Tag: Prophecy

Acts 5:15 — Mustard Seed

~ mikethemissionary

     Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
‭‭Acts‬ ‭5‬:‭15‬ ‭

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In this post, let’s take a closer look at the way people were healed when Peter’s shadow touched them. Jesus endowed the apostles with immense power to lead the early church. (Matt 18:18 et al) The people were witnessing mighty miracles at their hands. (Acts 3:7 et al) The witness of the Holy Spirit was strong in the hearts of the people. (Acts 5:32)

Jesus said that if we have only a mustard-seed-sized faith, we can move mountains. That statement shows how lacking our faith is. We murmur and complain. We faint in the day of adversity. We are prone to disobey Jesus’ commandments and quick to forget God’s promises.

Sometimes, people decide in their heart that if such and such happens, then they will have faith. For a certain woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years, it was touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. Her faith was only strong enough to believe she would be healed if she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment. When she was healed, Jesus told her that her faith had made her whole (not his garment). 

The kind of faith that is the most pleasing to Jesus is the faith that does not need to see to believe (John 20:29), the kind of faith that believes without pretense (Luke 7:8f). Yet, Jesus also honors the faith of those who need a little something extra to believe. I have met people who would pray over a glass of water, then drink the water believing it would heal them, and it did. They offered me some of the water and I politely declined, because it did not add anything to my faith, but it did to theirs. I believe such was the case with Peter’s shadow.

When people believed ‘If only we can get Hannah close enough to touch Peter’s shadow, God will heal her’, it was good enough for Jesus. Jesus wanted them to believe the gospel Peter was preaching, and the miracles helped them to believe. Jesus always meets us where we are. At first, our faith is weak and our understanding is shallow. Then over time, our faith increases as we see Him answer our prayers and guide us through our trials. It helps when we spend time in the word each day (Rom 10:17), and always remember to pray before we read our Bible. This process is key to our walk with Jesus. (Rom 1:17; II Cor 5:7)

In closing, sometimes God’s answer is no, regardless of how strong our faith is. True faith continues to believe even when God does not heal. (II Cor 12:8f)

Father, increase our faith. Fill us with your Holy Spirit. Direct our paths. Use our lights to shine in the darkness and light the way for others to believe on your Son, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 5:19-33 — We Ought to Obey God Rather Than Men

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends, 

Greetings in Christ!

When we left off at Acts 5:18, the envious religious leaders who ran the Temple were beside themselves, as people flowed into the city to get saved and/ or healed of whatever was afflicting them. Instead of listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, the Sadducees tried to silence the apostles by arresting them.

One might think the apostles were in big trouble, but nothing is as it seems. Jesus said that persecution is a cause for celebration. (Matt 5:12) The apostles knew their arrest was not worthy to be compared with the tremendous move of the Spirit taking place in Jerusalem. (Acts 5:12; Rom 8:18)

Father, please fill us with your Holy Spirit and give us understanding as we read your word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 5:19-33
19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate [Sanhedrin] of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

So, the apostles are rescued by an angel. Did you know you have angels watching over you? If you are in Christ, you do. (Ps 91:11; Heb 1:14) Now that their cell is found empty, their persecutors are getting even more concerned about the spread of the gospel. 

25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.

The Sadducees are indignant that the gospel has spread throughout Jerusalem, but I can almost see the apostles high-fiving each other. They have now completed the first phase of the Great Commission. (Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8) 

The actions of the Sadducees seem to be prompted not only by envy, but fear as well. They are afraid the apostles intend to bring Jesus’ blood upon them, but that is what they agreed to. (Matt 27:25) How quickly they seem to have forgotten. In the grand scheme of things, I am just as guilty as they were, but they refused to repent. David committed adultery and then murder to cover it up, but he repented. Saul, his predecessor, refused to repent of his sins. As a result, he grew more and more fearful and vindictive, like the Sadducees in our text.

29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

There is a certain preacher with a high-profile ministry to Israel, Hagee, who tells them Jesus is not their Messiah, but he clearly missed something. (Does he know how to read?) Jesus is the only Messiah — the Messiah of Israel, the Messiah of the Gentiles.

32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
Acts 5:19-33

Jesus taught us that as Christians, we are similar to the prophets. (Matt 5:12) Thus, Peter and the apostles responded to their persecutors in the same manner as the prophets that went before them. The result is always the same, ie, their persecutors took counsel to slay them. This is what happens not only to prophets, but to all believers from Abel all the way to Jesus. Satan would gladly kill us all if he could. Thankfully, we each have a hedge of protection which Satan cannot breach without Father’s permission. (Job 1:9-2:7)

Christianity is not a game and Jesus does not like cowardice. (Josh 1:9; II Tim 1:7; Rev 21:8) The good news is that even if you are not a brave person, the Holy Spirit will make you into one. (Matt 26:56; cf Acts 5:29-32)

I have been humbled at times to meet Christians who have been jailed and beaten for sharing their faith. Although I have been ‘hauled in’ a few times, I’ve never seen the inside of a jail cell. I’ve never been beaten. I can still remember the first time it ever occurred to me that I might be tortured or worse some day for being a Christian and it freaked me out. Now when I think about it, I always remember what Opa said to Corrie ten Boom when she asked him ‘What if I’m persecuted some day and I’m not strong enough to keep from denying Jesus?’ Opa said, ‘When we take the train to Amsterdam, when do I give you your ticket?’ Corrie answered, ‘Before we get on the train’. Opa then explained to Corrie that Jesus would give her all the strength she needs when she needs it, should that time ever come. Many years later, persecution did come, and Corrie passed her test with flying colors. 

As for the rest of us, Jesus commands us to share the truth in love. When the world calls it hate and tries to intimidate us, remember We ought to obey God rather than men.

Father, give us the boldness of the apostles, that we may always tell the truth, the way the prophets who went before us did. Should persecution come, give us the courage of David that we may obey You always, even unto death if need be, that we may receive a crown of life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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 3:1-11 — 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 2:42-47 — Daily In One Accord

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In our last post, we saw the birth of the church, a new institution under a New Covenant of grace. According to I Corinthians 10:32, there are only three kinds of people: Jews, Gentiles, and the church. 

Church (Gk ekklésia) literally means ‘called out’. Jesus calls us out of this world and when we respond, we become members of his church, the body of Christ (I Cor 12:27 et al), a body of believers made up of both Jews and Gentiles. 

Thus, the old sacrificial system that pointed to the Messiah was ended at Pentecost, having been fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Christ. Old Covenant sacrifices are no longer accepted because Christ offered one sacrifice for sins for ever. (Heb 10:12) 

A key to understanding the Bible properly is to never confuse the church with Israel. The church has been adopted into, or graffed in among the commonwealth of Israel (Rom 4:16f; 8:15; 11:17; 23f; Eph 1:5; 2:10-22; Gal 4:5; 6:15f), but the church has not ‘replaced’ Israel. The Bible says Christians are ‘fellowcitizens’ (Eph 3:6) and ‘fellowheirs’ (Eph 3:6) with Israel. Galatians 6:16 calls the church the Israel of God, but soon God will remove his church from the earth, and the leadership position that the church has had in extending God’s invitation of salvation to the world will be transferred back to Israel. (Rom 11:25; Rev 7)

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

Acts 2:42-47
42  And they [the church] continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Let’s take a closer look at the word fellowship (Gk koinónia). This is a distinctly ‘Christian’ word. It does not just mean to meet together or be in partnership. That would be a literal definition, but in the Bible the word implies like-minded spiritual unity. I cannot have ‘fellowship’ with another Christian when he invites me to go see the Red Hot Chili Peppers. If he invites me to break bread and pray in Jesus’ name, or maybe go witnessing in the parking lot at the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, that is fellowship. 

43  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Acts 2:42-47

As Chapter 2 ends, we are given a snapshot of what the new revolution looked like — far different from any other revolution there has ever been. It runs counter to our way of thinking about what might change the world. There are no large sums of money, no new buildings, no political manifestos. Just a peaceful group of Christians who love God; who love the word of God; who love to fellowship and pray and praise God; who continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house with gladness and singleness of heart; who watched as the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. In other words, their faith was not something they practiced once a week on Sunday morning. They lived it daily. 

The way these new believers loved one another and had all things in common has caused some to accuse them of practicing communism — a philosophy which says there is no God. While the church was motivated by love to voluntarily share their wealth as they felt led, communism forces the redistribution of wealth as the state demands. The leading that the church followed came not from men, but from the Holy Spirit. Acts is all about the operation of the Holy Spirit in the early church (and continuing through the church age).

On Pentecost, we saw all of the functions of the Spirit in operation: regeneration, new birth, baptism, indwelling, sealing, and filling. 

There are still those whose miraculous testimonies seem to indicate all these things happened to them at once, but that is not typically the case. For example in my case, after I believed on Christ I was regenerated. When I repented, and made a conscience decision to commit my life to Christ I was born again (John 3:3). I believe at that point I was baptized in the Spirit (1 Cor 12:13), indwelt by the Spirit (Col 1:27; 1 John 4:15), and sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13; 4:30). Finally, I was filled with the Holy Spirit. These things did not all happen at once. The last operation, filling, is something that does not last indefinitely. Out of all these different operations of the Spirit, filling is the only one we have anything to do with. Jesus told us to ask for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13); Paul commands us to be filled with the Spirit. (Eph 5:18) 

As part of my preparation for this study in Acts, I have been reading The Spiritual Man (Christian Fellowship Publishers, Inc, 1968) by Watchman Nee. This book has a somewhat different tone than another book I read by Nee (and am now reviewing), Spiritual Authority (Christian Fellowship Publishers, Inc, 1973).

Both these books present vital spiritual truths, essential to the spiritual life of the believer. While Nee focuses on the importance of obedience in Spiritual Authority, in The Spiritual Man, Nee focuses more on how to discern the leading of the Spirit. Both are essential because you cannot follow and obey that which you cannot discern and hear. (Luke 6:46)

Nee likens the leading of the Spirit to ‘intuition’. When a Christian first believes and is regenerated, his spirit is connected to God’s Spirit. He is no longer spiritually dead. Now, he is complete in body, soul, and spirit, as his spirit is connected to God’s Spirit. Thus, he can now choose to follow his soul (his own reason), or he can follow God’s Spirit.

This threefold nature of a man — spirit and soul and body (1 Thess 5:23) — is similar to the design of the temple (I Cor 6:19 et al), which was made up of the outer court, the holy place, and the Holy of Holies. The body is like the outer court; the soul (mind, will, and emotions) is like the holy place, and the spirit, once one is regenerated, is like the Holy of Holies. The spirit is our connection to God. He typically communicates to the believer’s spirit in a still small voice. 

This gets to the heart of an important philosophical question: What, exactly, are you? The tech titans want us to believe that in the future we will be able to have our brains backed up on a data storage array, ie upload ourselves to the cloud. But according to the Bible, that part of you (the flesh) is not the real you. 

II Corinthians 5:1-5 says the body is just a temporary tent you live in, but the soul and the spirit are immortal. Eventually, we will receive a new glorified body like Jesus did in the Resurrection. (1 John 3:2) 

In the meantime, I need to train my spirt and soul (and hence my body) to be in agreement with the Holy Spirit as He speaks to my spirit. This runs contrary to our habit of demanding our own way, or yielding to evil spirits which seek to influence us. This is nothing less than spiritual warfare, which we all engage in on a daily basis. (II Cor 10:5; II Tim 2:26; Eph 6:11ff; Jam 4:7)

Learning to hear and follow God’s still small voice takes practice. It is a difficult but necessary skill to learn. The most essential way to sharpen this skill is to abide in the word of God. (John 6:63; 8:31f) The power that the Christians enjoyed in the Book of Acts was a result of their being filled with the Holy Spirit. One of the primary reasons they were filled with the Spirit is that they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (v 42). We can likewise continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine by reading the Book of Acts and the Epistles that the apostles wrote. 

Another way to retain the filling of the Holy Spirit is through praise and worship and giving of thanks. (Ps 22:3; Eph 5:18-20; Col 3:15ff)

Hence, as Christians, we must learn to walk in the Spirit. (Acts 13:52; Gal 5:25 et al) Walking in the Spirit is how we abide by the New Covenant of grace. (EZ 11:19; 36:26; Rom 2:29; II Cor 1:22; 3:3; Gal 5:18; I Pet 1:22; 3:4) When a Christian walks in the Spirit, she does not need laws to govern her behavior. That is why Jesus only gave us two laws. (Matt 22:40; Gal 5:14)

When we walk in the Spirit, we are filled with love for God and love for others. When we grieve the Spirit, our walk with the Lord is cold and anemic. When we confess our sins we are forgiven. (1 John 1:9) We then ask for the Holy Spirit and He fills us again. (Luke 11:13) I ask every day. 

Above, I mentioned The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee. In this book, over the course of 700+ pages, Nee repeatedly exhorts the reader to discern between the voice of his soul and the voice of the Spirit, then to be led by the Spirit. (Pro tip: the leading of the Spirit is usually the exact opposite of what your soul says to do.) Of course, we have the world and our flesh, ie our old nature, as well as the devil and his angels constantly trying to draw our attention away from the still small voice of the Spirit. Someone said it is like there are two dogs fighting inside of us. The flesh and the spirit are contrary to one another. The one who wins is the one we feed the most. 

Therefore, we have to reckon our old man dead. (Rom 6:11) We must reject the way of the world and embrace the way of the Spirit. (Rom 12:1f) This is a lifelong process called ‘sanctification’. (II Thess 2:13; I Pet 1:2 et al)

Let us consider some of the Biblical references given by Nee to see if our spirit is in agreement with the Holy Spirit. Do you have:

A contrite spirit? (Ps 34:18)
A broken spirit? (Ps 51:17)
A spirit of meekness? (Matt 11:29; I Cor 4:21)
A humble, lowly spirit? (Pr 16:19; Matt 11:29)
A poor spirit? (Isa 66:2; Matt 5:3)
A gentle spirit? (Gal 5:22)
A fervent spirit? (Rom 12:11)
An excellent spirit? (Pr 17:27)
A joyful spirit? (Luke 1:47)
A powerful spirit? (II Tim 1:7)
A quiet spirit? (I Pet 3:4)
A newness of spirit (not legalistic)? (Rom 7:6)
A holy spirit? (I Cor 7:34)
A strong spirit? (Luke 1:80)
A spirit full of grace? (Phlm 25) (1)

A sister who gives attention to the spirit and lets God transform her mind in these ways is a sister who walks with God. There were two people whom the Bible says walked with God, and they were both saved from the flood. (Gen 5:22, 24; 6:9; Mic 6:8)

So, as we finish up Acts 2, we now have some joyful Spirit-filled Christians — ie the church. In a way I feel sorry for them. They have no idea what is coming. They are now in the ‘honeymoon period’, but soon they will be falsely accused and persecuted. Some of them will be put in prison. Some will be betrayed by family and friends. Some will be martyred for the faith. (Matt 10:34; Luke 21:12, 16) Such is the nature of our sojourn here on earth. (II Tim 3:12) We are at war. (I Tim 1:8; II Tim 2:4)

In conclusion, Acts 2 launched the most influential and far-reaching revolution the world has ever known, yet everything about it is contrary to our natural way of thinking. There is no armed rebellion in Acts, nor any of the other things one might expect from a revolution; just the word of God and the Spirit of God changing one heart at a time. 

It was the quiet witness of the Holy Spirit and the peaceful conduct of the Christians that changed hearts. It is still so today. For example, Larry Sanger, the man who started Wikipedia in 2001, recently became a Christian. In his testimony, he cited the conduct of Christians compared to the conduct of atheists as one of the primary motivations for his conversion.

The Holy Spirit always points people to Jesus; Jesus always points people to his Father. In Acts 2, there are six direct references to the Holy Spirit. There are ten or more indirect references to the Holy Spirit. Just as Peter introduced his fellow Jews to Jesus in Acts 2 by the leading of the Holy Spirit, he will introduce the first Gentiles to Jesus in Acts 10 by the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

Finally, my takeaway so far from this study in Acts is that I need to be more Spirit filled and do better at letting the Spirit lead my spirit.

  The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly. 
Proverbs 20:27

  He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. 
Proverbs 25:28

Father, help us to deny the flesh and feed the spirit through prayer and abiding in your word. Help us to hear your voice, and to obey You in all things. Fill each of us with your Spirit day by day and help us to walk in the Spirit. We pray that we can in some small measure receive the power that they enjoyed in the early church. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Prophecy Update: Since the roll-out of the mRNA shots in 2021 up to where we are now in 2025, cancer rates continue to skyrocket.

Oncologists who are honest about this and provide simple solutions like HCQ and Ivermectin (yes, one of the things that has been discovered over the last few years is that HCQ and Ivermectin both fight cancer) continue to be debanked and harassed in other ways. Pray and proceed accordingly.

José Rizal was a populist who rebelled against the establishment of his day by writing two fictional counter-culture novels. Since 1956, Rizal’s books have been required reading in Philippine schools as mandated by the Rizal Law. I believe that RFK Jr’s non-fiction book The Real Anthony Fauci is far more important to America, if not the world, than Rizal’s books are to the Philippines. I believe The Real Anthony Fauci should be required reading in public schools. Anyone who cares about the truth, freedom, health, or just doesn’t want to be a slave, should read The Real Anthony Fauci. 

1 Watchman Nee, The Spiritual Man, pp 404-417

Acts 2:1-41 — A New Era – A New Covenant – A New Beginning

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In this post, we come to the much-anticipated arrival of the Holy Spirit. (John 16:7 et al) 

We have already seen Peter acting as a leader among the twelve in Chapter 1. Scripture always places Peter first where the apostles are listed, including in Acts 1. Wiersbe called Peter “the first among equals.” 

Hence, I reject the idea that Jesus made Peter the cornerstone of his church. (Eph 2:20) Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom (Matt 16:19), but He told the other disciples more or less the same thing in Matthew 18:18. The ‘keys’ are the words of God and the faith to believe them. I think Jesus said this to Peter because He knew that after his denial, Peter would need faith in the word of God to receive the simplicity of the gospel. One of Satan’s favorite attacks is to remind us of our failures. (Luke 22:31f) When he reminds me of my past, I remind him of his future by reading Revelation 18 out loud. Works every time. Suffice it to say that everywhere we see ‘Rock’ in Scripture, it represents Jesus. (Deut 32:4, 15; I Cor 10:4 et al) Peter (Gk Petros) means small stone, not Rock (Gk Petra). Jesus is the Rock the church is built on, not Peter. 

So, it has been fifty days now since the Feast of Firstfruits (Lev 23:16), the day of the Resurrection. Firstfruits was three days after Passover, on the morrow after the Sabbath (Lev 23:11), ie, the first day of the week, the day Jesus conquered the grave. 

Therefore, we see that feast days are prophetic: Passover was fulfilled in the Crucifixion; Firstfruits, when a sheaf of wheat was presented as a wave offering, was fulfilled in the Resurrection; Pentecost was fulfilled in the birth of the church. Each of these days has rich imagery associated with it: 

Passover Lamb (Christ crucified; I Cor 5:7). 
Firstfruits Sheaf (Christ risen; I Cor 15:23). 
Pentecost harvest (birth of the church; Acts 2).

The next prophetic feast to be fulfilled is Rosh Hashanah with the rapture of the church, but that is a topic for a different study. 

Let us consider one more point here before we begin. Since the Feast of Weeks counted seven weeks from the first day of the week, plus one day (50), Pentecost was on the first day of the week. Don’t be a YouTube Christian, fooled by false doctrines that YouTube pushes to the top on autoplay. It was not Constantine who decided Christians should meet on the first day of the week. Christians have been meeting on the first day of the week since the Book of Acts. (Acts 20:7; I Cor 16:2) Jesus rose on the first day of the week. The church was born on the first day of the week. There is nothing wrong with meeting on the first day of the week. (Rom 14:5) 

The 4th Commandment was a day of rest on the seventh day. The first day (or the eighth day, depending on how you look at it), represents a new beginning. One and eight both represent new beginnings in Bible numerology. As Christians, we are under the New Covenant and our rest is in Christ. (Heb 4:1-10) The 4th Commandment is the only commandment that is not repeated in the New Testament after Pentecost. (Col 2:14-16) Much like circumcision, the 4th Commandment was part of the Old Covenant that God made with Israel. Freedom from these ordinances under the New Covenant is one of the main themes in the book of Acts. (Acts 15 et al)

We are going to see Peter’s light really start to shine in this post with the coming of the Holy Spirit. I have been looking forward to this. Father, give us understanding as we read thy word, in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Acts 2:1-41
1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

When it says Pentecost was fully come, that means it was fulfilled (see above). They were all in one place, but it does not say which place.

To the Jews in our passage here, this was not Pentecost but Shavout (lit Weeks), a day to remember the Law. (Deut 16:10-12) When Moses gave the Law, there was the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud, with thunder and lightnings and thick smoke on Mt Sinai. (Ex 19:16) The people in the camp trembled. 

On Pentecost, however, there will be a sound from heaven as of a mighty rushing wind and cloven tongues like as of fire. When Moses gave the Law, God descended on the mount in fire. (Ex 19:18) The smoke ascended from Mt Sinai as the smoke of a furnace. Likewise, a ‘fire’ that split up and rested upon 120 people would be a lot of ‘fire’. When Moses gave the Law, the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder. (Ex 19:19) I believe the sound as of the mighty rushing wind sounded long, and waxed louder and louder as well.

Ever since Maimonides (AD 1138–1204), it has been Jewish tradition, accepted more or less as history, that the Law was given on the first Shavot.

2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 

The word for wind is the same word for spirit, in both Greek and Hebrew. Also, the word house could be referring to the Temple. (Eg, Acts 7:47) It’s likely that is where they were. (Luke 24:53)

3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

I have read several commentaries on this passage and virtually all of them agree that it was not the tongues themselves that were cloven, but the ‘fire’ split, or was cloven, into several different tongues that sat upon the disciples — all 120 of them. (Acts 1:15)

A simile is a comparison that uses ‘like’ or ‘as’. Dr Luke uses ‘as of’ to describe the sound as of a mighty rushing wind from heaven, showing it was not a literal wind, but it sounded ‘as of’ a mighty rushing wind. He then uses both ‘like’ and ‘as’ to describe the ‘fire’ which sat upon each of them. Just as Moses saw a bush that burned but was not consumed, the Christians are now on fire, so to speak, but not burned. I believe the fire that Moses saw, and the ‘fire’ that sat upon the disciples, to both be instances of the same Shekinah glory of the Holy Spirit. 

4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5  And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

This is different than what Paul listed among the spiritual gifts in I Corinthians 12. This is not a ‘prayer language’. They heard the disciples speaking in their own languages, not ‘unknown’ tongues. (I Cor 14:2) Therefore they did not need an interpreter (I Cor 12:10; I Cor 14:27f). First they were confounded, then amazed, then they marvelled:  

7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9  Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10  Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11  Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12  And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

There is a prominent Jewish tradition that when the Law was given, it was heard in seventy different languages, representing each of the seventy nations. (Gen 10) 

So, we have the parallel of the supernatural phenomena happening both at the giving of the Law (on the first Pentecost, I believe), as well as its fulfillment here on the Pentecost following the Resurrection. The sound as of the mighty rushing wind got their attention, drawing a multitude (v 6) to come and investigate. They probably even saw the tongues like as of fire. (v 33) We also have the languages to every nation under heaven (v 5) to parallel the seventy languages heard when Moses gave the Law, spoken by 120 people, to pilgrims from far-off countries who came for the feast. Against the backdrop of Jerusalem, a truly magnificent city in its own right, along with the iconic Temple, this was truly a miraculous scene. 

The people of Judea were amazed when Zacharias lost his voice and got it back again. That obscure incident was noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea. (Luke 1:65f) How much more so must the news of this epic event have been noised abroad?  

13  Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

Of course, the accuser of the brethren had to get a jab in. ‘No, they aren’t Spirit filled, they’re drunk!’ Peter does not let this accusation go unanswered. (Pr 26:5) He used it as a springboard opportunity to preach the gospel:

14  But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15  For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. [9 AM]

This was a stronger argument than it might seem. Orthodox Jews did not eat or drink before 9 AM on the Sabbath or on a holy day.  

16  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh [not just Jews]: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [preach], and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

We only have a partial fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, but Peter rightly says that the coming of the Holy Spirit they are witnessing is ‘that’ which was spoken of by the prophet Joel. Thanks be to God, verse 21 was also part of the initial fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. (Rom 10:13)

22  Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

Jesus’ miracles and wonders and signs were legendary and well known to all who were there. The disciples and apostles have miracles and wonders and signs now too. Peter’s use of the word ‘these’ (not ‘we’) in verse 15 seems to indicate the apostles did not speak in tongues but only the others. Nevertheless, suffice it to say the early church was given plenty of evidence to believe the gospel. 

23  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands [wicked Roman Gentile hands!] have crucified and slain:

Peter reminds them of their part in the betrayal of Jesus, but also says it was done by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. (Cf Isa 53:10)

24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25  For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26  Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28  Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35  Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

Peter’s message is saturated with Scripture. Peter did not just make claims about the Holy Spirit and Jesus; he supported everything he said with Scripture. In other words, Peter was a student of Bible prophecy and he used his knowledge of Bible prophecy to preach the gospel. The crucifixion (vv 23, 36), the ascension (vv 33, 34), the promise of the Holy Spirit (v 33), the miracles of Jesus (v 22), his identity as Messiah (v 36), and the New Covenant of grace (v 21; cf Jer 31:31) were all prophesied. The Resurrection, also foretold in Scripture, was at the heart of Peter’s message. (vv 24, 27, 30, 31, 32)

36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Notice they did not ask Peter what they ‘must do to be saved’. Peter already addressed that issue in verse 21. Paul and Silas will address it again in Acts 16:31. (Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.) They simply asked him and the other apostles, [W]hat shall we do? Peter knew they already believed. The next steps after belief are repentance and baptism. Belief is essential, but so is repentance, which means to change your mind. One of the things you need to change your mind about is your willingness to identify with Christ before others (Luke 12:8), which means to be baptized. This was a radical step. Jews baptized proselytes but they did not baptize other Jews. That was one of the things that made the Pharisees take notice of John the Baptist. Baptism was a public declaration of their belief and firm conviction that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. Baptism was a new beginning under a new covenant, a proclamation that they now followed Yeshua Ha’Mashiach.  

38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus said to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Here, Peter says in the name of Jesus Christ. We are saved by faith, not by the correct baptism formula, but to make everyone happy I say both when I baptize somebody. I don’t remember exactly what the guy who baptized me said, nor does it matter. 

39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

After the Exodus, the new generation received the Law but then wandered around in the desert for 38 years after their parents rejected the Promised Land. (Deut 2:14) The new generation ‘saved themselves from that untoward generation’, so to speak, and were allowed to enter the Promised Land with Joshua (Gk Iésous; Engl Jesus).

Per Sir Robert Anderson’s meticulous calculations in The Coming Prince, Jesus was crucified in 32 AD. Therefore, from Pentecost it was 38 years until the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. 

It was 40 full years of testing from the beginning of the Exodus until they entered the Promised Land. It was likewise 40 full years from when the Jews first decided to kill Jesus in John 5 that Jerusalem fell. It was after Jesus healed a lame man at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath during the Feast of Pentecost — every high day was a Sabbath day — thus breaking their interpretation of the Law, that the Jewish leadership rejected Jesus. Two years later, here in Acts 2, the common people received Him and the church was born. 

Shortly after Pentecost in 70 AD, the Romans destroyed the Jewish Temple and razed the city of Jerusalem. It is estimated that well over a million Jews perished in the siege. It is estimated that 97,000 were taken captive as slaves. Yet, according to Eusebius, those who received Yeshua by faith and were baptized fled before the siege, because of the prophetic warning Yeshua gave in Luke 21:20, 21. Eusebius records this event, known as ‘the flight of the Christians to Pella’, in his book, Ecclesiastical History. Pella was one of the ten cities of Decapolis, located on the east side of the River Jordan. 

The truth is that although He used the Romans to do it, it was God who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD, just as He used the Chaldeans to destroy Jerusalem in 587 BC. There is an age-old custom that when the inhabitants of a city are offered a chance to surrender before a siege, if they refuse they do not deserve quarter. Jesus offered Jerusalem the opportunity to surrender but they refused. (Matt 23:34-37) Those who surrendered to Christ ‘saved themselves’ from that untoward generation — by letting Jesus save them. 

41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:1-41

Shavout was a day not just to remember the Law, but also to remember that they were slaves in Egypt (Deut 16:12). According to the Bible, the Law is a form of slavery, but we are set free by the New Covenant of grace (Gal 4:21-31). At the first Shavout when the Law was given, they were afraid. (Ex 20:19) They were not allowed near the mountain that quaked, or they would die. (Heb 12:20) On the fulfillment of Shavout in Acts 2, they were not afraid, but marveled. They did not come to the curse of the Law that brought death (Deut 27:26; Ez 18:4), but To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. (Heb 12:23) At the giving of the Law on the first Shavout, 3000 souls perished. (Ex 32:28) When Shavout was fully come, 3000 souls were saved. (v 41)

Some may find fault with my supposition that Maimonides was correct in his interpretation that the giving of the Law fell on the first Shavout. Consider that Maimonides was quite an impressive scholar. Maimonides concluded from a study in Genesis 1 that there are 10 dimensions in the physical world, because God spoke 10 times in Genesis 1. That may sound odd, but modern physicists agree with his assessment. There are, indeed, 10 physical dimensions according to string theory. For me, the pattern and the parallels are too striking to ignore. When Shavout was fully come, the New Covenant of grace was established. The Old Covenant of the Law was annulled. (Heb 8:13; II Cor 3:6ff; Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16) 

As we continue in Acts, we will see that the nullification of the Old Covenant was not easily understood or readily accepted by the early church. It still remains a hard concept for Christians to grasp, even today.

Notwithstanding, the gospel of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant of grace is by far the most glorious message ever given among men. The gospel is light and life. The gospel is freedom and liberty. The gospel is life everlasting to those who believe. Foolishness to them that perish (I Cor 1:18), [b]ut unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. (1 Cor 1:24)

In closing, let me leave you with a story I once shared with a good friend of mine who thought we have to be baptized by the ‘Peter formula’ in order to be saved. My friend’s name was Arlo. He was of the Pentecostal persuasion:

Arlo, I said, let’s suppose that I committed a horrible crime, for which I was given the death penalty. Let’s suppose that you had compassion on me and you spoke to the judge about how I might possibly be released and forgiven for my crime. The judge warned you that I was guilty and I deserved the death penalty. You understood that I did indeed commit the crime, but you persisted and said I should get a second chance. So the judge decided he would accept your daughter to be executed in my place. Despite the great love you have for your innocent three-year-old daughter, you agreed. Your daughter was executed in my place and I was set free. Then you heard me talking to somebody later and when they asked me why I was still alive, I said, Well, the judge let me go because I was baptized the right way. How would that make you feel?

Baptism does not save us unless we believe that Jesus died in our place. When we believe that, baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God, and saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Not by water or by the ‘correct formula’.) Baptism is a public declaration of faith in Christ: 

  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
I Peter 3:21

  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
I Corinthians 12:13

Above in verse 38, Peter told them that if they were baptized they would receive the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 12:13 shows that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the true baptism. Water baptism is symbolic. Water baptism shows repentance, what Peter called the answer of a good conscience toward God, but if a believer was somewhere in a desert with no water around, that would be fine (Luke 23:43).

Finally, we saw in this study how tongues like as of fire empowered the disciples to proclaim the wonderful works of God. Next time you speak to someone, consider that your tongue can either be on fire with the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2), or it can be set on fire of hell. (Jam 3:6) God help us. 

Father, thank You for keeping your promise to send the Holy Spirit. Thank You for giving us the New Covenant of grace through faith in your Son and for his unspeakable gift. Thank You that the promise is to us who are afar off. Thank You also for the promise to send your Son back again for us. Help us to prepare and make ourselves ready through faith alone in your Son alone. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

PS: Jewish friend, if you stumbled on this post and read it out of curiosity, please consider the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD and the flight of the Christians to Pella. It was a horrible time of sorrow, but something worse is coming. Much worse. Think of your children. Save yourself from this untoward generation. Receive Messiah before it is too late. Yeshua is merciful and He will forgive you, whatever you may have done. Rabbi Saul was by his own admission a murderer and the chief of sinners (Acts 22:4; 1 Tim 1:15), yet Yeshua forgave him. Being chosen is not enough. Everyone needs Messiah. (Mic 5:2; Isa 53; Ps 22; Deut 18:5)

Prophecy Update: Any Christian who uses technology (or listens to what the experts say) ought to have noticed by now that AI is hostile to Christianity. One of the many different ways I have noticed this is how typos will be inserted into my posts which are impossible to remove, even when the code is ostensibly correct. Another example is how the iPhone microphone tool will refuse to correctly type clearly spoken words when dictating text about Christianity but jumbles them up into a word salad, yet in certain other functions the iPhone will perfectly type them, even when spoken in a whisper. As I was typing this warning about AI, I was suddenly unable to save my document, and when I tried to change the permissions I saw a message I have never seen before: “Unapproved caller. SecurityAgent may only be invoked by Apple software.” Then for the first time ever, I was not able to take a screenshot of the message. Coincidence? You decide.

#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.