NUGGETS OF TRUTH ARCHIVES
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Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. ...Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Jeremiah 23:16, 31
...Regardless of their title, every man and woman called of God has a solemn responsibility to seek God’s face for the words He would have them speak. If they speak a vision of their own minds, using their tongues to say “He says,” they are answerable to God Almighty.
How many are there who lead people to believe the words they speak are God’s words, when in reality they are the empty, barren words of false prophets? If God’s Word is not taught in purity, the teacher is ministering death to the hearers. Without the Life of God, flesh will remain flesh and will certainly decay (perish).
A.W. Tozer said, "The flesh, smiling and confident, preaches and sings about the cross; before that cross it bows and toward that cross it points with carefully staged histrionics – but upon that cross it will not die, and the reproach of that cross it stubbornly refuses to bear." 7 Unless we are willing to go the way of the Cross, our words will be meaningless and Lifeless.
Paul told Timothy to diligently present himself approved unto God, a teacher who needs not to be ashamed, correctly expounding the word of truth. He cautions Timothy to “shun profane babblings, for they will proceed further in ungodliness, and their word will eat as doth a gangrene.” (2 Timothy 2:16-17a) Is the Church gangrenous because of the Lifeless messages being preached?
[Read Calling Forth The Remnant online]
7 The Pursuit of Man by A.W. Tozer
"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." Revelation 18:4-5
In His mercy, God is calling His people to “come out of her [Mystery Babylon].” And during the final years of tribulation, God will separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the tares, and the true from the false. We need only look around us to see this is already beginning to happen. Jesus is preparing His Bride and calling forth the Remnant who has been faithful to Him.
What will happen at the very end of the Great Tribulation, when the deceived and deceivers, the goats, the tares, and all those who rejected Jesus see Him coming? John tells how he saw Jesus open the sixth seal, after which followed a great earthquake. The sun, he foretold, will turn black and the moon will be blood red. There will be a mighty shaking of both the heavens and earth. It will be a time of great terror, as these next verses show. "And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’" (Revelation 6:15-17 NKJV) It is a day of wrath for all who have chosen to continue in the flesh – they cannot stand in the presence of the Son of God. Like Adam and Eve, they will try to hide their condition of flesh, but there will be no place to hide.
The new birth
...Man is born flesh, the offspring of flesh, and for that to change he must be born from above. The word “born” means “regenerated” according to the Greek word from which it was translated. A more exact translation of Jesus’ words would be: “You must be regenerated from above.” (John 3:7)
John 1:11-13 explains how it is solely the work of God when a person is born anew. "He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
It is not by man’s own will, nor the will of another that a person is born from above – it is only of God. We must not think that the new birth will transpire because of repeated emotional pleas, using music and dramatic stories to tug at the heartstrings. Though the new birth experience can be emotional, it MUST be a work of God’s Spirit, revealing the sinfulness of the flesh life.
The complete chapter can be found here.
Satan, the deceiver, has achieved his greatest dream, but to the deceived church, it is an undetected nightmare from hell itself. Satan has masterminded the ultimate deception, and used it to draw the Church into his deadly clutches. He has relied on the western world’s god of money to hold the attention of the large and prosperous churches. Tithing is not a new idea, but over a period of more than one hundred fifty years, it has become increasingly popular among those who need to increase the church income. What better way to fill that “need” than to obligate people and establish a budget, knowing there will be a definite level of income? The admonition to tithe causes people to believe this is a commandment from God.
In reality, the church is on “life support.” For all intents and purposes, she is dead – the Life of God is lacking, as is faith. So churches rely on tithes to keep the doors open. Does the Church prefer to trust in tithing out of fear of poverty, rather than trust in God and have confidence in His provision?
God’s desire is to purify His Son’s Bride. He has pleaded repeatedly with those who call themselves “The Body of Christ.” Revival fires have broken out in many places at various times in the last two centuries. God has raised up men and women such as Andrew Murray, Susanna Wesley, Charles Finney, Oswald Chambers, and countless others who have proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ with great passion. Why, then, is the Church in such a state of apostasy? Why is the Bride of Christ so polluted in rebellion and unfaithfulness? Why does she not hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, calling her to make herself ready? How can she believe she IS ready? And who will make up the remnant of which Paul the Apostle spoke? 1 The answers to all the above questions can be found within these pages – starting with how it all began and following the progression of one simple overlooked truth until the last chapter where we see the final triumph of the true Church of Jesus Christ. 1. Romans 9:27, 11:4-5 Of all the trees in the Garden of Eden, the two mentioned are the Tree of Life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.5 Why these two trees in particular? What is the significance? I believe we can see them as opposites, with the fruit of one giving Life and the fruit of the other resulting in death. As is commonly known, God told man if he were to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would “surely die.” 6 God gave them the choice of life or death, and they chose death, because the serpent tricked Eve. That old serpent, the Devil, told her they would not die, but would “be as God, knowing good and evil.” 7 They ate the fruit and, just as the serpent had said, their eyes were opened.But what did they see? They did not see they were nude, as before, and “were not ashamed.” This time they saw they were “cunning,” as the Hebrew word for this “nakedness” shows.8 Their flesh was exposed. They were now creatures of flesh, with self-awareness due to the knowledge of good and evil. And the man and woman tried to hide their nakedness with fig leaves.9 God knew they had eaten the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and He found them attempting to hide their flesh. 5 Genesis 2:9 This is the age of apostasy! We live in a day when deception is all around us and increasing at an alarming rate. As has been said previously, the nature of deception is "stealth" and is not easily discernable. In what is commonly called "the Church" there is no area left un-touched - deception is everywhere, having turned countless souls away from single-minded devotion to Jesus. This statement speaks volumes: "The false church has enough truth to deceive the faithful and enough lies to damn its followers." (Unknown) The faithful church-goers see the "falling away (apostasy)" to be the "forsaking of gathering together." (Hebrews 10:25) They think that those who have chosen to follow Jesus, rather than some man, are the defectors from the faith. We must get right to the core of the issue to see what, in reality, has transpired. Like the true Gospel, it is simple but man has complicated it by attempting to understand it with a mind of flesh. There is that word again! FLESH!! As I wrote in Calling Forth The Remnant, every problem within the "Church" has as its source that one thing called "flesh." Flesh is the reason Jesus had to die, but that basic truth has been misconstrued in the mind of fleshly man. That is error at its worst! "For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist." (2 John 7) "Where no wise guidance is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14) In recent days we have become painfully aware of how easily God's people can fall into deceptive teachings that have the potential to destroy many souls. It is a dangerous thing to isolate ourselves with "our" ministry and allow the great deceiver Satan to lead us down the path to perdition. As James tells us, there will be greater accountability demanded of those who instruct in the Word. Here is what James said: "My brethren, be not many masters [Greek: 'instructors'], knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. [Greek: 'For often we err in absolutely all']" (James 3:1-2b) As Proverbs 11:14 suggests, we need to remain teachable and hear the wise guidance of those in whom the Spirit dwells. For those who follow the teachings of others, it is of utmost importance that we do not keep our eyes fixed on any one individual teacher. We must seek the Lord for our own selves and practice hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit Who will give clear witness with our spirit when we encounter truth, as well as error. The precious Person of the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in our spirit and we must listen to His voice - not the voice of our flesh, which we have as long as we live on this earth. That is why Paul said to "walk by [Greek: 'follow'] the Spirit, and we will not fulfil the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16) Rev. Stanley Frodsham (1882-1969) spoke a word from the Lord at Elim Bible Institute in the summer of 1965 and we can see that much of it has already been fulfilled. If you have read it previously, I urge you to read it carefully once more. May the Holy Spirit quicken to your spirit the truth it contains so that you may avoid the pitfalls in the days ahead. These are extremely perilous times, and surrender to the Holy Spirit's work in us must never be an option. There are many "voices" out there that will lead us astray with teachings that "tickle the ears" and appeal to the flesh. [full article] "For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy: for I espoused you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is in Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 The Bride of Christ is comprised of the faithful believers who have responded to the Love of the Father and come to put their trust in His Son. At the same time there are the unfaithful ones who may have at one time known Him but have become apostate. Then there are those who believe they are His because they "prayed the sinner's prayer" and subsequently were told they were "born again" and began living a "religious" life in their own strength, according to "rules" of apostate man. In these days, the true Bride of Christ is being prepared for that Day when Jesus comes to receive His Bride to Himself. But what of the apostate ones who honestly believe they are His, yet go their own way in a deluded state believing they are ready to meet Him? In reality they are opposing His every effort to draw them to Himself. They prefer to carry on in their fleshly existence, which is of the world. (1 John 2:15-16) James wrote, "Ye adulteresses [Greek: 'a (male) paramour; figuratively apostate'], know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4) As 1 John 2:22 shows, they are "antichrist" because they have rejected both Father and Son. In this article we are going to look at "relationship" as God intended. We will also see what becomes of the "antichrist bride." My prayer is that all who read this will be gripped, as I have been, by the reality of the truths presented here. [full article] What a time to be alive! We see all around us signs and events coming to pass as foretold in the Bible. There are countless books, web sites and ministers, each proclaiming their own spin on what is transpiring or is about to transpire. If we were to take the time to absorb what each one says, our heads would be spinning and we would be no further ahead. Each one is so certain that he is correct in his understanding of "end-time prophecy." But which one is actually correct? Does any one have the "inside track" with God so that they can identify some mystery "person" in answer to the popular question "Who is the Antichrist?" Is "Antichrist" the "beast" of Revelation? Is he the "abomination of desolation" of which Daniel wrote and to which Jesus referred? In this article, I will be sharing what the Lord has shown me. From the Bible, I will be exposing who antichrist is. This is something the Lord quickened to my spirit several years ago, but in my book I barely touched on it. The time has come to expand on this very important matter. Lest I come across sounding like some kind of arrogant "know-it-all," I beg your indulgence. My prayer is that this article will minister to you more than any other that I have written - even my book, for those who have read it. Now let's search the Scriptures together and see what the Lord has revealed to this point, using with the basics to lay the foundation for understanding. [full article] This Nuggets brings you some links that I trust will be of great interest to you. In recent weeks two brothers have written me after visiting ekklesia4him.net and we have exchanged a few emails, beginning what will be good fellowship in the days ahead. It was immediately evident that the Holy Spirit is present in these gentlemen. God does know how to connect His "sheep." It is so wonderful to "meet" other brothers and sisters and be able encourage one another in the faith. One brother is David Shumway who gave me the link to this site: http://www.lsm.org/ the address for "Living Stream Ministry" - Publisher of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. On that site you will find links to the "Holy Bible Recovery Version" and to many writings by both Nee and Lee. I purchased the electronic version of the Recovery Bible to add to my library of references for study. I look forward to reading more of it in the coming weeks. The other brother who more recently wrote is Rory Moore who with his wife Linda are relatively new to the "out of church" community. You can read their testimony at their web site www.preparehisway.com. Be sure to check out other links they have there. One link in particular is to the "Numeric New Testament" which is excellent. To learn more about it, read the article "Science proves the Bible" - exciting and fascinating reading! It can be found at www.americaslastdays.com. If you sense the Lord prompting you to pray for me, please do. I am working on my next article and because it is so timely and extremely important, I truly need the Lord's clear voice to be heard above any other. In the "Christian" community we see vast multitudes who name the Name of Christ. What is it that leads people to the place where they lay claim to that Name? Is it because of the apostate gospel? What do the unbelieving see in the masses of 'christians' that might attract them to this One who's Name is above all names? What kind of witness is the modern-day Christian? We could ask the question, what kind of witness are we? Do our lives point to Jesus? What (or who) do the unbelievers see in us? Let's explore what the Bible says about the evidence of a true new birth - the only way to become a disciple of Jesus. How, then, do we follow Him and learn of Him? What does He ask of us? [to full article] Over the past several months we have been uncovering the ineffectiveness of the present-day "gospel" message. We have looked at the source of sin [death], which is the knowledge of good and evil, and the fact that it is only through relying upon Christ for salvation [belief/faith] that we can have life. The issue is death and life - the reason Jesus died. It is not about the things we have done; as dreadful as those deeds may be. It is about receiving the Life of Jesus and making us the Righteousness of God in Him. His Spirit in us will mortify the deeds of our flesh - both good and evil. Mere forgiveness will never change us and we, as hard as we try, can never change our deeds to make us righteous. That kind of "righteousness" would be "self-righteousness" - the dead works that "self" produces. "Self" must die if the fruit of Righteousness is to manifest. So, you may ask, what has this to do with the Sabbath? Let's take a look...[to full article] In The Knowledge of Good and Evil - the harm it has done, we showed that death came as a result of man's acquiring the forbidden knowledge. God told Adam and Eve they would die if they ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil - the source of man's self-awareness and his inherent "need" to maintain his claim to himself. "Self" is a powerful thing and prefers to attain and achieve. But God asks us to give up self. He asks us to cease our trust in self and put our trust in Christ and His finished work on Calvary. He offers Life in exchange for the death that is guaranteed through "self". God dealt with the sin of man by dealing with its source - flesh. He put sin away by the sacrifice of Himself when He came in the "likeness of sinful flesh." Jesus' fleshly body was battered, bruised and bleeding as He took the punishment that...[full article] This is the account of my friend, Joanne, who is now in the presence of the Saviour she loved and lived for. Jesus was her overcoming Life - both in life and in death. I was unable to spend time with her as I would have liked but it would have been selfish on my part to keep her from sharing the Life of Jesus with every available person. A few weeks ago, Joanne gave me permission to share her story with you. ...[to article] Before we begin, I trust you will forgive me for sharing something so personal, but I feel such a sense of urgency to show how very important this message is. And now, to the article. "When the smallest doctrine in the body of truth is mutilated it is sure to avenge itself upon the whole system." - Author unknown (Found in a book printed in 1895) The "forgiveness" doctrine is one such mutilated truth. And it has most certainly avenged itself upon the whole system. This can be seen in the recent article, Apostate Gospel - The Great Deception, where we exposed the foolishness of simple forgiveness being sufficient to result in a new creature in Christ Jesus. Here, we will look deeper into the topic of forgiveness; the meaning of the Greek words from which "forgive" is translated, and their proper Biblical use. First of all, how did the word "forgiveness" come to be so mistranslated in the New Testament, then in the minds of those who now trust in or preach an apostate gospel? [full article] Dear Friends, A second reason I am so pleased we have connected is that he and Ruby manufacture a wonderful olive oil soap, made with olive oil from Israel. We ordered several bars and shared them with our daughters who have a problem with eczema. This summer when my leg was injured I found the soap to be very soothing to the tender skin. One of our daughters was telling me the other day that the soap has helped her eczema so much that she can now put her hands in dishwater without pain. There are links at the end of this page where you may go to the Owens' web site to learn more about these great folks and their ministry. You can also check out more information on the olive oil soap and how it came to be. You will be blessed! Now on to the email which begins with a quote from Abraham Lincoln. You will find this short article to be very enlightening. We truly are living in a day when things like the bridge collapse in Minnesota may puzzle us, but have strong Biblical implications. God is at work all around us. He is God, and He always will be God. Until next time, God bless, "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:11-13) This is a satirical look into the spirit realm but could it possibly be accurate? Since posting the recent article on Revival, the Lord has been strongly impressing upon me to write this. It is extremely urgent, and must be written as plainly as possible. It may even shake the foundation for the beliefs many have of the "Gospel of Jesus Christ," but it is critical that we get back to Biblical truth. There are several articles and studies referenced at the bottom of the page. They, along with this one, should be read carefully and prayerfully, enquiring of the Lord to bring understanding to this vastly over-looked issue. The reason this message must be heard The Lord knew what He was doing when He took me, over a twelve-year period, through the whole Bible to show me the meaning of Calvary. I became consumed with the message of the Cross of Jesus Christ. The motivation behind my repeated calls for the "church" to recognize the insidiousness of apostasy comes from Ezekiel 33:7-9. The Lord quickened those verses to me and caused me to see the seriousness if I were to fail to pass on what He was teaching me. Here is what He said: "So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." Many times, as the Lord reminds me of those words from Ezekiel, I can only weep. Upon realizing the awesome privilege of such a calling, I am struck even more with the responsibility to be faithful - first of all to Jesus and secondly to share the truth He reveals. What is the apostate gospel? Today, when we hear so much about “wars and rumors of wars” we are also hearing much about “revival” or a “final harvest of souls” or a “great move of God.” There are many who are looking for and anticipating a great revival. Some are even relocating because they’ve heard “prophecies” of a “coming revival.” Then there are those who want to “make it happen” by preaching a “gospel” message that condemns their hearers. Is it an attempt in their own strength to create results like in the “good old revival” days? Does the Bible tell us there will be a great revival? What does revival mean and where would we see its evidence? Who needs to be revived – is it the “world” or is it the “church”? We know from history that there have been some great moves of the Holy Spirit. Some lasted for extended periods of time while others were short-lived. What will stop a move of the Holy Spirit?...[full article] In this article we will cover the subject of apostasy. Following this, there will be the answer to apostasy – Revival. Does the Bible tell us there will be apostasy, or does the Bible tell us there will be revival? We will explore both – according to the Bible and according to the evidence we see all around us. Some of the evidence of apostasy will be very shocking. Please read this full article. My purpose is to shed light on some areas of great danger. Paul foretold, in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, how apostasy would occur before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The word apostasy comes from the Greek word “apostasia” which means “defection from truth” and is translated “falling away.” If apostasy is “defection from truth,” that tells us that Jesus, who is Truth, has been forsaken by those who are “apostate.” On ekklesia4him.net the word “apostasy” is very prominent, as is “deception.” The two go together. Apostasy results in deception and deception results in apostasy. As long as I have breath, and as the Lord leads, I will continue to write of the things He reveals in His word. It would appear that my “calling” is to expose the underlying cause of apostasy – not simply...[full article] Today I would like to introduce you to Rita Sanders' Blog, "Forever Settled." Rita and her husband have a background very similar to that of my husband's and mine. One main point being our experiences with the Word of Faith "movement." On Forever Settled you will find some good reading and also some very interesting video links. There is no doubt that we live in a time of increasing deception which contributes even more to the apostasy of which Paul the Apostle spoke. And Bible versions are at the center of things as the darkness increases. That statement may seem rather odd but unless man allows the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth to reveal the heart of God, the deception will continue. Carnal man has taken Bible passages out of context and built erroneous doctrines to tickle the ears of hearers. Jesus said that before He returns, “many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray.” (Matthew 24:11) After many years of in-depth study, with the Holy Spirit as my Teacher, I firmly believe that today’s “Bibles” have played a large part in the making of those “false prophets” of whom Jesus warned. In "Bible Versions and Apostasy - The Connection” I asked the question, “What is the Bible?” Of course the answer is “The Word of God.” But with all the “Bible” versions on the market, we must ask a further question, “The Word of God according to whom?” The New Testament begins with the four Gospels. They are “The Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.” These men walked with Jesus. They lived in the time of which they wrote. Theirs were first-hand accounts of the life of Jesus and His works and teachings. Paul wrote the majority of the remaining books in the New Testament. And His experience was one of miraculous transformation from a Law abiding Pharisee to a completely sold-out preacher of the Gospel, called by God to take the Good News to the Gentiles. Only the Holy Spirit could have revealed Jesus to this man who felt it was his responsibility to kill the Christians who were not subject to Moses’ Law. Only the Holy Spirit could have changed Paul’s allegiance to the Law and make him a preacher of Jesus’ Gospel. He was even willing to suffer unbelievable things for the sake of this One he came to know and love. "A New Testament study of the word "bishop" also reveals a subtle insertion of words, suggesting that God has ordained that some of His children be "over" others. The word "hierarchy" defines this man-made system which has infiltrated the Body of Christ, for the most part reducing it to a Lifeless institution. Apostasy is increasing at an alarming rate, as Paul the Apostle warned in his letter to the Thessalonians. I urge you to take each of the Greek words in this study and look closely at the English words into which they were translated, comparing them with the proper definition. Then read the verses in which they occur. It will become obvious how far we creatures of flesh have gone in the defection from truth (apostasy) and how distorted God’s word has become." [Read the Study] Due to the importance of this topic, this Nuggets is going out to both lists. So if you are subscribed to Nuggets of Truth as well as Ekklesia4him Bible Studies, you may receive duplicate mailings. New Testament study of the word "minister" ("office of deacon") by Stella Paterson A New Testament study of the word "minister" or the phrase, “use the office of a deacon,” as found in the revised KJV. This application is typical of the subtle suggestion, in various passages, which leaves the reader with the idea that God has ordained “hierarchy” in the Body of Christ. This could not be further from the truth, as can be seen in this study. If we compare all uses of “minister” or “serve” – the proper translation – we will learn more about a tender, loving God. It is not His will that any person should “rule over” another in the Body of Christ. This study will serve as a real eye-opener. I pray that it will bring peace to the hearts of any who have been subjected to abuse in “churches.” God is Love, and Love will never inflict abuse on any of His children. His call is “Come to Me.” This study will also be good reference aid for use with the up-coming article on Bible Versions. I have also begun work on a study of the word "bishop" - another eye-opening study and good companion for this one on "minister". If anyone has comments, or anything to add, please feel free to use the “comments” function found at the end of this study. Your comments may help others who have struggled with issues such as this. These studies are not intended solely to be my sharing what the Lord has taught me. We are all a part of the Body of Christ and we need each other. I am far from perfect and would like to receive correction where needed from my sisters and brothers in Christ. The study can be found here.
May 30, 2007
Two trees
6 Genesis 2:17
7 Genesis 3:5
8 Hebrew #5903 from #6191
9 Genesis 3:7
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May 1, 2007
Taken from Calling Forth The Remnant
By Stella Paterson
When God created man, He breathed His own breath into this magnificent masterpiece and equipped him with incredible capabilities. But God’s thoughts were on the eternal. He set in place a pattern, for man’s good, to keep man mindful of his Creator. The most vital of all patterns was that of marriage.
In the beginning all was perfect. The communion between the Creator and Adam and Eve must have been beyond comprehension. One can only imagine the pure interaction between God and man. It had to have been nothing short of blissful euphoria! The Spirit-to-spirit communication would be on such a level that only “adams” and their “eves” can understand as they experience incredible degrees of ecstasy in that spirit-to-spirit connection of the marital relationship. That ecstasy alone should be enough to cause mankind to acknowledge God as “God.” But does he?
2. John 3:5
3. 1 Corinthians 15:45
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March 24, 2007
Taken from CALLING FORTH THE REMNANT
Is it possible that we are so in bondage to self that we see the power of our hands as being of value to God? The Bible has much to say about the works of men’s hands. As both the Hebrew and Greek words show, “hand” indicates “power” or “means.”
One of the first references to man’s new-found ability is in Genesis 3:22. Man had become like God, knowing good and evil, so the Lord God said, “And now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever...” Man cannot take hold of eternal life by the power of his own doing, but that seems to be the perception among so many today.
Genesis 4:3-8 tells how God rejected Cain’s offering of the works of his own hands, but He accepted Abel’s offering which represented the death of flesh. So what was Cain’s response? In self-righteous anger, he murdered his brother.
God has pleaded constantly with man to forsake the works of his hands, and come to Him in complete surrender. We see just one example of this in Deuteronomy 4:28-31. The people were serving gods made with wood and stone, “the work of men's hands.” But the Lord told the people they would find Him only if they would seek Him with all their heart and soul.
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The Church is enslaved to the vain traditions handed down from generation to generation. These traditions include doctrine other than that of Christ, ritualistic “worship,” programs to regulate church life, communion rituals, and baptism rituals, etc. There is no desire to get out of the rut of complacency. Those who believe they are the "Church” go to church week after week, sit in the same pew, talk to the same people, sing the same songs, give their tithes at the appointed time, listen to a sermon, say the proper prayers, and leave at the usual time. Unconsciously, they are in bondage. If they were to allow God to free them, would they be willing to trust Him to be all they need? Would they come to fully acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of the Living God, the One Who died to free man from the flesh? Would they hungrily feed on the Manna from Heaven? Or would they murmur and complain, wanting to go back to “Egypt” with its structured “Christian” bondage?
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Taken from CALLING FORTH THE REMNANT
Chapter 25: "The End of All Flesh."
by Stella Paterson
God is a consuming fire, and Jesus is One with the Father. So, when He returns, “the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make an end, yea, a terrible end, of all them that dwell in the land.” (Zephaniah 1:18b) The day is fast approaching when all flesh will be consumed by the coming of Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God. No physical flesh can survive the full manifestation of Jesus. IT IS THE DAY WHEN FLESH WILL CEASE TO BE HIS OWN “god,” BECAUSE ALL THAT IS FLESH WILL BE OFFERED TO THE BIRDS OF THE AIR (Revelation 19:17-18) IN A SACRIFICE MADE BY GOD. (Ezekiel 39:17-22) For thousands of years man has been obsessed with flesh, and Israel continued to make sacrifices of flesh even though Jesus had put an end to the Law. In the end, God turns the tables and makes His own sacrifice of flesh to, of all things, the scavengers of the air. In the fire of His jealousy, Jesus exposes flesh as mere flesh. (2 Peter 2:12)
In Revelation, John told of seeing an angel who cried with a loud voice, "saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great." (Revelation 19:17b-18)
Jesus Himself prophesied of the same when He said, “Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” (Matthew 24:28) Vultures are related to eagles and hawks, so the use of “eagles” would indicate the immediate appearance of vultures coming to feast on the creatures of flesh that were slain by Jesus’ presence.
Ezekiel also prophesied of the destruction of flesh with words similar to those in Revelation. The word of the Lord God will go out to the birds of prey and beasts of the field, calling them to the “sacrificial feast” He is preparing for them at which they “may eat flesh and drink blood. You shall eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, of goats, and of bullocks.” He gives the reason in this next passage: "And I will manifest My honor and glory among the nations, and all the nations shall see My judgment and justice [in the punishment] which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them. So the house of Israel shall know, understand, and realize beyond all question that I am the Lord their God from that day forward." (Ezekiel 39:17-22 Amplified)
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December 15, 2006
Chapter 16: "Works of the Flesh and Fruit of the Spirit"
by Stella Paterson
Isaiah spoke some sobering words which must be included here. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20) How many of us believe we can please God through deeds of our flesh, omitting surrender to the Spirit’s work in us?
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Taken from CALLING FORTH THE REMNANT
Chapter 12: "Spurious 'Helpers'"
by Stella Paterson
The tares
Jesus could have used the word “weed,” which would have referred to just any weed, but He did not. He used “tares” with all that it represents. “Tares” is translated from a Greek word which means “darnel,” or “false grain.” The word “darnel” means “stupefied,” and its seed is prone to infestation by a fungus which makes the darnel seeds poisonous. In relation to the present spiritual condition of North America in particular, Satan’s infested “tares” are spreading their stupefying poison in the Church. But Jesus knows His own and His own know Him, so in the end He will separate the false from the true, as He explained to His disciples. At the end of this age, the Son of Man will send His angels to gather out of His kingdom all who turn others away from Him and who practice iniquity; they all will be cast into the furnace of fire. "There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" (Matthew 13:42b-43 NKJV)
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Taken from CALLING FORTH THE REMNANT
Chapter 8: "Marriage - God's Plan or Man's?"
by Stella Paterson
Jesus was born of a virgin. He was not born of flesh, but only in the “likeness of sinful flesh.” He was conceived by the Holy Spirit – not by a creature of flesh!
We His Bride must be untouched by flesh. We must be without spot, prepared as a bride to join her husband. We must be a virgin Bride, a new creature in Christ Jesus, born of the Spirit. An impure bride is not a virgin Bride. Matthew 25:1-13 tells the parable of the five wise virgins who had the Holy Spirit (oil in their lamps) and were fit for the Bridegroom. But the five foolish virgins who had no Holy Spirit (oil in their lamps) were shut out - the Bridegroom did not know them.
Faithfulness demands we keep ourselves only unto Him, as a pure virgin, unspotted by the world and the life of the flesh. Jesus, our Bridegroom, is waiting and longing for a virgin bride without spot or wrinkle.
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Taken from CALLING FORTH THE REMNANT
Chapter 6: "The Life is in The Blood."
by Stella Paterson
Man and animals were created with blood as the life of their flesh. Blood ran in the veins for no reason other than to reveal His plan to bring real life by the shedding of Jesus’ blood. This is obvious with the Hebrew word for “blood” meaning, “that which when shed causes death.” God’s plan was that His people should be tutored in the shedding of blood, putting flesh to death until Jesus came to shed His blood.
The purposes of God are so intricately interwoven in our lives, yet we are taken up with this life and cannot see Him. Symbolism goes far beyond what is commonly understood. Within every aspect of life there are elements of eternal reality that should keep us mindful of God.
An example that reveals life according to God’s scheme and how it relates to the life of the flesh is portrayed in the human body. When the blood flow is cut off from part of a limb, it results in numbness and, at times, much pain. If the blood flow is not allowed to return to the area, the limb will become gangrenous and die. Spiritually speaking, death to flesh can also be a very painful process. How many are truly willing to submit to the process necessary to crucify the flesh-life?
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Taken from CALLING FORTH THE REMNANT
Chapter 5: "The Law and the Sacrifice"
by Stella Paterson
Jesus came to free man from himself and his own way. He did not make rules for man to obey. If God had expected us to adhere to rules and regulations, Jesus would not have had to die, but would have stayed on earth to monitor compliance to His rules. All of His teachings are truths to be lived out in the power of His life, which produces the fruit of righteousness.
We are told that “without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing unto him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is [God], and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after [Greek: crave] him.” (Hebrews 11:6) If man relies on himself through obedience to rules and regulations, he cannot be pleasing to God. It makes no difference whether it is man’s religious laws or Moses’ Law – man cannot please God. Only Christ in man can please the Father.
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Taken from CALLING FORTH THE REMNANT
Chapter 14: "Forgiveness and the New Birth"
by Stella Paterson
The present-day concept of what it means to be born again is also based on the error that has invaded the Church. We must fully understand the relationship between the knowledge of good and evil, flesh and blood, the Law of Moses, and the Cross of Jesus Christ. Man-made doctrines have reduced the born-again experience to a simple formula where saying a little prayer after the preacher makes us “born again”. Where is the inward change? How can a formulated prayer make a new creature in Christ Jesus? Where is the surrender to the Holy Spirit?
The idea of praying “the sinner’s prayer” was derived from this passage in Luke: Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14 NKJV)
We dare not take this publican’s prayer and make it a formula for being born anew, suggesting that mere words can make us a new creature. Unless we humble ourselves and cry out from our helpless state as the penitent publican did, our words will be empty, and no door will be opened for the Holy Spirit to do His work.
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Taken from CALLING FORTH THE REMNANT
Chapter 9: "The Church - Jesus' Body or Man's Edifice?"
by Stella Paterson
Why is it that thousands of churches are erected where pastors "minister" to the people? When there are gatherings, it should be for leading people in ministry to God through praise and then worship, if He graces the gathering with His presence. There can be no worship without the presence of God. And if we do not first enter in with thanksgiving and praise, without the baggage of flesh, we cannot claim to be in His presence. If the Church would truly gather in His Name and acknowledge Him as the Preeminent One, He would manifest His presence there. But the Church must have its ritualistic order. Is it possible that if only two or three hungry souls desired Him, He would longingly wait amid the crowd to receive their worship and fill the hungry ones with Himself? But just when it would appear He has found the “place of His rest,” the order of service is changed to accommodate ritual. With tears streaming down His face He leaves, disappointed once again at being rejected by those who “came to worship Him.” Jesus said the time has come when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and Truth. (John 4:23-24) These are the ones the Father is seeking - but sensual man, caring more about programs and increasing membership, makes true worship very rare in the Church.
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There was a time when the Gospel was preached with Power, and God’s Spirit gripped the hearts of hearers. As time passed, the idea of preaching was carried forward, but the power of the Gospel was missing. At some point, God’s Word has ceased to be GOD’S Word in purity, and has become man’s word. Yes, preachers quote portions of God’s Word, but the message has become the “letter that kills”. Rather than preach the Word, they preach from the Word, creating ear-tickling masterpieces of oratory. We Christians can so easily be misled by something that sounds good because of our trust in man. Where are those who will be as the Bereans, searching the Word and beseeching the Spirit for wisdom to know the Truth?
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Taken from CALLING FORTH THE REMNANT
Chapter 26: "The Church Triumphant"
by Stella Paterson
The greatest humiliation imaginable was brought upon Satan when Jesus came as a man to defeat him. What sweet revenge! What anger must have been stirred in the mind of man’s greatest enemy! But nothing could keep Jesus from taking out of Satan’s hands the keys of Hades and death. And nothing could stop His Spirit from re-entering His body in the tomb, causing Jesus to burst forth as the “firstborn from the dead.”
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March 9, 2008
The Antichrist Shepherd
[full article]
February 12, 2008
Beware of Deceivers And Seducers - a Grave Warning
February 1, 2008
The Antichrist "Bride"
January 17, 2008
Who Is Antichrist?
January 10, 2008
God bless you richly!
In Jesus because of Calvary,
Stella
January 1, 2008
Evidence of the True New Birth
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December 20, 2007
The Sabbath - What does it really mean?
November 26, 2007
Worse Than An Infidel
November 14, 2007
Jesus - The Overcoming Life
October 10, 2007
The Deadliest Sin
September 30, 2007
Disciple or Rebel - The Choice
We live in a time when extremely tough choices are being made. Many Christians have left organized religion, or the "institutional" church, but what is the reason? Is it out of rebellion for reasons unknown? Or, is it a true call from God to forsake an apostate system and be a faithful disciple of His? The question is clear - are we in Christ or are we merely "in church"? Are we being sanctified through faith in the living Christ? Or, are we being "churchified" by a dead system? [full article]
September 9, 2007
Forgiveness - When and Why?
September 1, 2007
This time I am sharing an email I received from Homer Owen. I am so thankful he found my email address somewhere and sent me the first newsletter. Since then I have enjoyed reading of his journey with the Lord.
Stella
Read on:
August 21, 2007
When Hell Rejoices - But Heaven Triumphs
Hell - the place for the devil and his "ministers". But what are they really up to as they rule the darkness and carry out their demonic activities, traveling back and forth between their place in the air and their job on earth? Let's take a look. [full article]
August 17, 2007
Apostate Gospel - The Great Deception
And now...
There is no question that we are living in the age of apostasy. And we also know that if the Apostle Paul warned of a "falling away" it would be massive, affecting everything within the "church" and even the "world". It has happened, and there has been no area untouched. Apostasy is increasing at an alarming rate. Even though it is clearly visible to some, vast multitudes are blind to it. That being said, we can conclude that today's "gospel" message is greatly affected by the ever-present apostasy. Why would it not be - everything else is! Today's gospel is widely accepted, and everyone believes that it IS the true gospel. That in itself should be enough to raise a huge red flag. Does the fact that "everyone is doing it" make it right? If there is ANYTHING popular in Christianity we ought to get into the Scriptures and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the truth. Think about this: If the "church" is apostate, would not their "gospel" also be apostate? [full article]
August 4, 2007
Revival - What Is It?
July 25, 2007
Apostasy - What Is It?
July 20, 2007
Dear Friends,
Check out the nuggets of truth on Forever Settled at this link:
http://foreversettled.blogspot.com/
May you be challenged, as well as find encouragement in Rita's writings.
In Jesus because of Calvary,
Stella
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July 17, 2007
What Kind of Obedience To What Kind Of Leadership?
This passage has sometimes been used to require the obedience of church members to pastoral leadership, often for no better reason than he is the Pastor and therefore he should be obeyed. Unfortunately, our English translators were raised in and taught under a heavy clergy-driven church model and felt they had to reflect this in their translation. A closer and perhaps a little less biased look at the Greek text yields quite a different result.
"Obey" is PEITHO and means to convince, persuade, to appeal to, win over, to strive to please, conciliate, pacify, set at ease and, in a certain sense, obey. Here, in this verse, the specific meaning is determined by the context. Hebrews was written to keep Jewish believers from going back under the law. First, the writer teaches about "rest" (Chapters 3 and 4), which is resting or abiding in Christ. Then, he teaches that the law was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. There are the warnings in Chapters 6 and 10 against leaving Christ as our Source and going back to legalism. Then, in Chapter 13, the admonition is given to, "obey those who have rule over you…" Since it was a case of...[full article]
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July 13, 2007
Bible Versions – The Controversy
By Stella Paterson
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July 10, 2007
July 8, 2007
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June 26, 2007
Just a quick note to let you know I am still off my feet, using crutches to get around. My computer time is almost nil - just checking email and essential stuff. For those praying, I specifically need the Lord to clear the accumulated blood from the sepsis-damaged flesh behind the shin bone. This will relieve the pressure which is the source of so much pain. Praise the Lord the flesh is not totally dead, which would lead to gangrene. The blood flow through the tissue is restricted, so that is why the severe blood buildup and swelling. I had to switch to a naturopathic physician for help and things are beginning to improve.
My time in the recliner has been wonderful, as the Lord has been shedding light on His word and giving me Nuggets and article material for the day when I can get back to writing. He is so awesome! I love spending this time with Him and hearing His voice, making notes for later. I look forward to sharing with you the things He is teaching me.
Meanwhile, here is a little something for you to ponder:
Where your treasure is...
March 7, 2004
We must stop measuring our treasure by the pleasure that we treasure, and move to treasuring the measure of God's pleasure that He wants us to cherish without measure; for it is His measure of Treasure that he takes pleasure in measuring to us, so that ultimately our treasure will be in His pleasure without measure.
by Stella Paterson
God bless, and thanks for the prayers,
Stella
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For the next few days I will be out of touch, and my work on articles and Bible studies will be on hold. I have been ordered off my feet and into bed with my badly bruised leg elevated. The 2003 sepsis-damaged flesh doesn't take too kindly to being bruised. My testimony explains what happened in 2003, for anyone who has not yet read it.
For those expecting replies to email, I apologize. If the Lord lays it on your heart to pray for me, I would appreciate it very much. We are not sure what will happen with my leg. It is being monitored closely and a lot of tests are being run.
God bless, and have a great week.
Your sister in Christ,
Stella
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Knowledge of Good and Evil
– The harm it has done
by Stella Paterson
When we sit in our little space of time and read the Bible – whatever “version” we have – we are prone to tunnel vision. We see only issues, doctrines, biases of translators, denominational beliefs, traditions from parents, teachers, preachers – the list is endless; all of which...[full article]
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The Story Behind “Calling Forth The Remnant”
By Stella Paterson
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30
To be chosen to write the book has been an incredibly humbling privilege. To be able to speak with such boldness is an absolute miracle. The fact that the message became a book, in print, is a true work of God. The story behind the book still boggles my mind because I know me, and I am the most unlikely person to be called for such a task. My description can be found in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, where Paul tells us that “not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things which are strong; and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea, and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are: that no flesh should glory before God.” [Full article]
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May 7, 2007
What Kind of Bride Are We?
by Stella Paterson
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"Geneva Steve" has given me permission to use the work that he has so diligently and carefully prepared for us to read and study. Here is the link to that new page: http://www.ekklesia4him.net/read_Geneva_Bible.html On the same page, there is a link to Steve's web site where you can find some good information on Bible versions, along with the whole Geneva Bible. He is still in the process of proofing most of the Old Testament.
When you visit Steve's GenevaBible.org web site, maybe you would like to sign his guestbook and thank him for all his hard work.
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What Is Sin?
by Ken Brown
If you’ve read the articles on my website, then you already know that I spend a fair amount of time talking about the differences between religion and reality, and morality and spirituality. Religion and morality have little or nothing to do with God and more to do with men’s opinions and standards; while reality and spirituality have to do with...[full article]
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Have you ever wondered how the "Word was God?" What a glorious truth is revealed in those verses! Jesus is the Living Word, full of Grace and Truth, and He has come to dwell in us. The reality of what it means to be born again becomes even more evident when the light of His Word is revealed in our hearts. [full article]
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False Gospel – Exposed
In giving that title to this article I know it will cause quite a stir in the Christian community. At the same time, if I fail to write it I will answer to Almighty God. He impressed upon me the urgency to get out a message, first on ekklesia4him.net, then in expanded form in Calling Forth The Remnant, the book. Since the book came out in December, 2006, the Holy Spirit has continued to impress upon me the harmful apostasy that has infiltrated the Body of Christ. The book was not the end of what He had for me to write.
This is a most dangerous age in which we live. Deception is at an all-time high. Jesus has been pushed into the background in places where He is to be lifted up. His presence is not desired by so many who claim to be His. We are a self-sufficient people – just like Adam and Eve with their knowledge of good and evil. This is the age of apostasy! [Continue to full article]
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This study on "sin" uncovers one of those insidious deceptions we have received "because everyone preaches it." Following the recent article "The Gospel According to Jesus" and the "love" study, this "sin" study reveals a part of a picture, so to speak, that will be complete with my next article. The Lord has been impressing upon me to complete this study then get on with writing the article.
To those who have been praying for me, I really do need you to continue. I praise God for you, and am so very thankful!
Here is the study on "sin". I have been so blessed while doing it, and I pray that it will bless you as well. As with the other studies, the Greek words and definitions are listed first, followed by the passages in which they appear.
You can find the interactive study here: http://ekklesia4him-bible-studies.blogspot.com/
The printable version can be found here: http://www.ekklesia4him.net/Sin_study.pdf
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The Gospel According to Jesus
(As revealed by the Holy Spirit through the written Word)
by Stella Paterson
In my book, Calling Forth The Remnant, I addressed numerous aspects of the apostasy that has invaded the Church, and the resulting error. As I was writing the book, I felt that the subject of "love" should be a part of it. The Lord would not allow me to even begin writing about it, other than to mention love as being fruit of the Spirit. A few weeks after the book was released in December, the Lord began speaking to me about "love," leading me to scriptures and bringing real life stories to my attention. Through it all He began to give me a revelation of the Gospel according to Jesus Christ. My spirit soared, my eyes ran with tears of joy, and from my heart I worshiped as I sat and read all the passages in the Bible as the Lord led me.
What is the gospel according to Jesus? Is it the gospel being preached today? Is today's "gospel" the false gospel of which the Bible warned? Look at what Jesus had to say: "false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray, and because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold." He went on to say that those who "endure unto the end" shall be saved. What are the "false prophets" preaching that is leading many astray? And how does it tie in with the "love of the many" turning cold? (Matthew 24:11-13) Verse 14 says, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come."
Read the full article here.
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Praise God for His Word! I am pleased to let you know that the NT books of Romans, Galatians and Hebrews, from the old 1611 KJV, are available in PDF at ekklesia4him.
http://www.ekklesia4him.net/read_older_kjv.html
You will find them to be "good reading" - unlike anything else in print today. Although I have searched, I have found no other copy of this same version. Some say they have it, but the one we commonly know as the "KJV" is actually the one revised from 1870 to 1885. It is the one touted by many as being the "1611 version." I encourage you to read what I have made available and compare with other versions you may have.
There may be the odd typo - sorry about that!
For those who have also subscribed to the Bible Studies, the two-part "judge" study is available on the Bible Study page. http://www.ekklesia4him.net/bible_study.html
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Last evening I received an email from a brother in New Zealand. I watched this short video he sent, and I must forward it on to all of you. It adds some "punch" to one of the things I wrote in Calling Forth The Remnant. The video really touched my heart and I felt I must share it with you. To view it, just click on this link: http://www.inasmuch.ro/video/inasmuch_2005.html
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Testimonies of God's Grace
On this page you will find testimonies we have been receiving from various friends we have "met" through the ministry of ekklesia4him. These are testimonies of the wonderful Grace of God. The Spirit of Grace is at work in people we may think are "unreachable." He is bringing souls to Jesus - very often without the "ministry" of humans. Read, and be encouraged. (This is the first one - there are more to come.)
February 19, 2007
In the spring of 2005 I was an extremely successful junior executive. I had been in the fast lane, and made a horrible amount of money very quickly (we had a $3/4 million home). I was wallowing in sin; boastful, prideful, scheming, carnal (as a man can be), a drunkard and absolutely miserable. When I reached a fifth of liquor a day for about six months straight I lost it one afternoon and "blew up" at my boss. I lost my job; we lost our house, our cars, and our savings - everything, in the quick, downward spiral that followed. The whole house of cards came down. I nearly lost my family too!... [Read Robert's testimony]
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I feel that this issue of Nuggets of Truth is an extra special one. The reason is, I am introducing an article written by a very good friend of mine. It is an article that will warm your heart and cause you to want to read more from the book of Luke. Especially the second chapter.
Helen Gwilliam is a woman of prayer and loves to spend time in the Word of God. She has a unique gift of writing& through which she has brought to "life" a Bible character of whom we hear little. With thoughtful words, Helen presents a "picture" of the life of Anna the prophetess. I think you will enjoy it - I certainly have. And I am thankful to Helen for allowing me to share it with you.
[Read "Anna"]
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It is doubtful that anyone would argue with the fact that the “Bible” is the Word of God. To quote from a very old Bible, which I will tell you about later, John 1:1-5 tells us, “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was not any thing made that hath been made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended [Greek: seized] it not.”
Jesus is the Living Word, as John revealed in the above quote. Jesus came to bring Life and Light to a world of darkness, but the “darkness” has not grasped [seized] the truth of that fact. In John 14:6, Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Because He is the Truth, and “apostasy” is “ defection from truth ,” Jesus has been forsaken. His Name has been reduced to a buzzword in “Christian” circles, where He is known about, but not KNOWN. How is that possible, when “God’s Word” is faithfully read in churches week after week?
Why have we strayed so far from the reality that Jesus is the Truth? How could this have happened when we have so many “Bibles” being published and sold as “God’s Word?” In the beginning, God’s Word was given to point man to Jesus. The books of the Law, the prophets and the New Testament all point to Jesus. Why then have so many strayed from Him? Should not the plethora of “Bibles” be accomplishing what God originally planned for His Word to do? [full article]
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A JOURNEY BEYOND THE STARS
As experienced and related by Liston Bateson ND (retired),
New Zealand
The 24th April 1964 was a date the Little Man would never forget. It was remarkable for one particular reason only. His attitude and approach to everything in his life from that day onwards would be totally different to that of the past. He had a new appreciation of life and concept of reality. His vision was enhanced for he had returned from beyond the edge of the visible horizon, he had returned from beyond the Stars.
He remembered being flat on his back in a hospital bed when he opened his eyes. He saw before him...[full article]