Lesson 931

(Lesson 31)(03-31-14) Luke 1:35-56

"And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house."

In today's quote, Gabriel told Mary, her cousin Elisabeth had also divinely conceived, and was pregnant with John the baptist. When Mary went to visit Elisabeth, the unborn John jumped at hearing Mary's voice, knowing she was the mother of Jesus and that our savior would soon be born.

The latter portion of today's lesson explained how Jesus would destroy the rule of the tyrannical Jewish hierarchy. Jesus was to be the only remitter of sin, and through His sacrifice, would be the only means by which mankind could reunite with God the Father.~

Lesson 930

(Lesson 930)(03-30-14) Luke 1:26-35

"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."

Today's lesson relates how Gabriel told Mary that she would conceive and give birth to Jesus our savior, the Son of God. What a wonderful, wonderful, promise.
There's nothing to be said about this quote, it is crystal clear and one of the most blessed stories in the history of the world. It tells of the coming of our Lord.~

Lesson 929

(Lesson 929)(03-29-14) Luke 1:1-25

"Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men."

Today's lesson relates the conception, and birth, of John the Baptist.

When Gabriel, God's angel, told Zacharias that Elisabeth would conceive John, Zacharias didn't believe him, and because of Zacharias' unbelief, Gabriel took away his hearing until his son, John the baptist, was born.

We should note that John was designated by God as the one to prepare the the Hebrew people for coming of the Lord, "For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God."

We should also note that John was sent only to "the children of Israel", he did not perform "Christian baptisms", nor did he teach the doctrine of Jesus Christ. John simply caused many of the Jews of the day to prepare themselves, under the law of Moses, for the coming of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. Water baptism was, and still is today, a Jewish ritual demanded by Mosiac law, a cleansing practice whereby the faithful were/are to prepare themselves for any religious experience, such as praying, or offering sacrifices.~

Lesson 928

(Lesson 928)(03-28-14) Mark 16:15-20

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."

Today's lesson is a continuance of yesterday's. I feel it necessary to expand upon it because of the importance of it's message and because it is, and always has been, generally misunderstood by most religious isms.

As was said yesterday, the term "baptize", as it is applied in today's quote, simply means that a lost soul must be, by faith, immersed into the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. One must spiritually become, by faith, a part of that sacrifice.

In order to accomplish this "baptism", one must first believe that our sovereign God exists and rules over all things throughout infinity. One must believe beyond any doubt that Jesus is the virgin born Son of God, that He lived a perfect, sin free, life on earth, fulfilling all the prophesies of the Old Testament. One must also believe that Jesus, God in the body of a human man, was crucified, declared dead, buried in a tomb, and that He arose from the dead to live again on the third day, leaving the sins of all who would believe on Him, in that grave.

The latter portion of today's quote describes the powers that are automatically awarded to the saved who sustain enough faith to accomplish them.

A very good example of some who had already been saved but who lacked the faith to accomplish those things promised to believers, can be found in Matthew 17:19-20, "Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?" (referring to a devil the Apostles had been unable to cast out.) "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Take note here that Jesus did NOT say if you believe AND are immersed, or sprinkled in/with water, you will be able to do these things, He said, "for verily I say unto you, IF YE HAVE FAITH as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Remember, the faith of a "grain of mustard seed", is not a small amount of faith, it is total faith.

This lesson is Marks account of the same things Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20, wherein Jesus instructed His followers to "baptize" (sanctify) those whom they would convert, in the embodiment of the Holy Triune, God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

There is NO sanctity in water "baptism". Sanctification comes only by, and through, placing ones spiritual self, by faith, into the crucified "body" of Jesus Christ that secures the soul for all eternity.

Once salvation is accomplished through faith (believing), one can be assured that his/her soul is sealed by the Holy Spirit of God until the day when Jesus returns to deliver the saved to the presence of God, "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby YE ARE SEALED unto the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30)

There will be much more discussion of the "baptistm" issue as these lessons progress.
If you have any questions or comments about all or any part of this lesson, please be sure to post them.
Please pray for me.~

Lesson 927

(Lesson 927)(03-27-14) Mark 16:15-20

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."

Today's quote contains the last instructions Jesus gave to His Apostles directly. Within theses instructions is one of the most misunderstood and miscommunicated phrases that can be found anywhere in the New Testament.

Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

The word "baptized", as it is applied in today's lesson, is NOT indicative of water as a medium into which the lost are required to be "baptized".

The baptism mentioned herein is an immersion of oneself, by faith, into the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

It is true that there can be no salvation without the baptism Jesus commanded herein, it is the same baptism referred to in Galatians 3:23-27 "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For YE ARE ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD BY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

The remission of sin comes through faith, as is said in the quote, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be JUSTIFIED BY FAITH." The rules of the law were lifted by the sacrifice of Christ and are no longer applicable to a child of God, we are indeed "JUSTIFIED BY FAITH". NOT, by water immersion. (or sprinkling)

The term "baptize", from the Greek "baptizO" (as is translaterated in today's quote), simply means to immerse one thing into another to gain a desired effect. The term itself, does NOT imply any explicit medium, such as water, into which an item or person is to be immersed.

A perfect example of a baptism would be to place a peice of steel into boiling oil so as to temper, or make harder, the steel. If you do that, you have effectively "baptized" the steel.

Therefore, the baptism referred to in today's lesson does NOT direct an immersion into water, but rather, an immersion, through faith, into the body of Jesus Christ for the remission of all sin.

NOTE: Tomorrows lesson will be a continuance of today's and will further demonstrate the meaning and effect of Christian baptism.~

Lesson 926

(Lesson 926)(03-26-14) Mark 16:1-14

"And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen."

Today's lesson tells us about the events of the day Jesus arose from the tomb, how He appeared to Many Magdalene first, and then the others Apostles who doubted it was truly Him.

This lesson also contains the three most beautiful words in the English language, "HE IS RISEN"!
There is nothing I can add to that except to say Praise God, He arose for all of us who will only place our faith in Him.~

Lesson 925

(Lesson 925)(03-24-14) Mark 15:16-47

"And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, Save thyself, and come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem. And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, and honourable counseller, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid."

Today's quote relates the horrible details of the crucifixion of Jesus. There no discussion I can add that would make this lesson more clear. I only recommend that everyone study hard to learn the reason for that fateful and terrible ordeal. The sacrifice Jesus made that day gave eternal life to any lost soul who will call on His name and place their faith in Him.~

NOTE: I was fighting a bug at the ER yesterday and didn't get the lesson up,  I'm sorry and I'll try to do better :)    Austin

Lesson 924

(Lesson 924)(03-22-14) Mark 15:1-15

"And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled. Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him. Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified."

Today's lesson relates the Trial of Jesus before Pilate during which Jesus offered no defense for Himself against the false charges the high priest made brought.

The lesson also demonstrates how hated Jesus was among the Jews as the chose Barabbas to be freed instead of Jesus.
The actions of that day started the horrible crucifixion ordeal Jesus endured so that those of us whom have placed our faith in Him can enjoy eternal life. As sad and as terrible as that day was Jesus, praise God for His redemption! ~

Lesson 923

(Lesson 923)(03-21-14) Mark 14:53-72

"And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither so did their witness agree together. And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands. And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

There are three very important elements within today's quote. First, one of the witnesses against Jesus recalled Him as having said, "I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands." Jesus did, in essence say, He would tear down the old temple and build another, "not made with hands". The old temple, referred to in this quote, represents the governance of the Law of Moses. The new temple, referred to herein, represents the Church. The reference to the three days it would take Jesus to rebuild the temple represents the three day duration of His death, burial, and resurrection. During those three fateful days, Jesus fulfilled the law of Moses and sanctified His Church, the "new" temple, and assured eternal life to all would will accept His grace.

In the second element of today's lesson Jesus relates to the high priest that He is indeed the Son of God and that all power had been given Him to sit at the right hand of God.
The third element, verifies the prophecy Jesus made concerning the fallacy of Peter's boisterous loyalty. As we read in the quote, before the rooster crowed twice, Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times.~

Lesson 922

(Lesson 922)(03-20-14) Mark 14:43-52

"And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him. And they laid their hands on him, and took him. And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. And they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked."

Today's quote relates how Jesus was betrayed by Judas with an identifying kiss and demonstrates how quickly the promise Peter, James and John, reneged on their promise to stick by Jesus even to the death.

Jesus capture in the dark of night fulfilled yet another Old Testament prophesy.
This lesson begins the ordeal soul saving ordeal Jesus endured and arose to conquer on the third day.

Jesus suffered greatly, but praise God He endured and arose!~

Lesson 921

(Lesson 921)(03-19-14) Mark 14:32-42

"But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand."

Today's lesson relates how, after promising they would die with Jesus, his Apostles, Peter, James, and John, were so spiritually weak that they couldn't stay awake and stand watch as Jesus prayed and suffered dread over the horrible events He knew were to soon come.

I wonder how many of today's "Christians" would, given the same circumstances, stand beside Jesus awake till the end.~

Lesson 920

(Lesson 920)(03-18-14) Mark 14:27-31

"And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all."

Today's lesson relates Jesus' warning to His Apostles about the coming events of that fateful night of Passover.

Peter was also told that before the next morning, he would have denied knowing Jesus three times.

Later in the quote, Jesus said, "All ye shall be offended because of me this night:". Strong's bible dictionary defines the word "offended", as it is applied in today's quote, as: "to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall, metaph. to offend, to entice to sin"

In essence, Jesus told his Apostles that the events of that Passover night would cause a lot of trouble for them and dissention among them, and it surely did.

As we know, shortly after Jesus was crucified, His disciples were scattered and persecuted, just as Jesus had told them.
In like manner to the events of Passover night, as told in Exodus 12, took the lives of the unprotected firstborn of Pharaoh and the Egyptians freeing the Hebrew people from captivity, the events of the Passover night, referred to in today's quote, took the life of the firstborn Son of God and freed all who will believe on Him from all sin.~

Lesson 919

(Lesson 919)(03-17-14) Mark 14:17-26

"And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born. And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives."

The first portion of today's quote exposes Judas as Jesus' betrayer to the high priests who would consequently have Him crucified.

In the latter part of this lesson, Jesus, by offering the broken bread and the wine, symbolized His sacrificed body and blood as a replacement for the Hebrew ritual of Passover.

Jesus broke the bread said, "Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many."

We should specifically note that, in Mark's account of the events at that Passover celebration, Jesus did NOT command His Apostles to continue the Passover ritual after that day.

The point Jesus made, as He broke the bread and poured the wine, was that His body and blood are symbolic of, and indeed the equivalent to, the original Passover blood on the door posts that saved the Hebrew people as demonstrated in Exodus 12.

Jesus never intended for His Gentile followers to continue the bread and wine ritual since the Passover never applied to the Gentiles in the first place, since the Gentiles had never been a part of that commanded Jewish ritual. We, today, must only understand that Jesus' sacrificed body and blood are the ONLY means of redemption from sin and provide the same security for the believer as the Passover ritual provided for the captive Hebrew people. Whereas the Hebrews of old were held captive by the Egyptians, the lost of today are held captive by sin. Just as the lamb's blood, that was placed on the door posts in the ancient Passover ritual, saved the captive Hebrews from death at the hands of the "death angel", The sacrificed body and blood of Jesus Christ on the cross saves all who will accept the actions and blood of Jesus as their own atonement for sin.

When, and if, you place your faith in Jesus Christ, you have effectively brushed His blood on your doorpost and the angel of eternal death will forever pass on by.~

NOTE: There will be much more presented concerning the "Lord's supper" as these lessons progress.

Lesson 918

(Lesson 918)(03-16-14) Mark 14:10-16

"And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover."

In the first portion of today's lesson, Judas goes to the high priest to betray Jesus.

The rest of the lesson deals with Jesus and His Apostles preparing for the Passover meal.

The Passover meal is today commonly referred to as "The Last Supper", "The Lord's Supper", or "Holy Communion", and in some instances, just "Communion".

All those labels simply refer to what is supposed to be an observance representative of the the Passover ritual that God commanded the Hebrew people to observe just prior to the exodus from Egyptian captivity.

God commanded the Hebrew people to observe the Passover forever, "And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." (Exodus 12:14---The whole story of the Passover can found in Exodus 12.)

The blood from the sacrificed lamb or goat was to be placed on the outside of the doors of the Hebrew people so that the death angel, who passed through Egypt killing all of the firstborn that night, would literally pass by those inside the blood marked houses.

This "Lord's supper", or "Communion" practice continues today among the vast majority of "Christian" denominations even thought the ritual was never commanded to be observed by Christ's Church.

NOTE: Tomorrows lesson will cover more of the reasons why some still observe the "Lord's Supper" ritual and why Jesus never intended it to be observed by Christians.~

Lesson 917

(Lesson 917)(03-15-14) Mark 14:1-9

"After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people. And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."

Today's quote relates the story of the "alabaster box". This lesson demonstrates the departure of today's "Christian ministry" from the commandments Jesus gave directly to His followers.

After the woman had anointed Jesus' feet with the very expensive oil, some of His Apostles complained that the oil should have been sold for money and given to the poor. Jesus quickly told them that what the woman had done was the right thing under those extreme circumstances. She had come to prepare Him for His upcoming death. The death, by the way, that saves the souls of all who place their faith in Him.

There is a direct commandment in today's quote that is, for the most part, ignored by many "Christian" preachers. Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."

When was the last time you heard a preacher relate the story of the "alabaster box" and give the woman the credit for what she did? I can only remember that story being told from any pulpit maybe twice in my entire life.

This, very obvious, command is another one of many that are broadly ignored by today's "preachers". There are more, and we will cover them all as these lessons progress.~

Lesson 916

(Lesson 916)(03-14-14) Mark 12:7-37

"And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."

Today's lesson includes almost the entire 13th chapter of Mark and foretells the signs that will appear before the glorious return of our Savior.

Jesus again, herein, warned of false teachers and those who would come proclaiming themselves to be Christ. Some of these impostors will fool many "religious" people, that is happening even today.

This lesson gives all of us, whom have trusted Jesus with our eternal salvation, the guarantee of Christ's redeeming return and establishes signs to watch for that signal the time of His return, "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors."

My advice to everyone is to read these prophesies over and over, and to be ever wathcful for that glorious day of Jesus' return.

Most importantly, we should place our faith in Jesus Christ and prepare our souls for that coming.~

Lesson 915

(Lesson 915)(03-13-14) Mark 13:1-6

"And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."

In today's lesson, Jesus prophesies the complete destruction of the temple and begins relating the many things that must take place before His triumphant return.

After Peter, James and John asked when these things would occur, Jesus gave them a warning. He said, "Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."

If we simply observe, what is today called "Christianity", we can easily see that the prophesy of Jesus is being fulfilled more and more every day. The vast majority of isms that make up today's "Christianity" have grossly warped and distorted The gospel of Christ in an attempt to make it accommodate the many different agendas to which they aspire.

To meet that challenge, we should thoroughly study God's word to verify its intent and NEVER accept the meaning of scripture from any other source than God's word with the guidance of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ.

What Jesus said concerning the coming of false teachers eventually compelled Timothy to say, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

That last sentence of the quote from Timothy tells us how we are to deal with false teachers, we are to "rightly" divide the word of truth. We are to question every aspect of the gospel as presented by mankind while making sure that all we see and hear coincides exactly with the intent of the gospel as Jesus preached it.

Although Satan will do everything in his power to hide the truth from those who seek salvation, the word of God will always hold the answer and will NEVER contradict itself! If there appears to be a contradiction, study and pray harder, the truth WILL surface.

Therefore, as Jesus said, "beware" of those who would mislead and distort, they are here today and there are many. Arm yourself with the Holy Spirit and full knowledge of the divine word of our living God. Study, Study, Study!~

Lesson 914

(Lesson 914)(03-14-14) Mark 12:41-44

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

Today's lesson is a very short one, and, as it applies to Christianity today, one of the most important.

The quote relates the story of the "widow's mites". For that woman, although the amount she gave in real money was insignificant, the real value of her contribution was enormous.

As I'm sure it was in the days of Jesus' ministry, it is easy for many of us today to drop five, ten, twenty or even one hundred dollar bill into a collection receptacle. But for many, letting go of even one dollar without absolute faith that God will replace it, is a struggle and works a hardship on their budget.

Giving is a very subjective thing, we give in proportion to the strength of our faith. If we truly believe God will refill our coffers tenfold, as He promised He would, we should always be willing to put all that we have in the box. Just as the widow did.

If on the other hand, our faith is so weak that we are afraid to give it all, we should give nothing, get out our bibles and start studying the gospel of Christ, and praying for a greater faith.
"Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." (Matthew 19:21)~

Lesson 913

(Lesson 913)(03-11-14) Mark 12:35-44

"And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation."

In today's lesson Jesus explains how He could not possibly be the "son of David", or descendant of David in the literal since, seeing that He was the same "Lord" to David as He is to us.

Read todays lesson carefully and determine in your own mind whether Jesus when describing the scribes if Hein fact was also describing the entire Catholic clergy and most of today's other "Christian" leadership.

Jesus warned His own about the hypocrisy of the elite, "Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation."

We, as Christians today, should also "beware" of those who seem to be more dedicated to their own egos than they are to the spreading of the Gospel of Christ.

Today there are all manner of "ministries", preachers who allow (some prefer) themselves to be called "reverend" (That word means to be revered, or held in high esteem).

Many preachers dress in long adorned robes and hats so as to set themselves apart, they also stand among their congregations and pray long prayers which serve no purpose other than to draw attention to themselves, AND in direct contrast with how Jesus taught His disciples to pray.

Jesus condemned all those things and told us to "beware" of those who practice them.

He also warned us of those who greedily take advantage of the weak to enhance their own personal wealth.

There is, however, GOOD news in all this, it is not too late to turn away from all that and do the will of God the way we were told to do it, "GO ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing" (Securing) "them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."(Matthew 28:19-20) This is the commission that Jesus gave to His Church.~

Lesson 912

(Lesson 912)(03-10-14) Mark 12:26-34

"And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question."

In today's lesson, Jesus clarifies that the spirits of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have risen when He recalled that God had said to Moses, "I 'AM' the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, instead of I 'WAS' their God. That phrasing made it clear that the three were still with Him in the spirit.

Later in the lesson, Jesus was asked which of the commandments was the greatest to which He answered, "The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

As Jesus said in Matthew 22:40, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." This means that unless we love God completely and unless we love our neighbors as we love ourselves, none of the other things we do matter.

Every "Christian" will profess that they indeed love God beyond all else, However, in my opinion, the greatest failing of today's "Christianity" is the blatant lack of concern for the weakest among us.

The poor and the weak in our society are generally castigated as outcasts, or leeches, who steal from our wealth. I believe to ignore the needs of those who cannot fend for themselves demonstrates a total lack of true Christian compassion is a slap to the face of the gospel of Jesus Christ.~

Lesson 911

(Lesson 911)(03-09-14) Mark 12:18-25

"Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven."

In this quote, the Jewish hierarchy continue trying to trap Jesus with questions concerning the Law of Moses. After being asked what would happen in heaven if a person had multiple marriages here on earth, Jesus makes it very clear that earthly marriages will not be acknowledged in heaven. Jesus said, "For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven."

This means that the sexes will no longer be separately recognized after the return of Christ, we will all be considered one gender. Therefore, the idea of marriage will be nullified since there will be no procreation in heaven.

The author of the book of Galatians confirms that after we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, we become the individual unit that makes up the kingdom of God. Therefore we are no longer bound by the rules of the law, the traditions of mankind, or the physical characteristics that separate us as we occupy our earthly bodies. Galatians 3:28 says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

When we get to heaven, we will no longer occupy these same sinful bodies, we will be in glorified bodies, or in the spirit "as the angels", and no longer will there be a need for the separation of the sexes and therefore, no "marriage" in heaven.~

Lesson 910

(Lesson 910)(03-08-14) Mark:12:12-17

"And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him."

In this quote, Jesus simply confirms that we are obligated to pay our taxes to the government.

In the same statement Jesus also tells us to give to God the things which belong to Him. That means that, if we belong to God in faith, we are to give all of ourselves to Him.

There might be some who don't understand what "render unto" means, and there might also those who don't understand what "tribute" means. So that this is clear to all, "render unto" means to give to, or pay to, "tribute" is simply tax money. ~

Lesson 909

(Lesson 909)(03-07-14) Mark 12:1-11

"And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?"

In today's lesson, Jesus told the scribes, priests, and elders, the parable of the "Lord of the vineyard and his husbandmen".

That parable is an analogy of the history of God's once chosen people, the Jews, and how they had failed and denied Him through their disobedience of Him and His laws.

The parable describes how that, every time God sent a prophet to deliver and heal Israel, that prophet wound up tortured and eventually, either chased away or killed.

The "Son" mentioned in the parable, represents Jesus Himself, the Son of God. The rebellious and denying Jews ridiculed and eventually crucified Him Just as Jesus said they would.

There are two individual lessons contained in today's quote, the first relates how the Jews had failed God many, many times.

The second concerns this part of the quote, "What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others."

Jesus very plainly tells us herein that the "chosen" relationship the Jews had enjoyed with God would be revoked, or taken away, ("he will come and destroy the husbandmen") when they killed (crucified) Jesus, the Son.

It also tells us, in essence, that the "chosen" status that once belonged exclusively to the Jews, would thereafter be taken from them and bestowed upon someone else. A further study of the gospel tells us that through the work of the Apostle Paul and others, the Gentiles inherited that "chosen" status through membership in His kingdom (The Church).

Ironically, there are many "Christians" today who still believe the Jews, as a nation, remain God's chosen people and that we should protect them at all costs. That assertion is simply and scripturally unfounded.

This parable clearly establishes that after the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, the Church would become, and would remain, the chosen of God.~

Lesson 908

(Lesson 908)(03-06-14) Mark 11:27-33

"And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things."

This lesson demonstrates the unwillingness of the Jewish authority to accept Jesus as the promised Messiah.

When the priests, scribes, and elders asked Jesus by what authority He taught, Jesus challenged them with a very important question, He asked, "The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?" The Jewish authority feared that John was a prophet of God and therefore their uncertainty wouldn't allow them to answer the question.

We should examine very closely the question Jesus asked in reference to the "baptism" of John.

Most "Christians" today would have you believe that when one of the phrases "the baptism of John" or "John's baptism", are used, they always imply the use of water. Nothing could be further from the truth. As is obvious by the reasoning of the Jews when they said, "If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, WHY DID YE NOT BELIEVE HIM? But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people". One cannot "believe", or disbelieve, a water baptism. It either occurs, or it does not. However, one CAN believe a doctrine, or a preached message. Therefore, in the above quote, the phrase "the baptism of John", refers explicitly to the message, or doctrine of repentance John was ordained by God to preach. The term "baptism", as it is applied in this quote, had nothing to do with water.~

As we continue this study, we will find that the above mentioned misinterpretation of the term "baptism", or any of its grammatical variations as they are applied in the gospel of Jesus Christ, is prevalent among many "Christian" denominations.

Exposing the truth about those misinterpretations are paramount to understanding God's plan for the eternal salvation of our souls.~

Lesson 907

(Lesson 907)(03-05-14) Mark 11:19-26

"And when even was come, he went out of the city. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Today's lesson gives us the promise and assurance that if we prayerfully ask God for ANYTHING while having absolute faith that He will deliver, we are guaranteed to receive whatever we ask.

Jesus gave us explicit directions as to how we should pray in Matthew 6:6, "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

For some unknown reason, every religious group I know of practices some form of open, public prayer. Most even have someone "lead" prayer. Jesus directly told His disciples not to pray publicly, and used the hypocritical Pharisees as an example of how not to pray.

When you carefully consider the undeniable effect of public prayer, you'll find it can serve no other purpose than to draw attention to the person doing the praying, just like it did with the Pharisees. One CANNOT "lead" prayer without drawing attention to him/herself. We should be praying to get God's attention, ONLY!

Also, if a group were all praying at the same time (while being "led" in prayer), the person speaking would be a great distraction to the others who were trying to pray. We don't need to hear the prayers of others, we couldn't answer them if we wanted to. ONLY God can answer prayers.

Jesus made another very important point when He said, "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."

I do NOT mean to leave the impression that Christians should not praise God publicly (that's praising, not praying to), or offer thanks to God publicly (offering thanks is not praying, it simply demonstrates your gratitude). I earnestly encourage everyone to publicly proclaim God to all who will listen and to thank Him loudly for His grace and uncountable blessings.

I believe that if we wrongfully pray, or if we pray without having total faith in God through Jesus Christ, our prayers will NOT be answered. On the other hand, if we humbly pray IN PRIVATE and pray in the forgiving manner Jesus described, and if we have perfect faith in God to deliver on His promise, our prayers, no matter what they are for, will be answered.~

Lesson 906

(Lesson 906)(03-04-14) Mark 11:11-18

"And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine."

This quote tells us that Jesus cursed a fig tree because it did not bear fruit, only leaves that benefited no one. He then went into the temple and found the "money changers" doing commercial business therein. He cursed them also and said, "My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves."

I believe that Jesus, at that very point, condemned the temple and Judaism as an unfruitful place and religion because the priests were only there to make money, and were not doing the work they, and the temple, were ordained of God to do.

Just as the fig tree produced no fruit, the temple no longer produced the fruit of God's labor for which it was ordained, therefore, Jesus cursed them both so the the new temple (His Church) could thrive.~

(The building itself was not yet destroyed, but it later would be, just as Jesus promised.)

Lesson 905

(Lesson 905)(03-3-14) Mark 11:1-10

"And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest."

In today's lesson, Jesus made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem as was prophesied in the old testament.

He was rightfully received as a king by those who believed in Him.
This lesson also marks the beginning of the sacrificial ordeal that Jesus would go through to remit the sins of all who would place their faith in Him.

As sad as that ordeal was, I am thankful to God for it because by, and because of His grace, I will spend eternity with Him.~

Lesson 904

(Lesson 904)(03-02-14) Mark 10:46-52

And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way."

Todays lesson is another confirmation of the power of faith. Bartimaeus, a blind man, knew that if Jesus simply made the command, he would receive his sight.

If the "Christians" of today were to demonstrate even one whit of the amount of faith that was demonstrated by those who Jesus healed during His ministry, what a wonderful world we would be living in.

The New Testament is full of promises divinely inspired, and assured, to those who believe in Jesus Christ. The promise of eternal salvation is the greatest, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We find the explanation of how faith works to justify the sins of the flesh in Romans 4:4-8, "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."

Most of today's "Christian" religions insist that once a lost soul has placed their faith in Jesus, they must also live a "sin" free life. As Paul tells us in the above quote, salvation comes through FAITH not through the "good" works men/women do.~