Don't Dance the Dirge

Saturday, December 24, 2011, 3:42 a.m. – The Lord woke me early this morning with the song, “Your Life,” playing in my mind. The beginning words were playing in my mind: “Set your hearts and minds on things up above…,” and then I heard in my mind, “We will not dance the dirge to (or for) any brother.” I recognized that part of this came from a passage of scripture, so I looked it up. It was from Matthew’s gospel, chapter 11 (NIV).

Jesus was speaking to the crowd about John the Baptist. Jesus said that John was a prophet, and one about whom this was written:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.”

Jesus then said that from the time of John the Baptist until the time in which Jesus was speaking, “the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it… And if you are willing to accept it, he” (John) “is the Elijah who was to come…” Then, Jesus continued by saying, “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

‘We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We sang a dirge,
And you did not mourn.’

“For John came neither eating or drinking, and they say ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.”’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions.”

Playing the flute, evidently, was a reference to weddings (according to a commentary I read), and a dirge is a funeral song; a song of mourning or lament (Encarta). This was evidently in reference to the ministries of Jesus and John, i.e. that the people wanted Jesus and John to be something other than who they were, and who they were called to be. The word “dance” has the connotation here of being asked to change one’s behavior, so when it says here, “You did not dance,” it means that you did not give in and change who you are. John and Jesus were both being criticized and rejected because of the way they lived. Yet, “wisdom is proved right by her actions,” i.e. in God’s providence these men were exactly who they were supposed to be, and doing precisely what they were predestined to do. Basically, the people did not like the messages Jesus and John were preaching, so they wanted them to change and become more like men, rather than obeying God the Father.

“Don’t Dance the Dirge” combines the two together and means basically that we are not to change who we are and who God made us to be in order to please men and to become who mankind thinks we should be, unless of course we are clearly sinning. Even if that man or woman is a brother or a sister in Christ, and he or she tries to convince us to be someone else, we will continue to be who God created us to be, and for the purpose he created us. The Lord taught this to me through many hard knocks over the years of my life. When I was much younger, I did try to please men only to find that if I pleased man in one area, he then had another area in which he wanted me to change, and sometimes those contradicted each other, and soon I found I did not even know who I was. When I gave my life to Jesus unreservedly to be his and his alone, and to obey him in all things, then I had clear direction and purpose for my life, I knew why I was created, and the Lord gave me the strength and determination to continue on his path for my life, despite the rejection of man - Peace!

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Acts 25-26 (NIV 1984), so I will summarize most of it, and quote some.

Paul had been arrested for preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ. He was to be on trial before Festus. Festus met with Paul’s accusers – the chief priests and Jewish leaders, who presented their charges against Paul. These “spiritual” guides of the people requested of Festus to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. Yet, Festus did not yield to their request, but told them they needed to come to Caesarea to press their charges. So, when Festus returned to Caesarea, “he convened the court and ordered Paul to be brought before him.” The Jews from Jerusalem brought many serious charges against Paul, “which they could not prove.” Paul stated that he had done nothing wrong… and he appealed to Caesar, so Festus said that to Caesar he would go.

“A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king.” “When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. When Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”

Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”

He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”

The next day, Paul appeared before King Agrippa. Agrippa gave Paul permission to speak for himself. Paul began with a cordial greeting and an appeal for Agrippa to listen patiently. Then, Paul gave his testimony of what he was like before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus – a Pharisee and a persecutor and murderer of believers in Jesus – and then how Jesus Christ had met him on the road to Damascus and had transformed his life and thinking. Jesus, as a voice from heaven, spoke to Paul and asked him why he was persecuting him, for in Paul’s obsession against followers of Jesus Christ he was, in actuality, persecuting Jesus Christ. Paul responded to Jesus’ question by asking him who he was, yet he did call him “Lord,” so he recognized this was a voice from heaven.

“‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”

This is absolutely my most favorite of all Paul’s recollections of his conversion to faith in Jesus Christ, for it not only represents God’s specific calling upon Paul’s life, but it represents what each and every believer should be doing in following Jesus Christ as his servants and messengers (his witnesses).

Though Jesus was speaking literally to Paul about standing on his feet, I believe there is another thought being expressed here, as well, and it has to do with spiritual strength, wisdom, courage and determination to do the will of God. Paul was going to be called upon to stand for Christ and for his gospel in the face of much opposition and severe persecution, yet Jesus promised to rescue Paul, not from the circumstances, necessarily, as is evidenced by Paul’s life and ministry, but that Jesus would be there with him through the circumstances and would rescue him from fear, failure, discouragement, etc., and would fill him continuously with hope and courage, and the strength and power of the Lord at work in and through him, so that he could complete the task to which he was being assigned. And, all throughout scripture we are encouraged to stand strong in the faith and to trust the Lord to give us what we need when we need it for whatever jobs he has assigned us to do, too.

As well, all throughout the New Testament we learn that we are to be servants and witnesses for the Lord, so this is for us, too. And, we are all being sent of God to open the eyes of the spiritually blind by teaching and witnessing as to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are all being sent of God to turn our fellow man from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that he may receive forgiveness of sins, and so he may be among those who are being sanctified (purified; made holy) by faith in Jesus Christ. And, we do this through our witnessing – both by our lifestyles and by sharing with them the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, i.e. by sharing with them, as did Paul, “That they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” And, Paul said that he was not disobedient to “the vision,” i.e. to this assignment from Jesus Christ for his life. And, we, as well, should not be disobedient by dancing the dirge of men, i.e. by conforming our lives to the pattern of this world and to men’s thinking in order to please men, but rather we must determine to not “dance the dirge,” but to be faithful and obedient to the task that Jesus Christ has assigned each and every one of his true followers and servants.

Paul said that the reason the Jews were trying to kill him was because he preached that they must repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. Ouch! And, we will be hated for those same messages, too, and even by our brothers and sisters in Christ, many of whom have rejected this gospel of repentance and obedience to Christ, and this idea that our deeds reveal whether or not we have truly repented of our sins. Yet, Paul had God’s help right up to this very moment he was standing before King Agrippa, so that he could stand there and testify. He added on to this that what he was saying was not beyond what the prophets and Moses had said would happen – “that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”

At this, Festus interrupted Paul and accused him of being out of his mind and that he was insane (crazy). Jesus was accused of the same, as I am sure were many of the prophets of scripture. And, we may be termed crazy, too, for following the Lord Jesus Christ in being his servants and witnesses, and in doing what he has assigned us to do and to be. Paul defended himself by countering Festus’ accusation with “I am not insane,” and that what he was saying was true and reasonable. Then, Paul asked Agrippa if he believed the prophets, to which Agrippa replied: “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”

So, God has a calling upon each one of our lives. He has a calling that fits every one of us, i.e. to repent of our sins, to turn to God by his grace and through faith in Jesus Christ, to walk humbly in obedience before Christ all our days, to be his servants and witnesses in sharing the love of Jesus and the truth of his gospel (the whole gospel) to the world around us, and to take up our cross daily (die to ourselves) and follow Christ wherever he leads us, etc. Yet, he, as well, has a specific assignment for each one of us to do, in order that we might serve the specific role he has for us in the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must be willing to obey him in being who he created us to be, and to do what he has called us to do, for truly he has chosen us in his providence to be who he wants us to be, and he will give us all we need to be and to do what he has called us to be and do. I know!

He is also calling out to each one of us to not dance the dirge of men, because it is the “dance of death,” but to follow Christ in all things. So, stand strong in your faith, keep trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, don’t dance the dirge of men, and remain faithful to Christ in all you do. “Set your hearts and minds on this above where Christ sits with God; not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ. When Christ, who is your life, is seen, you will be with Him.” Amen!

Your Life / An Original Work / October 22, 2011

Based off of Colossians 3:1-17

Set your hearts and minds
On things up above
Where Christ sits with God;
Not on earthly things.
For you died and your life
Is now hidd’n with Christ.
When Christ, who is your life, is seen,
You will be with Him.

Your sins, put to death.
Don’t walk in these ways.
Don’t lie to yourselves
Or to others, too.
Since you have taken off
Your old sinful past;
Put on the new self in Jesus,
Get rid of such things.

Therefore, holy ones,
Put on gentleness;
Kindness; patience, too;
Be compassionate.
Bear with one another;
Forgive others, too.
Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
O’er all, put on love.

Let the peace of Christ
Rule in your hearts now.
You were called to peace.
Be ye so thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell
In you richly now
As you teach and instruct others;
Sing songs unto Christ.

Spoken: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17 NIV 1984).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3rBIcdt7uI

From Me to You

Friday, December 23, 2011, 2:40 a.m. – The song, “Your Life,” was playing in my mind as I awoke this morning. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Acts 20:13-38:

Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.

“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

My Understanding: As I prayerfully read through this passage of scripture this morning, I was impressed of the Holy Spirit to write a paraphrase of what Paul wrote (quoting some), only as my own personal testimony, so with that understanding, this is from me to you:

Friends and loved ones,

You are my testament as to how I have lived among you these past five and a half years that the Lord has had me writing out what he teaches me each day through my quiet times with him, and since he has had me sharing what he has taught me with you. I served the Lord and you with great humility and tears, although I was severely tested. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you, but have taught you publicly and from site to site, or email to email, etc. I have declared to everyone that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

I know that the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing us all. However, I consider my life worth nothing, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace in all its fullness.

I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for five and a half years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing, i.e. I did not do this for money, but gave freely all that the Lord Jesus gave to me. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs, i.e. I worked for the Lord full time, and he supplied all that I and my husband needed. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Know that I love you all, and that I pray for you often. The Lord woke me with the following song. As I read through these words, which are based off of Colossians 3:1-17, I realized that this is my prayer for you all (including for myself) that we would:

Your Life / An Original Work / October 22, 2011

Based off of Colossians 3:1-17

Set your hearts and minds
On things up above
Where Christ sits with God;
Not on earthly things.
For you died and your life
Is now hidd’n with Christ.
When Christ, who is your life, is seen,
You will be with Him.

Your sins, put to death.
Don’t walk in these ways.
Don’t lie to yourselves
Or to others, too.
Since you have taken off
Your old sinful past;
Put on the new self in Jesus,
Get rid of such things.

Therefore, holy ones,
Put on gentleness;
Kindness; patience, too;
Be compassionate.
Bear with one another;
Forgive others, too.
Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
O’er all, put on love.

Let the peace of Christ
Rule in your hearts now.
You were called to peace.
Be ye so thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell
In you richly now
As you teach and instruct others;
Sing songs unto Christ.

Spoken: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17 NIV 1984).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3rBIcdt7uI

In Christian love and concern,

Sue Love

Held Captive

Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 8:33 a.m. –I lay down to get a little more sleep, when I had a vision. THE VISION: I saw what appeared to be a child lying on her side, inside what appeared like one of those drainage ditches off the side of the road. Someone had a firm grip on the child’s wrist, as though the child was imprisoned by this person, and was being held captive against her will. END

I was listening to the song, “Ministers of our God,” which is a call to ministers of the gospel to give their hearts and souls to Christ, to allow Christ to cleanse them of their sins, to not sin against their God, to flee from their idols of men, and to remove their idols from their lives, etc. It is also a call to them to come to the cross of Christ, to penitently pray, and to die to sin and to themselves. The song, “Send a Revival,” was playing in my mind when I got up to write down the vision. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Acts 12:

Peter’s Miraculous Escape From Prison

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”

When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”

“You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”

But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the brothers about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed...

My Understanding: I first of all prayed through the symbols of the dream, inquiring of the Lord as to what they symbolized. I believe the child represents the persecuted church throughout the world, including, or most especially here in the United States of America, both now and future. And, I believe the drainage ditch represents the world of sin where the truth of the Spirit of God rolls off of the world, and off of the worldly church like water draining off the side of the road. The child is in the world, but not of the world, I don’t believe. The reason I believe that is the child was lying on her left side, and she was being held captive there against her will.

This reminded me of the passage in Ezekiel 4 where the Lord had Ezekiel symbolize the siege of Jerusalem. Ezekiel was told to lie on his left side for a number of days and to put the sin of the house of Israel upon himself. He was assigned the number of days as the years of their sin. Today Israel and Jerusalem, in a spiritual context, comprise the true church of Jesus Christ, his body, his temple of the Holy Spirit. So, this symbolic act of lying on the left side to take upon the child the sins of Israel is representative of the sins of the church being taken upon the persecuted church. And, the siege represents a judgment of God on the church for her sins. Oftentimes, in the Old Testament, the Lord had his servants act out prophecies of what was coming, as well as to speak the words of God to the people. Ezekiel was to turn his face toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her. I saw this bared arm as the one with wrist being held tightly as in captivity.

I believe the Lord had me listening to the song “Ministers of our God,” during, or immediately after he gave me this vision, because I do believe that it is the religious leaders in our churches, as well as our government leaders, who are holding the child captive against her will. These religious and political leaders refuse to listen to the truth of God’s words concerning sin, repentance, obedience and coming judgment of God on the church for her sins against God. Much of today’s institutional church follows man over God, and the teachings of man over the teachings of scripture. I believe the child represents those who are speaking the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who are calling for repentance and obedience, and are warning of God’s coming judgment upon the church if they fail to repent. And, that is why the child is being persecuted and held captive.

In some cases the persecuted church throughout the world is actually being killed for her testimony for Jesus Christ. I do believe this is coming to America and soon. They are persecuted, for sure; held captive in prisons or in other ways that symbolize some type of prison or confinement that does not allow for certain freedom of movement in the Spirit of God. One of the biggest ways I have seen this presently in the USA is that the religious leaders of our assemblies have ostracized, abandoned, rejected, and have refused to listen to those servants of the Lord carrying God’s messages of repentance and obedience to Christ, and of coming judgment upon the church. They say to these servants of the Lord, “We have no need of you, go someplace else.” Or else they insist that the servants no longer be servants of the Lord, but rather be followers of man. So, these servants of Christ are thus cast aside, forgotten, forsaken, rejected, persecuted and abandoned, if they choose to obey God rather than man.

Miraculous Escape

In this story in Acts 12, the church was under great persecution under King Herod. Peter was put in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Peter was to be brought to trial, though, an angel of the Lord was sent to Peter in his prison cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. Then the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Peter then followed the angel of God out of the prison. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. When Peter realized this was real and not just a vision, he said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”

I noted when I read this that Peter was struck by the angel on the side and that woke him up. This reminded me of how this child was lying on her side as she was being held captive, and that she symbolized the servants of the Lord who are bearing the sins of the church on them in being held captive themselves, and in prophesying against the church concerning her need to repent of her sins, and turn to God in obedience, or face God’s judgment. So, I believe this striking on the side and the waking of the one being struck takes on a spiritual context here in that the church is going to face a judgment of Almighty God upon her, but that will be what wakes her up and makes her come to repentance and obedience to Christ, and then we will have true revival of the church and the salvation of souls, and that is the true miraculous escape from this prison, both for the ones who have been assigned the job of taking upon themselves the sins of Israel, and in prophesying against her, and for those whom the child represented, i.e. the church bound by sin in great need of a miracle of God in order to set them free spiritually, and to awaken them spiritually.

Send a Revival / An Original Work / June 25, 2011

Send a revival to this nation, Lord, I pray.
Bring us to our knees, Lord, humbly today.
Teach us to daily walk in your footsteps.
Guide us in your truth, and may we find rest.
Send a revival to this nation, Lord, I pray.
Bring us to our knees, Lord, humbly today.

Be our desire and our hearts’ pure devotion, Lord.
Make us a people who walk close to you.
Change our hearts to conform to your likeness.
May we love others who are in distress.
Be our desire and our hearts’ pure devotion, Lord.
Make us a people who walk close to you.

Teach us to be an example of your love, Lord.
May we serve others as though serving you.
Keep us in fellowship with you, I pray.
May we obey you in all things today.
Teach us to be an example of your love, Lord.
May we serve others as though serving you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgJYbdepHWE

Relative Area

Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 3:53 a.m. – The song, “The Peace of Christ,” was playing in my mind when I awoke this morning. I also woke from a dream.

THE DREAM: I saw three Bibles side-by-side in the relative area of the bathtub shared by me and my husband. Something had been dropped previously. It looked like a photograph. It had slipped underneath the bathtub. Somehow I was led to reach underneath the bathtub with my hand, and I discovered this hidden photo, and I pulled it out. END

This immediately brought to recall a vision I had last evening right after the Lord had given me the song, “Listen! Listen!” to write and to post. I had A VISION of three Bibles side-by-side, and behind these three Bibles were all the songs (76 of them now) the Lord had given me to write, and to post on the internet to share with others. END

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Acts 10 (quoting vv. 30-47 NIV 1984):

Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter said, “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

My Understanding: Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian Regiment of that time, “and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.” So, God gave him a vision, letting him know that God had heard his prayers, and that he was to send for a man named Peter. So, Cornelius did just that.

The next day God then gave Peter a vision. “He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat’.” Peter rejected the vision based upon his Jewish beliefs and practices, i.e. based upon his upbringing and the way he was raised and taught. Yet, the Lord responded to him, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, I believe to signify that this was from God – Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

Peter did not immediately understand the meaning of his vision. While he was still thinking about what it meant, the Spirit told him that three men were looking for him, so he was not to hesitate to go with them, for God had sent them. The men then told Peter about Cornelius’ vision. Then, Peter invited the men into his house to be his guests.

The next day Peter went with the three men, and some of the brothers went, too. Cornelius was expecting them, and he had gathered together his relatives and friends to hear what Peter had to say. Cornelius fell at Peter’s feet in reverence, but Peter quickly let him know that he was just a man. Then, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people inside Cornelius’ house. He stated the obvious – He was a Jew and they were Gentiles, and he had been taught that Jews don’t associate with Gentiles, yet God had shown him not to call anything impure that God had made clean. And, then he asked them why they sent for him. So, Cornelius relayed his vision to Peter, and he told Peter that they were all there in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord had commanded Peter to say to them.

The Hidden Image

Then, Peter began to share with them the gospel of Jesus Christ, and this is where the Lord began to show me the meaning of my vision and dream. Peter told them all about who Jesus is and what he did during his time of earthly ministry, and how they were witnesses of everything he did during that time. And, then he got to the crux of the gospel message, i.e. the cross of Christ. He told them how the Jews in Jerusalem had killed Jesus by hanging him on a tree, but that God had raised him from the dead on the third day, and had caused him to be seen. Yet, he was not seen by all the people, but only by the witnesses whom God had already chosen – “by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

What the Lord showed me here concerning the dream and this vision is this: The bathtub in this case represents a false gospel (half-truths). It is shared by me and my husband, i.e. by the true church and the institutional church, or by the true church and the US government and/or world, comprising the institutional church. The three Bibles, side-by-side, represent God – Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit. The three Bibles were not directly connected to this bathtub, but were in the relative area of it, i.e. this false gospel is loosely related to the true gospel, as it does have some truth in it, but it has missing components of the true gospel that have been dropped from the gospel presentations of today, and have slipped underneath this false gospel, and thus have been hidden from view.

So, the Lord led me, and others of his witnesses, to see this missing component(s) that had been dropped from the true gospel, and had been hidden underneath the false gospel message, and he led us to bring it out into the light so that it could be seen. These 76 songs the Lord has given to me represent the true gospel message with no hidden components. That is why these songs are behind the three Bibles, i.e. they are in support of and are following God and his word, with God and his word in the forefront, leading the way.

When I read, “They killed Jesus by hanging him on a tree,” I realized that this dropping of the essential components of the true gospel message, and the hiding of them underneath the false gospel (half-truths), was the same as killing Jesus all over again and hanging him on a tree, because they killed his true image (the photo) by dropping it from the gospel message and by hiding it underneath a false gospel. And, when I read that “God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen,” I realized that the hand of the Lord had guided me to discover this dropped and hidden image of Christ underneath this false gospel message, and the Lord had led me (and others of his chosen witnesses) to bring the true image of Christ out into the open and to reveal it to the world and church.

As well, when I read that Jesus was not seen by all the people, but by the witnesses whom God had already chosen – by us who eat and drink with him in daily fellowship and communion with him, sitting at his feet, learning of him and obeying him – I realized that he was speaking here of his true image which had been dropped from the gospel message and had been hidden underneath this false gospel. Not everyone has been able to see this, but only those to whom God has chosen to reveal it. Yet, I believe that one day God is going to open the eyes of the blind, and to turn them from darkness to light, and they will have their blinded eyes opened and their ears unstopped. They will be able to see past their traditions and thinking and reasoning of men, and they will be able to see the true image of who Jesus Christ really is, and of his true gospel message.

When I read, “He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead,” I realized that this has been the calling upon my life these past seven years, and that these songs represent this testimony of God’s – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – true character and true gospel message. And, when I read, “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name,” I realized that this represents, as well, one of the missing components of the true gospel message, and the missing image of Christ’s true character that has been dropped, and has been hidden underneath the false gospel, and that is the true meaning of the word “believe.”

Many have minimized this word to some intellectual assent or some emotional decision, yet the word of God throughout the New Testament makes it perfectly clear that true belief involves repentance and obedience to Christ and to his commands, and that true belief will be accompanied by action and spiritual fruit, which will prove that true faith exists. Yet, this fruit must be Biblical fruit. As well, Christ’s true image is one, not just of Savior, but of judge, and he will judge his church (read Revelation 2-3), and he will judge the world. So, that is why it is essential that we stop believing in a false gospel which tells people that they don’t have to repent of their sins and they don’t have to obey God’s commands in order to be saved, and that tells them that God is pleased with them no matter what they do. This is a gospel of men, and it does not represent Christ’s true image nor does it represent the NT teachings on what it means to truly be saved and to truly be in relationship with Jesus Christ. If you don’t repent of your sins, and you don’t choose to obey Christ, the Bible says you won’t be saved. It is a hard truth to accept, but it is the truth of the gospel.

Like Peter, I and the Lord’s other witnesses are just human beings trying the best we know how, in the power of the Holy Spirit of God working within us, and out through us, to obey all that God reveals to us, his servants, and to present the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will listen. So, all the glory, praise and honor belong to God for all that he chooses to accomplish through his servants in bringing what has been hidden into the light.

The Peace of Christ / An Original Work / October 31, 2011

Based off of Col. 3:1-17; Eph. 5:19-20

Let the word of Christ dwell in you,
As you teach with all wisdom,
Teaching one another to not
Think on earthly things;
Think instead on things above,
Where Christ sits with God, in love,
Saving us from all of our sins,
Cleansing us; made new within.

Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts,
As you sing songs unto Him;
Speak to one another with psalms,
Hymns, and spir’tual songs;
Always giving thanks to God,
In the name of Christ, His Son,
Who gave His life up for us all,
And gave us eternal life.

Let the love of Christ within you
Rule in your hearts; grace within,
Purifying you from your sin,
Make you whole within.
Forgive as the Lord forgave.
Show His kindness ev’ry day.
In word or deed, whate’er you do,
Glory give to Jesus Christ.

Song Lyrics @ Public Domain

Audio, song lyrics and sheet music (free):
https://sites.google.com/site/psalmshymnssongs2/home/songs/the-peace-of-christ

Song on video:
http://youtu.be/tW7HXchJ9qE

Listen! Listen!

God takes sin very seriously. He hates sin because of what sin does to his children, and how it has the potential for ruining lives, homes, marriages, friendships, and/or church congregations, etc. So much sin in today’s church goes unchecked. So many messages in today’s church leave out the word “sin”, they do not call the sinner to repentance, and they do not demand obedience to Jesus Christ. They often placate sin so as not to offend the sinner, and they water down the gospel message so the sinner does not feel guilty about his sin, but feels that God’s grace gives him a free license to continue in his sin and yet still attain heaven. May it never be! Christ Jesus came to set us free from sin, and not just free from the ultimate penalty of sin – eternal damnation. He set us free so sin no longer has to have dominion over our lives, but we can be free to not allow sin to control us, but rather for us to be slaves to righteousness, as obedient (but not perfect) servants of Christ.

Listen! Listen! / An Original Work / December 20, 2011

Weep and wail o’er your sins, children.
God is calling out to you:
Be ye honest; tell the truth,
And it will set you free.
Harken to Him calling you to
Bow on bended knee today.
Don’t delay to let Him in,
And He’ll cleanse your hearts;
Pure within.

Sinners, won’t you listen to Him
Calling out to you today?
He died so that you would be free
Of your sins always.
Turn from your sin. Turn to Jesus.
Obey Him in ev’ry way.
He wants to set you free of
All your guilt,
For which He did pay.

Listen! Listen!
Don’t close your hearts
To His voice speaking to you.
He will give you all of His peace,
If your hearts be true.
He longs for you to come to Him
Humbly now and repentant.
Obey all of His commandments.
Live with Him eternally.

Song Lyrics @ Public Domain

Audio, song lyrics and sheet music (free)

Song on Video

From Death to Life

Tuesday, December 20, 2011, 4:05 a.m. – “Muted Trumpet,” was playing in my mind when I awoke this morning. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Acts 9:1-31:

Saul’s Conversion

1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

23 After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

My Understanding: Saul was a Jew and a Pharisee, and he was a strong opponent of believers in Jesus Christ, even to the point of having them arrested, jailed and/or killed for their testimony for Jesus Christ. And, he thought he was doing the right thing. One day while he was on his way to have the believers in Damascus put in prison, Jesus Christ visited him through a light from heaven and through a voice from heaven. He asked Saul why he was persecuting him, so Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” Saul seemed to know enough to recognize this was a voice from heaven, for he called him “Lord.” Jesus immediately identified himself as the voice, and he let Saul know that when he went against Jesus’ followers, that he was persecuting Jesus Christ. Jesus then told him to go into the city, and he would be told what he must do. Jesus had a change of plans for Saul’s life.

Saul was blinded by the light, so the men traveling with him led him by the hand into Damascus. He was helpless. God had humbled him. When we resist Jesus Christ and the voice of his Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts and/or we go against him and his true followers, even thinking we might be doing the right thing, there may come a time when God will humble us, will reveal to us his light, and will show us the direction he wants us to go. Still, the choice is ours to follow the Lord Jesus or to continue to resist his voice. Saul was humbled and he was blinded, but he still had a choice, and he chose to follow Jesus. Saul’s life and testimony for Jesus Christ serve as a great testament to God’s saving power in human lives, and of our Lord’s power to transform even murderers of Christians into servants of Christ. So, there is always hope!

The Lord visited a disciple, Ananias, in a vision and told him to go to Saul, and to place hands on him that he might receive his sight. Ananias had heard of Saul’s reputation, so he questioned God’s wisdom and direction in this matter, yet the Lord told him to go, because Saul was God’s chosen instrument to carry Jesus’ name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel, and Jesus would show Saul how much he must suffer for the name of Christ. So, Ananias did what Jesus had commanded him to do. He placed his hands on Saul and Saul received not only his sight, but he received the Holy Spirit, which means he had a heart transformation, turning from darkness to the light of truth. So, we should never let fear rule our hearts or doubt God’s leading in our lives if he leads us to go to someone to give him a word from the Lord, because we don’t men’s hearts, but God does, so we have to trust the Lord that he knows far beyond our own human reasoning.

It didn’t take Saul long before he was preaching the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Saul knew the scriptures, so all he needed was for Christ to show himself through the scriptures, and to show him how Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah the Jewish people were waiting for. “At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.” The people who heard him were astonished and amazed that this leader of the persecution of believers in Jesus Christ was now preaching about Jesus Christ. They didn’t trust him. “Yet, Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.” This calls for much spiritual discernment, because, in reality, there will be false Christs who will masquerade themselves as angels of light, and as true sheep, when they are really wolves in sheep’s clothing, so we should not trust everyone who says he knows Christ, but we need to pray for much discernment, so that we are not duped by master manipulators, deceivers and liars who pose as truth tellers. The Bible tells us to test the spirits to see if they are of God, so wisdom is proved right by her actions. The Bible says that by their fruits we shall know them.

Yet, Saul’s conversion was genuine, as his fruits revealed, and it didn’t take long before he was now the target of persecution and plots to take his life, too. The Jews conspired to kill him. Yet, Saul learned of their plan. The Jews watched the city gates day and night in order to kill Saul (later named Paul). But his followers came to the rescue. When Saul came to Jerusalem, though, he tried to join the disciples, but they were afraid of him, not believing he really was a disciple. Again, this calls for spiritual discernment, because many false brothers will infiltrate our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ, too, and they will pose as true followers. So, it is not wrong to question men, but we must pray in the Spirit and ask for wisdom from above, and we should check things out against scripture, and look at the spiritual fruits of a person’s life. Not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord,” is a true follower of Christ, but those who do his will, and who obey his commands are his true followers. A good test is to check out a person’s life against Christ’s example, and see if he or she is doing the things Christ did, though not all of us will do all the miracles he did.

Here Barnabas came to Saul’s rescue and brought him to the apostles, and he told them of Saul’s conversion, so Barnabas gave Saul the support he needed at that time. So, Saul stayed with the apostles and “moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.” Again, there were Jews who tried to kill him, so when the brothers in Christ learned of this, they took him and sent him off to Tarsus. “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.”

As I was praying through this passage of scripture concerning Saul’s physical rescues from death, the Lord put these two passages of scripture in my mind:

2 Corinthians 1:8-11 (NIV ’84):

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.”

John 5:24-27 (NIV ’84):

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.”

God may choose to rescue us physically from our persecutors, and even from those who may be plotting physical harm against us, even without our knowledge, because he is not finished with us yet on this earth. Yet, the greatest rescue of all is when he rescues us spiritually, and we pass from spiritual death to spiritual life, whether or not we face the real possibility of a martyrs death. So many are walking in spiritual darkness, and they need to hear the voice of God speaking and to respond in faith, so that they can have spiritual life with God forever. Will you hear the voice of Jesus speaking to your hearts today? And, will you, like Saul, respond to that voice from heaven and allow the Lord Jesus to give you a heart transformation that takes you from death to life? I pray that it be so. Amen!

Muted Trumpet / An Original Work / October 14, 2011

Softly He speaks gently to us,
Giving us His messages, and
He waits patiently for us to
Respond to His words.
Will you listen to Him speaking?
Will you waken from your sleeping?
He is calling; hear Him whisper
His truth unto you.

Jesus speaks His words unto us,
So that He might live out through us,
Giving light to all who need Him,
So they can obey.
He gave His life to die for us,
So that from sin He would free us
To walk humbly in obedience
Unto Him each day.

Hear the trumpet clearly calling.
He died to keep us from falling.
Won’t you listen; heed His call to
Turn to Him today?
Hasten to Him calling to you.
Turn from sin and follow Jesus.
He loves you so much He gave you
Life eternally.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0iizyIw0KM

The Rule Book

Monday, December 19, 2011, 12:12 p.m. – I was spending some time in prayer, following a time of walking and exercising. While in prayer, I had A VISION: I saw a book cover being slammed shut in front of my face. The book cover was red. The right margin of the book cover looked like a ruler, so I took it that this represented a rule book of some kind that was being slammed shut in my face, as in protest, it appeared. END

The song that was playing on my CD player at the time of the vision was “So Many Times,” and that song was immediately followed by, “Awestruck Grief,” which is a song of repentance and grief over our sin. The first song is a song about hearing God’s word, and our hearts being stirred by what we hear. It is also a prayer for revival. It speaks of coming to Calvary and of Christ’s blood shed on the cross for our sins in providing the way we can be free from the penalty and the control of sin over our lives.

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Acts 5 (I will summarize first 16 verses):

The Apostles Persecuted

Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.”

At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.

Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.

Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

My Understanding: We read in Acts 2-4 that “all the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had… From time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need” (Acts 4:32-35 NIV ’84). “A man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 5:1-2 NIV ’84).

No one was being forced to do this. It was not required. This was something people were doing freely in order to give to others. Ananias and Sapphira held back some of the money from the sale for themselves, which was their right to do, for again they were not required to sell the property, nor was anyone forcing them to give away the money they received from it, nor was anyone checking to make sure they gave it all. It was theirs to keep or it was theirs to give away. Yet, they decided to pretend as though they had given it all when they did not, and that was their sin. Peter said that Satan had filled Ananias’ heart so that he lied to the Holy Spirit of God, not to men. His wife followed suit. Each one faced instantaneous judgment of God and they fell dead. As a result, great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. The church had just begun, and God, at the onset, was letting them know that he takes sin very seriously, I believe.

The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. All the believers met at that time in Solomon’s Colonnade. Non-believers did not dare join them, even though the believers were highly regarded by the people. Some have speculated that the non-believers kept themselves separate from the believers out of fear from what happened to Ananias and Sapphira. Yet, that did not stop the spread of the gospel, and it did not keep people from coming to faith in Jesus Christ, for more and more men and women were added to the number of believers, and many people were healed.

Yet, the Jewish religious leaders were jealous of the believers and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and of people coming to faith in Jesus Christ, because it served as a threat to their own positions of political power and influence over the people. So, they had the apostles arrested and put in public jail. This treatment of true followers of Jesus Christ has continued throughout the generations in various areas of the world, and this is coming to the USA, too. It is just a matter of time. Yet, in the case of the apostles, though God does not always work this way, an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.”

This is very significant here to this vision because so many people are telling only half the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but the book represents the full message of the gospel and of this new life in Christ Jesus. I wondered if the book cover I saw was red because it represented Jesus’ shed blood for us on the cross for our sins. Jesus shed blood at Calvary is the covering for our sins, like this book cover, perhaps. Yet, we still have rules to obey that are found in God’s word (the book), in particular in the New Testament, as this represents our New Covenant relationship with God.

Some people don’t want to hear that repentance and obedience to Christ are necessary for salvation, so if that is what we are teaching, they may slam the book (God’s word) shut in our faces and may refuse to hear what it says. Yet, it is the grace of God and the working of the Holy Spirit within us in transforming our hearts and making us more like Jesus which gives us the gift of repentance, so we can turn from our sin, and which gives us the ability and strength to obey, because it is God working in us and out through us for his purposes and glory. So, this is not works-based salvation, as some people would have you to believe it is.

The apostles did what the angel told them to do, and at daybreak they entered the temple courts, and they began to teach the people. The religious leaders did not find the apostles in the jail so they went looking for them. Someone told them that they were back in the temple courts teaching the people. The captain went with his officers and brought the apostles, but not by force, which means that the apostles cooperated with them. They made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!” Again, the apostles reminded these Jewish leaders that they killed Jesus, but that God raised him from the dead, and that God the Father, who they claimed to worship, had exalted Jesus to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. And, then the apostles stated that they were witnesses of these things, and so was the Holy Spirit, “whom God has given to those who obey him.” Jesus gives us the gift of grace, of faith, of repentance and the ability and power to obey. It is required of God that repentance and obedience are necessary for salvation, and for eternal life with God, and for the receiving of the Holy Spirit of God within our hearts in transforming us, and in turning us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that we might receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Christ (see Acts 26:18 NIV ’84). This is the full message of the gospel of Jesus Christ and it is found in the whole of the New Testament under the New Covenant of God with his people.

When the religious leaders heard this, they were furious and wanted them put to death. That is the picture I received with this vision with the slamming shut of God’s rule book for how we are to live the Christian life, i.e. the words of the Bible under the covering of our New Covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. Repentance and obedience are all through the New Testament as requirements for life with Christ, with God the Father, with the Holy Spirit, and in order to have eternal life in heaven with God. There are all kinds of rules we still must follow, but they all fall underneath the two greatest commandments: 1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and 2) Love your neighbor as yourself. We are to stop sinning against God and against each other, we are to turn toward God, and we are to walk by faith and in God’s grace within us in faithfulness, obedience, humility, surrender and submission to our Lord Jesus and to make him truly our master.

This is required, though this does not mean we will live in sinless perfection. But, when we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, who purifies us from all sin.

A wise man suggested to the religious leaders that they leave the apostles alone, for if their purpose or activity was of human origin, it would fail, but if it was from God, they would not be able to stop these men; they would only find themselves fighting against God. Yet, God does allow his servants to be persecuted and even put to death for their faith, but God’s word will endure and nothing can kill that! They can kill our bodies, but they can’t kill our souls, so we must press on in being faithful servants of the whole gospel, knowing that God is able to guard what we have committed to him against the Day of Judgment.

When His Kingdom Comes / Dottie Rambo and Dony McGuire

When His kingdom comes, what a difference
When things are in earth, as they are in heaven,
When all has been settled and my heart is His home,
Oh, what a difference, what a great transformation!
Oh, what a difference when His kingdom comes!

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