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Commentaries, The Covering, Communion, Foot
Washing & Sabbath Keeping!/ Commentaries If that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would’ve been sought for a second. (Heb8:7) If they’d stood in My counsel, and caused My people to hear My words, then they’d have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings. (Jer23:22) By their fruits you’ll know them. (Mt7:20) In prayer this morning the Lord very powerfully revealed to me that the bible commentaries which “believers” are studying these days have had no effect whatsoever in making the church what she ought to be. Matthew Henry’s commentaries, Dake’s bible, hundreds of books that are supposed to be telling the “believers” how to be true Christians haven’t produced the glorious church (Eph5:27) nor even made any noticeable progress towards producing such a church. Most “churches” are getting worse not better. These commentaries aren’t causing contemporary “christians” to repent and become holy in their behavior and they’re not teaching them how to hear God or be Spiritual. We’ve been with child, we’ve been in pain; we’ve, as it were, brought forth wind; we haven’t accomplished any deliverance in the earth, nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen. (Is26:18) When the Lord called me He audibly commanded me not to read these books because He wanted to teach me Himself so from the beginning I knew there wasn’t much profit in them but like everything else the Lord has shown me where there’s something wrong with it - it always turns out to be even worse than I first imagined. The problem is that all the commentaries, ALL of them have been written by intellectual natural men and not Spiritual men. So all they convey is intellectual knowledge. They don’t convey Spirituality. But as it’s written: “Eye hasn’t seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we’ve received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual. But the natural man doesn’t receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they’re foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they’re Spiritually discerned. But he who is Spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1Cor2:9-16) These “commentaries” don’t contain Spiritual knowledge because they’re not written by Spiritual men who hear God or talk to God or know God by the Spirit. They’re written by men who talk about a God they’ve never really met. Because they aren’t Spiritual they can’t help their readers become Spiritual. Such men haven’t even begun to take the first steps of Spirituality because they’ve mistaken intellectuality for Christianity when Christ isn’t intellectual, He’s Spiritual. God showed me that if these commentaries that teach men and these seminaries that teach “pastors” had been doing the job there’d be no need for the Glory of His Grace. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would’ve been sought for a second. (Heb8:7) If the existing “churches” were doing their job God wouldn’t have to raise up “My Father’s House.” If the traditional forms of Christianity were doing the job they were supposed to be doing God wouldn’t have to start a new work! In the same way that if the Old Covenant had done the job God wouldn’t need a New Covenant all the things today that pertain to traditional “christianity” have failed to do the job. “Christian” bookstores today are filled with books written by traditional “christians” whose interpretations of the scriptures are not helping their readers to become real sons of God. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Rom8:14) God warns us! Don’t be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it’s good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which haven’t profited those who’ve been occupied with them. (Heb13:9) These books haven’t profited those who’ve been occupied with them. The most scholastic “students” are often the least holy of all. The more time they spend studying their dead books filled with dead facts the less Christ-like they become. They’ve completely missed the purpose of the Word of God. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith. (1Tim1:5) They’ve missed the greater things of the law; justice, mercy and faith. (Mt23:23) They’ve missed Christ in you the hope of glory (Col 1:27) or being led by the Spirit (Gal 5:25) all of which pertain to what real Christianity is all about. They’ve missed the oneness with Christ. That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. (Jn17:21) All of these things the Glory of His Grace is bringing forth. These subjects have been missed by the commentaries so God had to start a new work. He started a new work because the old one isn’t working. It isn’t that the old one didn’t work because God didn’t make it right but because the people perverted God’s Word. The gospel will always work for someone who reads their bible and actually gets the Spirit to show them what it means. But today’s church goers have turned to men and just as much as the Old Testament Jews turned to idols and traditions of men instead of God, (Mt15:9) contemporary “churches” have clung to their traditions and ignored the Word of God. To Spiritual men God’s Word is all important. But carnal men who love to be taught by men have terribly corrupted the gospel. (1Cor2:14) Their gospel isn’t the power of God unto salvation. (Rom1:16) It doesn’t produce a real unity with Christ. (Jn17:23) It doesn’t teach “believers” to receive the cross or their crucifixion with Christ. (Gal 5:24) Yet they want to keep the way that doesn’t work. They accept what is and think that’s the way it ought to be when their “churches” aren’t anything like what God says they ought to be. Without even thinking about it most “new believers” today just join up with some “church” that’s doing it the old way even when the old way hasn’t worked and isn’t producing. Some choose their “church” for selfish reasons because they can profit off old line “churches” which have a lot of money. There’s a great deal of money to be made catering to the lusts of worldly “christians.” People who aren’t good enough to make it in the world often go to the “church,” and the “churches” love to pick up the world’s rejects. Musicians who weren’t talented enough to star in the secular world will try to succeed in “christian music.” It’s easier to “make it” in the “church.” Many of the popular Afro-American singers started in the very musically oriented black churches. But when they had an opportunity they left the “church” to go to the world. They got their practice, their voice, their style when they were “singing for Jesus” but it turns out it wasn’t Jesus they were really singing for. One way insanity can be defined is doing the same thing and expecting a different result which is what most of the contemporary “churches” are doing. They keep doing the same things that haven’t worked and continue to try to make them work, when they won’t work because they’re not scripturally correct! God needed to start a new work that works His way, according to God and not man. So what good will it do you to go back to reading the study bibles, commentaries and such that have been around so many years and yet haven’t accomplished any deliverance. We have, as it were, brought forth wind; we haven’t accomplished any deliverance in the earth. (Is26:18) Why, because they’re not doing it right. God’s looking for a people who know Him not just know some things about Him! None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, “Know the LORD,” for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. (Heb8:11) That’s the true definition of the New Covenant Christianity which isn’t found in today’s “churches,” which means they aren’t really New Covenant but an aberration. In bringing “My Father’s House” forth God has taught me I wasn’t to be a pastor who’s like a shining star and all the members just sit there and listen. I was called by God to create a Spiritual church where every member hears God. And as the pastor of “My Father’s House” I don’t do everything. I give the members space to contribute because each of you are to grow up and become Spiritual. God wants a church that’s filled with Bill Taylors, not just one Bill Taylor. He wants a church that’s filled with Jesus’, Davids, Pauls, Timothys, Marks. He wants His whole church, every member to be an overcomer (Rev21:7) and a fruitful branch in the vine (Jn15:4) who knows God and is led by Christ himself. (Jn10:4) That’s the only kind of church that can bring forth deliverance but that’s not what these commentaries are begetting. They’re filling their readers with the knowledge that puffs up and not the love that makes them Christ-like. Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. (1Cor8:1-3) The proof of the failure of all these false teachers is right before us. These books are being read in every church, they’re on every pastor’s bookshelf, they’re being sold in every “christian” bookstore and the “church” is getting worse not better. So what’s the fruit of all this “christian” literature? There’s none! They’re all bad because the men making the comments aren’t Spiritual. They haven’t heard God. They’ve just studied a lot of books about God and the conclusions they’ve come to are fleshly human wisdom. (2Cor1:12) Their writers haven’t been led by the Spirit so the books have no power to turn anyone from their evil ways or convict anyone. Yet I get hundreds of letters at “My Father’s House” where the readers are speaking of conviction, conviction, conviction happening to them when they read the Glory of His Grace. Conviction means the Holy Spirit’s working. (Jn16:8) It’s not an intellectual exercise that puffs people up but the Glory of His Grace causes many of its readers to see their sin and turn. To turn them from darkness to light and from the power of satan unto God. (Act26:18) The Glory of His Grace is a true gospel ministry founded by Jesus much the same as Paul was called to. (Act26:18) Jesus says you’ll know them by their fruit (Mt7:16) and these old wineskin forms of “christianity” don’t have good fruit. (Mt9:17) They’re not producing what Jesus is looking for. They’re not producing the glorious church. (Eph5:26,27) They’re not producing Christ-like Christians. Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; but, speaking the Truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head -- Christ -- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Eph4:13,15,16) These failures can’t be looked upon as though they’re harmless. Jesus won’t come again until He can present the church to Himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle! (Eph5:27) Therefore to hasten the coming of the Lord we must be working together with Jesus to perfect His church. (1Cor3:9;2Pt3:12) Those who are involved in this old unspiritual “christianity” are hindering not hastening the Lord’s coming! For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would’ve been sought for a second. In that He says, “A new covenant,” He’s made the first obsolete. Now what’s becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Heb8:7,13) Why do you want to cling to the inferior when we’ve got a new way that has better promises? (v6) God’s bringing forth a new thing which really isn’t new, but the original Spiritual Christianity as taught by the apostles to the first century church. The old contemporary “christianity” isn’t working, so why do you want to hold on to the thing that isn’t working? O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? (Gal 3:1) Do you know what this means? If we are seeing Jesus crucified, we’re seeing His glory! But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2Cor3:18) Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.” When He says “glorified” He’s talking about being crucified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. (Jn12:23-26) Jesus is speaking of His crucifixion as the only way to fruitfulness and the need for us to be crucified with Him if we’re to be of any use to God. Pick up your cross and follow Me. (Mk10:21) If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. (Jn12:26) It’s an awesome honor to be accepted into Heaven; God’s Kingdom; Christ! Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save Me from this hour?” But for this purpose I came to this hour. “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” (Jn12:27, 28) Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. (The cross is Christ’s greatest glory!) If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. (Jn13:31,32) That the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. (Jn14:31) Over and over again Jesus talks about going to the cross. To the world it looked like He was being accursed but Jesus knew God was going to make His crucifixion work towards glory. Jesus’ obedience was very glorifying to God. It was the most glorious thing a man had ever done for God. It was glorious that a man could obey God to that supreme extent. You’re looking at obedience to the uttermost and that’s a great glory to God! So when you see Christ crucified you’re looking at the glory of Christ. Of course the resurrection was glorious. (Phil 2:8-11) The resurrection was the glory God gave Jesus for doing what He did, but what He did was the most glorious sacrifice any man has ever given God. When you look upon Him crucified you’re seeing His glory of which Paul says “beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we’re being transformed into the same image.” (2Cor3:18) Beholding as in a mirror the crucified Christ I’m being transformed into the crucified Bill. That’s exactly what’s supposed to happen and that’s what Paul’s trying to get across to the Galatians. You’re to be crucified with Christ! (Gal 2:20) He was clearly portrayed among you as crucified, now how is it you’re turning away from the cross to go back to this Old Covenant religion that doesn’t work? Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. You’ve become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you’ve fallen from grace. (Gal 5:2,4) Now what about you as a “believer” today? Are you taking hold of the crucified and resurrected life in Christ or are you settling for a merely intellectual “christianity” that produces nothing useful and makes no progress towards fulfilling the scriptures, bringing about the glorious church, or hastening the coming of the Lord? You’re insane if you hold to the inferior, the thing that doesn’t work when God’s offering something that is working in Jesus’ name! Many of the commentaries contain factual and geographical information, archeology, time lines and things which are all related to intellectual knowledge. The real question is does such knowledge help you become like Jesus? Does it increase your faith? Does it perfect you in holiness? NO! It’s just information of the kind that tends to puff up! (1Cor8:1) But worse than that is when these commentaries start getting into theology and interpreting scripture they inevitably fail miserably in defining true Christianity. Their remarks add nothing to the Spirituality of a true believer. Putting the best light on someone who wants to read a commentary you’d at least say they’re interested in God and want to know more about Him. But such a person who really wants to know God will always be disappointed when he reads the commentaries because he finds they really aren’t feeding him. On the other side a person who’s intellectually proud will read the commentaries to brag about what he’s learned. So they’re going to have a differing effect depending on the kind of person reading them. In one case it’s going to make the carnal reader two fold more the child of hell (Mt23:15) and in the other case to the true believer it’s going to be a disappointment because it’s not the Spiritual food he’s hungering for, to make him like Jesus. Until the Glory of His Grace anyone who was hungry for God had nowhere to go. I know this by experience! When I first came to know God, I couldn’t find anything supplemental to the Bible itself to give me any help towards true Spirituality. I was asking God to show me His true church when He called me to pastor “My Father’s House” and publish the Glory of His Grace. He had no true church to show me so He called me to start one. Nor did He have any “commentaries” fit for me to read – so He called me to publish the Glory of His Grace. So if there was nothing better available you couldn’t fault people who were trying to learn about God by going to what was available. All we could say is it’s like being a good Jew until Jesus came. The Old Covenant was the best thing available if you didn’t abuse it like the Pharisees. The best you could be was just to be a good Jew. But when Jesus came everything changed and now he who’s least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John the Baptist. (Mt11:11) When Jesus came it was time to put away the old and put on the new because the new was so superior. Then I said, “Behold, I’ve come -- in the volume of the book it’s written of Me -- to do Your will, O God.” Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You didn’t desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), in that He says, “A new covenant,” He’s made the first obsolete. Now what’s becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. But now He’s obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He’s also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. (Heb10:7,8;8:13,6) So this is like a man reading a commentary that only feeds his carnal intellect until the better thing comes along. Then he should put the lesser away and devote his attention to what’s feeding his spirit – in this case the Glory of His Grace – in Jesus’ Name. The Covering Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. But I want you to know that the Head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, (her father or her husband) and the Head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his Head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head. (1Cor11:2-5) The subject of the head covering is one of those places where what Peter says about Paul’s epistles comes true. Our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. (2Pt3:15,16) If you don’t want to be among the untaught and unstable read 1Cor11:1-16 several times and pray for God to give you understanding. If a woman prays with her head uncovered she dishonors her head, which can mean her father or her husband. So the woman must be covered. Paul’s explaining this because the Corinthian church is being accused of teaching that woman can pray uncovered (v16) contrary to the tradition of covering (v2) which is being followed in the other churches. Who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. (1Cor4:17) Here Paul affirms the tradition of the covering and makes sure everyone knows the women need to be covered in public worship. This is the tradition as he’s delivered it to them. (1Cor11:2) So when he says, “But if anyone seems to be contentious” Paul means the contentious one is saying women can pray in church without being covered, to which he replies “we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.” (1Cor11:16) To be “contentious” means to argue with what Paul has said and he’s said his custom is women have to be covered when they engage in public worship as in the church. To be “contentious” to what Paul is saying the contentious person must be claiming the Corinthian church has a custom where women don’t have to be covered when they pray in church. But Paul affirms we have no such custom as for women to pray uncovered in the Corinthian or any of the churches. “Nor do the churches of God.” (1Cor11:16) Also in this passage Paul establishes the reasons why the woman needs to be covered, which reasons aren’t based upon some temporal cultural custom or social habit, but upon the Word of God and the original position of women in the creation as being under the authority of man; meaning her father, a guardian or her husband. For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority (covering) on her head, because of the angels. (1Cor11:8-10) Angels are ministers of God who uphold and enforce God’s Word! Bless the LORD, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His Word, heeding the voice of His Word. (Ps103:20) So don’t provoke the angels by letting women pray uncovered in church. If a woman has long hair it’s a glory to her (1Cor11:15) and woman is the glory of man. (v7) In the church services God is to be glorified not man. So if you don’t cover the woman’s hair – man is glorified not God. But man is the glory of God (v7) so if you do cover the man’s head God’s glory is diminished. That’s the proper understanding of Paul’s teaching and the only understanding that makes sense. Those who twist the Word when Paul says her hair is given for a covering (v15) are fools. If the woman’s hair alone was a sufficient covering Paul’s whole dissertation would be to no purpose. If women are automatically covered why bother “correcting” since there could be no problem if a woman’s hair itself was a sufficient covering. What Paul is saying is her hair is a natural covering that indicates the need for a further covering. Otherwise it’s like he just said, “Oh never mind.” He just gave you 12 verses talking about the covering; a covering which man who has hair is not to wear, but a woman who has hair is to wear and then to say “never mind?” A woman’s hair is her covering? That’s stupid. You have to interpret this in such a way as you can see what God is doing isn’t stupid. The other verse the false churches twist against the covering is, But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God. (1Cor11:16) Which we’ve already explained, but for clarity’s sake must elucidate. “See, we have no such custom” is what they say, but look at what Paul says in the beginning, Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. (1Cor11:2) Then he affirms we do have a tradition or custom concerning the covering of women in the church. You can’t then say we have no such custom after he’s showed you the church does have such a custom. The custom is the man isn’t to be covered (men remove their hats when they enter the church) but the woman must be covered. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his Head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. (1Cor11:4,5) Paul says keep it the way I delivered it to you! Why is he telling them to keep it? Because someone is telling them not to. But “we have no such custom as to let women pray uncovered.” But Paul is affirming the tradition of covering the women in church because obviously someone is saying the women don’t have to cover or he wouldn’t have to emphasize that they do and that it’s the church’s tradition to cover. Another verse opponents may use to say women don’t have to cover is there’s no male or female in Christ. (Gal 3:28) But, Admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the Word of God may not be blasphemed. (Tit2:4,5) In the Spiritual realm there’s no male or female but in the physical realm women are still women and for the glory of God they must behave like godly women. Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the Word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Don’t let your adornment be merely outward -- arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel -- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and aren’t afraid with any terror. (sudden calamity-1Pt3:1-6) God’s Word doesn’t permit a woman to lord it over her husband or any man (1Tim2:12) and requires a difference in behavior between men and women, the woman being in submission (v11) and these things must be kept in their proper order. The church didn’t invent the custom of “covering.” The indication is it’s a custom that had also gone on in Judaism since ancient time. It’s a custom Paul defends by referring to the creation of man and woman (1Cor11:8,9) and the position of man over the woman. (v3) So Paul’s reasoning concerning the covering stems from God’s Word not social custom. Man was created in the image of God so he glorifies God when he’s uncovered. (v7) But woman was created for man (v9) so she’s to the glory of man when she’s uncovered. But when we’re worshiping God we don’t want to glorify man but God therefore the woman must be covered, and the man uncovered. (1Cor10:31) In our time of worship God must be glorified! Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.’” (Lev10:3) So one reason women are to wear a covering in church is so God may be glorified not man. Another is to show the women are under authority. (1Cor11:10) The covering indicates that even when going to the highest authority, God, the woman still honors and obeys the authority God has placed over her, her husband or father etc., and isn’t usurping or bypassing that authority in approaching God. Paul says we ought to keep the tradition of the covering because it’s a righteous custom and it has to do with the glory of God and the humility or chasteness of the woman. Most “churches” completely ignore this requirement and even in respect to the churches who do somewhat recognize the covering where their women wear “hats” in church, they often fall into the error of “In my Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it…” They wear a covering (hat) but decorate it so much that they’re still glorifying themselves when the whole purpose of the covering is to be modest. When a “church’s” women are gaudy with make-up, jewelry and “stylish” apparel they are blatantly disobeying God’s Word (1Pt3:3) and proving they aren’t Christ’s church. In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. (1Tim2:9,10) The Lord’s Supper (If you wish to receive this correctly read 1Cor11:17-34; Lk22:14-20; Mk14:22-26 and pray for understanding.) Now in giving these instructions I don’t praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. (1Cor11:17) Observing the Lord’s Supper should have a good effect upon the believers; they should be coming together for the better, and they should be growing in Christ-likeness. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2Cor3:18) Yet look at the so called “churches” who have the Supper weekly or even monthly. The Catholics’ “masses” are celebrated weekly and how holy are the Catholics? They may be least holy of all the churches; the Mafia’s “church.” So whatever they’re doing isn’t effectual. You come together not for the better but for the worse. (1Cor11:17) Concerning all the other “churches” who take the “Communion” once a month or so, what’s the fruit? Are they coming together for better or worse? Is it producing Christ-like Christians or is it producing accursed “christians?” The first thing Paul says to the Corinthians is what you’re doing isn’t producing the better as in Christ-like Christians so you’re coming together for the worse. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. (are dead-1Cor11:30) God is judging these people for their carnality in abusing the Lord’s Supper – not discerning the Lord’s body (v29) which is the church. (Eph1:22,23) That’s one aspect of what happens when you don’t rightly discern the Lord’s body in partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Therefore when you come together in one place, it’s not to eat the Lord’s Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. (1Cor11:20,21) Obviously they’re having a meal. Do you know any churches today that have a meal when they take “Communion?” A little piece of bread or wafer and a little sip of juice isn’t the Lord’s Supper. Nor is it “Communion” since “Communion” means fellowship. There’s no real fellowshipping going on when “believers” silently take a crumb of bread and a drop of juice! That’s not what was going on back in the early church nor what Jesus was intending should go on. The Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ to be a gathering in which His followers would fellowship with each other in remembrance of Him. As when He says, “This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” (v25) The first “Communion” was a “Passover” supper Jesus shared with His Jewish apostles. Since they were Jews, Jesus’ apostles/disciples would continue to celebrate “Passover” every year after His crucifixion but without His bodily presence. Although Jesus would be physically absent from these subsequent Passovers, He desired His followers would remember Him in their fellowshipping with each other. In “My Father’s House,” our custom is to hold a special “Lord’s Supper” once a year on Resurrection Sunday, which is around the time of Passover. We serve roasted lamb, bitter herbs, and real wine diluted with juice. We partake of an actual meal and we do it in ways we believe Jesus might have had His supper. During the meal every member of “My Father’s House” church will take his turn to relate something from the scriptures we remember about Jesus. The purpose is to honor Christ by remembering Him for what He’s done. The corrupted churches of today “remember” Jesus in some general esoteric way – but to “fellowship” in the remembrance of Christ requires that we share our remembrances with each other. You can’t imagine how powerful the presence of Christ in His Holy Spirit can be in these Suppers! You know how many times I’ve said God’s given me some good songs but I don’t sing them every Sunday because if I did they’d get routine and lose their effect! The point of taking the Lord’s Supper is that it should have a profound effect upon us whenever we do it and that we don’t take it so often that it becomes common and ineffectual to us. To most “believers” who take it routinely (weekly or monthly) it has little or no effect on them and they don’t get changed by taking it. Furthermore it’s never done as it was originally instituted in the first century church as a supper. And we don’t do it to satisfy our physical hunger. (1Cor11:21,34) It’s done for the purpose of having a real supper in the honor of the Lord, where we fellowship in remembrance of Him, and begin and end our meal together as Christ did in the Passover He had with His apostles. We lament that He’s not physically present with us and we’re very much looking forward to having the supper when He’s with us again in body. I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it’s fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. (Lk22:16) Although with the Jewish apostles this was a “Passover” supper, (Lk22:15) in Paul’s dealing with the Gentile Corinthians it seems they were having these suppers far more often than just once a year (1Cor11:20-22,26) and he doesn’t fault them for this. Since it’s not prescribed how often we ought to have it, it’s up to us to hold it in such a way as is Spiritually effectual. (1Cor10:23) The point is to hold it in a way that’s fruitful in remembering and honoring the Lord, and in edifying the saints. In “My Father’s House” our Sunday services begin at 10:30AM but continue until the Spirit is done. Often our services haven’t ended until 4:30 or 5:00PM. In order that our members wouldn’t be distracted by hunger during such lengthy services we instituted an intermission around 1:00-1:30PM in which we serve those who wish to partake a simple sandwich and cup of soda. During these “intermissions” our brethren are able to fellowship with each other in the Lord so it’s like we’re having a mini Lord’s Supper every Sunday. Remember the Lord’s Supper is a physical symbol of the Spiritual breaking of the bread of the Word and drinking of the wine of the Spirit which we do at “My Father’s House” six days a week. Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” (Jn6:53) The point of our Sunday “intermission” is to fellowship together in the Lord and be refreshed so we can go on with the service participating effectually; eating as unto the Lord and not like we’re starving to death. It’s a profoundly sad thing that most of the so called “christians” out there don’t remember Jesus very much outside of “church” and so they really need to have their “Communions” to be reminded of Him. We remember Him continually in “My Father’s House;” where we’re taught to walk in the Spirit (Rom8:1,2) which can only be done by continual communion with Christ. (1Th5:17) We don’t have to have a “Communion” to remember Jesus. We remember Him everyday in all that we do. Since we’re having a close walk with Him everyday our Lord’s Supper becomes a special time for us to remember Him particularly in what He’s done for us, and testify to one another of such remembrances. Spiritually the Supper is a symbol of the bread of God’s Word and wine of His Spirit that we serve almost everyday at “My Father’s House.” Many “churches” don’t serve the true bread at all. (Jn6:27) All they have is the symbol, a type and shadow of something they don’t even do. If they’re not breaking the bread of the Word rightly or serving the wine of the Spirit rightly when they’re preaching, their “Communion” is a farce. In “My Father’s House” when we partake of the Supper it’s really bearing fruit. Foot Washing And supper being ended… Jesus… rose from supper, laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. (Jn13:2-5) If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. (Jn13:14) Jesus only held the Lord’s Supper once with His apostles. Every time they held it after that it was without His physical presence. He only did the foot washing once too. He did it just after the Supper (v2) which means if you want to be ritualistic you’d have your foot washing every time you have “Communion.” But like the Lord’s Supper, how often you should have a foot washing really isn’t specified. One purpose of the foot washing is to humble the participants. When we hold a foot washing at “My Father’s House” it’s because the Spirit has shown me at least some members of the church need humbling. As long as the church is behaving humbly and pride hasn’t risen up the physical act of foot washing isn’t necessary, though there’s a Spiritual washing that must always be going on. But when we see pride or hardness of heart in some of the members then the Spirit may lead us to do another foot washing. It’s a very humbling thing when the pastor of the church stoops to wash the members’ feet. Not only is it a great act of humility on the part of the pastor, but in his humbling himself it has a very convicting effect on those being washed. In “My Father’s House” foot washings aren’t done for show but for purpose. We wash feet when it serves the purpose Christ intended it for. But foot washing is not just for church assembly. If the Lord shows you to do a foot washing in your home you can do one there. Foot washing is for anytime someone in authority sees there’s a problem with pride in anyone under his authority, or when someone in the church wants to humble themselves and honor their authorities or brethren in a Spiritual way. But there’s also a mystery in the washing where all believers must wash each other continually. (v14) Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” – referring to Judas. (Jn13:8-10) The body of Christ is composed of Jesus’ living disciples and those who’ve died in Christ and gone to be with the Lord, We’re confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (2Cor5:8) Foot washing is only for the part of the body that touches the earth which is the only part that can get dirty. Jesus’ living disciples are His feet – the only part of Him that presently and physically touches the earth. When Peter said, “Don’t wash me” Jesus said, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.” How many “believers” today aren’t being washed and therefore really have no part with Christ. They’re not saved! But when Peter said “wash all of me” Jesus said you only need to wash your feet. Which means the foot washing is “symbolic” and the deeper Truth is that we must wash each other continually in the water of the Word because we’re the part of the body of Christ that touches the earth, we’re the “feet” of Christ’s body who are alive on the earth. We’re the ones that can get dirty because the earth is a very dirty place, spiritually and otherwise. To keep each other clean we must keep washing each other and that has to do with admonishing, edifying and encouraging one another. (Col 3:16;Eph5:26) Much more important than washing our physical feet is the Spiritual washing that keeps our minds and hearts sanctified and fixed upon Christ. (Jn13:14) When He said you only need to wash your feet Christ was speaking a mystery concerning His body, the church. He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Eph1:22,23) So what part of the church needs to be washed? Only the part that’s alive on the earth. The ones that are sleeping with Jesus don’t need to be washed because they’re cleansed forever. It’s those of us who are on the earth today and exposed to the world’s filthiness that need to be washed. Sabbath Keeping Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law” -- to whom we gave no such commandment -- For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell. (Act15:24,28,29) Concerning the heresy of the 7th Day Adventists, who believe “keeping the Sabbath” means having church on Saturday (the Jewish Sabbath) instead of Sunday – the Christian day of worship; one of the absolute proofs that keeping the Sabbath isn’t required of the Gentiles is the Jerusalem council didn’t say you don’t have to be circumcised or keep the Jewish law but you do have to keep the Sabbath which would have been trading one law (circumcision) for another (Sabbath keeping). For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. (Jms2:10) And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he’s a debtor to keep the whole law. (Gal 5:3) The Adventists often refer to verses like, Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. (Ex31:16) that Saturday Sabbath keeping is a perpetual covenant and hasn’t passed away. But what of, Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD for seven days; on the first day there shall be a Sabbath-rest, and on the Eighth day a Sabbath-rest. And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. (Lev23:39-41) This concerns the feast of Tabernacles which like the other six Jewish feasts contains special “Sabbaths” which don’t usually fall on a Saturday but are to be “kept forever.” Why don’t the Adventists keep these Sabbaths also…because the keeping of the Jewish law, holidays, Sabbaths aren’t required of Christians. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Rom10:4) But if you desire to be justified by keeping the law you must keep all of it – all the Sabbaths, circumcision and everything else the law requires. Which the 7th Day Adventists don’t do. So they’re cursed. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” (Gal 3:10) Have you noticed that Jesus’ enemies were the Sabbath keepers? Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man isn’t from God, because He doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” (Jn9:16) They turned Sabbath keeping into such a complex law “neither our fathers nor we were able to bear it.” (Act15:10) So the 7th Day Adventists are just today’s Pharisees and if you keep one part of the law you have to keep the whole law and they don’t even really keep the Sabbath, they just have their church meeting on Saturday – where at “My Father’s House” God called us to have church meetings on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Thursday being reserved for evangelistic outreaches. Like “My Father’s House” the early church was led by the Spirit to meet daily So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart. (Act2:46) So what does that say about “Sabbath keeping?” The Spirit always does more than the law! Also One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who doesn’t observe the day, to the Lord he doesn’t observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks. (Rom14:5,6) Which means one man keeps the Sabbath and he’s acceptable if he keeps it “unto the Lord” and another man disregards the Sabbath and he also is acceptable in that he serves the Lord every day alike. Receive one who’s weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. (Rom14:1) The 7th Day Adventists must be rejected because they dispute about doubtful things. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition. (Tit3:10) Many 7th Day Adventists also promote vegetarianism or abstaining from pork, etc. which make them fulfill the scripture Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the Truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it’s received with thanksgiving. (1Tim4:1,3,4) They aren’t of Christ! You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. (Gal 5:4) In 325 A.D. at the Nicene Council representatives from all the churches in the world met to expunge the Arian heresy from orthodox Christianity. The Arian heresy is believing that Christ is only a man and not God – the second member of the Godhead. Today this heresy is preached by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, to their damnation. After renouncing the Arians, the churches then agreed to make “Sunday” their recognized official day of worship. They didn’t choose Sunday – but recognized it had been the accepted day of worship from the beginning of New Covenant Christianity in all the churches. On the first day of the week (Sunday) let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. (1Cor16:2) This collection in the Corinthian church was taken up on Sunday. Heretics are always both proud and ignorant. Seeing “something” in the scriptures but not knowing the whole of the scriptures they ignorantly promote their aberration proudly thinking everyone else is stupid and they alone are wise. In truth the founders and followers of the 7th Day Adventists are ignorant of both the scripture and church history. After ignoring the New Testament on the subject of the Sabbath, (where it’s never mentioned as being kept by the Gentile church) they revert to the Old Testament, misapplying Old Testament scriptures that were intended for the Old Covenant Jews and trying to apply them to New Testament believers. “It’s not keeping the Sabbath that matters, but whether you’re a new creation.” (Gal 6:15) To the early believers, meeting on Sunday instead of the Sabbath (Saturday) was their testimony to the resurrection of Jesus, and it distinguished the Christians from the Old Testament Jews. What God did on Sunday, resurrection day was far more important for us than what He did on Saturday. The resurrection of Jesus justified us (Rom4:25) opening the door of salvation for us and made it possible for us to become “new creations.” (2Cor5:17) What happened on Saturday (the Sabbath) didn’t save us. What happened on Sunday (the Resurrection) did. But God, who’s rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you’ve been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph2:4-6) Jesus has become our Sabbath. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. (Col 2:16,17) Jesus is the substance of the Sabbath. Those who seek to be justified by keeping the Sabbath are debtors to keep the whole law. (Gal 5:3) They’ve fallen from grace. (v4) They aren’t brethren! They’re of their father the devil. He was a liar from the beginning and the desires of their father they do. (Jn8:44) Jesus continually spoke this to the Sabbath keepers who accused Him of breaking the Sabbath and wanted to kill Him for it! Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. (Jn5:18) (For more on the 7th Day Adventist’s heresies see our Glory of His Grace book “Corban, Calvinism, & 7th Day Adventists!”) There are NO scriptures requiring Sabbath keeping for the New Testament Church! Who Will Hear?
The contemporary churches in
turning away from the Word of God
Beware of the many false
prophets in the churches you attend
If the word which they preach
hasn’t profited them,
Through My Light in the
Glory of His Grace
books
If these uncrucified churches
had been lovers of My Word
To grow up in Christ will come
thru My Spirit of Grace
So, I’ve raised up My Apostle - Pastor Bill
Taylor After Faith Has Come! We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He didn’t leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. (Act14:15-17) And He’s made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they’d seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He isn’t far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, For we’re also His offspring. Therefore, since we’re the offspring of God, we ought not to think the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He’s appointed a day on which He’ll judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He’s ordained. He’s given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead. (Act17:26-31) One Truth that’s very evident in these scriptures is God’s goodness. He’s blessed men even during times when their ways were very much in disagreement with His. If you’re willing and obedient, you’ll eat the good of the land. (Is1:19) This verse shows how much God wants to do even more good to men, but He has conditions which He expects us to obey before He can do the kind of good He really desires to do for us. “Come now, and let’s reason together,” says the LORD, “though your sins are like scarlet, they’ll be as white as snow.” (v18) He wants to bring us into a state of repentance, cleansing and forgiveness, so He can truly bless us. You can see what’s in God’s heart, that His desire is to bless, although His love is often frustrated by the wickedness in men. Still it’s fully evident in the scriptures that God desires to do good to men. Who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. (Act14:16) Look how similar this is to The Lord’s not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2Pt3:9) So in bygone generations God didn’t treat people according to what they deserve, but did good to them. (Act14:17) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Mt5:44,45) He does good even to the evil because He’s longsuffering in leading men to repentance. Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Rom2:4) His preference is to save and do good to men and He exercises great forbearance in order to give us the opportunity to receive repentance, forgiveness and salvation. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. (Act17:30) Though this verse indicates there’s been a change in the way God deals with men there’s no question about the goodness of God and His desire even now to do good and to save. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth. (1Tim2:3,4) But God now commands all men everywhere to repent, which He didn’t do previously because what were they to repent unto? But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. (Gal 3:23) God can now command all men everywhere to repent because “saving faith” has been revealed. For by grace you’ve been saved through faith. (Eph2:8) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Tit2:11-14) Where previously He allowed men to walk in their own ways because what could He do? The faith hadn’t been revealed yet to save them. So in bygone generations He allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. (Act14:16) There was nothing better to offer them yet, except that He had a relationship with the Jews through the law, but the law wasn’t going to save them. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we’re no longer under a tutor. (Gal 3:23-25) But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” (Gal 3:11) Now that faith in Christ is available, God commands all men everywhere to repent. The Scripture has confined all under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (Gal 3:22) In spite of the Jews having the law, both the Gentile and the Jew were confined under sin. (Gal 3:22) The Jerusalem council acknowledged this in the answer they gave concerning the judaisers. God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them (the Gentiles) by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? (that being the yoke of the law) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we’ll be saved in the same manner as they. (by faith in Christ) (Act15:8-11) So both Jew and Gentile had to turn to faith in Christ. One was under the law and the other wasn’t, but both have to enter into faith in Christ to be saved. But after faith has come, we’re no longer under a tutor. For you’re all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:25,26) Until the manifestation of Christ in His crucifixion and resurrection, there was nothing to have faith in, only the promise of “salvation” in the future. But the resurrection of Jesus proves there’s a judgment to come, because He’s appointed a day on which He’ll judge the world in righteousness by the Man (Jesus) whom He’s ordained. He’s given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead. (Act17:31) Jesus’ resurrection is the proof that it’s time to repent, because we’re going to be judged by this Man Jesus whom God has raised. So God is no longer going to overlook doing things your own way. Although Acts is speaking of the nations in bygone generations, “christianity” today has gotten to the place where everyone is pretty much doing things their own way. In the last thousand years or so of “Christianity,” God was overlooking these times of ignorance too, but now commands everyone to repent, because what’s happened now is a revelation of Spiritual Christianity has arisen so again today “believers” have the means to see and take hold of what real Christianity is. In the same sense that God couldn’t tell people to believe in Jesus until Christ was manifested so the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith in Christ. But until Jesus came and was manifested, God generally overlooked the transgressions of the Gentiles and their ways of doing things, because He had nothing better to offer them. But after Christ, He has something better to offer. And now that He can show them what they need, He’s not going to put up with their old ways anymore. Likewise this is what’s going on right now thru the Glory of His Grace – the opening up of true Spiritual Christianity to believers who didn’t have the revelation of what real Christianity was to be; who were stuck in a “legal christianity” that was a tutor to bring them to the Spirit. Almost all “churches” today are legal, even the ones who claim not to be are just as legal as a Harvard lawyer! The biggest proof of their legality is when you try to tell them about their sins and they say, “Don’t Judge!” Well, what are they telling you to do when they say “Don’t Judge?” They’re telling you to obey the law! What law? The law against judging! And why are they telling you to obey the law against judging except they believe in the law of not judging? They believe in it insofar as when they see you doing what they think is judging, they accuse you of breaking the law and try to get you to obey law. And in order to do that guess what they have to do? JUDGE YOU! Well that doesn’t make sense at all does it? Because if they were obeying the law “Don’t judge” they’d just keep their mouths shut. But they don’t keep their mouths shut; they just jump right in to try to enforce the law of “not judging” which they can only enforce by judging. Which means they’re legal and enforcers of their own foolish laws and they’re judging others for judging while doing the same things themselves. Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to Truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? (Rom2:1-3) And they do this absolutely predictably. We’ve seen it go on for years and we know they’re in a state of condemnation. They can’t possibly have anything to do with the Spirit of Christ, because they’re such hypocrites about these simple things and they can’t even see their own sins when they’re doing exactly what they’re accusing us of doing. Until now, what did God have to offer them in these past few hundred years? The early “apostolic” church understood Spirituality but after the dark ages and the wickedness of the Catholic demonization of “Christianity” what was God to offer them? About all the believers could hold onto was this legal skeleton of “christianity” that came out of the reformation, but didn’t in any way attain to true Spirituality. It was just dead men’s bones! It’s not like God’s army in Ezekiel where the Spirit put life in them so they could be led by the Spirit of God. (Ezek37:1-10) Today’s legal “christians” don’t know God. But now a change has come because Truth is again available. And we see that God had to overlook things until Jesus manifested, but even more than the fact that Jesus had manifested, been crucified and resurrected – there had to be a preaching of the Truth about Christ. The Word concerning His death, burial and resurrection – the Gospel of Jesus Christ had to be preached. Until there were preachers to preach it, God couldn’t come against the nations just because Jesus had been raised, if they still didn’t know about Christ! So the point is that God commands men everywhere to repent – as soon as they hear the Truth about Christ! And it’s a very similar thing going on now. Why do there seem to be blessings in some places in the church at large even though they’re carnal and not Spiritual? It’s because they don’t know any better and God treats them accordingly. God treated the ignorant nations good; sent them rain and brought forth fruit and food and put gladness into their hearts, because they didn’t know any better. But once an Apostle comes and the Truth is given to them, no longer is God going to overlook their transgressions and their doing things their own way. Once the Truth is given to them, He commands them to repent, and this is exactly what’s going on right now. God is commanding “believers” everywhere to repent as we bring the Truth about Spiritual Christianity to them. You’re not going to be blessed, nor is God going to tolerate you turning back to your old ways after you’ve heard the Truth and have been commanded to repent! If you now turn back to your old ways you come under the curse. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” (Gal 3:10) If you don’t turn to the Spirit you’re going to enter into judgment and the wrath of God because now you know better! God’s made provision to get you into the real thing and He’s not going to leave you in the old thing. We see this in the scriptures concerning the Old Covenant versus the New. But these principles apply even as to the “old christianity” versus the “new” Spiritual Christianity, in which God is dealing with the “believers” the same way. He’s made the first obsolete. Now what’s becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Heb8:13) Carnal christianity is growing old and ready to vanish away! Spiritual Christianity has made “legal christianity” obsolete! For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would’ve been sought for a second. (Heb8:7) If God was pleased with the churches that existed at the time He revealed His Son in me (Gal 1:16) He would’ve sent me to the church He was pleased with, because I was praying to find a real church. I was on my knees before God saying “Lord, please show me a place where the believers actually want to do what the bible says and be what the bible says they ought to be! I want to join the real Christians.” But He didn’t have such a church to show me. It’s like the Garden of Gethsemane, if there was another way God would have shown Jesus. (Lk22:42) Likewise if there was a real church to show me, it would’ve been a sin for God not to lead me to it. But what God did is He asked me to build such a church, and He’s been working ever since to bring it forth here at “My Father’s House.” And in bringing forth a true Spiritual church here, He can now command men everywhere who claim to be Christians to repent of their old fashioned failure-type “christianity” that doesn’t accomplish the will of God in bringing forth sons of God who are led by the Spirit. For if that first “christianity” would’ve been faultless no place would’ve been sought for a second. I’m not talking here about the 1st century Christianity which was good; I’m talking about the foolishness that passes for “christianity” today which has arisen out of the apostasy of the fallen Catholic church and even after the reformation has never returned to the Spirituality of the 1st century apostolic Christians. But now because there are preachers who can preach it, and the Glory of His Grace books in which the Truth is being brought forth, and “My Father’s House,” a church demonstrating it, God can command everyone to repent. Because He’s appointed a day on which He’ll judge the world in righteousness by the (Church) whom He has ordained. He’s given assurance of this to all by raising (that Church) from the dead. (Act17:31) We can put “church” in the place of Christ because the true Spiritual church is the “body of Christ” and has been appointed to judge the world. (1Cor6:2) In the sense that we’ve become Spiritual, we’ve been raised from the dead churches and become a living church, the other “dead” churches had better repent and become Spiritual also. After faith has come we’re to come to faith. What does it mean “faith has come?” Not everyone has faith. That we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. (2Th3:2) Has faith come to everyone? Faith obviously hasn’t come to everyone because not all men have faith, but the ability to have faith has come. Since the visible manifestation of faith in Christ has come including the real church exhibiting such a faith in Christ as to enter into the Spirit and be led by the Spirit; because we’re now able to be sons of God thru faith in Jesus Christ, (Gal 3:26) then we must put away all these other things that were like the law, just a tutor, and we must come to faith. After faith has come, we must come to faith. And in contemporary christianity, after faith has come to walk in the Spirit, we must come to faith to walk in the Spirit and get out of the old carnal and legal “christianity.” Carnal “christianity” isn’t acceptable to God anymore! Prophecy: Do you see how having in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled, relates to My patience and longsuffering with the wicked, and with those who are in error? Because how can I get them to see what the Truth is until I have a people who are obedient to the Truth? How can I get them to see what they ought to be and repent until I have a people I can put before them where they can see that “this is what we need to be?” And when I have that people – when My people’s obedience is fulfilled then I can judge those who disobey and refuse to repent and come into the obedience that My people can demonstrate to them and therefore prove is available to them by Grace, saith the Lord. (Prophecy delivered at “My Father’s House”)
A New Beginning! Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out. (Act3:19) I write to you in the humblest manner, laboring always in prayer and fastings that you might hear what the Spirit is saying to the church; and I write not as a result of much studying, but the Lord is teaching me through experience. The Lord has enabled me to share with you the fruit of my sufferings that you might have understanding and be strengthened. I’ve prayed for you that your faith should not fail; and when you’ve returned to Me strengthen your brethren. (Lk22:32) Satan has gone to great lengths to pervert the truth of repentance and conversion for without these, there’s no salvation. Most believers are far from the Truth of repentance and conversion. Many are deceived into believing they’re saved when they haven’t even met the most basic requirement– “repentance.” It’s apparent that salvation is much greater than most “believers” are experiencing. For this reason the Lord said, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, haven’t we prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I’ll declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me!’” (Mt7:22,23) These people were convinced what they had was genuine. They confessed belief in the Lord; they quoted scriptures, they were busy about many religious activities. But they never really repented, which means they were never born again. And if you’re not born again, the Lord doesn’t know you, because you’re none of His. (Mt7:23) The first thing we must understand is repentance isn’t an emotional decision. Repentance is a heart decision between the kingdom of this world and the Kingdom of God. True repentance also can’t be a half-hearted decision. The decision for the Kingdom of God has to be whole-hearted for a spiritual birth to take place. The only thing that can be born from an emotional or a half-hearted decision is dead religion. And the result of such religion is the Lord saying, “I never knew you.” (Mt7:23) The Lord never knew them because they were never born into the Kingdom of God. They weren’t born into God’s Kingdom because they never repented. They never made a whole-hearted decision for God and His Kingdom. You can’t be saved by an emotional decision or a half-hearted decision, but only by a whole-hearted decision for God. To be assured of salvation, it’s essential you know what type of decision you’ve made for the Lord. (2Cor13:5) Let’s begin with an emotional decision: an emotional decision originates from the soul, but salvation is of the spirit. The soul is in need of salvation and can’t save itself, therefore salvation can’t originate from the soul; it has to originate from the spirit and the spirit isn’t governed by emotions but by God. An emotional decision is normally spontaneous and motivated by outer stimuli affecting and exciting your emotions. The result of this is worldly sorrow. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. (2Cor7:10) It won’t save you to make a decision for God out of your emotions, because you can’t maintain the emotional high you’re on when you make that decision – you must come down. And because you made the decision while on your emotional high, when you come down the decision no longer has fuel to be sustained because it was fueled by your emotional high. And when your emotions change, your decision will soon follow. This becomes a vicious cycle. The choir sings the right songs, the preacher seems to preach a sermon directed at your lifestyle, which could include any number of topics because our lives were entirely filthy before God. So it’s hard for the preacher to miss our sins with his sermon since our sins are so numerous. As a result you’re caught up in an emotional frenzy, and made sorry. But it’s the same sorrow you felt six months ago when similar things occurred, and it’s the same sorrow you’ll feel a year from now when you hear another such sermon! But none of your sorrow is bearing fruit unto godliness because the sorrow of the world doesn’t lead one to true repentance. Your leave the church not truly repentant but caught up in an emotional high for a day or two, but living the same sinful way until you’re made sorry again. This type of sorrow works death, (2Cor7:10) because you’re trapped in a vicious cycle that doesn’t bring you to a true repentance. You’re making a decision for God out of your emotions not by what God has provided for us through His Son Yeshua. We don’t need any help from our emotions to make a decision for Christ when our decision is based upon the immeasurable love that poured out toward us that even while we were bound by every form of bondage and sin, Christ died for us. The sad thing is many churches are catering to the emotions of the people simply to add to their church roll and make a show of individuals before men. (Gal 6:12) But our Lord is in the adding to His church business, and our emotional displays aren’t impressive to Him. What the Lord desires is through godly sorrow, we count the cost and make a whole-hearted decision for the Kingdom of God. Godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, not to be repented of. In other words, you’re not caught in that vicious cycle having to stand before the preacher every few months. It bears fruit unto godliness. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: what diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. (2Cor7:11) These are the fruit of true godly repentance, after which it’s impossible to be the same. The other decision that is rampant in the present “churches” is a half-hearted decision. Satan has taught the people in most “churches” to love this world. (1Jn2:15) A half-hearted decision is very deceptive. The emotional decision can’t be sustained for any length of time, so it will soon be exposed. But in a half-hearted decision because half of the individual’s heart is into the decision, it has some “self” sustaining power. The individual is able to follow a form of godliness, learn scriptures, join the choir, teach Sunday school, preach sermons, etc., but they deny the power of true regeneration. (2Tim3:5) These are those the Lord refers to in Matthew. (7:21-23) They’re like a hybrid, a mixture of the church and the world because the part of their hearts that didn’t turn to God is given to this world. By these the world enters the “church.” In a true spiritual church they’d stick out like a sore thumb, but because there are so many in this state in the present church it’s become the norm. Now it’s the true repentant saints who stick out like a sore thumb because they’re so few in number, so they’re labeled fanatics, holy rollers, etc. The half-hearted say, “I don’t need all that.” Yet they quote scriptures. They shout “hallelujah!” They work themselves into an emotional high and call it the Holy Spirit. People “fall out” at Michael Jackson concerts. Is that the Holy Ghost? Some of these half-hearted even minister the Word, but due to the condition of their hearts, the message they bring is a mixture of the church and the world. They appeal to those whose hearts are in the same condition. These dress up the outside of the cup. (Mt23:26) Natural things become the focus of their ministry. They need the best suits, the best cars, the best houses, and many “fine” possessions because their religious worth is “confirmed” in natural things, and they need such to cover up their spiritual poverty. (Rev3:17) And it all began with a half-hearted decision for the Kingdom of God. The hunger such individuals have for natural possessions bears witness to the condition of their hearts. But our Lord is our example. The One we sing about being like had no desire for natural possessions. His desire was for the glory of God and the people of God. He laid down His life for God’s people. It’s the same requirement for leadership today. If we had leaders after Jesus’ kind God’s people wouldn’t lack any good thing. But because most “church” leaders are half-hearted trying to look after the church and their own worldly interests, the people of God lack understanding of the basic godly principles such as “repentance.” But if you find yourself in this state, all you have to do is truly and sincerely examine your heart before God. (2Cor13:5) Because the world that’s in your heart isn’t hidden! It is what it is! If you dress and look like the world, if you act like the world, sound like the world when you’re away from the church. If you enjoy worldly programming on T.V., love worldly music, fit right in with the world; if your conduct depends upon whose company you’re in; in the presence of church folk you’re one way, in the presence of worldly folk you’re another way; if you’ve been a believer for any length of time and still find it difficult to be a witness of Christ before worldly folk. Because remember, For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Mt12:34) If some or all of these things are evident in your life it’s because the world is still in your heart, which means you made a half-hearted decision for God and His Kingdom, which means you haven’t truly repented, and made a whole-hearted decision for God. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Mt4:17) Simon Peter and his brother Andrew were casting a net into the sea for they were fishers, (v18) when the Lord said unto them, “Follow Me and I’ll make you fishers of men.” (v19) Straightway they left their nets and followed him. (v20) These are truly repentant hearts. These men left everything; jobs, family, friends, possessions, etc. In other words, their whole hearts turned toward the Lord and His Kingdom. As a result the conversion process could begin in them – the Lord could convert them from fishers of fish to fishers of men. The same is true for us. Not that you always have to physically leave your jobs, family, possessions, etc., as these men did, but your heart has to leave all and turn completely to God. Only then can you learn to love your family and friends rightly, because if you don’t love God with all of your heart, soul and mind you can’t love anyone rightly including family and friends. But remember, we have something Peter didn’t have when he made his decision – we have the Holy Spirit. And He’s able to do the required work of salvation in you, in spite of your job, family and friends. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. (Mt10:37,38) The requirement is your whole heart must turn to God and His Kingdom. You must repent. The Holy Spirit can’t work in your heart any other way. If the Holy Spirit doesn’t have your whole heart the part of your heart he doesn’t have, the part that’s given to the world will tear down what the Spirit tries to build. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you don’t do the things that you wish. (Gal 5:17) Also the world will choke the things of God out of your heart. (Mt13:22) Repentance is nothing less than your whole heart turning to God. And once you’ve had the initial experience of true repentance, repentance becomes a lifestyle, because in your initial experience of repentance your understanding of sin and the world is very shallow. There are sins you don’t understand as sin, and there are parts of the world that you don’t understand are of the world. For example, there are some “gospel songs” that as I grew the Spirit revealed to me they were actually a product of the world. But before this was revealed to me I didn’t understand them as part of the world. But once the Holy Spirit opened my understanding, I must repent, my heart must turn away from what’s revealed as sin so the Holy Spirit could purge my hear of that worldly influence. As you grow in the Spirit and your level of understanding of sin and the world increase, you must repent according to your level of understanding so that your growth can continue. But if we walk in the light as He’s in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1Jn1:7) Initially some of you truly repented but your growth has stagnated because you stopped repenting at that initial experience. And as you grew in the Spirit, your understanding of sin and the world grew, but you haven’t repented to the new level of understanding. Therefore your Spiritual growth is stagnated simply because you lack understanding. The “church” is full of unrepented folk. Satan has done a terrible job perverting the Truths of God. But it doesn’t have to stay this way because our God is greater. If you find you’ve made an emotional decision or a half-hearted decision for God then for sure God was drawing you. But the “church” may have failed in her responsibility of teaching you what true repentance is so you could avoid satan’s deceptions. But as a result of this teaching you’re now a creature without excuse. Open your Spiritual eyes to what’s happening in the earth; the hearts of men are waxing cold and men are rebelling against God like no time before. It’s time for God’s people to turn their whole hearts to God and His Kingdom. Repent ye for the Kingdom of God is at hand. (Mk1:15)
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