Category: signs miracles and wonders

The Common Prison and The Extraordinary Message

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

“Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison” (Acts 5:17,18 KJV).

Oh, man’s shameful treatment of God’s faithful apostles!

For several months now, Peter and the 11 other apostles of Israel have been preaching to their Jewish brethren, pleading with them to trust Jesus as their Messiah, that they not be consumed in His wrath when He returns. The Holy Spirit has been working mightily in and through these 12 men: they have performed various healing miracles, confirming the kingdom message that they are preaching (Mark 16:17-20; Hebrews 2:3-5; et al.).

Israel’s religious leaders know the apostles’ activities threaten their organization. In the chapter previous to today’s Scripture, Israel’s religious leaders “commanded [the apostles] not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus” (verse 18). Peter wisely answered, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (verses 19,20). The apostles were further threatened but not imprisoned.

Today’s Scripture is some time later, after many other healing miracles occurred, after many other sermons about Jesus Christ have been preached. Israel’s religious leaders arrest the apostles and throw them into prison. Not the prison for political or elite wrongdoers, but the “common prison.” The apostles are thrown into a dangerous environment. The worst criminals—the murderers, rapists, et cetera—are in the “common prison” with them! God certainly had His eyes on these dear Israeli apostles. In fact, they miraculously survived that “common prison” until the angel of the Lord came by night to release them (verse 19)!

Israel’s apostles went on from the common prison to preach again to the common people. Praise God that they were not bitter or slack. Despite their persecution, they preached their hearts out. Nothing could keep them from talking about the Messiahship of Jesus. They eventually gave up their lives for Him! Beloved, surely, in light of what these men faced for Jesus Christ, we can endure name-calling and ostracism! 🙂

Two Testimonies to (Try to) Silence!

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

“But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus” (John 12:10,11 KJV).

To save their religion, these Israeli chief priests are willing to kill twice!

In the previous chapter, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Verses 45-48 continue: “[45] Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. [46] But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. [47] Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. [48] If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.”

“Then from that day forth they took counsel for to put him [Jesus] to death” (verse 53). Jesus immediately escaped from Bethany, going out into the wilderness, and abiding in a city called Ephraim, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Jerusalem. As chapter 12 opens, it is six days before the Passover (and His death). Jesus returns to Bethany, where Lazarus is living (again!). There, Lazarus attends a supper held in Jesus’ honor.

Verse 9 says, “Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.” Now we reach today’s Scripture. Lazarus’ living testimony is a threat to their religion—many have converted to Jesus because of His miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. Now, these chief priests start plotting to kill Lazarus also; they had been conspiring for some days to kill the Lord Jesus, and now they want to silence His friend, too! The plan to murder Jesus was effective because He gave Himself up. However, the scheme to kill Lazarus was evidently unsuccessful. God had him stay around for more witnessing!

Imagine their horror, when they killed Jesus… and then He came back from the grave, too!

A Rebellion, a Reign, and a Rainstorm

Friday, March 20, 2015

“Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king” (1 Samuel 12:17 KJV).

Samuel’s address to Israel confirms, “the Jews require a sign” (1 Corinthians 1:22a).

Israel is God’s “sign-people.” What did Jesus say to Israel in John 4:48? “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” Moses knew that, unless he had miraculous demonstrations to confirm God’s message, Israel would not believe him either (Exodus 4:1-17,29-31). In the Mosaic Law, JEVOVAH God told Israel not to have any other gods before Him—no images, no idols, no false religious worship, no heathen child-sacrifices, et cetera. They were to be true to Him alone.

Some 500 years after Moses, Samuel serves as Israel’s prophet-judge-priest for many decades. Now aged, Samuel has two ungodly sons, and Israel refuses to have them as leaders once Samuel dies. Israel begs Samuel for a king, that they be like the other nations (when God had wanted them to be unique). We read in 1 Samuel 8:7: “And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.”

In today’s Scripture, Saul has served as Israel’s king for less than a year. Samuel says it is “wheat harvest” (our May-June). The rainy winter months, December-January, are passed, and yet, God will confirm His Word that they have done evil in desiring a king. “So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king” (verses 18,19).

The Jews had a divine sign as confirmation… they saw that they were wicked in demanding a king!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What happened to those saints raised from the dead in Matthew 27:52-53?”

Praying Like Elijah #13

Monday, March 2, 2015

“Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months” (James 5:17 KJV).

Why did Elijah pray like this, what was so special about his prayer that God answered it, and how can we have our prayers answered of God?

The ascended, risen, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ revealed the mystery to the Apostle Paul over the course of nearly 35 years. This information was completely different from what God had revealed to the Old Testament prophets, the writings Paul had studied intensely when he was lost (see Romans 16:25,26, Ephesians 3:1-12, and Colossians 1:23-27). Now that God had ushered in a new dispensation, Paul had to think differently about God. He had to quit praying according to the old divine revelation, and pray according to the new divine revelation.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, after talking about the various visions and revelations of Jesus Christ he had, Paul discusses how he was humbled: “[7] And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. [8] For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.”

“We know not what we should pray for as we ought” (Romans 8:26b). Since there was more revelation from God coming, Paul was, in 2 Corinthians 12:8, not praying according to the new program. He was still thinking of God’s promise to deliver Israel from problems. Verse 9, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” There, in that awful, vexing circumstance, Paul learned one thing—God had given the grace, the capacity, to endure it. Rather than deliverance, Jesus Christ promised inner strength, inner fortification, inner power, to bear the trouble.

Paul had to readjust his view of problems and prayer, and we will let him tell us how we should go about doing it….

Silent Building #8

Monday, December 8, 2014

“And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building” (1 Kings 6:7 KJV).

God is doing something similar today, very quietly too….

We read in Ephesians 2:19-22: “[19] Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; [20] And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; [21] In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: [22] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

Father God’s will for us is that we grow spiritually. The Lord Jesus wants to not simply indwell us but feel comfortable, feel “at home,” in our inner man. His life will then become our life (for our Christian life really is His life!). Our identity in Christ is only in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon: the Body of Christ is described nowhere else in Scripture. To focus on and apply to life other Scripture is to ignore your identity, overlook what God is doing today, neglect what God gave you, and so on.

Not knowing your identity detrimentally impacts your life. Satan’s assault against members of the Church the Body of Christ is to have them ignore Paul’s epistles. Once they focus on all the other Scriptures and apply them to their lives, they operate apart from the identity God gave them in Christ. Satan’s system causes us to focus on Israel’s prayer promises, Israel’s baptisms, Israel’s tithing, Israel’s miracles, Israel’s earthly kingdom hope, Israel’s material blessings, Israel’s laws, Israel’s feast days, Israel’s apostles, and so on (all found outside Romans through Philemon). No wonder people go around saying we are “spiritual Israel”—claiming Israel’s verses as our own leads to no other conclusion!

The only hope for the Body of Christ’s salvation from false doctrine and doctrinal confusion is to return to Paul’s epistles. Had we not left God’s Word to us, we would not claim God’s Word to others….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Are lost people already forgiven?”

Silent Building #2

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

“And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building” (1 Kings 6:7 KJV).

God is doing something similar today, very quietly too….

Long ago, beginning with Abraham, God set the Jews apart to be His special people (Israel became a nation in Egypt). Letting the Gentiles go their way of ignorance (Romans chapter 1), He dealt solely with the nation Israel (Romans chapter 2). Beginning with the Ten Commandments (Exodus chapter 20), but throughout the Old Testament, JEHOVAH God constantly warned Israel not to pollute herself with false doctrine. He was building her into a marvelous nation, His kingdom of priests to reach the (Gentile) nations. Israel was not to sabotage that plan by forsaking Him and following pagan idols and bad doctrine.

Moses, just before dying, advised His people in Deuteronomy 4:1-2: “[1] Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. [2] Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”

Simple! Simple! Simple! Israel was not to add and not to take from God’s Word. Israel did not listen. Before we point fingers at Israel, professing Christianity has added to and taken from the revelation the ascended Jesus Christ gave to the Apostle Paul, Romans through Philemon. They are not content with God’s grace as Paul presents it; they toss that away. Instead, they prefer everything He gave Israel—water baptism, tongues, tithing, miraculous demonstrations, Sabbath day, rules and regulations, angels, and so on.

When Solomon’s Temple was being erected (today’s Scripture), it did not go up haphazardly. Its elements fit together perfectly. Lest we upset God’s perfect plan for us the Church the Body of Christ, we are not going to carelessly use worthless building materials, elements that do not belong there and will actually weaken the structure….

A Sign of Dispensational Change

Sunday, October 26, 2014

“For the Jews require a sign…” (1 Corinthians 1:22a KJV).

Our Holy Bible confirms the global health news—yes, God has temporarily suspended Israel’s healing program.

Christendom abounds with “faith healing,” the belief system that contends that God heals physical illness in our Dispensation of Grace—some go so far as to say that He literally raises the dead! They quote James 5:14,15, Mark 16:18, Matthew 10:8, Exodus 15:26, and 1 Peter 2:24. While the Bible confirms God can perform miracles, including physical healing and resurrection, these were for Israel’s benefit (today’s Scripture). The miracles always communicated various doctrines to Israel. Today, we have the completed canon of the Holy Bible; we do not need God to teach us anything apart from His written Word (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

Saints, that God is not physically healing us is evident in global health news. The United States’ never-ending healthcare debate would be nonexistent—there would be no need for healthcare (even for the faith-healers!). Beloved, consider the current Ebola outbreak in Africa. Such cases are now here in the United States. Have we yet to hear of a single faith-healer attempting to “heal” even one person sick and dying of this most serious and painful disease? Now would be the time to manifest “God’s power,” and yet they are “missing-in-action.” They know they could not fake an Ebola healing even if they tried!

Not long ago, a “Christian miracle-worker” addressed the Ebola outbreak on his television program. A proclaimer of “healing miracles,” but still exhibiting the debilitating effects of aging, he cautioned people traveling to Africa to rather be afraid of contracting AIDS, to be wary of disease-carrying mosquitoes, and not to eat certain foods (due to unsanitary handling practices). Later, he and co-hostess discussed how they and their viewers should take precautions with the approaching cold and influenza seasons, that they manage tip-top immune systems. Lastly, his co-hostess complained when he asked her to read a text without her eyeglasses!

Dear friends and precious readers, may we abandon such religious tomfoolery, may we not be deceived by such duplicity, and may we rejoice that God’s Holy Bible is all that we need in terms of divine revelation! 🙂

Faith During Life’s Storms #5

Sunday, September 7, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

Jesus was sleeping in the ship when the storm struck. He had a pillow and was very comfortable when His panicking disciples awoke Him seeking salvation from their impending deaths. He asked where was their faith, why they were so fearful—their actions were irrational. Remember, there was no way on earth that He would allow a ship to sink if He Himself was on that ship! Some 2,000 years earlier He had been on Noah’s ark: our King James Bible testifies that the Lord told Noah and his family to “come” into ark (Genesis 7:1 means JEHOVAH was in Noah’s ark). Thus, neither the ship of today’s Scripture nor Noah’s ark was wrecked.

While the first part of the seven-year Tribulation will not be peaceful, it is compared to the latter! Believing Israel will come under intense persecution, even facing the death penalty for following Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:17-42). “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

Once the Antichrist betrays Israel’s trust halfway through those seven years, his attitude will change. As the calm waters of the Sea of Galilee instantly transformed into a raging storm, so the trouble for the Messianic Jews will begin. No problem, for JEHOVAH Jesus has promised to bring them through those awful times, to bring them to the other side, their Millennial Kingdom (Jeremiah 30:7; Zechariah 13:8,9; cf. Isaiah 28:14-22; Isaiah 65:17-25; Ezekiel 36:16-38)! Believing Israel just needs to trust God’s Word to them.

Let us now dedicate a few studies to learning how today’s Scripture can be beneficial to us in this the Dispensation of Grace….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What is ‘the fellowship of the mystery?’”

Faith During Life’s Storms #4

Saturday, September 6, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

To demonstrate to His disciples that He was the Creator God in human flesh, the Lord Jesus commanded the winds and the sea to be quiet… and instantly, the waters were just as calm as before. JEHOVAH stills the noises of the raging seas and waves (Psalm 65:7; Psalm 89:9; Psalm 107:29); JEHOVAH in the flesh (Jesus Christ) did likewise. “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still” (Psalm 107:29). If He could create those natural laws from nothing with just a few spoken words, He could easily manipulate them to disassemble a storm (with just a few spoken words!).

Both before and after Jesus Christ calmed the storm, His disciples were guilty of unbelief (today’s Scripture; Mark 4:40; Luke 8:25). Their sinful hearts were deceitful. “But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (Matthew 8:27). Mark (4:41) put it this way, “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Luke wrote (8:25), “And they being afraid wondered, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.” Oddly enough, Jesus’ disciples were just as troubled during the storm as they were after He had dissipated it! The Scriptures indicate they still did not get what He had taught them.

What Israel of the future can learn is this… despite all the horrors of the seven-year Tribulation period, that “storm of life” will pass, and there will be peace as such the world has not seen since the creation week….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Who is ‘the great cloud of witnesses’ of Hebrews 12:1?”

Riches and the Ages to Come #2

Saturday, August 9, 2014

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5 KJV).

If Israel’s believing remnant is to endure the seven-year Tribulation’s economic depression, she must remember that faithful JEHOVAH is with her, and that He will bless her in due time.

Had God not interrupted Israel’s prophetic program by saving Saul of Tarsus and commissioning him as the Apostle Paul in Acts chapter 9 (and starting our program, the Dispensation of Grace), Israel’s seven-year Tribulation would have begun in late Acts chapter 7 (the Holy Ghost speaking through the Apostle Peter in Acts 2:16-21 [cf. Joel 2:28-32] taught the seven-year Tribulation would follow the day of Pentecost of Acts chapter 2).

From Acts chapter 9 onward to the end of Acts, we read about God’s transition from Israel’s prophetic program to our mystery program. The books that come after Acts—Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon—focus on our program. The book of Hebrews, which comes after Philemon, is the transitional book from our program back to Israel’s prophetic program. Hebrews through Revelation focus on the resumption and conclusion of Israel’s program (Hebrews was written sometime during Acts in the event that Israel’s program would not be delayed 2,000 years like it has been up until now). Thus, the books of Hebrews through Revelation are an advancement of the kingdom doctrine first taught to Israel in the Four Gospels and early Acts (note John 14:26 and John 16:12,13).

Observe Hebrews 2:3-5: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord [Matthew through John], and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost [early Acts], according to his own will? For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.”

Today’s Scripture is God’s Word to Israel regarding “the world to come…,” the recommencement of her program after our program concludes….