My sheep know My voice is the assurance of their Shepherd (Psalm 23:1). “4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:4, 27 KJV). The owner of the sheep imprints the sound of his voice on his sheep. This assures both the owner and the sheep that they belong together. No thief can accurately imitate that voice or plunder those sheep. The goal is not to build a system to protect the sheep, but to promote the sound of their Master’s Voice so the sheep will be wedded to their Master’s side. Father, You are the Gate Keeper, who established Your Son as the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. May we the sheep follow no other than our Good Shepherd. Lord Jesus, return quickly that we may follow You home. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual Israelites
Christians are fellow citizens with True Israel making them Spiritual Israelites. Israel is not the Church, and the Church is not a replacement for Israel. For modern Israelis to become fellow citizens with the True Church, they must recognize and receive Jesus as their True Messiah. The comprehension of the Christian’s spiritual ancestry unlocks the power of unseen forces at work unappreciated but encouraging when better understood. OT prophecy has especial significance to the NT disciple, since it affects “how should we then live” (Ezekiel 33:10 KJV). “12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:12, 19). LORD, teach us to number our days according to Your Word and who You say we are. Make us to be a well pleasing people, more concerned about Your good pleasure than man’s approval. Grant us Your help and mercy to overcome until Your soon return. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1John 4:4). In Jesus’ name , we pray. Amen.
Prime Directive
“Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people” (Jeremiah 7:23 KJV). Sure, we must first choose God to obey Him, but by our outward obedience, God understands, if “there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not” (2Corinthians 8:12). Likewise, holiness is separating ourself to Him, and worship is our acknowledgment of who He is to us. “Be ye holy” (Leviticus 20:7; 1Peter 1:15, 16) is a command to be obeyed; and, “worship God” (Revelation 19:10; 22:9) is likewise a command to be obeyed. Obedience is the essential act of exercising our Moral Agency of doing what God created us to do — obeying Him. Lest we think obedience is the grudging relationship of tyrant to slave; this is altogether contrary to what God originally envisioned. “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33). God is not our overbearing Master, but our protective Husband. “And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call Me Ishi [my husband]; and shalt call Me no more Baali [my lord]” (Hosea 2:16). Yahweh has always had much higher and deeper intentions for us from the beginning. LORD, bring about Your designs for us. Glorify Your name. And, do return quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Seven Feasts of Israel
Jesus is the bedrock of all truth. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6 KJV). Anyone who attempts to reveal truth to you must do so with Jesus as the key. Accept no substitutes. “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me” (5:39). Israel’s Seven Feasts are fulfilled at Christ’s First and Second Comings, each revealing different roles, aspects, and relationships we have with Him. After all, everything is all about Him — not us. But, that is how we learn as much as we do about ourselves — through learning about Him.
The Seven Jewish Feasts (Desktop View)
The Godly Will Be Victorious
“I will bring down all the power of the wicked; the godly will be victorious” (Psalms 75:10 NET). How do you want to internalize this promise of God? For what is the Spirit of God leading you to pray? Jesus said, “According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29 KJV). You’ll notice, Jesus had just asked the blind man, “Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord” (9:28). And, once He healed the blind man, He warned him, “See that no man know it” (9:30). Why? He didn’t need the publicity, which would only hinder His free movement (Mark 1:45). Back to the “power of the wicked” one (Psalm 75:10). Jehovah will absolutely remove all power from the Wicked One. The Antichrist, the False Prophet, the Devil, and “whosoever was not found written in the book of life [were] cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15), where all their power is brought to nothing. If you can claim this promise in faith for your peculiar situation, do so! It’s not even necessary to publicize your prayer request. “The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed” (Acts 14:9). You, give God the praise!
Wondered With Great Admiration (Revelation 17:6)
John’s vision of the Great Whore caused him great astonishment of what he saw. “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration [Greek, thauma, amazement]” (Revelation 17:6 KJV). Watching False Christianity martyr the True Saints is difficult to watch, unless it is understood, not everyone is Christian, who claims to be Christian. Who is friend, and who is foe? “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (1John 3:15). Murderers kill True Saints; hence, the False Prophet will be “drunken with the blood of the saints” (Revelation 17:6). Never tolerate hatred of True Saints in your own heart, for the enemy never truly loves the saints in their own heart. Question? Which brother or sister do you not truly care for? If it is not sin in them, then there is sin in you. Repent, or you will be siding with the Great Whore. Father, You are the Judge of our Hearts. May any sense of lacking of love for our brothers and sisters cause us to respond with alarm. May we repent and reevaluate our understanding of Your truth, which would allow such unjust opinions and hatred of Your Body. Convict by Your Spirit those parts of the Body that need convicting. Restore to Yourself a Sound Body. Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Your name, we pray. Amen.
Do You See What I See?
Probably not, but as it should be, I probably don’t see what you see. Why? Truth is unified only in Christ. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6 KJV). No one but God knows all. We each only have a small puzzle piece of the grand picture. What I don’t know could fit into innumerable volumes. And, I marvel at the understanding God has given to others to explain what I do not see. Only the Spirit of God integrates everything together in the Body of Christ. “If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?” (1Corinthians 12:17). Rather than complain of the darkness, should we not pray for faith to increase our understanding? “And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). LORD, give us eyes to see and ears to hear that we may better appreciate You and be Your faithful servant. Lord Jesus, come quickly and deliver us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Robbing God
“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:8 KJV). But, you say, “We’re not under OT Mosaic law, requiring the paying of tithes (Leviticus 27:30).” And, you’d be correct. But, the concept of tithing was long before the OT Mosaic law, going back to Abraham paying tithes to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20), and Jacob vowing to pay a tenth or tithe of all that God gave him (Genesis 28:22), because tithing represents, God takes care of my business, while I take care of His business. Tithing is not even mentioned in the NT, but the concept remains. I take care of God’s business, while He takes care of my business. On the other hand, offerings are different from the tithing a tenth of one’s income to those who labor for the benefit of God’s Church.
In particular, the First Fruits Offering (Leviticus 23:10) was a dedication of a portion of the beginning of the farmer’s harvest or income flow, and not the net result of income or harvest after all expenses had been paid, requiring an act of faith for the farmer to pay the First Fruits Offering. “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10 KJV).
LORD, teach Your NT Church the power of blessing You’ve promised to unleash upon Your Church, when we grasp how magnanimous a God You are when we give our tithes and offerings to support Your Church and advance Your kingdom on earth. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen.
Preparing for His Appearing: Ministering to the Least
Our treatment of the least of Christ’s family of humanity gauges our treatment of Christ Himself. Though all of the human family will not finally be found in the Kingdom of Heaven, still all people are considered objects of His compassion (John 3:16). Better yet, it measures our concern beyond ourself. The Final Judgment of Christ separates the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46). The Grand Truth of God’s Final Judgment is our treatment of humanity — not just our treatment of the Church — is our treatment of the LORD. The LORD is our first and highest love (Matthew 22:37); but, when did the LORD exclude all of Lost Humanity, even those who finally reject the Lord Jesus Christ, from being our neighbor? “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:39 KJV). Again, notice our treatment of our neighbor is to be equal to our treatment of ourselves. By the way, this is not to say we do not have a special obligation to the faithful. “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). But, God’s Final Judgment will reveal the Church understood the Grand Truth and the World did not. The Church ministered to the World, as unto the Lord; while the World did not minister unto the “least of these” (Matthew 25:45), as unto the Lord.
The Final Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46)
“31 When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: 32 And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? 38 When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? 39 Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. 41 Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not. 44 Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? 45 Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:31-46 KJV).
LORD, may Your Spirit direct our actions in these Last Days that we may not squander our activities on self seeking actions, but may our efforts be placed, where You see fit. Return quickly, in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Preparing for His Appearing: Parable of the Talents
Stewardship of the goods entrusted to us by God is preparing for His appearing because it requires our trust in Him to comprehend, plan, execute, administrate, and maintain whatever undertaking God has delegated to us, until He returns. Immediately after His disclosure to His disciples about the nature of His Second Coming in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24), Jesus outlined thoroughly His expectations of how we are to prepare for His appearing in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) through our stewardship of His goods.
First, faithfulness to Him is the primary thing our Divine Master expects from us, unlike the world’s preconceived expectations of monetary gain. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1Corinthians 4:2 KJV).
Second, He gives to each of us goods to steward “every man according to his several ability” (Matthew 25:15).
Third, He mandates our trading with His property, i.e., “he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same” (25:16) and “likewise he that had received two” (25:17).
Fourth, He considers it a Faithful Return On Investment (FROI) to receive back a doubling of His investment, e.g., five talents “made them other five talents” (25:16) and two talents “gained other two” (25:17).
Fifth, His commendation is the same, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (25:21, 23).
Sixth, He angrily regards us, if we wickedly have a low esteem of Him, feel Him to be unjust, unworthy of our labor, undeserving of our trust, and beneath our dignity to stoop. “24 Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26 Thou wicked and slothful servant” (25:24-25, 26).
Seventh, gaining from other’s labors is appropriate (25:26); a lawful gain for the use of money or simple bank interest is not unwarranted (25:27); and, the benefitting of the most resourceful from the loss of the least resourceful is also warranted (25:28). “For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath” (25:29).
Father, may Your kingdom come and will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Grant Your servants understanding to transact Your business here below, until You take us Home to Heaven. In Jesus’ name, return quickly. Amen.
We Need A Miracle 
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