Bible Questions & Discussion PAGE 161

Hi Giannis,

Amen well said; We are in a race, and as it is said "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us". "In your patience possess ye your souls". "Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." This race has a finish line, and we cannot come up short, we must cross this finish line. "So run, that ye may obtain." The prize is not given until we cross the finish line and are told, "Well done thou good and faithful servant".

God bless,

RLW

OSAS: Proper respect for leadership.

In my last post I ended with a discussion of the legalism of the Pharisees; as well as those that have what I call "sloppy Agape" or attempt to gloss over sin and use grace and forgiveness of all past; present and future sins as their excuse. In both of these cases at least for those who remain in a church fellowship we see an idolization of the Pastor most often who no doubt is contributing to one or the other error mentioned here. A true believer would move on if there is heresy coming from one of their own (see Acts 20:30). Justifying self righteousness is aided; of course when someone is financially well to do and credits the church leadership that promises "sowing a seed" will add to prosperity for all (whether or not they are giving a large sum themselves). The opposite of this are those widows and old ladies who are fleeced to their last dollar mesmerized by a Pastor who promises health and happiness with obedience and warns against not doing this despite what common sense would otherwise show.

This first paragraph assumes corrupt leadership. Another sign of our faith is respecting elders and pastors who ARE feeding the flock and tending the sheep properly. (see 1 Timothy 5:17). Disrespect of such authority often mainfests in impatience if a sermon runs 5 minutes late; frustration when genuine financial needs are brought up; lack of participation and interest in prayer and doing service projects in the church and for the comunity; etc. Beyond this; the admonitions of 1 John about loving the brethren are ignored (see 1 John 4:20). Such parishioners will sometimes leave; and we shouldn't strive to force them to stay.

There are others attempting to spread false doctrines which were of course never part of the true flock (see 1 John 2:19). They may leave but if not need to be dealt with lest they be a cancer that affects the whole flock (see warning in Galatians 5:9).

LET US MEDITATE ON MATTHEW 10:16!!!

OSAS. True spiritual gifts vs false manifestations.

1 Corinthians 2:14 says: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

Deuteronomy 32:28-29 states "For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!"

There are many reasons people may go to church and not be believers; a general statement would be there are many confessors but less who are POSSESSORS of the Holy Spirit. Focusing on earlier posts discussing how Satan focuses his attacks on the church we need in general to see how Satan is not only opposed to God but comes as s substitute; and mimics every spiritual gift in outward manifestations that may appear to be the same to the undiscerning (such as listed in 1 Corinthians 2:14 above).

As to spiritual manifestations; the "Kundalini" experience often mimics what are true spiritual experiences. We see mention in past revivals of people shaking or trembling at His Word which is scriptural ( Isaiah 66:2). But certain ritualaistic manifestations

cause abandon (usually coiling up like a snake on the floor). Godly sorrow certainly can cause weeping as was reported in many revivals from the past; uncontrollable laughter however is not something that seems edifying. Tongues of angels certainly can be imitated by demons as evidenced by experiences of those in the occult.

In looking at these "charismatic" gifts; we shoiuldn't ignore the "religious" spirit which involves endless ritual and legalistic practices that exceed the scope of the Word. The Pharisees added things with their traditions ( Mark 7:13 and other verses) and this was associated with pride; self righteous and leading others astray. (see Matthew 23:15). The opposite of this is using grace as a license to sin which Romans 6:1 warns about.

"In our POST-Feminist Western culture where women are above men. I have often heard the scriptures regarding wives submitting to their husbands being "spiritualized." Rather than taking it at face value, they attempt to either "spiritualize" the passage such as "Oh, it means the man is the spiritual head." Other times they will attempt to merge two periscopes of scripture such as verse 21 which belongs to the prior periscope and attempt to apply it in the marriage periscope. Claiming oh it means "submit to one another in marriage."

Yet the command is found yet again in Colossians 3:18 (KJV) 18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

2 Peter 3:16 (KJV) 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Yes, twisting scripture to their own destruction...

Walk in Wisdom

Ephesians 5:15-21 (KJV) 16 through verse 21(periscope) verse 21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Marriage--Christ and the Church

Ephesians 5:22-28 (KJV)

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself."

Ephesians 5:11 (KJV) 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

In reply to DGJOT: I agree with the mixing comment except about Jews and Gentiles. The Bible tells us that we Gentiles were grafted in. We were grafted into the main body just like a tree cutting can be grafted into the main tree and then the graft becomes part of the whole.

Richard 3/3

It is like the 5 unwise virgins who were left in the (spiritual) darkness (darkness means sin) because they had not taken any care in their lives to meet Jesus, they were busy doing other things. Careless lives. They didn't take their salvation seriously.

So why Jesus says he doesn't know them and never knew them? It is an exxageration of speech. He tells them and us, and He wants to make sure that we understand it that if we don't strive to live righteously untill the end no matter how successful spiritualy we were once, the door of the Kingdom of God will be closed to us. It is like Jesus never knew us, same ending as the rest of the sinful world. There isn't any possible security in a sinful life for the children of God.

Besides why would He know them. After their death their names were erased from the Book of Life.

Rev. 3:5, "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."

GBU

Richard 2/3

3. Not only they know Him but it seems they were members of the church, they had spiritual gifts which they exercised. It is not logical to assume that people outside the church could have spir. gifts (you mentioned Judas as an example that that can happen). Can it really? Have you read in the Bible or have you met in the world unbelievers that were given gifts, like prophesying, casting out demons, healing? The only case I have read in the Bible were the sons of that priest who tried to cast out a demon and were almost killed by that demon. Acts 19:13-16. What did the demon say to them? That he didn't know them. The devils don't know and don't obey anybody else apart from the children of God. Besides the gifts are for the benefit of the church, not the world. Prophesying is for the edification of the church not of the world, anyway how could that be? To whom and what for one is prophesying to the world? Personally I have never heard or read anywhere about such a thing.

4. They are workers of iniquity. Corrupt lives.

5. Jesus doesn't know them.

Now 3. and 5. seem to be in contrust. How is it possible that they are saved and Jesus doesn't know them?

To understand that we have to see what the purpose of that teaching is, what Jesus is trying to tell them. He is trying to tell them that it is not adequate to believe in Him and get saved initially, they have to live a pure life and not continue or go back to their sinful wordly lives. They have to produce a fruit. Production of fruit is not an automatic process. One has to want to have a fruit and strive for it. Strive to live a righteous life with God providing them His Spirit to enable them to have a fruit. Is it possible to christians to not have any fruit in their lives?. An answer is given in the parable of the Sower. It is the 3rd case, as you said the pleasures, riches of this world etc, etc choke the seed and so those christians become fruitless.

Hello Richard. 1/3

I had decided not to participate any more in debates, especially about the OSAS doctrine, but I think I can not avoid it. I have seen that there are certain theological "inventions" of those who accept the OSAS belief. Firstly the one already known, that is the idea of "not truly saved" and now as I read your post, the idea of "accepting Christ but not knowing Him", am I wrong?

OK lets start from the begining. When is one saved? When he accepts Christ or when he gets to know Him? Definitely when he accepts Jesus. What does that mean? It means that as one hears the Word of God and that Word gets inside his heart (this is the seed that eventually goes inside the good soil) that Word causes him to repent and follow a new path in His life. Next, God regenerates him enabling him to follow that path. Can we agree on that? What does it mean that we know Christ? This is a process that takes a long time in our lives. It doesn't occur only when we read about Jesus and His teachings in the Bible but it mainly occurs as we follow Him in our lives and we get experience with Him along that path. This does not occur overnight, it is a lenthy process. So we can not claim that we are saved when we get to know Christ. In such a case it would take years to aquire salvation.

Let go to Matthew 7:21-23

" 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

Lets gather all the points of interest in that teaching.

1. It occurs at the Final Judgement

2. Jesus talks to people who know Him or about Him, they call Him Lord.

Jcolli9:

You were given your MANTLE at the RESURRECTION of YOU and Christ; TOGETHER, you were joined together as ONE by his resurrection,you are now the bride of Christ, flesh of his flesh, bone of his bone, the NEW CREATION

You are know at the marriage supper of the LAMB, you FLESH (your carnal mind) is being DESTROYED by the TRUTH of God's word.

Revelation 19:9 Blessed are those that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb .....

Revelation 19:18 That ye (those called to the marriage supper) may EAT the FLESH of mighty men..... the carnal mind that against the TRUTH of God's word.

Isaiah 9:20 ...they (the carnal minded) shall EAT EVERY MAN the FLESH of his own RIGHT ARM ......

The ANOINTING IN YOU will teach you ALL THINGS ---- 1 John 2:27 -----

God Bless YOU!

Study of Re.12:1-14 (4 of 4)

The warning of Jesus to seven churches include these false brethren. For example this v. "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:"(Re.3:17) He already knows who are his and who are not. For those incorrigible we have this warning,"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time./ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."( 1 John 2:18-19)

Re.12:6-14

Into The Wilderness

"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, "

Here the Spirit uses the fall of man as the springboard to her redemption, which is indicated with the place where she is nourished for a time. Earthly ministry of Jesus is established there so when St Paul speaks of strong meat it is to gospel he is referring. "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ."(1 Co.3:10)

The place prepared for her as God warned Eve is the ground from which man was taken and her conception shall be accompanied with sorrow. It is cursed because of their disobedience. "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children;"(Ge.3:16) Even so God has made provisions for them so Isaiah's quote 'Glorify ye God in the fires' (Is.24:15) is very relevant for us. Is the wilderness experience terrible if God is in control over you? ""Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her."(Ho.2:14) What we see in our times is the folly of man without God.

(To Be continued)

Study of Re.12 (3 of 4)

Vision of the Woman Clothed with the Sun

This is set in reconstituted time and consequentially skips the earth timescale with which the birth of Jesus was set down. "When Cyrenius was governor of Syria" etc., ( Luke 2:1-6.) What we read in this verse,"And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne," ix a summing up the divine Will regarding his Son. (12:5) The rod of iron helps us recall the quote from the Psalm 2. The reconstituted time leads us to the new heaven and new earth.

12:7-12 The War in Heaven and the Fall

The Angelic revolt is not intended for us so the Spirit skips its origin but its fall out has consequences. Ge.6 1-3 for example. Jude v.6 also refers to the fallen angels. As St Paul warns us, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."(Ep.6:12-NIV) From the above it is evident that we consider our lives interfacing with two worlds at the same time. "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."(2 Co.11:14)

The heresies with which false ministers preach another gospel and another Christ have their consequences. Satan sins from the beginning, "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth."(12:4) ( Dan 12:3) The gospel of God has a direct reference to the baseline mentioned in the earlier post. These who have fallen from the cloud of witnesses, from the world of the Spirit are those have become slave to another gospel and Christ. It is against them the number 'a thousand two hundred and threescore days' is held as a warning.

Study of Re.12 (2 of 4)

Vision of the Woman Clothed with the Sun

The woman called before the worlds began, the holy family of saints have a place, this world of the Spirit is called the heavenly places, Blessedness is in the two great lights for signs, the sun of righteousness and the moon, grace of the word keeping her position.(Ep.1:3). 12 stars denote perfection as an adornment. When she loses her place she loses them all.

Man-child ('who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron') refers to Christ and the elect. The number of days refers to three and half years which is the baseline (the ministry of Jesus on the earth) which governs the reconstituted time.

vv. 3-4 "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads./And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth." As with God setting up the woman in heavenly places the red dragon also appears, The devil sins from the beginning so we have to understand the running feud between the holy family of God and the dragon runs parallel.

Re.12:7 -12 The War in Heaven and the fall

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

Re.12:10-17 The Earth

"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."

12:1-6 The Woman:

The Spirit presents her as the bride of Christ as intended in the divine Will. "And brought her unto the man." (Ge.2:22) With this in mind the Genesis quote must be set against this Pauline quote, "For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ". (2 Co.11:2).

Bible Study:Re.12:1-6 (1 of 4)

The Vision of the Woman Clothed with the Sun

In order to understand the manner the Holy Spirit has organized this chapter from the Book of the Revelation shall of immense help to follow the intent of the Spirit, which is evident in its final form. It is from God to man so man has to follow the lead. It is the God document and wisdom with which anyone may unlock it is by wisdom from above and it is faith that is demanded of the reader. Let there be no mistake on that score.

As with dreams and visions in any context,- secular or otherwise it has all elements to explain the manner the world of the Spirit interface with the world of the Spirit. The difference between our workaday world and this is same as the bow set in heaven after the great flood. The rainbow ever since throws up a sign and it is anchored on the everlasting covenant. God shall 'remember' as the Spirit explains it. "And it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth,"and it concerns the everlasting covenant which in fact has his Son implied. In the numbers and period of time given in the vision of St John we see how he is presented.(Ge.8:13-16)

we shall at the present consider only the time element and significance of numbers. One important clue is the divisions of heavenly place where the woman stands and 'the remnant of her seed' warring with the dragon are done away so the place prepared of God and her seed warring with the dragon overlap each other.

Here are three major divisions

Re.12:1-6 The Woman

"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."

The woman called before the worlds began, the holy family of saints have a place, this world of the Spirit is called the heavenly places, Blessedness is in the two great lights for signs, the sun of righteousness and the moon, grace of the word keeping her position.(Ep.1:3).

Call Upon the Name (2 of 2)

Ge.4:26

St Paul speaks of the word sent out, "And how shall they preach, except they be sent?" (Ro.10:15). He very well knew what he preached in his missionary journeys. "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach." This word of faith was seeded in the heart of Adam while God made him a living soul. Truth in his inward part was the animating aspect of the Spirit of Christ so whatever names Adam called His creation was spot on. By expelling man and woman from the world of the Spirit did not remove this faculty of discernment. Eve calling Seth proved that she indeed anticipated God's will concerning her as He had anticipated the name of Immanuel since He sent forth his word and the glory of the light of knowledge in the face of Jesus Christ.

'Thy Face' gives us the key to the significance of the heart as the face or where the world of the Spirit interfaces with the world of the body. In the second section we find the Spirit setting the lifespan of man in terms of 120 years. "yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years."(6:3) Advent of the Son shall have heroes of faith to which the life of Noah is a shining example. What is 120 but man's life and his salvation set in terms of the gospel. The Spirit organized the narrative on a need-to -know basis so the perfect and complete will of the Father as fulfilled by the Son shall be on reconstituted time. With regards to the key text some scholars explain it as this, "meaning either (1) then began men to call themselves by the name of the Lord (marg.) i.e., to distinguish themselves thereby from idolaters; or (2) then men in some public and earnest way began to call upon the Lord, indicating a time of spiritual revival."(selected)

Literalism set up their own landmarks while the Spirit forbids, " Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set."(Pr.22:28)

Bible Study: Ge.4:26

Call Upon The Name (1 of 2)

"Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord."

The Spirit while organizing the God document is coming towards the end of the first section where he began with 'In the beginning'. (Ge.1:1) As discussed earlier we are looking at two worlds namely of the Spirit and of the Body we capitalize the body for simplifying the idea in the He.11:3 . The Body refers to the body of the Son. Account of the Garden of Eden was with regards to instruct us the will of God the Father in terms of a world, and expulsion of man and woman from the world of the Spirit to the other, the earth. The earth is synonymous with a world, physical body that belongs to the Son who is the heir. For this reason the earth that abides forever. (Ec.1:4) Where God merely imputed His righteousness on man and woman by clothing them with coats of skins, at death it was to dust they returned. 'Then' serves as point consequential of this sign, 'Without shedding of blood there is no redemption.' This sign shall never change until the day the Son calls for accounts. St Paul refers to it as "but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."(2 Co.5:4)

In a manner of speaking these coats of skins foreshadow the outpouring of the Spirit, "God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit."(v.5) As with signs they draw their relevance from the word of God with which He frames the above-mentioned worlds. Here the Spirit mentions,'Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.

Study of Re.4

Glory And Honour

Re.4:11 "Worthy are you,our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

The four and twenty elders casting their crowns before the throne said the quote, which is our key verse. They established the direction of the Salvation plan of God. The reason why the Spirit revealed the memorial is to present the church of God in eternity and its effect is the mighty chorus given in Re.5:9-13. "And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth, and under the earth" join with the voices of angels in heaven in full throated praise. The new song is unlike songs created according to canon in music or sung by a choir of skillful singers, it is entirely under the grace that the seven lamps of the Spirit signify. (Re.4:5) Seven spirits of God or the unity of the Spirit is an ever present memorial. (The three heavens denote trinity- body represented by the four and twenty elders and the four beasts; the spirit by the seven lamps; and the soul which points to the Lamb who appears in ch.5:6.) "In the image of God" in the creation account brings in a similitude of 'as in heaven.'

The second part of the key verse shall explain Ge.1:1, "By your will they existed" included the memorial of four and twenty elders. The Spirit gives the number 24 (3x8) in terms of the Law which is same in heaven, on earth and under the earth " quoted above. The grace of Jesus Christ covered all three so death of the Son was also for spirits in prison. "The grace of of our Lord, that though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor,"(2 Co.8:9) In short no man may escape ignorance as to his calling (Ro.1:20) Either you gather with Christ or be cast out into the outer darkness.

Abraham and Sarah

His name Abram signified 'exalted father' and considering God would change his name to Abraham to mean ' father of a multitude.' he had to walk before him and be perfect. Despite of his wife's barrenness and advanced age, his faith had to be of much sterner stuff. Many events in his life tested it. One explains the wife-sister puzzle occurring in Ch.20.

King Abimelech was in mortal danger for taking Sarah from her husband. Abraham presented his wife as sister as he did before Pharaoh on an earlier occasion. He supposed that he could get around difficulties as before. Technically Abraham was telling the truth. But both cannot be right.

Marriage was instituted owing to the flesh that is weak. When the Spirit describes the creation of Eve gives it primary sense, which what Jesus explains, "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. / For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;/ And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh."( Mark 10: 6-8) What therefore God hath joined together has one single head, which is of Christ. The will of God does not change.

The Spirit presents Abraham as a double for the Son and his wife as the Bride of Christ (See under A-Abigail) Among the heroes of faith Sara stands in her own right along with Abraham. "Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised."(He.11: 11) Her faith was her own over which she was answerable to God alone.

Abigail

The wife of Nabal, who dwelt in the district of Carmel(1 Sa.25:3) After Nabal's death she became the wife of David. By her David had a son called Chileab (2 Sa.3:3)

The Spirit presents her as a woman of good understanding, as the Bride of Christ. For this reason Abigail's role in relation to David is similar to Rachel has with Jacob. Her personal name meaning, "my father rejoiced," by the same line of reasoning evokes the joy in heaven while in the world of the flesh she was paired with a churlish man; and a son of Belial the epithet coming from His workforce. Under the circumstances bearing the cross and following Jesus applies in the world where the children of light are unequally yoked with children of wrath.

Abigail tries to make peace between her husband and David. An occasion illustrating her prudence and David, a stand-in for Christ is illustrated in this passage.

"And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me."(1 Sa.25:32-33) Notice the usage 'this day'. Abigail's hour was that moment. Now is the day of Salvation.

Dear Friend Jim, I would like to thank you for responding to my questions. I started a study on myrtle trees and the difference between anointing and mantles. I just wanted to make sure that I was on the correct path. I recently had a dream about unpacking some of the most beautiful (COATS) that I have ever seen. In the middle of unpacking the (COATS) I was interrupted by

a (SMILING GUNMAN) I thought this could not be good! It was the (ENEMY) trying to prevent me from going deeper in God to attain my mantle. Not chasing a MANTLE because I only have a few clues of what my MANTLE may be. I am chasing GOD and Jesus and in this fall Feast Season, I will try and catch them. Again, I thank you for your time and wisdom.

Jacqueline Collier

Abel

The second son of Adam was a shepherd. He foreshadows Christ the Good Shepherd. His offering from the firstlings of the flock pleased God more than of Cain.

How did Abel settle upon a burnt offering? To the pure God shall show himself as pure. ("With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure, "-Ps.18:26). Abel is qualified as righteous. ( 1 John 3:12)

Faith is the pure language by which he understood the truth 'Without shedding of blood is no remission' (He.9:22). Here is an example of the wisdom from heaven. "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."(Jas.3:17). Besides God first demonstrated when He first dressed his parents with coats of skins. (Ge.3:21).

He was killed by his older brother Cain in a fit of jealousy and became the first martyr.Matt.23:35.

"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength " (Ps,8:2; Matt.21:16) I was four years old and my Sunday school teacher asked what God was like. But I had an answer that amazed my teacher that he would repppeatt o my father some forty years later. It must have seemed a childish nonsense. Does God throw stones from above on the bad? Now I know from reading Re.18:21 that he does so the mighty Babylon is wiped off from the earth. It made me realize how Abel would have known to please God. To the pure He shall reveal his mysteries. Some 75 years later I knew my life began ages ago.

OSAS: Serving God.

Let's step back and think for a moment. What is heaven exactly? Surely a large factor there is that we will SERVE God forever.

John 12:26 says in KJV: If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Let us examine the same verse in the amplified version:

If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven's glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

I am not an expert on translations but it would seem eternally serving God is a theme here! Revelation 7:13-15 and Revelation 22:3 make this abundantly clear as to the serving of God eternally of His saints. Worship is also inextricably tied to being a servant; and the ruling and reigning with Christ is part and parcel with the destiny of the church as Kings and Priests before the throne as well ( Revelation 5:10; etal).

Now as we assess this life; surely we see this attitude of service begins here; and Christ of course laid out the perfect example with His life. Mark 10:45 shows how Christ came not to be served but to serve; if God incarnate followed that principal surely His disciples must do the same.

As to work in heaven; surely it won't be a drudgery. The curse with the thorns and sweat on the brow will be gone that we inherited in the garden. We won't have unreasonable taskmasters; stressful deadlines; and other difficulties. Work no doubt will be a cooperative effort since we will all be together in performing tasks. No doubt individual things will be suitable for us as well.

The world at large cannot serve without some benefit for themselves; just like we can't love unconditionally (see Matthew 5:34).

The last enemy destroyed is deateh (1COR15:26

Thank you , one of my favourite passages from my favourite O.T. book :).

A lovely testimony thank you , I feel your joy in the Lord :).

Thank you Ronald , very well put and I agree with everything you said :) .

OSAS: Another character in the "hall of fame" of saints from Hebrews 11.

Sampson. Hebrews 11:32 mentions Sampson in passing but doesn't elaborate on the subject.

Judges 13 gets into the beginning of the story of Manoah and his wife who had an angelic visitation from God announcing the birth of Sampson and the prophesied deliverance from the Philistines that his life would enable. Interestingly the angel appeared both times to the woman and it seemed this unnamed wife had more sense than her husband who was convinced they would die after such a visitation. Perhaps Sampson's upbringing in such a household led to some of his irrational behaviors as he grew up.

Judges 16 shows where Sampson ended up with Delilah; who ultimately sapped his strength to the point where he was blinded and no longer able to resist his enemies who were using her against him. He had lost his wife according to Judges 14:3 after they killed her following his vengeance in killing 30 Philistines. This tragedy could have been avoided if he had married within his people. He would continue to follow his affections; yet somehow God saw that he had genuine faith. This is perhaps best illustrated when he deliberately gave up his life in knocking down the pillars of Dagon's temple in Judges 16:29; and kills more Philistines than he did his entire life previously.

How we end life clearly is important; if the rest of our life is screwed up but we end it well then we can enter into heaven; the other extreme exists for those who turn away at the last minute; sadly a friend of mine said that was the case with his mother after being in a home where believers surrounded her the last few months of her life she turned away from the faith.

The examples in the last few posts show how God knows the heart; we can never be sure someone can't turn at the last minute but certainly shouldn't count on it. Matthew 7:20 shows us how in time we can see those who are truly saved by GOOD FRUIT.

OSAS: The rest of the story of Lot and his family

In assessing Lot's narrow escape from Sodom; the patience of God is unmistakeable. The angels put up with the hemming and hawing in Lot's pathetic request to go to a closer town rather than far away in the mountains to escape (see Genesis 19:20). In the end he ends up fleeing further once he sees the destruction.

REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE. I highly recommend the tract by Chapel Library on this topic with this title. ( Genesis 19:26). I cannot ultimately prove that Lot's wife was lost in her curiousity to look back but it certainly cost her her life. We are reminded; of course of the verse in Luke 9:62 of he who looks back once he has put his hand to the plough not being suitable for the Kingdom of God.

It would seem that Lot's wife couldn't have been alongside him and turned to a pillar of salt the same distance away from the destruction. It would seem she lagged some distance behind OR stood still quite a while when Lot continued on before this happened. Anyway; the tract I mentioned shows her priviledge in being in a home where someone read God's word and believed. I would say that it was probably much compromised what Lot was actually teaching as head of the household not to mention what his daughters knew scripturally. She was nonetheless without excuse; if we look at Rahab "the harlot" and her commendation saving the spies and preservation of life and listed in Hebrews 11 as an example of faith ( Hebrews 11:31) she was commended and actually part of the lineage of Christ eventually. Being OBEDIENT at such a time requires true faith; and Lot's wife clearly was more enamored with the world in this case than a pagan prostitute because of the ACTIONS demonstrating faith or lack thereof. This is why works ARE important. In all this we can't ignore Abraham's pleading to God in Gen. 18:32; clearly he had Lot in mind and his family to be the rightous who would escape. His sons in law ended up being wicked.

OSAS: God's perspective vs our own

2 Peter states in verses 7-9: 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Taking a view of Lot's life from the beginning; we see a stark contrast on his mindset from that of Abraham. They were apparently related to each other but the decision of Lot to go the fertile plain as opposed to Abraham's decision to be in the desert area as a nomad shows several things. First of all; despite the fact that they had som many possessions that they needed more space; continuing to remain wealthy must have been a greater factor for Lot. It is not known how much he was aware of the wickedness of the inhabitants of Sodom initiallly. Clearly though (as my next point) these verses show that he was greatly disturbed by it. Thirdly; however in seeing the story of his narrow escape he was willing to sacrifice his daughters in order to appease the wicked crowd attempting to attack the angelic visitors. This was clearly no place to remain in raising a family; hence the men who were pladged to marry his daughters were not sincere and didn't heed God's warning. I would surmise that likely they were the ONLY ones not Sodomites in the area hence very low standards were adhered to in finding suitable husbands. Hence that contributed to their attitude in Genesis 19:31 where they decided it was better to get their father drunk and sleep with him to have children than not since they felt no other men on earth were available for such a task. It was likely that they assumed all men left were of that persuasion that remained on the entire planet.

In the end Lot was so compromised only God could probably recognize he was truly saved.

OSAS: Difference between wheat and tares

Matthew 13:30-32 state: 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

There are numerous studies on the explanation of wheat and tares; it boils down to plants that appear the same when they spring out of the ground; but only at the harvest time can useless nonnutritive plants be differentiated from the edible ones used for food. In the end Matthew 13:30 states "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."

This would be; I surmise an indication that during the Tribulation the wicked are gathered together eventually in Armageddon to fight God and the rest of the firstfruits and wheat will be translated or Resurrected in heaven.

The real question here may be WHY does God allow this to happen in the first place? First of all; there needs to be an awareness that the battle isn't merely between the Christian attendng church and the rest of the world outside the church who don't profess Christ. In fact it is within the house of God that Satan no doubt desires to impact; the rest of the lost pose no threat to his kingdom. There is no doubt a primary reason for this is to TEST His children to see if they will indeed be zealous for His Name's sake or be as cowards and retreat accepting every wind of doctrine. ( Eph 4:14). Our lamps need to shine ( Matt. 5:16) unashamedly!

OSAS and relevant Bible verses

"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." ( 2 Cor. 7:10).

Hebrews 6:4-9

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

Perhaps the second set of verses from Hebrews helps to explain the first passage. In some sense; the wicked wish to turn away from all they have been enlightened with which in some sense explains why they can't be renewed into repentance since they have decided with all the evidence given to turn back to their sins. They have in some sense repented from committing to God and turned back to the world; flesh and the Devil being ashamed of what they consider foolish ways of ignorance apart from their own wisdom. Whether repentance can mean turning from God back to wickedness may be questionable; what is scary here is that much like Lucifer all the evidences of God's glory is seen and because of pride is rejected. As Jesus Himself said in John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. WE MUST NOT BE ASHAMED OF GOD'S METHOD to be admitted into heaven; it is the narrow way to life that must be followed ( Matthew 17:13-14). More in next post.