What's Wrong With This Picture?*

The title of this message is based on a children's game in which the child would have to identify what was wrong with a picture. We also have a picture presented of the Church today based upon some statistics. Although 90% of Americans say that they believe in God, their affiliation with any kind of church has dropped to an all-time low of 50%. We can also see that in the last generations, our society has changed in its viewpoint towards God and His Word. In 1961, prayer was removed from schools. In 1973, abortion was legalized. In 2015, same-sex marriage became the law of the land, although only 5.6% of the population identify themselves as LGBT. These are the facts and statistics of a troubling trend in America. Now the Church must find out "What is wrong with this picture?". The Word of the LORD to the prophet Isaiah gave us answers to this question. What is wrong with the picture is found in how far God's people have turned away from Him, and His Word. In His Word to Isaiah, the LORD describes His people as a vineyard (Isa. 5:1-7): "...My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes...What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" The LORD promises that He will remove His protection from this vineyard that did not bring forth the acceptable fruit, and lay it to waste. He said the the vineyard represented Israel, and the vines, Judah: "...and he looked for judgment (justice, rectitude), but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry (from the oppressed)." The LORD specially established and provided everything for His vineyard, His people, but they did not produce a Godly fruit. They produced oppression and covetousness against others for profit. They drank and celebrated, "...but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands." Because of this, their houses and land will become desolate, and they will go into captivity, "...because they have no knowledge" (v. 8-13, see also Hosea 4:6). The captivity that will come upon what was once the most choice and cared for vineyard of God will include hell, which will enlarge itself in order to swallow up the proud and mighty..."...and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled." (v. 14-15). Instead of repentance and humility, the people of God began to scoff Him, taunting Him to draw near so they could see His work, and know His counsel (v. 19). Then the woes would begin - the consequences of their actions. The woes would fall unto those who would "...call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter...unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!...Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him." (v. 20-23). They would experience a fire from the LORD that would destroy their fruit: "...because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people..." (v. 24-25). It is the people of God who have turned away from Him and His Word, and caused this devastation to fall. We must admit that we see this same kind of godlessness in our own land, and among God's own people. Unless we examine what is wrong with this picture of the Church, we will, and are even now, experiencing the same judgment from God. Isaiah also revealed the voice of the LORD from heaven asking: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?". Isaiah answered, "Here am I; send me." (Isa. 6:8). Are there any today who are willing to go for the Lord? The message the LORD sent Isaiah to deliver was serious: "Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not....make their ears heavy and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." (v. 9-10). Isaiah asked the LORD how long this condition would be upon the people, and the LORD answered that it would be until the land became desolate, and the cities wasted and without inhabitant (v. 11). America, do you think you can keep sinning, and the LORD do nothing? Jesus commanded us to be salt and light in the earth (Mt. 5:13-18). If the light in us is hidden, or we, as salt, have lost our savor, then we are of no use in the kingdom. Jesus also assured us that He didn't come to do away with the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them. If the Church is removing or disregarding anything from scripture because they consider it inconvenient, or offensive to themselves or others, they are breaking the commandment of God. It is also not enough to speak the Word of God and claim holiness, but we must live and walk in the Word. Jesus concluded by saying, "Be ye therefore perfect (complete, whole), even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Mt. 5:48). Both Paul and Peter warned that we would see in the last days the conditions that we are seeing today. Listen to how Paul described the men of the last days: lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers...despisers of those that are good...lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Paul said, "...from such, turn away." (2 Tim. 3:1-5). He warned that evil men and seducers would get worse, using deception and being deceived themselves (v. 13), but Paul advised Timothy to continue in the things of God that he had learned. All scripture, Paul said, is given, not by men, but by inspiration of God, so that the man of God may be perfect, furnished unto all good works (v. 14-17). Peter also told the Church to stay steadfast to, and mindful of, the words of the prophets and the apostles, because in the last days, there would be scoffers who would mock the prophetic promise of the judgment of God (2 Peter 3:1-4). The timing concerning the epochs is set, and the judgment by fire is already stored up in the earth against ungodly men (v. 7-8). The witness of the scriptures, and also the witness of the Word and the resurrection provided by the Shroud of Turin (see Isa. 52:13-15, 53:1, 1 Cor. 13:12, 2 Cor. 3:18, Gal. 3:1, also "NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling"), testify and give evidence to the Church and to the world of the only saving power and name, JESUS. If you don't know Christ as Lord of your life, you need to search the scriptures. If you DO know Him, you need to "check the picture" of your church, and your life. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 12/26/21 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com.T You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.

The Birth of the Savior?*

What are we truly celebrating at this time of year? Is it really about Christ's birth to us? The world has co-opted the Christmas season, and is using it for buying and selling, to promote business. Christmas carols are used in commercials to sell underwear! What have we allowed Christmas to become to us? The promise of Christmas began long before Christ's birth. In Gen. 3, Adam and Eve found themselves in a fallen condition in which they are afraid to show themselves before God when He comes to walk in the garden with them in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8-10). Adam and Eve knew that their condition had changed after they had listened to the serpent and had eaten of the tree of which God had told them not to eat. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. God cursed the serpent saying, "...Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly thou shalt go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (v. 14-15). Although God said the woman's seed would bruise the head of the serpent, we know that women don't have seed; men have seed. So there is a miracle birth being prophesied by God here with the promise of a victorious confrontation between the woman's Seed and the serpent's seed. In Matthew 1, we see the recording of the generations that followed after Adam and Eve, and led to the coming birth of Christ in the earth. We are also given the account of the virgin girl named Mary who before being joined with her husband, Joseph, "was found to be with child of the Holy Ghost" (v. 18). Joseph, finding himself in this position, felt it was the kindest thing he could do to put Mary quietly aside to keep her from religious judgment and public exposure. However, Joseph dreamed and an angel appeared to him in the dream to reveal the nature of the child to be born: "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." (20-21). The name, Jesus, is Greek. The Hebrew form of the name is Yeshua, meaning "salvation". This Gospel account in Matthew also points out that this birth fulfilled another prophecy in scripture of a virgin bringing to birth a son who shall be named Emmanuel, God with us. (v. 23, see also Isa. 7:14). After Joseph's dream, the scriptures describe Joseph as "being raised from sleep..." (v. 24). The Greek root words used in this phrase can include the meaning "arouse from the sleep of death, to recall the dead to life, to raise up". We can see from this that the revelation of the birth of the Savior, fulfilling the prophetic promises of God from the beginning of man (and before!), changed Joseph's condition. Adam's condition was changed by his willful disobedience to God, but now Joseph's life was changed by the revelation of the Christ child to be born. Joseph obediently and willingly followed the rest of the instructions that he was given (v. 24-25), and death was changed to resurrection life in him. Yet the world would use the birth of this holy and prophesied Child to sell underwear. We ignore the commandments of God concerning His ordained feasts, which each prophesy of Christ, but we have adopted the customs and traditions of men concerning Christmas. We accept the date given, December 25, which tends to coincide with the old winter solstice observances, for our celebration. The Eastern Church recognizes January 6 as the date of Christ's birth. The gift giving with which we celebrate Christmas was part of the pagan Saturnalia feast. Christmas trees were part of a European tradition that did not begin until the 19th century. We enjoy following these traditions, but have we Christians lost the true meaning of the day and the season? In these evil and dangerous times in which we live, can we afford to lose the true meaning of Christ's birth? Moses warned the people not to add or take away from any of the commandments he had given to them from God, and that the keeping of them was our wisdom. The people of God were to teach them to their son's and son's sons, to all of our children and future generations (Deut. 4:1-9). In Ezekiel 22, God spoke of judgment coming to His people for iniquity that is very similar to what we are seeing now. The LORD began to prophesy to Ezekiel regarding every level of Israelite society that had become totally corrupted: "Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation." (v. 24). Of the prophets in the land, the LORD said to Ezekiel that they were like a roaring lion ravening prey; they devoured souls. The prophets prophesied things that the LORD had not given them to say. They did so for riches. The LORD told Ezekiel that the priests had violated the law and profaned His holy things. They had not shown the difference between the holy and the profane, the clean and the unclean, and had failed to lead the people in the LORD's sabbaths (v. 26). The political powers, the princes of the land, only looked at the people to take whatever they could, to get dishonest gain. The LORD said they were ravening wolves (v. 27). The people of the land followed in the same corrupt way. They oppressed each other, and those weaker and poorer than they (v. 29). Sadder still, the population had become filled with iniquity and corruption, the LORD revealed: "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." (v. 30). The violence, corruption and oppression ran so deeply through the population that there wasn't even one person who was worthy or willing to come before the LORD on behalf of his nation. We see so much of this today in our land. The LORD told Ezekiel: "Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the LORD God." (v. 31). Today we are seeing great turmoil upon our land in the form of a pandemic, floods, fires, tornadoes, violence. We need to understand the importance of the true meaning of the birth of the Savior more than ever. We need Yeshua: Salvation, and Emmanuel: God With Us. Paul wrote to the Church at Rome about those who despise the goodness of God that leads to repentance, and of the hard and impenitent heart that treasures up the wrath and righteous judgment of God: "But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew firsr, and also of the Gentile." ((Rom. 2:4-11). For those who seek the righteousness of God: "To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life...glory, honour, and peace to every man who worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. For there is no respect of persons with God." (v. 7, 10-11). God is not partial in judgment, but looks upon the circumcision of the heart, and in the spirit (v. 28-29). What is in our hearts regarding the birth of the Savior? What message are we bringing to others? Ezekiel brought the word of warning to the watchmen of the city that if they see the danger coming to the land, and warn the people, but the people do not heed the warning, the watchman will not be held accountable for what befalls the people. However, if the watchman sees the danger, and fails to warn the people, the blood of those who perish will be on his hands. (Ezek. 33:1-6). The LORD makes a plea to His people through Ezekiel: "Say unto them, As I live, saith the LORD God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Ezek. 33:10-11). The question is, "Why will you die, O Church?" If you are going to celebrte Christmas, then understand what the Lord is calling us to do and be. What we are doing now is celebrating Mammon at Christmas, rather than Christ. Let us examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 12/19/21 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.

Lights as People, And People as Lights*

Last week we talked about a festival of dedicated lights, Hanukkaah, with us as the light of the world. In putting up Christmas lights, we can remember in the past that when one light on the string went out, the whole string would go out. Today, if the fuse or circuit breaker flips off, the whole string of lights fails to work. What is the effect that one life can have on others? If one of us is not shining, it affects all the other lights. Like the Christmas lights, if we are not connected to the Source that gives the light, than we cannot shine. In the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart, which is always shown at Christmas time, an angel gives the lead character a gift: the gift of seeing how others' lives would be affected if he was not here. Jesus told us that we were the lights of the world to be placed high on a candlestick, not hidden, so our light would give light to all in the house. The good works that we do as those lights is seen by other men, and God is glorified as a result (Mt. 5:14-16). We are to be lights, and that light is seen by others. Jesus told us what affected our light: "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single (meaning "good fulfilling its office, sound. Root meaning: s a particle of union), thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness?" (Mt. 6:22-23). We see the spiritual darkness of the times in whih we are living. We have to be diligent in maintaining the purity of our "eye", our spiritual sight and understanding, if we are to be people as lights. In our analogy of the string of Christmas lights, we see that there is the importance of unity - one light with the others, and all lights unified with their source. The apostle Paul wrote of the spiritual unity of believers in the Body of Christ - unity with each other, and unity with our Head, Christ: "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace...there is one body...one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all..." (Eph. 4:1-5). The Body of Christ has a problem in their lack of unity with each other. This affects how our lights shine. The Lord sent apostles, prophets, evangelists, prophets and teachers to perfect and equip the saints for the work of the ministry (as the light of the world, and the bringing of the Gospel to others): "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ...no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine...But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Eph. 4:11-16). As all parts of the Body are needed to function together, people as lights also function together in unity, and impact each other by doing so. Most central of all is the need to be connected to, and grow into, our Source of light, Jesus, the Light of the World. Jesus told His disciples: "Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, and ye are the branches: He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me, ye can do nothing...Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear mush fruit; so shall ye be my disciples...If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's command, and abide in his love." (Jn. 15:1-10, excerpt). Jesus told them that this was so His joy might remain in us, and our joy, in turn, may be full. For those who do not abide in the vine, Jesus, those "branches" would bear no fruit, wither, and be cast forth and burned. The commandments of Jesus that we are called to abide in, the Word of God, keeps us connected to Him. Paul wrote that it is the Spirit of God who works in us to be like an epistle "known and read of all men". (2 Cor. 3:2-3). The Word of God is no longer on tablets of stone, but written on the tables of our hearts. Our sufficiency to be lights that impact others is not of ourselves, "but our sufficiency is of God". (v. 3-5). It is God "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." (v. 6). Paul wrote of the greater glory (meaning includes "splendor, brightness") that is unlike the previous glory of Moses that came from the letter written and engraved in stones. That former glory passed away, but the ministration of the spirit is a glory that excels and remains (v. 7-11). It is also interesting that v. 18 from this chapter mentions an image, specifically a mirror image: "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." A mirror image that we gaze upon changes us. Paul also mentions this mirror image in 1 Cor. 13:12. In Gal. 3:1, Paul referred to "evidence" (meaning in the Greek to depict or portray openly. root meaning: engrave) of the crucifixion of Christ that the Galatians had seen with their own eyes. I believe that these are references in scripture to the Shroud of Turin, which is a mirror or reversed image. Many who have gazed at it have had their lives changed. Our lives should also impact others. As we abide in Christ, and as we are joined together in the unity of the Body of Christ, the Spirit and faith, we also are the lights that are the light of the world. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 12/12/21 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.

A Festival of Dedicated Lights*

Although Hanukkah, which means "Dedication", is not one of the original feasts ordained by God, Jesus observed Hanukkah, which is also called the Feast of Dedication, or the Festival of Lights. It was at the Feast of Dedication, that Jesus told as clearly as possible when asked by His questioners: "If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly." (Jn. 10:22-24). Earlier, Jesus had told His listeners, "I am the good shepherd." (Jn. 10:10-18). Though the devil meant nothing but evil and destruction towards men, as the Good Shepherd, Jesus came to give His life to protect the sheep. Jesus came "that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (v. 10). Jesus also said: "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (v. 16). At the Feast of Dedication, Jesus continued this revelation: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. I and my Father are one." (v. 27-30). He identified Himself to the questioners by the works of His Father, which He did in His Father's name. His questioners did not believe Him, Jesus told them, because they were not of His sheep. This was His message at the Feast of Dedication: those who hear and follow their Good Shepherd, and are saved from the destruction of the devil. Although the works are before their eyes as a testimony, there are those today also who do not believe the miracles of Christ, the works He did and continues to do in His Father's name. Why did Jesus bring this message at the Feast of Dedication? There are those who believe, but do they understand the importance of being "dedicated"? We are living tabernacles or temples of God by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. A tabernacle is not just a physical building. It is a dedicated and consecrated place, both physically and in our case, spiritually, for the presence and worship of God. Numbers 7 describes the dedication of the Tabernacle of the congregation: "And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar, and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them." (v. 1). The twelve leaders of every tribe brought offerings of silver, gold, oxen, bullocks, rams, lambs, and goats to be given to the Levites. For twelve days, the offerings of each leader or prince were made on a certain day for the dedication of the altar of the tabernacle. (v. 10-11, 84-88). When this was done, the LORD gave Moses the pattern for the construction and lighting of the lamps of the gold candlestick (Num. 8:1-4). Aaron did this as the LORD had shown Moses. Then Moses was commanded by the LORD: "Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them...Sprinkle water of purifying upon them...and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean." (Num. 8:6-7). The Levites were the tribe of priests from among the children of Israel, to serve in the tabernacle. We also have been called to be priests, as we will read later. We are cleansed by the washing of the Word of God. The Book of 1 Maccabees of the Apocrypha tells the events surrounding the cleansing and re-dedication of the temple in Jerusalem, which had been defiled by the pagan enemy. When they saw the condition of the temple, they fell down on their faces and repented before God. Judas Maccabee had the defiled altar torn down and re-built with new stones, and the temple furnishings brought in: "They made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and of incense and the table. And upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give light in the temple." Judas and the whole congregation then ordained eight days of dedication to begin from the 25th of Casleu from year to year. Priests of "blameless conversation", who loved the Word, were chosen to restore the temple sacrifices and praises (see 1 Maccabees 4:36-59). In the dedication of Solomon's temple, the fire and glory of the LORD filled the temple so that the priests could not stand to pray. The whole congregation worshiped and praised: "For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever." (2 Chron. 7:1-3). Solomon offered thousands of animals in sacrifice to dedicate the house of the God. They kept the dedication of the altar for seven days, and assembled together on the eighth day. (v. 4-9). The LORD then appeared to Solomon by night, assuring the king that He had heard Solomon's prayer, and He had "chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice." (v. 12). This dedicated place would be a place where the LORD would hear, and the curses would be broken (see also Rev. 22:3). With this in mind, the LORD promised: "If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house...". (v. 13-15). We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. As we cleanse and dedicate this living temple to Him, our hearts and souls, He fills this living temple with His fire and glory. We are called to be priests and kings in the Kingdom of God, and must dedicate and sanctify ourselves accordingly. The call is to be a holy nation. God wants all of His people to be holy. Moses first saw this priesthood as God called His people to keep His covenant: "...then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.' These are the words which thou shalt speak to the children of Israel." (Ex. 19:5-6). Peter confirmed the same truth regarding the believers in Christ: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ...But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (1 Pet. 2:1-10, excerpt). Jesus spoke of us being salt and light in the world as He preached about the blessing of those who are "pure in heart", the peacemakers and the persecuted: "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid...(but put) on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Mt. 5:8-12, 14-16). Dedicated light in us is like the light that illuminates the holy city of heaven: "And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the LORD God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever." (Rev. 22:1-5, excerpt). Let this season cause us to be dedicated lights. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 12/5/21 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.