 9 is also about following the law (in the flesh) versus salvation by grace through faith. Paul uses the examples of Esau and Pharaoh and compares them to Israel after the flesh (I Cor 10:18). Paul said the Jews, who continued to seek righteousness through the law, hath not attained to the law of righteousness (Rom 9:31) because they stumbled at the stumblingstone — Jesus. (Rom 9:33) Yet the Gentiles received the righteousness which is by faith (Rom 9:30), ie faith in Christ. Whether one is a Jew or a Gentile, trying to keep the law is trying to attain righteousness by one’s own merit, or what Paul called ‘dead works’. (Heb 6:1) Therefore, not only is the law powerless to save (Gal 2:16), but legalism is of the flesh. (Rom 7:5f) Contrariwise, those who are led of the Spirit are not under the law. (Gal 5:18) The Sadducees’ flesh would not suffer them to listen to a ‘nobody’ like John the Baptist who lived out in the desert, a Carpenter like Jesus, or the fishermen He chose to be his disciples. Although they marveled that these fishermen could preach boldly and quote the Scriptures, their flesh (pride) blinded them. Yet they seemed to understand that the power Peter and John possessed came from their connection to Jesus (v 13).

The flesh may look good when we are young — and even then, usually only after ample washing, primping, and perfuming — but sooner or later, the true nature of the flesh is revealed. The flesh is ugly, stinking, rotting, and dying. 

Peter and John were not in the flesh; they were filled with the Holy Spirit (v 8; Mark 13:11; John 14:26). Although they were unlearned and ignorant men (v 13), the power of their message was validated not only by the word of God (v 11), but also by the healing of the lame man, which the Sadducees had no answer for (v 14). These miraculous healings were common in the early church, but the real proof of a gospel message is in the word of God, especially now that the canon of Scripture is complete. (Rev 22:18) Satan can perform miracles too. (Mark 13:22; II Thess 2:9) Therefore, the Bible is the final authority. (John 17:17; II Tim 3:16; et al)

The learned Sadducees knew the Bible. However, despite their vast knowledge of the Scriptures, they were kept back by their flesh from seeing the plain truth. One thing I hope we can all get out of this study in Acts is the importance of walking in the Spirit. The law cannot save us. Our flesh will only lead us astray. The Spirit is the key. When we are perfected, we will be raised in a spiritual body. (I Cor 15:44) One of the great witnesses of the rapture will be the missing corpses which will be raised first, before those of us who are alive and remain are translated. First the morgues will start emptying of Christians. (I Thess 4:16) Then the living saints will be caught up. (I Thess 4:17) If anyone thinks to exhume the body of a Christian from the grave they will find her or him missing. Maybe that is one of the reasons the enemy hates the preaching of the resurrection so much (v 2).    

To be led of the Spirit is to believe in the resurrection. To be led of the Spirit is to emphasize salvation by grace through faith — and love. (Eph 2:1-9; I Cor 12:31-13:13; I Pet 4:8) To be led of the Spirit is to [t]rust in the LORD with all thine heart [not head]; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

In the early days of the colonies in America, Quakers were considered radicals because they believed in being led by the “Inward Light” of the Holy Spirit (not just by ordained ministers). Quakerism has been described as proto-evangelical. The tree is known by its fruit, and the Quakers were pioneers in the abolition movement; they were eventually even strong supporters of the Revolution in some cases, but in the early days of the colonies they were horribly persecuted by their legalistic Puritan peers in Massachusetts. Four Quakers were even hanged in Boston between 1659 and 1661.(2) Those who are in the flesh persecute those who are led of the Spirit. It has always been so. (Gal 4:29)

Father, help us to be Spirit-filled Christians who follow You with pure hearts. Help each of us to crucify our flesh, that we may live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit, in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Prophecy Update: Tragedy was a worldwide theme this week. In Kathmandu, Parliament, the Supreme Court, the homes of several prominent politicians, and other high-profile buildings were burned down as politicians fled the capital in helicopters. This was ostensibly over a ban on social media. In the end, the government backed down and rescinded the ban. Protests in Paris and cities across France continued, in an attempt to ‘Block Everything’. Israeli Bombing in Doha, which targeted five Hamas leaders, drew ridicule from Israel’s staunchest allies. (Qatar was only one of five countries attacked by Israel this week, in addition to Gaza.) Populist Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, was sentenced to 27 years for an ‘attempted coup’. There was yet another school shooting near Denver.

Husband, father, rising star in conservative circles, and follower of Jesus Christ, Charlie Kirk, was shot dead at a Prove Me Wrong event on the campus of Utah Valley University. The reaction from some of the haters on social media (and even some in government) to Charlie’s murder seemed to me almost an eerie foreshadowing of the way people will react following the murder of the two witnesses in Jerusalem, in the middle of the seventieth week of Daniel. (Rev 11:10)

Some might say it has always been this way, but I don’t think so. In her State of the Union Address on Wednesday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said, “Battle lines for a New World Order, based on power, are being drawn right now. So yes, Europe must fight for its place in the world in which many major powers are either ambivalent or openly hostile to Europe. A world of imperial ambitions and imperial wars. A world in which dependencies are ruthlessly weaponized, and it is for all these reasons that a new Europe must emerge.” She went on to say, “We will put our bilateral support to Israel on hold. … We will propose sanctions on the extremist ministers and on violent settlers. And we will also propose a partial suspension of the Association Agreement on trade-related matters.” The Bible says Jerusalem will become a cup of trembling in the last days (Zech 12:2), and that seems to be happening. 

1 Pulpit Commentary, s.v. Acts 4:1.
2 Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People, pp 177-181

Thank You for Charlie, Father. Watch over his family until they meet him again in your kingdom, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 3:12-26 — The Power of Jesus’ Name

~ mikethemissionary

Dear friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In our last post, the Holy Spirit healed a lame man who was begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple (probably the East Gate of the temple complex). This caused quite a stir and people came running (v 11). We pick back up now with the crowd looking at Peter and John in amazement. Give us understanding, Father, as we read thy word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 3:12-26
12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

Peter begins by correcting their misconception that he or John had any power of their own to heal the lame man. This is a common problem that often occurs when someone is healed miraculously by God.

13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

At the heart of the New Covenant is the resurrection of Christ. This was emphasized in Peter‘s first message (Acts 2), as it is here and Peter‘s second message (v 15). It will continue to be emphasized throughout the Book of Acts because that is the message of the gospel. (I Cor 15:1-4) Peter went on to write concerning baptism that we are saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (I Pet 3:21), as Baptism is an object lesson pointing to the resurrection. Immersion in the water is symbolic of being buried with Christ in his death. (Rom 6:4) Coming up out of the water is symbolic of being raised with Christ in newness of life. (Col 2:12) Peter wrote about how the old world died under the waters of the flood, then brought forth new life after the waters abated; this points to the resurrection along with the like figure of baptism. (I Pet 3:20f) In other words, the flood and baptism are both figurative of the resurrection.

Aaron’s authority was confirmed by the dead rod that budded with new life. (Num 17:8) Likewise, our spiritual power as Christians comes from the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Phil 3:10f) Sarah and Elizabeth both gave birth in their old age, bringing new life out of dead wombs. Sarah, to continue the bloodline of Messiah through Isaac; Elizabeth, to bring forth the forerunner to prepare the way for Messiah in John the Baptist. Both these miraculous births point to the resurrection. Just as Sarah and Elizabeth were powerless to conceive, we likewise can do nothing of ourselves. (John 15:5) Our ability to carry out our commission hinges on the resurrection of Christ and the new life we receive when we are born again. (Matt 28:18ff; Acts 1:3-8; cf l Pet 2:4-9)

Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead in Luke 8. Jesus raised a widow’s son from the dead in Luke 7. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in John 11. Jesus raised a great many more from the dead in Matthew 27. New life out of death is what the gospel is all about: And you hath he quickened [made alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:1-7)

16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed [ie, Jesus; Gen 22:18 KJV (new versions omit); cf Gal 3:16] shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
Acts 3:12-26

Peter’s sermon is packed with powerful doctrine and fulfilled prophecy, but let’s drill down into the last verse of Chapter 3, verse 26. Nearly all modern versions remove ‘Jesus’, but his name used to always be there. For example, the Spanish Bible that is widely used today omits Jesus’ name here, but I checked the Reina Valera version of 1602 and sure enough, ‘Jesus’ is there. Why would they remove Jesus’ name when it was Jesus’ name and faith in Jesus’ name which healed the lame man (vv 6, 16)?

(Furthermore, why would new versions change the reference in Genesis 22:18 (v 25) from ‘seed’ to the plural word ‘descendants’ or ‘offspring’ when Galatians 3:16 makes it clear the singular word ‘seed’ is a reference to Jesus?)

Before the advent of textual criticism, Christians trusted the leading of the Holy Spirit and chose to include Jesus’ name in Acts 3:26. For example, Jesus’ name was included here in the majority of cursive manuscripts from the 9th to the 16th century.(1) At that time, and until the late 19th century, Christians rejected the minority texts of Egypt (Jer 42:18; Hos 11:1; Matt 2:15; Acts 7:39; Rev 11:8), as their odd variances revealed a Gnostic leaning. Besides rejecting the deity of Jesus, the Gnostics believed that Jesus was only a spirit and did not come in the flesh. Their altered manuscripts are out of agreement with manuscripts from virtually all other geographical locations:

I Corinthians 15:47
Majority Text
the second man is the Lord from heaven
Alexandrian Text
the second man is the spirit from heaven(2)

Ephesians 5:30
Majority Text
members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones
Alexandrian Text
members of his body(3)

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
I John 4:3

So, by removing Jesus’ name from Acts 3:26, the Gnostics were altering God’s word to be more in agreement with their antichrist beliefs, namely, that Jesus is not the Son of God. (I John 2:22) Someone may protest and say, My new version has it in verse 13, so what does it matter if they took it out in verse 26? God designed his word with safeguards to keep his message intact. Chuck Missler used the analogy of how a communications officer would increase the frequency of a signal to keep his transmission from getting jammed, but God nevertheless commands us to keep every word, because every word is important. (Deut 4:2; Jer 26:2; Matt 5:18; Rev 22:19) Besides, new versions translate paída as ‘servant’ in verse 13 instead of Son, which agrees more with the Gnostic view. Even the old Catholic Douay-Rheims version translated paída as ‘Son’.

Jesus’ name is removed in scores of places in new versions (eg, around 73 times in the NASB) to water them down. Also often removed are his title, Lord, and his identity as Christ (Messiah). I was saved before I started using the KJV, so I’m not saying that new versions cannot be used by God, but they have definitely been weakened. The enemy must be pleased that Christians are walking around with armor that is weak. Here are a few more examples of how the new versions have been weakened:

Galatians 4:7
KJV an heir of God through Christ
NIV God has made you also an heir (How? By works?)

Ephesians 3:9
KJV God, who created all things by Jesus Christ
NIV God, who created all things (How? By aeons?)

Ephesians 3:14
KJV I bow my knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
NIV I kneel before the Father (Which Father? Baba Ram Dass?)

I once mentioned this to a ‘Greek scholar’ who flipped out and said the most extant manuscripts confirm the new readings, which of course is nonsense. The Majority Text is the ‘most extant’, which is why it is called the Majority Text. The so-called ‘best manuscripts’ only represent about 5% -1% of the manuscript evidence, depending on who you ask. Furthermore, not only do the minority text manuscripts not agree with the Majority Text in many places, but they do not even agree with each other in many of these same places. Taken as a whole, they agree with the Majority Text in disputed passages almost as often as they disagree.(4) Most of the older manuscripts that contained Majority Text readings were burned in the persecutions that plagued the early church, but sometimes faith is all we have. For example, if you look up I John 2:23 in the KJV, you will find half the verse is in italics. The translators included it because they thought it belonged there. Yet if you look at I John 2:23 in a NASB, it is no longer in italics because they found the manuscript evidence.

In closing, consider this: When I was a kid the KJV was still being printed with the Epistle Dedicatory included before the TOC. Why would they remove it? There is a line in that document that the new world order hates with a passion. It says that the KJV “has given such a blow to that man of sin as will not be healed.” That may not sound very significant, but if you can find an old enough Bible printed around the mid-1800s or earlier, you will find ‘Man of Sin’ was originally capitalized, because it was a proper noun, referring to the pope. I used to have an old Bible that was printed with Man of Sin capitalized. So what did they do? First they got Man of Sin switched to lowercase. Second, they had the Epistle Dedicatory removed altogether. Moreover, the Vatican has poured millions of dollars into countless new versions based on their own corrupt Vaticanus manuscript. Then, they convinced Christians that these new versions are ‘better’ than the old ones.

Finally, one of the things that makes people resist using the KJV is that they do not want to appear odd in any way to their fellow Christians. Consider that Noah may have looked like a right-wing fanatic in his day, but after the flood, he looked pretty mainstream. Likewise, using a KJV may look a little odd in these last days, but after the rapture, the KJV will look mainstream to our fellow saints in heaven, most of whom used this same text type throughout history.

1 Hodges Farstad, Majority Text Edition. Jesus’ name is also included here in P74, Psi, 049, 056, 0142, 0165. As cited in Jack Moorman, A Close Look Early Manuscripts and the Authorized Version, p 112.
2 P46, as cited in Early Manuscripts and the Authorized Version, p 6.
3 P46 et al, as cited in Early Manuscripts and the Authorized Version, p 130.
4 Early Manuscripts and the Authorized Version, pp 20, 21

Acts 3:1-11 — True Riches

~ mikethemissionary

Dear friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In Chapters 1 and 2, we saw the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. After the religious leaders rejected Messiah, things would never be the same. Judgment was coming, and some of them even wrote that they understood as much:

In the days of the Second Temple, there was a custom to fasten a red-colored strip of wool to the head of a goat which was sent away on the Day of Atonement. When this ribbon became white, it was a sign that God had forgiven Israel’s sins. There is a statement in the Talmud that about “forty years before the second temple was destroyed … the red wool did not become white!”(1) The same passage informs us that the gates of the temple swung open on their own accord! The ancient rabbis believed that these events were indicators that the sins of Israel were no longer being forgiven and the Temple would be destroyed!(2)

— From The Search For Messiah (Joy Publishing, 1996).

Yet the invitation to receive Messiah was and is still open to everyone. In Chapter 3, the Holy Spirit continues pointing people to Jesus. Give us understanding, Father, as we read thy word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 3:1-11
NOW Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. [3 PM]
2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

We usually tend to think that if we somehow had a lot of money, we would have a lot of power to change things. The Holy Spirit says the exact opposite. (Matt 19:23) Peter said, Silver and gold have I none, but the one thing Peter definitely had was Holy Spirit power.

The ‘money = power’ theory is what many of the cults teach (eg, Kabbalah et al). Yet, much like Peter, the most powerful testimonies still come from people with no money to speak of, like Benny Prasad or George Müller. Through faith in Christ, Benny Prasad miraculously overcame physical disabilities, achieved world-class success, and helped many others with debilitating challenges. Through faith in Christ, George Müller cared for thousands and thousands of orphans. This way, it is God who gets the glory, not money.

7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. [Cf Isa 35:6]
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

Could any amount of money help the lame man as much as what Peter had to offer?

10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.
Acts 3:1-11

Despite his circumstances, the lame man had a mustard seed of faith (v 16). He in turn becomes an example of fulfilled prophecy. (Isa 35:6) Whether or not we ever experience a miracle like this one, the spiritual truths of the gospel are solid promises for every believer. (John 20:29) True faith is believing even when there are no material reasons to do so. (Hab 3:17ff) Not every believer is healed in this lifetime, but we all will be eventually.

Peter’s power to heal the lame man came from his faith in Christ. To be a Spirit-filled follower of Jesus Christ is to believe in the Bible, which is diametrically opposed to the world’s way of thinking. Not only so, but one must correctly interpret the Bible per the apostles’ doctrine. (Acts 2:42) For example, if you take the miracles out of the Book of Acts, you do not have much left. To believe the Bible is to accept it all, lame men being healed, Red Sea being parted, all of it. Doctrine is worldview, and the cosmology of the Bible is the correct one.

The Bible says:

• God created a perfect world that was very good around 6000 years ago.
• God created Adam and Eve, who brought sin and death into the world. (Rom 5:12)
• There was a flood in which only eight survived, who then repopulated the earth.
• Jesus kept his promise to come and pay for our sins at the cross. (Rom 6:23)
• Jesus rose again and ascended into heaven.
• Jesus will rescue his own before the great tribulation period.
• There will be 1000 years of peace that follow.

Therefore:

• We are fallen in sin. (Gen 3)
• The heart is desperately wicked. (Jer 17:9)
• We need a Saviour. (Rom 3:10, 23; 5:8, 12; 6:23)

The world says:

• People are basically good.
• Therefore, we do not need a Saviour.

Furthermore, the world says:

• The cosmos were created by chance from nothing, billions of years ago.
• We are evolving and getting better.
• We will eventually achieve godlike capabilities on our own.

The current worldview du jour would not have had anything to offer the lame man. Even greater than his physical infirmity was his wounded spirit. All of us are damaged in this way because of the fall in Genesis 3. All of us are in need of repair. There is something in the soul that is broken. When we come to Christ, we are born again and his Spirit begins to repair that which has been broken, the same way He healed the lame man’s feet and ankle bones.

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
Proverbs 18:14

He restores my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23:3

Jesus said we have to receive Him as a child would. (Luke 18:17) To the extent that we only receive the parts of God’s word which we understand or like, we hinder the healing process and keep from receiving all that God has to offer us. (Acts 20:27)

Father, thank You for all the miraculous ways in which You heal the lost causes, those who psychology could not help, those who modern medicine could not help. Thank You that your promises are for the best of us and the worst of us, however far gone we may be. Thank You, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prophecy Update: You may have heard about a date that has been set for the rapture which has people talking: September 23, 2025.

After a bit of investigation, here is what I found: The date comes from Joshua Mhlakela who initially made the claim in 2018, which I vaguely remember hearing about at the time. Mr Mhlakela says Jesus appeared to him and told him He is coming on Rosh Hashanah, 2025. The reason people find this interesting is it makes 2550 days to Yom Kippur (the high day which is prophetic of the second coming), 2032. This aligns with Daniel 12:11 and Revelation 11:3. It would also make 2000 years from the crucifixion in 32 AD to the second coming in 2032, which comports with the seven-thousand-year model that goes all the way back to the church fathers. I found these figures interesting because they match the chart I made in the 90s when I was writing Where Did All the People GO? (Download here.) I also noticed there is a lunar eclipse (blood moon) on September 7 and a partial solar eclipse on September 21. (Acts 2:20; Joel 2:31) People are also pointing to the UN meeting on September 23. Meanwhile, the pope is pushing for an end to the war in Gaza. (Dan 9:27)

Beyond that, I don’t have much to say. It may be interesting but so is Matthew 24:44. I will say this, though: Thinking about the rapture reminded me of a passage I recently read in The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee. Nee talked about having a “spirit of rapture.” Nee believed that a Christian’s spirit should be elevated toward heaven with God‘s Spirit, always in communion with heaven, always ready to ascend up when God calls — like Enoch did before the flood. (Gen 5:24)

Nee wrote that in 1928. It was published again in English in 1969, when the rapture was becoming an earnest expectation among many Christians. I agree with Watchman Nee.

1 Babylonian Talmud, Yoma Chapter 39b.
2 Adapted from The Messianic Hope, Arthur Kac, p 227.

Acts 1:15-26 — Peter Plows Ahead

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In this post, we will look at what transpired in the upper room, where the disciples were while they were waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit. Give us understanding, Father, as we read thy word, in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Acts 1:15-26
15  And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
16  Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. [Cf II Pet 1:21]
17  For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
18  Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
19  And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

To reconcile the accounts of Judas’ death (ie did he ‘fall headlong’ or ‘hang himself’ as Matt 27:5 says), one need only consider that if a hangman’s rope is too long, the head pops off. The length generally used in modern times was 6 feet. That was long enough to break the neck so the individual was not left dancing in the air until he expired, and short enough to keep the head attached. It looks like Judas took a flying leap headlong with a rope around his neck, and his head was pulled off. That is one possibility, anyway. Another possibility is that Peter was simply wrong. It does not say anywhere in the Bible that Peter spoke ex cathedra. (Nor did he ever ask anyone to kiss his ring.) The Bible is always true, so while it is true that Peter said that, he could have made a mistake like any other preacher, especially considering the fact that they were still waiting for the Holy Spirit. 

As far as the question of whether the Pharisees bought the field called Aceldama (Matt 27:7) or whether Judas did, in The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Alfred Edersheim said the Pharisees used a legal loophole that allowed them to accept the field from Judas in his name, but not the blood money itself. (1) Edersheim was a Jewish scholar who studied Torah and the Talmud before converting to Christianity.

20  For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

Peter is often faulted for ostensibly plowing ahead without the leading of the Holy Spirit here, but he had a scriptural basis for his actions. (Ps 69:25; 109:8) 

21  Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22  Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
23  And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

There appears to be a flaw in their logic. Although we may have a truncated version of the events, I cannot help but wonder, what if God had someone else in mind other than these two? You may have heard it said that it is a bad idea to ‘put God in a box’. It looks like that is what they were doing. (Cf 1 Sam 16:6-12) Many believe Paul was the one God chose to replace Judas.

24  And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
25  That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
26  And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Acts 1:15-26

As mentioned in the Introduction notes, Matthias was martyred for the faith. Therefore, we should not be too quick to judge the actions of the disciples to replace Judas Iscariot. Their decision was based on the word of God and prayer. The chapter ends with the disciples praying to hear God’s answer. We will see this pattern continue in the Book of Acts. The early church followed the word of God and was steeped in prayer. (Acts 2:42-47; 3:1; 6:4; 7:55-60; 8:14-17; 9:11; 10:1-4, 9; 12:1-11; 13:1-3; 14:23; 16:13, 25ff; 20:36; 21:5; 27:35; 28:8; et al) According to Professor Edwin Orr, throughout history every revival there has ever been since Acts 2 had its roots in prayer. When Christians look to the word of God and pray, the Holy Spirit responds and things happen. When Christians neglect the word of God and prayer, they become cold and indifferent. To be led of the Spirit, we need to be in the word of God and prayer. 

There is another aspect of Peter’s actions that is often overlooked — at least he was taking action. If you want to be used of God, you need to do something. Even if it does not work out, at least you are doing something. It has been said that you cannot steer a car that is parked. For God to use you, you have to be in motion. If you are not doing something, the Holy Spirit cannot guide you — because you are parked. This principle applies to everything, not just ‘Christian’ work. Solomon wrote, For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; That means if you want your dreams to come true, you have to get busy. Or as one preacher said, If a farmer prays for a bumper crop, he better be saying that prayer with a hoe in his hand.

According to historian Sydney E Ahlstrom, one of the strongest influences on the church in America was the “Puritan reformation” in England that spilled over into the colonies. Among the beliefs of the Puritans was the importance of hard work and action, not just for the clergy but the laity as well. (Matt 5:13, 16; I Pet 1:9) The Puritans believed Christians should be outgoing and engaging. (John 17:15) They believed all work — not just ‘Christian’ work — glorified God. This was a reversal of the monastic ideas about godliness that predated the Reformation. (2) Peter grew restless waiting around in the upper room for the Holy Spirit to come. Peter was a man of action. He always wanted to do something. That is a good example for us all. While the Puritans had their faults, the same as Peter and the rest of us, they had their merits as well, not the least of which was their part in the creation of the KJV. 

To sum up, in Acts 1 while the disciples were waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit, we see the importance of looking to the word of God and prayer (cf Acts 6:4), as well as activity (Luke 19:13). The disciples already had a measure of the Holy Spirit (John 20:22; cf Luke 24:45), but in Acts 2 we will see Peter on fire with the power of the Holy Spirit when the waiting is over and the promise is fulfilled. Ie, when Peter is baptized with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:5)

Father, help us to know when to pray, when to wait on You, and when to act. Please give each of us a vision concerning how we can be salt and light and best serve You as we wait for your Son to come back for us. Make it clear and unmistakable; empower us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and lead the way, for without You we can do nothing. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Prophecy Update: I was recently praying about some health problems that have been dogging me, such as a sore muscle on the right side of my lower back, high blood pressure, and low stamina. As I was praying about whether I should see a doctor or follow James 5:14 at church, I felt the Lord was telling me to ask for prayer from my old prayer group in India. Shortly after I asked one of them to bring my request before the group, I got the idea to try taking hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). I had some handy which I bought in Belize, so as a loading dose I took 800 mg along with 250 mg of zinc. The back pain was gone when I woke up the next day. By that night, my back felt normal again. I checked my blood pressure two days later, and it was back to normal. Bleeding and clotting in my right nostril (a symptom of high blood pressure) finally stopped after having lived with it for more than a year. When I went jogging, I felt like myself again. I had enough HCQ to continue taking 400 mg along with 200 mg of zinc for 6 more days. (I usually take 50 mg of zinc daily along with other nutraceuticals.) 

Was it my friends’ prayers that healed me? Or was it the HCQ and zinc? Both? All I know is when I brought it to the prayer group, I got better — for free, without insurance. I think the Holy Spirit answered my friends’ prayers by giving me a word of knowledge, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit (I Cor 12:8), telling me to take the HCQ and zinc. In any case, God gets the glory. I believe God is always the healer, whatever the method. 

Nevertheless, this experience got me thinking about HCQ. The pharmacist (chemist) who checked my blood pressure recommended I continue taking HCQ. He said that HCQ is a “miracle drug that has all kinds of benefits.” I’m not in Belize anymore, so this meant I needed a prescription. At the clinic, the receptionist and the nurse were nice, but when the PA saw me, he flatly and smugly refused to write a prescription. He wanted to talk about pharmaceuticals to address symptoms I no longer had since taking HCQ. That led me to take another look at a book I read by RFK Jr, and review the section on HCQ. These are just a few of the many passages I had highlighted:

 “Among the features pharma companies most detest is low cost, and HCQ is about $10 per course. Compare that to more than $3000 per course for Dr Fauci’s beloved remdesivir.” (3)

 “A physician from Zambia reported to Dr Harvey Risch that in some villages and cities, organized groups of buyers emptied drugstores of HCQ and then burned the medication in bonfires outside the towns. South Africa destroyed two tons of life-saving hydroxychloroquine in late 2020, supposedly due to a violation of an important regulation. The US government in 2021 ordered the destruction of more than a thousand pounds of HCQ, because it was improperly imported. “The Feds are insisting that all of it be destroyed, and not be used to save a single life anywhere in the world,” said a lawyer seeking to resist the senseless order.” (4)

 “After widespread use of the drug for 65 years, without warning, the FDA somehow felt the need to send out an alert on June 15, 2020 that HCQ is dangerous, and that it required a level of monitoring that is only available at hospitals.” (5)

 “All through 2020, Bill Gates and Fauci lashed out at HCQ every chance they got.” (6)

 “Long use has established HCQ’s safety and efficacy such that most African countries authorize HCQ as an over-the-counter medication. Africans call the drug “Sunday-Sunday” because millions of them take it religiously, once a week, as a malaria prophylaxis. It is probably not a coincidence that these nations enjoyed some of the world’s lowest mortality rates from COVID. … Many people in Africa and India take it for a lifetime.” (7)

 “In fact, Dr Fauci always had a stable of horses in the game. One of them is remdesivir, even after the WHO’s randomized placebo trial showed remdesivir ineffective against COVID. Furthermore, remdesivir has a catastrophic safety profile.” (8)

 “Professor Risch believes that Dr Fauci knowingly lied about the drug hydroxychloroquine and used his influence to get the FDA to suppress it because he and other bureaucrats are “in bed with other forces that are causing them to make decisions that are not based on the science [and are] killing Americans.
 “Moreover, Dr Risch specifically claims that Fauci and the FDA have caused “the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans who could have been saved by” HCQ.” (9)

I share all this because, although Covid is behind us, their schemes are certainly not. You may recall the voices in 2020 saying that what was happening was only a ‘test run’. In a recent news piece, tech titan and Jeffrey Epstein BFF Bill Gates declared that electronic tattoos will replace our smart phones, credit cards, and be “better” than current health-monitoring wearables. I first posted that Gates was talking about these plans on endofdays.press on 04/03/2020. It was quickly labeled a conspiracy theory. Although the link in my original post is now dead in an attempt to memory hole what Gates was saying at the time, it can still be found here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20200402004202/https://biohackinfo.com/news-bill-gates-id2020-vaccine-implant-covid-19-digital-certificates/

The article referenced implantable capsules (RFID chips?), digital vaccine certificates, quantum dot technology, and smart tattoos, all of which I have written about on this blog. Well, so much for it all being a ‘conspiracy theory’ as Gates’ recent comments can now be found in several articles, including here:

Bill Gates Declares the End of the Smartphone Era and Unveils Its Surprising Replacement

Exactly what the mark of the beast will look like is anyone’s guess, but one item in particular that has my attention is quantum dot technology: 

John 3:17-21 – Because Their Deeds Were Evil

If we forget what they did to us in 2020, they will most certainly be all the more emboldened for their next attempt. Yet God will guide us through whatever schemes they are plotting, just as He did in 2020. What should have been the standard of care in 2020 — early treatment with HCQ and zinc — is only one side of the coin. What they did to us with the so-called vaccines is the other side. On a flight to Israel a couple of years ago, I spoke to a scientist who said she was involved with research evaluating heart problems that people in Israel who had been vaccinated were having. When I asked her if she took the Covid shot, she looked down and said yes. She said, “I wish I hadn’t, but I wanted to be free.” Never forget what they did to us. Always remember what the Bible says this is all leading to. I believe the Holy Spirit is saying it is a good idea to get your hands on some HCQ to be ready for whatever they may be planning next. That might not be easy if you live in America, but not impossible. Dr Stella MD dot com may be a place to begin looking:

Home – Aug 2025

Magog Update: One of the puzzling points in the Magog prophecy of Ezekiel 38, 39 is how Israel burns the weapons of their attackers for seven years. (Ez 39:9) I used to think that Israel somehow confiscated the nuclear material of their enemies and used it for nuclear energy. Now I see another possibility. This article shows the PKK burning AK-47s and other rifles:

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/turkeys-outlawed-pkk-begins-symbolic-disarmament-burning-weapons

I do not think it is too much of a stretch that Israel could spend seven years doing the same, considering all the rifles and other weapons that would be left after the battle. Another recent news item that got my attention was the Israeli prayer group at the Al-Aqsa mosque led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Although the office of the prime minister denies it, many feel this was a step toward annexing a portion of the Temple Mount. This, of course, could lead to the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple. The Temple does not necessarily need to be built where the Dome of the Rock is. There are several theories about where the Temple was. Lambert Dolphin, for example, proposed four different locations where the Temple may have been:

https://www.templemount.org/theories.html

For me, the Dome of the Rock is one of the least likely locations for various reasons, one of them being Ezekiel 42:20:

He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.
Ezekiel 42:20

The length of the wall, each side measuring 500 reeds, is longer than the current walls surrounding the old city of Jerusalem by about 1.5 miles. The walls Ezekiel saw were square, which the walls around the old city are not, but it gives an idea of the scale. It looks as if a new addition may be added between the new Temple and the Dome of the Rock. Still another theory is that Herod’s Temple was to the south of the Temple Mount in the City of David. Time will tell, but things are definitely heating up over there. 

In closing, the new world order is hard at work trying to censor information they do not like. A new bill has been proposed that could lead to the blocking of websites that the new world order finds objectionable:

This Hollywood-Backed Bill Would Give Government Power To Block Websites

I have been blocked from WordPress on my laptop since 2024. Recently, the same thing happened with Substack. (I still have limited access on my phone.) Both WordPress and Substack deny blocking me, which is plausible, but if you ever find my websites are gone, stay diligent to keep your eye on the situation in Israel and all the other things pointing to our Lord’s soon return. Stay focused on the word of God and prayer. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

1 As cited in McGee, ACTS Chapters 1-14, pp 22, 23.
2 Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People, pp 116-119.
3 RFK Jr, The Real Anthony Fauci, p 24.
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid, p 25.
6 Ibid, p 28.
7 Ibid, pp 20, 21.
8 Ibid, p 36.
9 Ibid, p 37.

#ProphecyUpdate June 2025 #MustReading #IntelligenceBriefing:

~ mikethemissionary

Prologue

Dragon Slayer (2014),  P 161:

A well-rounded worldview is one that incorporates not just religion, philosophy, history, and current events, but politics as well — a reasoned view of politics. In order to truly understand an organization, one needs to understand its roots. Although the Democratic Party has styled itself as the party of civil liberties, their true roots are such that they were indeed the party of slavery. This is what they stood for historically. The Republicans, the party of Lincoln, started out well but have been co-opted in the twenty-first century by the ‘neocons’, a name they adopted for themselves. The neocons no longer represent American values as defined by the founding fathers. The anti-slavery stance for example was a founding-father value. Many of the founding fathers were abolitionists. The Declaration of Independence itself attacked slavery by declaring that all men are created equal. However the neocons are now championing the end of civil liberties by destroying the Bill of Rights, and by subjugating the modern populations of the world. The Democrats are complicit with them. 

Dragon Slayer (2014),  P 215:

The New World Order, with its intervention policies that erode national sovereignty, used to only appeal to the left. Then along came the neocons. The neocons have been in control of the Republican Party ever since George H.W. Bush. Irving Kristol is the “godfather of neoconservatism.” This is what Irving Krostol’s Wikipedia page says: “As a former Trotskyist, Irving was indeed himself mugged by the “reality” of conservative philosophy and enfolded leftist policies such as a lack of objection to welfare programs, international “revolution” through nation-building/ militarily imposed “democracy” and application of Fabian Socialism/Keynesianism coupled with a socially conservative viewpoint. These concepts lie at the core of neoconservative philosophy to this day.” [Emphasis added.] 

Dragon Slayer (2014), P 43:

After our involvement in Iraq, it was admitted that Iraq had nothing to do with September 11, nor were there any WMDs in Iraq.  Instead of liberation, our involvement only badly destabilized the area, forcing the Christians to flee the country. They sought refuge in Syria, where it was granted. Then we aided in the destabilization of Syria by supporting the Syrian rebels. The Christian refugees and the local Christians were badly persecuted by the very rebel forces the United States was supporting. The Christians were raped, killed, forced to convert to Islam, or beheaded in many cases. Many fled for their lives back to Iraq again. 

Notes on John (2020):

Essentially what we are looking at is Obama 2.0. [Biden] We can expect all the things I wrote about in Dragon Slayer Jesus Christ to resurface. For example, expect to see ISIS come back and wars in the Middle East to return. Added to this is the fact that Biden is 100% committed to medical tyranny in the name of COVID. Take heart though. All these are the beginning of sorrows [birth pangs]. Although dark times are upon us, the good news is we have a new birth of freedom coming. [Ie, 1000 years of peace (Rev 20)]

Notes on John (2021):

One of the greatest achievements of the Trump Administration was the defeat of ISIS and a drawdown of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention the multiple peace treaties between Israel and her neighbors. Following the stolen presidential election of 2020, I wrote that we will soon see a return of the failed policies of the Obama Administration. Right on cue, Washington has been busy rebranding Mohammad al Jolani, the founder of al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, as a legitimate head of state dressed in Western business attire. In Dragon Slayer Jesus Christ, I wrote about how this shell game is played with al-Qaeda, blaming them for terrorism while at the same time using them to fight proxy wars. Now, they are being presented as our new ally, the legitimate government in Syria.

Fast forward to 2024: As the Biden Administration (Obama 2.0) was winding down, Syria was taken over by HTS in a lightning-fast eight-day blitz. Shortly afterward, the US lifted the terror designation from HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. The wars in the Middle East are following a predictable pattern, ie the final stages of a plan set in motion over 25 years ago by the Project for a New American Century. After September 11, General Wesley Clark learned of these plans directly from the top brass in DC and made them public. The plan was to take over seven nations in the Middle East starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and finishing off, Iran. (See Dragon Slayer, p 179) 

That brings us to where we are now in 2025:

These events were orchestrated and executed by the Republican neocons. The Democrats under Obama were complicit with them. Now Trump — either wittingly or unwittingly, who knows — is embroiled in this plot. The momentum of this agenda is an unstoppable force, on a crash course with the immovable object of Bible prophecy. From a worldly perspective, what we see transpiring in the Middle East is essentially the Great Game Part II. This, however, is a very short-sighted perspective. To have an accurate worldview, one must examine everything through the lens of Scripture. 

Each stage in this process that kicked off on September 11, 2001 has antagonized various players in the Magog scenario of Ezekiel 38, 39. After the rapture of the church and the fulfillment of Ezekiel 37 (ie, the worldwide return of the Jews to Israel), Russia (Magog), Iran, and the other Muslim participants are going to be so incensed over their many losses that they are going to rise up in unison against Israel. They will feel invincible as they descend on their tiny adversary, only to be obliterated. After their defeat, their corpses will be buried in the valley of Hamon-gog. Their weapons will be burned for seven years. (Ez 39:1-16) Nevertheless, world sentiment will continue to turn against Israel (and toward the Antichrist) until Israel has to flee to Jordan, where they will find refuge in Petra. (Isa 16:1-4) When Jesus returns at the end of the Great Tribulation Period, Israel will receive her Messiah. (Zech 13:6) 

End of Prologue. Now we are prepared to proceed with this prophecy update:

In Daniel 9, Daniel recognized his people would soon be released from Babylon just as Jeremiah foretold. (Jer 29:10) Daniel knew that God was about to do something big. Daniel therefore prepared himself with prayer and fasting. God is preparing to do something big in our day too. The ‘great men’ of the earth make their plans. The Bible says God is laughing at them. (Ps 2:4) Father, give us understanding as we read thy word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daniel 9:1-21

1  In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;

2  In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

3  And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

4  And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

5  We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:

6  Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

7  O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.

8  O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.

9  To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

10  Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

11  Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.

12  And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.

13  As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.

14  Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.

15  And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

16  O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.

17  Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.

18  O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.

19  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

20  And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;

21  Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

Daniel 9:1-21

In Daniel’s prayer, we see that one of the curses Israel brought on themselves through their transgressions was confusion. Daniel mentioned this twice. Daniel said this confusion had permeated their culture, affecting everyone from the head to the tail (v 7f). Mark Twain said history does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes. Much like Israel, the church in these last days has sinned too. Hence, we are cursed with confusion just as they were. Let’s take a step back:

Do you remember where you were the first time you used the Internet? I certainly do. I also remember where I was when I first heard we were attacked on September 11, yet my emotional response to the one seemed to be an inverse function of the other. Like the precious Ring of Power in a Tolkien novel, the Internet captivated us. It then lured us away from our books, our critical thought patterns, and our communion with God. It was available to all, unprejudiced and nonthreatening. It was like a lotus salad on a silver platter served by an enchantress named Pandora. Once the Internet became part of our daily lives, I could not help but notice how people were embracing the opinions of total strangers. If their site appeared near the top of the search results, they were automatically an authority on any given subject. Before anyone even knew who was running Snopes it was widely regarded as the final arbiter of truth. When search results were later manipulated to hide certain hits and magnify others, the cancer metastasized. 

The complete control of the Internet was always the plan of the New World Order. I wrote about this in the 10-Year Anniversary Edition of Dragon Slayer (available for free here). Controlling the narrative is necessary for their plan of world domination, especially their plans to depopulate the world through vaccines, or what the Bible calls sorceries (Gk pharmakeia, Rev 18:23). Artificial Intelligence is taking the deception to the next level. I think the question we need to ask ourselves is whether we are going to let this trend affect us as Christians. Daniel serves as a model for us to follow in this regard. He refused to eat the rich food the Babylonians ate. He refused to follow their laws when they conflicted with his faith. Daniel was in Babylon but not of Babylon. Daniel was knowledgeable of the times and he exercised discernment; he prepared himself accordingly.

As for us, our King is coming back for us soon. Will He find you watching? Or will you be lulled to sleep by the alternate reality of Satan and his silicon army? Timothy Leary told his followers to “Turn on, tune in, drop out.” I say Turn off, tune out, unplug. I have never used Siri and I never will. I will always choose reality over AI. I do not own a TV. Digital lotus may be pleasurable for a season, but the end thereof is death. AI amounts to lies and deception. The Bible and analog reality point to the truth. Consider:

They are preparing to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. (Matt 24:15)

They are preparing the new economy of the New World Order. (Rev 13:16-18)

They are preparing the worldwide deception of the Antichrist. (2 Thess 2:11)

Are you prepared?

Whatever turn current events may take, the key thing to keep in mind is where all this is leading. Jesus is coming back soon. Jesus is not worried about the news headlines. We need to stay focused on Jesus. (Isa 26:3) Everything else is a distraction. 

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

For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Hebrews 10:37

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

Keep your attention fixed on Christ and his kingdom. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Jesus is coming. In the final analysis that is all that really matters. Tell others. Be ready. Come quickly Lord Jesus. Amen. 

Isaiah 61:4-11 – Everlasting Joy

~ mikethemissionary

pune-matrimony.jpg

Dear Friends,

This week as we continue in Chapter 61, Isaiah describes the thousand years of peace in the kingdom to come, when Jesus will be on the throne and Jerusalem will be the capital of the world.

Father, give us understanding as we continue in Isaiah, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Isaiah 61:4-11
4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

We have been seeing the initial preparations for the fulfillment of this prophecy taking place in Israel for quite some time now. For example, in 2019 after six years of excavations they opened the Pilgrim’s Road, the path that Jesus walked on, which extended from Herod’s Temple to the Pool of Siloam.

5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

In our day, many Israelis are farmers. The Jews do not farm when they leave Israel but they do when they go back there. In that day, however, they will let the Gentiles attend to the farming while they attend to the priesthood. This was God’s plan for Israel from the beginning. (Ex 19:6) Just as Solomon’s kingdom grew rich from the wealth of their Gentile neighbors, in that day the Jews will grow rich from Gentiles the world over.

7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
8 For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.

Many think of America this way, the nation the Lord has blessed. In some ways that has been true, but in that day it will be true of Israel in every way.

10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

They say all brides are beautiful and that is true, but the way brides deck themselves out in the East is something else. When I lived in India and saw how the brides dressed up on their wedding day it really brought this verse to life for me. The groom dresses in a very ornate manner as well. Isaiah uses the metaphor of the bride and the groom in their wedding attire to help us understand the beauty of Messiah; yea, he is altogether lovely. His glory will extend throughout the earth:

11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
Isaiah 61:4-11

Passover began earlier this week on Wednesday evening. That makes Easter Sunday fit perfectly with the Hebrew calendar for Resurrection Day this year, ie three days and three nights after Passover. Although the Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar cycle and Easter is based on the spring equinox, this alignment happens every now and then. While no man knows the day or the hour, there is nothing in Scripture that says we are not allowed to hope.

What do I mean by that. We have only witnessed the full life cycle of a human being once in history. When Jesus rose from the dead in his glorified body, we saw what is in store for all of us who have received Him as our personal Saviour. (Those who have not received Him will be separated from Him for eternity; what good does it do to have a glorified body if you are locked away in exile?) Jesus was the firstfruits, the first begotten of the dead. The rest of us are still waiting for his trumpet call. What if, in a fortuitous occurrence of providential circumstances, just when God has gotten everyone’s attention with the world on lock down, He decided to execute the first resurrection of believers (Rev 20:6) on Resurrection Day 2020, three days after Passover, just like it happened on the first Resurrection Day? Again, Jesus said of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. What we do know is it going to be glorious. Take the best day you have ever had, make it a lot better, too good to even describe, and that will be every day for all eternity. (Ps 84:10) When Jesus tabernacled among us He loved children, lepers, and sinners. He cast seven devils out of Mary Magdalene. He healed the lame and gave sight to the blind. He raised Lazarus from the dead. Despite all that and more He was betrayed into the hands of sinners. After they crucified Him He rose again on the third day in fulfillment of the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven. He is coming back again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

Whatever you have done, regardless of how terrible it may seem in your eyes or however many times you may have failed Him before, the invitation is open to all who will believe. His mercy endures forever.

….And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
….And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 24:46-47

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

Who is you favorite world leader? If you had to pick some figure from history as the model statesman whom you admire above all others, who might that be? Compared to Jesus, that person would look like Barney Fife. Jesus’ glory will be beyond anything we can imagine. Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Happy Resurrection Day friends. May God richly bless you.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
John 5:25

41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
Acts 13:41

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