The Worth of a Soul*

The world today does not value, or even consider the value of the human soul, or the human being created in the image of God. The world also doesn't value the redemption of the soul, accomplished by Christ, in those who have believed and received Him. When the religious experts tempted and challenged Jesus to show them a sign from heaven, He told them that they were unable to discern the most obvious spiritual signs. He said, "O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?...A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas (Jonah)." (Mt. 16:1-4). By referring to the sign of Jonas, Jesus was referring to His resurrection, in the same manner that Jonah was delivered from the bonds of death in the belly of the great fish. Not only is the resurrection of Christ a miraculous deliverance that rescues all who believe in Him from death, but it is a sign pointing man to the worth of a human soul to God. The Shroud of Turin, evidence of the resurrection, is an enduring statement to man of what it cost Jesus to redeem the soul of each one of us. However, as Isaiah asked, "Who will believe our report...?", the Shroud is often viewed with skepticism and rejection. Jesus asked His disciples, "Whom do men say that I am?". Men could not discern Him, and believed that Jesus was a prophet, and even John the Baptist returned to life (v. 13-14). Then He asked His disciples whom they say that He is. Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (v. 15-16). Jesus told Peter that this is a revelation that he did not receive from men, but from the Father in heaven. This is how Jesus is discerned, and this revelation is the rock that forms the foundation of the Christian faith, and upon which the church is built. Built in this revelation, not even the devil and all hell can prevail against the church (v. 17-18). Not only does this revelation from the Father build the church of believers, but to these believers, Jesus gives the authority of the keys of the kingdom of heaven. He told His disciples to tell no one what He had told them, because these things are revealed by the Father. Later, as Jesus revealed that He would suffer and die in Jerusalem, Peter tried to rebuke Him for saying such a thing. Jesus told Peter that he was not treasuring the revelation of heaven that Jesus was speaking, but rather the understanding of men. This Jesus found to be offensive, and He identified it as the work and spirit of Satan (v. 21-23). Man cannot discern the worth of his own soul by his understanding. It is received by revelation. Jesus said that it is more important to lose one's self and life and gain one's soul by taking each taking up our cross, and following after Him: "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (v. 24-26). The soul is infinitely valuable - more than attaining the whole world, though men throughout history have spent their lives trying to attain the things of the world. When the Son of Man returns, He will reward those who walked, and whose lives were led, in this revelation (v. 27). An additional thought from Jesus is recorded in the Gospel of Mark regarding this: "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." (Mk. 8:36-38). Can our present generation be described as anything other than adulterous and sinful? Has the Church, instead of being the rock of revelation truth, been ashamed of the Words of Jesus? The Church has compromised and taught that sin is acceptable and tolerable, therefore not teaching the worth of a soul. The Lord said that the lawless and those who do iniquity would be gathered by the angels, and thrown into the fire, and have great suffering. Those who were righteous, however, would shine in the kingdom of the Father. He concluded by saying, "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Mt. 13:41-43). Not all have ears to hear, as we will see. In parables, Jesus compared the kingdom of God as something so valuable and worthy to attain that a man would sell everything he has in order to acquire it. Have we sold out all to attain the most worthy and precious thing in the world - the kingdom of God? Earlier, Jesus was asked by His disciples why He spoke in parables. He told them that it fulfilled what Isaiah wrote (see Isa. 6). It was for His disciples only to "know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them (other hearers) it is not given...Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand...For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." (Mt. 13:9-15). "All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables...That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world." (Mt. 13:34-35). The mystery from before the foundation of the world is the Lamb slain (see Rev. 13:8). It is the mystery hidden in the Hebrew language used in Gen. 1:1: "In the beginning, God...". The expression "In the beginning" is bareshiet in Hebrew. The individual pictographic Hebrew letters in this word also form a meaning: "The Son of God crushed, His hand on the cross". This is an indictment of their time, and our time: people do not want to hear, and the foolish crowd does not understand the worth of a soul, their soul, to God. Many in Church do not want to hear of miracles, but the redemption of a human soul from death and hell is the greatest miracle of all. Jesus said that He spoke in parables as Isaiah prophesied (Isa. 6:8-10). Isaiah asked the LORD, "How long?" would this continue? The LORD answered, "Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate...and there shall be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return...". (v. 11-13). Israel had been left desolate, and had ceased to be a nation, but in our time, the nation and the languge was restored, and the people began to return. God's people were instructed, "Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the word of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us." (Ps. 78:1-3). God commands His people to hear His words. Paul, in the Book of Romans, says of Jesus: "...declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead..." (Rom. 1:1-4). Paul continued to write that this is the Gospel that he came to Rome to preach, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith..." (v. 15-17). For those who will understand the worth of a soul, we preach the Gospel without compromise, and without shame or partiality. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who restrain the truth in unrighteousness (v. 18). It is not a matter of ignorance, but deliberate choice made by men to restrain the truth of God regarding the worth and provision that He has made for the human soul. God, although He is invisible, has made Himself evident, and can be seen, in the visible things that He has made. There is no excuse for those who know of God because of this, but do not glorify or thank Him. Their hearts have become darkened as a result (Rom. 1:18-21). We see this darkening of hearts in the world today. While many in and out of the Church suffer divisions and debates over doctrines, accepting false doctrines to please their own flesh, and to deceive others, it is the obedience of the hearts of those who keep the truth concerning the worth of a soul that causes the God of peace to bruise Satan under our feet (Rom. 16:17-20). Do you know the worth of a soul? *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 2/20/2022 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.

Follow After HIS Heart*

This weekend we will see the Super Bowl, and then Valentine's Day coming right afterward. Many love football and wait all year for the Super Bowl to be played. Many love the idea of Valentine's Day, and its romantic theme. The first mention of "love" in the Bible comes in Gen. 27:3-4. Isaac tells his son, Esau, to go hunt some venison, "And make me savory meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die." As we can see, love can be for anything. Scripture says, for example, that the love of money is the root of all evil. Rather than what the world loves, however, we will read about how God views and lives love, and the wonderful work He did for us through that love: "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." (1 Jn. 4:7-11). John also wrote that because God lives in us, His love is perfected in us. He dwells in us, and we in Him because He has given us His Spirit. It is because of this presence and perfecting of His love and Spirit in us, we can face His judgment, not in fear, but in boldness. In that love of God, and His dwelling in us, we are assured that "As He is, so are we in this world." (v. 13-17). We can confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God only because our God, who is love, dwells in us (v. 15-16). Because of this same love that dwells in us, we must love our brother. If we claim to love God, but we hate our brother, we are a liar (v. 20-21). In the world today, there is ethnic and racial hatred, even among those who claim to know Christ. This is not the love of God in us. This is how we know that the love of God is in us: "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous...whosoever keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." (1 Jn. 5:2-3, 2:5). What does the Word of God command us? Jesus, when asked by one of those questioning Him, 'What is the first commandment?', answered, "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 neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." (Mk. 12:28-31). The two greatest commandments are built upon love. We don't see a lot of love for God or for our neighbor today. Again here we see the necessary connection between the Holy Spirit in us, and the operation of love: "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly...But God commanded his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:5-6). God loved the unlovable enough to die in our place. This was the beginning of salvation. Do we love the unlovable in the same manner? There are those who in near death experiences have seen and experienced hell, but they were brought back by God and given a second chance. We were already walking in the death of trespasses and sin, according to the ways of the world, which is ruled by the prince of the power of the air (Satan). We lived by the lusts of our flesh and of the mind, being children of wrath and disobedience. However "...God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened (meaning made alive) us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus..." (Eph. 2:1-6). It is already done! And it was done for us through the salvation work of His love. We were dead and condemned in our sins, submitted to Satan's rule, but now we are made alive, and seated in heaven in Christ. There is a spiritual Super Bowl between the power of darkness, and the Kingdom of Heaven, but God has already won that battle for our souls, and He did it with love - not just love, but great love. Valentine's Day is represented by red hearts, but the Prophet Jeremiah said that the heart is deceitful above all things. However, there is a heart that represents the love of God in us. God called David, "a man after My own heart". This is the kind of heart that stands before God forever. What kind of heart did David have that God recognized as His own heart? David had a heart that loved God above all else. When he sinned, David turned to God praying that God would cleanse him, restore him, and renew a right spirit within him. He prayed that God would not take His Holy Spirit away from David (see Psalm 51). David said that the sacrifices that God is looking for in him, and in us, are "a broken spirit, and a broken and a contrite heart". A heart that loves God, and has God's love in it, is a heart of repentance (see also 2 Chron. 7:14). Repentance and prayer, not violence as we see today even among believers, will cause God to hear us and heal our land. David also said that his lips, tongue and mouth show forth God's praise and righteousness (v. 14-15). Are these the things coming from our mouths? What is our conversation and behavior like? Is the love of God in them? James wrote that God begat us with His Word of truth, so that we would be a kind of firstfruits among His creation. Because of this: "...let every man be swift to hear, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and... naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves...But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein...being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." (James Ch. 1). As the world waits for and follows after the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day, which are carnal, we follow after God's own heart of love. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 2/13/2022 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.

Light Be!*

The first thing that God created in Genesis was light, and He created it by command of His Word: "And God said, Let there be (meaning "to become, become like, come into being") light: and there was light.And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." (Geb. 1:3-5). On the sixth day of creation, God created man. He created man in His own image: "So God created man in His own image...male and female created he them. So God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over...every living thing that moveth upon the earth." (see Gen. 1:26-28). We can note that when God instructed the man created in His image to "replenish" the earth, it must mean that the earth had been filled previously. Jesus also discussed His identity as Light:"...I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (Jn. 8:12). Jesus was saying that if we have Him, we hve light. There are those who call themselves Christians, but their acts are acts of darkness. Many involved in the Capitol riot of Jan. 6th carried Christian flags, and called on the name of Jesus. At the same time, policemen were assaulted with those flags, and death threats were shouted against the politicians inside the Capitol building, including the Vice-President. As we saw in Genesis 1, a division was set between Night (darkness) and Day (light). Jesus remarked upon that division: "I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (Jn. 9:4-5). The night is coming when no man can work. Jesus also said, "And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." Once we believe on Jesus, the Light, we should not be remaining in darkness. This is a turning of the Church out of their doctrines and traditions to what the Word of God says instead. We should no longer abide in darkness. Where are you abiding? After His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke to His disciples about being salt and light. As He told them "Ye are the salt of the earth...", Jesus also warned that if the salt has lost its savor, and no longer contributes as a preservative, it then becomes good for nothing, and thrown away. It is the same with us being light. Jesus said: "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but 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. 5:13-16). As the light of the world, we are expected to be light, not just for ourselves, but to the whole house, to all the earth. Jesus inc;udes in His teaching our mistreatment and unjust anger and judgment towards one another. Those who do so are in danger of judgment themselves and possibly hellfire (v. 22). As we will see, love towards others is connected to being light: "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour." (Eph. 5:1-2). Paul also wrote to avoid partaking in the works of darkness, or with the people who practice them: fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, idolatry. These things are subject to the wrath of God (v. 4-5). "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." (v. 6-8). We are called to be as one who worships the Lamb, who is the Light of heaven, not needing any natural source of light, where there is no darkness nor night (Rev. 21:22, 22:1-5). The Apostle Peter also wrote to call us to lay aside the habits of those in darkness, malice, hypocrisy and evil speaking. We are a spiritual house in which we offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, and as babes who have been nourished and raised on the Word of God. (1 Pet. 2:1-5). Rather than being like those who are disobedient, and disregarding of the sacrifice and authority of Christ, "...ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy (v. 9-10). These things are not a suggestion, but a command of God. From the beginning, God has wanted His people to live, not by laws written on stone, but with His Word and His ways written in our hearts. John wrote that we are to try or test the spirits whether they are of God. Many false prophets are in the world (1 Jn. 4:1). The true Spirit of God confesses the Lordship of Jesus Christ, sent by God and having come in the flesh. Because we are of God, John wrote, we have overcome the world, and the spirit of antichrist already in the world, which denies Christ: "...because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." (v. 2-6). As we saw above the connection of our being light and loving others, John also wrote of the importance of love: "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love...Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another...God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.(v. 7-17, excerpt). Again, John wrote as Paul did above, that if we hate our brother, yet say that we love God, we are liars: "And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (v. 21). We are called to be salt and light. It is the command of God. What are we doing with the glory that we have been given? (Jn. 17). Let us stop walking and talking in darkness. Night is coming where no man can work - let us be light. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 2/6/2022 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.

Why Race Is A Lie!*

Unity is essential to being the Church, as Scripture defines and describes the Church. Paul wrote: "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye 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." (Eph. 4:1-3). Paul goes on to reveal that every aspect of our belief is based upon a concept of unity: one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, "...One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." (v. 6-7). Jesus descended into the earth and ascended "far above all heavens", leading the captives of death out with Him, in order to "fill all things". In the same way, Christ gave gifts to the Church, some apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, who are all still called and functioning in the Church today, in order to teach, edify and equip the saints in the unity required to achieve the fullness of Christ. These gifts to the Church will remain until the goal is achieved:"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 fullness of Christ." (v. 8-13). This fullness is necessary to prevent us from being tossed, carried and deceived by "every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (v. 14). We, however, speak the truth of unity: "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." (v. 14-16). Divisions created by men, including divisions based upon false doctrines and deceptions, work against the goal of Christ for His Body, the Church. These false divisions play a role in end time events as prophesied by Jesus to His disciples: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Mt. 24:7-8). We are seeing these events taking place now, and with great intensity. However, let us look at the complete meaning of the word "nation" used here in this verse. The Greek word is ethnos, which means "a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together; a company, troop, swarm; a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus; the human family; a tribe, nation, people group; in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles; Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians". Jesus added: "And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations (ethnos - the human family); and then shall the end come." (v. 14). The human family on the earth today, of which Jesus spoke, has one origin: "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth...And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread." (Gen. 9:1, 18-19). God gave Noah and his sons permission to eat any food on earth, but they could not eat the blood, which contained the life of the flesh. Restrictions on food did not come until the Law of Moses. Though varying cultures may eat things that seem unacceptable to us, thus causing senseless divisions, they are acceptable under God's instructions to Noah. All of the human family that inhabits earth today came from the three sons of Noah, as they left the ark, and spread out across the earth. To them and to all flesh, God's everlasting covenant promise to never again flood the earth was accompanied by a sign: the rainbow in the sky (v. 8-17). No matter how else this sign ordained by God is used by men, the true meaning of the rainbow is as a reminder to God of His covenant promise to all flesh, without categories, labels, or divisions. Although the human family lived in unity for a while, division came soon after. All men spoke one language at the time. In this unity of language, men planned to build a city out of brick and mortar, and a tower to reach up to heaven: "And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." (Gen. 11:1-4). The LORD came down to see what the people were building. He saw that having one language, nothing would be restrained from what they set their minds to do. So He confused their language, and they could no longer communicate with each other (v. 5-7). They sought to empower themselves because they had feared being scattered, but because of their actions, what they feared came to pass, and the LORD scattered them upon all the earth (v. 9). They were confused and divided from each other only by language, not by race nor ethnicity. In the New Testment, as the apostle Paul brought the Gospel to the people of Athens, he brought the knowledge of God to them using one of their own monuments "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD" (Acts 17:22-27). Paul said to them, "...I declare unto you...God that made the world and all things therein...dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us." Using the Greek word for nations again, which is ethnos, meaning the human family, Paul made clear that we have all been made from one blood by the God of all who dwells, not in a physical building, but within each of us, his living temples. In the Song of Solomon, there are two who are loved by one another. We believe that the love relationship depicted here is prophetic regarding Christ and His Church. The man, called by the woman, "My Beloved", and the woman describe each other lovingly as beautiful. One lover says, "I am black, but comely...Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me..." Songs 1:6). She is also called "thou fairest among women". She says of the one she loves: "My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven...His eyes are as the eyes of doves...His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His legs are as pillars of marble..." (Song 5:1-16). These two people in the Song of Songs will be known eternally, not for any divisions as defined by race, but for their devotion to each other, and for their beauty in each other's eyes. The human family has divided itself, and abused and rejected each other based upon the lie of race. We see evidence of the unity of the human family in many findings associated with the Native Americans in this country. Many Native American petroglyphs have been found that contain writing in the ancient Hebrew language. The Los Lunas Decalogue Stone is a stone in New Mexico upon which The Ten Commandments, engraved in ancient Hebrew, was found. The West African Slave Coast, from which many people were shipped and sold across the ocean, was called on ancient maps, "The Kingdom of Judah". From this we may conclude that many former American slaves may have descended from the Twelve Tribes of Israel. It is written that upon the arrival of Columbus in the New World, Indigenous People greeted him reciting the Shema, the prayer of Israel. The human family was never divided by God by racial identity. The amount of melanin in the skin does not divide us one from another, but is an indication of where many generations dwelt geographically on the earth, and in relationship to the sun. Race is a lie to separate and destroy people. Let's be set free by the truth, and be healed. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 1/30/2022 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.

What Will It Take?*

As we see events throughout this country and the world taking place, my question is: "What will it take?" What will it take for the Church to be that called out assembly of God's people in these last days. Jesus described the events that would usher in the end of the eage to His disciples. He warned first, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall deceive many." (Mt. 24:4-5). Jesus continued, "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars...For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places." (v. 6-7). We are seeing thev=se things now. Jesus also said that because iniquity would abound, "the love of many shall wax cold". (v. 12). As we see wickedness and sin increase, we respond like the way of the world. Prayer overthrows wickedness. Are we praying continually? Jesus told the parable of the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8). The judge feared neither God nor man. Yet a widow woman sought him to avenge her against her adversary. He decided to help her in order to avoid her wearying him with her continual petitions. Jesus told His listeners, "Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (v. 6-8). Even the world understands and has confidence in how persistent requests achieve action. However, Jesus wondered if the people of God have enough faith to be in prayer before God continually until His response is given to them. Immediately after, Jesus told a parable about those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, but despised others. Many churches believe that they are right, but the Word says that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. The scriptures, especially Isaiah 53, tell about the Messiah who took away our sins. What will it tke for the Church to turn to their Savior in repentance, and in prayer for others? Scripture tells us to pray, and don't faint - not vain prayers, but prayers from our hearts. Peter wrote to the Church in order to stir up their pure minds, to remember the words of the prophets and the commandments of the apostles (2 Pet. 3:1-2). Are our minds washed pure and renewed in the Word of God? Are we living up to the designation as the called out assembly of God? Peter said that this is knowledge that would be necessary in the last days (v. 3). This steadfastness of knowledge in the Word of God that transforms the mind also stands against what Peter prophesied as coming: the scoffers who ridicule the idea that God's judgment is coming. These same scoffers willfully disregard the fact that God previously judged the whole world by flood (v. 3-6). The next judgment coming, however, will be by fire, rather than water. God's timing, Peter said, is not the same as man's. To God, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day, and we are in the third day, in terms of thousands of years. The LORD waits as long as possible to execute judgment in order to give man every chance to repent: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (v. 9). Peter warns that this knowledge should have an impact on what kind of life we choose to lead. Some Christians have the appearance of Christians, but their words and ways do not. Where is the Church? The Book of Revelation mentions the importance of the prayers of believers: "...four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sung a new song saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we should reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:8-10). We are made kings and priests unto God by the same blood of the Lamb that saved us from sin and death. The called-out assembly of God is from every kindred, tongue, and nation. There are none that are excluded. In Revelation 7, a great multitude in white robes is identified as having come out of great tribulation (v. 9-14). Their robes were made white, not by their own righteousness, but having been washed in the blood of the Lamb. Do we consider ourselves more righteous than them? While we are not appointed to the wrath of God, we are in the beginning of tribulation now, and will experience more of it. This is an opportunity given for prayer and repentance. Revelation 9 speaks about those who did not take the opportunity to repent throughout the plagues: "And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see , nor hear, nor walk: neither repented of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts." (Rev. 9:20-21). We are in a time when men reject repentance. However, there will come a moment when time runs out: "And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer." (Rev. 10:5-6). Where is the Church, and what will it take for the Church to walk in the calling of God? The signs of the end are around us, and God requires us to pray, take the Gospel to others, repent, and make up the hedge for our nation and for souls. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 1/9/2022 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.

Psalms for Today*

The Book of Psalms, in the Hebrew language, is The Book of Praises. Many were written by King David. They fall into categories such as instructional, prophetic, the punishment of the wicked, repentance and cleansing, worship and those songs sung when traveling to Jerusalem, and atonement and covering. Today's date is 1/2/2022, so we will be looking at the Psalms that are numerically represented by this date. We will find that there is a very powerful, pertinent and timely message for us in these times. As we begin with Psalm 1, we read the difference between the way of the godly and the ungodly: "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful..." (v. 1). Today we see the scorn and scoffing of the truth of the Word of God in all media. There is rejection of God and His Word. The Psalm continues regarding the godly: "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." (v. 2-3). Joshua 1:8 is an instruction from God to Joshua regarding success. The LORD tells Joshua that the law is not to depart from Joshua's mouth, and that he should meditate upon it day and night. He is to DO what is written in it, not merely read it. Then, his way will be prosperous with good success. The Psalm says of the ungodly: "The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish." (v. 4-6). The LORD is returning, and there shall be judgment of the ungodly in that day, even wrath. God will separate the sheep from the goats. Malachi 3:2 asks the question, "But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' sope." Even His own people will go through the refining and purifying process of the LORD (v. 3). As the time of Christ's return draws near, this Psalm reminds us of our eternal destiny. Are we considering it? The next number in today's date corresponds to Psalm 2. This Psalm reflects the rebellion of the nations against the LORD as we are seeing today: "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." (v. 2-3). The nations want to break God's rulership over themselves. They reject the kingship of God, and wish to rule according to their own will. However, the Psalmist wrote that God laughs at this idea, and holds them in derision. They will experience His wrath for their foolishness (v. 4-5). God has appointed His Ruler over all nations: "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee...Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little: blessed are all they that put their trust in him." (v. 6-7, 11-12). The LORD has set His Son as Ruler over the nations. Today, we indeed see in the nations, especially in our own nation, that the bands and cords of righteousness with God have been willfully and purposefully broken and cut. In Gen. 11, the inhabitants of the earth also rebelled against the rulership of God, and sought to establish their own rulership. They were not successful. Those nations that cut the cord with God, treat Jesus as if He is a myth. However, Jesus' existence, His power, rulership and Sonship are confirmed by the Spirit, and by His resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:1-4). Proverbs 30:4 asks: "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in his garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?" As we see disasters happening to this nation that has cut the cords of righteousness with God, God calls His people to DO something: "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." (2 Chron. 7:14). For those who are joined with His Son, God says, "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." (8). Are we praying for the salvation of others? The LORD will answer those prayers. In Psalm 20, this Psalm of David talks about the day of trouble, and we surely are currently experiencing days of trouble. David wrote: "The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice. Selah." David wrote for us to "Selah", or consider, our offerings to God. God looks upon the intents of the heart, not the outward appearance. With what intent do we bring our offerings to God? David continued, "Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfill all thy counsel..." (v. 1-4). In this Psalm, David wrote that some may trust and depend upon military might, but David said, "...we will remember the name of the LORD our God." Those who depend on the their own might are fallen, he said, "...but we are risen and stand upright." He concluded, "Save LORD: let the king hear us when we call." David was the king, and he was not calling upon himself as king here, or any other earthly king for help. He was calling upon the LORD, the only King, the King of the universe. In our trust in Him, He will grant us the desires in our hearts. Again from today's date, we will look at Psalm 22. This Psalm of David is the most prophetic of the Psalms. David writes of an anguish that precisely prophesies the events of the crucifixion of Christ as told in the Gospels, and provides the accurate details of crucifixion many hundreds of years before that type of execution began to be practiced. This prophetic account begins, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?...Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee and were delivered...But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people." (see v. 1-6). The prophet Isaiah also saw the Servant of God, who was despised: "He is despised and rejected of men...we hid as it were our faces from him, and he was despised, and we esteemed him not." Isaiah prophesied that this Servant who was despised by others was wounded, bruised and striped for our sins and transgressions, not His own. In Psalm 22, David prophesied, "They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up...and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death...the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet...They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture." There was a book written, and the false rumor had been spread from the beginning, that Jesus and His disciples plotted or conspired to stage the crucifixion and resurrection. However, Jesus could not have plotted beforehand that Roman soldiers would take His clothes and gamble for them, as David prophesied here, and as the Gospel accounts confirm. Jesus could not have orchestrated the actions of Pontius Pilate. David's Psalm 22, which begins in a cry of anguish, then becomes a song of praise: "I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee. Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him all ye the seed of Israel. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard...The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations...A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come and declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this." What started as a cry of anguish became a work of victory that all the world would know. David prophesied this, and now we are here 2000 years later declaring Jesus as the Messiah, who was hung on the cross to restore mankind to fellowship with the King of the universe. We didn't make up a fable, or a strange phenomenon to believe in, but this was prophesied beforehand, recorded, and fulfilled, and the evidence that it is so is among us today. This evidence, the Shroud of Turin, has been described this way: "The Shroud of Turin is God's love letter in linen, written for all mankind." Psalm 21, also written by David, tells us that the king shall rejoice greatly in the LORD's salvation. The LORD has given him his heart's desire. Blessings of goodness, a crown of pure gold, life and length of days for ever: "His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever." (see v. 1-6). For those who hate him, they will be as a fiery oven, swallowed up in the LORD's wrath. Their fruit and their seed will be destroyed from the whole earth. Those who hate the LORD are destroyed in their own choice. The Psalm ends: "Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so we will sing, and praise thy power." (v. 13). The Psalms related to today's date, 1/2/2022, reflect a message for today, as we have seen. God's Word for our time, and for all time, is clearly laid out here. We would do well to heed it. We pray for all those who see this message, and who read my books written on the Shroud of Turin, to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is the desire of my heart. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 1/2/2022 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.

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.