Continues
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18
The Kingdom of Heaven is about humility and innocent love and obedience to God and service of others. It is about being a brother to the faithful and a witness to those with ears to hear and eyes to see. Are we willing to give up our wealth, our time, our energy and our life for the service of the will of God.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:23
One must not love the things of this world more than the Name of God, more than His Character and Ways. There are many choices and sacrifices that follow those who suffer to seek the will of God.
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. Matthew 19:29
There are those who understand the covenants of those who would be gods of the system of men. They are in love with the power and praise and position of their authority more than they love their brothers. They are the officers and ministers and prophets in the city of Cain, Nimrod, Pharaoh, Caesar, Presidents and the Secretary Generals.
Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Luke 11:43
They know how you can be trapped in their system but with each they snare the greater their pomp and circumstance. They even make escape difficult for those who seek to obey the Father in Heaven.
Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. Luke 11:52
The leaders of the nation and the churches established by that chain of power and authority deny the liberty of Jesus Christ while they deliver all into greater bonds of servitude under a world system involve ruled by the elite of this world.
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Matthew 23:13
There is almost no place for the free in this world today. All are made proselytes in the land of their natural birth who feel the tug of the freedom that was once America. Those who in their hearts and souls take on the burden of faith and walk in the ways of the Lord are surrounded by the greedy who will have all or nothing.
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee. Proverbs 5:15, 17
Those who will not covet their neighbors goods
Compel the taking of taxes to finance the benefits and answers to the prayers they have offered up to the governments of their own making.
Nor will they take the Name of the LORD in vain
Saying with their lips they trust in God while reaching out to benefactors who operate not upon charity but force and control and oppression.
Nor will they bow down and serve the gods of men
But instead Labor for God and His ways and his judgment.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte[ proselutos= a stranger, alien],and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Matthew 23:15
There are many who see the wickedness of the system of men over men, the system of the rulers of the gentiles who exercise authority and dominion over the beneficiaries of the common purse of a social democracy.
Do they merely curse the system and struggle to bring it down?
Do they wish to judge it and rule over it and the men who are the prophets and ministers of it?
But are they not the same as that which they claim to hate?
Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. Ecclesiastes 10:20
And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Romans 2:3
It is not enough to hate tyrants by one must despise tyranny.
Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Romans 12:14
We need more than water to wash away our sins. We need true repentance, a true turning around and turning away from the beast in our own hearts.
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?... Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.... Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee... It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy[ qodesh = set-apart, separate], and after vows to make enquiry. Proverbs 20
We may be beginning to wake up to the evil of men but are we willing to let the whole light in? Will we see our own love of the darkness that has been a comfort to our slumber?
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:19,21
Yes, we may be vexed with the whip and scorpions of the taskmasters of the world. Yet the sting they inflict has awakened men to their own slavery. But do they hate slavery or just being a slave? Is it only our flesh that is vexed or in hope is it our righteous spirit of God which wishes to dwell in us?
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous [are they], selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 2 Peter 2:
If we are not purged by the light of all darkness, greed, envy, avarice, lust and pride then what part of this curse do we not inherit?
Who cannot understand the stink of the whip, the weight of the burden? BUT more important.... Who can understand the ways of the LORD? Many shall claim to come in the ways of our Father in Heaven but they know him not. Being out of the system of men does not bring you out of the darkness of men nor does it bring light into the world.
But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. :..These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. Jude 1
Ekklesia means called out. There are many who are called out, ekklesia, but only one ekklesia of Jesus Christ. The ekklesia of Jesus Christ has the character of Jesus Christ, the Name of Yeshua written in their hearts and minds. It obeys the will of the Father in Heaven and are the Kings brethren..
Thy Kingdom comes as thy will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven.
So what should we do?....?.....?.....
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Jude 1
Do we pray and apply to the Holy Spirit or to strange gods?
Are we looking for mercy or the judgment of our enemy?
Are we with compassion making a difference?
Do we hate only the price of the spotted garment or the garment itself?
Or do we only dwell on the sin and lies of the wicked, shouting off their injustice while hiding the indulgence of our own dark hearts.
But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Romans 2:5
We know that to follow the LORD is to be hated by the gods of this world order and those who love and support them. We have by faith, God's law and promise to insure justice and mercy by His Holy Hand.
Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe [unto him], through whom they come! Luke 17:1
We should attend to the business of the Church, the ekklesia of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God on earth. We should work making a difference in our own lives and then in the world taking on first His character, name and virtue and implementing it with God speed in the desolate world.
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 1 Corinthians 8:1
The Church should be working with all its energy to help those who wish to awaken awake.
The Church should be seeking and teaching men how to live outside the wickedness of the world order.
The Church must seek to pull those from the fire in the day of Judgment who call upon the name of the LORD.
The Church is an alter of sacrifice and service and in that faith hope and charity is found the Bozra of our salvation and the crown of our recompense.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Corinthians 13
The Church/Brethren/the place where God prevails is coming together but not in one place so much as in one mind. It is created not from the outside in but from the inside out.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Matthew 7:16
There is much work to be done. Not to save our life or our stuff but to save our souls by sacrificing readily what God has given us for those who seek his ways and to do his will.
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Revelation 6:17
