Christians should follow the 10% minimum for tithing: agree or disagree?

[aida]

"HATE THY FATHER AND MOTHER"


Second - hate thy "mother" (continuation)


The kind of righteousness that people get from the "letter" of word is limited to MORALITY. They therefore become pious or virtuous with RELIGIOSITY! To God this is "man’s standard of righteousness" that Jesus Christ saw in the Scribes and Pharisees. No wonder He rebuked them:

Matthew 23:24 "Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel."

Matthew 23:25 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess."

Matthew 23:26 "Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also."

To have a complete grasp of the distinction between God and Man’s righteousness, read the whole of Matthew 23. It is unbelievable that the very people perceived to be ministers of righteousness are the people that prevent souls from entering the "strait gate."

Matthew 7:13 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:"

Matthew 7:14 "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

A sample:

Matthew 23:5 "But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,"

Matthew 23:8 "But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."

Matthew 23:13 "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."

Matthew 23:15 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."

Matthew 23:28 "Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."

Matthew 23:33 "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"

Very clearly "my mother" is a group or sect that is limited to the "letter" or literal meaning of the word, and have not heard or subscribed to the spiritual revelations thereof.


TO BE CONTINUED

[aida]

"HATE THY FATHER AND MOTHER"

Third - hate thy soul

Deuteronomy 13:6 "If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul…"

The "soul" consists of the "intellect and feeling" that man has, and not found in animals no matter how intelligent they may be. Animals only have their instinct crude from of intelligence. The soul is actually the "forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil" that is in the midst of the garden, whose "fruits" are the "intellect and feeling."

Genesis 2:17 "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

Genesis 3:3 "But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Human wisdom is what formulates "man’s standard of righteousness" that is certainly opposed to "God’s standard." This is what is to be hated:

1 Corinthians 3:18 "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise."

1 Corinthians 3:19 "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness."

1 Corinthians 3:20 "And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain."

In different verses, God showed His abhorrence to it:

1 Corinthians 1:19 "For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."

1 Corinthians 1:20 "Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?"

1 Corinthians 1:21 "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God…"

This has been true since Old Testament time as revealed to the prophets:

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

Jeremiah 17:5 "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm…"

All the foregoing is geared towards the requisite Jesus Christ told His listeners desiring to be with Him in His Eternal kingdom:

Matthew 18:3 "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

From the three (3) "hatred" that man has done, a person becomes a "chosen" or follower of our Lord.

[tiburcioSais]

GOD oh my GOD, YOUR written Words unselfishly shared as spiritual buckler for the little children from deceptions abounding nowadays.

continuation...


NO SIGN, BUT THE SIGN OF JONAH


THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH


The earth symbolizes man himself:


Jeremiah 22:29 "O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD."


Without the sign, which is the real recognition of the Messiah, Jesus Christ would not have settled in the heart of the real believers. His rebuked to the religious people who did not recognize Him proved this:


John 8:19 "…Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also."

John 8:54 "Jesus answered… it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him…"


Recognition of the "One Lord and one God" is a PREREQUISITE to "love of God" which in turn should precede "love of fellowmen." How can one follow the Great Commandments without the essential requirement?



STRANGE LANGUAGE


Jesus Christ was speaking a strange language. When He told the Jews "destroy this temple and in three days I would raise it up again, they ridiculed Him. No one, including His apostles, understood what He was talking about. Jesus Christ is the Word of God (Revelation 19:13 ). Therefore, just as Jesus Christ can only be recognized by the "revelation of the Father," so are His words understood only by divine revelation (words + Holy Spirit).


When Jonah went to Nineveh , many people recognized him. They listened to him and repented from their sins. Jesus Christ came into the world. The people who recognize Him understand His words, for He is the Word (Revelation 19:13 ). Real repentance only comes from clear comprehension of God’s words.


The religious leaders during the time of our Lord did not recognize Him; so were His words became an offense to them. He called them "blind guides leading the blind." He told His disciples:


Matthew 13:15 "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear."


Jesus was speaking "spiritual things." He was speaking in tongue. Today it is very easy for people believing in the Bible to say, "the three days and three nights of Jonah in the belly of the whale corresponds to the three days and three nights of our Lord in the tomb." Yet, they cannot agree as to Who Jesus Christ really is! Who is Jesus Christ to many people? Whose "body" was placed in the tomb?


To some, Jesus is only a man and never a God. A variation to this belief is Jesus is only a Minor God, for there is an Almighty God.

To others, Jesus is the Father and the Holy Spirit. However, they could not see clearly the great spiritual message of His words.

To many, Jesus is only the third person of God.


Many peoples’ recognition of Jesus is limited to the "historical and physical Jesus." The apostles recognized the "spiritual Jesus" by divine revelation (Matthew 16:15-17).


1 Corinthians 12:3 "… no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost ."

Matthew 11:27 "… neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him."


Jesus Christ said:


John 8:19 "Then said …Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also."


Jesus Christ giving the PREREQUISITE to "loving God", said:


Mark 12:29 "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel ; The Lord our God is one Lord:"


Who is the "one Lord and one God?" The Scribes and Pharisees missed Him! That is the question relevant to the great message of the Sign of Jonah in our time.

TO BE CONTINUED

psalm 56:10

[aida]

"HATE THY FATHER AND MOTHER"


Fourth – hate "thyself"


Offering one’s life in martyrdom is often thought to merit sainthood. Paul who recognized Jesus Christ personally nullifies this notion in expressing his struggle against himself.

Romans 7:24 "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"

Paul expressed his self-struggle in overcoming the clutches of "old human nature" that he calls "old man" in a person.

Romans 6:6 "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

Paul expressed his last battle with human nature he calls "death of old self."

1 Corinthians 15:31 "… I die daily."

1 Corinthians 15:26 "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."

And so, he speak about his agony:

Romans 7:15 "For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I."

Romans 7:16 "If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good."

Romans 7:17 "Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."

Romans 7:18 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not."

Romans 7:19 "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."

Romans 7:20 "Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me".

Romans 7:21 "I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me."

Romans 7:22 "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:"

Romans 7:23 "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."

TO BE CONTINUED

[aida]

"HATE THY FATHER AND MOTHER"


"Father and mother"


"Father and mother" has several references. In the following, "father and mother" has a pleasant connotation enshrined in the Ten Commandments:

Exodus 20:12 "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."

Very clear, here "father" refers to God:

Isaiah 63:16 "Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD (Jesus Christ is the only Lord - 1 Cor. 8:6b), art our father (our God), our redeemer (our Saviour); thy name is from everlasting."

And, "mother" clearly refers to the "household of God" composed of the chosen:

Ephesians 2:19 "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;"

Ephesians 2:20 "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;"

Ephesians 2:21 "In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:"

And Paul called it the "Church."

Acts 2:47 "Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

Here is one of the Ten Commandments with a promise:

Exodus 20:12 "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."

Spiritually,"Honour thy father and mother" with a promise of "long life" refers to eternal life. As an example in following this, Jesus told His Disciples be the "light of the world."

Matthew 5:14 "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."

Literally, this commandment clearly refers to our physical parents. Following this, to our Lord, would make His Disciples "salt of the earth." This is all that the Natural Man understands for this commandment:

Matthew 5:13 "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."


TO BE CONTINUED

[aida]

"HATE THY FATHER AND MOTHER"


Conclusion:


The Holy Bible, in some cases taken literally, gives MORAL lessons. This benefits the "physical life" of all people where Jesus Christ told His listeners:

Matthew 5:45 "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

However, the primary message of the Holy Bible is the spiritual revelations that only God can convey. This is through His very words. Jesus Christ revealed this to Paul who introduced Himself personally. Paul claimed this in his letters:

Galatians 1:11 "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man."

Galatians 1:12 "For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."

Characteristic of Ministers of the New Testament and the things that matter:

2 Corinthians 3:6 "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."

2 Corinthians 4:18 "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

For the chosen of God:

1 Corinthians 2:7 "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:"

1 Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

1 Corinthians 2:10 "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."

1 Corinthians 2:11 "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."

1 Corinthians 2:12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God (spirit of Christ - Romans 8:9); that we might know the things (spiritual things/things of God) that are freely given to us of God. "

1 Corinthians 2:13 "Which things (spiritual things) also we (chosen) speak (teach), not in the words (literal words) which man's (natural man's) wisdom teacheth (physical wisdom), but which the Holy Ghost teacheth (Jesus Christ - Acts 2:4, Acts 20:28); comparing spiritual things with spiritual. "

END

[aida]

THE CHOSEN FEW


The following are some of the concepts on the number of people that will be saved:

1. There is a notion that, by virtue of the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross, almost all people of the world will be saved. After all, they ask, "Did not Jesus die to save mankind? Did not our Lord die because of love? Is not God a God of love?" Therefore, they further add, "All people, regardless of creed and religion, are covered by the blood of the Lamb."

2. Another belief is, "Only those who believe in the Holy Bible are covered by the death of Jesus Christ. The rest will be doomed. Therefore, all people belonging to the different religious sects will be saved. Only those who violate the teachings of the denomination will be damned."

3. Still another view of salvation is, "Only those who belong to a particular religious sect will be saved. The rest are condemned."

Who will really be saved? Are they many? or only a few?


The Bible is the Word of God


Perhaps, of the many books written by men, only the Holy Bible is considered the authentic word of God. Nowhere in the entire sixty six (66) books of the Holy Bible, thirty nine (39) in the Old Testament and twenty seven (27) in the New Testament, can we find any contradiction of the message on the basis of the spiritual truths contained therein. Questions on salvation, therefore, will be answered on what is written in the Bible, avoiding the slightest of contradictions, for God will never contradict Himself.


Answers by elimination

On the question of salvation for all mankind regardless of the NAME of God, the Bible has this to say on the matter:

ACTS 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

What probably is that particular name?

MATTHEW 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins."

"Save his people from their sins" refers more to the SPIRITUAL ISRAELITES!

GALATIANS 3:29 "And if ye be of Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Let no human reasoning ever dillute the pure word of God in answer to the questions. Let alone what is written, clarified by the word of God itself, be accepted as divine truths. Regarding the liberal notion of salvation, here is what is written:

2 CORINTHIANS 4:3 "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost."

ISAIAH 8:20 "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

GALATIANS 1:8 "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."

God through His words will explain whether righteousness is the basis of salvation. It has to be pointed out, however, that there are two standards of righteousness: God and man’s standard. The Bible is talking of God's standard of righteousness.


TO BE CONTINUED

[aida]

THE CHOSEN FEW


As to the claim, "that in order to be saved, one must be a member of a particular religious sect" - nowhere in the Bible can we find membership to a particular religious denomination as a prerequisite to salvation. It is philosophy applied in the word of God that justifies that doctrine. To accept that concept, then Jesus Christ will just be relegated to the background, and the religious sect will become the WAY to salvation. This belief promotes idolatry of the highest order. The organization becomes the idol, the leaders are revered; and Jesus Christ is replaced as the only WAY.

Under the different concepts just stated, there will be many who will be saved. The Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament books, however points to a very limited number of people bound for eternal life:

JEREMIAH 3:14 "Turn, O backsliding children said the Lord; for I am married unto you; and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion ."

LUKE 13:23-24 "Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that will be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."

Recently even Bible translators seem to hate to hear this bitter truth, "that only a few, and not many will be saved." This is proven by the translation of several Bible versions. King James version of 1611, generally accepted to be the most reliable shows the difference. The old Catholic Bible, Confraternity-Douay version and the Challoner-Rheims version still contained the line. But almost all of the popular versions no longer contain, "For many are called, but few chosen." Let us compare just one verse on the subject:

KING JAMES VERSION OF 1611

MATTHEW 20:16 "So the last shall be the first, and the first last; for many be called, but few chosen."

THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

MATTHEW 20:16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

THE WAY Bible, CATHOLIC EDITION, WITH IMPRIMATUR BY: Leo A. Pursley, Bishop of Fort Wayne , South Bend ; NIHIL OBSTAT: Rev. Lawrence A. Gollner, Censor Librorum

MATTHEW 20:16 "And so it is that the last shall be first, and the first, last."

Many more popular Bible versions have omitted the lines, "for many are called, but few are chosen."

However, God will never permit His word to be tampered with without being discovered. Jesus Christ repeated the line in:

MATTHEW 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."

This line can no longer be omitted in many Bible versions without totally deleting verse 14, or substituting another. Thus, the message of our Lord, "Only a few" and "For many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able" remain preserved in all Bible versions!

TO BE CONTINUED

[aida]

THE CHOSEN FEW


A message reverberating in the ears of God’s servants


Ever since, the message had been proven true. Abel and Seth were chosen from among the many sons and daughters of Adam and Eve.

This voice of our Lord reverberated in the ears of Noah, a preacher of righteousness. He saw the truth in our Lord's word when he was completely ignored by the people. God waited one hundred twenty (l20) years for them to repent as Noah was building the ark, but to no avail.

Abraham also found this out. His heart bled for the people when he learned that God would obliterate the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for insufficiency of righteous people. He, therefore, pleaded with God:

GENESIS 18:20-33 "Then the Lord said, `The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will now.

The men turned away and went toward Sodom , but Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham approached him and said, `Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty (50) righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty (50) righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing - to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous as the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?'

The Lord said, `If I find fifty (50) righteous people in the city of Sodom , I will spare the whole place for their sake.'

Then Abraham spoke up again, `Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five (5) less than fifty (50)? Will you destroy the whole city because of the five (5) people? If I find forty five (45),' he said, `I will not destroy it.'

Once again he spoke to him, `What if only forty (40) are found there? He said, `For the sake of the forty (40), I will not do it.' Then he said, `May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty (30) can be found there? He answered, `Iwill not do it if I find thirty (30) there.'

Abraham said, `Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, What if only twenty (20) can be found there?' He said, `For the sake of the twenty (20), I will not destroy it.' Then he said, `May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten (10) can be found there?' He answered `For the sake of the ten (10), I will not destroy it.'

When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home."

That is what human nature exactly is. Men tend to overestimate themselves in righteousness. Man's compassion for fellowmen is innate in the heart. But God remains the righteous Judge. Abraham could not even find five (5) righteous people in the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. God chose four (4), but one (1) still could not overcome - the wife of Lot.


TO BE CONTINUED

[aida]

THE CHOSEN FEW


A message reverberating in the ears of God’s servants (continuation)


"Many are called, but few are chosen" is like a massive rock monument that can never be shakened from its sturdy foundation, for that is the truth! God called His people from Egypt who were under the yoke of slavery. He delivered them from the iron hand that unrelentingly tried to hold them to the land of desperation. He dried the Red Sea for them to pass. He fed them with Manna and provided water from the rock, in order to sustain them in their forty (40) years journey in the wilderness. God's people who were called numbered six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty (603,550), excluding women and children below twenty (20) years old. But God foresaw that many of these would fall on the way, because of stubbornness:

DEUTERONOMY 1:34-39 "And the Lord heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers, save Caleb... he shall see it and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord... and Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither... for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had not knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, unto them will I give it and they shall possess it."



"The little ones"


They were the "little ones" and only a few of the men from Egypt above twenty (20) years of age who were able to reach the Promised Land. God emphasized here the worthiness of "the little children which had no knowledge between good and evil." Do people realize that Jesus Christ preached about this? Notice how our Lord referred to the Old Testament part of the Holy Bible:

Matthew 18:1-3 "At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Take note of the line "except ye be converted and become as little children." Could this possibly be literal-physical, or spiritual?


TO BE CONTINUED

[aida]

THE CHOSEN FEW


"The little ones" (continuation)


Our Lord addressed His disciples as "little children" in:

JOHN 13:33 "Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you."

The apostles, after having received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and had been endowed with divine wisdom, also realized this thing about "little children." Paul wrote to Timothy how he learned the holy Scripture from a child:

2 TIMOTHY 3:15 "And that from a child thou has known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation..." (KJV)

John the apostle addressed the Christians on several occasions as "little children" :

1 JOHN 2:1 "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate..."

1 JOHN 2:12 "I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake."

1 JOHN 2:18 "Little chldren, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists..."

1 JOHN 2:28 "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming."

The Word of God, through the Bible, is making it clearer that "little children" could not possibly refer to physical children. From the foregoing verses, the following are gathered:

1. The "little ones" of DEUTERONOMY 1:39 should have grown up into adulthood, and even grew as older people, considering the length of time they stayed in the wilderness: a long period of forty (40) years!

2. Our Lord in telling His disciples in MATTHEW 18:1-3 that "except ye be converted and become as little children" could not have been literally-physically possible.

3. In the same manner, revealing great spiritual things to "babes" in preference over "the wise and the prudent" in MATTHEW 11:25, also could not have been literally-physically possible.

TO BE CONTINUED

[Manunuwag]

GOD oh my GOD, YOUR written Words unselfishly shared as spiritual buckler for the little children from deceptions abounding nowadays.

continuation...


NO SIGN, BUT THE SIGN OF JONAH


THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH


The earth symbolizes man himself:


Jeremiah 22:29 "O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD."


Without the sign, which is the real recognition of the Messiah, Jesus Christ would not have settled in the heart of the real believers. His rebuked to the religious people who did not recognize Him proved this:


John 8:19 "…Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also."

John 8:54 "Jesus answered… it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him…"


Recognition of the "One Lord and one God" is a PREREQUISITE to "love of God" which in turn should precede "love of fellowmen." How can one follow the Great Commandments without the essential requirement?



STRANGE LANGUAGE


Jesus Christ was speaking a strange language. When He told the Jews "destroy this temple and in three days I would raise it up again, they ridiculed Him. No one, including His apostles, understood what He was talking about. Jesus Christ is the Word of God (Revelation 19:13 ). Therefore, just as Jesus Christ can only be recognized by the "revelation of the Father," so are His words understood only by divine revelation (words + Holy Spirit).


When Jonah went to Nineveh , many people recognized him. They listened to him and repented from their sins. Jesus Christ came into the world. The people who recognize Him understand His words, for He is the Word (Revelation 19:13 ). Real repentance only comes from clear comprehension of God’s words.


The religious leaders during the time of our Lord did not recognize Him; so were His words became an offense to them. He called them "blind guides leading the blind." He told His disciples:


Matthew 13:15 "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear."


Jesus was speaking "spiritual things." He was speaking in tongue. Today it is very easy for people believing in the Bible to say, "the three days and three nights of Jonah in the belly of the whale corresponds to the three days and three nights of our Lord in the tomb." Yet, they cannot agree as to Who Jesus Christ really is! Who is Jesus Christ to many people? Whose "body" was placed in the tomb?


To some, Jesus is only a man and never a God. A variation to this belief is Jesus is only a Minor God, for there is an Almighty God.

To others, Jesus is the Father and the Holy Spirit. However, they could not see clearly the great spiritual message of His words.

To many, Jesus is only the third person of God.


Many peoples’ recognition of Jesus is limited to the "historical and physical Jesus." The apostles recognized the "spiritual Jesus" by divine revelation (Matthew 16:15-17).


1 Corinthians 12:3 "… no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost ."

Matthew 11:27 "… neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him."


Jesus Christ said:


John 8:19 "Then said …Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also."


Jesus Christ giving the PREREQUISITE to "loving God", said:


Mark 12:29 "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel ; The Lord our God is one Lord:"


Who is the "one Lord and one God?" The Scribes and Pharisees missed Him! That is the question relevant to the great message of the Sign of Jonah in our time.


TO BE CONTINUED

psalm 56:10

Sino nga ba naman ang makakapagpalinaw ng tanda ni jonas kundi mula lang sa
Kapahayagang Ispiritwal ng Salita ng DIOS na nasusulat.

DIOS maraming, maraming salamat sa IYO sa pinakamunting bata na alang
kapaguran at alang alang ni isang kulangot na kusing na sinasangkot sa
pagbabahagi dito na nagiging pagkain din naman namin sa Ispiritwal.

[aida]

THE CHOSEN FEW


"The little ones" (continuation)


2 TIMOTHY 3:15 "And that from a child thou has known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation..." (KJV)

4. Paul told Timothy that, "from a child" he learned the holy Scriptures. The natural man will simply reject this. Learning from a child rather than from the learned adults? "That is sheer foolishness," the natural man will retort (1 CORINTHIANS 2:14 ). In either case, Timothy learning the holy Scripture "from infancy" or learning it "from a child" boggles the mind of the intellectual and the intelligent. But the Bible is slowly introducing the spiritual nature of the word of God. This confirms that God is using the "spiritual language" as our Lord put it in:

JOHN 6:63 "...the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit..."

ROMANS 7:14 "For we know that the law is spiritual..."

5. This will even bring into our attention, the translation of the Bible in this regard. Let us compare the following translations of ISAIAH 18:9 under two versions of the Holy Bible:

KING JAMES VERSION OF 1611

ISAIAH 28:9 "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast."

NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

ISAIAH 28:9 "Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?"

The Word of God itself is revealing great things! In the King James version of 1611, it is very definite that they are "the babies or little children weaned from the milk to whom doctrines are taught." Notice the punctuation mark after the word "breasts." It is a PERIOD (.) in contrast to the QUESTION MARK (?) used in the New International version. In the New International version, the gist of the message doubts whether doctrines could really be taught to children weaned from the milk, and to those just taken from the breast. Without any great human authority telling us, God is revealing the appropriate translation of the Scriptures in the light of the real spiritual message of the Word of God.

6. Is there still a slightest of doubt that the people, John the Apostle addressed in 1 John 2:1, 2:12, 2:18, and 2:28, were not literal-physical little children? Were they not literal-physical adults, but in the eyes of God they were spiritual little children?

TO BE CONTINUED

[scriptonly]

Sa mga isipirituwal na mga batang maliit na nanumbalik ay idinudugtong ko ang katuloy..

continuation...


NO SIGN, BUT THE SIGN OF JONAH


SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT


When certain Scribes and Pharisees asked our Lord for signs from heaven, He told them:


Matthew 12:38 "Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees…saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:"


Why did our Lord say "there shall no sign be given to it" when all along He was performing great miracles? This is aside from the fact that the Scribes and Pharisees were asking for signs when all along they must have been witnesses to His great deeds. And why did our Lord call them 'adulterous generation' when the Scribes and Pharisees were zealous adherents to the Ten Commandments, "Thou shalt not commit adultery" being one of them?


What is the "secret" behind the miracles and the seemingly inconsistent statement of Jesus Christ? This is one proof that, indeed, our Lord was speaking "spiritual things" (John 6:63), which can only be spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14 ).


"ADULTEROUS GENERATION"


The Natural Man is limited to the intellect and feeling in comprehending the words of God. However, words of God can only be spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14).


The Natural Man is limited only to the understanding of PHYSICAL ADULTERY. No wonder the Scribes and Pharisees took pride in following the law. However, our Lord told them that they only clean the "outside" but the "inside" remains unclean (Matthew 23:25 -26). Our Lord therefore was speaking of SPIRITUAL ADULTERY when He said, "This adulterous generation."


Spiritually, there are only two "men": God and Satan . All the people are spiritual "women." That is where we find the "spiritual battle" between the two, fighting for the spiritual "woman." This is gleaned from Jeremiah 3:14 and Isaiah 54:5.


The "seeds" of God are His words (Luke 8:11 ). "Strange seeds" are words other than the truth. Our Lord did not find truth in the Scribes and Pharisees; thus, His rebuke of "this adulterous generation."


"THE FLESH PROFITETH NOTHING"


1. Can people accept that "the flesh" is the body of man that does not profit from the word of God? In the beginning, it is mentioned that both "Christians" and non-Christians are one in expecting miracles benefiting the body from their respective "God," and god, gods, goddess, or goddesses. Who can accept the truth that "the flesh profiteth nothing" from the Word of God? The spiritual word of God will now separate the real Christians from the rest of the people. People will now be classified into SPIRITUAL and NATURAL men.


2. What is the truth about the great and spectacular physical miracles performed by Christ? By the God of Abraham, Moses and the prophets of the Old Testament? "The word is spirit (John 6:63)." "The laws (words) are spiritual (Romans 7:14 )." What happened literally-physically as great and spectacular miracles had their spiritual equivalent. Thus,


MIRACLES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT


1. The physical deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt has the equivalent of the spiritual deliverance of God's chosen from the spiritual slavery of Satan in this world.


2. The physical parting of the Red Sea allowing the Israelites to pass on dry ground, symbolizes the chosen’s successful "passing through people and overcoming oneself". "Sea" symbolizes people Revelation 17:5, Psalms 18:16).


It is the people, their teachings, philosophy, and religious traditions, and their influence, that prevent the chosen people of God from escaping from the spiritual bondage of falsehood. Thus:


John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."


3. The Manna from heaven corresponds to the "Bread of Life." Jesus Christ spoke of this in John 6:51-53.


The "bread of life" refers to the Word of God (Jeremiah 15:16), which Jesus told Satan is the real food.


Satan could only understand literal-physical things (Matthew 4:3-4).

Jesus was speaking "spiritual things." The Word of God that gives "life" is the "spirit" or the spiritual word; and not the "letter" of the law or the literal word (2 Corinthians 3:6).


4. The bitter water at Marah was turned into "sweet" water after a tree was cast into it. The "tree," as explained by the Word of God itself, refers to the cross of Christ:


ACTS 5:30 "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a TREE."

1 PETER 2:24 "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the TREE, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness..."


Water here has a different significance. "Sweet water" refers to the HOLY SPIRIT who was made available after the death of Christ on a "tree."


John 7:37-39 "…Jesus stood…saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)"


The spiritual Manna and the spiritual sweet water are what will sustain the chosen people of God today in their journey in the spiritual wilderness. These two are what make up the SPIRITUAL WORD. The Holy Spirit should be distinguished from FEELINGS or EMOTION of which many people are confused with. The Israelites, after their deliverance from slavery, were able to distinguish the sweet from the bitter water.


TODAY, real Christians also can differentiate real spirituality from sheer emotionalism. The Word of God blended with emotionalism will not sustain the real believers in their spiritual journey, as the Israelites could not have survived on Manna and "bitter" water. It is the SPIRITUAL WORD, out of the spiritual Manna with the spiritual sweet water, that can nourish the chosen people of God to eternal life - the spiritual Promised Land.



TO BE CONTINUED

[aida]

THE CHOSEN FEW


"The little ones" (continuation)


7. The spiritual "babes" and "little children" may be physical adults, but having the virtues of little children. Some characteristics that distinguish little children from adults are their inherent meekness, modesty, and submissiveness. These are attributes that could hardly be found in physical adults. The virtues of meekness, modesty, and submissiveness make anyone less philosophical, less emotional, less sensual. These are what God is looking for in a man as to make him believe and accept spiritual things which, otherwise, look foolishness to the natural man.

8. The humility of a little child qualities him to be "without knowledge between good and evil." The natural man views this to be physical as indeed referring to a literal little child. But God sees this from a different view. This could be traced from the garden of Eden from where "knowledge of good and evil" was first mentioned.

GENESIS 2:16-17 "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it..."

The serpent's temptation was directed to the tree of knowledge of good and evil, called the forbidden tree:

GENESIS 3:4-5 "And the serpent said unto the woman...for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

That was the temptation of the serpent, actually the devil also called Satan. Satan wanted the woman to know good and evil. What?! Were not Adam and Eve upon creation not taught by God to know what is good and evil? Why did it take the eating of the fruits of the forbidden tree, the tree of knowledge, "to know good and evil?"

9. To the first question, God gave His divine standard of what is good and evil to Adam and Eve upon their creation.

10. The serpent's temptation of the woman centering on "acquiring knowledge to know good and evil" must be a different kind. Good and evil known by man upon his creation and good and evil after his fall, must be two different kinds or standards of "good and evil."


TO BE CONTINUED

[SmartDessa]

Question: I am very conscious of myself when I stand on the platform, and I am not able to overcome this feeling.

Answer by WN: We have to learn to deny living according to feelings. Our feelings may be right some of the time, but in essence they are deceptive. We should not look for truth among deceptions, because we can never find it. Satan can speak some truths, but we have to reject everything that comes from his mouth because in essence he is a liar. Even when he speaks the truth, he speaks it for the purpose of deceiving others. We have to calm down our feelings completely. This requires the breaking of the outer man.
The spirit is surrounded by the soul, just as a hand is surrounded by a glove. A glove must be empty before a hand can get into it. If a glove has something in it, how can it receive a hand? Similarly, if our mind, emotion, and will are filled with thoughts, feelings, and opinions instead of being empty and available, when the spirit needs to use them, it will find itself bound. Under such circumstances, it is hard to have right judgments.
In order to have right judgments, we need to "let this mind be in [us], which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5). This means to have the mind of Christ. We can only improve in judgment when we take the mind of Christ as our own. In order to improve our utterance, we have to be enlightened within. Our inner being has to shine with light. Only then will our judgments be accurate. We treasure accurate judgments, but such judgments come from practice, not from gift.
If the foot is wearing the shoe, the foot will feel very comfortable. But if the shoe is "wearing" the foot, no one can take a step forward. The shoe must fit the foot; no one can trim the foot to fit the shoe. If feelings are improper, the spirit cannot be free, because the spirit will be bound by the feelings. Rather than being directed by the spirit, the soul will be directing the spirit.



TO BE CONTINUED

[aida]

THE CHOSEN FEW


"The little ones" (continuation)


11. Little by little, the "line upon line, here a little and there a little" of ISAIAH 28:10 is leading us to the two standards of good and evil.

12. Evil things come from the heart as our Lord told His listeners in:

MATTHEW 15:19 "For out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts, murder...adulteries...false witness, blasphemies."

Even in the Old Testament, this was already mentioned:

GENESIS 6:5 "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great... and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

PROVERBS 16:9 "A man's heart deviseth his way..."

The tree of knowledge is slowly being perceived as referring to man's reasoning. This, together with feeling are what influence man to develop his own standard of good and evil.

13. The eating of the fruits of the tree of knowledge, therefore, marked the birth of man's own standard of good and evil. "The old serpent, called the Devil and Satan" won over man to have God's standard of good and evil counterfeited! And God Himself confirmed this after man's fall:

GENESIS 3:22 "And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil..."

14. Suddenly, God's choice of the "little ones who had not knowledge of good and evil" (Deuteronomy 1:39 ), and Jesus Christ's, "Except ye be converted and become as little children" (Matthew 18:3) have become very clear.

15. These "little ones," "babes," and "little children," may be physical adults who do not yet have man's standard of good and evil. They are, therefore, still open to God's standard of rigtheousness and wickedness.

16. To follow the natural man's way of understanding the Word of God will open the Bible to ridicule and contempt. Imagine the Book of Psalms speaking about strength coming from the mouth of infants:

PSALM 8:2 "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger."

Does anybody really believe that strength could come from the lips of infants as to silence an enemy? Is the cry of a baby enough to stop an enemy from his advances?

No wonder 1 CORINTHIANS 2:14 states that "spiritual things are foolishness to the natural man for he cannot understand them, because they can only be spiritually discerned." Spiritual things are beyond the reach of the intellect, the senses, and feeling of the natural man. That is simply the truth.

How many people could understand spiritual things? How many could accept spiritual things? How many could bow their heads to the Word of God? Are they many? or only a few?


TO BE CONTINUED

[aida]

THE CHOSEN FEW


Gideon learned the lesson of Joah and Abraham


Gideon learned the lesson of his predecessors, Noah and Abraham. His original men of thirty two thousand (32,000) to fight one hundred thirty five thousand (135,000) Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the East, were reduced to only ten thousand (10,000). God knew who were worthy to fight the enemies:

JUDGES 7:2-3 "And the Lord said to Gideon, the people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites unto their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead . And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand (22,000); and there remained ten thousand (10,000)."

The gist of the story is, the people of God against the numerous enemies. Originally, Gideon's thirty two thousand (32,000) men were to fight the one hundred thirty five thousand (135,000) enemies.

This was in the ratio of one Israelite against four enemies (1:4), or 4.2 enemies to be exact. It really needed an extraordinary courage to fight at such an overwhelming odds. More than two thirds did not have the courage, and returned to their respective homes. Let us take a cursory message of this portion of the story. The spiritual language of God as it applies to the word of God will be recognized in the message:

1. There are only two (2) spiritual protagonists: God and His followers vs. Satan and his demons.

2. Man should remember that he is given a free will to choose any of the two protagonists.

3. The ratio of one for every four of the enemies (1:4) shows the physical impossibility of victory. That is why in the eyes of the twenty two thousand (22,000), it was sheer desperation.

4. God wants to give the message that man's own capability and strength are not the ingredients for victory over the enemies.

5. God did not look at the individual physical vigor and ability, but on the will to fight.

6. Man in his natural state would not have the will to fight for he expected certain defeat. Considering the spiritual battle, do people realize and accept this?

7. The will to fight comes only from the assurance that God will fight for him with His supernatural power. How easy to say this! Perhaps all people may profess this, but how true is it in the light of the Scriptures?

8. Are we not reminded of "the little ones?" Could little children depend on their individual capability? The "little ones" do not have that kind of self-confidence, that they simply rely on that Somebody Who could bail them out from the trap.

9. Now we know who the twenty two thousand (22,000) who were "fearful and afraid" are, as the message relate to us today.

TO BE ONTINUED

[aida]

THE CHOSEN FEW


Gideon learned the lesson of Joah and Abraham (continuation)


God is omniscient and with His foreknowledge knew who among the remaining ten thousand (10,000) men were worthy warriors. The physical impossibility of defeating the enemies, now that the number was further reduced, all the more became incontrovertible. The ratio now stands at one for every thirteen enemies, 1 is to 13.5 to be exact. If the twenty two thousand (22,000) people left because of the great odds against them (1:4), what more now that the handicap was further aggravated at 1 : 13.5? Who could beat a horde of enemies using the same kind of weapon in the hand-to-hand combat? God's spiritual message of defeating Satan and his hosts has become more articulated.

The wonder of wonders! God wanted Gideon to defeat the enemies of 135,000 not with 10,000, but with only 300 men! Could many people accept God's wisdom? He, therefore, instructed Gideon to give the "water test" to select the true and worthy men of God:

JUDGES 7:4-7 "And the Lord said to Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there; and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whosoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought down the people unto the water; and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped, putting their hands to the mouth, were three hundred (300)men; but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you and deliver the Midianites into thine hand; and let all the other people go every man unto his place."

Let us consider the following in the light of the Scriptures:

1. God said that ten thousand (10,000) were still too many to fight the one hundred thirty five thousand (135,000) enemies, lest His people would boast in victory, saying, "mine own hand hath saved me." So He reduced them to just three hundred (300) men. The odds became the more shocking, increasing the ratio to one Israelite for every four hundred fifty (1:450) enemies.

2. God wanted His people to see victory, not on their own personal capability, but on God's supernatural power and mercy. What a great message! The two spiritual protagonists are:

GOD AND HIS FOLLOWERS vs. DEVIL AND HIS DEMONS

CHRIST vs. SATAN

RIGHTEOUSNESS vs. WICKEDNESS

GOOD vs. EVIL

TRUTH vs. LIES, FALSEHOOD, AND DECEPTION

TO BE CONTINUED

[aida]

THE CHOSEN FEW


Gideon learned the lesson of Joah and Abraham (continuation)


God reveals the spiritual message that man can never conquer wickedness, which is falsehood, lies, and deception with his own intellectual, emotional, and physical capability.

3. To prove this, God used the "water test." By means of "water" God separated the deserving from the undeserving, the sincere from the unsincere, and the worthy from the unworthy.

4. Several references are made to WATER:

To symbolize the Word of God

EPHESIANS 5:26 "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word."

To signify the Holy Spirit

JOHN 7:37-38 "...Jesus stood...saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given..."

To represent people

REVELATION 17:15 "...the waters which thou sawest...are peoples and multitudes, and nations, and..."

5. The mode of selection is: "lappeth of the water with the tongue" or "bow down upon the knees to drink." To bow with the knees indicates subservience or submissiveness. If this were to the Word of God or to the Holy Spirit, those who did it should have been chosen. But it was the reverse. Those who bowed down with their knees to drink were the ones who were kicked out. Therefore, the reference for water could not have been for the Word of God or for the Holy Spirit, but for the people!

6. In effect, the nine thousand seven hundred (9,700) men showed unusual regard or servility to "people." "People" here, therefore, refers to the real nature of man - earthly or worldly.


TO BE CONTINUED