The Missed Passover Connection*

Passover is approaching in a few days. John the Baptist identified Jesus directly with the Passover by saying, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (Jn. 1:29, 36). He also identified Jesus as the Son of God (v. 34). Jesus said clearly that He was the bread that comes from heaven, that when eaten, brings eternal life: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world." The crowd wanted that bread, and asked Jesus to give it to them. Jesus answered: "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst...and this is the will of him (meaning the Father) that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." (Jn. 6:30-40, excerpt). Resurrection is the core of our Christian faith. We will see later on that Jesus connects this bread of resurrection with the Passover bread. While still slaves in Egypt, Passover also delivered from the power of death the Israelites who had obediently applied the blood of the lamb to their doorposts and lintels as Moses had commanded them from God. The Jews who were listening to Jesus, however, had trouble accepting the comment that He had come down from heaven. They knew His birth family, they reasoned, so how could He have come down from heaven? They were missing the Passover connection through unbelief. Jesus, knowing their murmurings said, "No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God (see Isa. 54:13-14, Jer. 31:33-34). Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me...Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life...that a man may eat thereof and not die." In the wilderness, the Israelites ate the manna that God had miraculously given to them, but they did eventually die. This bread, however, of which Jesus spoke, if a man ate of it, he would not die (Jn. 6:41-50). Then Jesus revealed the nature of this bread of eternal life come down from heaven: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of theworld...Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you."" (v.51-53). Those listening were repulsed by the idea of eating this Man's flesh, and drinking His blood, as they received this with their natural understanding, rather than by the Spirit (v. 63), and being "taught of God", as Jesus had mentioned. These were the same people who had witnessed Jesus multiply the fish and the bread to feed thousands, and had travelled around the Sea of Galilee to follow Him. Now He was telling them about the living bread of everlasting life, and they couldn't accept it. Jesus had also told them that His flesh as the living bread was given for the life of the world. He repeated again the truth of the living bread of His flesh, and His blood, sent by the Father, given for them: "...he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." (v. 54-59). Many who had been His disciples up to this point, could no longer walk with Jesus because of this revelation. Only the twelve, including the betrayer, Judas, continued with Jesus. When Jesus remarked on this, Peter said, "...Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." (v. 60-71). Jesus Himself connected this living bread of eternal life, which was His own flesh, with the Passover. The Lord was sharing the Passover meal with His disciples (Mt. 26:17-18), and He took the two main elements from that meal: "And as they were eating, Jesus took the bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Mt. 26:26-28). The account of this same Passover event in Luke 22 tells us that the cup that Jesus took was the cup after supper (Lk. 22:20). This cup, taken after the Passover supper, has special significance here because it is called "the cup of redemption" by those who observe the Passover. Jesus also said that He would not partake of the wine again until He drinks it new with them in His Father's kingdom. Jesus knew that this would be His last Passover on earth, and be the night of His arrest, and then death (see Lk. 22:7), and that His betrayer was at the table with Him at that moment, and about to act (v. 21-25, see also Mk. 14:22-25). Jesus said that He would not be shedding that blood of the new testament for few, but for many, even in fact for the world - those who believe and have partaken of the Passover connection. He also revealed by this statement that we will be keeping the Passover with Him in His reign as King. When the Passover was first given to Israel by Moses for their deliverance from the last plague of death, they were told to select a male lamb without blemish (Ex. 12:5): "And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover...And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and you shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." (v. 11, 14, also see Num. 9). The Hebrew word used here for "it", referring to the Passover and the lamb, has the root word made up of the Hebrew letters aleph, tav, which are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus referred to Himself as "The Aleph Tav", or "the Alpha and the Omega" when translated into the Greek. In the verses from Exodus and Numbers, a third Hebrew letter, the vaw, has been added to make up the word "it". This is the same spelling as used for the word meaning "sign", and the individual meanings of the three letters together mean "God nailed to the cross". This word is also used in Isa. 7:10-14, when the king is ordered to ask God for a "sign". The LORD provided the prophetic sign Himself in that passage in the form of a prophetic promise of a virgin giving birth to a son, and the child's name being called Immanuel, meaning "God with us". The aleph-tav sign of Passover, "God nailed to the cross", is to be a guide to the Church. Paul wrote to the church of Corinth for overlooking fornication within its congregation. The nature of the fornication was extreme, and Paul instructed them to turn the offender over to Satan. (The man would later repent and Paul then instructed the church that the man should be accepted back.) Paul warned the church about the tolerance of sin in their midst: "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven (meaning sin) leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." (1 Cor. 5:1-7). As the church today, like the Corinthian church long ago, ignores the destruction and death caused by sin, they are also missing the Passover connection. Both Jesus and Paul spoke of the Passover connection two thousand years ago. All who have received this truth since then have also received the promise of eternal life. Can anyone afford to ignore this? All believers are called to the wedding supper of the Lamb of God, but don't try to sneak in without your wedding garment, which is eternal life. As Passover approaches, we must examine our lives and remove the leaven, which is sin, while we reflect on Who our Passover is. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 3/26/23 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 END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook. You can also get a free ebook titled "The Shroud of Turin- A Perfect Summary" at www.TheShroudofTurin.org/freebook.

Understanding the Atonement*

The Feasts of the LORD give vital pointers of who the Messiah is, and how He comes, and they illustrate God's plan for creation. We just observed the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah, as it is also known, and in a few days, the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur will occur: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement (kipur/kapar - atonement, purge, expiation, redemption, reconciliation, forgive, propitiation, cover over, cleanse): it shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people...it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath." (Lev. 23:26-32). The feasts are not just for the Jewish people, or for the time of the Old Testament only, but forever. The Hebrew pictographic letters that make up the word for atonement, kipur/kapar, have the meaning "to cover by the mouth of the Most High". The promise out of the mouth of God in Genesis was the seed of the woman to redeem. The atonement has come forth from the mouth of God, and has been fulfilled in Christ, and will be fulfilled again by Christ. The LORD established a testimony in Jacob, not for that generation only, but to tell their children, who in turn, would arise and tell the testimony to their children: "That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments: and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God...they did flatter him (God) with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant." (Ps. 78:5-8, 34-37). This psalm said that even so, God forgave them, and didn't destroy them because He remembered that they were mere flesh. However, they repeatedly provoked and grieved Him, turning their back to Him, and limiting the Holy One of Israel (v. 38-41). We limit God if we forget His repeated mercies to us, and again turn away from Him. Psalm 79 asks God not to remember our sins, because we have been brought low: "Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake." (v. 8-9). The word "purge away" in these verses is the word kapar, atonement. The psalmist asks the LORD to hear the sighing of the prisoner, and to preserve those who are appointed to die (v. 11). Jesus, our Atonement, after His death, descended into hell, and led the captives of death out, and ascended with them into heaven, fulfilling the psalmist's prophetic prayer, and the Word of God. The prophet Zechariah received a vision of the LORD in which the high priest, Joshua, standing before the Angel of the LORD, was cleansed and his filthy garments were changed into clean garments. Satan was resisting the cleansing of Joshua until the LORD rebuked him: "The LORD rebuke thee O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" (Zech. 3:1-3). As Joshua's filthy garments were ordered to be taken away by the LORD, He said: "Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment." (v. 4). This reminds us of the pure, white linen of righteousness granted to the Bride to be worn for her marriage to the Lamb in Revelation 19. This was the charge that was given to Joshua at the time of his cleansing: "If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by." (v. 7). At the cleansing of Joshua, the LORD also prophesied of the One whom He would send, the Messiah: "...behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH...and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day...shall ye call every man his neighbor, under the vine and under the fig tree." (v. 8-10). The atonement cleansing of Joshua the high priest also brought the promise to remove the iniquity of that land, the prophecy of the Messiah to come, and the Millennial Reign of the Messiah, Jesus. Who must be cleansed? Paul wrote: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God", but we have been justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God sent to be "the propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." (Rom. 3:22-26). Paul is describing the atonement, and it is not achieved through religion or our own efforts, but by faith in His atoning blood. There is a song that says "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus" can wash away our sins. Even when we were enemies of God, "we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." (Rom. 5:7-10). Here is the reconciliation of the atonement, not with the blood of animals, or even the blood of a man, but by the blood of the Son of God. Because of this atonement by the Son's own blood, we are no longer to yield to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but "to yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Rom. 6:11-14). After being freed from being servants to sin, we have become servants, even slaves to God, bearing fruit of holiness and the end being eternal life, rather than receiving the wages of sin, which is death (v. 22-23). We have been reconciled and saved by Jesus' life, the atoning blood, given for us. Therefore, we are no longer to be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing and washing of our minds in the Word of God, washed by the water, the blood, and the truth. Sin is still sin, although many churches have compromised this truth. We are to bring sin under His authority. The Book of Hebrews, in saying that Jesus Christ, our High Priest, entered into the perfect tabernacle in heaven, making atonement for us, obtaining eternal redemption for us, not by the blood of animals, but by His own blood, then asks, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?". He then became also the mediator of the new testament by means of His death. (Heb. 9:11-15). This is the simplicity of the Gospel. It's not about going to church, but going to Christ in our hearts. It's not about the name on the door, but about the name on our hearts. In the third epistle of John, John wrote that he prayed that we would be prospered as our soul prospers, and that he has no greater joy than when he hears that his spiritual children are "walking in truth" (v. 1-4). This upcoming Feast of the LORD, the Day of Atonement, calls us to prosper in our souls, and walk in the truth of Christ's atonement for us. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 10/2/2022 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, theshroudofturin.org, and END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook.

Ready or Not*

When we were children, we played the game Hide and Seek. We would call out, "Ready or not, here I come!". Is the Body of Christ ready to meet Christ? Solomon wrote that no one will have power over that day: "There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who are given to it...". (Eccl. 8:8). Solomon also wrote in this chapter that those who keep the commands of God will not suffer evil. He said that the heart of the wise discern both time and judgment, and there is both a set time and a judgment (v. 5-6). Those who think that evil is not punished quickly, set their hearts to do evil. Though a sinner's days may be prolonged, it will not go well with him because he does not fear and revere God (v. 11-12). In the days before the flood, God said that men's hearts were evil continually, and the LORD regretted that He had created man. Only the man Noah had grace with God (Gen. 6:5-8). It is the grace of God found in His Son, Jesus, that makes death but a shadow for those who believe, for we have passed from death unto life in Him. Have you found this grace with God? In the days of Noah, life went on as usual for men until Noah was shut into the ark and the earth was flooded. In the days before the total destruction of Sodom, life continued as usual for the wicked inhabitants of that city. Only Lot and his immediate family survived, because the angels pulled them out. The ashes of Sodom testify today of the day of destruction that they faced. Jesus said that the same conditions would exist before His appearing: life as "normal", and then sudden destruction (Lk. 17:26-30). Are we ready for that day? Because ready or not, He is returning. Have we silently tolerated sin, participated in it, and aided in its proliferation? God is not afraid to call sin, sin. However, we do not need to remain in sin. Paul, in listing the sins of men wrote, "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor. 6:11). We don't have to remain in sin, and suffer the consequence of sin, death. The Apostle Jude warned of a danger to the church of believers and wrote: "...It was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (v. 3). Jude felt that the salvation faith of the saints was in danger from within the church. Ungodly men, who were ordained to condemnation from the beginning, were "turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (v. 4). In the face of this spiritual undermining, even in the church, it is not enough to be comfortable and satisfied with your faith, but you will need to actively contend for it in order to keep it. Jude wrote that this undermining of faith in the church is the same that caused the Israelites, who had been delivered from Egypt by God, to then become filled with unbelief towards Him. This undermining caused the angels to fall, and end up in chains. It is the same underming that caused Sodom and Gomorrah to give themselves over to fornication until they could not be saved. They then became those who suffer the eternal fire (v. 5-7). The apostles felt by the Spirit the nearness of the day of reckoning. If they felt it so strongly then, how much closer is that day to us? Peter wrote: "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins...as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1 Pet. 4:7-8). As Jude wrote, Peter said that there was a need for fervency regarding the faith. He also wrote that in whatever way that we speak and minister, we are to do it by the oracles and gifted abilities that God has given to each. Only these things will cause God to be glorified. (v. 11). If we suffer, we are to suffer because of our faith, not in the suffering that the sinners and evil-doers will experience: "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saived, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? ...But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." (13-18). The Prophet Jeremiah wrote the Word of the LORD concerning the undermining of the truth, and the faith of the people of God, and again there is a comparison with the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah. The LORD said to Jeremiah: "I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of the evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah...concerning the prophets...Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land." (Jer. 23:14-15). The LORD warned not to listen to these prophets. "For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked." (v. 18-19). Those profane prophets were prophesying peace, and telling those "that walketh after the imagination of his own heart", that no evil will befall him. Jeremiah wrote about the latter days: "The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly." (v. 20). Jesus taught in a parable about a king who had prepared a wedding banquet for his son. The king saw among the guests one who was not clothed in a wedding garment. The king said: "Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless." (Mt. 22:11-12). Because that guest was not wearing a wedding garment, he was bound, taken away, and cast into outer darkness: "...there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen." (v.13-14). This parable offended the religious Pharisees, who felt they were already justified in God, and did not want to listen to anyone who said that they were not accepted by God in their own righteousness. In Jewish wedding traditions, as well as in the scripture, there are wedding garments that must be made ready. The Word of Jesus in Revelation: "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." (Rev. 16:15). And then they were gathered into the place called Armageddon (v. 16). I believe the day is near. We can understand that day as we understnd the appointed feasts of the LORD. We are coming into the season of the spring feasts now. Are we ready? *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 4/3/2022 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.

Real Freedom*

In today's message, which is on July 4th, Independence Day, I would like you to consider the meaning of independence and freedom. America has always represented freedom to other nations, and oppressed people around the world. Many desire to come here to America to obtain that represented freedom. America is described in our national anthem as "the land of the free, and the home of the brave". What is the real truth about freedom? Jesus began to reveal to those who believed in Him the truth about freedom: "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jn. 8:31-32). The root of freedom is not political, but spiritual, and not just any spiritual source, but freedom is created and obtained in the truth of the Word of God, and more specifically, the Word that Jesus came to deliver to us. However, his listeners rejected the idea that the Words of Jesus exclusively provided this freedom, as He had said. They argued that as the descendants of Abraham, they had already entered into the freedom of which Jesus spoke. On the same occasion, Jesus revealed the root of the opposite of freedom, which is slavery and oppression: "Jesus answered them, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant (meaning "slave; to be in bonds")of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (v.34-36). Jesus told them that sin in a person's life made that person a slave to that sin. It is sin that creates slavery. He also said that His unique position as the Son of His Father's house, rather than being a servant, such as Abraham had been to God, gave Him the authority to set the enslaved sinner free. The Apostle Paul wrote that not only is freedom found in Christ's power to deliver us from that slavery to sin, but in order to remain free, we must abide in Christ, and not again submit to the bondage of sin. Sin still has the power to enslave us, if we give it a place in our lives: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that sre dead to sin, live any longer therein? ...that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life....Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve (meaning "to be a slave") sin." (Rom. 6:1-6, excerpt). Our body of sin was killed, crucified on the cross with Jesus. Why would we want to reintroduce sin to our new lives to be enslaved once again? "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace...Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you...But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (v. 12-14, 16-17, 22-23). America is not representing freedom when it does all that it can to celebrate and condone sin. Instead, it is guiding people into slavery. Again Paul wrote, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage...For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." (Gal. 5:1, 13). In that liberty from the enslavement to sin given to us through Christ, we have become a special people: "But 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...for so it is the will of God, with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God." (1 Pet. 2:9-10, 15-16). How we carry ourselves, our lifestyle of service to God through Christ, puts to silence those who would lead others into the slavery of sin. Are we serving God here in America, or are we serving flesh? Concerning those who, having known the freedom of Christ, turn back to the slavery of sin, and encourage others to do the same, Paul wrote: "For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption...For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and The sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." (2 Pet. 2:18-22). America, along with Israel, are the only two nations that have ever dedicated themselves from their beginnings to service to God. However, America is turning away from the true liberty found in Christ, and turning back to the ways of bondage to sin and the flesh. The verses above warn that the end of such are worse than their beginnings. We have a responnsibility, as those who are commanded to love God and to love our neighbor, to live in the ways of freedom from the bondage of sin bought by Jesus Christ for us, so as not to lead our neighbors into the slavery of sin. As we celebrate Independence Day here in America, let us thank the two people who have been willing to lay their lives on the line for our freedom: those who have served in the military to fight on our behalf, and Jesus, Who died and rose again to make men free. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 7/4/21 message to the church. To contact: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.

Understanding the Root and Not the Symptoms*

Passover is twenty days away, and eight days later, is Resurrection Sunday. Seldom are these two important days so close together. The divine congruence of these two holy days this year, should cause the Church to prepare themselves in a special way. These days should bring to mind the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and His resurrection from the dead. Much of what we see in the world today is very concerning. However, we need to understand that those things we are seeing are the symptoms of a much deeper root problem. That root problem is sin, and it applies to us all: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back, they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."(Ps. 53:1-3). Sin is not someone else's problem, but everyone's problem. The sin nature of man passed from Adam like a gene. If we deny it, we are not dealing with reality, we are only dealing with the symptoms. How deeply is sin imbedded in our nature? The prophet Jeremiah wrote: "Thus saith the LORD; cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD...Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters...her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who shall know it." (Jer. 17:5-9). Many in the Church have been trusting in politicians to cure the ills of society rather than the LORD. Many trust in pharmaceuticals to heal us of the latest deadly outbreak. We should keep in mind that the Greek word for sorcerer is pharmakeus. Our hearts convince us that our hope is in man rather than God. Our hearts deceivingly convince us that there is hope in self-help, rather than God. Scripture explains the division between heart and Spirit, and the respective results from each. "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh...these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, forniction, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like...they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit..." (Gal. 5:15-25). Jesus came under criticism because He did not keep the traditions of men that had become more important to the people than the Word of God. However, the traditions of men would not keep them clean and undefiled. Jesus quoted Isaiah: "This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Mk. 7:5-9). Jesus continued, "Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man..." (v. 14-15). Even His own disciples did not understand this principle, and asked for an explanation. Jesus was surprised that they couldn't understand. He then explained, "That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man." (Mk. 7:20-23). As we read above in Jeremiah, Jesus said that it is from the evils of our own hearts that we are defiled. We often look at the outward appearance in judging whether we and others are righteous. However, Paul wrote that the outward appearance has no importance in the Spirit. The Jews valued physical circumcision as signifying their covenant with God. Paul said, however, "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." (Rom. 2:28-29). Paul went on to say that whether Jew or Gentile, all are under sin (Rom. 3:9). "As it is written", Paul said quoting the Psalm we read above, "There is none righteous, no not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God...There is none that doeth good, no, not one...There is no fear of God before their eyes." (v. 10-18). People who don't fear God will do anything. They will latch onto a lie, like Darwinism, as an excuse not to believe. However, this condition is not without remedy! Paul wrote, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God...that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (v. 23-26). 1 John 1:8 says, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." He then writes that if we walk in the light, as God IS light, with no darkness in Him, the blood of His Son, Jesus, will cleanse us of all sin (v. 7). If we confess our sins to Him, "he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (v.9). For Jesus "is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 Jn. 2:2). That word used by both Paul and John regarding Jesus as the "propitiation", refers to the sprinkling of the atoning blood of the sacrifice by the high priest on the mercy seat of God. Passover is coming soon. Resurrection Sunday follows immediately after. As the Bride, we need to make ourselves ready. We need to deal with the root of the problem, and not just the outward symptoms. And the root of the problem is found within each of our own hearts. *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 3/7/21 message to the Church. To contact: Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com or P.O. Box 154221 You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimesschool.com

The Crux of the Faith*

Last week, we discussed the Lord's command to Peter, based on the Peter's expressed love for Christ, to "Feed My sheep". In the condition in which the Church finds itself today, do we know how the feed the sheep? As in the natural, babies in the faith need to start out with the "milk" of the Word, the basic fundamentals of the Christian faith, and as they mature, they can be fed the "meat" of the Word, those things that take us deeper and higher in the knowledge of God. The first of the basics is found in Romans 3, "...for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one...Destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. But now, the righteousness of God...is manifested... Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" (v. 9-25). The use of the word, "propitiation" refers to the sprinkling of the blood, in this case Christ's own blood, upon the mercy seat of God for the remission of the sin that all of us have. We do not come to this gift of righteousness through any religious works or good deeds, but by faith, not even by our own faith, that we would take crdit for it, but we come by the faith of the Son of God. And we believe in the power of His blood to cleanse us of sin by that same faith, the faith of the Son. John the Baptist declared upon seeing Jesus, "Behold the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world." It is the lamb's blood, on Passover, applied to the doorposts and lintels of their houses, that delivered God's people from the angel of death in the last plague of Egypt. Having received this saving faith of the Son of God in order to accept the gift of righteousness given to us by the Father, having our sins wiped away by the blood of Christ, what is our continuing understanding to be and teach to others? Romans 6 says, "...Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?...like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we should also walk in newness of life...our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth, we should not serve sin...Let no sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof...For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace...Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness...For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (v. 1-23). Having been delivered from our sins, and its consequence, death, we are not to continue in sin. We have died and been raised with Christ. The dead no longer are the servants of sin. Having received the gift of the righteousness of God in Christ, and the newness of His resurrection life, we are not to continue in unrighteousness. In Isaiah 52 and 53, the prophet writes to us of the severe suffering of the Servant of God, who did not suffer this rejection and torture because of His own sin, but for the sins of others. His blood would sprinkle (NAZAH) all nations, and kings who did not see this event as it happened, still "would see" and considered it. As Paul would also write later in Romans, Isaiah saw the condition of those for whom this servant died: "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all....he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter..." (Isa. 53:7-8). And, "...he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed...by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities...he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (v. 5, 11-12). Jesus interceded for us in His work on the cross. He continues to make intercession for all. Paul writes, "...God our Saviour...Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Tim. 2:3-6). God desires that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance, and to that salvation, righteousness, and everlasting life that He has provided through Jesus Christ, His Servant, and beloved Son. These things are the basic fundamentals of the faith of Christ, which we are to know for ourselves in order to be transformed, and in order to teach others. *This is based on the 10/18/20 message of Dr. Stevenson to the Church. To contact Dr. Stevenson and the ministry, write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX 76705. By email: everlastingcovenant@ymail.com

Will 2020 Be Ichabod For America?*

 

The series "United Shades of America" recently aired an episode concerning the racial injustices in the city of Pittsburgh. This is the home town of Dr. Stevenson, and the location of a satellite ministry of ECCE. The episode was personally disturbing and heartbreaking for these reasons. As the nation confronts racism, we need to understand the truth of the scriptures, rather than the prejudices and fears of man. Acts 17 states: "God that made the world and all things therein...and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth...". Revelation 5, 7, and 14 says that those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, Christ, is "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation."
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It is time to take a look at this issue and others that are troubling our nation, and what they mean to our future if they are not corrected.
In Luke 21:7-28, Mt. 24, and Mark 13, Jesus prophesies to His disciples about the conditions that will be on earth before, and at the time of His return. He warns of violence that will occur as nation rises against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. The word used for "nation" is the Greek word ethnos, which refers to racial and ethnic identities. This passage also warns of great earthquakes, famines and pestilences, fearful sights and great signs in the heavens. There will be hatred and great persecution against believers leading to imprisonment and death. There will be betrayal at the hands of friends and family. Jerusalem will be at the center of contention in the hands of the Gentiles, until the age of the Gentiles is fulfilled. With the re-establishment of Israel, and with the control of both Jerusalem and the Temple Mount now in the hands of the Israelis, we see the fulfillment of this prophecy. Jesus went on to say that there will be distress and signs in the heavens, on earth and among nations, and in the seas. When we see these signs begin to come to pass, Jesus instructs us, "...look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." (v. 28). We see the escalation of all of these conditions taking place now, including the ethnic hatred and violence of which Jesus spoke.
The prophet Hosea wrote of issues among God's people, including His priests and prophets, that would draw the judgment of God. In Chapter 4, the LORD tells Hosea the sinful conditions He sees among "the inhabitants of the land", which we also see today in America. The LORD said there was no mercy, no truth, nor knowledge of God in the land. Instead there is swearing, killing, stealing, adultery and bloodletting. His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge of Him. In America, our pulpits are refusing to teach the knowledge of God, and instead have "scratched the ears" of a people who are no longer interested in hearing the truth, or repenting of sin. In America, our trust is no longer in God, but in men. Hosea prophesies about a priesthood who has rejected knowledge of God, and fed themselves on the sins of the people instead. Therefore, God will reject them, and forget their children. The LORD said, "As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame." (v. 7).
The Book of 1 Samuel tells us of a similar condition in Israel. In Chapter 2, though the head priest is Eli, a man who knows God, even having witnessed the miraculous birth of the child Samuel, he does nothing to control his two sons, also serving as priests, in their predatory behavior against the people of God. God tells Eli that by not correcting his sons, Eli honors his corrupt sons more than he honors God. The sons even enrich themselves on the offerings of the people. God sends a prophet to tell Eli that his house will come to an end. His corrupt sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will not live. The sign to Eli from the LORD would be that both his sons would die on the same day. No one in Eli's family would live into old age. In Chapter 4, we are told that the two corrupt sons of Eli take the Ark of God into the battle against the Philistines. The Philistines win the battle and capture the Ark. Many are slaughtered, including the two sons of Eli, as God had prophesied. A messenger came to Eli to tell him that his sons were dead, and the Ark had been captured. Eli fell over dead at the news.  Eli had judged Israel for forty years (note 20 20, our present year). The wife of Phinehas, with the shock and sorrow of hearing of her husband's death, and the loss of the Ark to the Philistines, went into labor (travail) and gave birth to the child she was carrying. She named the male child Ichabod ("no glory") saying, "The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken." (v. 22).
According to both Hosea and Samuel 1, the sinful, violent, and corrupt behavior of God's people, including prophet and priest, caused the glory of the LORD to be removed from the nation, and exchanged for shame. America is in danger of Ichabod.
A man, Alexis de Toqueville, came from France to examine America to see what it was that made America great. This is what he said:
“I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers – and it was not there . . . in her fertile fields and boundless forests and it was not there . . . in her rich mines and her vast world commerce – and it was not there . . . in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution – and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.”
America is in danger of Ichabod.  We can no longer teach righteousness from the pulpits. We cannot teach sin because it causes offence. We cannot teach or speak the truth of the Word in our land. Have many of our "priests" become like Hophni and Phinehas, seeking only to enrich and indulge themselves? A compromise of righteousness and truth now rule the land, which is causing America to stand in judgment before God.

*The above is based upon the 7/26/20 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

The Ultimate Textbook*

The Bible is not literature, although it has many examples of beautiful poetry, and the greatest prose ever written. The Bible is the Word of God, and the ultimate textbook of truth for our lives. Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away." (Mt. 24:35). At this time, with all of the signs pointing to the return of Christ, and with panic and pandemics abounding, the Bible is the textbook that we need to study to understand and withstand the times in which we are living.

As Joshua felt the panic of taking over the leadership of God's people after Moses's death, the LORD gave him a word to sustain him. The LORD told Joshua to "be strong and of a good courage (to strengthen, to prevail, to be resolute, firm, to give strength, to encourage, to retain, hold up, sustain, support, repair)". Being "of good courage", not only strengthens ourselves, but also gives strength and encourages others. Our good courage strengthens, holds up and sustains those things that have become weak and teetering. In the face of frightening circumstances, that good courage, according to the LORD, comes from His Word:

"Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."  Josh. 1:7-9

In the above verses to Joshua, the Word of God is to be present in our lives in three forms: we are to meditate upon it, in the same sense as a cow brings back, and chews and chews upon its cud. We are to speak it, as it is to be in our mouths, and we are to do it. This is our prosperity and success in the times of fear and trial.

Psalm 1 describes the blessed man who does not take advice from the ungodly, or give power to sinners and the scornful, but " ..his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."   Ps. 1:1-3

It is our meditation on the Word of God that keeps us supplied with what we need. Others panic and hoard goods, but those who are imbedded in the Word, never have to fear lack in any way.
The LORD said through His prophet Hosea, that the thing that destroys His people is their lack of knowledge of Him. "...there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land...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...For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD."  Hos. 4:1-6, 10
God tells His people, "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction, they will seek me early. Come and let us return unto the LORD...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. 5:15-6:1-3 (excerpt)
The people of God have a responsibility in the Word, and in the knowledge of God, especially in times such as these. Those who have become physically sick are filling the hospitals. For those who are spiritually sick, the sinners, they need the Church as their hospital. As was the case with the Pharisees, arrogance, pride and a "holier than thou" attitude, as the Church is sometimes accused of having, delivers the Word of God, and the healing of the sinner to no one.
As Peter so accurately described the lusts of the sinful man, and the scoffers of the last days who mock the seeming delay of the LORD to execute judgment, the apostle wrote that we should be reminded of the words spoken by the prophets in the Old Testament, and the words of the apostles in the New Testament, because God is not slack to keep His word of judgment. The Lord is, however, longsuffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:1-9). The day of the Lord is coming suddenly, like a thief in the night (v. 10), and everything we see around us points to the fact that that day is very soon.
The people of God are called to 2 Chron. 7:12-16, where the LORD promises that if He sends a pestilence, He will hear the prayers of His people if His people will humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from their wicked ways. His eyes and ears will once again be turned to His sanctified house (we are the temple of the Holy Spirit). NOW is the time when the people of God are called to bring the relief to the land, knowing, meditating, speaking, and doing the Word of God.



*The above is based upon the 3/15/20 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/

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/ 

To send testimonies for the Book of Remembrance to be published in the memory of Sean Stevenson:
 

You can send your testimonies to:

everlastingcovenant@ymail.com or PO Box 154221, Waco, TX  76705.

 



Sean Stevenson

For The Children*

 

We are seeing our children come under attack like never before. There are shootings in schools, sexual agendas towards children, books and other influential media dealing with witchcraft and demonology directed towards children, as well as the call for abortion on demand. However, through it all, politicians from both sides of the aisle use these dire events as political fodder, rather than as issues to be seriously and sincerely addressed.

Jesus taught regarding the preciousness of children in the Father's eyes:

"At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them. And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted (to turn one's self), and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend (to put a stumbling block in the way upon which another may trip and fall, to entice to sin, to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey, to cause to fall away) one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."                                                                                                  Mt. 18:1-6

Our society is doing all it can to cause children to distrust and desert what they should trust and obey. We are teaching children falsehoods to lead them to things that are destruction for them. Jesus said it would be better to die than to be one who has this agenda towards children. In later verses, He said that it would be better to lose body parts like a hand, foot, or eye, rather than use it to cause spiritual or physical harm to a child, or to a believer who has come to God in the same manner as a humble, vulnerable child.
To the prophet Hosea, the LORD says to His people Israel that He has:
"...a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land."  Hos. 4:1
The LORD goes on to describe a spiritually bankrupt condition of lying, swearing, killing, stealing, sexual sin and violence in His people in the land (v. 2). Aren't we witnessing these same sad conditions in our nation? The LORD said that as His people had forgotten His law, and rejected knowledge of Him, and His ways, He also would forget their children. The children, being the most vulnerable and trusting, are the first to be affected when God's people turn away from His Word, and ways. One such spiritual attack in our nation resulted in deeply affecting the children as Madalyn Murray O'Hair, an atheist, sued to remove prayer from public schools. God's people remained silent as, one after another, references to God, and to His Word, and to His Son, Jesus, were systematically removed from the public realm. Our children have paid the price.
It is the intention of God that the children should know Him, and His life-giving truth. As the LORD talked about restoring the estranged relationship between Himself, and one whom He considers His wife, Israel, He prophesied to Isaiah the effect this would have on the children:
"And all thy children shalt be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness thou shalt be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee."  Isa. 54:13-14
To the prophet Hosea, the LORD said that He would wait for His people to turn back to Him. Unfortunately, He did not see that happening until the spiritual affliction that had resulted from their rejection of His knowledge, had become unbearable:
I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early."  Hos. 5:13
After receiving this word, the prophet cries out to God's people:
"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."  Hos. 6:1
Even the promise of resurrection comes with our return to the LORD (v. 2). The physical revival is directly connected to the spiritual revival. With our repentance, God's rewards for us become even greater than we knew before.
In another place Hosea wrote:
"O Israel return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so we will render the calves of our lips."  Hos. 14:1-2
To the above cry of His prophet, the LORD replied and promised:
"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him...They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon...Who is wise and he shall understand these things?...For the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein."   v. 4-9 (excerpt)
Today, seeing the spiritual condition among the people of God, and in our land, including the victimizing of our children in every way, it is time to heed the call of Hosea, and return to the LORD humbly, as a little child. Again the LORD promises:
"If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  2 Chron. 7:13-14

*The above is based upon the 11/24/19 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:

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

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

http://endtimeschool.com/

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

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

https://everlastingcovenant.sermon.net/main/main/21320220
 

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/  



A Covenant vs. A Testament

 

 

Often the Church views its relationship with Christ as a result of a testament, rather than a covenant, and teaches others to do the same. However, the Church cannot be the Ekklesia, the called out assembly, until it understands and walks in covenant relationship with Christ. Jesus expressed the result of that failure to do so this way:

"Not everyone that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."  Mt. 7:21-23

Many are going to make this mistake, having felt secure in their knowledge of Christ, only to find out too late that they never had a covenant relationship with Christ.

One way the Church has missed the Gospel of Christ completely because of the lack of covenant, is in its neglect, or wilfull ignorance of some of the Gospel's foundational truths. Much of the Church believes and teaches that the Church has replaced Israel in covenant with God - that the Church is spiritual Israel. Nothing could be further from the truth, as we shall see.
Also the Church teaches that salvation is a one-time, for all time, gift from God through Christ, requiring nothing from the receiver, but acceptance. As we learned from Jesus in Mt. 7, above, there is more required.
 Writing to the church at Rome, Paul said:

"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: as it is written, The just shall live by faith...To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life...Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also to the Gentile; But glory, honour and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: for there is no respect of persons with God."   Rom. 1, 2
Salvation in our lives is not a one-time event, received as a testament bequeathal from the One dead. It is worked out in increments and growth in an ongoing covenant relationship with the One who was dead, but is now resurrected, and living. A testament is unilateral from one dead. A covenant is bi-lateral, requiring two to enter into it. As Paul taught, the Gospel is a continuing, developing growth into the full measure of the stature of Christ-from "faith to faith", and with "patient endurance".
Often the Church leaves behind the principles of the Gospel in order to please men, especially in its compromise regarding righteousness. Paul taught that those who continue in the flesh and sin, are still servants or slaves to sin unto death regardless of the gift of grace available through Christ (Rom. 6:1-2,16). To continue to sin brings us right back under the dominion of death. Covenant with Christ, on the other hand, joins us in baptism with His death, with His burial, and with His resurrection. We become dead to sin, it no longer having power to entangle us, and living in resurrection, or Spirit instead:
"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwell (to occupy a house, reside, cohabit, inhabited house, all become one in a house) in you...For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."   Rom. 8:11, 13
Instead of excusing and accepting sin, which leads to certain death, shouldn't the Church be teaching how to dwell in and with the Spirit, in order to live? The Church should be advocating the way to life in Christ, and in the Spirit, not the way to death. If we continue to advocate the way to death, even though we know the way to life, then we are like those who thought they were doing great works for Christ, but were, in reality, unknown to Him. What a sad and useless end! However, this does not have to be our end.
Additionally, as the Church, which claims to preach salvation, continues to ignore the importance of the Jew first in that salvation, again, we will be like those incomplete, and even dead.The Jews are not excluded from the Gospel of Christ, and His salvation. In fact, they are an integral part of it. Paul insists that their re-grafting back into the Gospel and Christ, or "the olive tree", is life from the dead:
"...through their fall, salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches...And they also, if they bide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again...how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?  Rom. 11:11-24 (excerpt)
After the resurrection of Christ, thousands of Jews, even scribes and priests, believed on Him. Israel was blinded in part so the fullness of the Gentiles could be brought in. However, the Church ignores the will of God that "All Israel shall be saved." (Rom. 11:25-26, Isa. 59:20, Ps. 14:7). To continue to ignore the importance of the Jew to the Body of Christ, is to continue to refuse to do "the will of the Father", as Jesus instructed us in the verses from Matthew 7.
Most of the problem comes in our misunderstanding, and our incorrect use of the word "church". "Church" has become to us an organization, even a building. However, the word in the New Covenant, poorly translated into English from the Greek is the word ekklesia. Ekklesia is neither an organization, nor a building. It is a called out, called forth, called by, called away from, called aloud, separated from, assembly of people, to receive the name of, to bear the name or title of, by word, command, or order (of God), especially gathered for sacred purposes (by God). If we do not understand the awesome and miraculous "calling out" with which we were called, we cannot fulfill it.
Being the Ekklesia is not the result of a testament. Being the Ekklesia is the result of a covenant, a covenant with the One who was dead, but is now alive (Rev. 1:18).

To Contact/Submit Prayer Request/Support the Ministry/Order "NAZAH":
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8http://endtimeschool.com/

Complete Message:
 https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.e.stevenson/videos/10212240456628407/    
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FhuiqfVgzw&feature=youtu.be                                                                                           

 

Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, forgive me, and fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.