Tag Archives: Christ

Rise Up and Be Healed

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Rise Up and Be Healed

By the Watchman
Dana G Smith
Words: 3457
Keywords: Corinthians, Apostle, Cross, Christ, Gospel, healed,

cross on hill

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

The Apostle Paul established the Corinth church around 50-51 AD when he spent eighteen months there on his second missionary journey.

Acts 18:1 ¶After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

As was the Apostle’s work ethic, every shabbat or sabbath he would in in the synagogue. Here in Acts 18, see above, there were both Jews and Greeks [Gentiles] who attended the synagogue every shabbat along with Paul. This also goes along way to say that the early Apostles and the believers themselves did in fact keep sabbath on the traditional Jewish day, i.e., the evening and the morning were the first day. Shabbat would fall on the evening of the 6th day, for then according to the Word of God, the 7 th day began then. It is here we see that Paul actually reasoned with both groups, with the Jew’s demanding a sign and to many greeks or gentiles here, it was literally foolishness. But with this Apostle, signs did follow and his words came with such power that even the Gentiles were in the synagogue listening to the reasoning.

In Corinthians chapter one and verse eighteen above, the King James uses ‘preaching’, while other versions use ‘message’, and the literal meaning here for this is ‘word’. The word of the cross. To the Jews, a Messiah that came, suffered, and died on the cross, the was resurrected did not meet their ‘scriptural understanding of the situation’. They believed this Messiah would or the real one anyway would deliver Israel from their enemies, which meant the Roman power at the time. He would establish the Temple, temple sacrifices, and raise Israel to the paramount of power in the world. This was the understanding that the disciples had themselves when they asked Y’SHUA, Jesus about it. When the LORD was preparing to ascend to the Father, they had come together and the followers of the LORD asked him “Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” To this he said “it is not for you to know the times or seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” After this, he told them of the coming of the Holy Ghost in power and this would enable them to be His witnesses in all the earth!

Acts 1:6 ¶When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

WORD of God

The LORD had come to establish a supernatural kingdom in the earth. Yes the disciple’s were told, he would return as they saw him go, but until then, the creation of the kingdom of God on Earth began through the witnesses of the LORD in Jerusalem.

This is the work of the LORD. A work which defied the Roman authorities, the Jewish religious scholars, and even the sins of men could not stop this plan of God. It was a plan for people to ‘rise up and be healed.’ An opportunity to believe that this God loved them and they could join in his plan through faith in the Messiah. This was the word of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul lays out a simple outline of what the gospel contained in chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians. I particularly like this portion of scripture because it lays out all the gospel in a few sentences. A gospel of a Messiah whom we must receive, believe, and follow. Because of this work, many Gentiles who thought all this was foolishness have been delivered from that blindness of human wisdom and come to understand the True wisdom of God the Father who gave his only begotten Son. This is simply called the ‘love of the truth’ in 2 Thess chapter 2 and during the days of the Son of Perdition, many will not follow nor accept this ‘love of the truth’ and will follow the delusion that God will send.

1 Corinthians 15:1 ¶Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

There is one basic eternal truth here among many that stands out. This is that God in his wisdom has decided to call those in the earth who are not rich, mighty, princes, handsome, powerful, smart, wise, educated or any of the other earthly fleshly titles that makes men and women proud. God deliberately chose that which would bring the wisdom of the world into utter foolishness and reveal the wisdom of God. For God chooses those who are not wise in the flesh, or noble, or mighty. He has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound, mystify, stupify, and confuse, all those in the flesh in this world.

1 Corinthians 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Have you ever looked in the mirror? I mean really looked at yourself and saw too much of one thing or another that made you feel inferior. I know I have. I have a mirror in our house and this mirror is one which makes me look terrible. It is here I must insist you to be real and truthful here with yourself. God doesn’t look for perfect number ten Christians! He looks for those who by faith will look to him and receive his Son “Y’SHUA, Jesus Christ as Messiah”. God uses those who will be vessels. God doesn’t look to see if your hair is all neat, or your lips are just perfect, or your eyes are set just right. He doesn’t look to see if your feet are too big, your arms to flabby, or you cheeks too puffy. God looks on the heart and takes the vessel who has sought him with all their heart, mind, and soul and begins to remake them into the image of his Son. Thank God for that. You know after it is all said and done, this body in the flesh is corruptible, it will die. It is grain that we can use for Gods purpose. When this body, as we live by faith and purity in it for God finally gives up the Ghost and dies, it becomes a seed planted for the kingdom of God. We plant the corruptible body as we plant a seed of Grain. Then that seed, God gives the increase and we gain a supernatural new body, like Christ’s. What a trade and it is all by God’s Grace and Mercy, through Faith. It is a work of God, not of man. It will glorify God and not man in the flesh. Yet all this will mean that this wisdom of God will be revealed even to the wicked on the great day of Judgment. Then they will see and understand the greatness of the plan of God and his love for mankind.

1 Corinthians 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 ¶Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I put the section above in which talks about the ‘sowing the seed of grain’ which is our natural bodies. Thank god for this! Because we can live, work, and then when we die, there is hope, in Christ, because of his work on the Cross. This is the Word of the Cross. It is first love, then forgiveness, repentance, reunion, rejoicing, resurrection, inheritance, and eternally in heaven with the LORD of Glory. This is the perspective you and I both need. For while we live in this body there is troubles and tribulation, yet we have a hope none other in this world does. A hope that came from heaven and one that hell cannot touch. Hell can come against us, but the LORD is with us. Hell can persecute us, but the LORD will not allow any temptation to overcome us!

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Hell can kill us, this body anyway, but Hell cannot touch our soul, prevent us from accessing heaven, nor stop our reward! In short, through the Gospel, the work of Christ, and the love of the Father, we can ‘rise up and be healed’ in the name of Jesus. In body, in mind, in soul, in spirit, and in this world. Even the Apostle Paul talks of running the race and that as he said “I keep under my body and bring it into subjection”. He did this so that when he would not be a castaway. In other words, Paul did not let his inhibitions, lusts, flesh, mind, and carnal ways take hold of him or his body. He beat it down, so to speak in the Spirit of God. He took control by the power of God and his Word. Unfortunately today many Christians in America allow the carnal lusts and inhibitions to take over and they end up in misery. Others have left the faith altogether having given themselves over the ‘desires of the flesh and of the mind’. Thus as the Apostle Peter says “it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”

1 Corinthians 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

2 Peter 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

In our work and life here on earth let us also be aware that the enemy works overtime to thwart our lives for Christ with snares, temptations, and persecutions. I want to touch on a Pauline example here in Corinthians. It is about Israel. The Apostle speaks about them being ‘baptized unto Moses’ when they passed under the sea and the cloud. The Apostle tells how that Christ was the ‘spiritual meat and drink’ for Israel at the time. Christ was that Rock, wherein the water flowed out of. He warns that what happened to Israel was a stern example that we should not ‘lust after evil things as they did’, nor ‘commit fornication as they did’, and not to be ‘idolaters as they became.’ We are not to murmur, tempt Christ, but are to understand we must take heed how we stand, lest we fall. I put previously the verse about temptation before this section. That verse you read before on ‘Temptation’ is verse 13 of Chapter 10 in First Corinthians. It comes after a warning from Paul that says, “wherefore [or because of all this] let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall”. It is after this warning that the Apostle gives the word of comfort and assurance here that temptation, the ones you and I face today are common to all men, even to the children of Israel who lived afore. It is these temptations that can snare, trap, enslave, and take away your hope and reward. But here, the Apostle says that God will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able. This is so powerful here. Many of us quite early in the game. We give in to temptation, when the reality is, we never gave the effort to fight in the Spirit of God and stand upon the Word of the LORD. But if we do stand on God’s Word, trusting the LORD, here the Apostle says, that the LORD will not suffer or allow you to be tempted above that you can stand or endure and will make a way to escape that you can bear it and overcome it! Praise the LORD! Here again, I say “rise and be healed” in the name of Jesus, you can overcome all snares, traps, and temptations.

1 Corinthians 10:1 ¶Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 ¶Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

I know at times I have said, “LORD I can’t take anymore”. The body is weak, it is flesh and I know the LORD then continues to strengthen me. In the end I kept going and did not realize until I made it through that I could take it all along, I just did not know it. In these perilous end times, let us who are of the Faith of God, stand up and then be healed of any and all things that are not taken care of. Rise up and get rid of that bitterness. Rise up and be healed of that loss of Hope! Rise and be healed of that lack of vision! Rise and be healed, seek the LORD and find his comfort, strength, and the promises which he has given you. I say the first five verses of Psalm 103 on a regular basis to remind of the ‘blessings of the LORD’. I remind myself, my flesh, my mind, and my spirit that there are many benefits that stream from the LORD God, even our Father who gave his only begotten Son Y’SHUA, Jesus Christ to die for me, my family, and all those who will receive this hope and walk in it. So my friends, ‘Rise and be healed’.

Psalms 103:1 ¶<<A Psalm of David.>> Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Originally posted 2009-07-12 05:20:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Declaring Christ

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Declaring Christ
By The Watchman, Dana G Smith
Keywords: Christ, Jesus, Word, Yahweh, Yeshua, Messiach, Messiah, Son of God

Get the free download of this full article resource and study guide at the end of this post!
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I stood in the hall of the Hospital as he approached. He was an older man, graying hair that formed into a pony tail in the back. He came directly to me. As He came up, he spoke as if he knew I was a believer. After some small talk about seeing me around, he said, “I died and went to heaven. I stood in front of the throne, there was God the Father and Jesus on standing on the side of him.” He told me of his wife and her trouble with collapsed lungs. “The Lord told me I would never again be sick” he said looking me in the eye. “Did you know that Jesus never did say he was God?” He waited for a response as I looked him in the eye. “You can look it up, nowhere does he say, he was God!” After a few seconds, he took off, as quick as he came up to me. I saw him only once more while I was there, but he did not give me a second glance. Now while many people such as this one have had a dream or experience, the truth is revealed in scripture. It is our final source of authority. What is written and who writes it, and under what inspiration is it? The Word of God, given to us, through the Prophets and Apostles, are given as a record and testimony to the Christ, the Son of God. It is this authority, written under God-breathed inspiration to us which should formulate for us as to what is true or not. It is not to be dictated by a dream, vision, or even a miracle we may see.

The Testimony of Christ, What did he say?

I have heard others use that same phrase, “Jesus never did say he was God”, to say Jesus was not God. There is no doubt that some people do not understand how to begin with this idea. First, let me say, Jesus did not come to testify that he was God, only that he was the Son of God, revealing the Father. Second let me also say, the word Jesus is our English transliteration for the greek is IESOUS and is the Hebrew Yehoshua or Yeshua, meaning ‘Yahweh saves’. Christ (Christos) is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Messiah, Massiach or Mashiah, meaning ‘anointed’. So if you were on the streets of Jerusalem and saw a young preacher who many thought was the ‘anointed one’, they would not call him Jesus, nor would he respond to your calling him Jesus. That said, today in the English speaking world, we call the Jewish Messiah, the son of David, the son of God, Jesus. His Hebrew title would be Yeshua HaMassiach or Ha Massiah, meaning “Yahweh saves’, the anointed one.

Jesus did tell the Jews in John Eight, verse twenty-four b, saying “ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” In this passage, Jesus was directly referring to the prophets who spoke of the coming Messiah. In looking at this, let us see first what the Apostle John had to say about this Christ, the son of God. John describes, as does the Apostle Paul of Jesus being at the beginning of Creation, and not only being there, but instrumental in its creation.

John 1:1  ¶In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2  The same was in the beginning with God.
3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In the above phrase the Apostle John uses the verbage ‘Word’, and capitalizes its first letter. The verbage ‘Word’ is used three times in the first sentence of John as an introduction to those who would read it and what the gospel of John would be about. The apostle flatly states in the first sentence and uses the verbage ‘Word’ as a proper name or title. This book, John wrote is about the ‘Word’ being made flesh. It is about the anointed one, the Christ. Thus, the verbage ‘Word’ is a title of Christ, and is capitalized meaning a proper name.

Thus emphasizing the diety of Christ and communication of who God is and what he is like. [Strongs 3056.]

The Apostle John says in chapter one, verse one “theos en ho logos”, meaning that the Logos or Word is God. In This first glimpse of the testimony of John, we find that the Word is God. Again let me emphasize that the verbage ‘Word’ is capitalized, meaning a name. It is a title, describing that the Word was with God in the very beginning, the Word was God, and nothing was made without him. God the Father, created all things, through the Word, whom we know as Christ Jesus. This alone makes the divinity of Christ as God a legitimate aspect of his being. That said, while he was God, he was also man.

John further recounts his testimony in his first epistle referring to Christ, as being “that which was from the beginning.” It was Christ, John refers to as also saying the one “which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of life.” This powerful testimony directly relates to John the first chapter.

1 John 1:1  ¶That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul calls him “the first born of all creation” Col 1:15. From the Messianic verse found in Psalms 89:27, which states “Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.”

The title “first born” does not mean that Christ himself was the first one created; what the title does mean is that Christ, existing as he did before all creation, exercises the privilege of primogeniture [Right of inheritance belongs exclusively to the eldest son] as the Lord of all creation, the divinely appointed heir of all things. [Lectures in Systematic Theology, Thiessen, p209]

Hebrews 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Ephesians 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
John 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
1 Corinthians 8:6b one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Colossians 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

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Declaring Christ PDF

Originally posted 2008-04-08 09:00:55. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Nwsltr-090510-Cross-Contamination

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Nwsltr-090510-Cross-Contamination
“The Lessons of the aftermath of the loaves and fishes in John chapter six when Cross Contamination caused many to reject and become offended at the Son of Man.”

By the Watchman
Dana G Smith
Keywords: Watchman Newsletter, expose, biblical, jesus, christ, God, manna, loaves, disciples, fishes, offended, spiritual, carnal, belief
Words: 2741

John 6: 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

John 6:
26  Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
28  ¶Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
30  They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

The Jews in Jesus day were not without miracles, that is true miracles done by the Lord.  In fact, John describes the many miracles and signs he gave. In chapter six of John and verse twenty six the Lord pointedly says to the Jews gathered “Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” I ask myself when I read this “How can Jews where Jesus said “salvation is of the Jews”, be filled with a miracle feed like the loaves and fishes and still not grasp that this was a totally creative miracle done to prove he was the “True bread out of heaven?”  Yet, the Jews who saw, did not believe the works he did. They were blinded by their own traditions, pride, and unbelief. The same Jews who  persecuted the prophets and killed them still rejected those whom God sent to them, including Jesus of Nazareth.

John 4:
22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
29  Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
30  Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
39  And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
42  And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

There were exceptions in Israel at the time, one such is found when Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well telling her among other things that “Salvation is of the Jews.” Here it is sad and ironic that although “Salvation is of the Jews”, the Jews rejected him! This whole event is recorded in John chapter 4. The outcome is that the Samaritans who were shunned by the Jews, actually recognized and saw Jesus as the Christ, the Savior of the world.  The Jews on the other hand were blinded to this.

Psalms 118:22  The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

Matthew 21:42  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Scripture does tell us of this blindness, in fact, Jesus being the stone the builders rejected.  The very religious Jews, Pharisees, and the  chief priest rejected Jesus outright in many cases. What is still unbelievable is that right after they sat around in groups, watching the disciples dispense the bread and fishes, the remaining baskets of fragments of bread was twelve. Jesus started with only five barley loaves. In the twelve basket of  fragments, I see a representation of  the twelve tribes of Israel to whom Jesus was sent. Here the lesson is obvious, the Messiah was sent to the twelve tribes of Israel first. God wanted to feed them, not with physical bread, but with spiritual. The object lesson would lead to the Lord telling them “he was the bread from heaven.” Just as the Lord God sent Manna down from heaven to feed Israel in the days of Moses, so the LORD had sent the Messiach to Israel at that time. The Twelve baskets also were taken from the fragments of the bread. This tells us of abundance in the LORD God available to his people. Out of Gods overflow and abundance, there is blessing and salvation for those, especially the twelve tribes. Yet for all of this, they did not believe.

John 6:
32  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34  Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
36  But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

In the conversation shortly before Jesus saying “I am the bread of life”, the Jews asked to see a sign proving he was the one God had sent. Here is the incredulous blindness of Israel and the Jews, in that those who sat, witnessed, and saw the miracle of the bread and fishes still wanted to see a sign. What more would they need? I believe the hardness of their hearts were so firm that day that no matter the sign the Lord gave that day, they would not believe. If they did not believe on him after the Loaves and fishes miracle, neither would they believe on him now. So he told them, “Ye also have seen me, and believe not.”

The only way to understand this I believe is in what I call Cross Contamination. The Jews with their unbelief and their own ideas as to the true nature, characteristics, and ministry of the Messiah. It is here where man and his religious mind can make up ideas as to what God is doing. They convince themselves of truth, even half truths when the truth is staring them in the face. Thus the blindness of the religious Jews and leaders of Israel towards Christ. They kept putting all things in materialistic, worldly ideology and thought, when Jesus told them that it was otherwise. Add to this mixture unbelief and stubbornness of heart and you have a lethal mix that will bring about rejection.

On example of this is when the Lord spoke to the Jews “except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” Jesus not only told his disciples once, but six times, in somewhat differing ways.  The religious Jews only thought in the carnal and worldly sphere.

John 6:
53: Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you
54: Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day
55:  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56: He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him
57: I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58: This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

This is true Spiritual and physical cross contamination. Where secular and carnal people get the truth mixed up with mans ideas and human spirit wisdom. By man’s wisdom nor by the worlds wisdom can you know God, through Jesus Christ. So too, here we find the Jews in the dark as to what he is saying. Jesus even goes on to say his words are spirit.  The Spirit is the only source which quickens and makes alive. It is the Spirit, through which men become born again. Jesus tells them this fact “It is the Spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing, the words I speak to you are Spirit and life.” It does no good to eat flesh, it is not actual eating of flesh and drinking of blood that our Lord is talking about. Today you and I know that, but then, the Jews did not. In fact this saying was so troubling, and an abomination to Jews regarding eating human flesh and drinking human blood, many of his disciples left him. It is here that Jesus also says a fact about those who can come to him. Jesus says here in John Six and verse sixty-five “that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.”  Further scripture records, “many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.”

John 6:
60  ¶Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62  What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him

.

Truth is, many of the Revelations God gives us can be hard to understand, that is, until he reveals it through his Spirit to us. Just as the above illustrates, many disciples discontinued walking with Jesus.. Most of the time because they are ignorant, in the dark, and do not understand. Thinking of it in terms of Carnal, flesh, and worldly wisdom. I know of many churches, denominations, and preachers who do this. Many doctrines follow this. The truth is our God is a Spirit, we must worship him in Spirit and Truth. To know him, we must allow the Spirit to reveal the true things of God to us. We must be open to his ways and understand what he is telling us.  It is sad in the above context that the very disciples who witnessed the loaves and fishes did not walk anymore with him simply because they actually thought he was telling them to literally eat his flesh and drink his blood. Even this, today does not make sense!

Moreover, Jesus does tell his disciples and us today in John Chapter 15 of the true relationship his disciples were to have with him. I call this the Unity chapter, where Jesus tells us he is the vine, they, the disciples and all future disciples are the branches. From the vine you get the sustenance to live. You cannot live, exist, or continue without being connected to the vine. So too, you cannot live today without that same connection. Through his Spirit, his Word, in prayer, and in faith. You cannot live without this connection! This is the true Spirit explanation of the phrase “eat my flesh and drink my blood”.  It is a connection with God, our Father, through Jesus Christ the vine. It is a relationship in which we find all the sustenance of life and redemption in Him.

The first group of scriptures in this article bring in the truth that Jesus is the one that “God the Father sealed.” He tells them to “labor not for the meat which perishes” but for the “meat which endures unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you.” All this remember is in connection with the miracle of the Loaves and fishes. They were full, sought him out, and many followed him. But they did so out of carnal and worldly reasons. But in this conversation they ask Jesus simply “what shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” Jesus then told them that “the work of God is to believe on him whom he hath sent.” It is here that they ask for a sign so they may see and believe thee? Saying further “what dost thou work.”

John 6:
26  Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
28  ¶Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
30  They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

It is here then he starts telling these disciples and other crowded around about Moses and the Manna in the wilderness. He relates he is that “bread.” Again, through all of this, they are still in the dark. It is at the end of this that many turn away because of his “eating his flesh and drinking his blood” requirements. Totally not seeing the very experience of the loaves and fishes as a sign, then not connecting the “Son of man” whom they followed to this bread of heaven. This illustrates vividly that indeed it is the Father, who through his Spirit, makes alive, quickens, gives understanding, and brings people unto himself through Jesus Christ. This proves in short order the Spiritual nature and warfare of the redemption of men. Satan keeps them in the dark while their carnality works against belief.

This was so intense an exchange that the Lord then turned to his original disciples because he had heard them discussing it and said to them: “Doth this offend you?” As he was speaking this disciples who had been with him, turned away offended. Even today, disciples and believers do this regularly. When confronted with something they do not know or understand, they simply turn away.  Even at these times, discernment is truly through the Spirit. Although many believers think themselves such, the truth is, many walk away from real truth, missing out on Gods revelation on a matter simply because of offense and misunderstanding. Is it Spiritually carnal pride? Is it carnal ways getting in the way? It can be many things, but one lesson can be learned here. The original disciples did not understand it, but even though they did not fully comprehend what Jesus was saying here, they knew one thing and it is that one thing that kept them in his corner. This one thing made them truly trust the Son of Man even though the issue had caused many other disciples to turn away. This one issue was the fact that just as Peter said “Lord to whom shall we go? Thou has the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  Even if they did not fully understand they trusted Jesus and believed that he would indeed make it plain so they could Spiritually understand these hard teachings.  It was after this that the Jews sought to kill him so he walked no more openly in Jewry [John 7].

John 6:
61  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
67  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

In conclusion, I call this cross contamination because of the divisions in the American Christianity. Many times we become offended at pastors, in church, with other believers, and walk in a pride of the human flesh carrying with us the same proud religious spirit the Jews had during the time of Christ. This kept many of them from truly ‘spiritually discerning’ who he was. Today it keeps us from the ‘spiritual truth’ that God wants to deliver to us. Yet he does deliver it and there are those who receive it. Let us learn the lesson from this and the disciples. The ones who kept with the Lord were those who knew that they knew, that they knew, this was the Son of man, the Son of God, the Messiah to come with the words of eternal life. This alone kept them, even though, they may not have fully understood his teaching at the time. Later in John chapter fifteen Jesus does indeed teach them more Spiritual truth on these matters. In all this it took believe and faith.

John 15:
1  ¶I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing

Originally posted 2010-09-05 01:00:25. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Winds of Prophecy: Blood Red

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The Winds of Prophecy: Blood Red
‘blowing in the greatest battle of all time’
By Dana G Smith
Keywords: prophecy, winds, Gods, Christ, Jesus, end time

prophecy pack 2008”

The winds are blowing here today, which is not unusual. As it does, I did thank the Lord for nicer days this last week. It had definitely warmed up. For all this, we are entering into spring soon, with winters chill behind. Yet as we do the world wide winds of prophecy still move forward.

Recent news have come to our offices this week from one of our WARN Radio guests. The Lt Col and I spoke on the phone. He told me “we have avian flu here.” I thought for a moment. “Avian”, I repeated. “Yes, it is not the most virulent kind, but it has hit here.” The flu, ‘bird flu’ to be exact or ‘avian flu’ has been in the news for years. There has not been a major outbreak yet, but scientists have been saying it is coming. We had Prophet Deckard on who has prophesied for years of its arrival. He had given our listeners steps to do for preparedness. I had done research on it and everything pointed to its arrival. “Do you think this flu the Lt Col spoke about is the one which will mutate and be the epidemic?” my wife asked. I did not know. I do know one thing I related to her, it is coming. It has to be able to spread air contact and person to person. There is no doubt, many things are coming and we must be prepared spiritually and physically.
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Originally posted 2008-02-25 10:39:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Living Breathing Organism

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Living Breathing Organism

By the Watchman Dana G Smith

Keywords: Christ, Lord, branches, vine, Rome, Domitian, persecution, living breathing organism, martyrs anointing

Words: 2041

 

unity in Christ victory in Martyrs anointing

 

During the onslaught of persecution many a Christian bled his last drop of blood, the life giving force, forming a seed for the next generation of believers. It is in that hallowed hall that every disciple of Christ must enter and fully realize that we are not alone, but part of the same ‘living breathing organism’. The Lord led the way, for his friends, so too, we can follow our Lord, our Friend, and our Master into the depths of what he has called us unto: a greater good, a greater calling, a greater eternity, and a greater witness so that men may be saved. This is the Martyrs Anointing!…The Watchman Dana G Smith

 

Jesus in John 15 speaks of the unity and union of the vine and the branches. This is a living breathing relationship. One where the Lord of Glory infuses those who are connected to him through faith and the work of the Holy Spirit with life giving Supernatural power that affects the Natural.

 

John 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

 

This analogy by Christ leaves us with a clear picture. The branches are fused to Christ and without that fusion; the branches will wither and die. They will not be fruitful, they will not overcome the world, they will not stand by faith, and they will not be connected to the Lord of Glory. No doubt, this very moment you are reading this, that connection to the Lord himself must be made and kept. This brings the multi-faceted aspect of many nations, many cultures, many races, and many peoples into one ‘Living Breathing Organism’. Many over the centuries have tried to tear these branches away from its vine. Of such is Domitian

Domitian or otherwise known as ‘Titus Flavius Domitianus’ was the Emperor of Rome; son of Vespasian who succeeded his brother Titus. This man instigated a reign of terror and was assassinated as a tyrant. His reign of terror upon Christians was rated alongside that persecution by Nero as one of the most horrific. The Christians of that day did not worship anything of substance. This new cult as some saw it to be did not have gold or silver idols or statues of their God. No they worshipped some unseen force. What’s more they attributed all they did to some Jewish Priest who was crucified for crossing the powerful Jews of his day. Many thought these were just weird cults, but others, including the Jews were fearful of this new secretative and cult like religion. So when Domitian put forward the illegality of these Christians and their mode of worship, persecution came. This was a time in Rome when the Emperor, the Caesar himself was God. Although Rome had tolerated other religions and cults before, all these had gladly embraced the emperor worship along with their own. But these Christians were different. They were adamantly opposed to such worship of what they called mere mortal worship.

As these were hunted down, sought out, and brought before Flavius, the sentence was the same. Either worship the emperor or die. While some recanted, many more would not budge from their faith. As these stood out in coliseum ready for death, the crowds cheered, while Titus stood up and looked around at the hungry and blood thirsty mob that surrounded his part of the Coliseum. They were hungry for blood and this emperor was going to give to them just as he had been doing daily since the inquisition began some time ago. At this rate he thought, "I will have cleaned out the whole bunch of these Christians, good riddance to them." Domitian waved to the crowd and gave the nod to the guards at the gate. There were a crowd of Christians kneeling down and praying. They never did fight; they walked in what was ‘love’. Love for the Romans was a carnal lustful pleasure that involved loving whatever you wanted, men-boys-girls- in an anything goes carnival of sexual pleasure. Now that was love in the Roman culture. But these Christians would go to their death loving their enemies. At this rate, thousands had died already. In the middle of this group, one stood up and began speaking to the crowd. The people in the stands were waving, yelling, and chanting ‘to the death, let’s see blood’. As the brave one stood, a group of hungry lions that had not an ounce of food given to them but for the meals of these Christians came out from the chained section they had been kept in.

As these prayed and hugged one another the lions tore into them. As the lions moved among the victims, parts of arms, legs, bodies flew everywhere along with wailing and crying out to their God. Still the lone person stood preaching, not a lion touching him. As the last word of this lone one finished, he looked around and saw the lion’s. A word was heard, "I too am ready now Lord, into thy bosom, commend I my spirit." With that the lions immediately tore him apart. The whole thing took less time than a good fit of wine drinking. The lions moved among the remnants of the victims, chewing, tearing up clothes, and licking themselves clean of the blood from their fur. Domitian looked on and nodded to the guard. With that the Lions were moved by a round of guards into their pens. As this was finished the floor of the coliseum was cleaned up and a group of the finest of Rome’s gladiators was now standing in the middle of the ring before Flavus. As they readied themselves for battle the next group of Christians came forward. They had been given swords and knives for defending themselves. Some refused and were pushed forward anyway. Soon the Emperor nodded again and the Christians were slaughtered before the roaring crowd.

Underneath the Roman city, catacombs were used by these outcasts. If one could listen carefully from above, sounds would waft their way upward. These were gladdening sounds of praise, joy, and anthems to their God. For this was the secretative worship of the Christians that this society so feared. The groups below the Roman city had filled the vast catacombs with new believers as rumors of supernatural powers, miracles, healings, and deliverances spread amid the persecution going on. It was even said that Peter and Paul had come to the city and gave personal directions to the believers. It was soon evident that the more Domitian persecuted and tried to destroy this cult, the more it grew. It had become a "living breathing organism" and took on a life of its own. Nothing could be done to destroy it, for it was connected and growth came from its source, a source that was attributed to the Christians themselves as the only True God and Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

Furthermore, history has proven the fact that this vine and its branches form a supernatural unalterable union. This is a union which is a "living breathing organism" that cannot be destroyed by mortal men. As we in the 21st century seem so removed from our sisters and brothers during the time of the Roman persecution, in many ways we face the same thing. The world doesn’t accept us; in fact, the Lord himself said it this way:

John 15:18  ¶If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

1 John 3:13  Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

 

And again the Lord spoke to his disciples before his death on the cross. It would be a time of sorrow and anguish, but soon it would turn to joy afterwards. He comforted them saying:

John 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

As we enter into what is and will be a time unlike any other at any time on earth, Christians again will be targeted. They have been targeted since the time of Christ. We are as ‘sheep going to the slaughter.’ But during these days, know this; the mortal men who oppose us cannot destroy us. They can kill our bodies, but cannot touch our soul. These men and women need the LORD as much as we did. The concert in heaven after we finish our work here on earth will be sweet, but how much sweeter still will it be when we bring with us the very men and women who tried to kill us here on earth. This is our goal, our task, and our calling. To walk in Love, as the Lord did, bringing his truth to those in darkness, even to those in the modern Rome called America. For the paganism, idolatry, and fornication is bad as or worse than Rome ever was. Know this, the Beast will come and when he does, he will make war on the saints. It is time for you to seek the Lord as never before and realize we are part of a bigger source with a much bigger calling. We are part of this same ‘living breathing organism’ of believers that have been connected to the Father through Jesus Christ his only begotten Son. The Son has called you to conquer and to overcome.

Revelation 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Revelation 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Of this time Jesus Said:

Luke 21:34  And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35  For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

 

The Lord has called you to be an overcomer not to be defeated. He has said he will never leave you or forsake you. He has said he is coming again to bring you unto himself and we will go out of here as winners not losers, as conquerors not victims or conquered people. We are connected to the Lord of Glory and together, by faith, in him, connected, we are a "living breathing organism" bonded by Faith in Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God in the Martyr's Anointing.

 

John 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

 

====+<>+BIO+<>+====

Dana G Smith is the author of D-Day For America, a prophecy book of what is coming to America. Published by Xulon Press, ISBN: 1-59781-843-7. Dana is the editor of the W.I.B.R. online Web Sites.

He Hosts WARN Radio, "into the night", airing Fridays 9 PM Pacific on The America Voice radio network. He also is The Watchman of W.A.R.N. Radio Network, www.warn-usa.com.

His articles appear on his own news sites at www.wingswatchman.org, www.ddayforamerica.com, www.warn-usa.com , and on many sites around the web.

Dana is a Watchman, "let the Watchman declare what he see's Isaiah 21:6. He is also an investigative and research journalist who lives in the Midwest. You can contact him through his websites or email watchman at wingswatchman.org.

Originally posted 2008-10-29 09:01:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Mission of Christ Endtimes-WF-10-09-10

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Warn Radio, Watchman n Friends, Mission of Christ for the Endtimes-WF-10-09-10

‘Warfare strategies for a unified front in Christ for the Faith of the Gospel”

Consolation in Christ
Likeminded Believers in Christ
The Mind of Christ
Working out your Calling in Christ
What is gain and Loss
Press to your mark in Christ
Conclusion, Stand fast in the Lord

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Bread of Life Defined-WF-090410

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Watchman n Friends WF-090410-The Bread of Life Defined

The Bread of life defined
Carnality and religiosity always are around when the Lord speaks to crowds
Jesus defines the “All the Father giveth me shall come to me-v37″.

Rejection of the Bread of Life
Acceptance of the Bread of Life
Son ship and the Shepherd, the door, the Bread of Life
The Bread of life, the Son of God, the Savior Wept!
The Last Days-the Gospel and Testimony of the Son of God

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