Summary of Bible references on the Rapture

[ZNP]

Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Isn't that exciting? Stop thinking of yourself as a nobody that is weak and ineffective. It is God's good pleasure to transform you into that elite fighting force that is going to bring in the kingdom.

33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

Every person on earth that desires to have an elite training will sell what they have to pay for it. Think how much people in the world pay to become "Harvard Lawyers". Think of how tough it is to become a Navy Seal. They sold what they have, they paid the price, and the training they got could not be taken away from them. In the same way treat your walk with the Lord.

34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

That guy who paid everything to become a doctor, that is where his heart is. Same thing with the guy who became a lawyer or a Navy Seal, or an Army Ranger, or a "Blue Angel". If you have paid everything in your walk with Christ then we know where your heart is. Likewise, if you haven't paid everything then we know were your heart isn't.

35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

I used to have a motorcycle, and when I put that helmet on it changed my attitude, it made me realize I was on a machine that was very dangerous and could kill me. It was the right attitude to have before riding into traffic. To have your loins gird about doesn't simply mean you are dressed, it means you are dressed for battle. "And your lights burning", think about the five foolish virgins who ran out of oil. Do you think a person who every day has their lights burning is going to then wake up when the Lord is coming and run out of oil? That sounds like someone who never had their lights burning and so was not prepared when the time came. I used to be in the boyscouts and we would go on hikes each week. Every year we would have about four hikes of 30 miles or more and two hikes of fifty miles or more. Prior to that we would have smaller hikes of ten, fifteen or twenty miles. At first you aren't clear what to bring, but after you get experience you know exactly what to bring. Of course you bring matches. But then you are trying to start a fire in the wind and rain and learn those matches are garbage, you need the ones that don't blow out. But then you are trying to start a fire with wood soaked in rain and you realize you need something even more. I melted wax and took strips of newspapers rolled up and soaked in wax. These were excellent fire starters that would burn for five minutes. This preparation was a result of experience. Everyone is a foolish virgin, but with experience you become a wise virgin who brings oil with them. The best way to prepare for the Lord's return is to live today like this is the return.

36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

That is the right attitude. It is incredible to me how few Christians have this attitude.

37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

If the servants who are watching are blessed, what about the servants who say you don't need to watch because "no one knows the day or hour"?

38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

Why did we go on these hikes? It is hard work carrying a heavy pack for fifteen miles a day, setting up camp, starting a fire, cooking dinner, washing the pots in a cold stream in the dark, sleeping in the tent, then breaking camp and doing it all again tomorrow. The wilderness is beautiful, but that is not why you do it. You come to realize as you see others crying, freezing, or in one way or another unable to do this, that you can do something very few people can do and it gives you a sense of pride. I have gone on hikes where for me it was a wonderful experience while for others they were as miserable as a half drowned cat. The ten and twenty mile hikes were a mixed bag. But only those who had proved themselves were allowed on the fifty mile hikes. You felt like an elite force. There is a feeling of accomplishment in that. The foolish virgins took it for granted, they assumed they could simply light their torch and lead the way in the night. To be locked out of the wedding feast is like the Lord telling them "You can't go on the fifty mile hike". One of the requirements was to go on the thirty mile hikes. If you hadn't gone on those you were immediately disqualified, similar to the Lord saying I don't know you, I didn't see you on the thirty mile hike.

39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

This verse is not written to Satan. He knows what is coming and there is nothing he can do about it. The goodman of the house would refer to the pastors and elders of the various congregations of the Lord.

40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

When you go on hikes every weekend you will become "ready also". All of my stuff was carefully stored in the basement where I could grab it and pack it in a few. minutes. To be ready at any moment comes from a habit. This is why the military trains every day like you are at war so that when you are at war, you are ready. This is the way the Lord is advising us to walk in our Christian walk. But many pastors, preachers, teachers and know it alls ridicule and reproach those who live like this. They don't know the hour the thief is going to come so they don't watch! That is backwards. "If they had known they would have watched?!" Because you don't know, that is why you have to watch. That is why we have night watchmen.

 

[ZNP]

Luke 12:41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

Peter is the one the Lord told to "feed His sheep". Is He also supposed to be warning them and watching for the thief to come?

42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

To warn the saints about present dangers is to "give them their meat in due season". Yesterday I listened to a rabbi teaching about the Jews who are going to rebuild the temple. I was hoping to get some insight into what is going on in Jerusalem and I definitely did get insight. It was crystal clear, in black and white, that this man labeled Christians as their enemies. He was talking about the Noahide laws and was careful not to touch law about blasphemy but from everything else he said he clearly considered Evangelical Christians to be blasphemous. We should not be ignorant, those who are looking to resume the oblations and sacrifices on the temple mount are rejecting Jesus Christ as the Messiah, they consider the blood of the covenant a common thing, and there is no washing in the water of the word with them. This person was fully supporting "one world religion" that is prophesied in the book of Revelation. Jesus, quoting Daniel, told us that the Antichrist would set up the abomination of desolation in the Holy place. That is the thief. The church is the temple of the Lord, and the apostasy has allowed the thief to come in and set up his idol worship.

43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

So yes, our job is to feed the sheep, but that also includes warning them of the wolves. Pointing out the apostasy, those who have departed from the word of God, is also our job.

44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

We are being trained in this life to rule and reign with Christ. No one wants you to protect the temple of God if you can't even protect a small congregation of a few hundred saints.

45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

The contrast between those who watch and those who don't is that those who don't say the Lord is delaying His coming. That means those who are watching will identify the signs that show the Lord is coming. There was the Revelation 12 sign in 2017, there were the two calves born right before the feast of trumpets in 2014 with the sevens on their heads. There was the writing on the wall sign. I have already shared how each of these signs gave us a countdown pointing to the Feast of Trumpets in 2026. I have already said that according to the Bible the first thing they do in building the temple is to dedicate the altar and it can take less than a day to assemble the altar and resume sacrifices. I have also pointed out that the day on which they would resume the sacrifices is the Feast of Trumpets (AKA Rosh Hashanah). Oblations begin at 6am and sacrifices begin at 9am. I have also pointed out that the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem just issued an order that the shofars are to be blown on Rosh Hashanah this year even though it falls on a sabbath day. This ruling only applies to the temple mount and the only time in history that the Jews would blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah if it fell on the sabbath was when they had the temple on the temple mount. This ruling changes the status of the Temple mount beginning this Rosh Hashanah.

But this does not mean I know when the rapture is. One possible explanation is that the rapture takes place on Tishrei 9 at sundown since that is the time the "gate closes". Another possible explanation is that it is on sundown at the start of the Feast of Trumpets, Tishrei 1, because the nine days actually point to the nine years from 2017 to 2026. Another theory is that it is around Tishrei 6, because the Antichrist is revealed after the rapture. We know how many days he rules for. If we theorize that his reign ends on the 15th of Av, the day the Jews realize the curse is over, then his reign begins around Tishrei 6. A fourth theory is that the rapture is before Feast of Trumpets because they are kept from the hour of trial. A fifth theory is that the rapture is the first thing that takes place during the day of the Lord because Judgment must begin at the house of God. A sixth theory is that rapture takes place at sundown when Tishrei 2 begins, and this starts 3 days of darkness, just like Jesus being in the tomb for three days. The darkness ends as Tishrei 5 starts and the Antichrist is revealed as Tishrei 6 starts. The point is there are many theories, and besides these there are other theories indicating that the timing for Rosh Hashanah is off by a month, etc. My point is that the Jews dedicating the altar and resuming sacrifices and changing the status of the temple mount should not be equated with the rapture. Just because the Bible does tell us when the altar is to be dedicated does not mean that it tells us when the rapture is. We have good Biblical reasons to believe it is at the beginning of the Day of the Lord, but that really should be seen as a two week window.

46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

If you are not paying attention to the signs and the prophecies then you are not looking for the Lord's return, and if that is the case what is the difference between you and an unbeliever?

47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

This was my point about going on all those hikes. They were preparing me for the big hike. Everyone in the troop knew about this, some prepared and some didn't.

48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

 

[ZNP]

Jesus's "Call No Man Father" Has a HIDDEN Meaning — and it is GENIUS | Matthew 23:9​

This video makes a great point that I have mentioned repeatedly on this blog but never in such detail or with this verse reference.

Basically there are three terms we are to avoid.

1. Rabbi -- roughly means "great one"

2. Father -- This was a reference to an office for the Sanhedrin, the judges.

3. Personal guide -- a private tutor.

These terms are typical in religion. Paul said that because of the revelations he was given he was also given a thorn in the flesh so that he would not become proud and puffed up. It is very typical for someone in the spiritual realm who gets revelations to also get puffed up in the flesh. These terms are examples of that.

Jesus Christ is the great one, God is our Father, and the Holy Spirit is our guide. We are not to in any way usurp those roles. Every single believer is to have these relationships and no pastor, preacher or "apostle" is to trespass on that.

What I have said repeatedly in this blog is that "I am not the arbiter of truth". By that I have meant you need to go to Jesus, you need to pray to the Father and you need to listen to the Holy Spirit.

What I and all who do speak the word of God can do is point you to a relationship with the Triune God.

However, we are also commanded in the New Testament to "honor your father and mother". Abraham is called "the father of us all". So there are two ways in which this word is used, a father is a person from which you originated. That person should be honored by you. A father is also a person to whom you should go to for guidance, that is not an office that any man should take, but that belongs to God alone.

 

[ZNP]

Jesus's "Call No Man Father" Has a HIDDEN Meaning — and it is GENIUS | Matthew 23:9​

This video makes a great point that I have mentioned repeatedly on this blog but never in such detail or with this verse reference.

Basically there are three terms we are to avoid.

1. Rabbi -- roughly means "great one"

2. Father -- This was a reference to an office for the Sanhedrin, the judges.

3. Personal guide -- a private tutor.

These terms are typical in religion. Paul said that because of the revelations he was given he was also given a thorn in the flesh so that he would not become proud and puffed up. It is very typical for someone in the spiritual realm who gets revelations to also get puffed up in the flesh. These terms are examples of that.

Jesus Christ is the great one, God is our Father, and the Holy Spirit is our guide. We are not to in any way usurp those roles. Every single believer is to have these relationships and no pastor, preacher or "apostle" is to trespass on that.

What I have said repeatedly in this blog is that "I am not the arbiter of truth". By that I have meant you need to go to Jesus, you need to pray to the Father and you need to listen to the Holy Spirit.

What I and all who do speak the word of God can do is point you to a relationship with the Triune God.

However, we are also commanded in the New Testament to "honor your father and mother". Abraham is called "the father of us all". So there are two ways in which this word is used, a father is a person from which you originated. That person should be honored by you. A father is also a person to whom you should go to for guidance, that is not an office that any man should take, but that belongs to God alone.

So just to be clear, a father is not a job title that comes with a salary. That is the prohibition. By doing that you dishonor the father the Lord gave you.

Everyone of us should go to the Lord to enlighten us as to the father that God sovereignly arranged for us. Be brutally honest with the Lord. You gave me this person as father, they did this and this, they said that and that, why did you give them to me and command me to honor them? Regardless of who your father was I suspect none of them were perfect and you should be able to have a clear discussion pointing to their sins and faults.

My father is highly regarded by his children, but I know that this is not true of all fathers and children. Some children blame their fathers for all kinds of things. Even though my father was highly regarded I also know that he was a sinner and have learned things about him that really surprised me. I had known most of my life he had been in a car accident at one of the bridges in NYC that destroyed his car. What I learned just recently was that he was suicidal at the time and that might have been an attempt at suicide. I had no idea and this happened when I was very young.

But what about things your father did that were truly terrible? Yes, you should thank God for that as well. We receive mercy based on our giving of mercy. This does not refer to our initial salvation experience, that is free. But after that Jesus says that we should pray to be forgiven as we forgive those who have trespassed or sinned against us. Mercy flows from God in a stream and you have to also extend mercy to others, otherwise it is a blockage in that transmission. It is like a short circuit in an electric wire, or a backed up drain. A root of bitterness is like a stopped drain. So then begin with your father and mother and brothers and sisters and cousins and close friends and close associates, etc. Forgive them. Obviously if they confess their sins and ask forgiveness you need to forgive them. But if they don't you can still be merciful and forgive them. If you do that the flow of mercy will once again flow from the throne to you. Think of every time you forgive someone you are giving God a justification for forgiving you.

Did someone lie to you? Thank God! Forgive them and then God can forgive you for a lie you might have told.

Did someone cheat you and hurt you? Thank God! Forgive them and you open the door to be forgiven for hurting others.

Did someone insult you and slander you? Thank God! Be merciful to them and God will be merciful to you.

 

[ZNP]

The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

This expression is mentioned 4 times by Jesus, Paul, Peter and John. This is clearly a crucial concept and every time it is a very serious warning.

Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

First warning is to the goodman of the house. The church is the house of God, the goodman would be those who are caring for the house of God. This is a warning about the apostasy sneaking into the church.

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Your works being burned up reminds us of Paul's warning in 1 Corinthians about building with gold, silver and precious stones. Here the thief is this fire that consumes all the works of the flesh. You can have "good works" but if they are of the flesh they will be consumed. For example, gold, silver and precious stones are not corruptible. So the YMCA might have been a good work in the day, but the fact that it is corruptible proves it is a work of the flesh. Harvard might have started out as a good work, but the fact that it is corruptible proves it is a work of the flesh. Imagine seeing your life's work that you are so proud of going up in flames.

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

This is a reference to the supervisor of the night watch who would check on the night watchmen at the temple.

He would make sudden, unannounced rounds to check if the guarding priests and Levites had fallen asleep on duty.
According to Mishna Middot (1:2), if the supervisor found a guard sleeping, he had the authority to strike him with a stick or even set fire to his garments. If he sets fire to your garments the priest would wake up, throw off the garments and run away naked.

Jesus has told all the saints to watch. He said clearly "what I say to you, I say to all, watch". So then if the Lord returns and you are asleep you will be put to an open shame.

Now consider this, the Antichrist is going to set the abomination of desolation up in the holy sanctuary, that is a thief in the night similar to the apostasy. One goal of the apostasy is to cause those who have already been saved to misaim and to miss the mark, doing works of the flesh rather than works of the Holy spirit. This is why people can be totally defrauded thinking they were doing mighty works in the name of Jesus when in fact they didn't know Jesus. But lets say you are serving in the house of God, the temple, you are a priest of the Lord, but you fall asleep on the job, and instead of watching you are sleeping. You are going to be put to an open shame. This is a picture of those genuine believers who are left behind. Their crown was stolen from them. Therefore, the rapture is the Lord coming "as a thief in the night".

 

[ZNP]

The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

This expression is mentioned 4 times by Jesus, Paul, Peter and John. This is clearly a crucial concept and every time it is a very serious warning.

Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

First warning is to the goodman of the house. The church is the house of God, the goodman would be those who are caring for the house of God. This is a warning about the apostasy sneaking into the church.

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Your works being burned up reminds us of Paul's warning in 1 Corinthians about building with gold, silver and precious stones. Here the thief is this fire that consumes all the works of the flesh. You can have "good works" but if they are of the flesh they will be consumed. For example, gold, silver and precious stones are not corruptible. So the YMCA might have been a good work in the day, but the fact that it is corruptible proves it is a work of the flesh. Harvard might have started out as a good work, but the fact that it is corruptible proves it is a work of the flesh. Imagine seeing your life's work that you are so proud of going up in flames.

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

This is a reference to the supervisor of the night watch who would check on the night watchmen at the temple.

He would make sudden, unannounced rounds to check if the guarding priests and Levites had fallen asleep on duty.
According to Mishna Middot (1:2), if the supervisor found a guard sleeping, he had the authority to strike him with a stick or even set fire to his garments. If he sets fire to your garments the priest would wake up, throw off the garments and run away naked.

Jesus has told all the saints to watch. He said clearly "what I say to you, I say to all, watch". So then if the Lord returns and you are asleep you will be put to an open shame.

Now consider this, the Antichrist is going to set the abomination of desolation up in the holy sanctuary, that is a thief in the night similar to the apostasy. One goal of the apostasy is to cause those who have already been saved to misaim and to miss the mark, doing works of the flesh rather than works of the Holy spirit. This is why people can be totally defrauded thinking they were doing mighty works in the name of Jesus when in fact they didn't know Jesus. But lets say you are serving in the house of God, the temple, you are a priest of the Lord, but you fall asleep on the job, and instead of watching you are sleeping. You are going to be put to an open shame. This is a picture of those genuine believers who are left behind. Their crown was stolen from them. Therefore, the rapture is the Lord coming "as a thief in the night".

This impacts the understanding of the restrainer. Prior to the Antichrist coming to power the Christians who are one with the Holy Spirit are restraining him. Yes, but how? He needs to bring in one world religion, it is the only way to unite the whole world under his reign. The restrainer is restraining that move, and that move is called the "ecumenical movement" or "the House of Abraham" or the Noahide movement. They are uniting Catholics, Muslims and Jews against evangelical Christians. When the restrainer is removed then Antichrist can unite the globe in one world religion and make those who worship Jesus Christ as Lord as criminals to be hunted down and killed.

 

[ZNP]

I just heard some guy who is supposed to be an expert among the Jews and who is familiar with the New Testament saying there is no Old Testament reference to "an antichrist figure". That is false.

Adonijah was an antichrist figure in the Old Testament.

there are other references as well. You could argue that King Saul was a kind of type, more like the Jewish leaders in the time of Christ trying to prevent Jesus from being recognized by the Jews as the Messiah.

Also Daniel telling us about a figure who sets himself up in the holy sanctuary saying that he himself is God, that is by definition an antichrist, a counterfeit to the real thing.

This man is trying to deceive people who do not know the Bible.

I have also heard some trying to distort Isaiah 53 saying it is about the Jews as a people and not about the Messiah.

We were warned there would be a great delusion and now that we are so close to having the Day of the Lord begin and the Antichrist be revealed they are playing their hand.

The reason there are so many prophecies concerning the Messiah in the Old Testament is because out of all the billions of people who have ever lived there is only one man who can fit the description. That is why they must twist Isaiah 53 because it clearly describes a man being crucified. That is something the Antichrist cannot counterfeit. Yes, he can counterfeit death and resurrection, but no one gets crucified anymore.

 

[ZNP]

Luke 13:1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Every one of us is given one life to live and what we do with it is a "sacrifice". How you spend your time, that is a sacrifice. Suppose you live for 100 years, every year of your life is a sacrifice of 1% of your life. Your life's blood is mingled with that sacrifice. If you are living in sin your "blood" your life is mingled with that sin. So don't think "those Galileans were pagans, I'm not a pagan", or "they were Satanists, I'm not a Satanist". The question is not about what kind of sins they sacrificed their whole life to, but rather did they repent? At some point you have to ask yourself, is this what I want to sacrifice my life for? Are these things what I want my blood mingled with?

4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Suppose you are doing a great work, you are building a tower. You are working with others, you are a highly respected engineer or architect. You can point to this tower and say "I built that". Not everyone builds something that they can point to as a life's work. So then what happens if in a great earthquake that tower which you are so proud of, falls? This is what Paul refers to when he says we need to be careful how we build, if we build with wood, hay and stubble it will be burned up and we will suffer loss. The vast majority of people spend their lives in one of these two pursuits. One thinks "I'm doing a good work and that gives my life meaning" and yet that good work will not stand up to the coming Day of the Lord, and so everything they spent their whole life doing will collapse and be worthless. Others know that most people are spending their lives on vanity and so they rebel against the rules, rebel against all that, and give their life to living in sin. In the end their life's blood is mingled with that sinful life.

6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

This is why I started with the first five verses. It is the context of this parable. We are not "the man". We are a fig tree that is supposed to be bringing forth figs, but is not bearing fruit. We were made for a purpose, that is why we have a sense of sin and that is why we have a sense of vanity.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

This is what it means to repent. You realize you are not bearing fruit so you do the things that will help you to bear fruit.

For example, does watching TV help you to bear fruit? If the answer is no, cut it off.

Does reading the Bible help you to bear fruit? If the answer is yes, do more of that.

You have 24 hours a day, you need a good nights sleep, you need a certain amount of exercise, you need to eat healthy food. But you can do all of that in ten hours. That leaves you 14 hours a day. When I was teaching in NYC I had a 45 minute commute to and from school. For an hour and half I commuted each day, that is 30+ hours a month. Was that helping me to bear fruit? I found the radio to be toxic. So I bought the Bible on CDs and would listen to the Bible for 90 minutes a day. I would discover that I would arrive at school and couldn't remember one word that had been said, however my attitude, my spirit was calm, it was at peace. The words I had listened to had washed over my soul and prepared me for the day.

So then, what is your mission in life. How does it compare to bringing in the kingdom of God; bringing in everlasting righteousness? Is the thing you are giving your life to going to stand up for eternity? Is their glory or shame in having your name, your life's blood mingled with your life's sacrifice?

 

[ZNP]

Luke 13:10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.

The previous two examples (blood mingled with their sacrifices and the tower falling on them) were people who were giving their lives to something other than bringing in the kingdom of God. People that we would look on as sinners. But here we have a woman who is in the church and yet is bound for 18 years.

11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

So then, if you are a Christian going regularly to church, what does it mean to be able to "life yourself up"? No doubt this is a physical infirmity, but even if that does apply to a few people this word is to all Christians. This cannot simply be referring to being healed from a physical ailment that afflicts a small percentage of Christians, this word in the gospel has been spoken to all Christians throughout the entire church age. In chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation we see seven churches that represent the entire church age. In the first church we see "the works of the Nicolaitans which the Lord hates". Some have suggested the word "NicoLaitans" indicate those who "climb above the laity" and thus is a reference to the clergy/laity system. You can't base a Bible interpretation on a single verse and even more on a sketchy interpretation of the meaning of a word. But in Pergamos the problem is those who hold the doctrine of Balaam and teach people to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. So the issue is the teachers. In Thyatira the problem is Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess. In Sardis the problem is the leaders who excommunicate people, blotting their names out of the church. The clergy are involved in teaching, in ruling, and in excommunicating. So then we now have four verses all tying a battle between those who "climb above the laity" with the main issue in the church. Then in Laodicea we see that they have kicked Jesus out of the church. The goal of "climbing over the laity" was to take control of the church and replace Jesus. So then I would tie this "spirit of infirmity" to a clergy laity system where some "climb above" others in the church. Why is this woman bowed down? Because she is the laity supporting this clergy on her back. Why is it that she cannot rise up? Because of some holding to the doctrine of Balaam, and some holding to Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess, and to leaders who excommunicate those who do take a stand, and who are actively working to remove Jesus from the church, to usurp the position of the incarnated word of God. Why 18 years? 18 is 6+6+6. This is a church in which man teaches according to man's doctrine, he rules according to man's whims, and he disciplines those they disagree with according to man. This is a church with a "human trinity" running the church rather than the triune God.

12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

The internet has loosed me from the grip of the clergy. In the church congregation I can see how the meeting is run in good order, you need someone in charge. I can see that if I were to come into the meeting and share my blog that would be inappropriate. But the internet makes it very easy for me to get into the word every day, share what I enjoy, and have fellowship with other believers about any topic or verse that I wish. No one can force feed the doctrines of Balaam on me, no one can impose Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess on me, and if they excommunicate me from Facebook or some other platform I can move to another platform.

13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

Why is it that we are immediately made straight? Why would pastors and preachers give us erroneous impression that we are crooked? There is one possibility that this is intentional, they have a goal just like Balaam taught Balak, to destroy the church. I am not disputing that the Freemasons have infiltrated the church with that goal. But the problem with thinking that is it makes you suspect terrible things of pastors and elders which may not be true. Instead, what I think is equally likely (not excluding the other, simply pointing out the situation is complex and there are no simple answers) is that the pastor is simply trying to make peace. It is the old "the squeaky wheel gets the grease". If 5% of the congregation is very insistent the pastor might think he can make peace by accommodating them. But making compromises to satisfy the ones claiming they are going to leave will offend the 95% who were not making any noise. We cannot accommodate idol worship or fornication in the church.

14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

Think of the total hypocrisy in this saying. For 18 years did anyone lift a finger to heal this woman? No. But the ruler doesn't blame himself or the other leaders for not healing her, they blame her for not coming during the week day. There is this teaching in Christianity that since we are healed by faith, if you are not healed it is because you didn't have faith. But that is not what happened here. Jesus saw this woman, called her and said she was loosed. There is no mention of her being loosed because of her faith. On the contrary I would argue she was bound because of her faith. Balaam, Jezebel and this pastor who is excommunicating people, they aren't excommunicating them for sin, they aren't doing this because they are living in fornication or idolatry. The faithful witness of the Lord, Antipas, was martyred because of his faith. Those in Smyrna are imprisoned and put to death because of their faith. Those in Philadelphia had to go out from other congregations because of their faith. We are in a spiritual warfare, if Satan can't entice you to live a life of sin, or to waste your life pursuing vain goals, then he will bind you so that you cannot have a work of faith.

15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

We have an ox or an ass to do work on the farm. This woman could be doing a powerful work for the Lord, instead she has been bound for 18 years.

16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

The Lord is saying that loosing her on the sabbath day wasn't simply accidental, it was appropriate. Being loosed from this bondage is how she can enter into the day of rest.

17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

This portion has a whole lot to do with the church age, but what does it have to do with the rapture? The church age began with the sabbath day being "the third rail", something you can't touch. Jesus touched it and showed he was the Lord of the Sabbath. His death and burial for the entire sabbath day was the fulfillment of the sabbath rest. He rose on the 8th day, the new creation, and all those who have been crucified with Christ can also rise with Him in the new creation. Then kosher food was a third rail you can't touch, and Peter touched it and showed that Jesus cleansed all food with His crucifixion. Then circumcision was the third rail you couldn't touch and Paul touched it and showed that the cross of Christ circumcises our heart and that is the true circumcision. Those were the three pillars of Judaism keeping the Jews bound and they were all touched by the cross of Christ, loosing us.

But the clergy laity system has tried to infiltrate the church and bring us into bondage again. "No one knows the day or the hour" is the new "sabbath rest". They teach "you can't know, so stop talking about it". Which is contrary to the word of God which says "you can't know so you must watch".

For example a night watchman does not know ahead of time the day and hour that the thief is coming. That is why you have a night watchman, to watch.

Likewise, a pregnant woman does not know ahead of time the day and hour the baby will be born. That is why you need to prepare ahead of time and watch.

And a farmer does not know ahead of time the day and hour the crops will be ripe, ready for harvest. That is why he must watch.

No one would rebuke a night watchman who was vigilant in watching, or a husband vigilant in being ready for when his wife is going to have the baby, or a farmer who is vigilant in determining the best time to harvest the crops. So then why are rulers in the church rebuking Christians who are vigilant in watching for the Lord's return?

 

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Luke 13:18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.

I used to go to a church that would put on this big Christmas play each year. They would write their own plays so it wasn't the same script. You might have 100 people involved in this production when you include the band and the choir and the audio visual team, the actors, the people doing set design and costume design, etc. They would also have animals in the sanctuary for the scene with the manger. This was an expensive production, and it was also a labor that involved a lot of time for a lot of members. They had a pastor who was in charge of this production. They justified all this because "this was an outreach to the community". They viewed it as an opportunity to preach the gospel and invite the community to the church.

Now I have been involved in campus ministry, I have been involved in evangelism in Taiwan as a ministry, and I have been involved in the Gideon ministry. So I have seen evangelism from a variety of different angles. I saw what this church did and I was there for 20 years, so I got a very comprehensive view of this approach. I was also involved in a different church that was very clear, they did not celebrate Christmas because it had been corrupted by pagan practices. They celebrated the Lord's incarnation but they were clear that he was not born on Christmas day.

The church with the Christmas play had a congregation of 2,000 though you would only see them packed out on New Year's eve. The church that didn't celebrate Christmas had a congregation of 200, but they were regulars and so you would see them each week.

Over a 20 year period I was not aware of any fruit from the Christmas play or any growth in the congregation over the twenty year span. As for the church with 200 over a twenty year period they went from a small local church in a part of L.A. to over 200 churches nationwide with total membership in the US over 20,000. In my opinion from my observation that Christmas play was the most expensive waste of time as a tool for gospel outreach. However, it did allow for people who wanted to be involved in drama to have jobs.

I think a church is supposed to be a small herb, a congregation of 50 to begin with and grow to 200 at which point you should have fifty who can go and start a new congregation. I think the church with 2,000 "members" is the "great tree" that Jesus is referring to. Rather than being a mustard plant that repels the birds of the air, it is a tree that gives them a place to lodge.

20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

They did this with the prosperity gospel. They tried to hide the leaven in the word of God to justify these "tele Evangelists" with their mansions and private planes. Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons are more examples of leaven hid in the word of God. The sneakiest example is the "Once Saved Always Saved" doctrine. They use the word of God and sure enough there is justification to claim the assurance of salvation. But there is no justification for teaching that believers can partake in idolatry and fornication. Our assurance of salvation is our covenant with the Lord. It is a marriage covenant. If you break a marriage covenant by committing fornication you no longer have the assurance of that covenant. Your spouse can divorce you and with deadly diseases being transmitted by sexual contact it would be advisable to treat fornication by a spouse very seriously. The picture is not that they are giving you pure poison, or that there is no truth in what they say. The three measures of meal depict the word of God. For example, a counterfeit bill does not need to look like monopoly money to be counterfeit. It can look exactly like the real thing, feel like the real thing, etc. It just needs to be 1% wrong to be counterfeit. So even if a church is teaching 99% truth they can still be hiding 1% leaven in that truth.

So then, God is omniscient, He is omnipotent, why does He allow the kingdom of God, the church, to be like this? God searches the hearts of man. Think how easy it would be to simply go to church a few hours each week and think "that is my ticket to heaven". There are over 160 hours in a week, if you give the Lord 3 hours, that is like giving him 2% of your time. The Lord is not interested in a Bride who gives him 2% of her time.

 

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This is a very exclusive event. To be able to enter into the wedding feast of the Lord is a very big deal. Anyone who takes this for granted is a fool.

Luke 13:22 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

If you read this chapter your question should be "are there few that be saved?" Notice that Jesus doesn't actually answer that question. This chapter shows us people living in sin, people pursuing vain pursuits, people who are in church but it is a monstrous version of a church, people who do eat the word of God but it has been adulterated.

However, asking "are there few that be saved" is the wrong question. The term salvation is far too generic. The real question is "are there few that will be able to enter in at the rapture?" That is a very specific question that is far more relevant than eternal salvation. Globally would you say that the majority of people are seeking to enter into heaven at the rapture? I doubt it. I would think in most countries this is a small minority. I'm not counting anyone who might think they have a ticket to heaven. The question is very specific, how many people are "seeking to enter into heaven"? Some would say that is "salvation by works" and a heresy. That is another false doctrine that is taught. Yes, we are not saved by works. But I am not equating "entering in" with salvation by grace. Salvation by grace is when you were redeemed, purchased, by the Lord. Imagine God is having a big banquet and purchases things for that wedding feast. But then when they bring them home they discover some are not suitable for the wedding feast. Yes, they were purchased by the Lord but that does not guarantee they enter into the wedding feast. I have almost got 17,000 posts on this blog and perhaps the biggest topic we have covered is what the Bible says about who enters in and why. So I am not going to repeat all that now. But clearly it is a narrow gate that you must enter in by. You need to repent of your sins, you need to forgive others of their sins, you need to be merciful, you need to be a good and faithful servant that knows the Lord Jesus and whom the Lord Jesus would testify that He knows you.

Now among those who are seeking to enter in many shall not be able. This is a very exclusive event. To be able to enter into the wedding feast of the Lord is a very big deal. Anyone who takes this for granted is a fool.

25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

This is said to believers who have attended church, listened to preachers, and thought they were going to be able to enter into the wedding feast.

28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

This is spoken to those who know Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This isn't spoken to unbelievers.

29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

 

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A Dark Day Has Arrived 8-28-26@3:11 PM Shared 8-31-26​

 

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Luke 13:31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

"The Same day", this is said right after telling us about believers who were locked out of the wedding. It is. a picture of the rapture and those who are left behind and now we learn "the same day" Herod the king, a type of the Antichrist is now seeking to kill Jesus. The Body of Christ includes all believers. This is why the term "salvation" was too generic. Jesus didn't say "strive to be saved". He said "strive that you may be able to enter in". Jesus is the one that redeemed us, it was not of ourselves. Think of the redemption as being chosen to be part of the Lord's team. An NFL team may draft many players, they can have as many as 93 players at training camp. But by the start of the season that number has to be down to 53. You have to strive to be one of the 53. Now just because you are cut doesn't mean you can't continue to train and make the team next year. During the football season a lot of people will get injured, so you might be able to make it on any of the other teams. 44% of NFL players miss games each season due to injuries. That means the odds are very good that players who got cut during training season will make a team later in the season.

32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Now this is very interesting, Jesus was in the tomb for three days, but He went into the tomb right before the first day ended and He rose from the dead early in the morning on the third day. But being resurrected from the dead aligns with being perfected. In Hosea it also talks about two days and three days in Hosea 6. The two thousand years of the church age is likened to two days. So this seems like Jesus is referring to the church age, which is two days, two thousand years and then the third day is the millennial reign. There is a very destructive teaching that says no one is raptured before "the tribulation" because the New Testament says we must go through tribulation. That is a really stupid doctrine. First, how about all the Christian martyrs during the church age, are they saying they didn't go through tribulation? The reason we call it "the tribulation" is because Jesus said at that time there will be worse tribulation than in all human history. That doesn't mean that Christians prior to that seven year period didn't go through tribulation. The New Testament is really clear, the dead in Christ rise first. Based on that doctrine the dead in Christ can't rise first because they didn't go through "the tribulation". So basically an idiotic teaching for those who don't know the word of God. Instead this word from Jesus indicates that during the entire church age the ruler of this age will hate Christians and want to kill them. It also likens the entire church age to the time Jesus spent in the tomb, we must be dead to ourselves so that we can live to Christ.

33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

Our concept of Jerusalem is very different from the Lord's. We see the headquarters of a true religion of God as a stronghold for those with faith, but the Lord sees it as a stronghold for those who would kill the prophets.

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

If this is a love story Jerusalem is the heart of stone of the woman that Jesus is trying to win.

35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Ever since 70 AD Jerusalem has been left desolate. Likewise think of that same process happening to Christians who are left behind after the rapture and the church buildings being destroyed. This is a love story and it is similar to the song where you remember what you had, and what you lost and what you had.

 

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O' Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Gog Arises 8-29-26@9:59 AM Shared 8-31-26

 

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Israel's Next Leader Could Fulfill Ancient END TIMES Prophecy​

 

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Luke 14:1 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. 2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

The modern term is "Edema" it is a build up of water due to the heart, or kidneys or liver not functioning properly.

3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? 4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;

This is a simple question, is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath day? The problem with bogus doctrines is they tie you up in a knot and you can't even answer simple questions. Imagine your doctrine of keeping the sabbath is so twisted that you are not permitted to do good or to heal on the sabbath day. For example, there are people who are so belligerent about "no one knows the day or hour" that you are not permitted to even talk about prophecies which are 25% of the Bible. They essentially forbid you from "watching" even though we were commanded again and again by Jesus to watch.

5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? 6 And they could not answer him again to these things.

How can they not answer this? If they are so legalistic about the sabbath you would think they would all immediately answer that they would not pull the ass or ox out. The problem is that pulling an ox out of the pit is not a one man job. It is quite likely that just recently several of them had worked together to pull some guys ass or ox out. So it doesn't say they held their peace, it says "they could not answer" because if they admitted that they all will do this they get condemned by these religious leaders who are hypocrites, and if they say they wouldn't everyone knows they are lying.

In the same way when you ask people about having a baby, did you know the day and hour your wife would go into labor ahead of time? Of course not. Did that mean you weren't supposed to watch for the signs? No, on the contrary it meant you needed to watch for the signs. Was it reasonable as the day approached that you would say "any day now"? Yes, of course it was.

 

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Luke 14:7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.

We have all been bidden to a wedding feast.

8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

When you are rebuking those who are watching and declaring to others what they have seen concerning the Lord's coming, you are seating yourself in a more honorable seat.

10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

Instead you should sit in the lowest room, the position of not being able to judge anyone else. Who are you to judge? You are not the one who decides what another man's servant should or should not be doing.

11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The people who sit in judgement of their brothers and sisters are exalting themselves. They are self appointed judges.

12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

Group speak is when everyone agrees with everyone, it is a form of mind control, and critical thinking goes out the door. On a public forum you are going to get those who come with every possible opinion. But on platforms like Facebook you can "oust" those who disagree until everyone in your little group is all in agreement. You will then lose all those different perspectives and fall into group speak.

13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

People want "Dr. So and So" or "Pastor So and So" to agree with them. So then they quote this person or that person, and by agreeing with them it is the next best thing. As a result you get this group think. In other words, you aren't actually using critical thinking, you are simply regurgitating what someone said and then attacking anyone who disagrees because who are you to disagree with the "great so and so"?

For example, I was taught by coworkers of Watchman Nee and almost all of the doctrine came straight from Watchman Nee. He taught that the Great Babylon was the Roman Catholic Church. In the 1930s I would have fully agreed with him. It was by far the best choice for a modern analog. The dollar was not king then. Washington DC did not rule over all the earth with their currency. The US did not sit on all seven continents with more foreign military bases than the UK, Russia and China combined. No one would say the merchants of the world would weep at the demise of the US, they weren't the biggest consumer nation. Nor would it be fair to say they had deceived the nations and forced them to drink the wine of Hollywood and multi national corporations.

You see I could look at the conclusion that Watchman Nee came up with and repeat "Great Babylon is the Vatican" or I could repeat the process that Watchman Nee went through in looking at every prophetic description and realize that the US is by far the only candidate that fits every single descriptor of the Great Babylon described in Revelation 18.

 

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Luke 14:15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

This is the key point of the chapter. Not blessed is he who is invited, but blessed is he who actually is able to enter in and eat bread in the kingdom of God. For example, consider Gideon. 32,000 were gathered to go fight the Midians but in the end it was reduced to 300 men. More than 31,000 were sent home. 22,000 were fearful and were sent home. Then out of 10,000 only 300 passed the test of water.

16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

Think of that battle with Midian as a great supper we have been invited to. When you are on a winning team the games are like a supper, and the better the competition, the greater is that supper.

17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

Why would "I have married a wife" be an excuse not to go to a great feast? I would think your wife would want to go with you to eat at the king's palace. But having married a wife in the last year was an excuse to not go to war. This is how kings prepare a great feast. When Gideon defeated the Midianites, they defeated 135,000 men. You get to spoil these men. Their armaments, the stuff in their tents, their rations, their animals. 300 men defeating 135,000 is a great feast.

21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

It used to be that knights were born of noble birth. It took a lot of money to arm and train a knight. Initially the "Lords" became lords by winning battles and defeating others. That was the path to becoming king. But over time they learned to let the peasants fight and get killed and even though they didn't actually fight they still are the ones who get the spoil. The Lord Jesus is not like that, He is the greater David. When David was in the wilderness he had a rag tag army of those not in Saul's army gather to him. That rag tag army didn't have the money that Saul's army had, but they became a very highly trained guerrilla force. The mighty men in David's army would compare favorably to Army rangers, Navy Seals and Japanese Ninjas. The picture here is that there are many Christians who are happy to "rule and reign" with the apostles without actually stepping into the battle. There is no greater feast than to fight shoulder to shoulder with others for an entire season and then enjoy the banquet at the end of an undefeated championship season.

25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

In my experience the things that tried to keep me from following the Lord absolutely were my family members, my friends, and my job. I had to make a choice between becoming very rich or being an evangelist. In one sense it is lonely, all those relationships get cut off. I don't mean that I don't see and talk to my family, I simply mean they have no control over my pursuing the Lord and they know it. You will discover that many of those you thought loved you and cared for you really only did that as long as they controlled you. The Lord is saying "you can't be His disciple as long as you are someone else's disciple".

27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

What do you think it means to bear the cross? If your thought is that you get to play the lead role in the Easter play, think again. It means you go outside the camp, bearing the Lord's shame.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

This reminds us of the beginning of this portion with the tower that fell on the 18 and killed them. Many of us were not saved out of some gross sinful lifestyle like those Galileans whose blood was mingled with their pagan sacrifices. Many of us had intended on doing a great work when we were called. Now a great work requires a great price to be paid. We were saved because we got the revelation that bringing in the kingdom was the greatest work that could be done. It was the one thing worth giving our life to. So it was no surprise to us that it also involved paying a great price.

29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

You see? That is why you want to make a crystal clear statement to all that know you and if that cuts the cords of your relationship so be it. Because all those people who tried to keep you from taking this way and giving yourself fully to the Lord will be the first ones to mock you if you backslide. There will be times you will want to quit so you have to know that all the mockers and just waiting for that to happen.

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

This is crucial. You need a revelation of Jesus Christ to see that He is the only king that can go against 135,000 with 300 men and win. Everyone else will throw in the towel if the odds are slightly not in their favor. You follow someone who you know is not going to quit on you. Everyone who watches the NFL is familiar with the Patriots victory over the Falcons in the Superbowl. But the thing that impressed me the most about that game was not what anyone on the Patriots did or said. It was what one player on the Falcons said. He was wearing a microphone and it was halfway through the 3rd quarter, the Falcons were leading 28-3 and to all reasonable estimation the game should have over. But this guy said to his teammate that it wasn't because of that guy over there, referring to Tom Brady. He knew that guy wasn't going to quit. After the game that is what the teammates also said. They hadn't thrown in the towel because they knew their quarterback wouldn't throw in the towel. That is what you want in a leader. Not a fool. Not someone who will cause you all to die needlessly. But someone who won't quit on you and knows how to take a group of 300 and defeat an army of 135,000.

32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

In other words you need to take a look at Jesus, carefully consider Him and if you do you will realize you will lose if you fight Him and you will win if you join Him.

34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

Anyone can be salty when they are winning, but how many are salty when they are losing 28-3?

35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke 13&version=KJV
There are many stories of people boasting too soon only to be put to shame. How many can stick with a battle, through thick and thin for thousands of years? That is where you see whether or not you are made out of faith, hope and love.

 

[ZNP]

The Feast of Trumpets begins the days of awe, ten days in which you are called to repent.

The first six trumpets in Revelation serve as an ultimate and final wake-up call to repentance.

1. The Work of Their Hands (Self-Reliance)

• What it means: A refusal to acknowledge God as Creator and Sovereign. Humanity chooses to worship its own achievements, technology, economic systems, and empires rather than bowing to the Divine.

2. Worshiping Demons and Idols

• What it means: Replacing God with false spiritual systems or material objects. John mockingly notes that they worshiped idols made of "gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk". In modern terms, this includes placing money, power, and pleasure above God.

3. Murders

• What it means: A complete disregard for human life. In the end-times landscape of Revelation, society has become brutalized, hyper-violent, and completely desensitized to the slaughter of others, particularly the persecution and martyrdom of faithful believers.

4. Sorceries (Pharmakeia)

• What it means: The Greek word used here is pharmakeia, which is the root word for modern pharmaceuticals. In the ancient world, it referred to the mixing of potions, drugs, and magical arts used to induce altered states of consciousness to connect with demonic deities. It represents spiritual deception and occult practices.

5. Sexual Immorality (Porneia)

• What it means: The Greek word porneia encompasses all forms of sexual activity outside of God’s intended design for marriage. It indicates a society that has completely abandoned sexual ethics, heavily commercializing and celebrating deviance.

6. Thefts

• What it means: Rampant dishonesty, lawlessness, and systemic greed. With the breakdown of divine morality, people routinely steal, exploit, and pillage from one another to survive or gain wealth.

The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent...
The first six trumpet plagues unfold as follows:

1. The First Trumpet: Destruction of Vegetation (the work of man's hand, the sacrifice that Cain made)

• The Plague: Hail and fire mixed with blood are hurled down upon the earth.
• The Impact: One-third of the earth is burned up, one-third of all trees are destroyed, and all green grass is burned.

2. The Second Trumpet: Destruction of the Oceans (the home of demons)

• The Plague: A massive object, described as "a huge mountain, all ablaze," is thrown into the sea.
• The Impact: One-third of the oceans turn into blood. One-third of all living sea creatures die, and one-third of all ships are destroyed.

3. The Third Trumpet: Poisoning of Fresh Water (polluted with the blood of those you murdered)

• The Plague: A great, blazing star named Wormwood falls from the sky onto the earth.
• The Impact: One-third of the world's rivers and freshwater springs turn bitter and toxic. Many people die from drinking the poisoned water.

4. The Fourth Trumpet: Cosmic Darkness (an altered state of consciousness connecting with demonic realities)

• The Plague: A strike hits the celestial bodies—the sun, moon, and stars.
• The Impact: One-third of their light is completely blotted out. This causes a third of the day and a third of the night to be plunged into absolute darkness, disrupting the natural calendar and climate.

---

The "Three Woes"
Before the next trumpet sounds, an eagle flies through midair crying, "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth," warning that the final three trumpets will target humans directly rather than just nature.

5. The Fifth Trumpet (The First Woe): Demonic Locusts (sexual perversion similar to being devoured by locusts)

• The Plague: The abyss is opened, and a thick smoke pours out, releasing a swarm of supernatural, demonic locusts led by a king named Abaddon (or Apollyon). They have faces like men, hair like women, teeth like lions, and stings like scorpions.
• The Impact: They are forbidden from harming nature. Instead, they are commanded to torture unrepentant humans for five months. The sting is so agonizing that people will actively long for death, but death will elude them.

6. The Sixth Trumpet (The Second Woe): The Cavalry of Death (making spoil of the thieves)

• The Plague: Four powerful angels who were bound at the Euphrates River are released to mobilize a terrifying, supernatural army of 200 million mounted troops. Their horses breathe fire, smoke, and sulfur, and their tails are like venomous snakes.
• The Impact: Unlike the previous plagues which only caused suffering, this army is sent to kill. They successfully wipe out one-third of all remaining mankind through the plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur.

The seventh trumpet is the declaration of God's kingdom and the eviction notice to those who don't belong.

 

[ZNP]

This answers the question about thet ten virgins, which were the five wise and which were the five foolish if you are likening the ten virgins to ten years?

Venus connect and testimony on Childbirth -idiom and Rapture in September 2026!​