Five Lies of the Devil, Lie Two

 Lie two

The Physical World Is More Important than the Spiritual World.

All religions are the same. They should all be respected and kept out of general society. Worship whoever and however you choose, just do it in the privacy of your home. Don’t offend anyone. Just keep it to yourself. We live in a secular world, so keep that religion stuff to yourself.

This is what we will discuss today. Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, LORD God, we give you thanksgiving for all we have had, or ever will have. This includes life itself to life everlasting. You are the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. The great ‘I Am.’ As we go to your Word today, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive and understand your Word and your ways. Show us today that this physical world is nothing to be compared to what truly is, and what is to come. We ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

First, understand this important fact: the world and everything in it are temporary. They exist now but will not always be here. A time is coming when all things as we know them will cease to exist.

“And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”1 John 2:17

Look what Jesus said to His disciples when they were admiring the beautiful buildings and synagogues of the time.

"Jesus left the temple and was going away when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” Matthew 24:1-2

He said this as well.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Matthew 24:35

We read things like this in His Word.

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." Revelation 21:1

And this

"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind." Isaiah 65:17

Think about this for a moment. Forget the "End Times" for a second. Imagine a tornado. Now, consider a hurricane. What about an earthquake, a flood, or a fire? The day before, everyone in that town was simply living their lives. They were going to work or school, dating, getting married, and taking vacations. They were saving up for the next big thing. They argued about what to have for dinner and which movies to watch. The kids played and laughed. Then, in some cases, with minimal warning, it was all gone in an instant.

Think about 9/11/2001. Over 3000 people woke up for the last time that day on this earth. It was an ordinary, mundane Tuesday. I was off that day. Nothing planned. I turned on the news and saw a plane crash into the World Trade Center. Then another. In a moment, with little warning, everything was gone, and things changed forever.

The point is, what will happen tomorrow? What about before we even finish this discussion today? The truth is, we do not know. Today may be your end time. Today may be your last day on earth. If you have your Bible, turn to Luke 12, starting at verse 15

“And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’ And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'

But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." Luke 12:15-21

Think about this. Every secular goal that we can have on this earth is bound to death and decay. Think about that. I will say it again. Every secular goal is bound to death and decay.

That car you love so much? Temporal.
That house, or houses, you like to brag about? Temporal.
That money hidden where you hid it? Temporal.
Your clothes? Temporal
Everything you have or ever will have, while here on this earth? Temporal.
That includes even your very body.

“Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit'-- yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:13-14

A mist. Vapor. A moment in time. It goes by faster than you realize. Even a long life of over 75 years is just a brief moment in time. The world does not have to end for it to be “Your time.”

This is why we are encouraged in God’s Word not to worry about the world.

“As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

When your time comes, like the rich fool, it won’t matter what your bank account says. It won’t matter how famous you are or how many “Followers” you have. It won’t matter your status, your religion, your belief system, or whether you believe in God at all. Nothing will matter on that day. It is simply your time. Do not waste your precious time here on earth aligning yourself with the world and its values.

James warns us of this as well in James 4:4

“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Forget what the world tries to tell you. It will lie to you. Why? Because it is run by the devil. We are no longer of this world, yet we are still in it. We are children of God.

“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” 1 John 5:19

What do you, as a child of God, have to do with the evil one? As our Lord asked, perhaps you may want to give it thought.

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36

What is there in this world that you would consider worth trading for an eternity in hell? Oh, and no, you cannot have it both ways. Turn to Romans 8, starting at verse 5.

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:5-8

However, this is no longer you. Verse 9

“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”

Stop for a second. Are we all children of God? No. “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” We are all God’s creation, but we are not all God’s children.

“But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:9-11

This is why the devil wants you to concentrate on the world. Why does he want you to see ‘how easy it is’ to post videos online and get millions of ‘followers’ and become famous? If you have enough followers, you will also get rich. You will have power. You will be like a god. Sound familiar?

Forget the Bible, it means nothing. Keep that religion to yourself. If it makes you feel good to pray to the ‘non-existent sky daddy,’ then by all means, go for it. In your own home. Leave everyone else alone. We live in the real world where we have real goals and don’t have time for your ‘spiritual nonsense.’

They can say this all they want; however, the time is coming, and the Bible makes it clear.

“For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:11

It does not matter one iota if you believe or not. It does not matter if you accept this fact or not.

“So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11

This will happen. Heaven and earth will pass away, but you will live on. Where do you choose to live? What do you feel is the most important thing to focus on? The temporal or the eternal? You really should make the wise choice today.

This is also the reason why the devil wants you to think like this. He wants you to believe that he is the one to hold your happiness. Join us next time as we explore this topic further. “That Happiness Is Unattainable without him.”

Of course, if you already belong to him, then he needs to do nothing. Are you a child of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 16

 Chapter 16

Passover

1 “Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 And you shall offer the Passover sacrifice to the Lord your God, from the flock or the herd, at the place that the Lord will choose, to make his name dwell there. 3 You shall eat no leavened bread with it. Seven days you shall eat it with unleavened bread, the bread of affliction—for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste—that all the days of your life you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt. 4 No leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory for seven days, nor shall any of the flesh that you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain all night until morning. 5 You may not offer the Passover sacrifice within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, 6 but at the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell in it, there you shall offer the Passover sacrifice, in the evening at sunset, at the time you came out of Egypt. 7 And you shall cook it and eat it at the place that the Lord your God will choose. And in the morning, you shall turn and go to your tents. 8 For six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord your God. You shall do no work on it.

The Feast of Weeks

9 “You shall count seven weeks. Begin to count the seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain. 10 Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the Lord your God blesses you. 11 And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your towns, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, at the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there. 12 You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt; and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.

The Feast of Booths

13 “You shall keep the Feast of Booths seven days, when you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress. 14 You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns. 15 For seven days you shall keep the feast to the Lord your God at the place that the Lord will choose, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful.

16 “Three times a year, all your males shall appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you.

Justice

18 “You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. 20 Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Forbidden Forms of Worship

21 “You shall not plant any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the Lord your God that you shall make. 22 And you shall not set up a pillar, which the Lord your God hates.

Five Lies of the Devil, Lie one

 The Bible is not real, nor important.

The Bible is not real, nor important. Don’t believe it. It was written two thousand years ago by men trying to control people. It is full of discrepancies and contradictions. Eyewitnesses did not write it, but rather tens or even hundreds of years after the ‘supposed crucifixion.’ It was never meant to be taken literally. It is no different than all other religious books.

None of this is true. Not a single thing told to you is accurate. These lies, or this lie, “The Bible is not real, nor important. Don’t believe it,” are significant to them because without it, there’s no concept of sin. No God. No hell. No judgment. If it’s “just a book written by man,” then God is a man-made idea; there’s no judgment, no condemnation. No one is wrong, and everything is fine. Live as you wish. Follow your heart, be a good person, and remember that you only get one life, so live it fully, however you choose. After that, there’s simply nothing. Do not judge others. Live and let live.

This is what we will be discussing today. Let us pray.

LORD God, we come before you today with thanksgiving for everything we have. From life to life everlasting, and all things in between. We thank you for your love and grace. Father, as we enter your Word, we ask that you give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and the spirit to understand its importance and to receive any revelations you wish us to see. We ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

There is not one single contradiction in the Bible. No, not one. There are misunderstandings, differing points of view, and poor translations, but zero contradictions. Then you are going to have those who honestly ask, “Why should we believe the Bible? Why should we put the Bible over every other religious book? How do we know for a fact that the Bible is true?”

One of the easiest ways to disprove the Bible is also one of the easiest ways to prove the Bible is the Truth. You see. There are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament for a total of 1,817. This is according to “The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy” by J. Barton Payne.

If the Bible makes all these predictions, and they are proven false, then the Bible is indeed false. However, if the Bible makes all these predictions, some 26 percent of the total Bible is made up of prophecies, then predictions that have been proven correct prove the bible true. Here are some examples.

Generally, Babylon will rule over Judah for 70 Years. Jeremiah 25:11-12. Babylon then began to take many Jews as captives to Babylon and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. This domination of the Jews ended in 539 BC, when Cyrus, a leader of the Persians and Medes, conquered Babylon, thereby bringing an end to the Babylonian Empire. This was predicted in Isaiah 45:1, Jeremiah 49:15-20, and Ezekiel 25:12-14. They tell of how the luscious and beautiful land of Edom, today a part of Jordan, would become a desert and wasteland.

Israel itself is a prophecy fulfilled. Israel? As we know it today? The exact location and construction sequence of Jerusalem's nine suburbs were predicted by Jeremiah about 2600 years ago. Jeremiah 31:38-40, Ezekiel 37:21-22. Isaiah 66:7-8 describes this taking place in one day. This rebirth became history in 1948, in one day, and the construction of the nine suburbs has gone forward precisely in the locations and in the sequence predicted. 

Jesus and His life? Isaiah 53. To name one.

Is it scientific? Consider COVID-19: quarantine is necessary to keep the majority safe, as highlighted in Leviticus 13:45-46. Let’s focus on health for a moment. In Leviticus 17:11, we find that this text, written between 538 and 332 BC, reflects the historical belief that healing a sick person required bleeding them. This misguided practice aimed to remove their life force rather than actually cure the disease. 

Also, was Jesus sweating blood? This is mentioned in Luke 22:44. Commonly referred to as Hematidrosis or Hemohidrosis, this condition results in the excretion of blood or blood pigment in the sweat. Under conditions of great emotional stress, tiny capillaries in the sweat glands can rupture, thus mixing blood with perspiration. This condition has been reported in extreme instances of stress. 76 cases of Hematidrosis were studied and classified according to causative factors. The most frequent causes of the phenomenon were found to be “acute fear” and “intense mental contemplation.” So yes, Jesus, facing all He was about to, including the Cross, did indeed sweat blood.

Then you have Yeshua or Jesus Himself. Who is He? Where does He come from? How does He live? How does He die? How does He rise from the dead? These are all in the Bible, some thousands, some hundreds of years before Jesus was even born. In extreme detail. If you have your Bible, and you wish to, turn to Isiah 53. We are going to read the whole chapter.

“Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a young plant,

and like a root out of dry ground;
He had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
And no beauty that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

And as one from whom men hide their faces,
He was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.”

Now, remember this was written by Isaiah, some 700 years before Jesus was crucified.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions;
He was crushed for our iniquities;
Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
And with his wounds we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned--everyone--to his way;
And the LORD has laid on him

The iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
Yet he opened not his mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
And like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
So he opened not his mouth.”

Do you see Jesus in this? It is as if Peter or Matthew were writing this after witnessing Jesus' life, ministry, and death. Yet remember, this is some 700 years before Him.

“By oppression and judgment, he was taken away;
And as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?

And they made his grave with the wicked
And with a rich man in his death,
Although he had done no violence,
And there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
He has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
He shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
The will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Out of the anguish of his soul, he shall see and be satisfied;
By his knowledge shall the righteous one,
My servant, make many to be accounted righteous,
And he shall bear their iniquities.”

Who is it that bears our iniquities? Correct.

“Therefore, I will divide him a portion with the many,
And he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;

Yet he bore the sin of many,
And makes intercession for the transgressors.”

There is no other figure in history that matches this so exactly.

The Servant came from unimpressive beginnings. “Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” John 1:46

The Servant was rejected by Israel. “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” John 1:11 

The Servant was condemned via oppression and judgment. Pilate declared Jesus innocent, and an angry mob demanded that Jesus be killed Luke 23:4-25.

The Servant submitted to his sentence without resistance. “But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.” Matthew 27:14

Are you following? Let's keep it going so there is no doubt.

The Servant suffered for the sins of others. “For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

The Servant was beaten beyond recognition. “Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.” Matthew 27:26  He was beaten, his flesh was falling off, and he was barely recognizable. 

The Servant died. “And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.” Mark 15:37 

The Servant will be raised from the dead. Read Matthew 28:1-10.

 

By knowing the Servant, many will be accounted righteous. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Isaiah 53. This is just one chapter of one book. The entire Bible is all about Him. No other “religious book” can say this. Others are written telling stories of their leaders, teachers, and messiahs. But the Bible is Jesus. Therein lies the difference. Jesus is the Bible. He is The Word of God. He was with God, is with God, and IS God. There is no Bible, New or Old Testament, without Jesus.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:1-3

"All things were made by him;" (The Word, or the Bible, is a Him.) "and without him was not anything made that was made." Without Him, nothing was made. Then, a little later, John makes it clear. Look here.

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14.

Once again, this is just one of approximately 1,817 prophecies that have either already come true or are expected to come true. Make no mistake about it: the Bible is genuine, true, and represents The Truth.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Jesus said this.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Matthew 24:35

You cannot separate God, the Son Jesus, and the Spirit of God, for they are all one. You cannot separate God, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible, because the Bible IS the Word of God and Jesus IS the Word of God in the flesh. The Bible is the living Word of the Living God, and all other “religious books” are that, religious books. Any religion that does not have the Bible, or Yeshua, or Jesus, as translated in most English translations, is a false religion.

The Bible is indeed important, which is why the devil does not want you to read it. He seeks to prevent you from growing in your faith and understanding what God instructs you to avoid. Moreover, he definitely does not want you sharing God’s Word with others. This is why he wants you to believe that the physical world is more significant than the spiritual world. That will be the topic of our next discussion. Join us, won't you?

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 15

 Chapter 15

The Sabbatical Year

1 “At the end of every seven years, you shall grant a release. 2 And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the Lord's release has been proclaimed. 3 Of a foreigner, you may exact it, but whatever of yours is with your brother, your hand shall release. 4 But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess— 5 if only you will strictly obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today. 6 For the Lord your God will bless you, as he promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you.

7 “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. 9 Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye looks grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cries to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. 10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. 11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore, I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

12 “If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. 13 And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed. 14 You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. 15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore, I command you this today. 16 But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, 17 then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave, you shall do the same. 18 It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker, he has served you six years. So the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.

19 “All the firstborn males that are born of your herd and flock you shall dedicate to the Lord your God. You shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. 20 You shall eat it, you and your household, before the Lord your God year by year at the place that the Lord will choose. 21 But if it has any blemish, if it is lame or blind or has any serious blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God. 22 You shall eat it within your towns. The unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as though it were a gazelle or a deer. 23 Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out on the ground like water.

He Is Real, Know the enemy

 Yes, he is real. 

Why does God allow the devil to exist? How much power and authority does the devil have? Where is the devil right now?

Last time, we discussed the existence of the devil. He is real, and so is hell. He is referred to as the god of this world and the lord of the air. There is a war taking place, and you are on one side or the other. It doesn’t matter whether you choose to accept this as a fact; it is reality. This is the truth. Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, LORD God, we come before you today with thanksgiving and praise. We thank you for life itself, for life everlasting, and all things in between. As we enter into your Word today, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and the ability to receive and understand your truth and your revelations. As we learn about the enemy, we pray for wisdom and the ability to resist him so that, as your Word declares, “He will flee from us.” We ask this in your precious name, Yeshua. Amen and amen!

Why does God allow evil people, including the devil, to exist? Turn to Matthew 13. Start at verse 24.

“He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.'

So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn."

They asked him why there are evil people in the world. Why does God not just destroy them? Well, let’s let Jesus explain it Himself. Jump down to verse 36

“Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil.”

Are some born evil? Yes. We all are. We are born into sin. We are born into the flesh. We belong to the flesh and the devil himself. However, when you hear the Truth and you allow God to set you free through Christ’s sacrifice, then you become good seed. Hopefully, you are producing good fruit. You are still surrounded by tares. Or evil people.

“The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

God is patient. God is kind. He does not send any humans to hell. We go there by choice, and we reject God and His Salvation through our own free will. This is why He is patient.

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

As He told us in the parable of the tares, “'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.”

Where is the devil right now?

"And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where have you come?’ Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.'" Job 2:2

Remember this from last time.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" 1 Peter 5:8

He is neither in hell nor in heaven. He exists in the world, on the earth. Without a doubt, he is your enemy if you are a child of God. How much power does he have, and how does he operate? One of his biggest tools and most powerful is temptation.

Temptation is an invitation. It is not a forced action. The devil, Satan, invited Adam to partake of the forbidden fruit. He made it desirable. He made it seem harmless. He made it seem as if there was a great reward for giving in and doing it. He could not make Adam do it. Think about this. Adam had "dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Which means he had domination over that Serpent that started talking to him.

Since that time, when Adam yielded his power and authority, in essence, knelt before Satan, Satan has become the lord of this world. The Word declares that the Devil is "prince of the power of the air" Ephesians 2:2. He is the "ruler of this world" John 12:31. Simply put, Satan is the major influence on the ideals, opinions, goals, hopes, and views of the people who reject Christ and those who choose not to believe.

The sad truth is, this is the majority of people walking the earth today. Satan also influences the world’s philosophies, the education system, the thoughts, ideas, speculations, and, of course, even the religions of the world, which are under his control and have sprung from his lies and deceptions. Make no mistake about it, Satan is mighty, and if you reject the Truth or allow him to, he will destroy your life.

As we get deeper into this series, we will examine five of the most common lies he whispers in our ears.

That The Bible Isn’t Real, Do Not Believe It
The Physical World Is More Important than the Spiritual World
That Happiness Is Unattainable, without him
That You Aren’t Significant, you cannot teach or lead others
That Church isn’t Important, man-made traditions, and you do not need it.

Who is it that Satan tempts? Is it those who do not know God? Nope. It is the faithful. He doesn't waste his time tempting those who already belong to him. He doesn't have to. As we have discussed in the past, he needs to do nothing to coerce you into doing anything. You are already his. All you have to do is not accept the Christ that is Jesus. That's it. Live as you will. Do as you will. There is no need to change a thing.

It's like you, having two one-hundred-dollar bills in your pocket. I take one, put it in my pocket, and walk away. Which bill are you thinking about? The one in your pocket? Or the one in mine? Chances are, you are outraged that I took one of your bills. You want it back. You want me to stop taking your bills. You are thinking of ways for me to stop taking your bills. The last thing you are thinking about is the one in your pocket. Why? You already have that one. No. You are concerned with the one that got away from you.

Satan is the same way. He doesn't care about you if you already belong to him through the absence of Christ. He cares about you once you leave. He will do whatever he can to make sure that you do not take any more from him. That's when you truly have to be careful. Do not think for a second; “The Prosperity Gospel,” “Name it and claim it,” or “Greater are you than in all the world” are true or biblical. They are not. They are lies straight from the evil one himself.

“Prosperity Gospel?” “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Luke 16:13

“Name it and claim it?” “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

“Greater are you than in all the world?” No. “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

Notice, in all these things, it is all about you. The truth is, it is never all about you. If you have all this power and wealth, you are relying on yourself and not God. The devil doesn’t mind. Just be you. Believe the lies and live your life. The devil may even give you fortune and fame, as long as you never use Jesus’ name.

Next time, we will get into the five most common lies the devil likes to tell us. “The Bible is not important. Do not believe it.”

However, without Christ, none of this matters anyway. Amen? Are you a child of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. Let us pray.

Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

"That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 14

 Chapter 14

Clean and Unclean Food

1 “You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. 2 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

3 “You shall not eat any abomination. 4 These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 5 the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. 6 Every animal that parts the hoof and has the hoof cloven in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. 7 Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cloven you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger, because they chew the cud but do not part the hoof, are unclean for you. 8 And the pig, because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean for you. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch.

9 “Of all that are in the waters, you may eat these: whatever has fins and scales you may eat. 10 And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.

11 “You may eat all clean birds. 12 But these are the ones that you shall not eat: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, 13 the kite, the falcon of any kind; 14 every raven of any kind; 15 the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind; 16 the little owl and the short-eared owl, the barn owl 17 and the tawny owl, the carrion vulture and the cormorant, 18 the stork, the heron of any kind; the hoopoe and the bat. 19 And all winged insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten. 20 All clean winged things you may eat.

21 “You shall not eat anything that has died naturally. You may give it to the sojourner who is within your towns, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.

“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.

Tithes

22 “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. 23 And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. 24 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the Lord your God chooses, to set his name there, 25 then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses 26 and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household. 27 And you shall not neglect the Levite who is within your towns, for he has no portion or inheritance with you.

28 “At the end of every three years, you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. 29 And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.

Yes, He is Real

There is a war going on.

Look around. What do you see? What do you smell? You went downtown yesterday. You passed by the park and heard the laughter of the kiddies playing. You looked over and saw them swinging and running around. Maybe you felt the gentle breeze against your face as you smelled the freshly baked goods. The Sun was perfect. The birds were singing. The temperature was a perfect 76 degrees. Here is the reality: a war is going on, and you are on one side or the other. 

There may be no bombs going off. No bullets fling past your head. But trust me, the enemy is real. And you must always be prepared to face him. The Word declares that we need to.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" 1 Peter 5:8

The Word also tells us this..

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12

The sad thing is, most people live in their own little bubbles. They just do. They live in their happy little houses, drive their happy little cars, and go about their daily routines without a single solitary clue as to what reality is. That is, until their happy little bubble is popped. Until something hits home, they do not even really care to know what is going on. They, for the most part, are asleep. This is what we will be talking about. Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, LORD God, we come before you today with thanksgiving and praise. We thank you for all your blessings and for life itself. We ask for forgiveness for our daily sins, and we give you thanks for your grace and love. As we enter your Word to learn about our enemy, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive and understand your Truth and revelations. We ask this all in the name of Yeshua. Amen!

Most people go about their days with a "carnal mind." They walk in the flesh, fulfilling the things of the flesh. They, for the most part, do not see beyond themselves and their desires. Human kind has accepted, justified, and even glorified some of these desires. However, what they do not even know is this.

"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6

Look at the world. "He with the most toys at the end wins." People will lie, cheat, steal, and even kill, for what? Pride, greed, envy, and desire for power. The desire to be God. Mankind fell for pride, greed, envy, and the desire for power. The desire to be God. God told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The devil told Eve what?

“But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5

He said you will be like God. You will be wise and powerful. You will be in control of your own lives. You will no longer need God. You will be a god. But wait, what is so bad about “knowing good and evil?” Think about it for a second. Sounds like a legitimate question. The short answer is, if you know evil and do it anyway, then you are guilty. Look what Jesus says in John 15:21-22

“But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin."

Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:12-14

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

God takes ignorance into account. “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin,” and “But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief.” Adam and Eve did not sin because there was no sin. Until they willfully disobeyed God and ate of the tree.

From that point on, we became responsible for our actions and guilty of sin. From that point on, there was a rift between God and us. A war between the spirit realm came to include us. Now we war in ourselves, spirit versus flesh. We no longer had that direct connection to God. That is the whole reason Yeshua, or Jesus, had to come. To restore that connection. That relationship.

Yes, he is real. He exists. You must come to know the enemy if you have any hope of overcoming him. We are going to start today with a basic truth: there is a devil. Yes, the devil is very real. Though he may not be what you think.

One of the greatest accomplishments of the devil is convincing the world that he doesn't exist. No devil, then no hell. No devil, no hell, no sin. No sin, no reason for a Savior. No Savior, no God. No evil means no good. No hell, then no heaven. No judgment for sin, if there is no sin. Simply, live as you will.

Jesus tells us the Devil is real. Luke 10:18-19

"And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you."

If he were not real, why would Jesus warn us against him? However, Satan is not how you may picture him. The devil is not some red-faced, horned head, tail wagging, pitchfork-wielding demon straight out of a Hollywood horror movie. He is not a creature so hideous that you would run in terror if you saw him. He is "son of the morning." Luke 10:18. He is as beautiful as "every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold." Ezekiel 28:13 The truth is, if he were to walk into a church, many would fall and worship him, thinking he was Jesus Himself. He is what he is.

Second, he is not all-powerful. This is an important fact for you to understand. The devil IS the “Lord of the air.” Ephesians 2:2 He is “the ruler of this world.” John 12:21 He is the “god of this world.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 He is in control of this natural realm. As long as you are of this world, you are of him. You are in his hands. However, the Word tells us he needs permission to tempt the children of God. We see this in Job 1 and 2. We see this when Jesus said to Peter,

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:" Luke 22:31

We see this in The Word when The Word declares this in James 4:7

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

It does not say, Resist the devil and he MAY. It says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." We see this when Jesus tells us we should not fear the devil. Or anything, but God Himself.

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." {Matthew 10:28}

The devil will not force you to do anything. He does not have to. He will make whatever you desire seem obtainable. He will make something seem right. He will whisper in your ear. He will feed your desire. Does he send you nightmares? Does he get in your face and threaten you? Does he yell and scream? Growl? Nope. He suggests. He whispers.

In this series, we will get to know the enemy. To whom does he operate, and how does he operate? We will also discuss the five lies he tries to tell the world, and sadly, they pretty much believe him.

That God’s Word isn’t Real, do not believe it
The Physical World Outweighs the Spiritual World
That Happiness Is Unattainable, without him
That You Aren’t Significant, you cannot teach or lead others
That Church isn’t Important, man-made traditions, and you do not need it.

First, who is it that Satan tempts? Is it those who do not know God? Nope. It is the faithful. He doesn't waste his time tempting those who already belong to him. He doesn't have to.

Remember what Jesus said to the holier-than-thou crowd back in the day? Remember what he said to the "religious folks?" The Priests and Scribes. In John 8, he said this.

“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

All you need to do to join Satan and his angels as they head to hell and the lake of fire is simply not accept the gift. That's it. You can be as religious as you want. You can do whatever you choose. But if you do not have the key, you can't go through the door. Therefore, Satan does not need to tempt you with anything.

There is a war ongoing. The enemy is real. In an attempt to prevent more people from leaving initially, he tries to convince many that he doesn't even exist. I will say that again. In an attempt to prevent more people from leaving initially, he tries to convince many that he doesn't even exist. Not only does he exist, but he is becoming more active in this world. Just look around.

There is only one way you can overcome him, and this evil world. Only one. His name is Yeshua. Translated as Jesus. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the family of God?

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 13

 Chapter 13

1 “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

6 “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known, 7 some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other, 8 you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him. 9 But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. 10 You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 11 And all Israel shall hear and fear and never again do any such wickedness as this among you.

12 “If you hear in one of your cities, which the Lord your God is giving you to dwell there, 13 that certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which you have not known, 14 then you shall inquire and make search and ask diligently. And behold, if it be true and certain that such an abomination has been done among you, 15 you shall surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, devoting it to destruction, all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword. 16 You shall gather all its spoil into the midst of its open square and burn the city and all its spoil with fire, as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It shall be a heap forever. It shall not be built again. 17 None of the devoted things shall stick to your hand, that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, as he swore to your fathers, 18 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping all his commandments that I am commanding you today, and doing what is right in the sight of the Lord your God.