Category: twelve apostles

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #94

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Many studies ago, we presented and explained the Scripture verses regarding water baptism—why Israel and Gentiles needed it in the prophetic program. Yet, is it necessary for us (the Church the Body of Christ) in the mystery program? No. Currently, water baptism is neither for salvation nor for a testimony. It serves no purpose today other than to reinforce Bible ignorance and distract from what God is doing right now.

Paul our Apostle wrote: “For there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). The “one baptism” we must have is not water baptism, since 1 Corinthians 1:17 amplifies, “For Christ sent me not the baptize, but to preach the gospel:….” (First Corinthians chapter 1 is the only time Paul ever wrote about water baptism.) Unlike that of the 12 Apostles (Matthew 28:19,20), Paul’s commission did not involve water baptism. Our “one baptism” has nothing to do with water. It is 1 Corinthians 12:13: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” Our “one baptism” places us into the Church the Body of Christ (cf. Romans 6:3,4; Galatians 3:27)—and water baptism cannot do that! This “one baptism” in the Dispensation of Grace is spiritual, our identification with the Body of Christ upon our believing the Gospel of Grace of 1 Corinthians 15:3,4. According to Colossians 2:12, this baptism is “the operation of God” (not the operation of a priest or preacher), and is no more physical than the circumcision of Colossians 2:11 is physical!

Alas, even if people recognize Paul as their apostle, they prefer to harmonize him with the rest of the Bible. Was not Paul water baptized? Did he not water baptize converts? Should we not follow Paul here? Did not Paul perform healing miracles and cast out devils? Should we not follow Paul here? Did he not physically circumcise Timothy? (No one really wants to ask if we should follow Paul here with circumcision, and for good reason!) Let us forthwith address Paul and water baptism….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #92

Sunday, August 23, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

The Book of 1 John addresses Israel (cf. Galatians 2:9; Matthew 10:2,5-7): “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:6-10).

John understands there is believing Israel and there is unbelieving Israel. Read 1 John 2:12: “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.” Even in 1 John, 1 John 1:9 is not a daily practice of believers, but an expression of moving from unbelief to faith. First John 1:9 is an appeal to lost Jews, Jews so self-righteous they suppose they have no sins to confess (cf. Luke 7:29,30; cf. Matthew 3:6,9; Mark 1:4,5; Luke 3:3,8). The Apostle John writes 1 John 1:9 to unsaved Jews, for believing Jews have already confessed their sins under John the Baptist’s ministry and now possess forgiveness (1 John 2:12).

Today, it is assumed we need to confess our sins to obtain forgiveness. Here, the “Our Father” Prayer is quoted: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors…. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:12,14,15). To repeat, this is part of Israel’s national Kingdom restoration (Leviticus 26:40-42), confession of sins an admission they need the New Covenant (cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34) because they can never measure up to the demands of the Old Covenant (cf. Ezra 9:1–10:1; Daniel 9:3-20; Matthew 3:6; Mark 1:5)….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #85

Sunday, August 16, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

The spiritual gift of speaking in tongues was exercised just three times in Acts, and always in Israel’s presence. Firstly, in Acts 2:1-21, Jews from around the world had gathered at Jerusalem for Pentecost, and heard God’s words in their respective native (foreign) dialects. Secondly, in Acts 10:44-48, Peter’s Gentile converts in Caesarea (Canaan’s Mediterranean Coast) proved to Jewish Peter and his Jewish companions (“they of the circumcision”) that God had turned to the Gentiles now that Paul had been commissioned (cf. Acts 11:12-18; cf. Acts 15:7-11). Finally, in Acts 19:1-7, Israelites speaking in tongues at Ephesus (western Turkey) further authenticated Paul’s apostleship. Of course, these had to be intelligent languages, human speech that could be understood and identified as sound doctrine; gibberish is meaningless.

Read 1 Corinthians 14:21,22: “In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign [!!!!], not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.” The original prophecy is Isaiah 28:11: “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.” When idolatrous Israel heard foreign languages in her Promised Land—namely, the speech of invading (Gentile) Assyrian troops and attacking (Gentile) Babylonian armies—it demonstrated that God’s judgment had fallen politically and exile was impending (cf. Leviticus 26:27-39).

A parallel is in 1 Corinthians, with Paul’s Gentile believers exercising the gift of tongues (a “sign!!!”) to prove to lost Israel (“them that believe not”) that their nation had fallen spiritually and God was working with Gentiles (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16). Remember, a Jewish synagogue met next-door to the Corinthian church (Acts 18:1-11, especially verse 7). The saints of Corinth, however, were too childish in the faith to serve as God’s instruments, so there was an abuse of spiritual gifts—particularly the misuse of the gift of tongues. Christians in Corinth never really distanced themselves from their old heathen thoughts and ways, which rendered them prone to multifarious nonsense….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #79

Monday, August 10, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Contrary to public opinion, Paul/Saul operated under a commission different from that given to the 12 Apostles. For example, the 12 were instructed, “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47). This pairs with the sequence of early Acts: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). In prophecy, salvation and blessing come to Israel first (Matthew 10:5-7), and Jerusalem is Israel’s capital, “the city of the great King” (Matthew 5:35). Therefore, Jerusalem was where the Holy Spirit was poured out on Israel’s believing remnant in Acts chapter 2 (Pentecost) and Jerusalem was where the 12 Apostles (Matthias as Judas Iscariot’s successor) and the rest of believing Israel conducted their ministry during Acts chapters 1–7. With Israel persisting in unbelief during that time, the 12 Apostles did not expand to ministering to the (Gentile) world (nations). Matthew 28:18-20 is yet future!

However, Paul/Saul began his ministry in Damascus rather than Jerusalem (see Acts 9:19-25). Additionally, Gentiles come first in his commission: “But the Lord said unto him [Ananias], Go thy way: for he [Saul/Paul] is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:…” (Acts 9:15). Christ had notified Saul/Paul outside of Damascus, “Delivering thee from the people [Israel], and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee [‘apostello,’ make thee an ‘apostle,’ ‘sent one’],…” (Acts 26:17). With Paul’s ministry, there was no more distinction between Jew and Gentile, but he was preaching to people who had known nothing but that difference. Therefore, his apostleship had authenticating “signs” during the Acts period for a two-fold purpose. Firstly, it showed Israel how their God was now with the Gentiles, and, secondly, it showed the Gentiles how Israel’s God was now with them (the Gentiles)….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #76

Thursday, August 6, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Without question, Acts is the most abused Book of the Bible in church history. Such unbelievably irresponsible, shoddy treatment of it has produced more lost souls and more ruined Christian minds and lives than any other portion of Scripture people have perverted. Its transitional nature renders it exceptionally challenging—at first, anyway. Once we discover the general tenor, though, Acts becomes a blessing rather than a burden. It all starts with making sure we approach it using the method of dispensational Bible study, thereby jettisoning the traditional views that led to unending confusion, heresy, and apostasy. Alas, even a great many supposed “dispensationalists” are clueless as to what transpired during the Acts period, so we must be careful not to wind up in their trap either.

In order to gain a sense of the transitional nature of Acts, all one needs to do is simply compare and contrast the first chapter and the last chapter. Chapter 1 is Israel, the ministry of the 12 Apostles, the city of Jerusalem, and prophecy; however, chapter 28 is Gentiles, the ministry of the Apostle Paul, the city of Rome, and mystery. The opening of Acts is nothing like the close of Acts, and that is by Divine design; Acts is an historical Book, the record of how God was just or fair in departing from Israel, suspending her covenants, withdrawing her signs, and ending her (earthly, prophetic) program… and how He started dealing with the world/nations, apart from covenants, apart from signs, thereby introducing a secret/mystery and heavenly program.

The Book of Acts covers approximately 30 years, from Christ’s ascension all the way to Paul’s house-arrest. During that special time in human history, Israel became less and less of an issue—her fall in Acts chapter 7 with Stephen’s stoning (blasphemy against the Holy Ghost) leading to her diminishing for the remainder of Acts. Those dreadful concluding words of Acts 28:23-29 are entered into the scriptural record to demonstrate that, in spite of Israel’s persistent unbelief (all through those three decades of Acts!), salvation indeed had gone to the Gentiles without (WITHOUT!) God’s literal, physical, visible, earthly people….

NOTE: In order to bring you a special study tomorrow, we will temporarily break away from this devotionals arc….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #66

Saturday, July 25, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

What was the significance of the healing miracles and casting out of devils of Moses’ ministry, Christ’s earthly ministry, and the 12 Apostles’ ministry in early Acts? It was more than simply to help people escape suffering or entertain them with supernatural demonstrations. God was communicating sound Bible doctrine by fulfilling centuries-old prophecies of the Old Testament.

“For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us…. And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity” (Isaiah 33:22,24). When God would found His earthly kingdom, there would be no physical disability or disease: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing:…” (Isaiah 35:5,6). Once Messiah (Christ Jesus) arrived, there would be a proliferation of healing miracles—as well as casting out of devils (evil spirits that rendered Israel unclean, unfit for God’s service): “And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land” (Zechariah 13:2). It would be the very earthly kingdom God intended for Adam and man before the Fall, before there were satanic activities on Earth and before there was the curse of sin and sickness on Earth. Hebrews 2:4 recalls early Acts: “God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”

If Israel was to be used of God, not only did her people need to be cleansed of sin and delivered from Satan, they had to see proof that they would be God’s kingdom of priests. Thus enters the Davidic Covenant, and yet another sign….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #65

Friday, July 24, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

The Apostle Peter preached to Israel in chapter 3 of Acts, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began…. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (verses 19-21,25,26).

With the founding of God’s earthly kingdom (Matthew 5:5; Matthew 25:31,34; et cetera) still in view in early Acts, the “signs” of the Gospel of the Kingdom continued to be present—picking up exactly where Mark chapter 16 concluded. The healing of the lame man in the opening of Acts chapter 3 typifies Israel restored to kingdom glory (see Peter’s sermon beginning chapter 4). Chapter 5 elaborates: “[12] And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people [Israel!]; (and they were all with one accord in [king!] Solomon’s porch. [13] And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. [14] And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) [15] Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. [16] There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.”

Again, in Scripture, “signs” and Israel go together….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #64

Thursday, July 23, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

When JEHOVAH God brought Israel out of Egyptian slavery, He was thinking of His earthly kingdom headquartered in the Promised Land. Read this excerpt from the Song of Moses, Exodus chapter 15: “Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain [kingdom] of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. The LORD shall reign for ever and ever” (verses 17,18). Skip over to chapter 19, verses 5 and 6: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Gospel of the Kingdom was preached with accompanying miracles of casting out devils and healing the sick (reminiscent of Moses’ snake-handling and leprosy-healing in Exodus chapter 4!). “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick [insane], and those that had the palsy [paralytics]; and he healed them” (Matthew 4:23,24; cf. Luke 6:17-19). “And as ye [12 Apostles] go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:7,8). “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:…” (Mark 3:14,15).

Observe again how these miracles are twice designated as “signs” in Mark 16:15-20, Mark’s conclusion bringing us into early Acts….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #24

Thursday, June 11, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Observe! It was the LORD God’s intention to bless the world/nations/Gentiles through the nation Israel’s rise to kingdom glory (Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 60:1-3; Zechariah 8:20-23; Matthew 28:19,20; Acts 3:24-26). That was the heart of “prophecy” (cf. Matthew 25:34; Luke 1:68-75; Acts 3:20-23). However, Israel rejected Messiah-King Jesus and crucified Him in unbelief (John 19:14,15), refusing to trust Him even after His death, burial, and resurrection… which brings us into early Acts, the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the 12 Apostles. With national Israel spurning Jesus Christ for three years (Matthew to John) and snubbing the Holy Spirit for one year (early Acts), she falls in Acts chapter 7 by stoning Stephen who is filled with the Holy Ghost (see Matthew 12:31,32; Mark 3:28-30; Luke 13:6-9).

Paul’s apostleship, which commences in Acts chapter 9, is introduced because of Israel’s fall. Romans chapter 11: “[11] I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. [12] 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 fulness? [13] For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: [14] If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them…. [25] For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery [secret, once-hidden wisdom now revealed through Pauline doctrine!], lest ye should be wise in your own conceits [do not think you are Israel or that you have replaced Israel!]; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”

It is through the nation Israel’s fall that salvation currently comes to the Gentiles/nations/world, for the God of the Bible utilizes Paul’s ministry to reach out to all people without distinction during the operation of “mystery” (Romans 16:25,26)….

The Price of Christ #2

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

“Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment” (John 12:3 KJV).

How much should Jesus Christ be worth in the eyes of Christians?

About six days before His crucifixion, Jesus is in Bethany, a town one or two miles (1.6 or 3.2 kilometers) southeast of Jerusalem. He has raised Lazarus from the dead just a short time earlier (John chapter 11), and they are holding a supper for Jesus there in Bethany (John 12:1-9). Lazarus’s sister Mary (cf. John 11:2) anoints Jesus’ feet as recorded in today’s Scripture.

Mary took a “pound” (roughly a pint or 0.5 liter) of the very intense aromatic essential oil “spikenard” and poured it onto Jesus’ feet. She then wiped His feet with her hair. (You can grasp Mary’s humility by remembering that sandaled feet that trod hot Middle Eastern sand were quite filthy, sweaty, and smelly. Can you imagine wiping your hair on those feet?)

Spikenard, whose plant derivative is still unknown, was just as the Bible says—“very costly.” In fact, when Judas—the thieving treasurer of the apostles—saw what Mary did, he bemoaned, “Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” (John 12:5). Verse 6 says, “This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.” Judas just wanted the spikenard sold so he could pocket the money!

The word “pence” in our King James Bible means the Roman coins called denarii. A denarius was equal to one day’s wages, so 300 pence was roughly ten month’s wages (the denarius was originally worth the price of ten donkeys, so 300 pence was 3,000 donkeys!). Mary recognized the great value of the Lord Jesus Christ: He was worth far more than the mere 30 pieces of silver (three or four months’ wages) Judas later received for betraying Him. May we Christians value the Lord of glory, Jesus Christ, as much as Mary did!