Pergamum & Balaam’s Doctrine

(Revelation 2:13-17) (ESV) “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith^*(deny your faith in me) even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.”

Jesus is talking to the church at Pergamum, in this passage. The sword of our mouths, in case you don’t know it, is the Word of God. The Word of God is also the manna spoken of here. God reveals Himself to us through His Word. Jesus is the Word made flesh. We’ll know more about the white stone when we’re supposed to. Some say it’s a token of admittance; some say it means we’re free from condemnation; as if it were an acquittal, some say it’s an allusion to the Urim and the Thummim. The last one makes more sense to me; as it refers to the breastplate the priests wore to obtain oracles or revelation. Wikipedia

It doesn’t take a lot of thought about this passage of scripture to see where Jesus is going with it. Just take a look around at all that goes on, and the picture becomes clear. All things vile, ignoble, hurtful and harmful, and flagrantly anti-Christian, or ungodly, are glorified and celebrated. In some cases, these behaviors are even expected, and are pre-requisites for acceptance. A stumbling block is not just a religious thing.

A stumbling block is anything that you put in front of someone that would impede their progress, cause them to fall, or even cause their demise. If your sister, with the weight problem, is dieting to fit into her wedding dress, and you’re eating chocolate fudge cake in front of her, you’re munching on a stumbling block. If your boyfriend has finals this week, and needs to study, and you’re at his apartment until midnight demanding his attention, you are a stumbling block to his success with those finals. He needs to study; and he also needs his rest. We need to stay mindful of what our actions can do, and may do, in the lives of others. It isn’t just drug addiction and alcoholism that can wreak havoc in the lives of loved ones. Look at the havoc wreaked on a global level by Russia’s war with Eukraine. The economy is reeling and staggering, and we, with it. You can read more about Balaam’s doctrine at Got Questions?

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Hang In There, Smyrna

Jesus is coming.

(Revelation 2:8-11) gives us the Lord’s message to the church at Smyrna. “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” These people were tortured, persecuted, their bishop, Polycarp, was martyred. Wikipedia

There are a couple of things we are shown here. First, last, and always, Jesus knows. Remember, He said not a sparrow falls to the ground without the Father knowledge. Jesus knows too; everything we go through. Secondly, did you see that little note there? (we’re rich; yes, we are!) Here’s number three: When you read “Jews,” here, think “Believers, Christians, Fellow Flock Members, etc. Fourth, is that term, “syna-gogue of Satan.” This is letting us know that we need to test the spirit in each Church we might attend. My personal belief is that every child of God should be comfortable worshipping in any true church of His. Actually, we need to be good discerners regarding anything and everything we hear and read regarding the LORD. (Mark 4:24) (Luke 8:18) (Matt. 13:14) This includes not only what we hear and read; but also how we understand it. Moving on, we can see who’s at work against us, can’t we? That ten days thing makes me think about how with the LORD, a day is as a thousand years, and vice versa. Some of us will die for our Lord. But, we will receive the crown of life.

When I read about the second death, a couple of things come to mind. First, the lake of fire is the second death. (Rev. 20:14-15) But, when we think about it, dying to the world and being baptized into Christ Jesus, is actually our first death in the spirit. That makes the second death, the time of our physical body’s expiration; our physical death. The scripture says we won’t be hurt by it. That means I’m going to Heaven smiling all the way! Praise God! Jesus said when we believe and are baptized into Him, we have crossed over death to life. (John 5:24)

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The Seven Churches

(Revelation, Chapters 1-3) (ESV) The first thing we have to see is that there is a lampstand representing each of the seven churches. This tells us that there are branches from each vine; or sects and factions, coming from each church. The second thing we must see is that it is Christ Jesus, Himself, who walks among the seven lampstands. Thirdly, there are seven angels assigned to the seven churches; one for each church. This is why we strive for unity in the whole body of Christ Jesus.

(Ezekiel 37:24) “My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes.” (John 10:16) “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” I think this is probably my most favorite scripture in the whole Bible. It tells me that God truly does see, and know, each individual heart. It affirms what He says in (Ezekiel 34:15) – “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD.” (Romans 9:15-16) (Romans 2:14-29)**This one speaks of “Gentiles” who will condemn us on that day of judgment. By this scripture, especially, we can see that none of us is qualified to judge, or condemn anyone. Okay, let’s get to the first church.

Apparently, some of the church members of the church at Ephesus fell; and, pretty far, according to the Lord. They had been calling out, or exposing false apostles. There is even mention made of people being delivered from magic arts, or what we would call witchcraft and sorcery. (Acts 19) Jesus admonishes this church to repent and perform the deeds they did at first. He warns that if they don’t repent, their lampstand would be removed from its place. This makes me think of Jesus’ words in (Matt. 13:12) “For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” We are told to hate evil. (Amos 5:15)

The Church in Ephesus was credited for their hatred of the Nicolations. I think this is the first time that I’ve “heard” Jesus say He hates someone. The Nicolations believed and insinuated that freedom in Christ Jesus gave them a blank check to sin. “Jesus loves to forgive, and we love to sin,” was their attitude. They led lives of unrestrained self-indulgence, and even practiced polygamy; according to Wikipedia

This is a message to all Christians; to all believers.. It tells us that we are to hold fast our authority over the spirits. We’re not to compromise with evil. It also tells us that we need to be on our guard against false apostles and false teachers. This is especially important in this day and age, as the spirit of deception grows stronger and stronger, while the light begins to fade.

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The Altars

(Exodus 37: 25-29) & (Exodus 38:1-7) (ESV) These two pieces of scripture cover the altars of the tabernacle. The first is the altar of incense; the second, the altar of the burnt offering.

The altar of incense, spiritually, is anywhere we pray. The incense represents our prayers. (Rev. 5:8) “ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” (Psalm 142:2) (Rev. 8:3) (Heb. 9:22) says, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” Christ’s blood purifies us. He is that incense. (Heb. 9:18-28) Christ Jesus is our High Priest, and our mediator before God. (Heb. 8:6) (1Tim 2:5-6) (Heb. 10:11-29)** – This last reference is pretty awesome, and detailed. This is why we pray in Jesus’ Name. (Mark 16:7) (John 14:13) ((John 16:26)

The altar of the burnt offering is, I believe, where we lay our burdens, our failures, shortcomings, the whole day, if it was shot full of trouble and toil. We give it all to the LORD, here. According to Church of Jesus Christ study guide, the entire animal was sacrificed on the altar, including its head and entrails. (Leviticus 1) This speaks to us of the greatest commandment: “Love the LORD with all your mind, heart, and soul.” The burnt offering represents total surrender and commitment to the LORD. This is what we do when we give up all that stuff to the LORD and let Him handle it. The Israelites sacrificed burnt offerings in the morning and the evening.

I remember when I first started to pray in the morning and ask the LORD for His help with whatever dilemma or problem I was having. I’d given it up to Him the night before, praying for whomever to be forgiven, if I’d been hurt by someone; or confessing my failure, or shortfall, to the LORD. But, things got so much better when I reminded the LORD, and myself, that I needed that help, before I left the house the next day. What comes to mind is that thing where you complain to Dad, and Dad says, “What do you want me to do about it?” Or, better yet, “What are we going to do about it?” Jesus asked someone that. (Mark 10:41) He also asked the man at the pool of Bethesda, if he wanted to get well. (John 5:6) That tells me that God doesn’t want to hear me complain or make excuses. He wants me to want to get better, get wherever I want to go, and get there in good shape.

There’s a little article on the altar of incense at Got Questions? that might be helpful.

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Which One Are You?

(Exodus 37:17-24) (ESV) Here, we learn about the lampstand. There were six branches going out of it, with three on each side. There were six cups, made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower. On the lampstand itself were also almond blossoms, with calyxes and flowers. The whole thing was made as one piece and overlaid with gold. In total, there were seven lamps on the one stand. I believe these are representative of the seven churches in Revelation.

This passage causes me to think about the different churches present in the world. The top seven: Catholicism, Protestantism, Anglicanism, Baptists, Lutheranism, Calvinism (Reformed churches), Methodism, are the denominations with the largest populations. Pentecostalism has a population of 180 million. These figures are according to Wikipedia in 2020. There are many others, as well. By this, we can see that it’s not going to be one church or another that will help us get into Heaven. It’s about each individual heart. Each one of us will stand before the Lord in judgment, and give account of oneself. (2Cor. 13:5) tells us to, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (Psalm 17:3) (Psalm 26:2)

The Bible tells us there have to be sects and factions in order that the true believers can be sifted out. (1cor. 11:19) We’re also warned that in the latter days, the spirit of deception will become stronger and stronger, and that some believers will fall away. (1Tim. 4:1) (Acts 20:30)

(Revelation, chapters 1-3) contain the letters to the seven churches. In each letter we find praise, or affirmation, and also, complaint, and admonition by the Lord, Jesus Christ Each one of us is the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1Cor. 6:19) (2Cor. 13:5) tells us to, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (Psalm 17:3) (Psalm 26:2) . I believe we can learn from each one of these letters; and, when we put it all together with the lessons Jesus taught in the Gospels, as well as the other scriptures throughout the Bible-(2Tim 3:16), we have a better chance at hitting the mark. *Interestingly, a full week is made of seven days.

(Acts 2:17) says, “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.”

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Saturday Silly-March 4, 2023

The twin sisters were in a snit with one another again, and talking to each other through sneers and gritted teeth. They’d just finished choosing their majors at the university. Said the one to the other, “I’m majoring in Micro-Psychology.” The other sister coughed, laughed, and replied, “That should suit you well, Pea-brain!” The first one groaned, and asked, “Why do you have to be so mean? I am not a pea-brain, and you know it!” Again, the other replied, “Oh, really? Is that why, when the bus driver said the was skipping that one stop because he was late, you said, “Do you want us to get out and push so you can go faster?!”

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What’s On Your Table?

(Exodus 37:10-16) (ESV) tells us how the table for the showbread, or bread of the Presence, was made. When I read this passage, I think about each person’s calling, things he/she is gifted in, his/her interests, strengths and weaknesses, etc. God put all those things inside of us when He created us. These are all the things that propel us toward our careers, our free time activities, charities, church life, even our choice of associates and friends we hold dear.

On the table, in the Tabernacle, 12 loaves representing the 12 tribes of Israel were placed as an offering for the LORD. Spiritually, we offer ourselves up to the LORD when we are baptized into Christ Jesus. . Jesus said, in (John 6:50-51), “I am the living bread that came down from Heaven….And this bread which I will give for the life of the world, is my flesh.”

The priests put fresh loaves on the table every Sabbath. We have the Eucharist, or the Sacrament. When I think about this in spiritual terms, I think about that Sabbath rest; about the LORD’s day, and com-munion with Him in prayer, praise, and worship. I also think about how God fills us with whatever we need to get through the tunnel, to get the job done, to make it through this walk of life, and come out triumphantly.

I found an article at Table talk Magazine on this specific subject. The people’s intimacy with God, their being intimately known by Him, is discussed in the article. A shared meal with someone does suggest intimacy and friendship; fellowship. Our shared meal is the celebration of Jesus’ last supper. He told us to do that in remembrance of Him. (Luke 2:L19-20) Of course, the blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat over the Ark of the covenant. Jesus blood redeemed every single human soul that ever was or will be, if that soul desires it, and comes to the Lord. In Moses’ day, the priests represented the people before the LORD. Jesus made it personal for each one of us. (John 6:35-39) (Matt. 11:28-30) (John 3:5-7) (John 3:14-17) (John 1:12)

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Let God Make That Ark

(Exodus 37:1-9) (ESV) Making the Ark of the Covenant…Do you know that’s your heart? (Prov. 4:23) “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” When we are born again, God gives us a heart to know Him, to seek Him and His Word, and also to obey Him. (Philippians 2:13) (Deut. 11:18) (1Chron. 22:19 (Jer. 24:7)) (Ezek. 36:26) (Luke 10:27) (Psalm 40:8-10) “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

(Matt. 12:34) “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45) speaks of good treasure, or evil treasure being stored up in our hearts. That good treasure consists of positive image, personal responsibility and power, discipline, integrity, etc. The bad treasure consists of dishonesty, ignobility attitude and actions (lying, stealing, manipulation, etc.) Good treasure is deposited by good teachers and good results/rewards (“great job, son/daughter”, “see, you can do it!”, “you’re beautiful inside and out,” “I love you,” etc.) Bad treasure is deposited by bad teachers and bad experiences (abuse, addiction, battery and bullying, manipulation, neglect, rejection etc.) That’s the very reason we must be born again. God not only is an awesome parent and teacher in righteousness. He also helps us to make sense of all that bad stuff, so that we can overcome it. God helps us to break its hold on our hearts, minds, and lives. That’s where the overlay with pure gold inside and out comes in. Think of a very old and beat up, tarnished cup. God cleans that up, straightens it out, and overlays it with gold. That gold is His Word, His love, and His Spirit within us. It is all three of these in our hearts that encase that covenant which restores to us our divine nature. That’s where the Mercy Seat comes in. It is now called, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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Yes, You Too

I’m studying the specifications for the building of the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, etc., and the regulations God set for us. This particular one is encouraging; especially, spiritually.

(Exodus 30:15-16)(ESV) “The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD’s offering to make atonement for your lives. You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the LORD, so as to make atonement for your lives.” I love this! This scripture deals with atonement money for one’s life, but it works the same way with the tithe. If you make a dollar, God gets a dime. If you make a hundred dollars, God gets ten. And, He makes it all work! God expects the same from the rich as he does from the poor, according to this statement. There is one figure set for the tithe, and God expects it from everyone. It’s ten percent of your income, or increase.

Spiritually, there’s a powerful revelation for us here. First, no matter how new, weak, and wobbly your faith may be, you’re expected to give it all you’ve got when you come before the LORD. -Even if you’re just a Baby Christian, and brand new. That tells me I’m expected to praise the LORD just as much as the rich, or enriched man is to. Secondly, nobody’s expected to “carry” me, or my load; or do my share. And, nobody can praise for me, pray my prayer for me, do my study for me, spend my time with the LORD for me, etc. I have to do it for myself. If I’m not the one who does that, it’s not done. Finally, the rich man’s gift, praise, honor, obedience, etc., will not be esteemed any more than the poor man’s. Neither will God have less esteem for the poor man’s gift, sacrifice, praise, obedience, etc. That’s a very liberating revelation to us; especially, to us poor and/or lacking in faith, knowledge of God, testimonies, etc. God is no respecter of persons. (James 2:5)

Have you ever been in church and praising the LORD, and you’re jobless, or worse, you’re homeless? Now, here you are praising the LORD with radiant face and raised hands and voice…and there are about half a dozen people around you looking at you as if you’re crazy; because, they can’t understand why you’re praising the LORD, because you’ve “got no reason” to praise Him. Wait a minute! Where did those people come from? Somebody show them the Cross of Christ Jesus again He’s the reason! He’s the reason! . (Deut 10:17) (Job 34:19) (Deut. 16:19) (2Chron. 19:7) (Gal. 2:6)

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I Have Encouragement For You!

In Exodus 35 we see people being called to contribute for the construction of the tabernacle. There were some called, and given the gifts, or knowledge, wisdom, and skills they needed to do the actual constructing and adornment. God will fill you with whatever you need; and especially, when He has called you to do it.

(Exodus 35:30-35) “ “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer. (Isaiah 28:23-29) ( (Isaiah 2:3) This passage of scripture, ties in with my previous posts in which I talked about getting what we need to get the job done, to get the job, the license, diploma, etc. I’ve had days when I had to ask the LORD for strength just to get out of bed. He never failed me. But, let me tell you how much more powerful my Bible studies became when I stopped to pray, and ask the LORD to open my eyes and heart; to give me understanding, and willingness and ability to receive His instruction. (Job 32:8) There really isn’t much that you won’t be able to do, when God helps you. In (Mark 9:23) Jesus says that all things are possible to one who believes. Believe in God; and believe in yourself. I think one of the biggest stumbling blocks for us is that we have a limited mindset. We think in finite, and meted terms. Yet, the Bible tells us that with God all things are possible. It says we can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens us. We’re also told that we have the mind of Christ Jesus. Nothing was impossible for Him.

One of the biggest reasons we don’t seek the things we need to achieve certain goals is that we don’t believe in ourselves. Then, we sit around and mope and grumble, sometimes, even at God, because we don’t have what we wanted. (Matt. 17:20) (Job 35:9-11) (Psalm 119:66)

(John 5:39-40) Jesus said,“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” -Another reason we forget to bring God into it first, is that we forget He’s been here from the beginning. He also knows the end. And, He has predestined each and every one of us. That means He knew you were going to be a Dr., attorney, teacher, entrepreneur, etc., in the beginning. He’s the One who gave those people who will teach you that, the intelligence, knowledge, and wisdom to teach you. He knew that in the beginning. So, what are you waiting for?! The only thing you have to really work at is being disciplined enough to stick with it, and refuse to get distracted. Believe me, the devil will be right there with all kinds of negatives, and distractions for you. Jesus covered that, too: “Get behind me, Satan!”

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