Preach The Fulness Of Salvation

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost: Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; Titus 3:5-6

Our Father has given us the Holy Spirit abundantly! We are now heirs with Jesus. We are now saved. We are now God’s children. We are now perfect. We are now pure. We are now sanctified. We are now holy and we can go on and on about the power that we now have through Christ. We all talk about Jesus, and we should, we absolutely should praise Him, glorify Him, thank Him, worship and honor Him, it’s all because of Him. But when we think of His absolute glory and power, we have to remember that He gave us all of it and has made us one with it as well. Jesus held nothing back from us. We have the complete fullness of God just as Jesus does. We are one with Jesus and the only reason that we are alive is because He is alive within us. It can be no other way; we are what Jesus is. We are born of the same seed, we are anointed with the same anointing, we have the same Spirit, and praise God we are heirs with Him! He is our Vine that produces much fruit through us!

People are hurting, they are scared, confused, sick, angry, and they need to know that our Father is ready, willing, and able to do all things for them. Religion is not working for the world! Too often we shy away from talking about the Holy Spirit being one with us. Religion believes that it sounds too far-fetched. We are told to be cautious. The fear being that if we talk like this people may be turned off. My God, they need to hear it, they don't need some watered down version of salvation, they need to hear it as God's Word proclaims it!

What will do more damage, telling it like our Father tells it or watering down the message, giving just enough Truth to tickle the ear? Our Father says that He will spew the lukewarm ones out of His mouth, Revelation 3:15. Look how Jesus talked to the people, they did not have the Holy Ghost, and they had never seen or heard anything like what He was saying. Jesus never watered down anything. They wanted to throw Him over a cliff for what He was teaching. So why is there now so much concern over running people off with the absolute Truth? Wolves in sheep’s clothing, having a form of godliness, but denying the power of it, ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the Truth is why!

Religion has failed, our Father has not. We have been empowered to talk as our Father talks; because His Word is alive within us! God’s Word will not fall void to the earth. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the Word will still be. So if our Father said we are justified it’s so. If God said perfect, preserved, heirs, glorified, and sanctified, regardless of what we think, these verses are Truth and they will set us free.

For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren. Hebrews 2:11

We Now Have Jesus' Full Power

And you who were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your sensuality, your sinful carnal nature), [God] brought to life together with [Christ], having [freely] forgiven us all our transgressions, Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross. [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross]. Colossians 2:13-15

The power of Jesus’ salvation for us is that all of the do’s and don’ts of the Old Law, the things that we should do to live right, can now be fully achieved and actually walked in by us. Because it is now our Father within us Who is doing His works of righteousness and faith. We now have the same power working within us that Jesus has. It is our Father within Jesus doing His works, the Two are always One, and we also are always no one with Them.

It was our Father Who empowered Jesus to accomplish everything that was needed to save us, and we now have the same power of God within us! Jesus walked perfectly because He was God, and because of Jesus, we too are now one with God! I really hope you see this Truth: our Father fully equipped Jesus with all of Himself. His intention for doing this was so that through Jesus we too may be fully equipped with all of His fullness. We are now members of Jesus body, we are one with His flesh, and we are bone of His bone! We are now one with our Lord, so as He is, so are we in this world, because greater is He that is within us, than he that is in the world!

Our hope is that our Father will use us to forgive sin, heal the sick, miraculously feed the hungry, raise the dead, and love perfectly. Everything that we worship Jesus for, all of His Glory, all of His Grace, and all of His Love are now fully functioning within us.

In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17

Our Bodies Have Been Washed With Pure Water

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;) Hebrews 10:22-23

This Truth is something that I want you to take notice of and really hold on to, the Truth that our bodies, our flesh, have been washed with pure water. Our flesh has been cleansed by Jesus’ sacrifice, not just our spirits. The Blood of Jesus is so powerful that it has saved our entire person. The power of the cross and the sacrifice of Jesus saved our spirits, our souls, and even saved our bodies, whether they are in the form they are now, or the form they will be in eternity.

For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. Ephesians 5:30

Think about it, when Jesus was here on the earth, manifested as a man, He was constantly dealing with fleshly woes. Our Father clearly knows and understands that we have problems with our flesh, so it only makes sense that He would do something about it. What kind of Father would keep allowing his kids to suffer at something that He had the solution to? Our Father had the solution because He equipped Jesus with it; Jesus was able to overcome the flesh by the power of God that He was one with. Jesus was perfect because God’s Spirit birthed Him, He was One with it, and we are now born again of that very Spirit, so that we too may be one with Him.

And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. John 17:17

For both He Who sanctifies [making men holy] and those who are sanctified all have one [Father]. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren; Hebrews 2:11

The Grammy's And Same Sex Marriage

So also [it was the same] as it was in the days of Lot. [People] ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; Luke 17:28

I was approached yesterday by people all upset that there was a Wedding Ceremony on the Grammy Awards that featured many same sex couples. Actually, I have been approached a lot lately by people who are upset over the direction that society seems to be going when it comes to homosexuality and especially when it comes to the acceptance and legalization of same sex marriages. This societal change should not come as any surprise to us. Jesus plainly tells us that before He returns it will be as it was in the days of Lot. And during the days of Lot homosexuality was a very common and socially accepted lifestyle.

But before they lay down, the men of the city of Sodom, both young and old, all the men from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said, Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know (be intimate with) them. Genesis 19:4-5

So the question is: as Christians what are we to do about it? Are we to protest? Have rallies against these people and the practice? Publically scorn those who support it? Condemn those involved? Shun them? Try to pass laws? Recall the politicians that allow it? Or, are we to love them?

But then Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God’s unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and super abounded, Romans 5:20

According to the Bible these people are wrong, Romans 1:27. So what? We are all wrong with something.

For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all [alike]. Romans 11:32

As Christians we have been given a great gift and that gift is the ability to intercede for those who are wrong. We have been given a heart that desires mercy towards all, regardless of their lifestyles.  

[Now having received the Holy Spirit, and being led and directed by Him] if you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained. John 20:23

The Holy Spirit allows us and empowers us to forgive sin, regardless of if the person wants it, asks for it, or believes that they need it. We can look at Jesus on the Cross and see that this is true. No one at the crucifixion wanted or believed that they needed forgiveness for supporting Jesus’ death. Yet they all received forgiveness in spite of themselves. So instead of being mad at the people who support or participate in homosexuality, intercede for them. Stand in the gap for them. Pray for them, even if they are condemning us. Bless them, even if they are cursing us. So what if this sin seems to be abounding, our Father’s Grace, which is freely flowing through us, super abounds it.

Look at religion. There are thousands of preachers around the world telling people that homosexuality is wrong. These preachers have television shows, radio shows, and books that go to great lengths to point it out. Yet I have rarely, if ever, heard these same preachers spending any real length of time interceding for those who they so readily condemn and judge. I have never heard a preacher stand up and declare that these people are forgiven because our Father has allowed us to freely give such a great and wonderful gift. We have that gift, so give it freely and abundantly.

 

 

 

 

Complete Liberty Through Christ

So speak and so act as [people should] who are to be judged under the law of liberty [the moral instruction given by Christ, especially about love]. James 2:12

Through the power of Christ, greatness has been freely bestowed on us. Our Father has placed His laws on our hearts and in our minds, and He remembers our sins no more. We have been freely given the mind of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and God’s Laws are now on our minds and they are in our hearts, you see where I am going? Our Father tells us that He remembers our sins no more. This is His New Testament Law of Liberty, this is why Jesus came and allowed Himself to be offered on the Cross! We are now under the Law of Grace, which means we have gained favor with God, apart from any of our own works. Our righteousness is based on Jesus’ works, not on our keeping ordinances and commandments. The Law of Liberty proclaims that Jesus has paid the price in full; this is what our Father has placed in our hearts and in our minds, the Law of Liberty through Jesus Christ, which is Grace! The Law of Love, which encompasses every other commandment, has been placed permanently in our hearts by God Himself.

Our Father has also enacted the Law of Forgiveness under the New Covenant, and that Law is now in our hearts and on our minds as well. The Law of Forgiveness governs our Father, it is His desire, and it is Jesus’ desire; think of the price that He paid to obtain us. Remember how David wrote that blessed is the man whom God never counts his sin against him, Romans 4:7? Well that is you and I in Christ! This is now in our minds, this is in our hearts, it has been born into us, it’s part of our Godly DNA. It may not be mature in all of us, but it’s in every saved person, and faith, or maturity, comes from hearing the Word. We should be as our Father is in this world and if He doesn’t remember our sin, than we shouldn’t remember our sin. As far as the East is from the West, so far should our sins be removed into the sea of forgetfulness! The Law of Grace, that is now within us, allows us to freely forgive all others their sins as well.

The Law on our mind and in our hearts tells us that we are sanctified wholly only because of Jesus. The Law of Liberty tells us that Jesus preserves our whole spirit, soul, and body blameless until the day He returns, 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The Law of Liberty on our minds proclaims that we now have boldness and access to the holiest through the Blood of Christ, 1 John 5:14! The Law in our hearts cries out that we have been washed in pure water and that our evil consciences are done away with and we have full assurance of this because Jesus is faithful to do it, Hebrews 10:22! The Law within us teaches that we are sanctified and when any human or devil tries to bring condemnation on us, the Law of Liberty in Christ Jesus decrees that there is now no condemnation for us, Romans 8:1. Grace has won and we know that we can boldly enter the Holiest God has, because Jesus has given us free access to it. And not only do we have access to our Father's Holiest, which is great in and of itself, we also know that we can boldly enter the Holiest because our Father wants us to. God wants us to be in the Holiest with Him. How awesome is that?

The Blood Of Jesus Is What Makes Us Perfect

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory forever and ever. A-men. Hebrews 13:20-21

The God that bore our Lord and Savior Jesus from a virgin, the God Who came from nowhere, Who stood on nothing, and spoke and everything came into existence, the God Who delivered Jesus from the pits of Hades, the same God, with all of the same power, has made you and I perfect through the Blood of Christ! To see the Truth, look at what the Bible teaches us, do not look at religion, look at the Word of our Father. The Truth that sets us free is that our Father has made us perfect in every good work by the everlasting Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Every work that is pleasing to God, through the power of the Blood of Christ, He has made us perfect in that work! Our Father is working in us because of Jesus’ Blood. God, the Creator of all, is working within us, A-men God is working in us!

Jesus came and He perfectly did that which was pleasing to God. Jesus never once failed at anything. Every task and every work that was needed to secure our salvation, Jesus completed through the power of God that was perfectly within Him! Yet Jesus said that He was not good.

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? None is good, save One, that is, God. Luke 18:19

Did Jesus lie? Our Savior said that only our Father was good, and our Savior also said that it was God within Him Who did all of the works.

Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? What I am telling you I do not say on My own authority and of My own accord; but the Father Who lives continually in Me does the (His) works (His own miracles, deeds of power). John 14:10

Jesus said these things and accomplished all things in the same way that we do, because of God’s fullness that is now within us! Our Father uses the Blood of Christ to make us perfect. He uses His Spirit to empower us, just as His Spirit empowered Jesus; our Father does it all. Faith comes from hearing the Truth and the Truth sets us free! And the Truth is that the Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus has made all who have been chosen by God and empowered by His Spirit to be perfect!

Jesus' Blood Sanctifies Us

Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Hebrews 13:12 

The Blood of Jesus allows our Father to sanctify us. The Greek word for sanctified is, Hagiazo, Strong’s Concordance Number 37, it means:

to render or acknowledge, or to be venerable or hallow

to separate from profane things and dedicate to God

consecrate things to God

dedicate people to God

to purify

to cleanse externally

to purify by expiation: free from the guilt of sin

to purify internally by renewing of the soul

We have studied this Truth before  about our sanctification, but it so important that I want to revisit it today. Because of the Blood of Christ we are now hallowed, we are now separated from profane things, we are now consecrated to our Father. We are now cleansed externally and internally, and we are now free from the guilt of sin! The Blood of our Lord and Savior, of our Friend, of our Head, our Shepherd Jesus, has made us all of these things and His Blood has allowed our Father to perfect us. Jesus' Blood has allowed God to perform every good work through us and to do that which is pleasing to Him. We have been redeemed with the very Blood of God and His Blood is powerful stuff!

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; 1 Peter 1:18-19

The Mark Of The Beast VI

So that no one will have power to buy or sell unless he bears the stamp (mark, inscription), [that is] the name of the beast or the number of his name. Revelation 13:7

Then another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a mighty voice, Whoever pays homage to the beast and his statue and permits the [beast’s] stamp (mark, inscription) to be put on his forehead or on his hand, Revelation 14:9

And the beast was seized and overpowered, and with him the false prophet who in his presence had worked wonders and performed miracles by which he led astray those who had accepted or permitted to be placed upon them the stamp (mark) of the beast and those who paid homage and gave divine honors to his statue. Both of them were hurled alive into the fiery lake that burns and blazes with brimstone. Revelation 19:20

We have studied a lot about the mark of the beast and the end times over the last several days. Here we see that if we take the mark of the beast we are instantly damned. So it is a very bad thing for us if we take the mark. Here is what is interesting regarding the mark of the beast: our Father never tells us what the mark is? We are told that it is unforgivable, yet God doesn’t let us know any specifics about exactly what it is, why? It’s just like blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, we are told that it also is unforgivable, yet we are never shown in scripture exactly what it is either. These things are so dangerous and yet there are no scriptures that clearly define what the acts are. People guess what they are all of the time, but there is no specific scriptural Truth to let us know exactly. Why?

The reason is Jesus spoke in parables and the disciples asked Him why. He told them because the Truth was not for everyone, only for the chosen. So here is what I think, and there are no scriptures to tell us, so this is just what I think. Humans cannot commit these two sins. I think that if we could, then they would be unforgivable, but I don’t think that we can. I think if there was a sin that we could commit that would separate us from our Father, He would define the daylights out of it for us.

So it is a Truth that if we could commit them, then we would be damned, but the greater Truth is that we can’t. It’s like saying a person could move the earth if they had a big enough lever and a place to stand, that is the Truth, but it can’t happen. So these things are parables and the Holy Spirit gives us a peace with this. I honestly believe that these sins can only be committed by the fallen angels who have been cast down to the earth and that is why they are fallen. If humans could commit these sins, our Father would specifically define them and spell them out for us. Also notice how the ones who commit these sins are instantly cast into the Lake of Fire when Jesus returns. They do not go to Hades to wait judgment, they are instantly destroyed. This is not how our Father tells us that He deals with men. Men who are not the Bride are sent to Hades after death, not the Lake of Fire. 

The Mark Of The Beast V

I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. John 14:12

Jesus teaches us in John 14:12 that we will be used by our Father to do greater works than He used Jesus to do. Yet we never read in the Bible of our Father using anyone to do greater works than He used Jesus for. We don’t see anyone being used now and I have never even heard of anyone in History who has been used to do greater works then Jesus. But yet, Jesus says that we will be used in such a powerful way by our Father.

In Ephesians 5:27 the Holy Spirit teaches us that the end time church will be glorious, without spot, wrinkle, or blemish. And all throughout the Book of Revelation Jesus shows John that there will be mighty ministries who our Father uses to proclaim the Truth to the entire world: Revelation 18:1, Revelation 14:6, Revelation 14:9, Revelation 11:6, and Revelation 14:1. We are shown that at the time of the Great Tribulation will be when the body of Christ is at its most powerful. This is the time when the Gospel will be preached to the whole world and then the end will come.

And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end. Matthew 24:1

We will not have the mark of the beast and yet we will be stronger than those who do have it! The mark of the beast is a real thing, but as we have seen over the last several days, it is not a thing that we have to fear or even take thought for. Our Father is always greater in us then anything that is in this world and He will continue that power during the Great Tribulation.

The Mark Of The Beast IV

For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently. 1 Corinthians 10:13

The Truth is that we are never asked or required by our Father to endure more than we have been anointed by Him to endure. Our Fathers strength is made perfect in our weakness and during this time of Great Tribulation our Fathers strength will be perfect within us, because we will have no part at all in the world’s system. Worldly speaking, we will be weak, weak as sheep being led to the slaughter; but not really, we will actually be more than conquerors through Christ Who loves us! There will be no jobs for us. There will be no selling for us and no buying, and yet we will be miraculously being used by our Father to give food and supplies to those in need! We will be killed for being used, but we will not suffer! Our Father will anoint us just as He did Stephen. The world will see our Father's glory through us, even if it is in our death. 

Now ask yourself this question, why would we be killed by the forces of the anti-christ, if by not taking the mark of the beast was actually working to stop us from witnessing of the power and glory of our Father? The governments of the world during the end times will say that we cannot buy or sell. The businesses of the world will be in full compliance and yet the Body of Christ will still be a threat to them. We will be a threat because we will be being used by our Father to give food to those in need, even when a measure of wheat will cost a whole day’s wages. Wages will have no meaning to us whatsoever. We will still be giving water, when a 1/3rd of the earth’s fresh water has been turned into wormwood. Just think of how much water will cost during these 3 ½ years. We will still be giving to those in need when all of the earth’s green grass has withered. A 1/3rd of the Sun will be darkened during these 3 ½ years, millions of people will have been killed or will have died. Wars will be raging, demonic attacks will be abounding, men will want to die but can’t, and we will be miraculously giving through the power of the Holy Spirit! Even though the best satan has to offer, the most powerful tool that satan will ever have, will boldly and arrogantly say that we cannot do it. We will still be used by our Father to miraculously give to those in need! Not taking the mark of the beast will actually allow us to have and give, when those who do take it will be starving and desiring death and not finding it!

The Mark Of The Beast III

For God has not appointed us to [incur His] wrath [He did not select us to condemn us], but [that we might] obtain [His] salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) 1 Thessalonians 5:9

The next Truth to remember about the mark of the beast is that all who take the mark are going to receive the wrath of our Father, and we have not been appointed unto our Fathers wrath. So everything that we read about in Revelation, the plagues, the wars, the hunger, the demonic attacks, and the destruction, which are all our Father's wrath, are not for us. These things will never touch us, just as the plagues, diseases, and destruction from our Father towards Pharaoh never touched the Israelites at the end of their captivity in Egypt.

The Truth however is that many of us will be killed by the forces of the anti-christ and false prophet during the Great Tribulation. A great many of us will be killed! But that is alright, Stephen was killed for being used by our Father and as he was being stoned the Holy Spirit caused Him to shine like the Sun as he forgave those who were doing it. Jesus was killed for the Truth’s sake and He cried out for the forgiveness of those who were doing it to Him. Paul was stoned, beaten, and imprisoned for the Truth and the Holy Spirit caused Him to count it as all glory! John and Peter were beaten and they were empowered by the Spirit to rejoice for the honor of it. The Body of Christ has always been killed for the Truth’s sake and we will be killed during the Great Tribulation as well. But we will not endure any of the wrath of our Father during this time, not one little bit of it. So the plagues, diseases, famines, wars, natural disasters, water shortages, and demonic attacks will never be felt by the true children of God during the Great Tribulation.

But the woman was supplied with the two wings of a giant eagle, so that she might fly from the presence of the serpent into the desert (wilderness), to the retreat where she is to be kept safe and fed for a time, and times, and half a time (three and one-half years, or 1,260 days). Revelation 12:14

The mark of the beast brings our Father’s wrath and we are free from His wrath. So during the last 3 1/2 years of this age of the earth we will be used miraculously and powerfully to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to every nation, tribe, and tongue. 

The Mark Of The Beast Part II

You also must be ready therefore, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him. Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time? Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is that servant whom, when his master comes, he will find so doing. Matthew 24:44-46

The Truth is that when Jesus returns to the earth, His blessed and faithful servants, those who have been empowered by the Holy Spirit, will be providing food and supplies to those in need. We will be doing this even though we will not have the Mark of the Beast, meaning we will not be able to buy or sell what we are giving. Our Father will have to miraculously empower us and put us in charge of this task! So there is no fear of not being able to buy or sell. 

To have faith in this Truth, think for a moment of when Jesus was here 2000 years ago. Thousands were in the wilderness with Him, they were hungry and tired, and Jesus took a couple fish and a couple loaves of bread, asked our Father to bless them, and fed each and every one of thousands until they were full. Not only were the thousands full, they had basketfuls of food left over. Jesus didn’t have to buy or sell and yet our Father used Him to feed those in need. We are also shown that Jesus was at a party that ran out of wine and He didn’t have to buy or sell anything to miraculously provide more wine. When it was time for Jesus to pay His taxes, He didn’t have to buy or sell to provide His and Peter’s taxes. Jesus simply told Peter to get the money they needed from a fishes mouth, Matthew 17:27. The Truth is that Jesus wasn’t a big buy and sell guy and He will cause us to be the same way!

I really don’t believe that we will be able to feed those in need during the tribulation because we have stored up huge amounts of food either. For one thing, if we had any supply at all, the anti-christ and false prophet’s forces would instantly seize them from us. Even if you will have a gun, they will have more guns. So to fulfill Jesus’ Word, our Father will have to miraculously use us to supply food to those in need. Our Father will use us just as He miraculously used Jesus to supply food, wine, taxes, weather changes, and healing's. So the mark of the beast and the power it will supposedly hold will not hinder our Father from using us to help the world. 

The Mark Of The Beast

So that no one will have power to buy or sell unless he bears the stamp (mark, inscription), [that is] the name of the beast or the number of his name. Revelation 13:17

Then another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a mighty voice, Whoever pays homage to the beast and his statue and permits the [beast's] stamp (mark, inscription) to be put on his forehead or on his hand, He too shall [have to] drink of the wine of God's indignation and wrath, poured undiluted into the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Revelation 14:9-10

Now if you are anything like me, when I heard of the mark of the beast, 666, I was always freaked out about it. I feared that if we took the mark, we were doomed to hell, and if we didn’t take the mark, we weren’t going to be able to buy or sell anything. When I heard this preached, I would think that not only couldn’t we buy food, clothing, electricity, or gasoline, but we also couldn’t buy little things like toothpaste, paper towels, or toilet paper. I would also think that in all likelihood we would be killed by the ant-christ’s forces for our disobedience. It just wasn’t something that I enjoyed hearing about. I mean I would put on a brave face and say that God will empower us, but inside I was very scared to say the least when I thought about it.

But the Holy Spirit really has been sharing with me over the last several years the glory of the Great Tribulation period for the church. Yes, I did say the glory of it!

Rejoice (celebrate) over her, O heaven! O saints (people of God) and apostles and prophets, because God has executed vengeance for you upon her! Revelation 18:20

According to our Father we should rejoice in the Truth that the evil of this world will be destroyed during this time for our behalf. During the greatest time of tribulation that the world will ever see, we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to rejoice. I have to be honest, I never really felt like rejoicing over it. Sure we are told that evil will be destroyed, but this is going to be one messed up time, worldly speaking! But the Truth will set us free from false teaching, beliefs, and fears. Over the next several days we are going to study what the Bible teaches us regarding the Truth about the mark of the beast.

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

There Is A Hell

Then the king said to the attendants, Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Matthew 22:13

There will be those whose names will not be in the Book of Life and they will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Lately I have heard a lot of people saying and teaching that there is not a Hell. However, the Bible clearly teaches us that there is a Hell. But remember in this parable of the Wedding Feast, Jesus only mentions a very small amount of people, actually only one, who will be cast out of the very full Wedding Supper of the Lamb. The glorious Truth is that far more people will be left on the earth as the guests of the Bride, then will be cast into Hell. There is also another glorious Truth, those who are cast into Hell will consume away as smoke and there will not even be a coal of fire left of them to warm yourself by, Psalm 37:20, Malachi 4:1, and Isaiah 47:14.

And if anyone's [name] was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15

Why is this Truth glorious, because the people who are cast into the Lake of Fire will simply cease to be, they will not suffer eternally as I was taught as a child. Let’s look at 2 Thessalonians 1:9.

Such people will pay the penalty and suffer the punishment of everlasting ruin (destruction and perdition) and eternal exclusion and banishment from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

The Holy Spirit teaches us that these people will be cast out of the presence, glory, and power of our Lord. Think about that, isn't our Father omnipotent? So He is everywhere. Isn't it also the Truth that all things exist by Him for Him and through Him, Colossians 1:16? So the only way to be out of His presence is to not be at all. There is a Hell and we know for sure that at least one person will be cast into it and when he is, he will simply cease to be. He will cease to be just like death and Hades will cease to be when they are cast into the Lake of Fire.

I hope that it is just one person as Jesus taught in this parable of the Marriage Supper. It is my earnest prayer that only one person will ever commit Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and that the rest of humanity will be able to be forgiven. We may not all be Jesus' Bride, but amen, let's have a huge wedding and have billions upon billions of guests!

We Now Have Jesus' Full Power

And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked. 1 John 2:3-6

Our Father proclaims that we are to walk as Jesus walked. That sounds tuff, but it’s not really that hard, when we consider the Truth.

I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:11 For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. Ephesians 5:30

If these verses are true, we can't help but to walk like Jesus? There is a freedom here in our Father's Truth that is not being fully enjoyed by the Church. Our Father has provided a rest for us from our own works and we need to talk about it, because faith will come that will set the captives free! The yoke of walking as Jesus walked is easy, it’s easy because our faith is now Authored and Finished by Jesus alone. It is the King of Kings Who is alive within us and He causes us to walk as He walks! So the Truth is that we cannot help but to walk like Jesus, because He will never allow us to fall short. Jesus' strength will constantly keep us.  

Our Father has really been showing me that we too often preach against the symptoms and not the problem. We look at someone who may be struggling with sin and we preach against that particular sin. When in reality, the problem is that the person does not know that they have our Father in their life to keep them from the uncleanness. The symptom may be cured, but if the problem isn’t fixed and the union with God accepted, another sin will arise.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Luke 11:24-26

So many of us believe that we will struggle with human weakness until Jesus returns, but from the Truth’s of God that we have studied, we can see that this kind of thinking is false. Our Father said that He would keep us; and man, if God keeps us, we are kept! Through Christ, Who we are now one with, we have God’s perfect love, we have access to the holiest, we have sanctification, glory, power, and eternal faith, hope, and love!

Righteousness Comes From Faith Not Works

For what reason? Because [they pursued it] not through faith, relying [instead] on the merit of their works [they did not depend on faith but on what they could do]. They have stumbled over the Stumbling Stone. As it is written, Behold I am laying in Zion a Stone that will make men stumble, a Rock that will make them fall; but he who believes in Him [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] shall not be put to shame nor be disappointed in his expectations. Romans 9:32-33

Whoever has been empowered by the Holy Spirit to believe in Jesus shall never be ashamed or disappointed! Thank God that we do not have to depend on our own works to obtain righteousness! We are no longer limited by the power of our humanity; the power that sin had over us has been removed and we have been set free to walk in the greatness of God. Jesus isn’t ashamed and we are now and forevermore one with Him! Our Father has given us Jesus, the best that He has, and Jesus has been made the righteousness of God for us! And through Jesus and through the power that He now exhibits through us, we will never be ashamed! Jesus causes us to succeed in every area of our lives. Jesus will never fail us and He will always allow our Father to triumph through us!

Jesus is completely dead to sin! The power that separated man from God, which is sin, was destroyed for us by Jesus at the Cross! Sin lost all effect and power over us because of the righteous Blood that Jesus shed for us! All of the forces of evil that attempted to overcome Jesus while He was here as a man, lost all of their abilities over Him when God raised Him from the dead!

Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Romans 6:9-10

Jesus is the righteous Stumbling-stone that our Father has laid in Sion! Man apart from Christ wants to earn his own righteousness and many stumble over the free grace of God that is Christ! Righteousness without Christ is sin to our Father! The Truth for life is this, it’s God’s way or it’s failure. Our Father wants us righteous and He gave us only one way to become righteous, and that way is Jesus! No work will do, it's all just a free gift from our Father and Jesus gives us the faith to accept it!

Through Christ We WIll Change Things

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,” Hebrews 6:1

Right now the faith of so many believers is that we will absolutely mess up, there is far more faith in the weakness of our humanity then on the strength of our Father. Too many believe that we can’t help but to fall short, but they believe that it is all right, because our Father will forgive us, because He said that we can repent. This belief is a beginning principle of Christ, let’s move on to perfection and maturity, let’s grow up and actually live with the Divine Nature of our Father. Let’s cease from our own works and actually enter into God’s rest and become all that He has provided for us to be. Through the Blood of Jesus we have been perfected unto every good work. Through the Blood of Jesus we have escaped corruption, we are now a royal priesthood that has been delivered into God’s glorious Light. We now have virtue by the Blood of Christ and as He is so are we in this world. The Truth is that we will be used by our Father to do the works that Jesus did and all of the other magnificent Truths that we have studied together! The Church needs to move on past the beginning principles of Christ and we need to move on to perfection, a glorious Church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish.

Through the power of Christ we can actually be a Church that changes things! So what if the Courts say that abortion is legal, our Father will shine through us and show all of those considering it that there is a better way. The Courts didn’t say that we have to have abortions, they said that we can have them. So let’s be as Jesus and give real answers to women, let’s give these answers in love, and through the virtue and power of uttermost salvation, change the hearts and minds of the world. If just two of us are empowered by the Holy Spirit to agree in the power of God’s love, it will happen.

Now here is the power: Jesus is the only way that we will have this power and success. We can’t do it, it has to be Him, and He is willing and He is able to. So let’s ask and receive, you know that you want all that Jesus has. 

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 18:19

God Empowers Us To Keep His Word

And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." 1 John 2:3-6

Do you know how it is that we can know that we are in God? Well, according to the Word, we will know that we are in God, when His love is perfected within us. Wow, how many will dare to say that God’s love is perfected within them? And do you know how we know that God’s love is perfected within us? When we keep His Word. Double wow! How many will even dare to think that they have been empowered by our Father to fully and completely keep our His Word? But let’s go on, and if we say that we abide in Jesus, then we should be walking as Jesus walked. Walk as Jesus? That's what the Holy Spirit had John write, walk as Jesus. These are not typical Sunday morning sermons are they? But, as we have discussed so many times before, wherever we read that we are required to do something in the Bible, we can find where our Father has said that He is the One doing it through us. So let’s see what we find concerning these requirements.

We are to keep God’s Word. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land I gave your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of your tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. Ezekiel 36:26-30

Ezekiel 36 gives us such an awesome Truth. God, our Father, is the One Who is keeping us from all uncleanness; God has saved us from ourselves! I don’t know about you, but that is cause for a great big A-men! Our Father is the One Who is causing us to keep His commandments and He is causing us to keep His Word. Our Father has given us a heart that desires to do this, and a heart and spirit that allows our Father to do it for us. Now, after reading these verses, ask yourself this, does our Father struggle with doing anything? So if it is God within us that is saving us from our uncleanness and it is God within us Who is causing us to live right, where is the struggle? There is none, because we are now more than conquerors through Christ Who loves us. And our Father can now do all things through us by the power of Christ that strengthens us! Christ has strengthened us with Himself so that we can now be the Temples of God and if we abide in Him and His Word abides within us, we can ask what we will and it shall be done, and herein is our Father glorified that we bare much fruit, and so are we His disciples! We can't help but keep our Father commandments, because He is the One causing us to keep them.

Jesus Alone Delivers Us

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. By Whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

If your experiences are any thing like mine when it comes to religion, you were taught that we are to keep ourselves from temptations and if we mess up, we only have ourselves to blame. Well, the Truth, the Truth that sets us free, is that is totally and completely wrong!  

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 2 Peter 2:9

It was preached to me so often, or heavily implied, that the major burden of our living appropriately was upon us. I heard countless sermons that said that we were expected to somehow manage to get life right through our own human efforts. Then if we were successful at living godly, our Father would reward us and bless us. But here we see the Truth that it is Jesus Who is the One Who knows how to deliver us from all temptations. We are plainly told by our Father that it is Jesus Who is the One Who ever lives to intercede for us and that Jesus is the One Who saves us to the uttermost. We rarely hear sermons that boldly proclaim that Jesus is the only One Who causes us to walk righteously. Yet the Truth is that Jesus is our only Shepherd and the Shepherd is responsible for the sheep; the sheep are not responsible for the sheep.

Think of it like this: the truth is that if a sheep leaves the flock there is a great chance that it will be killed or injured. It’s kind of a law of nature: stay and be blessed or leave and die! But the responsibility of the safety of the sheep falls on the shepherd and not on the sheep to fulfill the righteousness of this law! There are things that as Christians we have to do, yet it is the power of our Lord and Savior Jesus within us that causes us to do them; Jesus is our only Shepherd! When the Holy Spirit causes this hope to become real in the Church: that Jesus is the only One responsible for us, then Jesus will begin and finish the faith that will allow us to walk justified to the uttermost. Then through the faith of Christ, peace will come and the Church will really rejoice in the fullness of our Father's hope. We will then actually rejoice in the glory of God. We will experience the power of a life fully lived because we are saved to the uttermost, partakers of our Fathers Divine Nature, acting fully and completely with the Mind of Christ. Then we will truly be used to serve the world. 

Our Father has given us Himself and all other things that pertain unto life and godliness to enjoy, and He has given them richly to us. As long as people believe that it is with their own power that they keep themselves from temptation, then they will always live with some level of condemnation and failure. As long as people believe that faith is a human ability to believe God, they will never achieve the peace of God that passes all understanding. Faith is our Father's force working within man that allows the power of the Kingdom of Heaven to be realized and lived in! Hope in these Truths will never leave us ashamed and such hope will never disappoint us.

Jesus Allows Us To Rest

For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Hebrews 4:10

Our Father sent Jesus and the Blood that our Lord shed on the Cross for us has fully completed its work. Jesus' Blood has overcome the evil one and it has set us free, so now we have rest. Because of Jesus we can have peace, joy, hope, faith, love, and we can have all of these things richly and we can also richly enjoy them. We are a royal priesthood, a chosen generation, a peculiar people, and we are now in our Father's Light.

But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to say will be given you in that very hour and moment, For it is not you who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Matthew 10:19-20

One of the greatest fears in the world is publicly speaking. I have heard surveys that say people would rather die then publicly speak. Our Father knows this, so to insure that we have peace, He gave us the Holy Spirit and He know speaks through us.

For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] Romans 11:29

So many people are scared about loosing their salvation. They fret about what they think, do, eat, wear, and say. Our Father knows this too, so He gave us the peace that He never takes it back. Jesus has allowed us to enter rest, complete rest, spirit, soul, and body.

And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Have a great day in the Lord, He has done it all for us.