Light on the Rock Blogs

Wherever Paul preached, the cities were engaged, to say the least. Paul was accused of teaching there was another king – King Jesus – and not just Caesar. So in Acts 17, he was ejected from Thessalonica because of that accusation and so he went to the next city – Berea – and this is what we read…

Acts 17:10-11   “Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, AND searched the Scriptures DAILY to find out whether these things were so.”

The point of this blog is to encourage us all to double-check everything we’re hearing in church services and from the booklets and articles we read. This implies perhaps much more Bible study than some of us now do. Each of us should LOOK UP the scriptures that are being cited in sermons and articles. Be a Berean who ‘searched the scriptures DAILY” to verify that what was preached is truly in the Bible. Notice they didn’t search the scriptures to prove the minister wrong, but to prove the minister right. They “received the word with all readiness”, it says. They were eager to listen. It was a positive investigation. Always read 10 verses before the cited verse and 10 verses after so you’re getting the context.

We have so many Bible tools today that make it easy to verify what scripture says on any topic. Verify MY sermons and blogs too. The Bereans probably had to go to their synagogue and ask permission to look up the large scrolls of the Old Testament. There was no New Testament around yet at this time. Imagine how hard it would be to look up scriptures in large scrolls – one scroll per Bible book, normally. And they didn’t have chapter and verse back then either.

I guess this blog is to encourage us all to get our noses into God’s word more than ever. And I mean into God’s word itself. I know so many people who listen non-stop to sermon after sermon, or read articles and booklets that churches put out. That could be helpful, of course, but keep in mind each fellowship has their own set of beliefs and their booklets and articles and sermons will reflect the verses and scriptures that substantiate their beliefs. I’m saying, dig into the word yourself on various subjects. You will be surprised so many times.

For example: many church groups baptize people into the name of the Father, Son and Holy spirit, because that’s what Matthew 28:19 does say. But dig into that subject more deeply. I do have sermon audio on it (“Into Whom are we baptized?”), but dig into it yourself, even when hearing or reading MY own material here on Light on the Rock. Here’s what I found, when I dug into that: there’s not even ONE example where that’s the wording any of the apostles and deacon Philip used when baptizing.

We are after all baptized into Christ, into his body, and into his name. My sermon explains how Matthew 28:19 was added by Constantine, according to the historians, to back up the trinity doctrine. The original verse was to baptize “in my name” (Jesus speaking) – and that is exactly what those who were baptizing DID! Every single time.

So now when I baptize anyone, it will be in Jesus’ name, into HIS body. Look up these verses and see what Peter, Philip, Paul and others said and did: Acts 2:38; Acts 8:12,16; Acts 10:48 - Cornelius; Acts 19:4-5 - the men of Ephesus; Romans 6:3. Also see Galatians 3:27 - baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 

Not one single time can be found where any of them baptized into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Not one time. If you think I’m wrong, show me. 

By being a Berean who digs into the word, you’ll find that a lot of the traditions of various groups cannot be backed up by scripture. 

Here’s another. Some groups let only ordained elders baptize (immerse) people. Is that scriptural? The disciples baptized for Jesus (John 4:1-2), and they weren’t ordained yet and didn’t even have God’s Holy Spirit yet. Philip the DEACON, not an ordained elder yet, baptized many in Samaria and the Ethiopian eunuch. When I baptize, if a brother or father wants to “assist” in the baptism of his daughter, I’m delighted to let him participate. So I say if you want to be baptized, and especially if there are no ordained men near you who teach the truth of God’s word – find a leading member of the church or deacon to baptize you. But beware: your church organization may not approve! But also remember, we’re not baptizing you into any corporate group or church organization, but into the body of Christ.

It does appear that only ordained ministers did the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit.  After Philip baptized those in Samaria, Jerusalem sent out Peter and John to lay hands on them (Acts 8:14-17) so they could receive the Holy Spirit. But what do you do if, again, there are no ordained true ministers around? Study that and ponder that. Let me know what you find. The “elders” – as best as I can see in the New Testament – weren’t just older men but were the ordained teachers, bishops, overseers, pastors of the areas. I’m praying for direction on this too, for indeed, the Holy Spirit CAN be given without laying on of hands, as the case of Cornelius shows us, though that was a strong exception possibly. Peter was being clearly shown that God was now also calling Gentiles to repentance and conversion. See Acts 10 for the story of Cornelius. Note verses 44-46.

And who among the apostles and believers in Acts 2 Pentecost had hands laid on them to receive God’s spirit before Peter preached his sermon? We’re not told of any! But they certainly received the Holy Spirit. Again, without any laying on of hands from elders. So we can’t be so rigid as I myself had been to insist that only through an ordained minister can someone receive God’s spirit. I think that’s the ideal when there are ordained true elders available. We read of Peter and John laying on of hands for baptized Samaritans to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17). But remember the Holy Spirit actually comes from God the Father  (1 Cor. 6:19) – through Jesus – through the elder laying on his hands. But the Spirit comes from God. Let’s not box God in to our limitations.

Just recently a man told me that he heard a rabbi say that King David never really sinned. My immediate reaction was “What Bible is HE reading?”. And he explained there were five, supposedly, who never sinned. OK, let me ask you. What scriptures or concepts would immediately flood into your mind to refute that? For me it was “ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And “there’s none righteous, no not one” {by God’s perfect righteousness at least) – Romans 3:10-12. PLUS the prophet Nathan told David he had sinned and David admitted it in Psa 51:4 and 2 Sam 12:13.

Don’t confine your searches to verses being preached at you or just from the scriptures in an article or blog, including this one – because obviously the preacher will pick scriptures that seem to substantiate his view. Do some extra digging yourself. Bereans didn’t have everything handed to them. No, they had to go do some digging into the scriptures themselves. Be doing so much Bible study that now when something is preached, you can either nod in agreement or make a note to check up something that seems obviously wrong. 

Beware: ministers are still human. If someone constantly finds them teaching what's false, you won’t be popular with that minister for long. In that case it’s probably time to find a different teacher anyway.

Use the tools available. I do a lot of intensive Bible studies at my desk with all the tools I have, but also will listen to the Bible audios as I weed, do dishes, or feed my birds outside. I listen to each chapter several times so I don’t miss anything.

We’ve all been given so much, and we’ll be partly judged by what we’ve been given. We have free apps like Bible Hub, Bible Gateway, E-Sword, and many more apps. BE SURE TO LOAD up your laptop and cell phone with these apps. You can even listen to the Bible audio in numerous translations and in scores of languages. One I bought some years ago is so comprehensive, called PC Biblesoft version 5. There are so many free study apps that let us dig into the original Hebrew or Greek, or even find loads of cross-references. They have “topics” – so you can do topical studies and look up any word you like – like Berea for example – and learn all about that topic. Plus Commentaries galore. Bible maps. Bible photos. My PC Biblesoft does all that and much more. Of course these tools also have dozens of Bible translations you can check.

By playing the audio Bibles, what the Bible says will come more readily to you. I have made a practice to listen to each chapter at least twice in a row, often three times. Often on the 2^nd and third go, I change to a different translation, as I find that rings different bells for me. So now, when I hear something being preached that is obviously wrong, I usually can instantly think of some scriptures that say it’s wrong.

A Berean not only searches the scriptures – which for them would have been quite a chore – but they would come to KNOW the scriptures better. And better yet, we’d want to come to know the AUTHOR of the scriptures, the Son of God who is known as The Word of God.

John 5:39-40 “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to ME that you may have life.”

So be a Berean who knows the scriptures, but better, is coming to know the Author too.

When President Trump was in power, all the anti-Trump folks spoke evil against him continually. Now that President Biden is president, it’s the other side’s turn and they sure mock his dementia and what he tries to say and do. Our presidents may or may not have wrecked the country, but the point of this blog will still stand. Governors, senators and mayors also are routinely mocked. But I hope and pray, not by or from the people of God.

Scripture totally backs me up in saying that, as you’ll see. I hope you will read the scriptures below, slowly and carefully. It’s going to get harder and harder for believers to respect government offices and authority, as their persecution of us will grow intensely in the coming years. We must still respect their office.

We should not mock them, make fun of their names, despise them, or ridicule their policies – no matter how tempting that is sometimes.

We are not of the elephant party (Republicans). We are not of the donkey party (Democrats). We are of the Lamb of God. And let’s act like children of God. Even in Moses’ day, this is what was taught:

EXODUS 22:28    "You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.”

What we’re about to read was all penned by Paul, Peter, and Jude – ALL three of whom were wrongly beheaded by the governing authorities. God delivered them several times. Paul was left for dead in Lystra after being stoned but he rose up again and went straight back into the city.

Peter was captured during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Acts 12) and guarded by 16 Roman soldiers who even chained him up. Angels miraculously delivered him and the innocent 16 Roman soldiers were killed instead. I say innocent because how do you battle with the unseen supernatural deliverance Peter received?

My point is, in spite of all this, these apostles command us to be respectful and never curse our leaders or ridicule them. Some of you good friends of mine do that. We should not. That must stop. We must RESPECT government and authority, whether we agree with them or like them or not.

Jude 8-10 “Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the Devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.”

1 Peter 2:13-17   “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men — 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor ALL people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. HONOR the king”. 

2 Peter 2:9-11   “the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous and self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.” 

You can read all through verse 7 in Romans 13. Some brethren don’t pay taxes and feel they don’t have to. Romans 13:6-7 is very clear on taxes. Read it in your own Bible.

Romans 13:1-2   “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.”

So I know it’s tempting to ridicule, mock, name-call, and despise our government leaders – of either party – but I hope we can take the admonition of scripture and honor them instead. At least for their office’s sake.

Many of you know that God describes how he bore, or carried, Israel out of Egypt “on eagles’ wings”. Have you wondered what that could mean?

Exodus 19:3-4 “And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself.”

I’m convinced that from where they left Goshen to arriving at the Red Sea crossing, our great YHVH did some supernatural miracles to allow them to travel 272 miles in perhaps as short as 5-6 days.

WE will have our own Red Sea moments, especially in the years ahead, when only the supernatural will deliver us, so that’s why I’m focusing on this. But we humans like to be over-factual. Things to us have to make sense. But when we’re dealing with the spirit world of God and his abilities, He can go way beyond what makes sense to us. If you over analyze what “must” happen, you might miss some miracles, LIKE flying out on our own eagle’s wings. I’ll explain.

I also believe the evidence that God hurried them along, beyond the normal possible human limits as you will see, leads me to believe He wanted them to be at a certain spot by the Last day, a holy day, of Unleavened Bread. There would be no need to hurry them along if they didn’t have to arrive someplace – the real crossing of the real Red Sea – within a certain time frame. Yes, I believe they crossed on the Last day of Unleavened Bread.

I urge you to listen to the audio sermon on how WE will also increasingly have our own “Red Sea moments” in these last days and see powerful miracles if we believe.

God made sure they were all strong and healthy when they left. Nobody was feeble according to Psalm 105:37. Did you realize God even arranged things so they could travel day or night?

Exodus 13:21-22 NIV   “By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could TRAVEL BY DAY OR NIGHT. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”

They camped only three times but that’s all (Numbers 33:3-8) – at Succoth, Etham and near Migdol. It’s all clearly explained in my audio sermon. So the other days they were apparently traveling day and night. We would say “IMPOSSIBLE” to expect 2-3 million people and their herds and flocks to travel day and night. That’s where our miracle-working God comes in though. 

Psalms 105:36-40 NKJV   “He also destroyed all the firstborn in their land,

The first of all their strength. 37 He also brought them out with silver and gold, And there was none feeble among His tribes. 38 Egypt was glad when they departed, For the fear of them had fallen upon them. 39 He spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to give light in the night.”

Then again remember, in Ex 19:4 God says HE brought Israel out “on eagles’ wings”. Here’s what one of the commentaries had to say. 

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) I bare you on eagles' wings.--Comp. Deuteronomy 32:11, “When its young are first fledged, the eagle is said to assist them in their flight by flying beneath them, so that they may settle upon its wings or back, if necessary. God means that He has bestowed upon His people the same tender and powerful care, has borne them up mightily when they might have fallen, supported their first flight as fledglings, and so saved them from disaster”.

This theme from God of carrying or bearing Israel up continues in many other scriptures. Notice a bunch more scriptures that gives clues as to what God may have been doing. (I go into many more possibilities in the sermon.)  In Deut 32, focus especially on verse 11. 

Deuteronomy 32:9-12 NKJV   “For the LORD’s portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance. 10 "He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.

11 As an EAGLE stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, Spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings, 12 So the LORD alone led him, And there was no foreign god with him.”  

WOW, did you read all that carefully? Here are 2 more translations of verse 11.

Deut 32:11 NIV “like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft”. 

Deut 32:11 Legacy  “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, That hovers over its young, He spread His wings and caught them; He carried them on His pinions.”

Deut 32:11 – Aramaic Bible in Plain English   “As the eagle that flies over his nest and broods over his chicks, he spreads his wings and takes them and picks them up on the strength of his wings:”

Deut 32:11 Brenton Septuagint Translation “As an eagle would watch over his brood, and yearns over his young, receives them having spread his wings, and takes them up on his back,”

There’s more going on here than just walking fast, with children, old people and flocks, etc.

Other Scriptures verify that whatever God did, He equated it to carrying them.

Deuteronomy 1:29-33 NKJV   "Then I said to you, 'Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. 30 The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, 31 and in the wilderness where you saw how YHVH your God CARRIED YOU as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.'

32 Yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God, 33 who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the WAY You SHOULD GO, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.” (Ex 13:21)

Isaiah 46:3-4   "Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth,

Who have been carried from the womb: 4 Even to your old age, I am He,

And even to gray hairs I will CARRY you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you”.

Isaiah 40:31 NKJV   “But those who wait on YHVH shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like EAGLES, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint”.

Isaiah 63:9   “In all their affliction HE was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and CARRIED them all the days of old.”

Surely something supernatural had to be going on. They could travel up to 272 miles total, when needed, day and night. They were not tired or feeble. Scripture quotes God saying He CARRIED them. Many more possibilities are in my sermon on this. It will make you think.

And remember, things don’t have to “make sense” when it comes to what God is capable of.

Manna made no human sense. Walking on water –including Peter walking on water – makes no human sense. Resurrecting a man dead 4 days already (Lazarus) makes no sense either. Supernatural events were going on even before the crossing of the Red Sea.

You know about the walls of water above the Israelites as they crossed 8-9 miles to Midian, to Arabia – where the real Mt Sinai is (Galatians 4:25). The so-called “Sinai Peninsula” was never part of Arabia or ever in Midian!

Galatians 4:25 “for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children”

I also mentioned in the sermon that they walked the entire route not on soft sand, but on a highway. They could travel much faster this way. 

Isaiah 11:16 Holman Apologetics    “There will be a highway for the remnant of His people who will survive from Assyria, AS THERE WAS for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.”

Moses and Miriam led Israel in a song and dance of celebration after God’s victory over Egypt in the Red Sea. Now notice part of their song in Ex. 15:8 

Exodus 15:8   “And with the blast of Your nostrils the waters were gathered together; The floods stood upright like a heap; The depths CONGEALED in the heart of the sea.”

The Hebrew word translated “congealed” means “congealed”. The ground became rock hard. That made it easier to hurry across and possible for chariots and horses to cross easily as well – that is, until God took their chariot wheels OFF!

Most translations on Exodus 15:8 also say “congealed”. But look at these. NIV also says congealed. New Living translation says, “the deep waters became HARD.”

Good News translation says, “the deepest part of the sea became SOLID.”

Just thinking out loud now as Dr E Martin and others have also wondered: Is it possible that with God’s storm-like winds against the Red Sea that the walls and bottom of the sea became frozen, rock hard, like walking across a deeply frozen lake in Canada? Some have floated that possibility. All I know is that the Bible says the deeps became rock hard solid dry surface. To Israel, it was like walking across on a concrete-like surface.

The deepest part of the Gulf of Aqaba Red Sea by the way is 6,070 feet deep (1,850 meters). If they crossed at the shallower underwater land bridge from Nuweiba Beach to Midian, even there, the walls could have easily been hundreds of feet high – say 20-50 stories high or higher, and not even touch the real possible heights.

And yet God says in the very last days, when he brings his people back from around the world where they will have been sold as slaves, those events of bringing them back to the land of Israel will be so spectacular that nobody will even remember the Red Sea story. So some VERY exciting miracles are yet ahead of us.

Be getting closer to God than ever before. Spend more time in constant contact prayer with God and in his word. BELIEVE, and you will see and experience some amazing things in the years ahead.

We’re told that God’s children of the Philadelphian type will be protected from the Great Tribulation, coming soon to test those on the earth (Revelation 3:10). Those of the Laodicea type will not be protected but may have to give up their lives to show God they are in earnest, as they “buy from me gold refined in the fire” (Rev. 3:18).

How will God’s people be protected? Revelation 12 says God will fly them to their place, singular, in the wilderness – are you ready for this? “ON EAGLES” WINGS”.

Revelation 12:13-14 “ Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great EAGLE, that she might FLY into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.”

Once again, being borne on the wings of a great eagle. Keep your eyes open.

“The Second Passover” – 30 days after the first Passover on the 14^th of Abib, which is usually in late March or early April.  I was amazed that I had not addressed this or written a blog on this topic earlier. So here it is!  In fact, I think the “2^nd Passover” should be included in the cards some groups hand out listing the dates of the various key dates and holydays for the coming years.

Passover remembers the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus the Messiah – and let me add, the sacrifice of God the father also – which makes forgiveness possible. I say “the Father also”, because any loving father would gladly take a bullet for his beloved son. God CERTAINLY sacrificed so much for us in the Passover. And it was GOD’s idea. GOD who so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son to come die for us, for our sins, so we wouldn’t have to die and bear our own sins and their penalty. And of course His one life as the Son of God was more valuable than all of humanity put together, hence his one life could cover as many repentant sinners as would accept his sacrifice.

But now what happens when unavoidable circumstances force you to miss the Passover? God considers the Passover to be so important, that he allows for those who can’t keep the first date to have a second shot, 30 days later. It comes up in Numbers 9:6-12, a year after Israel left Egypt. Touching a dead body made Israelites ceremonially unclean and unable to keep the Passover.

Several Israelites could not keep Passover the year after the exodus from Egypt, because they had touched a dead body (Numbers 9:6-8; Leviticus 7:20-21). That rendered them ceremonially unclean. This deeply concerned them so they asked Moses what to do and he in turn asked God (Num. 9:8). God’s answer shows his tender love and his willingness to accept that sometimes events occur that make it impossible to do what God commands – like keeping the Passover on a certain time and date. So God allows – in this case – for an exception to the rule. (It reminds us of the “ox in the ditch” ruling that even on the weekly sabbath, some real emergencies can arise.)

So if you just cannot make the Passover because you’re away on a big, long trip, or there’s been death in the family, read the scripture below and understand: you can keep Passover, but a month after the first one. The fact that God allows us to have a second chance at Passover, shows how important it is to him.

Hallelujah and praise to our God. This second Passover is truly for those in unavoidable circumstances. Examples of this could certainly apply to those in the hospital or other clear emergencies. If a new pandemic hits us that is sweeping the globe lightning-fast, that may also be a reason to postpone for a month, if you need to meet with a group.

But remember, worshiping God in a “group” could be smaller than you might think. In the case of a pandemic,  I believe I’d just stay home with my beloved wife and the two of us would have Passover together, by ourselves. Don’t forget “Where TWO or THREE are gathered together in my name, I AM THERE in the midst of them”  (Matthew 18:20). 

So if at least two believers can keep Passover – with footwashing and eating of the Bread from heaven and sipping of his cup and all that means, by all means do it, even if it is just 2 or three of you. No, you do NOT have to have an ordained minister leading the service. In the original Passover of Exodus 12, they were family meetings led by the father of the household. They weren’t led by Levites or priests (in fact there were no priests yet at that time) 

Notice too that Christ and Paul focused on the cup as much as what was in the cup.

Drinking of his cup says you are willing to accept whatever God has in store for you as a believer and you will be true to your Savior no matter what. Of course the red wine pictures everything the Son’s blood does for us: cleanses us from our sins, forgives our sins, reconciles us to God, removes the wrath of God that is on us due to our sins, and restores our right relationship with Most Holy God.  I have a sermon that goes in depth into what the Blood of Christ does for us.

Now here’s the account of how the Second Passover came to be.

Numbers 9:1-13

Now YHVH spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: 2 "Let the children of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. 3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time. According to all its rites and ceremonies you shall keep it." 4 So Moses told the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover. 5 And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, at twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.

6 Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. 7 And those men said to him, "We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?"

8 And Moses said to them, "Stand still, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you."

9 Then YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, 10 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the Lord's Passover.

11 On the fourteenth day of the SECOND month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

12 They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.

13 But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the LORD at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin.”

Interesting that we either let Christ bear our sin – or we bear it ourselves (verse 13).

Are there any other examples of Second Passover besides Numbers 9?  Absolutely.

Read 2 Chronicles 30 for yourself. In King Hezekiah’s day, he invited the remnants of the House of Israel who had survived the Assyrian wars and captivity, to come down to Jerusalem and turn back to God. Most of the northern Tribes laughed at the messengers, but quite a few DID respond. But time was passing and they missed the first Passover. Nonetheless, they remembered the SECOND Passover, in the second month. It was a time of jubilation and reform in Judah and for many from Ephraim and Manasseh and Zebulon from up north as well.

So they kept Passover a month later, in the second month of God’s calendar. I’ll pick up at 2 Chronicles 30:10.

2 Chronicles 30:10-22

So the runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but they laughed at them and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the LORD.

13 Now many people, a very great assembly, gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the SECOND MONTH.

14 They arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they took away all the incense altars and cast them into the Brook Kidron. 15 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought the burnt offerings to the house of the Lord. 16 They stood in their place according to their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood received from the hand of the Levites.

17 For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves; therefore the Levites had charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to the Lord. 18 For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone 19 who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary." 20 And YHVH listened to Hezekiah and healed the people. 

21 So the children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing to YHVH, accompanied by loud instruments. 22 And Hezekiah gave encouragement to all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of YHVH; and they ate throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.”

What a wonderful God we have.

This is special prayer request.  One of the most joyous parts of our lives is to be able to spend happy times especially with our children and grandchildren. So many of you know exactly what I mean and experience this joy often. I know the joy we feel with our daughter and her husband and their five wonderful children just minutes from where we live.

I want to put out a very special prayer request now though.

I’m learning of more and more friends and even just people I hear about in their 60’s and above especially, whose children won’t have anything to do with them. Some won’t allow any contact, even by mail or phone, with grandchildren. Talk about painful!  Sure, it could easily be the parents’ fault – or perhaps there are other issues, but surely this is not something even remotely pleasing to God Most High, the supreme Father over all.

Regardless of whose fault it is, please join me in prayer that anyone going through all this can find a loving and joyful resolution with God’s help and working through His Holy Spirit.

This is not just an isolated situation here and there. I’m speaking of situations that are rampant.

Did you know that reconciling and reuniting families is one of the commissions given to the very end-time Elijah to come? See Malachi 4 below. 

It also applied to John the Baptist, a type of the end-time Elijah of Malachi 4. There is yet to be a coming “Elijah” figure just before the dreadful “day of the LORD”. Now read verse 6 especially. Let’s pray God sends this man soon, who will reunite families and it also that this end-time Elijah will also successfully turn many “children” back to God the Father. See Luke 1:16 below.

Malachi 4:5-6
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
6 And he will turn 
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."

Notice the hearts of the fathers changes first, turns first. Then the children turn their hearts. OK dads, let’s be turning our hearts and asking for a miracle from our loving Abba.

And where it ends with “lest I strike the earth with a curse”, the word for “curse” can also even extinction! 

            NIV – “with utter destruction”

            ESV  -- “a decree to strike the land with total destruction”.

            ISV:  “ Otherwise, I'll come, strike the land, and utterly destroy it."

So you see the importance God himself places on this prayer request.

This next scripture is about John the Baptist, who was a type of the end-time prophesied Elijah to appear on the scene, hopefully soon.

Luke 1:13-17

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Please join me in praying for this loving reunion to start happening soon.

And if you’re one of those cut off from your own children or grandchildren, confess any faults you have in it, repent to our Abba God Most High, and pray for God to bless them and your situation. But please pray for specific people you know about in this situation and also generally, as I just keep hearing of more and more cases.

Foundation for the Beast system being laid

Many of us have pondered scriptures in Revelation 13 and have wondered what they could mean or how the Beast system could forbid anyone to buy or sell.  Certainly it appears we’re watching the groundwork already being set here in America and around the world.  In a few months I hope to come out with a far more detailed sermon on this topic and other topics related to it.

Revelation 13:16-18    “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.   18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.”

This is not a political blog, though some of you may feel it is. This is intended to show you how the foundation for the coming Beast system, which is almost here now, is being laid and has been laid.

There is a coming “mark of the Beast”. Many postulate what that is, but I won’t. We’ll recognize it soon enough and when we do see it, we must not accept it for ourselves.

We believers are absolutely warned NOT to take the mark of the Beast or we will come under God’s severe punishment. We cannot love God and the Beast. But if we don’t take the Beast’s “mark”, we may find ourselves unable to buy or sell anything, or to even pay our mortgage or rent or to receive or cash a pay check from work. So it will be tempting to some to give in – but we will die if we do.

Please carefully read Revelation 14:9-11; 15:2 and Rev 16:2. Those who stand before God refused to ever accept that mark. Check out my blog about “which mark will be on your forehead”?  Just type in “Mark” in the Search bar. GOD also marks his children on their forehead. See Ezekiel 9 and Rev. 3:12; 14:1.

We want God’s mark. We will NOT want the Mark of the Beast.

Are we much closer to this hellish nightmare being possible soon?  President Biden recently implemented Executive Order # 14067 to start the beginnings of the Digital Dollar system. It’s officially called “CBDC” -  Central Bank Digital Currency, having to do with controlling Digital Assets.

As countries adopt this, their digital currency will come under the complete control of their country’s central bank. Cash, dollar bills and coins as we know them – will eventually totally disappear. Start learning about it. It’s been in effect since December 13, 2022. Eventually  - be watching – this could begin to replace our current cash money system and replace it completely with digital currency. Each will have his or her own “digital wallet”.

The EU plans to go digital as well, and do the same thing. Watch Canada, Britain and dozens of countries around the world follow suit. There are some positive benefits of having CBDC – digital currency. When the government wants to give certain ones some Stimulus checks, they can just drop it in to their account, reducing fraud (they tell me), waste and wasted time. We will hear of a dozen or more exciting examples of how much better it will be – and truly there will be some initial benefits.

But IF and when this gets implemented as planned, we COULD all be at the mercy of our governments – and eventually the one world-ruling Beast power. Whether you live in USA or Kenya or the Philippines, this will likely come to your country and every country soon.

Just be aware of it, and be watching. You may want to move some of your cash 401K plans to silver or gold. Learn about it.

NOTE:  I AM NOT saying this CBDC – the digital currency – will be the “mark” of the Beast, but it looks very possible to me that for the Beast power to KNOW you want to buy something, they have to have something that immediately TELLS their system where you are and what you want to buy or sell. They need a way to allow billions of people around the world to buy or sell or to shut them down.  

            So the digital currency may not be the mark – but could be the METHOD that is used to work WITH the “mark of the Beast” to control the whole world.

We already have had crypto currency – but not at the government level. Now we do. This could give the government all the authority they need to turn off your money supply instantly and remotely without giving you any notice. If the government feels you are a threat to their goals – they could stop you from buying gas or food or anything else, with the flick of a switch.

They could, conceivably, even restrict which companies you could invest with, if certain companies weren’t deemed compliant enough.  China already has their Social Credit Score system. Much of the world and their companies are already being evaluated on an ESG score – Environmental, Social and Governance.  Everything you’re hearing from the WOKE liberals would be part of the Social side, so now many of our boys don’t know if they’re a boy or girl – and vice versa.

Oil companies, for example, are rated low on ESG scoring because of their Environmental score. So you would be encouraged to invest in companies with high ESG scores, because they are more inline, more “woke” and doing the government’s bidding on Climate change. (See my teaching on Climate. Just use the Search bar). If a central government is given complete control of everyone’s spending and investing, it would be very easy to punish those who are not complying in the Government’s view. It would be easy for them to freeze your account.

WILL all this happen? I’m not saying they absolutely will. I’m saying they absolutely can.

For example, if a government feels your family is consuming too much meat, they could limit how much meat, eggs – or even gas – we’d be allowed to buy.

Or if you’re considered to be one of these who are deemed a “threat to our democracy” because of your conservative views, you could be targeted so you could not buy any guns or ammunition. (You in other countries, yes – so far – we in America still have in our Constitution the right to bear arms.)

Our private digital accounts could also be frozen outright. Do a Google study on what “bail-in” means.

In the past our governments ‘bailed out” companies deemed too big to fail, to important to let them collapse. SO your money was used to bail them out. A “bail in” is when governments feel they must confiscate private savings, IRA’s, checking accounts, etc. to bail the government out!  This has happened in recent memory in Cyprus, Lebanon and other  countries. People lost their total retirement savings! Don’t believe it can’t happen here or in your country.

You like that?  Revelation 13:16 is coming – when we won’t be able to buy or sell unless and until we receive some kind of mark in your right hand or forehead. Ideas of exactly what that will be are myriad. But I believe it could be just a matter of months or possibly a few years before we finally see it starting to happen.

But again, dear believers, WE MUST NOT take the mark of the Beast. We must not.

I believe and speculate that The Beast and the False Prophet are already alive and here, but just have not revealed themselves yet. Someone or something is still holding them back, as 2 Thess 2 says.  I believe the Two Witnesses, two men – are already alive, but neither have they yet begun their ministry, but will begin 3-1/2 years before Christ returns. I find this very exciting, even though I don’t look forward to the terrible times we’ll see before Yeshua (Jesus) returns.

 I don’t believe this “turning off your access to your money” will be implemented for months yet, maybe even a year or more, but watch for it; I believe it’s coming. Maybe I’m being too optimistic! Maybe it’s just a few months away.

Here are some more examples of how it could work against you:

For example, let’s say you refuse to get the Covid vaccination or a future similar vax. The Government could keep you from financially functioning until you do get the vax. Is it possible that the armed 87,000 additional IRS agents to be hired are going to be the ones to be sure to implement this digital currency?  They could make sure all the banks and businesses transition to this new system.  But maybe the Republican house will not fund the hiring of these 87,000 armed thugs.

You think I’m going overboard? Do you remember how Canada’s government treated the Freedom Convoy of truckers?  They were protesting Canada’s harsh lockdowns and vaccine mandates that made no sense as they went back and forth from/to the USA.

What did Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau do? He described the truckers as a crazy “fringe minority” and said their views were unacceptable. Many of the truckers’ bank accounts were frozen and they had no recourse. The crime?  Peacefully protesting – but they lost access to their money. Don’t think that can’t happen here or in your country. Those in power don’t like dissent or lack of cooperation to their “woke” ideas.

Keep an eye out for how this starts. If you don’t agree with the leftist leaders, your ideas are called “dangerous”. We’re even hearing them described as “treasonous”. This makes it much easier to justify to the rest of the country why severe action had to be taken against such people who are even being labeled as “internal terrorists” – like the moms who protested at school boards about the pornographic books in the school library that their children were being told to read. Dangerous, treasonous internal terrorists. They sound terrible and when the majority of the country says nothing, government is emboldened.

Again, we’re talking about the digital dollar – or the CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) and how a person or group is labeled can determine what is done to their assets. Part of the goal of CBDC is to have the country go cashless – no more dollar bills, no more $10 bills and no more coins.

WHY?  You can’t track and trace cash, but they absolutely can track every penny coming from your digital wallet in the months or years ahead when we go completely digital. I just wanted you to be aware of what could be developing right under our noses.

When all these things finally happen, it will all seem “so suddenly”.  Look at how much our country has changed just in the past two years! We’re watching changes wash over our country in ways we could never have imagined.

Don’t let this frighten you. Let it wake you up to get closer to God and to Messiah as never before. Pray you be accounted worthy to escape all these things (Luke 21:36).  And God bless you all.

Instead of my own blog and own ideas, this week I feel strongly I wanted you all to be aware of a very strong message from Jonathan Cahn, a Messianic rabbi who speaks often on end time events. Some of you may have heard and watched this already, but for those of you who haven’t, it’s worth being aware of this. If you meet with a small group, maybe play it for everyone’s benefit.

The time is coming soon, if not already here, when I believe we will all have to either confess if we’re with Jesus Christ and all he stands for - - or for the woke madness sweeping the world. This message by Cahn is a great start – spoken directly to President Biden. Satan is certainly busy. I wonder if he’s been cast down now and is angry at God’s children.  Please pass it on to other believers as soon as you can, as I’m sure YouTube will take it down in time, perhaps soon.

Jonathan Cahn’s Prophetic Message II to Joe Biden (The White House Apostasy)

If practiced, this blog and the sermon tied to it -- will change your life.

When we think of Romans 8:28, we think of it as something we’ll realize in the future.  “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and who are the called according to his purpose.”  So we receive comfort from that scripture that eventually, in the end, things work out for good. Even the really bad things that we go through will work out for good.

But there’s so much more than waiting and knowing that everything will eventually work out. This blog and a recent sermon can change your life if you practice what is taught in them.

I recently gave a sermon on “How to have Perfect Peace in troubling times”.  The points I gave in that teaching are actions and thoughts I still have to consistently apply in my life, but when I do, I have peace, just like Philippians 4:6-7 promises. I hope you hear/watch the sermon.

Now I want to add another dimension to it that I didn’t have time to fully explain when recording it.  

Here it is: Instead of looking for things to eventually work out for good, start to realize that we don’t have to wait to know good things are already happening.  I now realize that I don’t have to think “good things will come” – but good things are already happening, even if I don’t see them yet.

Do you see the difference? I hinted about that when I taught that we should actually thank God even BEFORE we see the answers, knowing that God is already working!

Remember the examples I used? Jesus thanked God for having heard him about raising up Lazarus – while Lazarus was still dead (please read John 11:33-45). Paul and Silas began to praise and sing and worship God WHILE still in stocks and bound by chains in a dungeon, but it was when they began to praise that God loosed their chains (read Acts 16:22-34, especially verses 25-28). King Jehoshaphat when facing a huge invading army, moved the choir to the front lines, ahead of his Delta Force and Seal Teams that had been in front. Be sure you study that sermon. WHEN they began to sing – as soon as they began to praise and sing – God had the enemy soldiers kill each other and Judah did not have to fight. (See 2 Chronicles 20:20-24),

A similar story can be found about King Asa of Judah against a million Ethiopians (2 Chronicles 14:9-15). When Asa confessed his faith in God, his trust in God’s power – while the enemy forces were still there in front of him, that God completely routed the enemy forces and gave complete victory. “Something good is happening” could have been Asa’s thoughts even before God intervened visually. But Asa, like all of us, had times of great faith and times of weakness, so it’s something we must watch carefully.

In all these cases, their actions and thoughts of praise and thanksgiving happened before the deliverance, but as soon as they acknowledged God’s goodness even while still “in trouble” as far as they could see, God sent deliverance.

We must get beyond thinking “if only this or that would happen, THEN I’ll have peace.”  But that’s how we often think. Start thinking “God is working already though I don’t see how or where yet, and something good is happening already.”  So we learn from Paul and James to thank God IN the trial and FOR the pain and suffering, knowing God is working something we need, something good, for us already.  

In my own life, in several cases, it was only when I truly began to actually thank God IN and FOR my cancers, knowing that He could heal or do whatever he wanted, and I trusted Him -- that they disappeared. I don’t always do that so well, but when I do, it’s often so amazing what God does. But we also have to trust God even when his answer is that we must go through the trial, just as he answered his own Son. All of us will eventually die if our Savior doesn’t return soon. And even that’s fine too because we trust Him.

But trusting and praising before we see the results we hope for, are not easy to do from the heart, and really meaning it.  “Good things are happening” – is the thought we should believe while in the worst of troubles, even the ones we brought on ourselves. Things will work out for good even for sins we did, that we have deeply repented of.  “ALL THINGS” has to mean “all things” doesn’t it?  I used the examples of the brothers of Joseph who sold him into slavery, but Joseph says clearly that God intended it for good, to save people alive.  In another example, even the murder of Uriah and the adultery with Uriah’s wife, though there were terrible consequences, something amazing came out of that. What amazing things?  Full details are in that sermon on “Perfect Peace in troubling times”.

We need to see God is already working. Elisha had to pray for God to open the eyes of his assistant, who was worried about the army that had come to arrest them. God was already acting. Elisha perfectly knew this, but it was only when God opened his servant’s eyes that he saw the countless angelic forces invisibly overhead already there, already prepared to intervene to protect them. Read the story in 2 Kings 6:11-23.

This is where we must grow to: having peace IN and FOR the pain, for the storms of life around us, knowing our God is already working, even while “the storm” is still raging. Our own fiery angelic armies are already around us, even though all we can literally see are the problems still in front, for now.  Something good is already happening; not something we have to wait for, but knowing God is already acting – unseen for now – behind the scenes.  

God spoke to Joseph while he was still in a horrible dungeon. When God freed the Israelite slaves out of Egypt, God not only liberated them, but had them come out with great abundance, as God had let them spoil the Egyptians (Exodus 12:35-36) with a lot of gold, silver and expensive garments. God’s power was evident while still in Egypt. Even Jesus Christ’s story – includes how God had to call him while he and his parents were still in Egypt (read Matthew 2:19-23). Even the news that fierce Herod Archelaus was reigning in Judea – so they moved to Galilee and Nazareth –was all part of God’s plan, that he would be called a Nazarene (not a Nazarite. Jesus did NOT have long hair.) 

So once we truly understand that God is working in our lives, even in the “bad times”, when we acknowledge him and ask for his deliverance, we can come to see that “Good things are already happening!”.   We trust Him so much that in fact we start to experience the peace of GOD himself, a peace beyond description as Philippians 4:6-7 says.

Be sure you watch/hear the full sermon and re-read this blog. When practiced, this can change your life.

It’s happening right before our eyes but I haven’t heard others mention it yet.  Jesus gave a lot of signs that He said would help us recognize we’re in the last generation before Christ returns. You have heard of all these signs in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. You know, like the nation of Israel existing again in the Middle East, of worldwide pandemics that will keep happening and getting worse each time, like endless wars and rumors of more wars coming, powerful earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, plus the stage being set for the final world-ruling government before Christ returns.  Each of those and many more are worthy of a blog or sermon all by themselves.

Not the topic of this blog, but just to be aware: scientists have just discovered a LOT more magma (molten rock) under Yellowstone than was ever imagined. This means when it does erupt, it will be far, far more explosive and destructive than thought. We’re also assured it’s not about to erupt, so go about your daily chores, they say, and we’re told not to worry about it.  Just be aware of Yellowstone though. An eruption there would have disastrous impact on the USA and Canada especially – and around the world.

Also, I’m reading that Israel finally HAS at least FIVE red heifers, which would be needed to purify the temple and priests. This is also happening now. And as you read this, certified priests from the lineage of Aaron are being trained in all functions of priesthood, as they prepare for the long-anticipated Third Temple in Jerusalem. Or at least these priests will be able to offer sacrifices on an altar there. And my wife and I have personally seen all the instruments of temple service already produced in and through the Temple Institute. You can Google that.  Even the golden menorah has long been created and is sitting there – waiting for that temple.

But even all that is not what I’m focusing on today.  There’s ONE sign that I never hear about as a SIGN and often gets overlooked.

When God sends his Two Witnesses of Revelation 11, the whole world will watch their ministry and their martyrdom by “the Beast” power that comes out of the bottomless pit (that’s another topic). The whole world will watch them be killed and will be jubilant. Let’s read it and really grasp what has to happen first for this to be fulfilled. And why is it exciting?

Revelation 11:7-13

“When they [the two witnesses] finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Notice some very important points: 

***  the Two Witnesses are killed and lie in the streets of Jerusalem “where our Lord was crucified.”(verse 8). 

***  It appears that EVERYONE around the whole world will SEE them (verse 9) killed, and their dead bodies lying on the streets of Jerusalem. When John wrote this, he probably was wondering what that could mean.

***  These two Witnesses proclaim and cause plagues to affect the whole earth, not just Israel, not just Jerusalem (v. 10).  So everyone, everywhere around the world – except God’s children who are led by His spirit – are upset with them.

Then God resurrects them – and once again everyone around the WORLD is watching this happen, in real time, as it happens.

Here’s my point:  Even as I write this, this prophecy STILL cannot happen, but that is rapidly changing. For even at this very minute, there are still many spots around the globe, even in our own country, where one cannot receive internet signals or have a reliable connection. But that’s rapidly changing.

Elon Musk is launching into space orbit many thousands of satellites all around the globe so every village, every spot on earth, and everyone can see anything happening anywhere else in the world. What they call his constellation of satellites is known as Starlink. His most recent SpaceX launch released 53 more satellites.

The prophecy of Revelation 11 – that every eye could actually see what’s happening in Jerusalem – STILL, even now, late December 2022, could not happen just yet, but that’s rapidly changing. We’re almost there.

This is very exciting because everyone in the world being able to watch events in Jerusalem is one more indication we’re in the prophesied very end-time events finally coming to pass.

Wikipedia says this:  Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX, providing satellite Internet access coverage to 40 countries. It also aims for global mobile phone service after 2023. SpaceX started launching Starlink satellites in 2019.Wikipedia

Check it out on https://www.starlink.com. Here’s what they say:

“Elon Musk’s SpaceX is developing a low latency, broadband internet system to meet the needs of consumers across the globe. Enabled by a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites, Starlink will provide fast, reliable internet to populations with little or no connectivity, including those in rural communities and places where existing services are too expensive or unreliable.”

It's NOT all up and running yet, but be watching this news from SpaceX or from a competitor. There are many competitors.  Starlink already has more than 3,000 functioning low-orbit satellites overhead. He plans on 12,000 satellites soon, and eventually 40,000.  But, Starlink is operational only in 40 countries worldwide so far, so there’s still a lot to do – but again, Elon Musk is sending up dozens of these satellites constantly.

But when I heard this news, I got excited because NEVER BEFORE NOW could it be said that it was even possible that everyone in the world could watch something happening in Jerusalem. Though there’s a lot of internet already up around the world, it’s still not 100% feasible yet. But soon will be.

This news is simply one more indication of how close we are to seeing our Redeemer and his mighty angels returning in the clouds above to come and gather you and the rest of his elect to Him. Even that event will be watched by everyone.

The world, in the meantime, is becoming more and more dangerous, evil and perverted. This is overly upsetting some of you. Please be sure to listen to a new audio sermon I’m posting in mid-December 2022 on “How we should be reacting to End Time Events” – to world conditions, to news about how dangerous the world has become, and realizing it’s all very likely coming down to the last few years soon. Should we be afraid? Should we be upset? Should we lose sleep over it all?  Please listen to that new teaching.

It's all coming together quickly. How exciting! And yes, COME Lord (Revelation 22:20). And Father, please send your Son back soon. May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

The more we dive into God’s word, the more surprises there are. Big stuff, little stuff, but always interesting. So many “hidden gems” within scripture.

You may or may not realize that the Ten Patriarchs from Adam to Noah  -- spanning a time period of about 1656 years – had within their names the plan of God’s salvation for mankind. How could that have been orchestrated by man? How could it have been mere coincidence?

Below you’ll see a list where I have each one’s “English” name and then to the right of each name, the meaning of each name. I didn’t come up with this. It’s possible Chuck Misler was the first to come up with this, but then again, perhaps he in turn got it from others. But nonetheless, it’s very interesting.

Methuselah was interesting too. It seems apparent to many that he died just before the great Flood of Noah’s day. And his name means “his death shall bring”. 

            Now just read the right side, top to bottom in an even pace and you’ll hear yourself saying God’s Plan of Salvation as a compilation of the ten patriarchs’ names.

Adam                           Man (is)
Seth                           appointed
Enosh                         mortal

Kenan                         sorrow; (but)
Mahalalel                   The Blessed God
Jared                          shall come down

Enoch                       teaching
Methuselah             his death shall bring
Lamech                     the despairing
Noah                         comfort, rest.           

This time, just let me put it into sentence form, so there’s no misunderstanding what I’m asking you to do.  Here’s how their 10 names would read as a sentence:

“Man is appointed mortal sorrow, (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching his death shall bring the despairing comfort and rest.” 

I love it. How could this just be mere coincidence?

There are so many hidden gems like this in the Bible, and over time I’ll share more.

You’ll find several articles and even a sermon on this website from over the years, as to WHY God’s children must NOT participate in Halloween. For those of you who have not seen them or heard the sermon on it, you can just type “Halloween” in the search bar on the home page.

For the rest of you: Surely you know we cannot worship God and the devil at the same time.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18     “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.

As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people." 

17 Therefore, "Come OUT from among them and be separate”, says the Lord. “Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."  18 'I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters’, says the Lord Almighty."’

There is no western holiday that bears all the signs of Satan’s presence as clearly as Halloween does. Come out of Satan’s world, people of God. It’s time, if you still dabble in Halloween, to stand up and teach your family that you no longer are able to participate in it. So many of God’s servants were commended for leading their families in to God’s righteousness.

Joshua said famously in Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my household, WE will serve the LORD.”

And YHVH himself said this to Abraham:

Genesis 18:17-19   And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that YHVH may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."

I strongly encourage all of you reading this to do everything in your power to distance yourself and your family from anything to do with this evil, dark, and demonic evening.

Do not go to any Halloween parties. Do not watch any spooky movies in this time period that have everything to do with demonism, horror, fear, terror, murder, mayhem, torture, and everything against God. SHOW God where you stand.

1 Corinthians 10:21-22 – “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to be jealous? Are we stronger than He?”

So to be clear, we do NOT prepare candies to hand out and don’t hand out a single one. And if I had children today, I certainly would NOT want them going out there door to door with the present crime rate AND all that deadly FENTANYL that is getting into candies. It’s too dangerous.

We usually just turn the lights off and hunker down in a downstairs room. We don’t answer the door. We don’t get involved.

Will you join me? If you’ve made plans to have your children involved, cancel them, please cancel them. Give them something better. Be sure you’re keeping the Feast of Tabernacles, where you take your children to wondrous places around the country, lavish them with gifts and lots of fun – as long as you save up your festival tithe or an amount that would let you do what I’ve just said.

Romans 13:12    “The night is far spent; the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”

Ephesians 5:8-13    “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.”

1 Thessalonians 5:5    “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”

I hope this year that you and your family will have nothing to with the darkened celebration of a very dark and evil night – Halloween.

Let’s come out of this world together, my dear fellow household of God.

WORSHIP during the Feast of Booths

Many of you who come to this site also keep the Feast of Booths (or Feast of Tabernacles), or Sukkot.  If you’re like many, you’ve traveled to a distant place after packing your bags and Bible. And you’ve also done some research into what is available to do and see while you’re there.  Of course you’re going to go to church services, but no doubt you’re looking forward also to the meals and outings and the things to do. 

You’ve probably also already planned some outings, socials, family get-togethers – on top of the group activities being planned.

That’s all fine and good. I just send this as a reminder. While we’re at Sukkot /Feast of Booths – remember WHY we’re there. There’s one place you don’t want to miss: the Holy of Holies of Heavenly Jerusalem. First and foremost, we are there to worship the King. That’s the prophesied reason the nations will send their people to Jerusalem after the King Yeshua sets up his reign:  to come and worship Him.

Zechariah 14:16

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, YHVH of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.”

            The theme of worshiping is repeated in verse 17.

Also in John 12:20, it mentions those who had come to Jerusalem to worship at the Feast. That was also true of the Ethiopian eunuch – he had come to worship.

I know from my own decades of experiences at the Feast: it can get hectic. So hectic, you’re scrambling for time to pray and study. That’s the point of this blog. Don’t be up so late each night that you can’t get up early enough to have intense and fervent personal prayer.  Some people make the Feast a time to party so hard they don’t get enough sleep, or they’re sleepy during services or prone to get sick. Remember why you’re there. Don’t rely just on the group worship. Make time for your own personal devoted worship, prayer and Bible study. Even if it’s just 15-20 minutes at the start of the day. Make time for it. 

We are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33), Abba won’t be content to just have us wish we had made time for him. Make time. Put him first. Love him with all your heart, mind and soul. And worship the King – and His Son Yeshua – while at the Feast. Visit that exciting place:  the heavenly throne room. Talk to that exciting Being – the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, Abba our daddy.  Spend time with Yeshua, our Beloved King. 

One tip that will help you do this:  If you have children, offer ahead of time to take another family’s kids one day and they take yours on another different day. Use that day without your children after services – somewhere near the middle of the feast – to be able to do more intensive prayer and study, or even catch up on a nap for that matter, so you can enjoy the remaining days even more so. 

Whenever we did this, and we did do it a lot, it was one of those “best ideas” ever.  But that should be arranged early so everyone’s in the loop and knows what’s going on. I’m talking about one afternoon out of the 8 days! But it makes a world of difference.

Have a wonderful Sukkot/Feast of Booths everyone. And put first things first: personally worship the King, every single day and the other things you do will be put in their proper context.  And yes, go have fun and enjoy and celebrate everything the Feast pictures for us.

The New Covenant differs from the Old Covenant in many different ways, and I have sermons about the glorious New Covenant

I’ve also recorded sermons recently on tithing, as the Bible teaches it.  I believe in tithing and stated so several times in those lessons – but I explain tithing from the New Covenant point of view, after first examining the Old Covenant. Please check them out. I STILL hear a lot of sermons to new covenant believers that base all their statements from the Old covenant laws to Israel.

Usually, in the New Covenant, God’s Old Covenant laws are not discarded but magnified.  In the Old Covenant, you had to have actual sex with someone else’s spouse to be said to be committing adultery. In the New Covenant, if you merely lust after someone else, you’ve committed adultery (Matthew 5:27-28). Now hating someone becomes murder (Matthew 5:21-22). We could go on with more examples.

In terms of tithing, in the NEW COVENANT we are told to help the poor in practical terms and not just in good platitudes, “be warm, be filled” (James 2:14-17).  The Old Covenant spoke of a “tithes of the third year” given to the poor and strangers. Now we help every time we can, not just in the third years. 

In the Old Covenant, the only stated resource for tithing was from what the land produced in grain, fruit, wine, and oil plus every tenth of the herds flocks. You can find no scripture commanding Israelites to tithe of their income or other resources. None. Show me if you think I’m wrong. In the New Covenant, believers are instructed to provide for the needs of the ministers of God who are spreading the true gospel and feeding you spiritually from God’s word (1 Cor. 9:4-13; Philippians 4:15-19). 

But in the Old Covenant, all tithes went exclusively to Levites, not to the church or church ministers (Hebrews 7:5). Those Levites (of the tribe of Levi) then gave a tithe of their tithe they received – to the priests. It’s all in the sermons I’ve just given. Nor can we read of Jesus ever receiving tithes, but was supported by well-wishing followers (Luke 8:1-3).  But now we have no practicing Levites, priests, or physical temple of God. We do have churches and ministers who need some help, for all the time and work they put into preaching the gospel and God’s word.

So Paul explains that now, God is searching our hearts to see what we will give, from what WE decide to give from our hearts willingly, instead of from what God commanded us to give. This means it’s magnified – not reduced. Most of us surely would say that scripture indicated 10% -- the very meaning of tithing – should be perhaps our minimum. Magnify God’s law now. But in the New Covenant, it is not called tithing anymore. Show me if you think it is.

Jesus spoke of tithing as NOT being one of the big tenets of the law, but something we should do, and remember he was still speaking from the Old Covenant point of view as he had not died and been resurrected yet. He was himself, still fulfilling the Law. And again, his example of tithing was on the produce of the land – mint, anise and cummin – and not on wages or salary (Matthew 23:23).

I hope you will hear both sermons before jumping to any conclusions. After Matthew 23:23, the word “tithing” or “tithes” – are not mentioned even ONCE in all of the New Testament, except Hebrews 7 when speaking of Abraham’s voluntary tithe of the spoils of war (Gen 14) to Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:4), when the author was making the point that though Yeshua (Jesus) was not of the tribe of Levi, he is now our High Priest, of the order (kind, rank) of Melchizedek.

The LAW of tithing was not clearly instituted as a LAW until the time of Moses. Just because Abraham tithed on spoils of war does not prove it was already a law. It was likely voluntary, as God’s rules of how to handle spoils of war (see Numbers 31) never even mention tithing. It does mention giving 1 of every 500 captured virgin girls and animals to Priests and 1 of every 50 to the Levites – but that’s not a tithe. Tithe means one out of 10.

Also, there’s not a single scripture in the whole Bible that commands Gentiles living outside Israel to tithe, using that word – “tithe”.  Not one. Those living in Israel were bound by the same law that Israelites followed; one law for all. Today we are the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16) and we all follow what we’re told to do in the new covenant, so I know you’ll have a lot to think about in those 2 sermons I recorded on tithing.  

But -- now those who are of faith in Christ are considered sons of Abraham and heirs of the promises to Him (Gal. 3:7-9, 29) and we are ALL now the New covenant “Israel of God”, and “Jews spiritually”  (Gal 6:16; Romans 2:28-29). 

So Paul taught voluntary sharing to the ministry, not tithing,  in 1 Cor. 9:4-13 and 2 Cor. 9:6-14.  This would have been his golden opportunity to talk about tithing to Gentile Corinthians – but he did not; he never mentions the word.  To me, this magnifies tithing.  Hear the 2 sermons to get the full, deeper dive into this important topic.

And yes, I still tithe and share. And thank you for supporting where God’s ministers are taking a lot of time to share the truth of God’s word to you.

(Note: you can see the whole verse by just hovering with your mouse over the scripture).

There’s a lot of interest about the “mark of the Beast” of Revelation. And so there should be!

EVERYONE in the whole world – at some point – will either have to take that mark or die according to the book of Revelation  – unless some are divinely protected by God from the consequences of not having that awful “mark”.  God WILL protect some of his children, but not all. Many of God’s people will die as witnesses and martyrs, as you’ll see.

If we get to someday die for believing in our Yeshua /Jesus our Savior, then so be it. Let’s do it with resolute honor for our Savior who died for us, as Stephen did. He was blessed to see Yeshua STANDING to honor him (Acts 7:54-56). Paul often said he wanted to suffer and die for Christ, as if “crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20). And eventually he had that honor to be a martyr for his Savior.

The original meaning of “martyr”, by the way, meant to “witness”, from the Greek “martus”. So many of Christ’s witnesses were killed, proving the strength and genuineness of their faith in Christ by their violent death, that “witness” became synonymous for dying for Christ – hence, a martyr. Hover over these verses:  Acts 22:20; Revelation 2:13; 17:6 in NKJV or KJV. Other translations just use the word “witness”. 

Revelation 17:6, about Babylon, mother of harlots:  “I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.”

Let’s talk about it which mark we want to have.

So yes, if you refuse to take the mark of the Beast, you will likely die. And on the other hand, anyone who does accept the Mark of the Beast will have to face God’s own divine judgment and condemnation. So you must remember this: do NOT accept the Mark of the Beast. And DO accept whatever penalties and consequences you will incur for not accepting that dreadful mark. We’ll know what exactly the mark is, soon enough. Right now just be firm that we cannot participate in it.

But there’s also a different mark placed on people. This time it’s a mark placed by God or God’s angels on God’s people!  We want that mark. So there are 2 marks. One is the mark of the Beast, and the other is the mark of the one true living God.

You’ll be required to choose to accept or decline these two marks. You will live or die based on what you decide to do.

Let’s look at some scriptures.

We can read of a marking by God in Ezekiel 9:1-11. Again, please take the time to hover over the scripture and read it. There we see in a vision of Ezekiel where God puts a special mark on his people, so they are not among those He kills in his judgment on evil Jerusalem and Israel.  God wants to see and hear His people “sighing and crying” over the abominations in our lands – for all the crime, all the false religion and false prophets, all the murders and rapes, like all the bribery, abortions, and perversities. So God’s people receive His mark on their foreheads and are not killed like the rest will be.  

And now notice the 144,000 who are standing before Christ, the Lamb, in heavenly Mount Zion.  Note they have Christ’s father’s name written on their foreheads. That’s the “mark” or name we want on our foreheads! Nothing else.

Revelation 14:1   “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads.”

Now let’s look at the Mark of the Beast.  “The Beast” is what scripture calls the pagan kingdoms. Even in Daniel, we read of various kingdoms represented by beasts like a bear, leopard or Lion or goat.

In the very end time, probably in the lifetime of many of you reading this, this end time military-political power will demand everyone pledges their undying allegiance to their regime. Everyone wants to tell you what exactly the “mark of the Beast” is or what 666 means, but we’ll find out soon enough. 

This is important: I don’t think God’s people will accidentally take this mark. I think God’s children will know what it is when it comes. No, I do not believe it’s the MRNA vaccine. Millions of believers have already had the vax, so I sure hope it’s not that. But I don’t think God’s children will accidentally find out they have taken the dreaded mark of the Beast.

Let’s read what scripture says about the Mark of the Beast and how difficult it will be to refuse it – as you won’t be able to function in society (Can’t buy or sell) and you’ll face certain death if you refuse it.

CONSEQUENCES FROM MAN if you DON’T TAKE The Mark of the Beast – you’ll be killed. NOT everyone of God’s people will be spared death or martyrdom. That’s why we are to PRAY that we be counted worthy to escape these things which shall come to pass (Luke 21:36).  Maybe sometime in the next few months we’ll go into more depth into this mark of the Beast with a full sermon.  

Revelation 13:11-18 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

16 He causes ALL, both small and great, rich, and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

I’m told that when this was written, the pagan emperor was Nero Caesar – and his original name came to 666. Maybe that’s a foretaste of what will repeat at the end time.  Notice God’s condemnation though, on all who take that mark of this end-time world power called the Beast. REMEMBER THIS. We must not submit to that mark.

Revelation 14:8-13 And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."

9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,

10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."

12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'"

"Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."

Here is an accounting of more of God’s children who do not submit to the Mark of the Beast. And notice there are many, many believers who will NOT take the mark but have victory over that world-ruling kingdom. Obviously not all believers get a free ticket to having no great persecution by somehow being raptured to heaven!

Revelation 15:1-3 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.

2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the VICTORY over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:

We see God celebrating his people who will not submit to the false kingdom. It will be a time when you and I will have to stand up for God, speak up for God and let everyone know your king is Jesus the Christ. The carpenter from Nazareth, Yeshua the Messiah. But for that witness, many of God’s children will die by beheading. That’s OK, folks. HE died for us, so we can feel honored to die for him. Paul often said something like that.

Revelation 20:4-6 “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had NOT received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

And I  hope you noticed there isn’t just one resurrection. Verse 5 speaks of “the REST of the dead did not live again til the thousand years (millennial rule) were finished.”

Be sure you realize God is really upset at anyone who accepts the Mark of the Beast on his/her forehead or right hand. So we must not partake of it. Ever.

Revelation 16:1-2 “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth."

First Bowl: Loathsome Sores

2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image”

Then in Revelation 19:20, the two false leaders – the political/military leader – the Beast, and the great end-time FALSE PROPHET who deceived the world into taking their mark, will be captured by Yeshua, and thrown in to the lake of fire.

Revelation 19:19-20 “And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse [Jesus, the coming King of kings]  and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

So the time is coming when we ALL will have to make it very clear to the world and to God where we stand. Many of us may have to be martyred for standing with Messiah, but we’ll be resurrected and live forever as co-rulers with Christ in the coming millennial rule on the earth. And life won’t be so peachy either for those who do take the mark of the beast, as they experience the wrathful judgment of Almighty God.

Remember this blog. Your eternity could be largely affected by which mark you want, and which mark you accept.

Jesus the Savior said in John 6:44 something well known to many of you who come to this website. But the reason I’m writing on it, is that this statement by Jesus is SO misunderstood and SO misapplied by so many. 

John 6:44  “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

What does this verse mean to  you? Of course, I totally accept and believe this. Every single person who has a real relationship with Jesus Christ is in that relationship because Father in heaven opened the door and invited/called them in. No exceptions. If you go on to read the next verse John 6:45, these same people are described as being taught by God himself. Keep that in mind.

The reason for this blog: many believers, especially some who keep 7^th-day sabbath, feel there is no basis for “evangelizing” or witnessing to people about the saving work of Christ or about God’s Kingdom – because, they believe, ONLY God the Father can open others’ minds to understand spiritual truth or to come to Jesus/Yeshua.  (Yeshua is the given Hebrew name for Jesus.) So since this is solely God’s work to call them, they say, therefore what’s the point in talking with people about the Word, or Christ, or the gospel?” 

That is so wrong and such a false conclusion, and has drastic consequences. Should we forget “how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” (Romans 10:15). Should those hearing The Good News to be limited only to those you’re already certain God has already called? And is “preaching” to be limited to just ordained ministers? You’ll see shortly that some of the most effective talking about Jesus was by regular members!

I’m coming out in a couple of months with a full teaching or sermon on whether or not we confine the sharing of our joy just to those we somehow are certain God has called.  This blog is an introduction to get you thinking about this.

A tangential part of this discussion – which I’ll cover in my full sermon on it – is whether or not the “good news” is to be limited to strictly the “Ezekiel warning message” (Ezekiel 33:1-11) as too many believe. Others limit any witnessing to those times someone initiates the conversation and asks you why you believe the way you do (1 Peter. 3:15). That’s better than total silence, but there’s surely more.

Let me ask: Sure, God the Father has to call individuals before they can come to Christ. But how would you know WHICH ones God is calling?  

And doesn’t God use people to do his work in much of what He does? Does he just use preachers, prophets and teachers?

I believe those who believe the average church member has no calling to evangelize or witness to people because of John 6:44, have a serious misunderstanding. The result of this is that the good news doesn’t get shared as much as it could be.

I know a lady who came happily for the first time to seventh day sabbath services, which she learned from reading certain magazines. But when she entered the church hall, she spotted one of her best friends there. Short story: her best friend had never shared the truth of God’s word with this newcomer  because the member felt there was no point. That was God’s job to open her mind (she reasoned), or maybe it was up to the ministers. She felt that wasn’t her job. So she never ever shared the joy of the wondrous truth she knew.

The newcomer was so shocked, hurt and appalled that someone who had the Pearl of great price (Matthew 13:45-46), or had the message of the truth, did not think she should share it with her own best friend. The newcomer walked out of the building. I don’t know if she ever came back. The newcomer saw it as an act of profound selfishness. We have the Pearl of Great Price. Show it, share it, talk about it.

True, God IS the one who must first call people.  But please understand, God uses PEOPLE – people like you and me – to share the good news. He doesn’t use just ministers and preachers.

Let me show you a couple great examples of average church members sharing Christ and God’s kingdom with others. They didn’t wait for ordained ministers to do it. This blog may be a challenge for some of you who have grown comfortable not having to speak God’s word to anyone.

You surely know the story of the deacon Stephen’s martyrdom in Acts 7. Please read the end of the story here if you’re not familiar with it (Acts 7:51-60).

As a result of Stephen’s murder or martyrdom, a great persecution broke out and the enemy started rounding up believers in Christ everywhere and throwing them into jail.  Some were martyred. As a result, many of them fled Jerusalem. The apostles stayed, but the regular brethren left town.

Acts 8:1-5   “Now Saul [became known as Paul] was consenting to his death.

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were ALL scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.  3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.”

Please focus now on verses 1 and 4: the regular brethren – NOT the apostles – were scattered and went everywhere PREACHING the WORD (v. 4)!  They didn’t know which people God in heaven was calling or would call, so they preached the word to everyone they could, starting with the Jews.

Would you or your brethren where you attend right now have done that? Or would you have remained silent and played it safe? After all, believers in Christ were being imprisoned (v. 3). So just be quiet, right? And just let God call people, since preaching is not what the regular brethren do, right?  Wrong.

The scattered brethren started by sharing the Good News just to Jews and later to Hellenized Jews – Jews who adopted Greek culture.  

Again, remember those who were scattered were not the apostles but regular church members. They did not just sit back while claiming “there’s no point in sharing what we know because I don’t know if God has called them or not.” Got it?  So what happens next?

Acts 11:19-21  “Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. 20 But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.”-- BECAUSE OF The WORK of the brethren sharing the word. 

Read Acts 11:22-26 next and see how this witnessing resulted in having a solid congregation in Antioch.  Result of what? Of regular brethren sharing the Word, sharing the Lord Jesus with everyone they could. At this point they didn’t realize God would call Gentiles as well! But they didn’t wait for ministers to do the witnessing. They didn’t just remain quiet. There comes a point where you’re so full of the joy and love for Messiah in you that you can’t contain it anymore. You have to say something! (Acts 4:20)

Are you seeing the point? God calls, yes. But He uses you and me to speak to and share with those He’s calling. In my sermon I’ll show how.

After Stephen’s death, another deacon – PHILIP – not Philip the apostle but Philip the deacon, went to Samaria and shared the gospel there. Result: multitudes came to be believers! Again, this was not one of the apostles.

Acts 8:5-8  “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed, and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.”  Continue reading Acts 8:9-12.

After the preaching in Samaria, Philip again approached a man he had never met before, think of it! He shared with the Ethiopian Eunuch the redemptive story of Yeshua/Jesus. You can read the story by hovering over Acts 8:26-40, and see how Philip preached Jesus to him (Acts 8:35-40), resulting in this eunuch being baptized right then and there.

I’ll say more in the full-fledged sermon on witnessing. We have a VITAL part in working with those God is calling and helping them become one of the chosen and who remains faithful to the end, so they come with Christ at his return (Revelation 17:14). I’ll describe HOW we do it in a tasteful way that results in people coming to Christ.

Some years back, while flying back to Portland from a conference in New Orleans, I shared my sabbath beliefs with one of my associates. We had not planned to sit together but that’s how it worked out. The short story is that he and his family became 7^th day sabbath keepers some months later and now he in turn has taught ME a lot about sharing God’s word with others. They’ve been instrumental in bringing many neighbors to Christ and to the truth.

Read Philippians 1:12-14. There Paul makes it clear that while he was in chains, the brethren became bolder to speak out the word of God. Something similar is found in 1 Thess. 1:6-8. 

The seed of God’s word gets planted and it won’t come back empty (Isaiah 55:11).  How blessed we are to be able to help get the Seed out! 

As you may know, I have recorded two sermons recently (Aug 2022) about keeping God’s holy sabbath holy, set-apart, special, and different from all the other days of the week. I hope you’ll watch those 2 video sermons. I really felt the body of Christ could use this tune up and get back to making Sabbath a well thought out day and give God the worship and attention He desires – and to STOP and REST on this special day each week for our own good too.

The weekly sabbath is called a “shabbat sabbaton” in scripture, meaning “stop and rest” (Leviticus 23:3).  We certainly should cut out any usual work! Even setting up for church services, if at all possible, should be done before sabbath starts – if possible.

I’ve even been urging pastors who do 2 services each sabbath and more  -- to let the brethren REST and have personal time for God and their families. I urged them to just have one service late morning, then let people have the rest of the day off for God and family.  Our children should grow up thinking sabbath is a delight, but if it’s spent all day in church, I doubt many will think that way when they’re old enough to decide whether to continue going to services or not. Have time to do extra personal Bible study, prayer, even a nap.

Anyway, I know you’ll find the sermons helpful and even thought provoking. Here’s more, this time from a member who just wrote me a note about sabbath and how she focuses her thoughts on sabbath. I felt it was worth sharing with you all so here it is, directly quoting:

“As I personally say about the Sabbath, it is my day each week to spend in eternity--to forget for a while this temporary physical life with all its problems, evils, difficulties, and work, and focus on the real life ahead--life eternal!  It's a 'rest' from the daily struggle we all have, from the cares and wickedness of this world, from all that is physical--all that will one day be gone!  What a beautiful thing to have a day to, as it were, 'wallow' in what is our future and the very reason God made us--to share eternity with Him!  The Sabbath is a glimpse into eternity!”

I thought that was beautifully said. As we remember our Creator after He rested from his creation, we also remember he’s preparing the kingdom for His family. And we’ll get to witness and maybe even participate in the new creation of the new heavens and new earth. How exciting.

Remember to be ready for sabbath. If you have to work on Fridays, then spread out during the week the other things you need to get done before sabbath – like having your clean, modest, ironed clothes ready before sabbath. Remember before whom we’re presenting ourselves and be ready and dressed accordingly. I’m not insisting that you must have a coat and tie, men – but dress as you would if you would actually meet in person, visibly, God Most High and Jesus your king. Levi’s and a T-shirt?  Not what I’d advise!

And please brethren – no more improper or immodest attire – well really anytime, but especially on sabbath. Ladies, please, no low-cut blouses or short shorts, hot pants, or super-tight pants or attire that could set up a stumbling block, or a temptation to sin in the minds of your brothers in Christ, our men. Please.

Now – what about tidiness and making the bed, rinsing off a few plates (or using paper plates)? When God says “no work” – when we look at Jesus’ example, he surely was referring mostly to our work of employment, doing business, lifting heavy burdens as Nehemiah 13 speaks of. I don’t see that the Lord of the sabbath would call making your bed “work”.  In fact, he was condemned for telling a man to pick up his bed and walk. His “bed” was whatever he was lying on – a mat or outward clothing. So we do make our bed for example, on sabbath. It takes less than a minute. It’s part of presenting to God a home and a background of being neat and tidy. We might put dishes in the dishwasher, but we wait til after sabbath to run it. That’s just us, maybe.

Here’s more from the lady who wrote to me:

“The things I do on the Sabbath day are only what is necessary.  Coming before God as we do in Church, we should be clean and our clothes clean and neat, our hair brushed and fixed, our bed made, room tidy, dishes done.  When I had kids, I made sure their 'Sabbath' bags were ready, clothes picked out and their bathing done before the Sabbath.  Then I just accomplished what needed to be done on that day and nothing extra.  I personally think the house should be tidy on the Sabbath- -beds made, dishes done, things put away as much as possible. God wants things to be done decently and in order.  We can only minimize what has to be done--we can't get rid of everything physical as long as we're human!  But again, that means we have prepared for the Sabbath by starting it with a clean house before sundown and our weekly work done.

“The principle is simple--Clear the day of physical--and mental--work as much as possible so you have time and energy for what is truly important!  The Sabbath is a time to absolutely focus on becoming part of the God family and our future in God's Kingdom.   We should even try to clear our minds of what normally occupies our thoughts--worries about money, house repairs, family arguments, meeting some deadline--i.e. the cares of this world!  Focusing on the Kingdom, God's ways, His people, His Word should also be a rest mentally from our daily struggles and difficulties.  We need to remember that these things won't matter when we are Spirit beings!”

Amen. Thank you, sister in Christ. You may or may not agree with every word of that. I thought her email to me was wonderfully stated and just wish I had had it before my Part 2.  But you’ve asked for help on understanding shabbat.

I know our webmaster Scott says that he and his wife Brandie – by sundown – have a home that is pristine. His word. Some of you, if you work Mon-Fri, may have to do some of that prep on Wednesday and Thursday if you’re arriving home late afternoon Friday.

The biggest thing about understanding sabbath is to SEE GOD’S BIG HEART for us. He wanted you, your spouse, your children, your animals, your guests – to all have a day off from work and just have a delightful day. Jesus showed us it’s right to untie animals and give them water, to do good on sabbath, and much more that I explain especially in part 2 of the Sabbath series. How about marital lovemaking on sabbath? You’ll have to watch the video.

We keep sabbath not just because we’re commanded to, or have to – but because it’s such a delightful day when done right. If it’s not a delightful day in your home, review this blog and the sermons again, as you’re probably missing something important.

Part of seeing God’s big heart is to grasp that he kept saying we need to see the big picture of being MERCIFUL and showing LOVE on his sabbath. When you grasp that, and focus on that, you won’t wonder about what to do and not do on sabbath – all while remembering we are to be prepared for sabbath, to keep it holy, to make it special for the kids and everyone, and make it a DELIGHT (Isaiah 58:13).  We don’t want to be discussing business or letting our minds wander off as this lady said – but to focus on our wonderful kingdom of God we’re a part of.

Enjoy the sabbath, and enjoy the teaching. Contact me, as she did, if you have any questions or comments. Thank you, Jesus – our Lord of the sabbath.

During Jesus’ “last supper”, he gave a new commandment to his disciples as an identifying sign that they indeed were HIS disciples.

John 13:34-35  -- “A NEW commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

What made this “love one another” a “new commandment”?  This command is actually found in the Old Testament Torah. In fact in the Old Testament it says to love one another as you love yourself! So how can this be a NEW commandment? 

Leviticus 19:18   “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am YHVH (the LORD)”.

Leviticus 19:34  -- “The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am YHVH your God.”

Our Savior made sure we got the message, so He repeats his command that we love one another. But be thinking – what made this a new command?

John 15:17  - “These things I command you, that you love one another”.

1 John 4:20-21  “If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

The fact is, however – we don’t always love one another. Maybe we love many or even most, most of the time. We can ACT like we do for a limited time. We can claim that we do. But honestly there are people we don’t like very much. On top of that, we show we don’t love all our brethren when we don’t help brothers and sisters in need as much or as quickly as the Messiah would have. Or when we gossip to others about someone’s problems, their stupidity, or past sins, or weaknesses – that’s not loving one another.

When we gossip about others, we start actually working for Satan, the Adversary – whose description – “the Devil” actually means “Slanderer”.  ‘Devil” comes from the Greek word diabolos, meaning slanderer, accuser. You can verify this in just about any Bible Dictionary when you look up the word “Devil”. 

Let’s read the new commandment again to determine what makes it truly new and an amazing kind of love. What makes it a new command is in all caps below.

John 13:34-35  -- “A NEW commandment I give to you, that you love one another; AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, that you also love one another.  35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Nobody up til this time had ever loved others consistently and 100% of the time, as Jesus/Yeshua had. So He repeats it again in John 15.

John 15:12-13  “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.”

But Jesus, the son of God, did not lay down his life just for his friends, but he laid down his life for us even while we were still sinners, still his enemies. He was up there on his cross asking Father in heaven to forgive those who had just brutally savaged him and were in the process of slowly and painfully killing him. Remember? “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”  (Luke 23:34) 

Romans 5:6-8   “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The way the Christ loved us is he reconciles himself to us when we repent -- even when we denied him in our actions and words. We’re told He’s not ashamed of you and me, and calls us his brothers and sisters (Hebrews 2:10-11).  He reconciled beautifully with forlorn Peter after he had denied knowing the Messiah three times in one night. He doesn’t hold a grudge. He doesn’t gossip about us and our past sins. He covers us with his presence and holiness – and gifts us with his righteousness when we believe in him in faith (2 Cor. 5:21). He stands up to Satan’s accusations and defends us as our Advocate, our defense attorney in heaven (1 John 2:1-2).

And what does Romans 8 say at the end of the chapter? It says nothing can separate us from the love of God. NOTHING can. No one can separate us from God’s love for us. When we sin – and ask forgiveness and turn around – he forgives us. Sometimes, admit it, we have had to ask forgiveness for the very same sin – more than once, more than twice.

If we’re loving one another the way Christ loved us, it would be hard to separate brethren from your love. You see, again, nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:31-39).  There’s this “boundaries” teaching going on out there that encourages you to simply cut people out of your life when they bring nothing or little to YOU, or your life. People who follow this Satanic teaching then end up even dismissing their own mom or dad or siblings or former best friends. Is that the way Christ has loved us? NO!

Even when a person hurts us, sins against us, seven times in a day but then claims he’s repented each time, “You shall forgive him!”  Let’s read it.

Luke 17:3-4   “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

Come on. Most of us would say “he can CLAIM he’s repenting, but look – seven times in one day he’s having to ask again for forgiveness?  Come on! That’s not repentance!” –we might say as we get on our high horse. But Yeshua commands us “You shall forgive him”! Yes, even after sinning against you, hurting you, seven times in one day.

This is the face of true conversion. We’re growing in the image of Christ more and more. We talk like him more. We act like him more. It’s not just about starting to keep the holydays and quitting Easter and Christmas celebrations. It’s much deeper than those things. Really changing goes to the heart of the matter. It means letting God change who and what we really are! Isn’t that what “conversion” means? It means to become something or someone different.

And this is the kind of love God wants to see all his children demonstrating to one another: love the way Christ loves us in spite of ourselves.  

Our Messiah upped the ante in Matthew 18 with Peter.

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

Seventy times seven. That’s an expression meaning keep doing it – as long as it takes.

Here Yeshua/Jesus is saying, “Folks, God has to forgive YOU way more than just seven times, and often for the very same things over and over, if you’re honest with yourself:  attitudes like envy, pride, covetousness, breaking the sabbath, adultery happening in your thoughts, unkindness, losing your temper, and on and on and on – and now I want you all to learn to love one another the way I have loved you. KEEP forgiving one another. Keep growing in MY kindness and MY patience with one another. Let my way of life become truly your way – loving, waiting for one another, keeping no record of the other’s wrong doing. Read 1 Cor. 13:4-8 for a great description of my true agape love. Follow the lead of God’s spirit in you urging you to be like your Savior! Don’t dismiss people so easily as you’ve been doing. I’m not ashamed to call YOU, my brother! So you go and be the same way with brothers and sisters I call to be in the Body and BE their brother or sister!”

So what makes the new commandment NEW?  Love one another AS, just like,  Christ has loved you. Love one another not just as yourself – but love one another the way Christ loved you. That’s the higher level. That’s what makes it new.

The apostle Paul got the message. Here’s how he puts it:

Colossians 3:12-14  “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”

Apostle John speaks of this higher love for fellow man throughout 1 John.

Love one another as I have loved you. He had pity on the people who were hungry and miserable. Many of his worst enemies – the Pharisees and priests – became strong believers in him in the early church (Acts 6:7). Wow! Talk about reconciling with people who had previously done you much harm. God even called one of them, Paul, to pen a third or more of the New Testament.

Here's some homework. You know yourself. You know Christ. How would he treat people in your world? How would he react to events and things that have happened to you by other brethren (both good and bad things)?  Where is He telling you and me to change and become more like him?

Let’s hear our beloved Messiah’s words:  “Love one another the way I have loved you”. 

Let’s seek his mind, his help, his strength to do it. Ask him to truly come into your heart (Ephesians 3:17) and live in you (John 14:23), guide you, correct you, love you, teach you – and then pass all that on and be that same way to others.

Love others AS Christ loved you. Love others in the same way Jesus would and did.

Does the Bible allow for and impose capital punishment in cases of murder? How about other crimes? By “capital punishment” I mean the act of the civil government ending the life of a criminal in certain cases.

The arguments pro-and con for capital punishment come up from time to time, so I thought it would be useful for brethren to have the scriptures on the subject so you can give a truly Biblical answer on this topic. You will read today of some of the many instances—even beyond murder -- when God prescribed capital punishment.

One reason people believe capital punishment is not Biblical is that they misunderstand the 6^th commandment, usually rendered “Thou shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13)  But even a  quick study of that Hebrew word there will show us that it clearly means “murder” and is translated “murder” in many Bible versions. The KJV “kill” can leave a wrong impression. We are not to murder. If we were not to ever “kill” – then we could never even kill animals or mosquitoes, which was never God’s intent. Of course we can kill animals for food. See Leviticus 11 and Deut 14. And “manslaughter” – the unintentional killing of someone – did not earn the death penalty either.

Let’s read God’s clear instructions after the Flood to Noah in cases where someone has murdered someone else. 

Genesis 9:5b-6  “From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man.

6 "Whoever sheds man's blood,  By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.”

This was told Noah by God himself. When a person murders and takes away someone else’s life, scripture is SO clear: the government of man has the right to end that murderer’s life. So many become repeat murderers, as we all know. Of course the executioner of the murderer, administering justice, is not guilty of murder himself.

The end of Gen 9:6 says one reason murder is so abhorrent to God is that we all are made in the image of God! So committing murder earns the death penalty for that person. As we’ll see there were many other sins that warranted the death penalty as well.

Scripture is also clear that accidentally killing someone, what we might call “manslaughter” – is not the same as premeditated murder.

Here’s a general principle too: when YHVH himself says to end someone’s life, then we’re being obedient to HIS command. We are NOT breaking the 6^th command – “Don’t murder” – in those cases. For example, when God told Israel to eliminate the Canaanites in the land he was giving to Israel, that was God’s command. The level of sins being committed by the Canaanites by that time was so egregious that God was imposing his own death penalty, but this time, by the sword of Israel.

When Israel also dropped to such evil levels, they also were severely punished, many died by the enemy’s sword and then Israel and Judah were even sent into captivity. And many died for their evils. They lost that land for a time as well. So God was fair.

• David clearly was not guilty of murder when he killed insolent Goliath, though I heard a Church of God minister say David did break the 6^th commandment when he killed Goliath! But the Bible clearly celebrated David’s faith and courage! See. Hebrews 11:32-34. 

• Samuel clearly was not guilty of murder when he chopped Agag into pieces, upon God’s command that all Amalekites were to be exterminated for their evils. Saul did not obey that command. HE was the one guilty of disobeying God. 1 Samuel 8:15-33.

Exodus 21:12-14  "He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13 However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. 14 "But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.

Leviticus 24:17  'Whoever kills any man shall surely be put to death.”

What about someone caught breaking into your home at night? Let’s say you strike him, and he dies. God says the home owner is not guilty of murder in that case. God says it’s different if the break-in happens in daytime though. Read Exodus 22:2-4. On that last one, the laws of the land we live in now make it difficult to protect yourself even in self-defense at home or anywhere else. So be careful to follow self-defense laws in your state or country carefully.

When YHVH himself lays down such clearly worded instructions on what the nation is to do to murderers, we should realize it’s the right thing to do! Of course, this must be left to the civil government, as Paul also explains in Romans 13:1-5.

So believers should accept that, according to God’s word itself, the civil government has the right to execute murderers. We should not fight it. Neither should we feel any joy in the death of anyone. Remember all of us incurred God’s death penalty for breaking HIS law (Romans 6:23). But thankfully God has given us a way to avoid the penalty when we accept what Jesus Christ did for us. But my point is: we can’t get up on our high horse in indignation against others who deserve the death penalty. God was merciful to you. We can hope for mercy to be extended to others who truly turn from their wicked ways too.

When Israel was ruled by God’s law as a nation, there were many other reasons for capital punishment. Are you ready?

Here are a few more: For striking your mom or dad (Exodus 21:15). If a pregnant woman is struck so she loses her child, the offender could be executed, life for life (Exodus 21:22-25). God also said people could be executed for getting involved in witchcraft, seances, being a medium who is contacting the dead (Leviticus 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:9-11; 1 Chronicles 10:13). People were executed for breaking most of the Ten Commandments, but not all. Idolaters, sabbath breakers, and all adulterers were to be put to death (Leviticus 20:10). Those engaged in bestiality – whether man or woman – were to be put to death (Leviticus 20:15-16). In fact, just read Leviticus 20  and see a wide range of sexual immorality that resulted in the death penalty, by God’s word – including incest and many more.

I know some of you may believe that anyone who broke any of the 10 Commandments earned the death penalty. That’s true, as far as the wages of sin goes, but as far as what the civil authorities were allowed to do, that wasn’t the case. For example, thieves were allowed to live, but they had to pay back 4x for sheep and 5x for stolen oxen. See Exodus 22:1. Neither do I see any command to execute someone who coveted. That was probably a good thing as hardly anyone would have been left alive!

A false witness – once discovered – earned the penalty that would have been given to the one he was lying against (Deuteronomy 19:16-20). Imagine if we practiced that law today!

God also pronounced the death penalty on prophets or ministers who claimed God had spoken to them, when God had not done so. (I hear that so often within Protestant churches –“God told me” or “God said…” as they preach.) Read Deuteronomy 18:20-22.

Ministers: be so careful not to do this! You think it makes your sermons more interesting, but if God really has not spoken to you about something, don’t claim you heard his voice or heard him tell you something if you did not. But if you have a strong urge to do or say something you feel is from the Almighty, then indeed do so, after testing “the spirits.” Someone who gives a very specific prophecy that does not come to pass is a false prophet.

Kidnappers were also to be executed (Deut. 24:7). There are many other listed reasons for incurring the death penalty. My point is: God himself declares the death penalty both in the Old Testament and New Testament (Romans 13:1-7).

The point should be getting very clear now: God tells us there are certain misdeeds, evils, crimes, etc., that deserve the death penalty by the proper authorities, according to God’s own command. 

There’s another Biblical principle: if we don’t execute justice speedily, it’s just a normal tendency for murderers and other lawbreakers, to keep doing evil.

Ecclesiastes 8:11 NKJV  “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”

Ecclesiastes 8:11 NLT  “When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.”

Many states no longer even have the death penalty. Only 3 executions occurred in 2021 nationwide in the USA.

God is merciful. When there’s been admission of sin and contrition, we can be happy if some do not receive the death penalty. YOU will not receive the death penalty you earned. And God did not execute King David and Bathsheba for adultery, though it carried the death penalty, for example. See Leviticus 20:10 and 2 Samuel 12:12-13.

One topic that comes up from time to time is how much interaction and friendship we should have with people who are not believers like you. Let’s say they obviously are “part of this world” and its ways. Should you have friends among those people – or keep them at arm’s length? This comes up regularly among believers, partly because of various scriptures that seem to imply we should not be friends with unbelievers.

But can that possibly be true that we should not have friends among “worldly” unbelievers? For many of my “church friends,” this is the way it is: they just don’t ever hang out with people of the world. All their social activities are focused on just church brethren.

Let me ask the question another way: other than incidental contact you might have with unbelievers at work, or as you shop or go about your daily business, how many of the worldly acquaintances you have would you say are a good friend of yours? Do you invite work associates who are not part of your church fellowship to dinner from time to time, or go out to dinner with them?

Another question: would any of your friends “in the world” even know that you believe in Jesus/Yeshua and love him and your Father in heaven with everything you’ve got?

Besides outright atheists and unbelievers, let’s include now people who don’t believe exactly the same way you do, and don’t attend your church, though they may claim to be believers in Christ. Would some of those be close friends?

True, there’s a scripture that says whoever is a friend of this world is not a friend of God! Note it’s talking about being a friend of the world (it’s ways and philosophy)—not about having friends who are not part of God’s church. Let’s read it:

James 4:4  “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Being a “friend with the world” is when we are indulging in spiritual adultery – being too intimate and close to this world’s ways, recreation, movies, lifestyles, politics, and way of life way too much; like we’re a part of the world; like we’re immersed in Babylon instead of coming “out of her, my people” (Rev. 18:4).

Based on that verse, many have decided over the years that they will severely limit any social contacts and friendships with people of this world. But is being friends “with” the world the same as having friends who are a part of this world and its ways?

There are several principles at play here. What was Yeshua/Jesus’ own example? If Jesus had limited his friendships only to spirit-filled believers, guess what? He’d have had NO friends at all, for the Holy Spirit had not been given yet. That happens in Acts 2.

** Jesus’ own example was striking! Remember, He IS to be our pattern. The most holy and sinless person on the earth often hung around known “sinners.” Terrible sinners. Over and over. And somehow by his own manner, even such horrible sinners were somehow able to feel comfortable around him.

Remember Yeshua did say of one particular woman in Luke 7, that “her sins, which are many…”  But these people were drawn to him, and he did not reject them. Tax collectors (publicans) were known cheats and thieves, and yet Jesus/Yeshua picked such a man –- Matthew, also called Levi --  to be one of the 12 apostles whose name will forever be emblazoned on the foundation stones of the walls around heavenly Jerusalem!  (Revelation 21:14).

He even called Judas “friend” on the very night Judas betrayed him. (Matthew 26:50), an actual fulfillment of Psalm 41:9.  Even his religious attackers --like the Pharisees – invited him to dinner and he had dinner with them as well (Luke 7:39; 11:37). Would you accept a dinner with a rabbi or catholic priest? I think Yeshua would. Yeshua DID – with the rabbis and religious leaders of his day.

It was this very criticism leveled at Yeshua  -- that he had horrible sinners as his friends – that actually was the backdrop to the wonderful parables of God’s love and joy when we repent in Luke 15. Stories like the lost coin, lost sheep, the prodigal son. Look at the backdrop:

Luke 15:1-3   Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." 3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying…”   and then the parable of the lost sheep and the others come.

Do people ever say that about us? They did about our Savior! His example says to us that it’s great to have unbelieving friends.

Why?

** We are the light and salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16). If our light is confined to areas and to people who are already full of light (where there are a lot of true believers), what benefit is your light? Even a small match in a room full of darkness will always defeat the darkness. Light always wins. Always.

Si if we’re never around people of the world, how can we shine the light of the gospel and of our living God and Savior around them, to lighten up their path? We are supposed to be a comfortable and much-appreciated light – not a spotlight blinding their eyes! “LET your light so shine…”  Again, don’t hide your light.

Matthew 5:14-16 – “Your lives light up the world. For how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop? And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light! LET it shine brightly before others…”

When Matthew the tax collector was called to be a disciple, he threw a “Matthew party” inviting all his friends – who of course included many other cheating tax collectors. And Jesus was there. Please read Luke 5:27-32.

** Notice what Paul teaches us. He had told the Corinthian brethren in 1 Corinthians 5 to cast out the church brother who was openly and defiantly participating in ongoing sex sins. He explained we should not be close friends with someone called a brother or sister who is continuing in such sins. Paul later, by the way,  in 2 Corinthians 2, told them to bring that disfellowshipped sinner back in to fellowship, as he had since repented and turned from his evil ways. Paul said show him some love (2 Cor. 2:6-10) and let him be restored to their fellowship and love. Don’t leave repentant brethren out there by themselves!

So then the question came up, “but what about sinful people in the world? Can we be friends with them – or should we treat them like we would brethren who continue to live a life of sin, and have nothing to do with them?” 

Here is Paul’s response – and again, I remind you that Jesus had many friends in the world.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13  “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did NOT mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who IS sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner — not even to eat with such a person.

12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside GOD  judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person."

He says – yes, have friends  in the world, sinners or not.

And I add: how else could we shine our lights?

I’m not saying we go get drunk with them, or go to topless bars or Christmas parties. I’m not saying all that. But yes, be a friend to them. Sooner or later the opportunities come up where our conversations could lead them to becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. Isn’t that part of our great commission? To make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20).

So yes, I have good friends “in the world” from work, or in our neighborhood or with unconverted family members. I stop and talk with my neighbors. We invite them over for tea/muffins or a full dinner. I’ve played darts with them once or twice a week, though I may curtail that just for time’s sake for a while now. We’ve attended shows with people of the world. We mingle with various ones for outings and dinners. Yes, I’m talking about people who keep Christmas, Easter and pagan holidays and don’t know Christ – but I do not attend Christmas parties! I’m hoping I’ll be able to be used by God to help bring some to a close relationship with their Savior, and to learn the truths of the Bible. I want to introduce them to the workings of God’s Holy Spirit  -- as our God loves to be worshiped in spirit and in truth.

I don’t use those times to pester them about the Bible  -- but Bible topics do come up. They know what I believe. I do mention my Savior and my God.

So I hope you understand: we are not to be friends of the world and its ways and its sins. Yeshua said his disciples, including us, “are not of the world” (John 15:19; 17:14-16). But like Jesus/Yeshua –we are friendly with the PEOPLE of the world. Even most Holy God himself loved the people so much that he let his own begotten son pay the penalty for all of our sins; for all who will accept his sacrifice. That’s a lot of love for some pretty awful people! He's our example. So we – like God -- love the people even while recognizing the evil many of them are involved in. So we pray for them, bless them, we even forgive them when they hurt us – and so yes, we have friends who are part of this world, just like Jesus/Yeshua did!

In America, this weekend is “Father’s Day.”  I’m surprised I’m not hearing more of an uproar than is out there in an era when the Left doesn’t know what a man or woman is, or what a father or mother is. Here at Light on the Rock we have not lost our bearings. A father is more than just a man. He is a man who is the leader of his family.

The very Hebrew word for “father” is Av or Ab.  The word picture means “strength of the house” or “leader of the home.”  And yes, I also realize too many men do not live up to that ideal and do not and cannot lead their homes. But let’s speak of the ideal.

We’re in a world where men and fathers are often being belittled or ridiculed. Commercial after commercial in the past few years seem designed to ridicule and make men and dads look stupid. Watch out for this and you’ll see. Children in commercials, teaching dad something he’s too stupid to know. Women, wives, and others showing the ignorant dad or husband a thing or too. The woman or child is almost always the smart one in these commercials. I’ll bet you start noticing that more now. I find them sickening.

Plus now, a lot of women think their children don’t really need their father, especially in cases of divorce. Most children will handle their parents’ divorce eventually. But the relationship between their mom and dad after their divorce will have a great impact and will also affect their goal to be traditionally married. j

A father, as explained in scripture, is more than just a man begetting children – but is responsible to those children he begat. He loves them, and loves the mother of those children and – ideally before begetting any child, this man has entered into the sacred bond called “marriage” and is committed to keeping his marriage vows to stay together in sickness or health and no matter what life throws at them.

That’s a short summary of the Biblical ideal. I realize that many men and women who are now believers in Messiah and children of our heavenly Father, did not – or felt they could not -- follow that ideal. Many brothers and sisters in Christ I know have divorced. Or have had abortions. I know there are people out there who brought children into the world but never in a family setting. So for those for whom it applies, we repent – and move on, this time walking with God as closely as we can and IN Christ, we CAN have a new life. A GOOD life. I have not been an ideal and perfect father either. But like everything else in life, we grow in our understanding and our repentance as we turn from our former ways and turn TO our heavenly Father.

Satan and those following his ways in his world, hate the family. So fatherhood, motherhood, family, marriage for life, being totally pro-life with any children begotten – are all under attack. We members of God’s family must be totally aware of that and stand up for Biblical standards.

ARE fathers really that important? We look to the heavenly pattern and God’s word for our instruction and standard.

The Supreme Being of the whole universe is called God Most High in many scriptures, and he may be better known to many of you as “God the Father.”  He is called that many times. I know him as “MY Father,” or OUR father, not just “the” Father. When Yeshua/Jesus was resurrected, the first thing he said to Mary Magdalene is to tell the others that he ascending to “my God and your God, to my Father and your Father” (John 20:17).

Now Jesus was teaching a more personal relationship. Though God is referred to as the “Father” several times in the Old Testament, most people did not equate Him with a loving Daddy figure – but a terrifying figure, an awesome God, whom only the High Priest could approach and only once a year in the Holy of Holies on the day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). 

But Jesus came to show us – among other assignments – that God Most High is also our Abba, our dear daddy in heaven. He taught us to pray, “OUR Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”  (Matthew 6:9).  If that had been recorded in Hebrew, he’d be saying “our Ab is heaven” (or Abba). Jesus taught us that our dear Father could be seen in everything we see in Christ – in fact Jesus Christ is described as the mirror image, the express image or exact replica of his Father (Hebrews 1:1-3). We tend to think of the Father as harsh, but Jesus as gentle. In fact, Jesus is exactly what Father above is like!

So the standard for having a FATHER over his family is GOD himself, over his family. You and I are the children. God the Father is always depicted primarily in the Male form, though God actually makes up all the qualities found both in man and woman. Remember, God said, “Let us make mankind in our image” – and “In the image of God created he THEM, male and female created he” (Genesis 1:26-27).  So you women reading this, you are in as much of God’s image as men are. But nonetheless, God Supreme is depicted as Father – not mother.

Having said that, there are definite hints at how the concept of “God” includes feminine traits too – how he has us inscribed in the palms of his hand, how he SINGS to us to comfort us (Zephaniah 3:16-17). Do you ever picture GOD that way – singing to you? He does! He loves doing it. Even the description El Shaddai – God Almighty – has hints of womanhood. Shad in Shaddai – can and does actually point to providing for us, as a mother’s breast provides for and gives comfort to her infant at her breast. Look it up! But I used to love to sing to my children especially when they were small.

IF anything, this should lead us men who are fathers to understand we also can be, must be, more like God – gentle, loving, joyful, patient, kind, loving, not easily angered, full of faith and faithfulness and self-controlled. At the same time, we live out the FRUIT of God’s presence, of his Spirit whether we are men or women. Please watch and listen to my sermons on The Fruit of God’s spirit and on John 15:2,6.

So if God Most High chooses to be known as our FATHER – I think HE thinks fatherhood must be important!

Ephesians 3:14-15  “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…”

From the Passion translation Eph 3:14-15:  “So I kneel humbly in awe before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the PERFECT FATHER of every Father and child in heaven and on earth”.

IF you are someone who grew up without a father in your home – as I did after age 12 – or if your father died while you were growing up (mine died when I was 30), or if your father was absent or was or is a terrible example, remember this:

Get on your knees, speak words confidently to God in Heaven and just say, “My Father in Heaven, I don’t have a father on earth (or whatever your case is). Will you, Father,  be my Father now and going forward. Your love for me is for forever. I accept you as my Father and thank you that you will accept me as your child, and all of this has been made possible by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

So you now have the perfect Father. Get to know him. He knows you. He knows everything about you – and loves you anyway. I have often felt like I shouldn’t even be here, but God had different plans for me by his favor and grace. He has a better and different plan for you too if you submit to him. 

Some of you have been great parents. Thank you. That’s wonderful. Some of you/us have been imperfect parents or had a non-existent or “bad” dad. Some of you had a horrible dad.  We can move on now and trust God our Father will work everything out for the good for those of us who love God and are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

TELL your father some of the profound impacts he’s had in your life, while you can. Don’t put it off. I wrote my dad in the Philippines such a letter. He responded by letter that it made a profound impact on him.  Then a few days later, my mom called to say my dad had died. I was SO glad I let him know how proud I was of him, and I listed many of the things that made me proud of him. Too often we wait til the eulogy to say positive things.

A father in a home should give his boys and girls a model of a man, a truly masculine and loving man. Not “toxic masculinity” – but a man who will have standards in the home and give a sense of protection. Children need security as well as love. I remember times as a child being afraid at night. Dad would sit with me on my bed and explain he was there, and I had nothing to be afraid of, and most of all, “God has his angels all around you and our whole family, and we’re in the best hands”.  Then he’d pray with me, and all would be well. 

My dad – in my hearing – would tell my older brother to be sure to look after me and my sister and be sure we were safe. I now do the same with the older grandsons – to always look out for and protect their younger siblings.

The Father in the home should set behavior standards for the household. Some things we positively do, because they’re the right thing to do. Some things we absolutely do not do, because they are wrong.  Give your kids the details of good and wrong – from the Bible, ideally. Moms teach this too, but when Mom and Dad do it together, those kids will more likely live a happy and productive life. Dad and mom are role models!

Dads should show the kids how to do things around the house like basic plumbing – how to fix a leaky faucet or replace light bulbs, or change the oil in the car. This goes for sons and daughter alike. Sons and daughters alike should also be taught to cook and do basic housework (run the dishwasher, washer and dryer) and how to iron a shirt or blouse, or sew on a button or plant a flower or plant correctly. If a dad doesn’t have those skills, he should encourage his sons specially to watch at a safe distance the plumber or carpenter or handyman who comes by to do things.

Dad and mom should be working in loving harmony together. If there has been a divorce, then when dad or mom has the children for a few days – teach them skills in an atmosphere of loving patience. Take them fishing. Show them how to hook a worm, or how to cast out the fishing line and clean a fish.

Tell your kids stories of when you were growing up. They can be funny stories. My grandkids like my “most embarrassing moments” stories and laugh so loud – but it builds a bond, that I did quirky things too at times as a child. But also pass on the family stories so they grow with a sense of belonging. Kunta Kinte – remember those shows? Even a black slave taught his children about the family lines.

Instill a love of reading and learning. Cut down or cut out cell phone use when they’re young. Our grandchildren here love to read! And they’re very smart, already doing college level work and they’re in middle teens. I personally would not let my children or teens have a cell phone or laptop in their bedrooms after bedtime. It’s just too dangerous  for them.

When there’s conflict, dads should show the way to how we resolve conflicts without fights or blood being spilled!  Imagine all the killings, shootings and fights going on now that never should be happening – if only those people had dads or good men in their lives.

You women who are alone, but have children at home with you, try to find a good man from church (not from a bar) who can be like a father to your children from time to time.  If you express your needs, maybe other families can include your family in their activities. I had men who stepped into my life and did manly things with me when I was a teenager. A man who can listen to the children or teens growing up without their real dad. Let the kids express themselves. I truly believe these men were Godsends into my life!  I called such a man on the phone many years later who was by then in his 80’s, just to tell him how much he meant to me when I was 15-16 years old.

This man who comes into your life, or any adult really, should seek first to understand, before seeking to be understood. Listen. Repeat what you think you heard them say, but using different words, so they know you understand. And mostly, just be there and doing fun things, when possible, too.

So many young people in gangs and who get in trouble – so often have grown up without a father or a father figure influencing them, or one who sets boundaries and limits in their behavior, and who imposes consequences for bad behavior. But make sure the child understands you still love and care for them even when they have to be corrected.

Fathers are important too because proper male affection is so needed for young boys and teens – and girls too! When proper Dad affection is present, the children are far more likely to grow into traditional roles for marriage and families. Dads, have appropriate contact with your sons as they grow older. A hug, a pat on the shoulder, an approving nod all mean something. I remember one man telling me the most significant memory he had of his dad was his dad tossing an orange peel to him. It made him feel noticed. I was amazed by this.

Girls having strong and loving fathers is very important too. A father can – with mom there too – teach the daughter as they grow older about boys, in a good way. How to sit properly. How their modesty helps the boys control their raging hormones better, for example. And how precious their virginity is. Have you noticed how many “teen movies” out there are all about losing one’s virginity? Nowadays, it seems virgins are mocked, especially if they’re 16 or older already!

Did I do any of that perfectly as a father? No. But we did some. It’s too bad that so many fathers have to work overtime or into the night, and not be there to read a book to their children. And time doesn’t wait for us. They get older and we miss opportunities.

But somewhere in all that, some things must have been good.

Most people tell me our kids – now in their 30’s and 40’s, are wonderful model citizens. And now that I’m a grandfather, I want to be a grandpa that has a positive impact on the grandchildren. The things I wish I had done, I can now do as a grandpa. So we’ll play games on Father’s day. Water fights in the back yard with our water soakers, go to the swimming pool in the community and have fun. Then we’ll talk, play more games, and let them know how much we love each of them.   

So yes, dads are important. If you’re a Dad reading this, recommit to being a loving and strong dad. If you’re a grandfather, try being and doing the things with grandkids this time around, that you missed doing as a dad. Give your children and grandchildren security and love – that they’re in a secure, protected home led by a loving dad. Be their role model. Pray with them. Repent with them. Confirm God’s love for them, even when they’ve “done bad” – THROUGH you, being forgiving and loving too and teaching about their Loving Father in heaven.

Let them see you be delighted in their mother when you come home. They see you – their dad – kiss his wife when he comes home. And their mom is beaming with joy too.

We need to get back to this. And yes, dads are important. Moms are so important too. Let’s not be listening to the dangerous words we’re hearing that we don’t need strong families, marriages that are full of love, and children who are happily obedient and on the right track for success and happiness.

Dads, you have a big part to play in this.

Have a happy Father’s Day, dads. Thank GOD we still have some dads who make a world of difference in millions of lives. Thank you, Dads.