The Covenant Life Discussion Forum

Holy Ground

lioneagle — Sun, 25 May 2008 13:39:05 GMT

HOLY GROUND

What made the ground holy where the burning bush was that Moses saw? Was it the geographical location that was holy, was the bush holy or was it holy because God said so? None of the above is true. It was holy because of the presence of God which is the Shekinah. His presence was in the burning bush but did not consume it. The Shekinah glory of God was in the third division, Holy of Holies or third heaven of the Tabernacle. The glory made it the Holy of Holies but did not consume the Ark. In the new covenant we are the temple of the Holy Ghost and a branch grafted into the pure olive tree. This Shekinah glory of God, His indwelling, does not consume us, but burns within us (fire in my bones as Jeremiah said or the baptism of fire). Our bodies are the ground (earthen vessels) made holy by His presence not our righteousness, no more than the earth around the burning bush was holy without the presence of God. We should allow the glory of God to shine forth from us, be a burning bush, without being quenched by our fleshly thoughts and deeds. His presence is pure. Let the world see the glory of God in us rather than the attributes of the vessel. It is His presence that is important not our vessels.

Forum: Salvation

Blood Flow

lioneagle — Sun, 25 May 2008 13:34:15 GMT

BLOOD FLOW

The heart is the organ by which all the blood of the body is pumped to nourish the body by the nutrients in the blood that flows through the veins and arteries. The body is dependent on the maintaining of this vital blood flow. Even if the heart is in perfect condition, blood flow can be restricted by damage or obstructions in the veins and arteries. Isnt it interesting that we only hear about arterial diseases or the arteries being clogged. I believe that it is due to the fact that the arteries are the channels that carry the used, oxygen depleted, nutrient deficient blue blood with some poisons that should have been eliminated in the bodies cleansing organs. They become lined with fatty deposits to protect against those poisons and keep the arteries from cracking and splitting. Much of this imbalance is caused by eating the wrong foods. When the correct foods are consumed the proper chemical reactions in the body are in balance and cause the filtering organs to do their job. When they do their job, not as much fatty deposits or coatings are necessary to protect the arteries. The arteries are therefore kept free from blockages that impede the flow of blood. If the arteries remain clogged, eventually the over labored heart will be damaged or eventually cease to function.

The human body and the spirit are much alike in function. The spirit is the heart of the soul and the word is the blood. The spirit body most be fed the constant pure word of God to keep it alive. The word carries life and collects the bad influences to be eliminated. Unfortunately when we do not eat of the pure word and allow false doctrine and worldly cares to enter, our spiritual arteries get blocked up. Our spiritual heart has to work harder and harder to overcome these poisons that cause the blockage. Eventually the flow of the spirit becomes so blocked that our spiritual hearts become damaged and cease to function causing death to our soul. Let us eat more soul food to keep our arteries free from the cares of the world, false doctrine, unforgiveness, envy, strife, anger, hatred and such like. Even when our hearts are in good condition these ungodly things pollute and block the blessings of God through the spirit. Healing is blocked as well as peace, joy. All of the blessings and promises of God are blocked from their manifestation in this world even though they have been answered in the spirit world.

Forum: Salvation

Consider Your Ways

BudR — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:20:03 GMT

Haggai 1:2-8 Thus speaketh the L ord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the L ord's house should be built. 3 Then came the word of the L ord by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? 5 Now therefore thus saith the L ord of hosts; Consider your ways. 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. 7 Thus saith the L ord of hosts; consider your ways. 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the L ord .

There are some people today, who feel that the task is to great. Even though they see the message of the Kingdom, they are discouraged by the false teaching that has taken president over the purpose of God. As in the days of the Prophet Haggai, discouragement by modern day Samarians has caused pessimism and spiritual lethargy among many in the Church.

The Lord sent the Prophet Haggai, for the purpose of encouraging the Jewish people. He wanted them to assemble materials, for building the house of God. Today, God is speaking to the hearts of His ministers and lay people, to get free from traditions and false teaching. To take hold of the truth of Gods word. Its time to build on the right foundation (Jesus Christ). Its time to gather the materials of grace and truth, for building the house of God. Be encouraged, the people of God will come together. Jesus prayed that the Father would make us one. John 17:11 And I know He will.

Matthew 16:13-18 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it .

The gates of hell might have hindered, but they can not prevail. Jesus is the head of His Church.

If you will notice Jesus was making reference to the revelation of who He is. Thou art the Christ, Peter said. And Jesus answered to that response: upon this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Thats what the Church is built upon. The revelation of who Jesus is. We who are called of God, to work in His ministry, will be building upon this rock. Every God called preacher glorifies Jesus as the only savior of the world, and head of the Church. It is time to build in the very thing that Jesus died for. The Church! Jesus didnt give his life for a building made of brick, wood, or stone. But, for an abode in the hearts and lives of those who believe.

All those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God, are the true Church. And are in the kingdom now. Luke 17:20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Just as Haggai challenged the people to consider their ways. I believe the Lord is speaking to us today to consider our ways. Are we building for the Lord? Or, are we dwelling in our cieled houses (beautiful buildings). And letting the real house of God lay waste.

Gods word tells us what He puts value upon, and what He is glorified in. It is unity among the brethern. 1Cor. 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. Notice he said ye are Gods building 1 Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? Isaiah 66:1 thus saith the L ord , The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? And where is the place of my rest?

1 Cor. 3:10-11 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ . The foundation was laid 2000 years ago so dont you think it is about time to get on with the business of building? The Apostle Paul was a wise master builder. And it is going to take wise builders today to work in the building of the world wide Church.

In the Old Testament the house of Israel was taken captive by the nation of Babylon . The house of God was left in ruins. Haggai the prophet said: consider your ways, go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. And I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

Years of Babylonian (religious systems) captivity, have left the house of God in ruins. We need to take a good hard look at ourselves as ministers of the Kingdom of God . And quit reinforcing the walls of doctrinal differences. Beware lest we will miss out on the real move of God. Lets break down the barriers and build up the house.

. Many folks are looking for the Kingdom of God to come someday. John the Baptist preached its at hand 2000 years ago. Jesus preached its at hand. The Apostle Paul preached the kingdom. Something happened that deceived men into thinking of it somewhere out in the future. Matthew 13:24-26 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. What are these tares and what is this good seed? Jesus answered this question in: Matthew 13:37-39 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

What is the kingdom? The Apostle Paul answered this question. In Romans 14:17-19 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another .

I ts where God rules.

Its the domain of the King.

Its, Christ in you the hope of glory.

The Lord only gave us one commandment in the New Testament and that is; to love one another as He loved us. We need to preach and teach this message more than any other. Do we need to be reminded of the words of the Prophet; to consider our ways? Are we really concerned with the true house of God? Or are we seeking our own agenda? Are we all just content to set in our cieled houses? And letting the message of the kingdom of God lay dormant. 2 Cor. 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Haggai 2:6-9 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

What a promise the Lord has given us. Come on lets lift up our vision beyond our Church buildings, beyond our community, beyond our city, beyond our nation, and see that the Lord has called us to a world, that He plans to inhabit: In the hearts and lives of His people. Isaiah 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the L ord , as the waters cover the sea .

Its Gods Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it, We have a hope that is in Christ now! PRAISE THE LORD FOREVER

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Forum: Eschatology

Faith

lioneagle — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 02:11:05 GMT

FAITH

(November 7, 2002)

The following question that I have pondered many times in the past was asked recently, My prayers have not been answered, is my faith not strong enough? I used to say, without much hesitation, the answer is yes; but, most lately I have had to look at it more closely. In a quick study of the word faith mentioned in the bible, I have come to a understand that the meaning of the word in the bible has less mystery about it than what we have surrounded it with. We have been taught to think that it is some mystical thing that God deals out in measured portions and at some point in our future it becomes total or complete and without measure. I now believe that the word faith is used in the bible as just another way of saying that we believe. What are we supposed to believe? We are to believe about and into Jesus. In other words, we must believe in all of the things that Jesus said about Himself, His Father, His Kingdom and all the promises that are given to us both in the Old and New Covenant.

Abram believed in the leading of God enough to leave His home and begin His journey. Later, after His full agreement to the covenant or contract with God, the now renamed Abraham believed or had faith in all that God had told Him, that God would fulfill every promise that He had made. We, because of the teachings of the bible made available to us by the Holy Spirit that indwells in us, now have access to the same promises that were given to Abraham and those given to us by Jesus Christ. The success of our prayers has a great deal to do with how much we trust God to fulfill His promises to us. Many times after a miracle was performed by Jesus, He would say your faith has made you whole. What He was really saying, especially to the woman with the issue of blood, was that because of her faith in him or belief in his healing gift from God she was healed when she made the point of contact with the hem of His garment. He was only confirming her own belief in His ability to perform a miracle for her by calling it faith. Had she not believed or had faith as strongly as she had she would not have been healed.

Therefore, the more we believe or trust in something the greater is our faith in something. Many people have faith in doctors to solve their medical problems. Others have faith in the government to keep them safe. Still others have faith that the paper with in God we trust on it will still be worth what it says it is worth. In the material or natural world we seem to have no trouble having faith or belief or trust in things being done by those of authority or knowledge or governmental power; but, we have a great deal of difficulty believing in the creator of all things to keep His word. What is the problem then? Again, the short answer is we dont have enough faith. In truth, I now believe that we just lack a full understanding of what the word says about our rights to have a prayer request answered and the requirements involved to make the request legal in a contractual sense. Most of us believe that our creator can do all things, but we remain unsure of our legal rights to our receiving an answer to our prayers. We tend to have a mind set that we are an unworthy piece of humanity rather than a child of the King that our Father sees. Abraham had to be convinced; therefore, so do we. God led Abraham step by step. He allowed Abraham to trust a little at a time until He was willing to sacrifice His son Isaac. In New Testament language, Abrahams faith grew until it was in full measure as that of Jesus Christ. As Abraham trusted or believed more and more that God would keep His promises, Abraham finally had absolutely no doubts, causing him to have full faith in God.

We are no less human that Abraham. We must also have our trust in God tested a step at a time until we have the full measure of faith. Our faith or trust in Him must grow from one answered prayer or promise to another until there is absolutely nothing that we think is impossible with God, including being able to walk on water like Peter. As we fully come to believe and trust that we are the children of God because of the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we will see that our faith will greatly increase and more and more of our prayers will be answered. Again, our position as children of God has nothing to do with how many good deeds we do or how many times we fall, only the blood of Jesus. We must get this into our heart our very soul and out of just our thinking. Our thinking most of the time gets in the way of our trust or belief or faith in God.

Other than the false sense of being unworthy that causes unbelief, there is one other major hindrance to Gods answering prayer, that of unforgiveness. This includes not only the lack of forgiveness of what others have done to us or to our loved ones, but the inability to forgive ourselves of our own past failures. The simpler of the two is forgiving others for everything. God is the only one who has the legal right to cast judgment on his creation. We should even have compassion on those on whom judgment comes. This compassion comes as we allow the love of Jesus to fill us more and more.

The second part of this hindrance is attached to that feeling of our unworthiness or guilt that comes from that false doctrine of works rather than the grace of God. When God forgives us, he wipes the slate clean, not just for His eyes; but, for ours also. He puts our past in the sea of forgetfulness to be remembered no more. That does not really mean that it is forgotten; but, that it is as if the offense was never committed. It is like a legal charge against us that was thrown out of court, the charge or crime is no longer on the books to be held against us. We must learn to use our past experience as a testimony of the grace of God to help win others to Christ; however, we can not be greater than God. We can not hold our past against ourselves either. When we are forgiven, we are forgiven forever of everything once we ask for that forgiveness and as we forgive others for their trespass against us.

Also, many times we feel guilty when we either do not receive answers or our prayer requests are delayed. Such thoughts are of the adversary to cause doubts, thereby negating our prayer of faith. We must make a step at a time in our trust in Him. We do not need to feel ashamed if total trust is not there yet, God understands and is not angry. It will come in time. This is a walk into maturity. We must allow ourselves to grow in grace and knowledge, including prayer. He is very patient. In the mean time, as we are learning to trust, it is not a sin to trust in medicine or doctors. They are still instruments of His even when they do not know it. If we have a broken leg, we don't walk without assistance. We start with a wheel chair, then a walker, then crutches, then a cane. Eventually we can walk again without the assistance of other things. Our trust in God is the same. Sometimes we try to walk without crutches too soon. That does not mean that we will not walk, it just means that sometimes that we just cannot rush it. Relax in the knowledge of His love and mercy for us. I totally believe that as our trust grows we will in time receive total manifestation of our prayer requests.

Addendum: February 23, 2008

Nearly six years have passed since I have written the above article. During that time I have experienced the growth in my trust in God as I had stated in foresight. The Lord through His Spirit has also given me some insight on healing that I had not seen before. We find in scripture that the only recorded time that Jesus prayed was for the purpose of changing the Fathers will (Garden of Gethsemane) or the opening of the eyes of others (at the tomb of Lazarus). At all other times, Jesus only commanded that things occur. This command extended to that of the disciples. He told them to heal the sick, cast out devils and raise the dead. Without Jesus being with them, they did just that and miracles occurred. After Christs ascension, the disciples continued healing by command in the name or authority of Jesus, not by prayer. In my personal experience and those of some others, I am finding this principle to be more effective than my past haphazard methods.

Why does this work more effectively? Our Father, through the authority of Jesus the Christ gave us the authority to take dominion over the earth which includes sickness, situations, circumstances and anything else dealing with the earth. We by Gods authority, because He lives in us, have control of even the elements as Jesus had over the storms and sea. He stated this when He told His disciples in Mat 17:20, for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. As His disciples today, we have that same authority, if only we believe in Gods word and follow it. It is not arrogance. It is working in the power and authority that our Father has given us. I have also found that there is one limitation and that is we are not allowed to alter the will of others no more than God is. This is where we can pray to the Father to get their attention so that they may choose to alter their will as Saul of Tarsus did on his way to Damascus.

However, one other item of instruction is needed. Jesus never turned away any who asked for healing, nor did He search them out. He knew when the recipient was ready to receive and forced nothing on anyone including the man at the gate beautiful whom He passed for years without healing. When Peter healed the man years later it was because the Spirit led Peter to know that the man was ready to receive. By that same example, we can not go around without direction trying to heal everyone in sight. We must also be directed by the Spirit as Jesus and the disciples were. As stated above, faith is ones belief in Gods word to perform by the Spirit. Faith or belief must also be the same in the recipient before the healing can occur. Remember, even Jesus could do no mighty works in Nazareth because of their unbelief in Him (Mat 13:58). Lay hands suddenly on no man. Always seek the guidance from the Spirit, if knowledge is not already present, on what the problem is and what to command for the solution. We can do all things thru Christ Jesus that strengthens me (Phi 4:13) and nothing shall be impossible unto you by the power (dunamis) and authority (exousia) of Jesus the Christ.

As stated in the earlier article, there are many things yet to learn; therefore, do not be discouraged if things do not always go the way we want them. Learn from the failures by asking God to reveal the answers to you. God is not angry with us for our failures. He wants us to step out in faith believing unconditionally. The more we stretch our faith or trust in Him, the greater the correct results. Praise God for His infinite love and mercy!

Forum: General Apologetics

Our Purpose

lioneagle — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 23:34:18 GMT

In this forum we will not take space for a complete study, only an extended outline.

Purpose

What is the purpose for the born again Christian on this earth today?

Are we just here to look forward to death?

Are we lab rats because of some cruel joke?

Do we even have a purpose?

These are age old questions. To answer these questions we should be as the noble men of Berea who questioned all things that Paul said to them (Acts 17:11-12). Let us seek God for the answer with a prayerful attitude, not just to have an argument.

What does God say in His Word about this question of purpose?

In all my years of study, I have not found a direct statement from Gods word that defines his purpose for creating Man; but, there are several clues to that purpose. The first and most important clue is when God created man in His own image (Gen 1:26). Elohim (God) created a being like himself (Spirit) that had dominion over things as he did (Gen 1:28). In other words, He created Adam from His own self, Spirit, and placed him in an earthen shell, dust. In essence, Adam was a son. Remember that Jesus was called second or last man Adam (1Cor 15:44-49). Adam was a son made from the dust of the earth, but Jesus was the only begotten son through a virgin. Both were sons by the Spirit of God housed in flesh, scripture is not contradicted but defined. Therefore, we find that Adam was created for the purpose of son-ship. This concept is repeated throughout scripture.

As any father would have his son to be like him, so Elohim wanted Adam to emulate his Godly father limited only by his humanity. God gave Adam power as a king to have dominion over the earth as his domain or kingdom. He also gave him the power and authority as a priest or shaman (Gen 2:15) when God gave him orders to dress (`abad (aw-bad'); work as a husbandman or vine dresser) and keep (shamar (shaw-mar'); protect) the garden. The idea of a King/Priest was carried throughout the centuries (Nimrod, Pharaoh and Caesar) even to Sitting Bull the American Indian Chief/Shaman of the Lakota Sioux.

OK, but what does that have to do with me today as a born again Christian? What is myyy purpose?

God is the same yesterday, today and forever and so is His purpose for mankind. The same commands Elohim gave Adam were also given to the following people: Noah after the flood when he came out of the Ark Gen 9:1-2, Abraham (Gen 7:6); Isaac (Gen 28:3); Jacob (Gen 35:11); Joseph (Gen 48:4); the children of Israel (Lev 26:9); prophesies of Jesus (Numbers 24:19, Psalms 8:6, 145:13, Dan 7:14, 148:9-14); and finally to His church in Rev 1:6. We, the born of the Spirit are the Body of Christ and Church of the living God. We, therefore, have the same purpose (Rev 5:10) and commission that Adam had but lost through rebellion against God.

Jesus the Christ repurchased our rights by His crucifixion and resurrection. As Kings and Priests of the earth in the eyes of man, we are the meek towards God that inherit the earth. We are to be the fulfillment of prophesy of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 2:35). We, as the body of Christ, with Him as the head, are becoming a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. We are but a link in a long chain that will eventually accomplish what God had in mind in the beginning of all things. As the earthly body of Christ, we are that eternal son that God originally created mankind for. Just as God said about Adam, It is not good that the man should be alone (Gen 2:18), He was expressing the understanding of a need for companionship that He also craved. God has always wanted a relationship with man like the one He had with Adam when Adam heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day (Gen 3:8). He wanted a true son that would love and adore Him as all sons respect and honor a good father. It was through Jesus that mankind has become reconciled to that position that only He and Adam had. As the Church of the living God the Body of Christ, we are that son. We have been begotten by the spirit in new birth as Jesus was begotten of the Spirit through Mary.

In this modern world, what do spiritual kings and priest do? We are to take dominion over the earth by not allowing the world to dictate to us what truth or morality is. We are to allow the Spirit of God to flow through us so that the world sees Jesus, the real truth. The abundant life that Jesus spoke of must first be lived and shown through us before the world will recognize Christ. It is by example that the world will see Him. When they recognize His true body, they will see Him as the head of that body. We are to preach the Gospel to every creature whenever the opportunity presents itself without fear of retribution. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news that the Kingdom of God is here right now and living or indwelling in our hearts. Preach it, live it and love it.

Forum: General Apologetics

Signs and Symbols

lioneagle — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:24:11 GMT

Signs and Symbols in Scripture

In some areas of modern religious thought, there is a tendency to limit the need for Old Testament study. It seems that these scholastic theorists wish to denigrate the first half of Holy Scripture to use as a historical resource, some so-called unfinished prophetic reference, proverbial Ouija board or even childrens fables with not much more significance than a Aesop's fable or Mother Goose. This understanding comes from the mistaken idea that since the advent of the New Testament, due to the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior, all a modern believer needs to know is limited to only this portion of the Holy Bible. A contextual misunderstanding of scriptures such as in 2 Cor, 5:17, old things are passed away and all things are become new essentially renders the Old Testament obsolete by most of these thinkers. This understanding could not be further from the truth, which is illustrated many times throughout scripture, both Old and New.

Just from a scholastic or logical standpoint there is a need to have an understanding of the people and times of the Old Testament. The understanding of previous civilizations is essential to understanding man today in several fields of study. How much more the understanding of the people to which God first dealt. All of the things that Jesus taught, found in the first four gospels, dealt with the mentality or philosophy, history and beliefs of the Jews. He had to describe the New Covenant to them in terms of their knowledge of the Old Covenant. Jesus had to persuade the Jews by the Law and the prophets that there was an ending of one age and the beginning of another. Our Lord was compelled by that same Old Testament to prove to them that He was that Seed promised to Abraham and that through Him all would be saved. Accept for the disciples, Jesus spoke to everyone in parables or illustrations using Old Testament prophesy. Without an understanding of what the Jews knew, we today have essentially handicapped ourselves from scriptural enlightenment. This lack of symbolic reference is even more obvious when trying to decipher Revelation. This book has and will remain totally mystifying without the symbolic keys found in the Old Testament.

God says specifically many times to Moses, with regards to the construction of the original natural Tabernacle, to follow the pattern, the pattern and the pattern. It was the pattern that was important, because the pattern had to be exact to represent or signify the attributes of Jesus properly. The manifestation of this pattern was Jesus the Christ. All of the patterns were maintained by that perfect manifestation and are projected to the revealing of His Body the Church. Do not confuse the fulfilling or manifestation of a pattern as the pattern being thrown away. The pattern is updated with better material, natural to spiritual, but the pattern is still valid. The plan or blueprint of God is still in affect. The natural Law of Moses was implemented due to the disobedience of His Chosen People by the flesh. That burdensome law was replaced by a Law of grace for the guiding of His Chosen by the Spirit in Love to maintain communion with God the Father. Both laws are governors, one for the carnal mind (which is death) written on stone, while the other is for a renewed mind (Pauls' words), the mind of Christ written on a spiritual heart (which is eternal life).

I am in total agreement to the fulfillment or doing away of the Old Covenant (as law), but not the Old Testament (as scripture). We are now longer under any obligation or governorship of the laws and regulations of the Mosaic Law. It was never intended for the Gentile because the Gentile had, previous to the Law of Grace, no approach to God. The Mosaic Law was added, as an addendum, if you will, to the covenant with Abraham. It was never intended to replace, nor could it legally, that original covenant with Abraham. The fulfillment of the Abraham Covenant was the Hope (Jesus Christ). Once the Promise or Seed (Jesus Christ) or the reason for the contract or Covenant was delivered, the contract was fulfilled. Once the contract was fulfilled there was no longer a need for that particular contract, ergo the end of the Old Covenant.

The overall plan of salvation of the Father was not yet finished however, even though the Old Covenant was done away because of, the birth, crucifixion, and resurrection of the Promise. A new Covenant had to be formed, by His blood. This covenant or order would usher in the Church (Body of Christ), not just the immortal reestablishment of the Pre-fallen Adam. The second or last man Adam (Jesus Christ) repurchased with His Blood the original rights, privileges and position with God of the first Adam (before the fall), immortal and without sin.

It is for this reason that the entire New Testament exists. This understanding is culminated with the Apocryphal (Revelation or the revealing of Jesus the Christ and His Church). As mentioned earlier, without the historical perspective, our understanding will be flawed and subject to false interpretation. The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. Let the Bible interpret itself. John the beloved establishes, in the first few verses of Revelation, that the revealing of Jesus (in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, First and the Last, Alpha and Omega) is to be done with signs and symbols (signified). This entire book is based on visions given to John, who describes the things he sees with things that he understands (as we all do). John is a product of Judaism or the Mosaic Law before the establishment of the New Covenant. He was not a disciple of Paul who taught with an understanding of gentiles but a disciple and apostle of Jesus of Nazareth (the Christ) who was also a Jew in the flesh.

The Jews had fallen into the trap of worshiping the manifestation of the symbolism of God's plan without recognizing the fulfillment of that symbolism as being Christ and His Church. Unfortunately, the same process of thought is prevalent today. The patterns and symbolic found in the Old Testament are the keys or definitions of the symbolic found, in not only Revelations, but in many other books of the New Testament. These patterns and symbolism were, in most cases, established before the Mosaic Law. I agree the items or manifested patterns found in the Temple are no longer to be used as items of ritual or worship. That usage is done away with. These articles of worship for the approach to God are definitely no longer applicable in the New Covenant.

With that said, a true understanding of the manifestation of these symbols must be gained in order that we can see clearly what our Lord is saying of Himself and the Church. We can now look backward or in hindsight, as we do in all historical study, with the gained understanding received in our current age of the knowledge received from our Lord in this New Covenant of Grace by the Holy Ghost. It is said, agreeably, that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us into all truth. It is also said that the Holy Spirit will bring to our remembrance all things. In both cases, we accomplish this mostly by the foolishness of preaching and the studying of the word. Although the Holy Spirit at times gives us a word from the ethereal, it must still be verified by what has already been written. It takes two wings for an eagle to fly. It takes both sides of the seven golden lamp stand to stand upright. It takes both olive trees. It takes both witnesses for the totality of Christ and His Church to be understood.

In Genesis, God would not have been so insistent that, Moses follow the pattern, pattern, etc. for the Tabernacle if the pattern had not already been established elsewhere. The pattern had to remain exact for all of prophesy to have been fulfilled. The pattern had to be exact so that the Savior could be recognized. Unfortunately, the manifestation of these patterns in Jesus could only be fully understood with the patterns and the Holy Spirit, not one or the other. One pattern example that can be easily used to illustrate this position is found in Genesis before Moses but after the fall of Adam.

God the Father (Elohim) sacrificed an animal (Gen 3:21). This animal, the pattern or symbol of the coming Lord, was killed before temple worship or Judaism or Mosaic Law. This blood sacrifice was made for Adam and Eve to have their bodies, nakedness or sin, covered by the skin obtained by bloodshed. It was the original establishment of the precursor of the ultimate blood sacrifice of Christ. This also better explains why the lamb sacrifice (later sin offering in the Tabernacle of Moses) of Able was accepted while the sacrifice of works or produce (later a wave offering in the Tabernacle of Moses) by Cain was not. Able followed the already established pattern for atonement that had to have been taught to him by his father Adam. Since Able used a pure lamb, it implies that the animal sacrificed by God was also a lamb. Although it is not stated as such in the above scripture, all subsequent references to atonement are accomplished by the sacrifice of a pure lamp.

In closing, I say again that my point was not to refute the replacement of the Old Covenant by the New Covenant. It was only to illustrate that knowledge gained from the historical understanding of scriptural patterns and symbols, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, is not only valid, but also rather necessary to the full understanding of Jesus and His Church. Worship or the approach to God today has nothing to do with ritualism or naturally formed implements based on past patterns. True worship today is based on the manifestation of the true pattern or symbol, Jesus the Christ. He and His represented Church, were, are and will always be the final fulfillment of these symbols and patterns found in the entire Bible not just half of it.

Forum: Tabernacle

Anger

lioneagle — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 02:00:21 GMT

ANGER

Today I am angry. You would not know it by my countenance, but it is there none the less. It is as if it has seeped into my bones and lies smoldering. This is not a human anger against people, but against the very essence of evil, the evil that is in mens hearts which wars against all of the things of God. You can call this evil what ever you wish: Satan, the Devil, demons or just the sin nature that we inherited from the fall of Adam. I prefer to call it the spirit of evil or the spirit of Antichrist, the very adversary of God. My anger has been kindled because of the things I have seen in this world that are so against the love of God. Jesus was angry and sinned not when he flogged the money-changers out of the temple for making it a den of thieves. God was angry when He destroyed the first world with water and I am angry at the times our little children are caused pain by the malicious words of others. I am angry at the conditions in this world that causes all of us sorrow. I am angry at the circumstances that cause Gods children to be frustrated, saddened, pained, tired, exhausted, worried, fearful, complacent, sick, discouraged, depressed and even murdered. All of these things are the work of evil to keep the children of God from worshiping him in the way that He deserves. God craves for our love and affection as we do from our own children. I am angry at the spirit that causes us to be robbed of our time with our Father, that time to just talk to him, just to be in a quiet place with him. I am angry at the spirit that keeps us from showing that the Lord indwells Himself in us but cannot be seen by those around us.

It is only by the grace and infinite mercy of our Lord and Savior that His anger is not kindled against human kind as in the past; but, He is, as I, against the ever-present evil that is among us. Why does He not do something now, you might ask? The answer is that He already defeated that evil 2000 years ago when he rose from the grave triumphant over death. Sadly however, we still allow it to have dominion over us through lack of faith in Him or Knowledge and understanding of what Jesus, who lives in us, has given us. He has not only given us authoritative power, but explosive power and a commission to use it. We have the same commission that God gave first Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses. He told all of them, and us in the New Testament, to subdue the earth and take dominion over it. I am angry that I, like most of our brothers and sisters, at least in the USA, have failed to take the action necessary to make a difference in this present world. Our Lord has invested so much time, love and effort in our lives, but we do not do the job that He has commissioned us to do. We must accomplish that commission not by the weapons of warfare, but the weapons of the love of our God. We must allow His spirit to shine forth from us who are His body. We must go forth as in the days of the disciples of old and heal the sick in body and heart and the crippled in mind and soul. We must do as Jesus did and through His Spirit make them whole or complete in Him. Jesus Christ showed us how! He gave us the example! He gave His life that through Him the whole of mankind could be saved. Jesus has commissioned us as His body to go into the entire world and be the example that He was, in order to save the world. It is we, because of the evil of rebellion or complacency that we have not come forward in faith and said, Here am I Lord, use me so that others might be saved. There is no way that I could ever repay what the Lord has already done for me; however, I can help others by giving them the same good news that I freely received. Through Him I able to pass on the good news of Gods blessings, that He has given me, so that others can have them too.

The rebellion of mankind, that Evil, has caused the chaos that keeps us from the love, peace and joy of God. This chaos can first be overcome in the hearts of His people as they take on the heart and mind of Christ in their lives. By doing this, they can then bring access to this peace and joy to as many people of the world that is possible. It is our job to bring light into the world, the light of Jesus Christ. God the Father will take care of judgment and vengeance. We are to help gather as many as we can into the ark of safety (Jesus Christ) as possible.

We are living in a world without end which is contrary to most modern day theologians. There is time. Although there is great darkness in this present world there is also the light of God working in the lives of people over the entire globe, one soul at a time. Ever since the stone that the builders rejected smote the feet of the image in AD 70, it has been growing one grain at a time. It was prophesied then that it would fill the whole earth and so it shall. My hope is that I be one of those grains added to its mass until every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. I might not see its fulfillment in my life time, but it will happen. How long will it take? It will take as long as it takes. God wants all to be saved. The longer it takes the more He will save. What is important is that we must do all that our Father wants us to do in our lifetime so that our children and grand children will have a better life. It is in Jesus Christ that we have this safety and promise of eternal life. It is that goal of eternal life that we should seek for ourselves and the rest of the world. Our life span is short and we do not have any time to waste in doing our best. I am fifty-eight years old in body, but inside my soul, I am a young man and as long as I have breath, I will praise the Lord.

Why do we go to the church building or the sanctuary? Do we go just to have a pity party, a social club gathering, a refuge from the everyday pressures of the world, or an umbrella against the wrath of God to come on the unbelieving world? Why do we go? We should be in the sanctuary to praise the Lord or present ourselves to Him as a vessel for Him to use or to learn what it is we can do to be a part of His plan. At least, we should try to draw closer to Him that we might be raised to a higher level of understanding and love. Many go to have a healing for their body. God welcomes this, but the healing of our soul is more important to Him. It is only through Him that we can have a more abundant life today and an eternity with Him after this body turns to dust. We are to be with Him where He dwells 24/7. He dwells in our hearts, so let Him reign from there. Submit to His will, not to become a robot; but, to have a better life. We loose nothing and gain eternity. We are in a situation in this world that we must choose whom we will serve, Mammon, which is a short life enjoying the evil of this world, or God, that insures an eternal life that can be, now and forever. As for me, I choose God, for in Him I find true life with His peace and joy in my soul. Let us be His body and act like His body, both inside and outside the sanctuary. Let us praise the Lord with all our spirit, soul and body. Let us turn our righteous anger outward toward evil with the weapons of the Spirit and conquer the world one human heart at a time through and by His love. Amen and Amen.

Forum: Salvation

The Three Worlds

BudR — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:10:47 GMT

Luke 11:52

Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

THE THREE WORLDS

Gods three Ages for the Redemption of Mankind

INTRODUCTION

Is the world, coming to an end?

The doctrine of the end of the world is being talked about from pulpits, movies, radio, television, and the printed page. There are conferences dedicated to the study of eschatology. There is even a series of fictional best selling books, written on the, end of the world. This subject has captivated the imaginations of many Christians. There have been many self proclaimed Prophets that have set dates on when it would occur. It seems like everywhere we go people are talking about the end of time. When there is a major catastrophe somewhere in the world, someone will say, Well, its a sign that the world is coming to an end. Is it really? And does the Bible really say that? There are so many confusing doctrines today that create fear in the hearts of people. Even those who are teaching these doctrines disagree, with each other on end time events, and how they will occur. Fear and confusion, is not of God. He is not the author of confusion, nor is He a God to cause unwarranted fear. The Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:15, For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Therefore, in order to have a clearer understanding of the scripture, its imperative to look at it in context. Many Bible teachers have taken a verse here and another verse there and put together views that were never intended by the author. In this article we will look at the scriptures strictly in their context. We will look at the time element involved, and will let the Bible speak for its self. Without adding words and terms that are not found in the text.

One thing I believe that will bring clarity to this subject is the understanding that the Bible speaks of three worlds. These Three worlds are three ages or time periods in which God would extend to man His grace for the purpose of redemption. Galatians 4:4-5 states it like this, But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, ⁵ To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. We now live in the 3^rd world (age). When we study the Bible in context we will understand, that there have been two previous worlds (ages) that came to an end. These three worlds are:

1. Antediluvian, or the pre-flood world 2 Peter 3:6, Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

2. Mosaic or Levitical priesthood world, (Old Testament Covenant with Abraham) Hebrews 9:26, For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

3. World of the Grace and Truth (New Testament Covenant with Jesus) Ephesians 3:21, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Search the scriptures! See if what we are hearing, lines up with the Bible. After all, the Bible contains the plan. And the Holy Ghost is the true revealer and the true authority. Because the Bible speaks of three worlds, we need to define specifically which, of the three worlds is being discussed, when we are talking about the world coming to an end. The result of such distinction, will clarify what the scripture is truly saying. Some well meaning preachers and teachers have overlooked this distinction. This oversight has created doctrines, by either leaving out important scriptures or misinterpreting and separating them from their original context. The Bible is not that difficult to understand when we study it in context. Although there are some scriptures, that are more difficult than others, when studied in context, they become clearer. Habakkuk 2:2 states, And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. Isaiah 35:8 says, And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. The word wayfaring means one who walks. Notice, that one who walks therein, even though a fool, should not be in error. I dont believe the Lord wants his people to be misled. And neither do I believe you have to have a degree in Theology to understand Gods purpose for His creation.

I repeat, that to understand the subject of the end times or the end of the world correctly, we need to look at the Bible and see it in context. What does it really say? Let us examine the subject of the end of the world, in strictly a biblical sense without using philosophy, theory, or imagination. As we study the Bible in this manner, we will learn, who, what, when, where and why. Taking scripture out of context only causes confusion and may lead to discouragement. I encourage everyone to know what the Bible says. As Paul said in 2 Tim 2:15, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." To rightly divide is to be precise in the interpretation of the truth. Be as the men of Berea who were commended in Acts 17:11, because they, searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

CHAPTER ONE

Signs and Symbols

Anyone who has studied the Bible knows it is a book of signs and symbols. As an example, Jesus was called; the branch, a stone, a lamb, a lion the true vine, bread from heaven and by many other symbols. We all know Jesus was not literally these things; but, He was represented by them. The Old Testament Prophets used many symbolisms to illustrate Gods purpose and plan. Types and shadows point toward the coming Messiah and what He would reveal to the world. Therefore, it is imperative to know about these symbols, and how they are used in the scriptures, in order to interpret the Bible properly.

Whenever we hear someone say, I believe the Bible is literal, and it means exactly what it says. We should know right away, that person doesnt have a clue about the meaning or revelation of Christ and His purpose. I also believe the Bible means what it says; however, I do not believe the Bible always says what it means. An example of this is what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Cor. 2:7-14, But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But 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.

If you interpret the Bible literally, you will find yourself in the same position the people of the Old Testament were in. They were ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. They didnt understand Moses message to them or the Kingdom the Prophets prophesied of. Take for an example the Tabernacle in the wilderness. It was a figure of Christ and the true heavenlies. Hebrews 9:9 says, Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; and ²⁴ For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

As a nation, the Israelites were never spiritual. Their eyes were blinded. Remember Moses had to put a veil over his face. The veil represented their spiritual blindness. And because of this they physically came out of Egypt but never got Egypt out of them. Hosea 4:6 explains, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

2 Cor. 3:13-14 says it this way, And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

Spiritual blindness is the very thing that Satan wants to curse you and me with, but thank the Lord the veil is done away in Christ. We, through Jesus Christ, have an entrance into the Holy of Holies, to see the spiritual things of God, which are the mysteries of God that were hidden from ages and generations. When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the Temple was torn in half from the top to the bottom. Because of that, we now have access with confidence to enter into those things that are of the spirit. Hebrews 10:19-20 explains that, Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

When we go into the place that was previously forbidden dont you think we will see things that others have not seen? There are keys of knowledge that will open our eyes and allow us to understand Gods eternal purpose and plan for man. In Luke 11:52, Jesus states, Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. They had substituted ritual for reality. Jesus spoke these words to those men who were constantly studying the Bible. They were legalists leaving out the most important thing, a relationship with God. They were not being moved by it to enter into Gods plan, and those who wanted to enter in, they were hindering. The Lord also gave us keys to open doors of understanding, in things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Why would anyone want to stand on the outside, with only a keyhole point of view especially sense Jesus came with the keys and gave us access to all that is in the house of God?

One such key is the understanding of the word world. A great deal of the confusion centers on this word. This English word world is used to replace several separate Greek words. The two we will look at more closely are, kosmos and aion in the King James Version of the Bible. According to Strongs concordance, Kosmos is the orderly arrangement, or the adorning world. This orderly arrangement includes peoples, nations, civilizations or even cities. Aion on the other hand means an age or period of time. An example of these two definitions is in the following two scriptures: in Matthew 5:14, Jesus says, Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. and in Matthew 13:4, He says, So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just. The Matthew 5:14 reference translates that Ye are the light of the Kosmos, while the Matthew 13:49 reference, translates as the end of the aion. The end of that age (world) that consisted of animal sacrifices, keeping feast days, and rituals of purification, was all brought to an end when Jesus died on the cross.

When Jesus said heaven and earth would pass away, he wasnt talking about the planet passing away. He was using symbolic language to express Gods ordained plan to change the covenant made with Abraham. The reason the covenant was called heaven and earth is that it was both spiritual and natural. When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus in John 3, He told him that you must be born again. Nicodemus didnt understand what Jesus meant. John 3:9-12 follows, Nicodemus answered and said unto him, how can these things be? ¹⁰Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? ¹¹ Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. ¹² If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? We know that He was speaking of being born of the spirit, but Nicodemus didnt understand, and yet he was a master (teacher) of Israel. This symbolic statement is plain to us today, but in that day, before the covenant was changed, he did not understand.

Look at Isaiah 1:1-2 that shows, The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. ² Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. This vision is to Judah and Jerusalem. Jerusalem represents the priesthood, and Judah the national program, which Isaiah referred to as heaven and earth. This word to Judah and Jerusalem was God telling them, both ministry and the congregation, that He was fed up with their actions. In Isaiah 65:17 God says, For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. God was telling them that He was going to create a new covenant, and would not think upon the one they had their trust in any longer.

The world that was destroyed by water

We all know the story of Noah building the ark. In this story, the Lord caused it to rain for forty days and forty nights and the world of the wicked was destroyed. The world that God had made by His word, He destroyed by water; however, He saved Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives. Out of the whole creation only eight souls were saved by entering into the ark of safety. God gave Noah the pattern, and he built it according to Gods instruction. One hundred and twenty years Noah worked building the ark while preaching and warning the people of the coming destruction. God destroyed that world, and its order. He didnt destroy the planet He destroyed the age. The apostle Peter speaks of that world in 2 Peter 3:6 and says, Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. The word perished, in the Greek is apollumi, which means to destroy completely. God brought a total and complete end to that world, not the terra firma, not the planet, but that order. The reason He didnt destroy the planet was because He had a plan. He was not giving up on His creation. He brought judgment and destroyed that order, that arrangement. It was the order that He had dealt with His creation (mankind) through. The order changed but His purpose for man didnt.

That first world came to an end by a flood, but a new one was in Gods eternal purpose. In the book of Genesis 6:7-8 the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. ⁸ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Therefore, he was saved from that destruction, through obedience to God. And so God began a new world (orderly arrangement) through Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. At the beginning of this new world, God gave Noah and his family a charge, the same commission that had been given Adam in the previous world. In Gen 1:28, God speaks to Adam and in Gen 9:1, He speaks to Noah. Both commands say; Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. It is through the linage of Shem, Noahs 1^st born son, that Abram came. God made covenant with Abram and changed his name to Abraham. The covenant continued through his natural descendents Isaac and Jacob, and his twelve sons, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, Judah and so on. Jacob, and his eleven sons, a relatively small family, went down to Egypt because of famine. For God had provided through Joseph, one of the twelve sons, a plan for the fulfillment of the covenant made with Abraham.

The Blessing of Abraham

Genesis 14:17- 19 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale. ¹⁸And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. ¹⁹And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth Abraham was blessed by Melchezedec and in that blessing was told that he was the possessor of heaven and earth (Gen.14:19). The word possessor means; to erect, i.e. to create, to own, purchase, recover, redeem. The world in Noahs day had passed away, but God had a plan, through Abraham, to erect another. Yes, another age, another order for the redemption of His creation. Through the descendants of Abraham, the new world (kosmos) was created, or erected, a new heaven and earth (age). If you are Christs then are you Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise. Ill say it another way, a ministry and a church is where Gods plan was to be carried out.

Priests, Commandments, and Sanctuary

Through Moses, the natural seed (Israel) came out of Egypt. God made them a nation, not because they were the greatest among people, but because He had a plan. And if they would have faith in His plan they would be blessed. At Mt. Sinai, God made covenant with them. He chose a priesthood, (the sons of Levi) and gave a law to govern them, (commandments), and a pattern for a sanctuary (the tabernacle). The purpose of the sanctuary was for God to dwell among them, because He wanted to guide them in His plan for creation. They were however, rebellious and they murmured and complained. Isaiah said their table became a snare and a stumbling block. In other words they couldnt see Gods purpose and they became like the nations around them. They became a religion. That was the world they were to live in. It was not an eternal age, but pointed to the eternal one we will call the world of the Grace and Truth Covenant, or the Kingdom of Heaven.

It was at the ending of that religious age, of the Covenant of the Law, that Jesus said to Pilate in John 18:36, my kingdom is not of this world, he was declaring His separation from that existing age (world). He was a priest after the order of Melchezedec (King of righteousness, King of peace). Read the message of Jesus in the following verses: Matthew 21:33-46, Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: ³⁴And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. ³⁵And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. ³⁶Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. ³⁷But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. ³⁸But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. ³⁹And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. ⁴⁰When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? ⁴¹They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. ⁴²Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? ⁴³Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. ⁴⁴And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. ⁴⁵And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. ⁴⁶But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

Later Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. He wasnt speaking of the sky above us, and the ground beneath our feet. If we were to take this literal, that is what we would have to think. Thankfully, it is not literal. He was telling His audience that the spiritual and the natural covenant were coming to an end. He was saying that God would no longer honor their priesthood or them as His chosen people. Lets consider the context of the scriptures leading up to this statement. In Matthew 21:33 through 23:39, Jesus was in the Temple preaching and warning them of what was coming. In chapter 23 He pronounced the woes on them. Then in Matthew 23:34-39 Jesus said, Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: ³⁵That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. ³⁶Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. ³⁷O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! ³⁸Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. ³⁹For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Continuing in Matthew 24:1-3, And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. ²And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. ³And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? This chapter truly speaks of the end of the world. But if we take it out of context we destroy its true meaning and will not understand the purpose of God. That world (order) or heaven and earth were coming to an end. That heaven (priesthood) and earth (nation) were not going to be recognized exclusively by the Lord any longer as His chosen people. In the new covenant the people of God are those who are filled with the Holy Ghost. The sacrifice of Jesus brought a complete and total end to the old approach to God. When Jesus died on the cross that world, (age) was ended. No longer would God accept animal sacrifices, because the cross it was the ultimate sacrifice. No longer would God regard the rituals of purifying the outer man, because now He had made a way to cleanse the heart. God will never go back to the previous world. He brought a complete and total end to it. Read what Isaiah 65:17 says about it, For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Forum: Eschatology

The Great Escape

lioneagle — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 00:37:07 GMT

The Great Escape

Dispensationalism has us running in fear. Fear is not of God but the deceiver. This is a sign for the need of a new move in God for this present hour. There is such an ever increasing amount of false doctrines in the religious media. I am not saying this to demonize this media, because it is full of well meaning God loving individuals. This current situation is caused by the spirit of anti-Christ. Paul called it the spirit of anti- Christ which was in the church in his day. Just as in his day, it is ever present sowing it's almost truth to deceive as many as possible. Anti-Christ is not a person but a spirit. It does not deceive by being 180 degrees opposed to the teachings of Christ but is a counterfeit. A counterfeit is something that gets as close to the truth as possible without its being the actual truth. The best counterfeit dollar is one than can not be detected. The Serpent showed this spirit when it put a question in the mind of Eve to doubt the true word of God and replaced it with some untruth. Speaking of money, an incorrect emphasis of the true principle of sowing and reaping is being applied to mostly natural gain and is therefore enmity toward God.

This dispensationalist thinking has also brought about the false teaching of the escapist rapture theory. This heretical theory is less than 200 years old and was perpetrated by a dream, not an in-depth scriptural enlightenment brought by God. This doctrine diverts the people from taking dominion over the earth which is the fulfillment of Gods command to Adam in the beginning. This is a trick of the deceiving serpent to add confusion and false hope. His purpose is to keep us from Gods purpose. The meek toward the word and authority of God will inherit the earth, not escape from it. Those same meek are to, by Gods authority and power, reclaim that which was lost to Adam. Again, we are to fulfill His command given not only to Adam; but to, Noah, Abraham, Moses and finally to the New Covenant Church. We are to be a Kingdom of priests with one King and High Priest, Jesus the Christ and reclaim the earth that was given to us as a possession, not just the land of Israel.

Also in deference to dispensationalism, the stone taken from the mountain without hands that crushed the feet of the image to powder is to grow into a great mountain to fill all the earth. The New Covenant Church that Jesus dwells in is that mountain. Those feet members, like all of the other parts of the image, dealt with the natural dominion by the gentiles over the Jews. Remember the Northern Kingdom had already vanished before the golden head of Nebuchadnezzar and the Southern Kingdom ended with the Jews saying in the mixed feet of clay and iron that we have no other king but Caesar.

They, as a kingdom, had not only been conquered by the image (Roman iron portion of the feet members), but as the clay, they accepted the image as their own and bowed to it. The kingdom of Judah (what was left of the Kingdom of Israel) was destroyed forever; therefore, there was no further need for the image. The image had been a prophetic time table for the Jew or Old Covenant. The New Covenant Church was never controlled by the image. Even in martyrdom, the Church, like the three Hebrew children, did not bow nor were they ever conquered by the image. Although the dream was given to a gentile, it was interpreted by a Jew and was about the Jews being under dominion rather than the Jews having dominion.

We as the Church of Jesus Christ and a new Kingdom of Priests, we must fulfill the command to Adam to take dominion now, not later. The Jew waited to late, we must not. The Kingdom is now. Let us walk in it and live in it. Remember, Jesus said that the Kingdom was now at hand. That was said 2,000 years ago and at hand means NOW. We have wasted 2,000 years thinking that it is to be in the future, when we could have been living it. It is not by sight but by the Spirit praise the Lord! Let us not waste another 2,000 years.

Forum: The Rapture

The Lost

lioneagle — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 23:49:19 GMT

The Lost

We are now in need again to do as the early church did and bring the Gospel (good news) to the lost where they are, rather than hope that they will come into the church. Jesus met with them in the streets and in their homes. He did not build a natural building and wait for them to come to him. The people of this world, like that of 2000 years ago, have seen and heard too much to set foot in a church; but, they might stand still long enough to hear real truth if they see it in the presenter of that truth. We must present the word as the living Gospel as it shines through us in our daily walk as Jesus and the apostles did.

I love my Lord more now than I have ever in my life time and that love just continues to grow. My fear of people and authority has all but vanished to be replaced by the boldness and authority of my Lord Jesus. I am seeing more answers to prayer today than ever in my life. I mean that in a corporate way, although a greater amount of mine are also coming to pass, hallelujah amen. These prayers include the ingathering of the lost.

Bless the Lord I am seeing and am inspired by a new Spiritual move of God in this day. I do not mean a new plan, only a new page of the blueprints, so to speak, of the ever eternal plan of the reconciliation of all mankind as they accept the only door through which that reconciliation has already been made. Our Lord has already commissioned us for the purpose of healing the sick, raising the dead (naturally and spiritually) and casting out devils. The power to do these things has never changed, only our willingness to believe that it is He that is in us that is doing the job. Jesus has already told us in parable to go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in. Compel means to draw in by the magnetism of the spirit of God that dwells within us. The words Come in mean to bring the lost into the understanding and reality of the present Kingdom of God where they can feast on the realities of heaven on earth with the Lord Jesus Christ dwelling in their hearts.

Forum: Salvation

Abundant Life

lioneagle — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 23:24:10 GMT

Abundant Life

Many say that we must get ready for the end times and hope by the skin of our teeth that we make it (in Heaven) in time before everything is over. Nobody wants to be left behind in a world going to hell. It seems that the only understanding that most people have of the abundant life is that of the afterlife. According to Paul the apostle, we live in a world without end (Eph 3:21). Dispensationalists have us running in fear but fear is not of God. Jesus is all about faith in Him.

Based on Pauls words and the rest of divine scripture we have all the time we need to enjoy our present life on this earth with the ever present guidance of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We can have life and it more abundantly now, not just wait for it after death. Just as death was pronounced on Adam (separation from God immediately) natural life continued, but degenerated, for a space of time before natural death overcame him. Conversely, the life of God given to us by His Spirit is our reconnection (reconciliation) to God and the beginning of a better natural life as our spiritual life increases into maturity. The more we put our trust in Him to not only save us from the sin nature brought to us by Adam but to keep us from the acts of sin by the renewing (making new by the Spirit and the Word) of our mind, the greater abundance of life that we receive now, while we yet live. The more we turn our lives over to God the more content in Spirit we become. The more of our character flaws that we release to Him in prayer, the greater growth we receive in our spiritual walk. Such flaws as anger, hatred, bitterness, envy and the like can only be replaced with His character by Him, not our inadequate efforts of self help. The attributes of Jesus are all about love. It is only through Jesus Christ that we are able to not only forgive but to love our enemies. If we could do it ourselves then Jesus would never have had to die, because the Jews had the perfect Law. Law cannot change a person, only God can change a heart through His spirit coming and dwelling in us.

These are not just words assembled from Holy Scripture, as perfect as scripture is, but from the experience of having my life changed by Him. I have lived through some of the ugly things of life and been saved and renewed by His indwelling Spirit. My Lord is not finished with me yet and I am looking forward to His loving kindness in continuing to change me into the full stature of a man of God in His image as the pre-fallen Adam was. There is plenty of time if I just keep walking with my Savior.

I have an excitement today about life, although now in the beginning of my senior years. I have no fear of tomorrow for tomorrow will take care of itself and I can not change the past, therefore, today is the day of salvation. Live each day to the fullest in Jesus Christ. I have more enthusiasm and strength (natural and spiritual) than I have ever had in my life. I am now willing and able to do the things I was envious of other young men doing when I was in my youth. It is never too late in God. I am getting younger with the life of God rather than older in calendar years, although my outer shell my say differently.

Thank God that I am already reaping the benefits of an abundant life in God. For ever how much time I have left on this earth, be it 10, 20 or a 100 years, I pray that those years are filled with Jesus as I continue to walk with Him and serve Him in this, His present Kingdom. It is already here if you have the spiritual eyes to see.

Forum: Eschatology

Tithing

lioneagle — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 20:42:18 GMT

Tithing

Originally the tithe was given by Abraham out of gratitude for blessings given to him by God for allowing him to defeat the marauding Kings that took Lot and the verbal ones of Gods representative Melchizedek. A word tithe mean a tenth and was understood by Abraham to be of his increase (Gen 14:20, Heb 7:4). Abraham gave as a free will offering, a tenth of his increase, to Melchizedek. This form of offering was continued by Jacob with the same understanding (Gen28:21). Later, under the Mosaic Law, a tenth or tithe was required to be given to the Levitical Priesthood for the maintenance of the Tabernacle and later the Temple (Lev 27:30, Luke 11:41-42).

Today, under the Covenant of Grace, tithing is again as it was with Abraham, a free will offering. It is not a law, but a principle like gravity. When a principle is applied correctly it always works. Tithing is a heart offering (principle) not a law offering (Mosaic Law) and is therefore judged by God as a condition of your heart, not your wallet. We can give less than 10 %, or tenth, or give more. I find more is better however, because the bigger the heart the bigger the blessing. We are just being lent it anyway while we live in this life. We can not take it with us after death. God does not need our money, only our heart, but the Church does need to be maintained by our finances. Blessings are based on the heart of the giver not the amount. I have given 100% more than once and have never been cheated by God. I have never been without food, clothing or a place to lay my head. I most always give in secret, for to do otherwise is to receive only the hollow rewards of man, rather than the spiritual blessings of God. Bless the work of the Lord as He has blessed you.

Forum: General Apologetics

The Parousia

BudR — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 13:03:22 GMT

By Israel Perkins Warren - 1884

Harvard University

Chapter III - The Scope Of The Parousia

Much of the difficulty of reaching any consistent view of the Parousia has arisen from the impression that it was to occupy only a brief space of time, rather than a long period. Doubtless our English version has strengthened if not created that impression, by uniformly translating the Greek preposition "en", in this connection, by "at", a word that we apply rather to a point of time than a prolonged duration. To say that something shall occur "at" Christ's coming, conveys a perceptibly different shade of meaning from saying it shall take place "in" or "during" his Presence. Yet a mere glance at a Greek Concordance will show that the instances in which the word elsewhere means and is rendered "in" are at least ten times as numerous as where it means and is translated "at". Why the translators always gave it this comparatively infrequent signification, in this connection, does not appear.

This protracted duration of the Parousia is a fact of so much importance, that it deserves particular consideration.

If we wished to measure the breadth of the ocean, we should carefully determine the exact positions of points known to lie upon its shores, or to be included within its expanse. Having the longitude of New York and the longitude of Gibraltar, it is not difficult to compute from these with a great accuracy the distance between them; in other words, the dimensions of the space intervening. So, there are certain things which it is expressly declared shall take place in or during the Parousia, that, if we mistake not, will no less surely guide us to a correct idea of its duration.

1. The first, as all know, was the establishment of the new "kingdom of heaven." The old theocracy founded by Moses was to pass away, and be succeeded by a new one of a more comprehensive sway, and a higher glory. "Till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom." Matt 16:28. "Ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven." Matt. 26:64.

2. A second thing to occur in the Parousia was the destruction of the Jerusalem. Matt 24: 27, 34. Let it be observed that this prediction is not in that part of the chapter which many suppose refers to the day of judgment, but in that which is universally conceded to relate to the overthrow of the temple and city.

3. The vindication and reward of Christians who were persecuted in the primitive churches. In the Epistle of James, after severely reproving the rich for their oppression, he exhorts those who suffered from it, "Be patient, brethren, until the Parousia of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts for the Parousia of the Lord is at hand." James 5: 7,8. I will not now undertake to say precisely when or how this vindication was to be made; it is enough to notice that it was near, and was to take place in or during the Parousia.

4. The destruction of the Man of Sin. "Whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his Parousia." 2 Thessalonians 2:8. The import of this prediction will be considered further on; it is sufficient here to refer to it as belonging to the great period under consideration.

5. In his epistles to the seven churches in Asia, which constitute the introduction to the Book of Revelation, John announces the repeated warnings of the Lord of his speedy coming to try and reward them according to their fidelity. The word "parousia" is not indeed used in this case, but it will scarcely be denied that the time referred to was identical with it. The familiar imagery used by Christ himself of that event on the Mount of Olives, is employed. "Behold he cometh with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they which pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him." There can be no doubt, as it seems to me, that reference is made here to the persecutions then impending over the churches, "the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." In that great trial Christ declares that he will "come" to them with searching severity, to detect and punish the unfaithful, to strengthen and comfort his true children, and to reward those who were steadfast unto death with the crown and throne of victory in heaven.

6. The Parousia in express terms was to embrace the resurrection of the dead. "Each one in his own order; Christ the first fruits, then they that are Christ's, in his Parousia." 1. Cor. 15:23. I need to spend no time to establish this connection between the two, it being a truth universally recognized that one of the objects of Christ's coming in his Parousia was to be to raise the dead.

7. The Parousia, in like manner, was to embrace the general judgement. Matt. 25:31-46. I think, indeed, that the sublime consummation, like the Parousia itself, has a wider scope than is implied in the usual materialistic conceptions of it.

Forum: General Apologetics

Message from Administrator 3/1/2007

Administrator — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 06:06:39 GMT

To All

This "Discussion Board" is not intended as a place, where you can question what we believe as a church. That's not the purpose of this discussion forum.

Some have asked questions as if our church is obligated to answer. Let us say, you are mistaken. This is an open forum. It is for everyone who wants to discuss Biblical questions. There are members of "Covenant Life Church" who join in on these discussions, but not all are members.

We have provided a link on the "Homepage" called "Ask the Pastor a Question." We suggest that anyone who has questions for the Pastor, or "Covenant Life Church" go there and ask what you will.

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Forum: Discussion Board Announcements

Discussion Board Rules

Administrator — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 09:09:31 GMT

Welcome to the Covenant Life Discussion Board!
We're glad you're here and hope this becomes a favorite place for lively discussion and genuine fellowship!

A few ground rules as we get started to insure that the environment for everyone is Christlike and friendly -

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Forum: Discussion Board Announcements