Becoming Bereans*

We will be continuing in a series of messages that began with last week's message, "Search the Scriptures". Jesus told His listeners: "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (Jn. 5:39). Jesus is the Word of God who came in the flesh, and the scriptures continually illustrate the Savior, the Messiah, to whoever searches them. When the Apostle Paul travelled to Thessalonica, he preached for three Sabbaths in the synagogue there. He reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening the Word of God, and showing in them that the Messiah (Christ) must suffer and be raised from the dead (Acts 17:1-3). Some believed after hearing Paul, including some Gentiles, but others reacted with envy. Those envious hearers joined with a rough element and created an uproar in the city, and converged upon Jason's house, one of the believers in Christ. The mob took Jason and other brethren to the city elders and accused them saying: "These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also...and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus." (v. 6-7). Even though this outcry against Jason and the believers of Thessalonica began with the envious Jews in the synagogue, who should have been worshippers of God and followers of His Word, they used the worldly kingship of Cesar, and his decrees, to accuse the believers. They let Jason and the others go after they received money from them (v. 9). Money, rather than the revealed scriptures, is the interest of the world and those who reject God's Word. The believers in Thessalonica were accused of "turning the world upside down". Are we, the church, also turning the world upside down as believers in Christ? Many "megachurches", with vast resources, are not even having an effect on their own communities. Our weapons of warfare are not carnal but spiritual, and mighty through prayer in the pulling down of strongholds. Is the church praying? The believers of Thessalonica sent Paul and Silas to Berea, where the Jews in the synagogue there: "...received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:10-11). As a result, many in Berea believed, including again, Gentile men and women (v. 11). Because of the readiness to receive the Gospel, and the diligence they showed in confirming all that they heard by searching the scriptures, the Bereans were recorded in scripture as being "more noble than those in Thessalonica". The resentful Jews from Thessalonica then came to Berea to try to stir up the people there against the Gospel. The Bereans, however, sent Paul on to Athens, while Silas stayed with them (v. 13-15). Upon arrival in Athens, Paul began delivering the Gospel there, disputing with the Jews in the synagogue, and meeting with others in the marketplace. Finally, those of the Stoic and Epicurean philosophies met Paul, and at first, thought of him as being a "babbler" when he preached to them of Jesus, and the resurrection (v. 16-18). Paul soon used the example of an altar that he had seen on Mars Hill which had the inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Paul then taught them about the God Who had been "unknown" to them, but was now making Himself known. Paul told them about the God who made the world and all things within it, the Lord of heaven and earth. This God does not inhabit temples made with human hands, Paul told them, because God does not need anything, but gives life to all, gives breath, and all things to us. This God made all men of one blood, "...that they should seek the Lord...feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being..." (v. 23-27). Paul revealed that God was not found in gold, silver or stone, like an idol, and God had ordained that it was time that man repented of this idea, because there is appointed a day of judgment. All the world will be judged in the righteousness of that Man whom God ordained and sent, and God had given men assurance in the resurrection of that Man from the dead (v. 29-32). Some Greek hearers mocked this idea, but othere believed and joined with Paul (v. 32-34). We can see that the hostile and envious Jews of Thessalonica had only caused the Gospel that they so hated and persecuted to be spread successfully to other cities, even Athens, the stronghold of the worship of mythology and men's philosophies. One powerful truth in the scriptures that Paul taught above is that all men were made from one blood. The divisions between Jews and Gentiles, and among various labels of men's philosophies could not overcome that truth. All men have one Creator, one God, and are of one blood, and are also saved by one Blood, the Blood of Jesus, the Son of God. Any Christian organizations that try to divide men along racial or ethnic lines are not speaking the Word of God, because God has said that His Kingdom is made out of every nation, tribe and tongue. Search the scriptures for yourself, like a noble Berean, and see. Paul wrote to his faithful assistant Timothy about the importance of the Word of God: "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not...even to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain," (1 Tim. 6:3-6). Pul wrote that one of the great temptations and snares for believers and all men is the desire to obtain riches. There is no contentment to be found in that trap, but rather destruction and perdition: "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (v. 9-10). Paul encouraged Timothy to fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which he was called and of which Timothy has professed before many witnesses. Jesus professed the Word of truth before Pontius Pilate, and Timothy is to keep this commandment "without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ...keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.". (v. 12-21, excerpt). The temptation to seek the false knowledge and love of riches offered by the world and by men, rather than receiving and searching the Word of God, is always with us. Even the priests of the LORD fell into the temptation for riches and lusts. Eli the priest was warned by a prophet that because he would not restrain his greedy sons who oppressed the people of God, his priesthood and his house would be cut off. Eli ignored that Word, and his young trainee, Samuel, had to deliver to Eli the final Word from the LORD that the time of the prophesied judgment had come (1 Sam. 2 and 3). God's people, who are His priests, are expected not only to seem godly, but to be godly, and to be led by His Word, so they may live. The Prophet Hosea called God's people to return to Him, and in doing so, Hosea's prophecy testified of Jesus Christ: "Come and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." (Hos. 6:1-3). The prophet wrote that God's people had fallen into iniquity, treachery, lewdness, whoredom, murder, pollution, and defilement, but God has set a harvest for them in their return from captivity (v. 4-11). Search the scriptures for the knowledge of God and return to Him, and for the scriptures' testimony of the Son's third day resurrection, that you may live in His sight. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 9/4/2022 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, theshroudofturin.org, and endtimeschool, also on Facebook.

Search the Scriptures*

In Acts 17, a special group of people in Berea were mentioned as those to whom Paul preached the Gospel. They were commended in this regard: "These (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed...". (Acts 17:11-12). The Bereans looked through what we call the Old Testament scriptures to verify what Paul was telling them about Christ and His suffering and resurrection (see v. 2-3). These scriptures caused them to believe. Jesus also said: "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (Jn. 5:39). If we search the scriptures, we will find Jesus. On this same occasion, Jesus spoke of His unbreakable connection to His Father in heaven: "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth who he will...Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." (v. 21-27). Jesus also spoke of the two parts of judgment: "...the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice; and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (v. 28-29). There is a judgment for all. For those who believe in Christ, and live according to that belief and do good, eternal life awaits them. If we will search the scriptures, we will find that David spoke about this in Psalm 23. He spoke of experiencing the "shadow of death" without fear. Death has become just a shadow, rather than the reality, for those who believe and know the LORD as their Shepherd. Paul wrote, referring to the prophecy of Isaiah (64:4), that man has not seen, heard, nor understood the wonderful things that God has prepared for them that love Him. These things are revealed to us only by His Spirit: "...for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God." (1 Cor. 2:9-11). As we search the scriptures, the Spirit of God also searches on our behalf, to reveal to us those things that only God knows. Peter gives us an interesting look into how this mystery of Christ is revealed by the Spirit. He wrote to those who had never seen Jesus Christ, yet believed, and connected this to the prophets: "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." (1 Peter 1:8-11). It was the Spirit of God that revealed Christ to the prophets, not for their sakes alone, but to benefit us later. The very things that the prophets saw ahead by their diligent search of the Spirit of God, are the things that were revealed to us many centuries later for our salvation. We received this revealed Word by the same Holy Spirit sent from heaven for that purpose (v. 12). David, searching the Spirit of God, was given a prophetic revelation in Psalm 22, of Christ's suffering and crucifixion, a form of execution not invented until seven hundred years later by the Persians. Search the scriptures, and search the Holy Spirit as the prophets, the Bereans, and David did, and you will also find the Person of Jesus Christ, as Jesus said. This kind of revelation is to keep our minds, our soberness, and our hope, until the appearance of Jesus again (v. 13). Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 2:25-31) the prophetic revelation of the resurrected Jesus given to David. David wrote this revelation in Psalm 16: "I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (v. 8-11). Peter said that David was both dead and buried (the Upper Room of Acts 2 is located above the Tomb of David), but, speaking to us as a prophet, and according to the promise which God had sworn to him, David was speaking of the Messiah to come, who would be the fruit of his loins, of his flesh, in a future generation of David's, to be raised from the dead incorruptible, and seated on David's throne (Acts 2:29-31). Those who search the scriptures are kept and made strong in the discovery of the prophetic promises and their sovereign fulfillment. Ezekiel prophesied of this same King and Shepherd, whom he called "David", even though David was dead long before this prophetic word came forth: "...Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen...and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation...; and one king shall be king to them all...I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them." (Ezek. 37:21-24). The LORD also prophesied the everlasting covenant of peace that He will make with His people, and of His sanctuary that will be in the midst of them forever (v. 26). This refers to the millennial reign of Christ. The prophecy regarding David as their King and Shepherd immediately follows a prophecy shown to Ezekiel in which God will unite as one, Ephraim, the son of Joseph, and a tribe of Israel, and Judah, another tribe of Israel. Joseph's son Ephraim, meaning "doubly fruitful", was born of a Gentile mother in Egypt. The name's feminine form, Ephratah, refers to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, and the place where the Passover lambs are pastured during the year. The Book of Revelation confirms the prophecy of Ezekiel, and David as well: "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." Rev. 21:3-5). Serch the scriptures, for His Word is indeed true and faithful. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 8/28/2022 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, theshroudofturin.org, and endtimeschool, also on Facebook.

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's Wrong With This Picture?*

Please note: Beginning in July, Google will stop sending automatic notifications of new postings for blogs such as this one that are published under "blogspot.com". If you have been receiving notifications, or would like to receive them, please enter your email address in the box in the upper right corner of this blog page before July. Your email addresses will be retrieved hopefully, and you will be sent a notification directly when there is a new post available. Your email addresses will not be used for any other purpose. You will receive the "new blog post" notifications from "the disciple". If you choose not to enter your email address, it is recommend that after June 2021, you should check the blog regularly for new posts. Thank you for your patience and faithful readership. There is a game where a child must look at a picture and decide "What's wrong with this picture?". This applies to spiritual things as well. No matter how often a spiritual matter is verified by facts, there remains great debate and repudiation of those facts. In the many years that I have spent documenting the evidence, including scientific, medical, historical and scriptural evidence regarding the Shroud, people continually bring up the same arguments against it that were proven false long ago. It is an example of true knowledge being rejected, which is also the topic of this message today. Even the Body of Christ, knowing the spiritual truth from scripture that "a house divided against itself cannot stand", finds new ways to create and maintain divisions within the Body. The insistent rejection of knowledge in the face of so many confirmations and verifications, leads us to ask, "What's wrong with this picture?". The prophet Hosea wrote the word of the LORD regarding this subject: "Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore, shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish...Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest...Therefore shalt thou fall in the day...and I will destroy thy mother. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing how thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." (Hos. 4:1-6). The LORD told His prophet that this condition had grown as His people had increased, and He would change their glory into shame. This nation, like the Israel of Hosea, has also grown away from God as it has increased and strengthened. Above, the LORD reveals that His people are destroyed because they lack knowledge, and reject knowledge. The pictographic meaning of the individual Hebrew letters used in the word translated here as "destroyed" form the statement: "Behold the door to chaos". The pictographic meaning of the individual letters of the Hebrew word used here to mean "knowledge" forms this statement: "Behold the door to see the sign". It is necessary for us to seek the knowledge of God in order to see the signs of our times around us, and the signs of His coming. Proverbs repeatedly tells us to fear (reverence) the LORD, and gain wisdom, knowledge and understanding. It is fools who despise wisdom and instruction (Prov. 9:10, 1:7). The prophet Daniel wrote that while the wicked would seek to destroy the covenant (marriage contract) of God, those who know their God shall do great exploits (Dan. 11:32). Jesus told the parable of the five wise (thoughtful, discreet, with practical skill or acumen) and the five foolish (dull, stupid, blockhead) virgins who knew the bridegroom was expected, but the foolish virgins did not have oil for their lamps, and therefore missed the bridegroom's sudden coming (Mt. 25:1-7). Oil always represents the Holy Spirit, and this parable of Christ's teaches that the Holy Spirit is essential for all believers to have in order to meet the Bridegrrom when He comes. All believers should understand the importance of having the Holy Spirit, especially on this feast day of the LORD, Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is also directly connected with having knowledge: "But ye have an unction (anointing: the special endowment of the Holy Spirit) from the Holy One, and ye know all things." (1 Jn. 2:20). Paul pointed out that it was necessary for believers to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. He came across new believers in Ephesus who had never heard of the Holy Spirit, nor the baptsm of the Holy Spirit. They had only been baptized in John's baptism, the baptism of repentance. Even John the Baptist referred to the coming Christ, and His baptism of fire that would come after John, and was greater than John. As Paul laid hands on the Ephesian believers, the twelve men received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They began to speak with tongues and prophesy (Acts 19:1-7). Yet, there are those who will argue and try to persuade agqinst the promise of God, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or the evidence for the Shroud of Turin, and the men and women of God who teach the truth of His Word. Their intention is to stir up (meaning "destroy") the people to prevent them from receiving the truth (Acts 17:13-15). However, all people, including believers in Christ, are urged by the Word of God to search the scriptures for themselves to see if persuasive arguments are true or not. This is considered a noble act by the Lord (Acts 17:10-12). When Jesus opens the scriptures to us as we search them, our eyes are opened in amazement, and we are convinced that we have received the knowledge of the Lord (Lk. 24:27-32). *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 5/23/21 message to the church. To contact: PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and at endtimeschool.com

Confirm Scripture With Scripture*

We mentioned last week that we were going to begin to unlearn error so we can learn truth. One of the strongest confirmations that the scriptures are truth, and inspired by God, is the fact that it contains prophecies, especially dealing with the Messiah, that have been fulfilled. If the books of the Apocrypha also contains fulfilled prophecy, then why are they not also considered inspired scripture? These books were once included in the King James Bible, and they are still included in the Catholic Bible. Jewish religious leaders first contended that the books of the Apocrypha did not rise to the level of scripture. However, these same books point directly to the Messiah being Jesus. Could this be the reason that these books began to be disregarded? Jude, the writer of one of the books of the New Testament, and one of the brothers of Christ, who also held the position of Bishop of Odessa, quoted from the Book of Enoch, one of the Apocryphal books. Jude wrote: "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken aginst him..." (v. 14-21, excerpt). In another example from scripture, the Apostle Paul, speaking to the Greeks, told of how the LORD created all peoples from one blood, and determined beforehand the geographical boundries of their habitations (Acts 17:24-27). Genesis 10 tells us of the three sons of Noah and their sons after the flood. From those sons, came the various people, both Gentiles and Jews, with their physical locations named after them. In the beginning of the earth's creation, all of the seas were gathered in one place, and the same being true of all of the land, which the LORD called "earth", or eretz in Hebrew (Gen. 1:9-10). However, along the descendants of Noah was born one named Peleg (meaning "division"), because it was in Peleg's days that the land, or eretz, was divided (Gen. 10:25). As we see on maps today, the continents could fit together like puzzle pieces, if we brought them together without the water dividing them. This could be one reason why various peoples, including Native Americans on this continent, show a DNA relationship with Middle Eastern Jews. Many of God's people, the Israelites, have been, as Moses prophesied, rooted up from their land (Deut. 29:19-29): "And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day." According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, Columbus' explorations and discoveries were based in part upon the earlier astronomical and geographical writings of learned Jews. He also took several Jews on his voyages to the new world. This is during the same period when Spain was expelling Jews from their nation, and those Jews were seeking new homelands. The Apocryphal Book of Esdras 2, Chapter 13, includes descriptions of Jews, ejected from their lands because they did not keep the ways of the Lord. They became determined to keep His ways in their new lands where men had never before dwelt: "...37 And this my Son shall rebuke the wicked inventions of those nations, which for their wicked life are fallen into the tempest; 38 And shall lay before them their evil thoughts, and the torments wherewith they shall begin to be tormented, which are like unto a flame: and he shall destroy them without labour by the law which is like unto me. 39 And whereas thou sawest that he gathered another peaceable multitude unto him; 40 Those are the ten tribes, which were carried away prisoners out of their own land in the time of Osea the king, whom Salmanasar the king of Assyria led away captive, and he carried them over the waters, and so came they into another land. 41 But they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt, 42 That they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land. 43 And they entered into Euphrates by the narrow places of the river. 44 For the most High then shewed signs for them, and held still the flood, till they were passed over. 45 For through that country there was a great way to go, namely, of a year and a half: and the same region is called Arsareth. 46 Then dwelt they there until the latter time; and now when they shall begin to come..." In the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus was crucified, He was mocked, reviled and scorned by spectators, saying, "If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." Even the religious leaders mocked Christ saying, "He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him. He trusted in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God." (Mt. 27:39-43). The Apocryphal Book of Wisdom (of Solomon), Chapter 2, tells of an identical event: "16 We are esteemed of him as counterfeits: he abstaineth from our ways as from filthiness: he pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed, and maketh his boast that God is his father. 17 Let us see if his words be true: and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him. 18 For if the just man be the son of God, he will help him, and deliver him from the hand of his enemies. 19 Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience. 20 Let us condemn him with a shameful death: for by his own saying he shall be respected. 21 Such things they did imagine, and were deceived: for their own wickedness hath blinded them. 22 As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not: neither hoped they for the wages of righteousness, nor discerned a reward for blameless souls." As is mentioned in the above Book of Wisdom, the Apostle Paul also spoke about the spiritul blindness that had in part come upon the Jews for the sake of the Gentiles, until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in (Rom. 11:25). However, let us also keep in mind the next verses concerning Israel, which includes: "As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes." If the Apocrypha is judged the same way that we judge scripture, as containing fulfilled prophecy especially those dealing with the Messiah, we can see why these Books had originally been included in our scriptures. We can also see, why they have likewise been removed: because they testify specifically and in detail as to Jesus being the Messiah. It is time to unlearn error, and learn the truth. We can do that by confirming scripture with scripture. *Based on the 12/6/20 message of Dr. Stevenson to the Church; To Contact: PO Box 154221, Waco, TX 76705, Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com

Back to the Future*

In order to be prepared for the return of the Lord, we need to look back to understand things we have been mistaught in order to receive the truth. We need to know the truth, not the doctrines of men or devils. For instance, scripture tells us that the kingdom of God is made up from every nation, tribe, and tongue, yet racism is on the rise, as Jesus prophesied when He said "Nation shall rise against nation...". The word "nation" used here is the Greek word ethnos, from which we get the word ethnicity. We have been taught many things about our history involving the Native Americans of this land. Evidence points to the fact that the native people of this country may be part of the lost tribes of Israel. Their early language and heiroglyphics have a similarity to the ancient Hebrew language. It is said that when Columbus made one of his trips to this continent, he was greeted by native people with the Shema: ""Hear O Israel, the LORD our God is One". In addition, DNA evidence shows a relationship between the Cherokee tribe and Middle Eastern Jews. While Christian settlers tried various methods to destroy or drive out native people, the earliest Christian converts in our land were Native Americans. There are religious customs among the Native Americans, which the government tried to ban, that reflect their understanding that the Messiah, Jesus, appeared to their ancestors on this continent earlier in their history. Yet, the white man was taught that the Native Americans were all without the knowledge of God. The book, "The History of the North American Indians" by James Adair, is recommended reading for more information on this subject. In another example of the lack of truth, few know that the people of the nations of the western coast of Africa, which was called "the slave coast" because their inhabitants were captured and sold into slavery, lived in an area of Africa that had previously been called "The Kingdom of Judah" on the ancient maps. It is believed that these people, later sold into slavery, had emmigrated from Israel to Africa earlier in their history. In another example of misinformation, the Jewish books of the Apocrypha are believed to be outside of, and less than, scripture. Yet the Apochrypha had been included in the original King James Version of the Bible, only to be later removed. These books are still included in the Catholic Bible. From the time of the Reformation, Catholics and Protestants were at enmity with one another, and these books were removed from scripture. When flesh gets in, it can uproot the Spirit. We will find, as we look into the Apocrypha in the future, that there is a testimony of the Messiah contained in these books. The Word of the LORD through the prophet Hosea reveals that the LORD has a controversy with His people who do not value truth: "Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood....Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity." (Hos. 4:1-9). There are those who have been told they are not the people of God. The prophet Hosea prophesies this Word of the LORD regarding them: "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God." (Hos. 1:10). The Apostle Paul found this to be the truth as he traveled to the city of Athens in Greece. One would assume in that day that the people of Athens, having practiced polytheism for centuries, could not possibly be people of God. Yet Paul discerned within both the Athenian religious and philosophical culture, an acknowledgement of God and His power, Whom the Greeks could not specifically identify, but included in worship at an altar upon which was written "To The Unknown God" (Acts 17:22-23). Paul challenged their idolic worship teaching, "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing as he is Lord of heaven and earth, 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: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also your own poets have said..." (Acts 17:24-28). Paul went on to preach the Gospel of Christ to those people of Athens. Some mocked the idea of One who was raised from the dead, but others wanted to hear more (v.32). Paul had discovered earlier in his travel to the Greek city of Thessonica, that not only some of the Jews, although many remained hostile to the Gospel, but also many of the Greeks there, accepted the Gospel he preached to them (Acts 17:1-4). When Paul came to another city in Greece, Berea, he again preached at the synagogue there. The Jews there were very interested in hearing what Paul had to say, and were interested enough in knowing the truth that they searhed the scriptures for themselves to verify what Paul had told them. Many of them then believed the Gospel. Also more than just a few of the local Greek people believed (Acts 17:10-12). Scripture called these Bereans "noble" because they desired to know truth more than anything else. Many believers even to this present day have been taught that they will not experience any part of the Great Tribulation, because they believe the Rapture of the Church will precede it. However, Revelation tells us that a great multitude of believers, clothed with white robes, out "of all nations, and kindreds, and people and tongues", are described as those "which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Rev. 7:9-17 excerpt). So there is evidence that believers will experience some portion of the Tribulation. Our lack of the knowledge of the truth has probably affected to whom we bring the Gospel, and whom we have historically considered to be the people of God, or not. With all signs, including rising racism, the pandemic, earthquakes, storms, indicating to us that the end is near, we are in need like never before of the truth in order to be prepared ourselves, and to prepared others. What are we doing to reach the lost as we see the day approaching? *Based upon the 11/29/20 message of Dr. Kenneth Stevenson to the Church. To Contact: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX 76705, or Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com Please look for us on Facebook and Twitter also.

Seek His Face in the Word*

 

As we continue the series "Seek His Face", this week, we will be seeking His face in the Word.

Isaiah urged his readers, by the prophetic Word of God, to turn and seek the LORD, to search Him out. In the following verses, the LORD prophesies of sending His Messiah, and of the unfettered character of His Word:

"Behold, I have given him as a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people...Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him...For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD....So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."   Isa. 55:4-11 (excerpt)

Many people reject out of hand a work of God, like the Shroud of Turin, because they do not believe the LORD would use a piece of cloth with His image upon it to confirm His Word, and testify of His salvation. Some reject an item of physical evidence like this as an idol that God would never use. However, the LORD states clearly above, that His ways and thoughts are very different from man's, yet He assures us that those ways and thoughts, as revealed in His Word, accomplish exactly what He sets them out to do. Moreover, the LORD has used images to bring His truth to man. He instructed Moses to lift a brass image of a serpent on a pole for the people to look upon in order to be healed and delivered from a plague that had broken out against them. In the same way, Jesus spoke of being lifted up (on a cross), and men looking upon Him. So, is the Shroud of Turin, engraved with the body and face of Christ, one of these images purposed by God, to be looked upon by men, and is it revealed in the Word of God? Jesus said that the scriptures testify of Him. He also said, as the prophets have written, all will be taught by the LORD, and those who have learned from the Father, come to Jesus (Jn. 6:45).

Paul and Silas traveled to Berea (meaning "well-watered"), where the Jews listened to the Gospel from him with an open mind. The Bereans were those who studied and searched the scriptures, and when they found the confirmation of the Gospel of Salvation brought to them by Paul and Silas in the scriptures, they believed the news of Christ (Acts 17:10-12). The Word of God, including the Old Testament, which is what the Bereans had to study, brings repeated witness of all things pertaining to Christ, the Messiah and Savior, as Jesus said.

The prophet of God wrote of an image of a severely wounded Messiah that kings would look upon about which they had not been told in any other way. It would sprinkle them (as the blood of expiation):

"Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied (desolate, appalled, causing horror) at thee; his visage (appearance, to look upon. Root meaning: to inspect, to look upon and consider; discern) was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: so shall he sprinkle (nazah; spurt, spatter, sprinkle, especially in expiation) many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider."  Isa. 52:13-15

Isaiah is prophesying about an image that many could look upon, consider and examine: an image that testifies of something so profoundly that man can understand its meaning without being told from another source. The image speaks for itself powerfully.

We see one fulfillment of this prophecy above in the New Testament, as Paul appears before Festus and King Agrippa. Paul reminds the King that the things he was preaching about Christ were nothing more than what Moses and the Prophets before him had already written and testified, including Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection from the dead (Acts 26:22-23). Festus accused Paul of being mad. Then Paul said to Festus and the King:

"...I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner . King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuades me to be a Christian."   Acts 26:25-28

Paul again confirmed that the scriptures reveal Christ, including Moses and the prophets. He also concluded that the king had the knowledge that the prophet (see verses from Isaiah above), said would be revealed for kings to look upon.

The Word of God also speaks of a reflected, or mirror (reversed) image, which testifies of His face:

"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."  2 Cor. 3:18

It is written in Proverbs of a mirrored, or reflected, image that affects a man's heart profoundly:

"As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man."  Prov. 27:19

The image on the Shroud is also a negative, or reversed, image.

The disciple John, when he ran to the empty tomb with Peter, was convinced to believe in Christ's resurrection by what he saw in the tomb -  the shroud with which Jesus' body had been covered, and the scriptures say that he was then convinced of the resurrection. Rather than just an empty cloth, was there something upon the  linen grave clothes so powerful as to convince John without doubt? (Jn. 20:6-8)

Jacob named a place "Peniel" (meaning "facing, turning toward God"), saying, "...for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."  Gen. Gen. 32:30

We are told to seek God's face, as in 2 Chron. 7:14, in order to bring repentance and healing to our hearts and land. The face of God can be found in His Word. The face of God is also found in physical evidence, like the Shroud of Turin, that confirm His Word, and are themselves confirmed by His Word, and are not apart from His Word. Search the scriptures for yourself, and find out if these things are true.

*The above is based upon the 8/9/20 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson. 

To Contact/Submit prayer requests/Support the ministry/Order the book, "NAZAH-White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling", and to help us get out the message, to contribute to the Book of Remembrance for Sean Stevenson:

Dr. Kenneth Stevenson
P.O. Box 154221
Waco, TX  76705

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

http://endtimeschool.com/

everlastingcovenant@ymail.com

To watch/hear Dr. Stevenson's complete message:

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

Sermon.net/EverlastingCovenant
 

Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.
 

Dr. Stevenson's newest book is now available:

  

To order "NAZAH": https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8     http://endtimeschool.com/ 

 

 



                                                                   Sean Stevenson