Work of Faith

Johnny Harrell

August 3, 2013

I would like to say hello to everyone again, and welcome to God's Sabbath day. As you heard in the opening prayer, Laura, Audra, Myrtle and myself are in The Netherlands today. It's good to see everyone again. It's been a while since we've seen some familiar faces and it's good to see them once again.

We in God's Church understand that Satan is the god of this earth, the god of this world, and that he is the ruler of this world at this present time, and that he is the deceiver, at this time, of the whole world. We also understand that he is the one who accuses you and me, God's children...and he is the god of this age, as I said. We understand that he is the spirit that works to take what God has given to you and me; that's what he's after. And we understand that Satan at this time is the ruler over the demons, who rules the darkness of this age, as God says in His book. But we are blessed above all the people upon the face of this earth to understand that the whole world is under the influence of this evil one called Satan.

God has also blessed us to understand that Satan is the master of disguise, and he transforms himself into an angel of righteousness, as God tells us in His book...and we understand that he is the master of disguise and he deceives the masses at this time. He has transformed himself as an angel of light, to this world. But you and I know what he really is. We know that he is the tempter, the destroyer, and he is the archenemy of you and me. He is that ancient serpent, as this book tells us, the dragon who permeates all cultures, and he dominates with lies and murder. We understand that he is a liar and a murderer and we understand that he has deceived this world mightily at this time, and it is into his world at this time that you and I find ourselves in.

We have found ourselves at a time in God's Church that is unprecedented in history. There has been an Apostasy in the Church of God, it was prophesied in 2nd Thessalonians, and the man of sin has been revealed to you and me. The abomination of desolation began with the sermon that Joseph Tkach  gave in Atlanta, Georgia on December 17, 1994. And we understand that being, Satan, was heavily involved in what took place and he tried to thwart God's plan for His creation. This was an attempt to defile and destroy God's Church, the spiritual Temple of God.  The abomination was meant to be established in the Holy Place, and we understand that there is nothing holy upon this earth except God's Church. We understand God is nowhere in this world except with His people, His Church, and that this was an attempt by this being to destroy what God was creating.

Be turning to the book of Daniel. God is revealing more about the book of Daniel, and more revelation about why Daniel was told to seal the book until the time of the end, and I am going to use the post that was  written on June 20, 2013 if you want to reference that so you can go back.

EXTRAORDINARY 4 1/2 YEARS, PT. 4

June 20, 2013

As this series of posts began, it was stressed that so often in life, even for those who are called into God’s Church, people tend to see their lives as routine and ordinary. By knowledge we should grasp that a “calling” from God is far from ordinary and it should never be viewed as such. That would mean we do not grasp the awesomeness of such an event and that we are not nearly as thankful for the blessings poured out upon us as we should be. We truly need to see our calling for what it is.

But far beyond just seeing the incredible calling that is given to us, we need to deeply grasp what we have experienced over an extraordinary 4 1/2 years that ended May 19th of 2013. God has long worked to fulfill what He had planned and prepared for a very special purpose at this most unique time in the entire history of 6,000 years of mankind. We have been blessed to have been called to be its primary participants.

What we have experienced as a Church all began in what God planned and purposed so long ago and then only revealed as a most basic outline of to Daniel.

1335 Days

As it was mentioned in an earlier post in this series, God revealed to me on Friday evening of February 1st  of 2008, that the 1335 days of Daniel were about the sealing of the 144,000. God did not reveal that this sealing would cover the complete span of time of those 1335 days. Once we had received our course correction about Christ returning on a Pentecost rather than a Trumpets, we then knew that the Feast of Trumpets of 2008 was the beginning of this 1335 days. A countdown had begun which then started on that day of September 30, 2008.

The verses in Daniel that discuss this period were never meant to be interpreted by anyone by merely reading or studying them; the meaning was fully hidden and closed to understanding until God began to reveal it. Even when God began opening it to understanding, He did not reveal all of it. To reveal everything from the beginning would have been to nullify His purpose being worked out in the Church and in the spirit realm. God’s exact manner and timing of the revelation of these verses were strategies He used to fulfill his plan in accomplishing what needed to occur in His Church, which also worked to prepare for the year of recompense that was to follow.

As we go through this in Daniel and all that is covered beyond this, it is important to remember that not only is God preparing to usher in His Kingdom to reign on this earth, but He is also bringing to an end the reign of Satan and the demonic realm in their kingdom. God is not only working to create Elohim and send His Son to be the Messiah of all mankind, but He is also righteously bringing an end to Satan’s rule within the spirit realm.

Living through end-time events is extraordinary as this is the time of the culmination of so many prophecies. These prophecies that God foretold about the end of man’s age of self-rule, the end of Satan’s rule, and the transition into a new age of God’s rule on earth reveal God’s very planning and design from the beginning to bring about Elohim. When we begin to grasp the magnitude of that, and that we are the major participants in that transition, then it is indeed powerfully humbling, sobering, and just plain awesome!

Let's turn over to Daniel 12:11 and let's pick up God's word. It says....

After the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that is making desolate is finished (is completed [better said]), there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the thousand three hundred and thirty-fifth day” (Dan. 12:11-12).

These verses as they are translated into English become even more obscure than they are in Hebrew, but remember that these were not to be understood in any language. God simply told Daniel to “go his way” and that these prophecies were going to be [as we see in verse 4...let's notice...] “closed” and “sealed” until the end.

And Ron says....

As I mentioned in the sermon given in February of 2008, “This is given by prophetic revelation and by no other means.” That was in reference to what God had just revealed about the 1335 days being about the sealing of the 144,000. Everything that comes from these verses must be by prophetic revelation, and God is doing so in the “progressive manner” that He has shown to us that He has been doing through the past 6,000 years. In February of 2008, [Ron says] I concluded more than I should have, as I did not realize that God had much more to reveal later about these verses.

God began to reveal more about this in the recent post entitled, “Still Pentecost to Pentecost.” It is really quite profound and exciting, as this has opened a way in which God is now revealing even more to us, which has everything to do with what we have experienced over the past 4 1/2 years. These things could not be fully revealed until now, as Satan was not to know what God was going to fulfill. Neither could we know, so that this could accomplish a “work of faith”....

...and this will be your title today, A Work of Faith...

... [it is] a "work of faith" to refine, to mature, and to purify the Church.

And the sermon that was given in London was about faith, and you will hear it later, but we can see that this is what is taking place in the Church of God, and it is a work of faith, that's what it is. And it is at this time to refine, to mature that faith, and to purify the Church of God at the end...and that is why it is called...and that is why it is a work of faith.

As stated in this post, “The Feast of Trumpets 2008 was the day for the beginning of the final sealing for those who would be included in the final count of the 144,000 who will come with Jesus Christ to set up the reign of the Kingdom of God on earth.”

This process of sealing all those remaining who would be added in order to fulfill the complete count of 144,000 began on that Trumpets of 2008, but was not completed until Pentecost of 2012. Some were sealed on that day of Trumpets 2008, while others were sealed throughout the following 1335 days, including the very last day. During that period of time and into the period of “final witness,” some would still be tried and tested to determine the final individuals who were yet to be added to this specific count of those who would reign with Christ.

So we can look back and see it was a work of faith. And as we have been hearing in the last sermons, it was by and through those that believed God, just like those of the past...just like Moses, Aaron, Abraham, and now those that follow in their footsteps. And it is our time now.

Daniel 12:11

Those verses in Daniel 12 are indeed “obscure” until God gives His spirit to communicate its truth to the mind of those whom He will. Before more is given concerning what God is now continuing to reveal in what these mean, I think it is important to share with you my own excitement and thankfulness for what I am experiencing as I have been writing this post and even more so concerning these verses. I have not experienced this to the degree of this manner since I wrote 2008 – God’s Final Witness, when God revealed what was to be written as I was writing. The same is true now, and in the same manner as it was then, when I thought I knew what was going to be addressed next in writing, but God simply led me into what I did not know and had not known of what He wanted written. There is no easy way to explain this, but it is exciting and inspiring when the mind is suddenly shown things of God that have not been known before.

The verse, “After the daily sacrifice shall be taken away” is about the fulfillment of how the true sacrifice of our Passover works in our lives on a daily basis through repentance and the forgiveness of sins. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sin” [and Ron quotes...] (Col. 1:14). [...if you want to note it.] For those who came to a moment in time that they were sealed as one of the 144,000, the work of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ had accomplished “its work” in them. How? As a person repents of sin and is able to be forgiven through the blood of the Passover sacrifice, then God and Christ will continue working in them to transform them.

Once this complete transformation process had been completed and they could be sealed, then the work that the daily sacrifice was doing had fulfilled its purpose in their life and the person was “set” in character and conviction – readied for the change to Elohim.

So we see a maturing faith that was accomplished – '"set" in character and conviction' - and the finality of a work of faith for those that this takes place in. God knows that they will always be faithful, and they were sealed and are ready to become Elohim.

The fact that it shall be taken away as a “saving” process in their life is absolute – it is done, for they are sealed. This does not mean that such a person will no longer sin, for they will, but their sealing process is complete and they are at a stage of spiritual maturity that they will always repent and always be forgiven.

This beginning phase in verse 11 is about the 144,000 who are sealed throughout the 1335 days that began on Trumpets of 2008. God is making it clear that this is first in importance, just as it is given first in these final verses of Daniel concerning the final events that must be fulfilled in the end-time so that all can then be “finished” – completed in order to usher in the Millennium. This had to be fulfilled to complete God’s government that will reign under Christ during that time. The complete sealing was fulfilled by Pentecost, May 27, 2012. This had completed a process revealing God’s greatest power of creation. This was in the creation of Elohim – the first great phase in that which is revealed in the firstfruits. It was a creation of 6,000 years in the making. This is truly awesome!

And this is truly awesome when you understand what is being said.

1290 Days

As it has been covered before concerning the counting recorded in these verses of Daniel, the 1335 days is followed by a second count of 1290 days, with both ending at the same time on May 27, 2012. This marked the opening of the final seal – the Seventh Seal of Revelation. It is apropos that this period is tied directly into the final 1260 days of witness by a prophetic period of “silence” in heaven. This is an interesting word in Greek as it has to do with an expression “to hiss” as in trying to quiet everyone to listen to something special that is about to be given.

And that's why this post is being put into audio, because it is such an important post that Ron gave, so that we can fully grasp and we can hear it in words as well as in written word.

God is revealing that these 1290 days are about Satan and the demonic world. Although it is not revealed to the angelic realm what this period was all about as it began, God gave them a “sense of knowing” that this period of silence was an incredibly important moment in time that would lead up to the final time of witness in the “1260-day count” that would follow 30 days later.

The time of final witness was about “testimony” that would be established as a matter of God’s righteous judgment of the world. This 3 1/2 year period was about final testimony of what this world has been like for 6,000 years, as God and His ways have continually been rejected by mankind, and that the Church and those specifically sent by God into the world have always been hated, rejected, and persecuted. In a world of modern technology, that witness was powerfully and firmly established.

Once the final witness was established, the world received its final judgment that God will bring upon it when the physical manifestation of all seven trumpets will be revealed in the final prophetic “Day of the Eternal.”

However, before that physical manifestation of final judgment could begin, there was also another great judgment that had to be established as the result of God’s final witness through His two witnesses and the Church concerning Satan and the demonic realm. Not only must the rule of mankind be righteously brought to an end, but Satan’s rule must also be brought to an end before the Millennium can be established. During that final witness of 3 1/2 years, God established His final testimony and the setting of His righteous judgment against Satan and the demons that will begin to be carried out at the return of Jesus Christ as King of kings.

God began with the revelation of the meaning of the 1335 days for the work of completing the full count of the 144,000 who will be in God’s government that will be established at Christ’s return. The 1260 days was a time of witness to bring an end to man’s self-rule. But the 1290 days is about a count that results in Satan’s final judgment as his government is brought to an end at the same time that man’s self-rule is brought to an end and God’s government is established.

Be turning to Matthew 24. Ron says....

At this point, I am going to return to that sermon of February 2, 2008. There is another statement that needs to be quoted here. It is about those verses in Daniel 12, but this time it is in reference to the 1290 days: “We have 45 days (from the beginning of the 1335 days) before the work of the abomination of desolation will be ended.”

It was clear that the 1290 days was about the abomination of desolation. As many of us in early 2008 had gone through the experience of the 1994 Apostasy, we knew that it was about the abomination that desolated the Church.

Matthew 24:14....

Jesus had told us about the commission of Herbert W. Armstrong (which Mr. Armstrong knew was about himself and the Church) that was recorded in Matthew 24:14 of the gospel (good news) “going into all the world as a witness unto all nations.” After that was accomplished, then Christ explained that the end-time would come and that we would then see [verse 15] the abomination of desolation stand in the holy place (the Church).

Our understanding of truth to that moment in time (Feb. 2008 and even to now) was Truth #25 [if you want to note that]: “The Abomination of Desolation is about what Joseph Tkach did in the Church.” There is more that now needs to be added to that understanding.

Let's turn to 2 Thessalonians 2 and let's read verses 1-4. 2 Thessalonians 2:1 - Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: ...except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposed and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

The Abomination of Desolation

The Abomination of Desolation is indeed about what Joseph Tkach, Sr. did in the Church. An “abomination” in the Greek is that which is “detested and abhorred,” specifically concerning idolatry. [That's what it means.] Due to his giving that infamous sermon of December 17, 1994, Joseph Tkach did become the prophesied “man of sin” and “son of perdition” [that we just read about in...] of 2 Thessalonians 2. In a detestable and most abhorrent act, he turned against God and Christ by seeking to destroy the most basic doctrines of God’s Church and sought to replace them with the false doctrines of “traditional Christianity.” On the day that sermon was given, Jesus Christ opened the First Seal of Revelation. This began with Satan’s attempt to destroy God’s Church.

Desolation did come upon God’s Church that had grown spiritually weak and lukewarm. But God’s Church was not destroyed, as a remnant was quickly brought to repentance and restored. God allowed this event of an apostasy to occur in His Church as part of His purpose to teach some of the greatest lessons yet concerning His purpose and means of creating Elohim.

The actions of Joseph Tkach were an abomination before God and His Church, and those actions did bring horrible desolation upon the Church; but the one behind it all was the Adversary of God, the true Destroyer and Desolator, the teacher of abominations – Satan. Paul was inspired to write of this “man of sin”: [and let's notice what was said, 2 Thessalonians 2:9] “whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders” (2 Thes. 2:9). Christ warned about an “Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet” that would “stand in the holy place” in the end-time. This is about Satan who was made to stand in the midst of God’s own Church once Joseph Tkach gave that sermon which quickly resulted in a third of the Church receiving and accepting that abhorrent sermon. Another third simply gave up on any kind of “religion” altogether.

It was an abomination that wreaked havoc and devastation upon God’s Church, but it is Satan who is the father of abominations and “his way” is desolation and destruction. Daniel’s prophecy of the 1290 days is about Satan and how God righteously established the completion of Satan’s final judgment during the period of God’s final witness.

There is so much more that God will give to us concerning what He gave to be recorded in the final chapters of Daniel. These chapters are about the means and process whereby God will usher in a time of righteous rule upon the earth through His Son. At the same time, this is about God bringing an end to Satan’s rule. God is beginning to give us a “thumbnail overview” of what all this in Daniel entails, and he will then later reveal the complete picture as He fills in the details of the rest of the pieces.

.... Much of the context of Chapter 9 in Daniel is about God raising up the Messiah who will be given the reign of God’s new government once He brings Satan’s rule over the earth to an end. The dialogue through all this is about wars (spiritual) that build up to the final end of Satan’s rule and the establishment of the Kingdom of God to rule.

From the beginning of the Book of Daniel to the dream he interpreted for Nebuchadnezzar, this Book works forward to the time of the end (the end of man’s self-rule under the overall reign of Satan) when the great transition of this earth’s government will occur: “Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floor; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote (struck hard) the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (Dan. 2:35).

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to others, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2:44).

Satan’s Judgment Set

Satan’s rule “has been brought” to an end. As far as God’s judgment and its reality, it is over!

And like I like to say, "It's a done deal!"

....We are now in a final transition from that rule being brought to an end to that of God’s government being established. All that remains is the humbling of mankind as the Trumpets of Revelation are fulfilled. All that is remaining is the “physical manifestation” of this transition in government on the earth.

That which is recorded in the final chapters of Daniel is incredible and has been hidden – closed and sealed – since Daniel recorded it. These chapters contain some of the most awesome, astounding, and truly exciting revelation of prophecy yet. It hasn’t been long since God gave to us much clearer insight and understanding into the Seventy Weeks Prophecy about Christ in Daniel 9. The last verse, in the context of the transition of earth’s government, is truly revealing, but not in most translations. [And Ron's going to...] I’m going to quote that verse as given from the translation contained in the margin of a King James Version:

“He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblations to cease, and upon the battlements (highest strongholds of war) shall be the idols of the Desolator with the (his) abominable armies, even until the consummation (completion, fulfillment, conclusion, [better said]), and that determined shall be poured upon the Desolator” (Dan. 9:27).

Satan is the great Desolator who seeks only to lay waste what God has created. His way is to put everything into a ruinous state of confusion and destruction. Part of the origin of the Hebrew word used to describe this final period of Satan’s judgment of his “ways” of an abomination of “desolation” comes from a meaning similar to “zero” in count or “nothingness” in existence. This word in Hebrew is known for its contrast to a word used to describe God’s creative power of “something,” meaning the creation of “something from nothing.” Yet Satan’s reference of “his ways,” and the only result of “his power,” is to bring “something to nothing.”

During the period of witness of the 1260 days, God provided a final witness that established a final righteous judgment upon mankind. God knew what man would do with the technology and scientific advancements He would give them. God knew what Ephraim and Manasseh would do with their inheritance of promise of the greatest portions of the earth’s wealth in the end of the age. God foretold about such events as these, but the time for final judgment to be righteously established was to be done toward the very end of 6,000 years for a specific period of 1260 days. That period of time is even broken down into stages of judgment based on a measure of “merciful judgment” over 280 days, hence the past knowledge of time, times and half a time. It was in this final period of 1260 days that God gave His two witnesses (and the Church who lived it) to be instrumental in bringing out the true spirit, attitude, and responding actions that are witness against mankind and against Satan and his demonic realm.

So God inspired that His two witnesses and the Church should know that this final process began on December 14, 2008, and that it would end by Pentecost of May 27, 2012. It was taken by me, as an apostle, that this could only mean (because of the truth we had to that time) that Jesus Christ was returning on that Pentecost of 2012. I was wrong. My conclusion was in great error. However, God could have given more (revealed more) at any time, for we can only know what we are given by Him. God knew what I would do and what His Church would do with such knowledge “to that time.” We knew the job of the two witnesses was to begin and the countdown of the 1335 and 1290 days had begun. We knew Christ would return on a Pentecost. There was even more “present truth” this was based upon, but never-the-less, the stage was set.

God’s Church did not know about two periods of time concerning the “Day of the Eternal” that also were to be fulfilled before Christ’s return. So God let us experience (by design and purpose) something that no one else ever before has, and it was conducted by most of God’s people in spirit and in truth of an absolute living faith. This entire process of the full 4 1/2 years worked to produce an accelerated spiritual growth and maturing transformation never lived (experienced) before in God’s Church.

Because of all that had been written and the full expectation of a published date for Christ’s return, this period of final witness of the 1260 days also amplified the true response of mankind and Satan toward God’s people – toward God. Thus their judgment was quickly established and righteously set by God. In man’s world and Satan’s world, this period of 1260 days promoted an accelerated response of hate and mockery toward God’s people (toward God) that established a clear witness against Satan and mankind and of the judgment that would follow. For the Church however, it accelerated spiritual transformation, spiritual growth, and highly matured faith over a very short period of time.

Therefore our title, 'Work of Faith'.

Although God is revealing so very much right now, you will not (none of you) be able to grasp it fully by one (or even a few) readings of this post.

And today we're putting it in audio so you can also listen to it, because it is that important, that you understand. And that is why I'm using this post in today's sermon, 'Work of Faith'.

....Once you return again, [to reading this post],even if in a couple of weeks from now, you will be able to see more [and more]. The importance and magnitude of what God’s Church experienced and witnessed during the 1260 days of “final witness” is far beyond the basics of it that God revealed to us quite some time after we had already entered into that final period. It was given to us that this witness of 3 1/2 years was a final one upon which God would establish His final judgment upon mankind. We understood that this judgment would be executed in the fulfilling of the Trumpets of Revelation.

God just revealed before this past Pentecost of 2013 that He used this time of 3 1/2 years to try and test His Church as He simultaneously worked (in His creating of Elohim) to accelerate the molding and transformation of a maturing faith, godly character, conviction, resolve, and spiritual strength within us. This experience we have lived cannot even be fully put into words to describe how extraordinary this has been in all the experiences of mankind over the past 6,000 years!

Finally, God is also revealing to us and the spirit realm how the 3 1/2 years of witness was also about establishing His final righteous judgment upon Satan and the demons by their own actions ([better said,] works) during that period. They were given final judgment that has already begun to be carried out, starting on the first Day of the Eternal. Their power to cause (or persuade) any meaningful abomination within God’s Church has been made impotent. The next phase of the judgment to be carried out against them is their confinement of 1,000 years and complete removal from all of God’s created life once Christ returns. Judgment was foretold and determined long ago, but it was righteously established during that 1260 days of final witness.

It's important that we get these numbers right.

God inspired Daniel to record that Satan and his abominable armies would continue to uphold their own strong idols in spiritual wars, “even until the consummation (the completion, fulfillment, conclusion) and that determined (decreed, judgment established) shall be poured upon the Desolator (Satan)” (Dan. 9:27).

God has only now (in this Pt. 4 of this series) been revealing all that is written in Daniel concerning these greater matters of judgment that are about Satan and the demons. Little did I know of the far greater magnitude of what God inspired to be written in a recent post:

“Another purpose for God revealing things to us as He does is because of what He is working out in order to bring Satan and the demons to a time of great judgment upon them (concerning that 1260 days), and because of the spiritual wars that are part of this process that include strategies and timing that are critical in great wars” [and you can go back and read all of that in the...] (Post – “Timing and Our Commission”).

A Time to Finish All

All that we have covered about Satan’s time for judgment in Daniel adds even greater strength, meaning, and purpose to the very unique timing God gave His Church that identifies an end to Satan’s power upon the Church. It is this timing that started a count from the opening of the First Seal when the Apostasy occurred on December 17, 1994, to Pentecost on May 27, 2012. That was a time span that identified Satan (13 being a number for “rebellion and apostasy”) and his influence of power exerted upon God’s Church until God brought him to the time of the execution of His Judgment. We had earlier believed that this would occur when Christ returned and executed the first phase of judgment of 1,000 years confinement, but that 6,370 days (7 x 70 x 13) was about God’s complete (7 being a number for completeness) plan to bring Satan to the time of his final judgment, with the execution of it to quickly follow.

God develops a picture that overlaps in timing in the book of Daniel. He began with a final 1335 days that would finish His work in the creation of the firstfruits of Elohim by Pentecost of 2012. The next great work that was to be completed was in the 1290 days that established Satan’s final judgment by Pentecost 2012, that judgment which will bring Satan’s rule to an end. To bring everything to a conclusion so that all could be finished in order for Christ to come, mankind also had to have “final judgment” established. That too was completed by Pentecost 2012, after the 1260 days of final witness.

As we have already covered, Daniel 9:27 refers to this awesomely important date of Pentecost 2012 in terms of Satan’s final judgment being established. After that judgment was “set,” it would be followed by God finishing “all things” pertaining to Satan’s removal and confinement at Christ’s return.

Daniel 9 and the last part of verse 27...

This is described in the verse as, “even until the consummation” (Heb. - to bring to a full end, to complete and conclude, to finish). This is about the time that judgment is to be administered. This is also the reference given in Daniel 12:11....

So turn over to Daniel 12:11 and let's look at this verse....

....when “the abomination that is making desolate is finished ([better said] is completed).” This is after judgment has been set (established) by God once the 1290 days are concluded. It is “after that” all will be finished – with God’s judgment to be executed in order to “finish” it.

God began the first phase of the execution of His judgment against Satan during the first “Day of the Lord,” from Pentecost 2012 to Pentecost 2013.

And Ron asked the question....

What happened during that time? Although God’s Church had lived by faith...

And you will hear that sermon, 'By Faith', that was given last week, and it will fit in.

...Although God's Church had lived by faith in truth and in spirit, Christ did not return on Pentecost 2012. In addition, I had to then go before the government for my trial in court for what was termed as “purposely evading the payment of taxes,” which quickly ended in a conviction with the guarantee of a prison sentence. Satan relished in the pickings he thought were before him. Now was his chance, as he viewed it, to again wreak total devastation upon the Church, as he had during the Apostasy. But Satan did not know what God had been molding and creating in a highly accelerated manner during the 1260 days of witness that had just ended. Those days were also evidence, in witness, to God’s incredible creative wisdom to more powerfully and more quickly than ever transform His people in greater character, oneness, and spiritually maturing faith.

A work of faith.

The Church was not weak as it was before the Apostasy. As the “Day of the Lord” drew on, God’s people were growing even stronger. Then God challenged Satan about His people, just like what had happened to Job. Satan and his demon army were going to be released with great freedom given to them to “torment” God’s people for 5 full months [torment for 5 full months] in an effort to turn them against God, just as Satan attempted to do to Job. This challenge came about by design because it was part of a beginning fulfillment, yet strictly a spiritual one, of only the Fifth Trumpet (as a “type” of the actual physical fulfillment that will be made manifest after the Fourth Trumpet). But again, Satan experienced a “spiritual” punishment from this encounter, as this was part of the beginning of his punishment and of God’s avenging His Church with a just vengeance upon Satan. This punishment upon Satan and the demons was a kind of mental punishment and torment – of their spirit. The torment they desired to inflict was instead inflicted upon them. God was being magnified in glory in what He was creating in His Family – over the controversy of Zion.

This has been covered in a previous post, but we need to understand that the Church had been made to “stand” in an awesomely strong spiritual manner of faith, steadfastness, and character.

And it was a work of faith.

The attacks from Satan and the demons have always been upon God’s people, but not in the kind of widespread manner and constant barrage as was experienced during those five months. Certainly, there are a lot of lingering after effects and other sporadic attacks that will still occur, but we have been made to stand fast. The overwhelming majority of the Body that has continued on has been positively and honorably defined. We have experienced a profound and extraordinary 4 1/2 years, and as time goes forward we will learn that this is true, even far more deeply than we can begin to grasp now.

And the question is asked....

What is Left?

My wife, Laura, was here today, and we discussed various Church matters as we always do. I shared with her the contents of this post. I’m going to tell you some of what I told her. I explained how this is one of the most exciting things I’ve ever written and that what God is revealing is so incredible as it explains so much more of what God has been doing over these past several years.

Then I shared with her about how I am so encouraged and inspired by all this, knowing I am John’s counterpart as both an apostle and a prophet, but even more than that, we share, as only it should be, the experience of being imprisoned by our government. Yet while imprisoned, God gave great revelations to John to record. It is here in prison that God has given me some of the greatest understanding yet about the process of the manifestation of those revelations. I am [Ron says he is...] truly thankful to “share” such an experience with John – one that will be recorded with him.

So let's go back and look at Daniel 12:6, and Ron asks....

So what is left? Now we are at the time when God will conclude, according to His perfect timing, the execution of all judgment that has now been righteously established. God will have His day – the final “Day of the Lord.” This will be the time of the physical manifestation of the Trumpets as well as highly increased Thunders.

There is another exciting verse in Daniel that has now been revealed more fully for what it is actually saying about the timing of all these events. The setting is one where Daniel asks one of the angelic beings a question about all that God has revealed to him, especially in the later chapters about events leading to the coming of the Messiah in God’s Kingdom and the end of man’s age. He simply asked, “How long to the end of these matters?” (Dan. 12:6). This is then followed by an astounding reply:

“And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and declared an oath from Him who lives for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when He shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished” (Dan. 12:7).

The timing concerning the “end” of these matters is answered by first stating there will be a period of time, times, and half a time, which we now know fell within the 1260 days of witness as a period that involves God’s merciful judgment.

The next to follow is what is described as a time when the “scattering of the power of the holy people” will be accomplished. What we had believed as our “present truth” of such an expression was that the “scattering” related to some phase about the physical scattering of God’s people after the Apostasy until the period of time of “time, times, and half a time.” But it is not! It is about an event that follows the 1260 days of witness. Who are the holy people at that time?

That's the question, "Who are the holy people at that time?"

We know they can only be referred to as “holy” because of God dwelling in them. These “holy people” are His Church.

This word “scatter” is like the example of pottery being dashed on the floor and scattered – dashed into pieces. The word “power” has very broad application and can fit into the expression in several ways. What power was dashed in God’s people after the 1260 days? Certainly, hopes were dashed, especially the hope of Christ’s return. But in all this, why would God allow “His power” in us to be dashed and scattered from us? It wasn’t, but our own power was. The truth and reality is that during this period, which was the “Day of the Lord” upon God’s Church, we were made much, much stronger with far greater spiritual power. It was our own power – the power of self – that Satan saw and sought to use to destroy us. Such power from self comes in the form of self-reliance, pride, vanity, the use of intellect in determining how we see things, human judgment, etc. Satan attacked us by striving to use “self” (selfish human nature) against us in a similar manner as he tried to appeal to Christ (when he was fasting), just before he began his ministry. But in attacking us in such a manner, we were actually made stronger as a result of the work God was doing in us during the time of witness. God had prepared us for this incredible event – to make us stand! This expression in Daniel is not about a negative thing that happened to the holy people, but an incredibly positive one.

As a result of God working with us over that 3 1/2 year period of final witness and then our experience of going into that prophetic day that led to a 5 month assault from Satan and the demonic world, we lived what God told Daniel in that oath (God’s promise) about being “scattered” – shattered in power. What an awesome thing to understand that it was our own selfish power that was being shattered so that God could live more fully in us in His power. It was in God’s power living more fully within us that gave us the power over Satan’s attacks:

And Ron quotes 1 John 4:4 if you want to note it....

“For greater is He who is in you than he (Satan) who is in the world” (1 Jn. 4:4).

Then the last thing God “promised” by His oath through the pronouncement made by this angel was that THEN – after all this – that “all things” would be finished. All that is left is exactly where this promise comes into play. It can only be for a very specific moment in time. Now is that time – it is the time of “God’s promise” that He will fulfill. It is the time that is now before us, of all that remains, that is a matter of exercising the judgment upon this world that was “set” after the 1260 days. That which is to be finished is the physical manifestation of the Trumpets of Revelation.

God’s time is before us. The final “Day of the Eternal” is God’s promise. His promises are true!

So with the events that had taken place, the apostasy, and the events that followed, more understanding came to God's Church. We came to understand that Mathew 24 was about the Church at the end-time. We came to understand that the Four Seals of Revelation are about the Church. And you and I came to understand where our safety lies, and it is in the Church of God.

We understand  that there are 144,000 that are being called and tried by God for the last 6,000 years.  And we understand that there are some being called now to become part of God's Church and live into the Millennium, the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ upon this earth.

And understanding and knowing these things about the Church of God, we need to understand that Satan's judgment is upon him and that we have been in a spiritual war with a demonic world...and it's you and me that he is after, to take away what God has revealed to you and me...to take away God's spirit. That's what he's after.

Turn over to 2 Corinthians 3:13 -  Unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away; But their minds were blinded, for until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart/on their mind. And it' so true! Without God's spirit, without God's calling and opening up the mind, man cannot come to understand their God. They live in Satan's world of deception...and that is what is being said.

Verse 16 - Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away; in other words, better said, when God opens the mind. And it is only by the spirit of your God that you understand – it's the only way – and when we look at the rest of this world, there go us, there go I except for the grace of our God...and it's only by the mercy of your God that you're sitting here.

2 Corinthians 4:3 -  Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing...

Verse 4 – let's notice...whose mind the god of this age has blinded; But not in God's Church as God is moving us, His Church, into more understanding through the post about the Book of Daniel. But for now Satan is allowed to blind the whole world, except God's Church...but he is after what you have at this time, to take away what you have and cause you to lose faith.

Verse 4 - Whose mind the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine upon them. Man's mind exists in a society today removed from the true God. But I hope you understand what you have been given, I hope you understand the awesome opportunity that you have, that you have been given.

1 Corinthians 2:6 – (just back over a few pages) – it says, However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, and let's notice what's being said, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. And we just read about this in this post from Ron that their judgment is set, the rulers of the darkness of this age – they're set. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, and it is a mystery in Satan's world. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom. God hid it, and God ordained it before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; It was hidden from them, brethren, for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But there was a plan in place and there was a plan to be fulfilled.

Verse 11, God tells us, it's how it's done...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 – let's notice - except the spirit of God. It's the only way we know. And it's how we know, brethren, and it is a work of faith.

Verse 12 - Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which 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 does not receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and they are, and God tells us nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. It is by God's spirit that you understand the ways of our God, and it is through the mind that God does it, by opening the mind.

Let's turn over to Matthew 22:35 – And then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, saying, Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? And Jesus told him, You shall love the Eternal your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the first and great commandment. So brethren, you and I have to come out of Satan's world, and we are told to love our God with all our mind, and that means being obedient to what God says and how God leads us and to obey His commandments and His commands.

God tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7, if you just want to note it, (you can be turning to 1 Peter 1, I'll quote 2 Timothy to you) ...And Timothy says... For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. ...what God's done.

Self-mindedness, brethren, self-control, self-discipline, common sense...and God teaches you and me the present truth through the posts, and through His book, this book, common sense. It teaches us sound principles of the way we are to live through His Commandments as we move through God`s Plan. It's a way of life.

1 Peter 1:13 – God tells us... Therefore gird up the loins of your mind; In other words, it means prepare your mind for action, and it tells you to be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; because of what you understand. ...as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, Be holy, for I am holy.  And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; and God tells us to conduct our stay in Satan's world with fear, because he is after your mind, brethren. ...knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers...

Verse 19 tells us, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

And down in verse 22 - Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever...

Verse 24 ...because, All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, and we just went through this in a past sermon about Solomon, about what it's all worth, and the only thing that man can carry out of this world when he dies is if he has God's spirit...and it's the only thing.

Verse 25 ...The word of the Eternal endures forever.

And back up in 1 Peter 1:3... our God has made us some great and merciful promises, and I hope we understand what our God has offered. And as we tread through this world of Satan with the trials that we face, it is imperative that we know about our adversary and his deceptions. Our God has given us understanding  and abundant mercy, brethren, and He has shown us the truth of the matter, and He has been merciful to us to let us understand the truth about Satan and his influences upon man upon this earth...and now through the post we see his judgment being revealed to you and me.

1 Peter 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God - let's notice - through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. A work of faith, brethren.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, let's notice what's being said...the trials, that the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing you rejoice with hope inexpressible and full of glory.

Verse 9, let's notice what is being said:  receiving the end of your faith — the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by/through the holy spirit sent from heaven — things which angels desire to look into.

We have been given so much understanding, and now with the book of Daniel being opened up to us, the Church of God at the end of this age, and God tells us to ...gird up the loins of our minds, to prepare our minds, to be sober, to realize what's coming upon this earth, and to rest our hope fully upon the grace that is brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts of this world, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, be holy in all your conduct, and remember that we are still in Satan's world.

2 Corinthians 10:4...We have been in a spiritual war with Satan and the demons, and it has been a fierce battle, as we know, but the good news is it will not last much longer -- that's the good news. Satan's time is coming fast and his judgment is set, and God's Kingdom is on the horizon.

The apostle Paul in the first few verses of 2 Corinthians 10 describes the Christian fight that we have to overcome; and let's start in verse 4 - For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...

And 2 Corinthians 11:1 -  And it says...Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly — and indeed you do bear with Me. For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband – let's notice what's being said - that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. A clean Church, brethren. But I fear, lest someone, somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, talking about Satan. And he has gotten to some that were amongst us...and he is like a roaring lion just trying to take what God has given you...so beware – and it is a warning. ...so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. And it is simple, brethren, it's not complicated. Just obey the Great God of this Universe, and His Son, Jesus Christ... and it is simple, not complicated.

Verse 14 – Let's notice what's being said about Satan... For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Verse 15 - Therefore it is no great thing – let's notice -  if his ministers/Satan's ministers  transform themselves into ministers of righteousness.

2 Corinthians 13:5; we just went through some of this in the last sermon, but those here will hear it later on as it was given in London. 2 Corinthians 13:5...Ron just went through this in a post, about the word 'prove', and everyone would do well to go back and read through that post again, about that word.

2 Corinthians 13:5 - Examine ourselves as to whether we are in the faith. Prove, test yourself.  Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified. Now I pray to God that you do no evil – Stay away from the evil and deceptions that Satan has bestowed upon this world, and don't take part. It's what's being said. I pray to God that you do no evil, nor that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. For we can do nothing against the truth, except for the truth.

Verse 11 - Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. God tells you and me how to live, and He gives us laws to live by; laws that this world does not recognize. And as we know, man's law and God's law do not always mix well, as we can look through time what man's law has done to God's servants. And here we are at the end of the age and we see what man's law has done once again.

Let's turn over to Romans 8:5 - For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit, the things of the spirit. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if indeed the spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness.

Verse 11 - But if the spirit of who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies through His spirit which dwells in you.  And it is as we heard in the sermon, it is God's spirit, the only time you can take anything out of this world. It's the only thing of value and here we see it being explained, through the spirit that dwells in you.

And it says, Therefore, brethren, be not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if we live according to the flesh we will die; but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. It's simple; it's obedience, live the way God says live.

Verse 14 - For as many as are led by the spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Verse 16 - The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, it's how you know, because God puts it in your mind, brethren, and it is through the mind that He lets you know. ...and if children, then heirs, so if you have God's spirit you are heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, it's an awesome thing to hear and to understand – joint heirs; if indeed we suffer with Him, there is that word 'IF' again...'IF'. And our inheritance is just about in our grasp, as we just read in this post. We're almost at the end, brethren.

And if we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified together. The Kingdom that God showed Daniel, brethren, the Kingdom that God showed to Him a long, long time ago... and it's coming to fruition quickly now.

And it says, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. In just a short while.  For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits – let's notice - for the revealing of the sons of God. And we can see those birth pains are closer and closer.

Verse  21 - The creation itself will also be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. And it will be a wonderful world when this takes place, a new age, brethren. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors, everything, with birth pangs together until now. And it won't be long until the birth pains are over for the first part of God's spiritual creation. And we understand that it won't be long now and we know that the whole creation, everything groans with birth pains when we look around – even the physical creation needs deliverance. All we have to do is look...just look, wherever you go in this world it's the same.

Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. And I do groan; I don't know about you but I groan, I'm ready to get rid of this flesh. And we want to be delivered from this flesh, from this world that we find ourselves in, Satan's world. We want to be in that new world that we hear about, where the Eternal God of this universe will rule with His Son Jesus Christ and set up a world order that will do away with the groanings, the sufferings, and the evil days that we see around us.

Verse 24 - For we are saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the spirit also helps in our weakness. For we don't know what we should pray for as we ought, but the spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And that's a good thing because we don't always understand, but the spirit within you helps lead you. Now He who searches the hearts – let's notice - knows what the mind of the spirit is, it's what's being said, because it makes intercession for the saints - let's notice - according to the will of God. Not to our will.

And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Even though we may not fully understand it at the moment, brethren, we have to believe God and trust God and have faith in God, that He is the one that is leading us. And He has a very accurate GPS, He knows exactly where we need to be.

Verse 29 - For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. What then shall we say, (verse 31), If God is for us, who can be against us? You and I live in Satan's world, but if our God is for us, who can be against us in this world, Satan's world.  It will be over in the near future, Satan will be dealt with.

Verse 33 – The question is asked...Who will bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns?...another question. It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God – and let's notice what's taking place - who also makes intercession for you and me. Its talking about us, brethren, the Church of God, and He is there at the right hand of God looking out for you and me.

Verse 35 – another question - Who will separate us from the love of Christ? It's another question that's being asked... will tribulation, will that do it, distress, what about persecution, or famine, nakedness, peril or sword? There are many that lived before us that lived in caves, went through some awful conditions in their lives. So the question is being asked: What will it take? Is it the pulls of this world, Satan's world? Is it the persecution of this world? So it's good questions that are being asked, that we need to think about.

Verse 36 -  As it is written: For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, doesn`t matter whether you live or die if you have God's spirit, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, not even the demon world, not even with their power, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing – notice what's being said: 'any other created thing', shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We live in a world where we have to overcome, and God gives us the means to fight this battle through His word, through His book, and through His ministry.

Romans 7:12. We understand that the battle to overcome is a constant battle, it's never ending, and it's the battle of the mind. In Romans 7:12 this writer tells us...and he understood the battle and he said; Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just and good.

Verse 18 - For I know that in me, talking about in his flesh, nothing good dwells; so he had understanding, and we have to come to this same realization that they did, brethren. For to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. This is so true... and we find ourselves, repenting over and over and over in this flesh. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I then find a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. And we are under the influences of this demonic world, brethren. I know we have a nature in man, but we do have a lot of influence by this demon world, especially now as we come close to the close of this age. But as we read in this post, judgment has been made on them, and it is good news for you and me.

Verse 22 - For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members – let's notice - warring against the law of my mind; and it is a matter of a battle of  the mind. And this writer understood and saw this...and he understood and saw that he was in a spiritual war, a spiritual battle, and it was warring against the law of his mind, that was in his mind, that came from God. And after 25 years in the ministry he said, O wretched man that I am! (verse 25) Who will deliver me from this body of death? And I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! He knew how it would be done and he said, let's notice, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

So brethren, it's important that we understand as Paul did, that we are in a spiritual war, a spiritual battle against spiritual adversaries, against spiritual deception.

And back over in Romans 12:1 God tell us how to live and what is expected and He says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, and that's what it is when we understand, it is a living sacrifice...and it says holy, acceptable to God, so it's important that we live the way God says to be accepted by God, and God says that is our reasonable service. That is what is expected.

Paul understood, like I said, that we are in this spiritual war, and he understood that it was what God expected. And God expects you and me to come out of this world, to recognize it for what it is and to obey God and His commandments. And we understand that we will fall many, many times in this flesh, but we also understand that God has made a way through the Passover, through the sacrifices of Jesus Christ, that our sins may be forgiven. But we do need to repent quickly when we sin, and we are to present our bodies as that living sacrifice that will be acceptable to our God. And when we understand, that is what God expects of you and me.

Verse 2 - Do not be conformed to this world, come out of it, is what God's saying, and don't take part, be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may...and here is that word 'prove' again; so it's good to go back and read the post about 'prove', that word, to know that we fully understand what it means, because there are some out there twisting what this word actually means and they actually think that they can go back and prove what's in this book...but that's not the truth of the matter. And this says, to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me to everyone who is among you, not to think of yourself more highly than we ought to think, all of us; God tells you and me to think soberly, so we always have to be on alert with this mind. Let's notice what's being said... because God has dealt to each one – let's notice -  a measure of faith, when we understand. God has dealt a measure of faith to you and me and God says He will give you a sound mind once this takes place.

Verse 4 - For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

And down in verse 16 God tells us to Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set our mind on high things, but associate with the humble, and do not be wise in your own opinion, and to repay no evil for evil in this world that we live in. And that's a hard thing sometimes, When evil is done against us it's hard not to retaliate sometimes. God says for us to, Have regard for the good things in the sight of all men. And if it is possible, as much as depends on us, to live peaceable with all of mankind. ...and do not avenge ourselves, but give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. And we will see Satan chained by God for a thousand years in just a little while.

Verse 21 –we're told, Do not be overcome by evil, but to overcome that evil with good. So we see that it's a way to live. We are to live a certain way of life. And as you and I find our self in this world God tells us to overcome evil with good. And like I said, that is hard in this world, sometimes, that we find ourselves in...and we have to bite our tongues many times. And I guess I can tell it now as we heard coming over, when you have a conflict, just fill your mouth with water and slosh it around and that way we can't say anything back – as long as you have the water in your mouth. I guess that's good for both parties, we decided to do the same thing at the same time, so I guess that's the way we can do it. So next time you think about it fill your mouth with water, that solves the issue.  And if your partner will do the same thing, that solves the issue on both sides. So, I don't know, it might work, I guess I can try it. 

Ephesians 4:1...We have a responsibility before God to understand what we have been called to become a part of, as we heard in the beginning of the post from Ron. Sometimes I don't think we understand what we have really been offered.

Paul says in Ephesians 4:1 - I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, and we just heard in previous scriptures that it is worth more than any gold, more than any valuable thing upon the face of this earth...with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, there is one spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, there is only one, only one way out here, brethren, in the whole scheme of things. Let's notice what he's saying... one faith¸ think about that one for a minute; there is only one faith in the whole world. There is one baptism, there is one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all, when you understand. And I hope you understand what you've been given.

Verse 11 - And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and you have in your midst one here today serving in God's Church, and we know the order of things... In verse 12 we see the reason why, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ...

Verse 13, let's notice what's being said – here we find faith again... 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;  and there is so much said in that verse I don't think we can comprehend what was being said, 'the fullness of Christ'...and it will be in the Millennium, I think, before we understand all that's being said right there, 'of the fullness of Christ'.

Verse 14 - that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, everyone sitting here should know where God is by now. Everyone should know where God's Church is by now – should not be an issue anymore in the Church of God, about doctrine. And we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, that should all be in our past by now, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head, talking about Jesus Christ, the head, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by which 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.

And Ephesians 4:17 - This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of 'the gentiles' walk, better said, 'the world', in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; because of this being, because it is not their time, brethren, who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  And when we look around, how people live and the morals that are out there in this world, we can see what this is talking about, the lewdness that is out there, the morals and the uncleanness (is what God calls it), and the greediness, the way people live. But it says you and I have not learned this way if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning our former conduct, because all of us have walked with the course of this world in our past, some to different extent than others. But God tells you and me to put it off, to put it in our past and to come out of it, and to put off all of our former conduct, all the old habits that we have brought along with us – to forget them, to live God's way, the way that God says live, a new way of life, a new man as God puts it.

Verse 23 God tells us... be renewed in the spirit of your mind, that's where it is, that's where it takes place. And that's where the battle lies, between these two ears.

Verse 24  - that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Once you were baptized, that's when it starts, to put on the new person, to live a new way, to put away lying, Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, to each other, to one another and with the world, for we are members of one another. And it says, Be angry, and do not sin: and do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil, talking about Satan. And we are still in this world, Satan's world, and his influences are still  here, brethren, and we don't need to give place to them, we don't need to participate, as much as possible within us. We are to come out and be separate from these influences.

Ephesians 5:1 God tells us, to be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love.

Verse 6 - Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. We do not want to be a part of the wrath of God, brethren, I can assure you of that one.

Verse 8 God tells us what we were, For we were once darkness, that's the way God says it. And we all were, we all walked according to the course of this world and we were in darkness. God tells us, but now you are in the light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, and that's what we do. God enlightens our path through the holy spirit that is in your mind to show you the way to walk, the way to live.

And God tells us, to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them when we see them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.  And when we look around, like I was saying a while ago, with the morals and the way people live in this world, it is shameful what they do in secret, but it's actually not in secret because there is one that see's everything that takes place. So it's actually not done in secret when it's all said and done. They think it is. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, once your mind is opened, once God shows you the path to walk. And God says, let's notice verse 16 – we heard a little earlier that we're like a fading flower. God say's we're like dust on the scale, and when you put dust on the scale in the scheme of 6,000 or 7,000 years, what is it in the scheme of things? It's not much in God's plan. God says like a flower that fades away. So our time here is not long in the scheme of things and God tells us in verse 16 to redeem the time, that you have in your stay upon this earth in what you've been given, because these days are still evil. It's Satan's world.

And we live in a sick, sick world. We live at the end of 6,000 years, and we can look around at what Satan's world has produced. It's not pretty when you dig down, but our God has a plan to bring it all to an end. And we should understand what God is doing. God is giving more understanding through these posts about the book of Daniel. And God tells you and me not to be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, which is dissipation; but be filled with the spirit, it's where the mind should be, on the things of God, brethren, and it should be wanting to know more about our God, to know more about His plan and how His plan for mankind will take place. It's where it should be.

And you and I should be speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we should all be very thankful to our God for calling us out of this world and showing us the true way to life, the real life, the real way to live. And we should be thankful that we do and can understand His plan and what He has in store for His Church and for all of mankind, when we understand, as we go through His plan. And it's why we should have those spiritual songs, we should be happy, we should rejoice because of what we know. Some bad things coming upon this earth, but we have to look through those things and look at the good things that are coming just a short while, and God is giving you and me more understanding through these posts about what is coming through this book about Daniel. And it's exciting and it should be, because we know what is coming. We know there is a new world coming.

Verse 21 and it tells us exactly what we should be doing...submitting to one another in the fear of God.  The fear to go against where God is leading us, brethren, fear to go against what He is revealing. And we should all have godly fear, especially as the demon world is stirred up...and they are, and you definitely want to be close to your God as we come to the close of this age.

Verse 25, it's talking about how Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for the Church, that He might sanctify, let's notice what's being said...that He might sanctify, set aside and cleanse her with the washing of the water through the word, and let's notice why, that He might present her to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. The Church of God will be cleaned up and the Church of God will make itself ready at the end of this age that is coming to a close, so that God may present the Church, a glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle, and without blemish... and it will come to pass because God said so in His word.

Hebrews 11:1: We've been spending a lot of time in Hebrews because of faith and what we're learning about faith. And we find that faith will still be a part of our futures in the Church of God. And it tells us, Faith is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen. And there is a lot in our future as this earth starts to be shaken, brethren, we will have to depend on our faith in God like we have never had to before, before this is over, as this world of Satan comes to a close. Our faith will become stronger as we see these events unfold. I can see our faith, as Ron talks about in this post, I can see the strength in the Church of God that I could not see before. I see more resolve than I have ever seen before amongst the brethren.

Verse 13, going back and talking about those of old and talking about them having died in faith, not receiving the promises yet. But it tells us that there will be some alive when Jesus Christ returns, and they will see the promises of the Kingdom of God being fulfilled. And we understand that some will live on.

Verse 13 tells us about those that died, but they saw these promises afar off, and they were assured of them, and they embraced them and confessed – let's notice - that they were strangers and pilgrims upon the earth. The same as you and me. We don't really fit in this world, as I've said, and it's like putting a square peg in a round hole – we don't really fit.

And it says in verse 14 - For those that say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And we do, it's what we seek. And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

The preceding verses told us about those of faith; Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Joseph, and Rahab and many others that have gone before us. And in verse 32 we find, And what more could he say, for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, David, Samuel, and the prophets: so it's talking about there's been many before us, brethren, but now it's our time.

And notice how it was done; who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, so faith was used down through time through God's plan in awesome ways, brethren.  ...quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle. Faith is how it was done and they understood that it was a war, a spiritual war, and they became valiant in battle and they turned to flight the armies of the aliens, and women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. And in Scotland I had opportunity to see some of that equipment that was used in some of those prisons, some of those dungeons. And when we go up to see Ron, as bad as it is, it doesn't hold a light to what some have gone before, with those chains. And I'm sure I didn't see any padding on some of those leg irons and things that were used, so you know it scraped the skin off and probably the infections that ensued and the scarring that took place...so there's been some awesome things done to God's people down through time. So we need to think about some of those things when you think you have some hard trials – there have been some that have endured some hard things before our time.

And they were stoned, it says, they were sawn in two, we can't imagine those things ...were slain with the sword, and they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted and tormented; of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and in the dens and the caves of the earth. Those that went before you and me, brethren.

And all these, having obtained a good testimony/a good witness; and let's notice how it was done, through faith, did not receive the promise yet, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. And we know when that will be; it will be the City that they desired. The City that God has prepared. And they will not be made perfect apart from those that will be in the first resurrection, and those that will follow in time as we move through God's plan.

Hebrews 12:1 - Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, that's what it is to you and me. To those in the world it's just stories, stories that they read through. But you and I, when we say they had mocking and scourging, we understand it, and we understand it when they say imprisoned. We know that that really happened to God's people and it's not just a story that you can read through.

God tells us since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, that's what this is talking about, those that went before us, says, let us, you and me, lay aside every weight, whatever it is; and we need to stay focused. And I know that's hard sometimes in this world with the trials, and when they get heavy they do weigh us down, we know that, but we don't have long to wait, and God tells us how to deal with those trials and God tells us to stay focused upon Him and where He is leading His Church.

We need to lay aside whatever weight it is upon your mind, that's what it's talking about, because that's where the weight lies, against your mind. ...and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and repent quickly when we do sin, so that we can run with endurance the race, better said, 'the battle' or 'the fight' that is set before us, because that's what it is. It is a fight. We are in a  spiritual war. And it says to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, died hung on that pole, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let's go over to James 1:2. Lot's wife looked back to the world from which they had come out of. You and me don't need to dwell on the past, on that world that we came out of. We need to look forward to the prize and to the goal of the Kingdom of God that is coming to this earth, and we don't need to look back. We need to just look forward to what is coming upon this earth, to the Kingdom of God that will be here in just a short while.

James 1:2 tells us, to count it all joy when we fall into trials, those various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith, let's notice what's being said, 'the testing of your faith' produces patience. We have to have joy because we know the end result, and it won't be but a short while. And it says to let patience have its perfect work, to wait on God that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

But let's notice verse 6 - But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, so there are conditions, brethren, 'with no doubting'. Faith with no doubting. You have to be convinced that this is where your God is and where He is working, and you have to believe that God is leading His Church. And it says, let him ask in faith, with no doubting – let's notice - for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

It says, Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. Just what we were talking about, we're here for just a short period of time with your stay upon this earth. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower fails/falls, and it's beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. There is a new world coming, a new way of life.

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

Verse 14 - this is how it happens in Satan's world. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires – let's notice - and enticed. So it's something that takes place in the mind, it's an enticement, so it has to take place there first. And it's when a desire for something different takes place, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, and we can go on and on. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; that's the order of things. And first you are drawn away by your own desires and enticed, but then when desire has reared its face it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death – eventually.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation – let's notice – no variation or shadow of turning. God is the same yesterday and today.

Verse 18 - Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we may be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.

And let's look at James 1:19 - So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, be swift to hear what your God has to say, brethren, and to heed and obey your God. Be swift to hear His words, to learn more about your God. There should not be anything on the face of this earth more important than learning more about your God. Its why you are here on this Sabbath day, to hear and learn more about your Creator.

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your lives. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. In other words, we need to put in practice what we hear about the way to live. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; and he observes himself, goes away, and forgets immediately what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. And you will...and that's what God means when He says prove it, live it, and it's a test for us to know that it is right and just.

Philippians 3:13 – And the writer said that he did not count himself to have apprehended; but one thing that he did... forgetting those things which are behind, it's just like what we were talking about and what we should do. We find our self in this world, Satan's world, but you and I should be reaching forward to those things that we see ahead in the plan of God, the things that your God is revealing to you, of what is coming. That is the things that you and I should be reaching forward to and reaching forward for, the Kingdom of God that is coming to this earth.

Verse 14 – this writer said that he pressed toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you...in God's time, brethren. You have to have faith God is leading His Church, and we have to wait on God sometimes when we're at that Red Sea. God says we have to have His mind, believe Him, trust Him and He will reveal it to us in His time. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained let us walk by the same rule and let us be of the same mind.

And he says, join in my example, and note those who walk, in other words, look around at the ones who are walking this way of life, and you have us for a pattern. We should be an example to all in the Church of God. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ: let's notice, whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame — who set their mind on earthly things.

Verse 20 - For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. ...eventually.

Let's finish up in Daniel. Let's go to Daniel 7:13 - I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a Son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and His Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

And Daniel 12:8 we find... And I heard, but I understood not: then I said, O my Lord, what shall be the issue of these things? It's a question that Daniel was asking. And God told Daniel to go his way - Go your way, Daniel: for the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end. But understanding about Daniel is being given now, brethren, at the end of the age, the time of the end. It is being unsealed. Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and  be refined; but the wicked will do wickedly: and none of the wicked will understand; but they that are wise will understand. And you are being given understanding through the posts about the book of Daniel at the end of this age...and it is being unsealed. It should bring you to your knees to know where you are in time. Daniel wanted to know what you know, brethren.

God told Daniel in verse 4 – let's notice - But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many will run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased. And your knowledge has been increased, brethren, you have more understanding than any that have lived through God's plan down through time. It's awesome what God has revealed to you in such a short time – especially those since 2008, in that period of time. And you have more understanding than any that have ever lived...and I hope you understand that. Daniel wanted to know what you know – it's what he was asking. And he will be here in just a short while, it won't be long and Daniel can see the results of the questions he was asking.

Let's notice what God told Daniel. God told him, to go your way – let's notice -  till the end be: for you will rest, and you will stand in your lot at the end of the days. And so we understand when that will be and we understand that Daniel will be here in just a short while, and the others that God has told us about in this book, in the faith chapter, those that had faith and were the results of a work of faith. And hopefully you will be there too, brethren.

~~~end