From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Jan 2 09:07:56 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2012 09:07:56 -0800 Subject: Deuteronomy 5-11 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 2, 2012 *APR 4 - Deuteronomy 5-11 - EXPERIENCE AND OBEDIENCE* *1. 5:9-10 (5) REPETITION OF DECALOGUE. ?You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments? (ESV). *Your Kingdom Father, is to honor *You alone*! *Hallowed be your :name.* *2. 6:4-5 (6) THE ?SHEMAH?: FOR CHILD EDUCATION. ?Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.? *This is the heart of Your will, O Father! *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 7:15 (7) DEALING WITH THE HEATHEN. ?And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you knew, will he inflict on you, but he will lay them on all who hate you.? *Healing comes when we drive out the Canaanites. Deal with the seven deadly sins in your life (2 Corinthians 7:1); and then healing comes! Father, we thank You for Your faithfulness in this! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!* *4. 8:18 (8) WARNING CONCERNING GOD'S CHOICE. ?You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.? *There is a blessing in walking with You, Father; but the converse is true also. O forgive us that we forget You so easily, and turn to our own ways! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 9:26 (9) INTERCESSION FOR REBELLION. ?And I prayed to the LORD, 'O Lord GOD, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.? *Thank You Father, for Moses Your Intercessor. How we need to understand this ministry of spiritual warfare more effectively. *And forgive us our :debts, As we have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 10:12-13 (10) A PENETRATING CHARGE! ?And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?? *Father, as we so walk in Your word, You will deliver us from the evil one. *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 11:12 (11) THE LAND: BLESSING AND CURSE. ?A land that the LORD your God cares for. The eyes of the LORD your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.? *Your land will vomit a rebellious people out of it, Father. How sober the thought! But to walk with You is to understand that Yours is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory forever! *But deliver us from the evil one!* NOTE: 6:6-7 (6) GOD'S WORD: FOR OUR CHILDREN! ?And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.? Write these words on our heart, Father. This portion of Scripture was given to Israel by God through Moses. The 5 books of Moses contain types and shadows - that the early church apostles wisely and effectively applied to the church, especially the apostle Paul. What Moses was to Israel, Jesus through Paul was to the church. God gave him an insight on the OT ?Mysteries? - at the time he spent 3 years with the Lord in the desert of Arabia, where Mount Sinai was situated according to the Book of Galatians. This Book - plus Acts 15 - delivers Gentiles from the legalism of the OT law for Israel. We are part of the ?One New Man? - the *Key* Mystery God gave to Paul to explain. The Old Testament is by the *New* explained. George Muller saw this most clearly. Then look again at Deuteronomy 11:12. From the *beginning of the year*(January 1, 2012) to the end of the year - December 31, 2012) - the eyes of the LORD are upon the land of Israel for His Chosen People. But what is the equivalent of the land for New Testament saints - of the ?One New Man? - Jew and Gentile alike? *Our body* is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, both individually and corporately. We in our bodies are the land of the LORD. God is the Father of the *spirits* of all men. Our spirit with our redeemed soul and renewed mind - with God - lives in these human bodies - awaiting our resurrected and glorified bodies at the Coming of the Lord and the First Resurrection! And now - our Psalm for the day: *94:18-19 (94:1-23) ?THE LORD WILL NOT FORSAKE HIS PEOPLE. When I thought, 'My foot slips,' your steadfast love (CHEsed), O LORD*, *held me up. **19** When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.? *O Father, how marvelous are Your ways unto Your children. Your rain falls on all men! *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Jan 3 09:55:18 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 09:55:18 -0800 Subject: Deuteronomy 12-20 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 3, 2012 *APR 5 - DEUTERONOMY 12-20 - REVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONS* *1. 12:32 (12:1-14:2) RELIGIOUS LAWS: IDOLATRY AND FALSE PROPHECY. ?Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it? (ESV). **This word* is *Your Plumbline*, Father. By this we evaluate all our words, actions and thoughts. Those who do not bring all things to Your word for confirmation - or would change, set aside, diminish or add to Your Word - have *falsehood* in their heart! *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 14:3, 6 (14:3-21) DIETARY LAWS. ?You shall not eat any abomination. 6Every animal that parts the hoof and has the hoof cloven in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat.? *New Testament saints are not under Old Testament dietary laws for Israel. However, these laws were not given by caprice by You, Father. There is wisdom here, if we choose to hear. *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 14:22 (14:22-29) RELIGIOUS LAWS: TITHES. ?You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.? *Tithes and offerings are the *minimum* for a New Testament saint! *All* is Yours Father, under the New Covenant, and You can draw on it by our faith as occasion demands! Do we believe this? You promise abundance as we tithe. 2 Corinthians 8-9 is our New Testament guide! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!* *4. 15:6 (15:1-17:13) SABBATH, FEASTS AND RELIGIOUS LAWS. ?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.? *And what are the conditions to warrant these promises, Father? To *walk* in Your Word! O forgive us that we treat You, Your Word and Your ways so lightly, transgressing against them, and doing our own thing! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 17:18 (17:14-20) KINGDOM LAWS. ?And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests.? *All leaders ought to take care to master Your Word, Father. Our judgment is only right as it is in accordance with Your Word. O be with us when we are tempted to depart from Your right way of doing things! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors!* *6. 18:18-19 (18) RELIGIOUS LAWS: LEVITES, PRIESTS AND PROPHETS. ?I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.? *What a solemn word! Father, we listen to and *obey Jesus* Your Prophet in this. *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 19:20-21 (19-20) CIVIL LAWS. ?And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you. 21 Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.? *False witnesses are an *abomination* to You Father, and deserve to have done to them what they desired for others! See Hitler as a false witness against the Jews! And Haman! Your justice *finally comes*, Father! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 13:3 (12:1-14:2) WARNING CONCERNING PROPHETS AND DREAMERS. ?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.? *Note: *this* is what the LORD did with Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:31). How would any of us stand under such a test? Deuteronomy is a review of Genesis through Numbers. It is a briefer outline what God through Moses gave to the first generation of Israel that He delivered from Pharaoh and Egypt. Deuteronomy is for the *new generation*, that Israel thought would prevent them from entering the Promised Land! Now *they* are hearing what their fathers failed to follow in the 40 year's wandering in the wilderness. Only *two* of that generation crossed Jordan into Canaan-land - Joshua and Caleb. And did this new generation who saw the Wilderness miracles of manna, water out of a Rock and much more - follow through? Actually, No! When Joshua and the elders had successfully led this new generation to possess the land of seven nations all greater than they - then *they too* forsook Jehovah and His ways! The Book of Judges tells of 7 severe judgments from God upon succeeding generations. Then Paul in Galatians and his other epistles - clearly reveals that the law has been replaced with a *New Covenant*. God for the church writes His law *on our hearts* by His Spirit. All who live by Galatians 2:20 and the rest of this letter - are then *above* the law. Paul to Timothy reveals that the law to Israel is for *sinners*! It keeps them in line until they have sense enough to accept Christ as *Lord* and Savior, and by the Gift (d* o*-reA) of the Holy Spirit - and see Jesus *live out* through them His Resurrected life of Glory and Overcoming Life. And let us consider carefully God's warning concerning false prophets and dreams. If *anything* they counsel is *contrary* to God's total Word - * forsake* such words. God through them is *testing* us. Are these things easy to understand? Not at all. *Only* by God's indwelling Spirit through fully-surrendered saints - do these things become clear. Rees Howells, Oswald Chambers and George Muller fully understood these lessons. *They* forsook the *broad way* of the *self-life*, and accepted the challenge of God's *narrow way* of life! *Few* like them do so! Jesus said so! The above 3 saints agree that this is so. *But* - the invitation is freely offered to you and me. Let us consider the *light cost*- pay it - and enter into God's *abundant* life! And now - our Psalm for the day: *95:1-2 (95:1-11) LET US SING SONGS OF PRAISE! ?Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!? *Oh that Your people always had it in their heart to worship You *this* way, Father! Then would we *soon* enter into Your rest and *Hallow Your :name*! We would not then be tempting You in the wilderness! *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Jan 4 09:25:03 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2012 09:25:03 -0800 Subject: Deuteronomy 21-26 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 4, 2012 *APR 6 - DEUTERONOMY 21-26 - REVIEW OF LAWS* *1. 21:23 (21) LAWS: FROM MANSLAUGHTER TO HANGING. ?His body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance? (ESV). *We marvel at your attention to detail, Father. You leave *nothing* out; You do *all things*well. We glorify You, and say, *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 22:29 (22) LAWS: FROM HUMANE TO INCEST. ?Then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days.? *If this law were followed, men would be far more careful about casual relationship of fornication. We let men off scot-free today, and it is not right. Father, Your ways are right and just! The *moral* law of the Old Covenant carries over to the New, and in the Sermon of the Mount, Jesus makes it yet more serious by lifting it from the act to the thought! *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 23:23 (23) LAWS: ON ASSEMBLY TO NEIGHBORLY PRIVILEGES. ?You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth.? He who swears to his own hurt, and changes not (Psalm 15:4b), *abides in You, Father! How glib we are in making promises of gifts, and failing to follow through. But *You* are absolutely faithful to Your promises, Father! And You would have us Your children like you, else we fail to *Hallow* Your Name! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 24:5 (24) LAWS: ON DIVORCE AND GLEANING. ?When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken.? *How gracious and thoughtful You are, Father! This is *your* word through Moses. O forgive us that we so often fail to be as thoughtful toward those who work for us or are under us. May we take a page from Your Book! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 25:19 (25) LAWS: FROM SCOURGING TO AMALEK. ?Therefore when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget.? *The wheels of God grind slow, but they grind exceeding small! You are just Father, and live apart from time. King Saul flagrantly disobeyed this word, and Haman, of this line, nearly destroyed all the Jews! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors!* *6. 26:15 (26:1-15) LAWS OF FIRSTFRUITS AND TITHES. ?Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the ground that you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.? *How confidently can we claim Your blessing Father, when we walk in obedience and compassion according to Your Word! Then you can bless our land! *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 26:16 (26:16-19) LAW OF MOSES: ITS PURPOSE. ?This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.? *We have entered into a Covenant with You Father, that *You* are our God, and *we are * Your people. Then we can boldly lay claim to Your promises, even - *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 24:4 (24) HOW HOLLYWOOD VIOLATES THIS! ?**Then her former husband, who sent her away may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the LORD. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance.? *The *land* is defiled when we commit anything that is * abomination* in the sight of the LORD: Incest, perversion, abortion, murder, violence or uncleanness. See Romans 1:8-32. Here is the key for NT saints - as to how to apply OT moral law to us in our time. Fully one third of the NT is either a direct quotation from the OT - or a direct reference to some portion of it. Jesus especially - but all 8 of the NT writers - likewise accurately quote for our use in NT times from the OT. But it is obvious that many so-called or self-appointed teacher today - quote from the OT indiscriminately - *not* rightly dividing the Word of Truth! What is *not* in the OT brought forward into the NT - best leave it alone. Much if not most of the Mosaic law is for Israel - as Types and Shadows - and *not* for NT saints, who have the fulfillment - to obey! The * moral* law of the OT? Yes - especially that quoted or referred to by NT writers. But see Acts 15 for an example what is *not* required by Gentile believers to keep: circumcision, and strict Jewish dietary laws! Even Jews are unable to be fully ?Torah Observant,? since the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. Fully 200 of the 613 Torah commandments for Jews have *not* been able to be observed since that date: Since Jesus was crucified and brought in a New Covenant - namely *Himself*! God has deliberately allowed Herod's Temple to be destroyed - because *that* day has passed away since the ?Finished Work? of Christ! George Muller understood this distinction thoroughly! In his devotions, he often read the Bible in Hebrew and Greek - for he was thoroughly acquainted with the two Bible languages. Read his biography by Dr. A.T. Pierson. It will clarify the thinking of any who are confused in this area. One other point: The word LOgos - referring to the written Word of God among other references - appears 330 times in the NT. R*E*ma, the spoken or living word of God, including the gifts of the Spirit, as well as dreams and visions - but *70 times*! Four ? to One! By this God points out that we should deal with the written Word of God four ? to one - to that of dreams, visions, prophecy and the gifts of the Spirit. But many we know deal ?ten to one? on the R*E*ma - dreams and visions - insights and prophecies - to the *written Word* of God. *This* George Muller would *never* do! I am fearful and hold ?suspect? all so-called and self-appointed teaches who move in *this* syndrome! And now - our Psalm for the day! *96:7-8 (96:1-13) ?Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! 8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! *You have given us Your Name, Father! It is *worthy* to be praised. In Your Name we understand in measure who You are. Your Name is a revelation of Your Self! *Hallowed be your :name!* * * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Jan 5 09:17:22 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2012 09:17:22 -0800 Subject: Deuteronomy 27-30 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 5, 2012 *APR 7 - DEUTERONOMY 27-30 - RENEWAL OF COVENANT* *1. 27:9-10 (27:1-13) LAW: RENEWED AND MEMORIALIZED. ?Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, 'Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the LORD your God. 10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.'? *This is like resurrection day for Israel: the day of their becoming Your people Father, as Your Son on His resurrection! Now Israel is of age as the new generation, *a Kingdom People*, and responsible to obey! *Hallowed be your :name.* *2. 27:15 (27:14-26) LAW: CURSES FOR DISOBEDIENCE. ?Cursed is the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the LORD, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.? And all the people shall answer and say, ?Amen.? **Idolatry* is the *first* and * greatest* curse of this portion. Images to worship are an *abomination* to You, Father! O may we hear this word, destroy our idols, and do Your will on earth as it is in heaven. *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 28:12b-14 (28:1-14) LAW: BLESSINGS ON OBEDIENCE. ?And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them, 14 and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I command you today, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.? *Here we see Your blessings on obedience, Father: *full provision* in all aspects! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!* *4. 28:23 (28:15-68) LAW: CURSES INTENSIFIED. ?And the heavens over your head shall be bronze, and the earth under you shall be iron.? *How terrible the fruit of disobedience! Here we see spelled out in frightening detail all Your judgment, Father. O forgive us, that we force You to bring such things upon us because of our rebellion and self-will! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 29:12-13a (29:1-13) LAW OF THE COVENANT. ?So that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the LORD your God, which the LORD your God is making with you today, 13a that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your God.? *This is over and above the covenant of the law at Sinai, and as with the Abrahamic Covenant, You confirmed this new one with the new generation of Israel with an oath! May we *always* take You seriously, Father! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 29:29 (29:14-29) LAW: A WARNING AND MEMORIAL. ?The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.? *Israel must be without excuse if they forsake You Father, and run unto sin! You have spelled it out so clearly. May we in our day *not forsake* Your *New Covenant*! *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 30:14 (30:1-20) LAW: WORD OF CONFESSION. ?But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.? *The high confession here concerns the fulfillment of Jesus' coming at Calvary and Pentecost, though there was a lesser fulfillment at the time for Israel. *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 29:1 (29:1-13) COVENANT WORDS IN ADDITION TO SINAI. ?These are the words of the covenant that the LORD commanded Moses to make with the people of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant that he had made with them at Horeb.? *This is an appropriate new covenant for the new generation, which supersedes in promise the covenant made at Mount Sinai. Some Christian believers want nothing to do with the Old Testament. This is wrong! We must remember that the complete New Testament was not available to the church until about 90 A.D. Apostles, teachers, pastors and parents *all* used the Old Testament in the beginning, because that was *all * they had! They knew how to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Because of Acts 15 and soon, Galatians, they knew how to protect Gentile believers from the legalism of OT law! Was this easy to do? Of course not! - and errors were made. And Judaizers arose who tried to force Gentile men believers to be circumcised before being fully accepted in the church at the beginning. Did God know these problems would arise! Of course! Through *many* dangers, toils and snares we have already come1 But *grace* has brought us safe thus far - and *grace* *will bring* us home! See 27:15 above - A little girl in Spain was attending one of George Muller's Christian Schools. Her knowledge of the Bible drew the attention of a priest. He asked her, ?How is it you know the Bible so well?? She told him it was because she was attending this special school.? ?What do they teach you about the ten commandments?, he asked. And she quoted to him the above verse. He stopped her and said, ?That's *not* the way we believe it!? But she responded - ?But *that's* the way it reads in the Bible!? Look above at 28:12b-14. One teacher outlined a 7-fold weekly prayer based on the major 7 compound-Names of Jehovah. *This* portion was made part of one of these 7 days. After several months of reading this once a week, one wife said to her husband: ?If you read these versus once again, I'm going to scream! Because of this reaction, *that is why* since 1985 I have been preparing this ?Through the Bible in a Year? Daily Devotional! I have however put down at the end of each day's reading - one-seventh of the Lord's Prayer. Jesus said, After this manner, *Pray*! It is good for us to daily pray a portion of the prayer Jesus gave His disciples to pray. And *we* are descendants of these disciples, so it is for *us* too! Consider too 30:14 above. The apostle Paul quotes this verse in Romans 10. See how wisely the apostle *applies* this Old Testament verse for New Testament believers! And now, our Psalm for the day: *97:11-12 (1-12) THE LORD REIGNS! ?Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. 12 Rejoice in the LORD O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name! *Father, You reign over the universe in awesome Majesty and Power! You execute *right*judgment, and do right by Your saints. We rest in You completely. *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri Jan 6 09:02:33 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2012 09:02:33 -0800 Subject: Deuteronomy 31-33 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 6, 2012 *APR 8 - DEUTERONOMY 31-33 - REFORMS THROUGH SONG* *1. 31:6 (31:1-8) MOSES: HIS LAST COUNSELS. ?Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you? (ESV). *This is Your word Father, to Your people! We can apply it to us today, just as You gave it to Israel in their day. It is a *Kingdom* principle, and ought to be heeded by all Your people. *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 31:14a (31:9-15) MOSES: COMMANDS LAW TO BE READ. ?And the LORD said to Moses, 'Behold, the days approach when you must die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.? *Moses tied the loose ends together according to Your commandment, Father. He was dedicated to do Your will. We too would follow his example. *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 31:23 (31:16-30) MOSES: PURPOSE OF HIS SONG. ?And the LORD commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, 'Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. I will be with you.'? *You give us all good things that we need, Father! You give us correction through song; a valiant leader; a witness against rebellion. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!* *4. 32:30 (32:1-43) MOSES: HIS SONG. ?How could one have chased a thousand, and two have put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had given them up?? *Ah, here is a sad commentary: when we Your people forsake You Father, You turn us over to few enemies who defeat us! *Yet*, the opposite is true also! O forgive us that we tempt You, and cause You to bring judgment upon us! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 32:46b-47 (32:44-47) MOSES: CHARGES ISRAEL. ?Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. 47 For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.? **Our wisdom* is to hear and *do* Your words, Father. What blessings for us if we continually walk this way! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors!* *6. 32:49-50a (32:48-52) MOSES PREPARES FOR DEATH. ?Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel for a possession. 50a And die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people.? *Did death mean defeat for Moses? No sir! He served You Father, in his generation, and was faithful over all his house (Hebrews 3:5). May we all be as faithful to You as Moses! *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 33:8 (33:1-29) MOSES: BLESSING OF THE TRIBES. ?Give to Levi your Thummim, and your Urim to your godly one, whom you tested at Massah, with whom you quarreled at the waters of Meribah.? *Levi through Phinehas (Number 25:10-13) sanctified Your Name Father, and became the binding tribe for all of Israel. This was well pleasing in Your sight, and demonstrated that *Yours* is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory forever. Amen. *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 33:27 (33:1-29) MOSES: A WORD EXALTING THE LORD. ?The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you and said, Destroy.? *This Father, was Your promise for Israel, and has application for us the Church. We accept Your promise! So *much* in the above passage! A thought on Moses - Because he did not sanctify the Name of Jehovah before Israel by striking the rock in anger for water the second time - instead of speaking to it - therefore he and Aaron lost the privilege of entering the Promised Land! Instead, Joshua took Moses' place - conquered the 7 nations of Canaan, and divided their land for the remaining 9 ? tribes of Israel. Yet - God the merciful - sent Moses with Elijah some 1400 years later to prepare His only begotten Son for His coming Passion! Would Moses have appreciated this gesture? I am sure he did! Notice that of the 12 sons of Jacob - Levi and Joseph received the longest prophecies by Moses. In Genesis 49, Jacob gave Judah and Joseph the longest prophecies. For further insights on these 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel, read Genesis 29 and 30. Here the meaning of their names is brought forth. In Exodus 28 the 12 tribes according to their number in Number 2 - are linked with the 12 stones upon the Breastplate of Aaron the high priest, according to *that* order, not the order of birth. For further insights on the significance of the 12 tribes of Israel, see our Website (*www.2rbetter.org**); *and click on ?Embryonics?. Here there are two articles on each of the 12 tribes. Here the 12 tribes are listed in order of their birth, (including Ephraim and Manasseh under Joseph). The 12 tribes are linked first with the 12 Embryonic Revival Principles that came together at North Battleford, Saskatchewan in 1948. There is also a linkage with the 12 major world cultural groups: they are found in the 5 major continents; four key nations; and 3 cultural groups. Also, under ?Interlinear? - the entire ?Outlined Interlinear NT? based on the Bible Numeric discovery of Ivan Panin can be found. The OT book order is as the Hebrews still use it. The NT book order is almost the same as used by Westcott and Hort. However - this has not been thoroughly proof-read - so many typo-errors are present. Also, in the Printed Copy soon to appear, we have reversed the order of the English and transliterated Greek texts. The format also will be changed from 8 ? by 11 - to 6x9. And now - our Psalm for the day: *98:4 (1-9) MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE TO THE LORD. ?Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!? *Father, it is with *joyful* hearts that we pick up this exhortation, and praise You, as You *ought* to be praised. With heart, soul, mind and strength we love and praise You. *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat Jan 7 10:02:03 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2012 10:02:03 -0800 Subject: Deuteronomy 34 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 7, 2012 *APR 9 - DEUTERONOMY 34 - REQUIEM FOR MOSES* *1. 34:4 (34:1-4) VISION OF MOSES. And the LORD said to him, ?This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, 'I will give it to your offspring.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there? (ESV). *How *firm* You are Father, even with Your servant Moses - yet how gracious. Your great love for him did not weaken Your resolve in judgment. May we learn from this, and honor You in similar manner. *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 34:5 DEATH OF MOSES. ?So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.? *These are solemn words. You are not like man Father, but Your judgment and justice is * perfect*! Justice and mercy kiss each other in You. We would be like You, Your true people! *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 34:6 BURIAL OF MOSES. ?And he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this day.? *You had a hidden wisdom in this, Father. Weak man could not be tempted to worship at his tomb. You Father, do *all* things well! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 34:7 AGE OF MOSES. ?Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated.? *What a testimony! You would have us all live to full age and be in health and strength, if we like Moses would understand Your concern for dietary and health rules for our body. Obesity in the Bible is linked with drunkenness! O forgive us that we so often defile this temple of Your Holy Spirit! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day! * *5. 34:8 MOURNING FOR MOSES. ?And the people of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.? *We are not to sorrow for saints going to be with You, as do the heathen (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Yet there is a legitimate sorrow as in this instance that You permit, Father. *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 34:9 JOSHUA AND MOSES. ?And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.? *The laying on of hands with prayer and prophecy can be a great and legitimate blessing in the ordination of leaders (1 Timothy 1:18; 4:14). Properly exercised - it can equip us to be *overcomers*! *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 34:10-11a (34:10-12) LAST TRIBUTE TO MOSES. ?And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew fact to face, 11anone like him for all the signs and the wonders that the LORD sent him to do.? *What a high commendation! No wonder Israel and the Church through the centuries have honored Moses! How he glorified You, Father! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 34:11b-12 (34:10-12) THE DEEDS AND TERROR OF MOSES! ?What the LORD sent Moses to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, **12 and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of Israel.? *Moses was indeed mighty in word and deed! But it was *all* through Your grace, Father! God has packed into this little and short chapter many helpful lessons, that He encourages us to glean. One of them was restored in the 1948 Visitation in Northern Canada: namely, the laying on of hands with prayer and prophecy. This was a ?teaching? exercised in both OT and NT times. But in times between Revival Visitations, it with other manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit tended to disappear. Yet as we study the history of Revivals - *all* of these tend to appear once again during Revival times. This was the *first* manifestation of the Spirit out of 12 - that was restored in the 1948 Visitation. In Hebrews 6:1-2, it is the fourth of 6 Foundational Truths taken for granted at the beginning of the Church - first for Jewish believers - and then for the One New Man - composed of believing Jews and Gentiles. And in those days - it wasn't ?empty hands? on ?empty heads?! In Joshua's case - it wasn't just the gift of the ?Word of Wisdom? imparted to him through Moses - it was the *spirit of wisdom* that came upon him. Only twice in the days of his leadership did he fail to exercise this impartation: once at Ai, and again with the deception of the Gibeonites. He failed because he did not seek the mind of God through the ?Urim and Thummim?! He was so chagrined over these 2 failures at the beginning of his leadership, that we do not see following them - any further lapses! And how may *we* apply this lesson? What is *our* spiritual ?Urim & Thummim?? Read Proverbs 6:20-22, and here we learn that when we *meditate*on the *Word of God* - through our meditation we experience the enlightening power of the Holy Spirit come upon us - *then* we are guided safely like Moses and David, protected - and spoken to by God Himself. Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1-3 and Psalm 19:14 are relevant passages of Scripture - encouraging *us too* to *meditate* upon the Word of God. Soon there will be printed an ?Outlined Interlinear NT.? Because of its simple format, lay-folk will find it easy to *meditate* over the NT Word of God. *Then* God will speak - protect - and *guide* us! Turn to our Website * www.2rbetter.org* - click on ?Interlinear?, and you will find a rough draft of the entire ?Outlined Interlinear NT. The printed portion to come will have improvements and corrections through proof-reading - but temporarily the Website edition can be most helpful. And now - our Psalm for the day: *99:3-4 (99:1-9) THE LORD OUR GOD IS HOLY. ?Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! 4 The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.? *You are *fearful* in praises, Father; Your Majesty turns us to awesome contemplation! True understanding of You turns us to worship, with full thanksgiving. *Hallowed be your :name.* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sun Jan 8 08:50:47 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2012 08:50:47 -0800 Subject: Acts 1 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 8, 2012 *APR 10 - ACTS 1 - CHURCH AND THE HOLY SPIRIT* *1. 1:4 (1:1-5) JESUS: POST RESURRECTION PROMISE. ?And being assembled with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me? (NNT). *No longer is the Kingdom of God at hand: its fulfillment and immanence through the Holy Spirit is about to be manifested in righteousness, peace and joy (Romans 14:17). *Hallowed be your :name.* *2. 1:8 (1:6-8) JESUS: CLARIFIED PURPOSE OF HOLY SPIRIT. ?But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all :Judea and Samaria, and unto theuttermost of the earth.? *This is the correction to idle eschatology (last things) speculation. Your Kingdom in the Holy Spirit making us *witnesses* Father, is Your will for us! *Your :kingdom come.* *3. 1:9 JESUS: HIS ASCENSION. ?And on saying these things, he was taken up, they looking on; and a cloud received him out of their :sight.? *Some think it was a cloud of angels who received Jesus. Whatever it was, it was but 10 days following the Ascension until Pentecost, and Holy Spirit provision. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 1:10-11 (1:10-12) JESUS: HIS RETURN PROMISED. ?And while they were looking steadfastly into the heaven as he went [and] lo, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 who also said, Galilee men, why do you stand looking in the heaven? this :Jesus, who was received up from you into the heaven, shall so come in like manner as you behold him going into the heaven.? *Will Jesus come back literally? Of course, and that to reign on earth with His saints, and make all things new! O forgive us Father, that we insist on complicating Your Word with human tradition, reasonings and theology! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 1:14 (1:13-14) 120: PRAYER IN UPPER ROOM. ?These all with one accord continued steadfastly in :prayer, with the women, and Mariam the mother of :Jesus, and with his :brethren.? *And where were the 500? This number has now been reduced to a remnant of 120. We thank You for faithful remnants, Father. *And forgive us our :debts, as we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 1:16 (1:15-22) PETER'S PROPOSAL. ?[Men] Brethren, it was needful that the Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy :Spirit foretold through David's mouth concerning Judas, who became guide to them that took Jesus.? *We marvel at this new take-charge Peter, even before the coming of the Holy Spirit. It was as if an earnest of this had already come upon him. By this action, he corrected the sin of Judas. *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 1:24 (1:23-26) MATTHIAS: REPLACES JUDAS. ?And they prayed, and said, You, Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show of these :two the one whom you have chosen.? *Now there are 12 once again to be witnesses of the soon coming of the Holy Spirit. We bless You Father, for this provision! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 1:5 (1:1-5) JESUS: EXPLAINS TWO BAPTISMS. ?Because John indeed baptized with water; but you shall be baptized in **the Holy Spirit not many days hence.? *First the *blood* (Calvary), and now the oil (Pentecost). *Passover* and *Pentecost* are now past. And what will * Tabernacles* bring at the *Harvest*, the end of this age? This is the second book inspired by the Holy Spirit through Luke, possibly a Gentile convert to Jesus through the apostle Paul. Greek scholars have noted that his two NT books display the Greek language on a higher level than any other of the 8 NT writers. Not only does Luke write excellent Greek, but he is also one of the finest of Church historians. Not even secular historians come up to his level of carefulness in accurately recording these two letters to a fellow Greek. Yet with all the above careful and accurate recording - unless we come up with an intimate love-relationship with Jesus in the Spirit - we will fall short of the goal that our heavenly Father has for us. To illustrate this most effectively, let me quote from the extraordinary effect the young C.T. Studd before going to China as a missionary had upon the life of the well known F.B. Meyer. (This quote is taken from ?C.T. Studd - Athlete and Pioneer? by Norman P. Grubb, p. 42-44. I first read this biography in 1947, but it is even more challenging for me today!) At Leicester they met F.B. Meyer, who wrote later: ?The visit of Messrs. Stanley Smith and Studd to Melbourne Hall will always mark an epoch in my own life. Before then my Christian life had been spasmodic and fitful; now flaming up with enthusiasm, and then pacing wearily over leagues of grey ashes and cold cinders. I saw that these young men had something which I had not, but which was within them a constant source of rest and strength and joy. And never shall I forget a scene at 7 a.m. in the grey mist of a November morning, as daylight was flickering into the bedroom, paling the guttering candles, which from a very early hour had been lighting up the page of Scripture, and revealing the figures of the devoted Bible students, who wore the old cricket or boating blazer of earlier days, to rend them less sensible to the raw, damp climate. The talk we had then was one of the formative influences of my life. 'You have been up early,' I said to Charlie Studd. 'Yes,' said he, 'I got up at four o'clock this morning. Christ always knows when I have had sleep enough, and He wakes me to have a good time with Him.' I asked, 'What have you been doing this morning?' And he replied, 'You know that the Lord says, ?If you love me, keep my commandments?; and I was just looking through all the commandments that I could find that the Lord gave, and putting a tick against them if I have kept them, because I do love Him' 'Well,' I inquired, 'How can I be like you?' He replied, 'Have you ever given yourself to Christ, for Christ to fill you?' 'Yes,' I said, 'I have done so in a general way, but I don't know that I have done it particularly.' He answered, 'You must do it particularly also.' I knelt down that night, and thought I could give myself to Christ as easily as possible. I gave Him an iron ring, the iron ring of my will, with all the keys of my life on it, except one little key that I kept back. And the Master said, 'Are they all here?' I said, 'They are all there but one, the key of a tiny closet in my heart, of which I must keep control.' He said, 'If you don't trust Me in all, you don't trust Me at all.' I tried to make terms; I said, 'Lord, I will be so devoted in everything else, but I can't live without the contents of that closet.' I believe that my whole life was just hovering in the balance, and if I had kept the key of that closet, and mistrusted Christ, He never would have trusted me with the ministry of His blessed Word. He seemed to be receding from me, and I called Him back and said, 'I am not willing, but am willing to be made willing.' It seemed as though He came near and took that key out of my hand, and went straight for the closet. I knew what He would find there, and He knew too. Within a week from that time He had cleared it right out. But He filled it with something so much better! Why, what a fool I was! He wanted to take away the sham jewels, to give me the real ones. He just took away the thing which was eating out my life, and instead gave me Himself. Since then I have reckoned on Him to keep; but full consecration is a necessary condition of any deep experience of His keeping power.? *And now - our Psalm for the day: 100:3 (100:1-5) HIS STEADFAST LOVE (CHEsed) ENDURES FOREVER. ?Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture? (ESV). *This Psalm is a pearl of praise. We accept its exhortation to praise You with all our heart, O great JEHOVAH Father. Yes, with heart, soul, mind and strength we give praise to You! *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Jan 9 08:25:24 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2012 08:25:24 -0800 Subject: Acts 2 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 9, 2012 *APR 11 - ACTS 2 - CHURCH: THEOLOGY OF PENTECOST* *1. 2:4 (2:1-4) PENTECOST: ITS FULFILLMENT. ?And all were filled with theHoly Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance? (NNT). *This is *part* of praying with all prayer and supplication *in the Spirit* (Ephesians 6:18). It *also* includes praying with our understanding in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15). We speak: the Spirit gives us the words to say. *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 2:12-13 (2:5-13) PENTECOST: INITIAL REACTION. ?And all were amazed, and perplexed, saying one to another, What does this mean? 13 But others mocking said [that] They are filled with new wine.? *Human reasoning cannot explain Your supernatural acts, Father. Here You have *reversed* the confusion of languages at the tower of Babel. We believe You! *Your :kingdom come.* *3. 2:21 (2:14-21) PENTECOST: PETER QUOTES JOEL. ?And it shall be, thatwhoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.? *Father, You gave Your Name '*Jehovah* the Savior' to Jesus, the meaning of His Name. *You* were *in* Your Son, reconciling the world to Yourself! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 2:23-24 (2:22-28) PENTECOST: PETER QUOTES DAVID. ?Him [Jesus], given up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of :God, you by the hand of lawless men did fasten to a cross and slay: 24 whom :God raised up, having loosed the pangs of :death: because it was not possible that he be held of it.? *O forgive us Father, for having such an inadequate conception of what this verse contains! Open our eyes that we may see! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 2:36 (2:29-36) PENTECOST: LINKED WITH JESUS' RESURRECTION. ?Let all thehouse of Israel therefore know surely, that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this :Jesus whom you crucified.? *How awesome! How You have honored and glorified Your only begotten Son Jesus, Father! He is worthy of *all*worship, and we worship You in Him! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors!* *6. 2:38 (2:37-42) PENTECOST: EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS! ?And Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized each of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto remission of your :sins; and you shall receive the gift (do-reA, artesian well) of the Holy Spirit.? *This is the 'Peter-package:' *Repentance*, * Baptism*, and then the *Gift* of the Holy Spirit! Have we obeyed You O God in Peter, in this 3-fold mandate? With this - You *bring us not into temptation!* *7. 2:46-47 (2:43-47) PENTECOST: CONTINUING EFFECTS. ?And daily, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they partook of their food with gladness and singleness of heart, 47praising :God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added together daily those being saved.? *Hallelujah! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 2:42 (2:37-42) PENTECOST: ITS 4-FOLD FRUIT. ?And they were continuing steadfastly in the teaching and the fellowship of the apostles, the breaking of the bread and the prayers.? *This is Your will Father, for each of us who have in the *obedience of faith* received the Peter-package! In July of 1944, my first true mentor, Mrs. Mary Bertha Allquist, a Jewish convert to Jesus, informed me that she sensed the Lord leading her to share with me the Feasts of the LORD from Leviticus 23. She pointed out that Jesus fulfilled the Passover on His Cross at Calvary. Then 50 days following His Resurrection, the Father through Him gave the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. But the Feast of Tabernacles, the third and *great*feast of the Jews, would not be fulfilled until the Son of God returned as Lord of lords and King of kings, to rule from Jerusalem the nations of the world for 1000 years! I had been the paper-boy for Mrs. Allquist for 3 years from 1938 to 1941. Then on Passover of 1944 the LORD revealed Himself to me as a sailor in the Navy - according to His promise to me in the Fall of 1942. Approximately on the Day of Pentecost in 1944, God visited me with the Gift of the Holy Spirit, and in July commissioned me to look into the discovery of Ivan Panin. Then in the Fall of 1945, He further commissioned me to put together the two Bible Numeric texts of Panin - into an ?Outlined Interlinear NT.? Since the coming of Computers, I have been enabled since 2007 to put this manuscript unto our Website. It is now in the hands of the Printer, and soon can be in your hands. To *meditate* over this Interlinear - will release through such ones - a unique ministry both individually and corporately, that will be used of God to prepare for the return of His Son, Jesus! We will all need to spiritually experience *Passover* and *Pentecost*, to be usable for the fulfillment of the Feast of *Tabernacles*! Are we ready?Are we willing? Are we expectant? Are we believing? Let us join together as we prepare to meet with our soon-returning Lord and Savior! And now - our Psalm for the day: *101:5-6 (101:1-8) I WILL WALK WITH INTEGRITY. ?Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure. 6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me? (ESV). *O Father, in *this word* we see that David was a *man after Your own heart*! Make us like David! *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Jan 10 09:41:08 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:41:08 -0800 Subject: Spiritual Warfare Secrets Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 10, 2012 *1. MATURITY - 2011-05-24 - 7-FOLD SPIRITUAL WARFARE - OVERVIEW* *1. Revelation 13:18 (13:11-18) GOD'S ?OUTLINED INTERLINEAR N.T.?* *h. 13:18a **Here is the wisdom. *H*O*de h*e* soPHIa [4678] esTIN. *i. 13:18b THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST* *Who has understanding, let him count the number of the beast;* ho Ech*o*n noun [3563], ps*e*-phiSAt*o* [5585] ton a-rithMON [706] tou th*e*RIou [2342]; *for it is the number of a man: and his :number is Six hundred sixty six (NNT).* a-rithMOS gar anTHR*O*pou esTIN: kai ho a-rithMOS auTOU he-xaKOsi-oi heX*E*kon-ta hex. This discovery by Russian Ivan Panin in 1890, was really a revelation from God to him! Only Bible Greek and Bible Hebrew - the two Bible languages - have this numerical phenomenon. It is God's provision to make His Word meaningful to us just before the return of Christ. *Hallowed be your :name.* *2. Matthew 16:18 (16:13-18) CITY CHURCH WITH ELDERSHIP IN GATE.* *f. 16:18 JESUS REVEALS THE FOUNDATION AND TRIUMPH OF HIS CHURCH* *And I also say unto you, that you are Peter,* ka' 'G*O* DE soi LEg*o*, HOti su ei PEtros [4074], *and upon this :rock I will build my :church* kai ePI TAUt*e* t*e* PEtra [4073] oi-ko-doM*E*s*o* [3618] mou t*e*n ek-kl*e*SIan [1577] *and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.* kai PUlai [4439] HAdou [86] ou ka-tiSCHUsou-sin [2729] auT*E*S. What strong encouragement for *us*! *This* is the One who came in the Name of Jehovah, the Pre-incarnate Christ, the Son of God and the son of man - who spoke these words! See God's wisdom through the Eldership in the Gate of the City Church of Antioch in Acts 13:1-3! *Your :kingdom come.* *3. Deuteronomy 32:30 (32:1-43) PRAYER MULTIPLICATION.* *How could one have chased a thousand, and two have put ten thousand to flight,* *e*yCHAH yirD*O*PH eCHAD Eleph, vu-sheNAIyim y*a*NIYsu re-b*a*B*A*H, *unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had given them up (ESV)?* im - L*O* ciy - ts*u*R*A*M me-ch*a*R*A*M, VAYh*o*V*A*H his-g*i*yR*A*M? *This* shows the power of *corporate prayer* - even though written concerning the enemies of Israel! Kelley Varner wrote a book by this title, which greatly helps one to grasp this *extraordinary* concept. See also Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Matthew 18:19 and Zechariah 12:8. We *all* need to avail ourselves of this concept. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (7:11-18) EMBRYONIC REVIVAL PRINCIPLES.* ?*If my people who are called by name humble themselves, * ve-yic-c*a*n*U* amMIY aSHER NIKr*a* - sheMIY a-l*e*yHEM, *and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,* veYITH-PALl*u* VIYbak-sh*u* phaNAY ve-y*a*SHUv*u* mid-dar-c*e*yHEM h*a*-r*a* IYM, *then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.* va-aNIY eshMAH min - hash-sh*a*MAYyim ve-esLACH le-chat-t*a*TH*A*M ve-arP*A*H eth - arTS*A*M. The 12 tribes of Israel moved as one under Solomon in the construction of the Temple! This event is one of the 3 outstanding among the 245 deducible Bible dates according to Bible Numerics. The above suggested prayer for Revival and Restoration is associated with this significant event. *Our :daily :bread give us this day.* *5. Romans 8:26-27 (8:26-30) SPIRIT-LED INTERCESSION.* *a. 8:26-27 THE POWERFUL INTERCESSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT* *And in like manner the Spirit also helps our :infirmity:* HoSAUt*o*s de kai to PNEUma su-nan-ti-lamBAne-tai [4878] t*e* as-theNEIa [769] h*e*M*O*N: *for we know not how to pray as we ought;* to gar ti pro-seuX*O*me-tha [4336] kaTHO dei ouk OIda-men; *but the Spirit himself intercedes mightily for us with groanings unutterable;* alLA auTO to PNEUma hu-pe-ren-tugCHAnei [5241] ste-nagMOIS [4726] a-laL*E*tois [215]; *27 and who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit,* ho de e-rauN*O*N [2045] tas karDIas OIden ti to PHROn*e*-ma [5427] tou PNEUma-tos, *because he intercedes for the saints according to God.* HOti kaTA TheON en-tugCHAnei [1793] huPER haGI*o*n [40]. ?Rees Howells, Intercessor? by Norman P. Grubb sets forth Intercessory understanding in a manner that immediately makes clear this biography as both a classic and *a necessity*. *And bring us not into temptation.* *6. Revelation 1:12-18 (1:9-20) FOCUS ON JESUS.* *c. 1:12a And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.* Kai ePEstre-psa BLEpein t*e*n ph*o*N*E*N H*E*tis eLAlei met? eMOU. *d. 12b-13 A VISION OF CHRIST IN THE MIDST OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES* *And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;* kai e-pisTREpsas [1994] EIdon hepTA luchNIas [3087] chruSAS [5552]; *13 and amidst the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed down to the foot,* kai en MEs*o* t*o*n luch-ni*O*N HOmoi-on hui*O* anTHR*O*pou, en-de-duMEnon poD*E*r*e*, *and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle.* kai pe-ri-e-z*o*sMEnon [4024] pros tois masTOIS Z*O*n*e*n [2223] chruSAN. *e. 1:14-16 A SEVEN-FOLD DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST* *And his :head and his :hair white as white wool, * h*e* de ke-phaL*E* [2776] auTOU kai hai TRIches leuCHAI [3022] h*o*s Eri-on [2053] leuKON, *as snow; and his :eyes as a flame of fire;* h*o*s chi*O*N; kai hoi oph-thalMOI auTOU h*o*s phlox [5395] puROS [4442]; *15 and his :feet like burnished brass, as refined in a furnace;* kai hoi POdes auTOU HOmoi-oi chal-ko-liBAn*o* [5474], h*o*s en kaMIn*o* pe-pu-r*o*MEn*e*s; *and his :voice as **the** voice of many waters;* kai h*e* ph*o*N*E* auTOU h*o*s ph*o*N*E* huDAt*o*n [5204] polL*O*N; *16** and having in his :right **hand** seven stars:* kai Ech*o*n en t*e* de-xiA cheiRI auTOU asTEras [792] hepTA: *and proceeding out of his :mouth a sharp two-edged sword:* kai ek tou STOma-tos auTOU 'romPHAIa [4501] DIsto-mos oXEIa ek-po-reu-oMEn*e *: *and his :countenance as the sun shines in his :strength.* kai h*e* Opsis [3799] auTOU h*o*s ho H*E*li-os [2246] PHAInei [5316] en t*e*duNAmei auTOU. *f. 1:17a And when I saw him, I fell at his :feet as one dead.* Kai HOte EIdon auTON, Epe-sa pros tous POdas auTOU h*o*s neKROS [3498]. *1:17b-18 RE-ASSURING STATEMENT OF JESUS* *And he laid his :right **hand **upon me, saying, * kai Eth*e*ken t*e*n de-xiAN auTOU ep? eME, LEg*o*n, *Fear not; *M*e* phoBOU; *I am the first and the last, **18** and the Living **one**; and I became dead,* eG*O* ei-mi ho PR*O*tos kai ho EScha-tos, kai ho z*o*n; kai e-geNOm*e*n neKROS, *and lo, I am alive unto the ages of the ages,* kai iDOU, z*o*n ei-mi eis tous ai*O*nas t*o*n ai*O*n*o*n [165], *and have the keys of death and of :Hades.* *kai Echo tas kleis [2192] tou thaNAtou kai tou HAdou.* I know no other author than Oswald Chambers who sets forth a focus on Jesus so sharp, pointed and compelling. I come closer and closer into communion with Father and Son through ?My Utmost for His Highest.? *But deliver us from the evil one.* *7. Psalm 19:14 (1-14) BIBLE MEDITATION.* *MEDITATION: PRAYED FOR BY DAVID.* ?*Let the words of my mouth, and the **meditation of my heart,* YI-he-yu le-r*a*TS*O*N imR*E*Y - p*i*y, ve-he-geY*O*N libBIY, *be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer? (KJAV).* le-ph*a*NEYcha, Ye-h*o*VAH, tsuRIY, ve-go-aLIY. There *is* a wrong type of meditation! But *Bible Meditation* is *never*wrong, as practiced most significantly by George Muller and George Whitefield. Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1 are further significant references giving extreme credibility to this often forsaken or neglected concept. *And forgive us our :debts, as we also have forgiven our :debtors. * *NOTE**: *In 1967 my wife Marie asked me concerning God's purpose in leading us in 1948 into marriage. He promised us both in that year, that His Kingdom would prosper more with us together, than for either of us alone. He gave us 3 verses, and later a fourth one, confirming this. Dennis Bennett and his first wife Elberta were given the same 3 verses: Deuteronomy 32:30; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and Matthew 18:19. He later gave us Zechariah 12:8. The first vision He gave me in answer to prayer in 1967 was an *?organic laser-telescope?* - composed of *7 component parts. *The first two parts He revealed to me in 1967, but it wasn't until December 7, 2009 that He revealed the last five. The first of the last five was ?Prayer Multiplication? - which was the key reason He had us marry. Out of our life of prayer together, He answered many prayers to produce a manuscript of the first Component Part of this instrument - namely His ?Outlined Interlinear NT?. This MS is now in the hands of the printer, and soon I will be receiving a book MS copy to Proof-read. The activation of this vision began to take place October 31, 2009, and has now 8 men as members. This is in accord with the second vision God gave that night in 1967, concerning 70 Canadian teams of 8 men each - sitting in the Gates of these 70 cities. The second Component Part of this first vision was the City Church, with an eldership of the 5-fold in the gate of each city. It is interesting to note that the word ?Church? - ek-kl*e*SIa - appears but 114 times in the Bible Numeric Testament: once for Israel in the wilderness (Acts 7); 3 times for the secular assembly in Ephesus, Acts 19:23-41; 14 times - the church in the home, local churches of that day; 15 times the universal church of believers of all time; *but* *81 times* for the *City Church*, composed of many churches in the home or local churches. 14 of these last references are found in Revelation 2-3. J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Jan 11 10:24:16 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:24:16 -0800 Subject: Acts 3-5 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 11, 2012 *ACTS 3-5 - CHURCH: MIRACLE AND PERSECUTION* *1. 3:16 (3:1-4:4) PETER: WITH JOHN HEALS LAME MAN. ?And by the faith in his :name has his :name strengthened this man, whom you behold and know: and the faith which is though him has given him this perfect :soundness in the presence of you all? (NNT). *What a confrontation! When Your Kingdom is manifest in *power* as well as in Word, the status quo is disturbed, Father. It was so with Jesus! Now through His *Resurrection* it is true with His disciples! *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 4:12 (4:5-12) PETER: ANSWERS CHARGES OF SANHEDRIN. ?And the salvation is in none other: for neither is there any other name under :heaven, that is :given among men, wherein we must be saved.? *What bold preaching! Your fear O Father, is now greater than the fear of man! How glorious! We rejoice in the power of Your Kingdom. O work in our hearts the will to always desire to fully do Your will! *Your :kingdom come.* *3. 4:31 (4:13-31) PETER: WITH APOSTLES PERSECUTED AND PRAYING. ?And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered; and all were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of :God with boldness. *What an example for us! And You Father, in Jesus, are the same yesterday, and today, and forever! We rejoice in this demonstration! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!* *4. 4:33 (4:32-37) APOSTLES: SEE UNUSUAL RESULTS. ?And with great power gave the apostles their witness for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.? *O forgive us Father, that we live so far below our privileges. Pour out Your Spirit again that we might be emboldened and strengthened to glorify Your Name as did these early disciples. *Our :daily :bread Give us this day.* *5. 5:3 (5:1-11) PETER: CONFRONTS ANANIAS AND SAPPHEIRA. ?But :Peter said, Ananias, why has :Satan filled your :heart to lie to the Holy :Spirit, and to withhold part of the price of the land? *O Father, we quake before the power of Your holiness and Your Majesty! We long to see Your fear upon Your church once again. We long to walk softly in Your presence. *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 5:13-14 (5:12-16) PETER: PERFORMS UNUSUAL MIRACLES. ?But of the rest dared no one join them: the people, however, magnified them; 14 and therewere the more added believing on the Lord, multitudes both of man and women.? *When Your church is cleansed from lying Father, then Your power is released to do good works and miracles. May we see and understand this relationship and order. Write it and burn it upon our hearts. *And bring us not into temptation.* *7. 5:32 (5:17-42) PETER: WITH APOSTLES CONFRONTS SANHEDRIN. ?And WE are witnesses of these :sayings; also the Holy :Spirit, whom :God has given to them that obey him.? *What boldness and challenge from the lips of Your apostles, Father! What a transformation since Pentecost! What a change since Peter's denial! *But lead us not into temptation!* *NOTE**: 5:41-42 (5:17-42) APOSTLES: CONTINUE SHARING THOUGH PERSECUTED! ?They therefore departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name. **42 And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ.? *Now the apostles are experiencing the latter part of the eighth Beatitude! *Rejoice*, and be *exceeding glad*! *Leap for joy*! And they did! Perhaps the key verse in this section for me is Acts 5:32 - *?And WE are witnesses of these :sayings; also the Holy :Spirit whom :God has given to them that obey Him.?* *Obedience* is omitted by some believers, because they overbalance this with *grace*! Bob Mumford calls this ?greasy grace!? It is important to note the emphasis of the Book of Romans. The Holy Spirit has placed this *first* of the 14 epistles of Paul. It is the *foundation book* for Gentile believers, majoring on the six ?Foundation Truths? of Hebrews 6:1-2. (What Romans is for Gentiles in a foundational way: Hebrews is for Messianic Jews!) They *both* major on Hebrews 6:1-2). Romans 1:5 states that it is by Jesus Christ *?through whom we have received grace and apostleship, **unto obedience of faith** among all the nations for his :name's sake!? *This is the ?Alpha?! The *O*-MEga is found in Romans 16:26b, where Paul now states in conclusion by the Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ by Paul's gospel *?is made known unto all the nations **unto obedience of faith**!?* We must be under no false illusions! The Gospel of the grace of God in Christ Jesus is *balanced* by this word: This Gospel of the Holy Spirit through Paul is unto *obedience of faith* for all nations? - corporately and individually. The Spirit quickened these two verses to me very early in my Christian life. He wanted me to walk in this balance of *the obedience of faith* from the very beginning. And now nearly 68 years later, I am * still* committed to obeying Him in joy and love. For He said - *?If you love Me, you **will keep** My commandments!?* If you find *an obedient* believer, you can rest assured that you have a true team member, who can work with your team in a corporate manner! And now - our Psalm for the day:* **102:12-13 (102:1-28) DO NOT HIDE YOUR FACE FROM ME. ?But you O LORD, are enthroned forever; you are remembered throughout all generations. **13** You will arise and have pity on Zion; **it is the time** to favor her; **the appointed time** has come? (ESV). *?There is a tide in the affairs of men ...? A surf-board rider must learn the timing of the big waves. Issachar had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do (1 Chronicles 12:32). Father, grant us wisdom to understand our times, the *harvest*, and the significance of the *Feast of Tabernacles*. Then we will *Hallow your :name!* *AN ADDITIIONAL WORD BY DR. DEREK PRINCE* A friend of ours from Canada updated the reception of Christian Channels from our ?dish? this week. As a result last night, I was able to pick up two ?teachings? from Dr. Prince. On the first, he referred to John 10:34-35 (10:22-39) *?:Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your :law [that], I said, You are gods? **35** If HE called them gods, unto whom the word of :God came (**and the scripture cannot be broken)**,? *Prince emphasized the word of Jesus concerning the status of those receiving the Word of God - *?and the **scripture** cannot be **broken**.? *We need to ponder this. In a Canadian seminary I attended following World War II - they taught that Jesus being merely human, said things that really suited the thinking of his day - and did not have reality!? *Wrong*! Almost blasphemous! For Jesus was Son of God prior to His Incarnation, and spoke directly from the Father, and spoke no words and did no miracles except under subjection to His Father - as the Son of man! So - *the written word from God* - the Scriptures - *cannot be broken*! And if we reject Jesus' Word as did these seminary professors - we and they *shall be broken*! We need to ponder this, for *the fear of the LORD* is the beginning of wisdom and the beginning of knowledge. Secondly - Jesus and His Word - both written (Scripture) and spoken (R*E*ma) - are *one*! See John 1:1. Therefore if we reject His Word - *we reject Jesus*! And if we reject Jesus - we repudiate the Bible! Also, look at Revelation 19:13 (19:11-16) ?*And he [Jesus] **is** arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and **his :name** is called **the Word of :God**!?* The above 3 verses are given by Derek Prince in the first lecture I heard him give last night. He was very competent in both Greek and Hebrew, being fluent in Hebrew! He was the youngest Professor in Philosophy in King's College, Cambridge at 24, prior to joining the British armed forces during World War II. I knew him personally, and count him as one of the most accurate Bible teaching scholars I have met or read. Our ?Outlined Interlinear NT? about to be published - backs up the above teaching 100%. J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Jan 12 09:03:11 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:03:11 -0800 Subject: Acts 6-8 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter. * January 12, 2012 *APR 13 - ACTS 6-8 - CHURCH GROWTH: DEACONS AND STEPHEN* *1. 6:3-4 (6:1-6) STEPHEN: ONE OF SEVEN CITY DEACONS. ?But brethren, Look out from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint over this :business. 4 But WE will continue steadfastly in :prayer, and in the ministry of the word? (NNT). *Note the apostolic priority: *prayer* first; *then* the ministry of the Word! Burn this upon our heart, Father. Amplify for us the importance of the city church deacons for this purpose. How *wise* Your Kingdom principles and priorities. *H**allowed be your :name!* *2. 6:7 DEACONS: SOLUTION LEADING TO FRUITFULNESS. ?And the word of :God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great crowd of the priests were obedient to the faith.? *Here is proof that the obedience of faith to Your Kingdom principles produces divine fruitfulness, Father. May we too be wise and experience such fruitfulness. *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 6:8, 10 (6:8-15) STEPHEN: FALSELY ACCUSED. ?And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 10 And they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.? *When stirred up, men cannot confront Your servants in honorable ways, Father; they resort to subterfuge, lies and violence. But *in you* we are safe! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!* *4. 7:59-60 (7:1-8:1a) STEPHEN: DEFENSE AND CONFRONTATION. ?And they stoned :Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my :spirit. 60 And he kneeled, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this :sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.? *O our Father, forgive us that we sometimes have the same spirit of anger and murder in our hearts. Cleanse us from all bitterness and anger. Grant us the same spirit of forgiveness that is here manifested in Your martyr Stephen, and in Your Son our Lord Jesus! *Our :daily :bread, Give us this day.* *5. 8:1b (8:1b-3) SAUL: RINGLEADER IN CHURCH PERSECUTION. ?And Saul was consenting to his :death. And a great persecution arose on that :day against the church :in Jerusalem; and all were scattered abroad throughout the regions of :Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.? *What a contrast between the peace of Your martyr Stephen and the persecuting Saul, Father! We would have all such spirit of Saul purged from our hearts. *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 8:12 (8:4-25) PHILIP: ASSISTED BY PETER AND JOHN. ?But when they believed :Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of :God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.? *We note the two priorities preached by Philip, Father: Your *Kingdom*, and the *Name*of Your Son! It is all wrapped up in Jesus and Calvary. Father, we thank You for this message of Philip. *And bring us not into temptation.* *7. 8:35 (8:26-40) PHILIP: WINS THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH. ?And :Philip opened his :mouth, and beginning from this :scripture, preached the gospel to him, :Jesus.? *Ah, here is the message of the Kingdom; here is the Good News for all mankind! It is all wrapped up in *Jesus* and Calvary. Father, we thank You for this message of Philip! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 8:20 (8:4-25) PETER: REBUKES SIMON THE SORCERER! ?But Peter said unto him, Your :silver perish with you, because you have thought to obtain the gift (d**o-reA) of :God with money.? *It cost *Jesus* His life to provide the Gift of the Holy Spirit for us. The Promise of the Father flows out of Calvary. May we not make the mistake of Simon, and lightly esteem this great gift! We should note that the first 7 deacons were for the entire City Church of Jerusalem - composed of hundreds of local churches in the home. At one time I ministered in one *local church* with 24 deacons and deaconesses, 7 elders, 7 trustees, 20 Committee Chairmen, and a Christian School! It is difficult for such a local church to adjust and move into a City Church context. It is comparable to the difficulty of *remodeling* a house, and building it from scratch as the apostle Paul did with 14 City Churches, each composed of scores and even hundreds of local churches. A Greek Word-Study on ?church? (ek-kl*e*SIa) throws more light on this problem. Out of 114 NT references, *once* church refers to Israel as the church in the wilderness (Acts 7); 3 times to the secular city gathering in Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41); 14 times to a local church in the home such as led by Aquila and Priscilla in Rome, Corinth and Ephesus; 15 times to the universal church of believers of all time, Jew and Gentile; *but* - *81 times* to the City Church - each composed of many local churches in the home. 14 of these latter are found in Revelation 2 and 3. It is the City Church concept that God indicated is the Pedestal or Stand - that in the vision of the Organic Laser-Telescope - supports the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? using Ivan Panin's two texts; plus the many Greek Word Studies again prepared largely on the basis of Panin's discoveries starting in 1890. ?*On the American Campus? - after 6 years in China - starting p. 99* *(from ?C.T. Studd: Athlete & Pioneer? by Norman P. Grubb)* Knoxville Students' Conference, June 21. After I had returned to my room (writes C.T.) and just upon 10 p.m., in rushed a student and said, ?Since hearing you this morning, I have thought of nothing but hell, because I have not and cannot surrender,? (though I had not spoken of hell or anything like it). I said, ?Why can't you surrender?? ?I don't know.? ?Do you want to?? ?Oh, yes.? ?Well, do it now, get down here on your knees and tell God you will give Him all.? ?I think I may have been unwilling to do as He told me.? ?Well, are you willing now to leave all sin and do His will?? ?Yes.? ?Then just give yourself to Him.? He knelt down, and after a short time gave himself right up, and immediately arose with such a joyful, beaming face and said, ?It's all right now.? He needn't have told me. ?Spirituality is much needed here; there is a great lack of it, too much laughing and chaffing, not a real deep spiritual power. And why? Because they are *afraid* of it. Fancy! They are afraid of minds getting strained, and so instead of giving them fewer meetings, they dilute with the ditch-water of nonsense too often. ?In the afternoon I read and prayed: the others had gone on a boat for an outing and ice creams. Missed tea on purpose, and took the evening meeting. We had a great time. I spoke for an hour and forty minutes. The fellows were quieter at the end than even at the beginning. The Lord was with us in power. Many stayed to speak or arrange interviews. Two came that night. One medical student, uncertain about being a volunteer; he has a mother and sister dependent on him, and he wept as he spoke of leaving them. I took him over the old ground. He saw the love of God, surrendered and left bright. I don't tell these fellows to volunteer; I tell them to surrender to God and to go away rejoicing in Him, and He will in His own way make all plain. Oh, there is no joy in the world like being used of God to bless others. The place is now just on fire, and one so regrets now that this break didn't come earlier, as it might have done, had the talks been more spiritual and appealing to the heart. ?Next day I had interviews all the afternoon and evening, a real glory time. One man told me as I began to probe him - for something seemed wrong - that he had been converted, was saved, and was an Episcopalian. So I said, 'Are all your sins forgiven?' 'No, not all.' 'Ain't it rather dangerous to have any unforgiven?' 'I suppose it is.' 'Do you want them forgiven?' 'Yes.' I explained a bit to him and then he got down on his knees to confess; he was going to confess out loud to me the sins he had committed, but I stopped him and said I didn't want to hear them, but he had better tell them to God. So we knelt and he told them to God, and then out aloud he asked for forgiveness. I asked, 'Has He forgiven you?' quoting, 'If we confess,' etc. 'Yes, He has.' 'Then thank Him.' And he did so. Then he surrendered and asked for the Holy Ghost, and thanked, and afterwards when I had prayed, he rose up with tears in his eyes, pressed my hand and said, 'I never had such an experience as this before.' Glory be to God! You can imagine I went off to supper as full of joy as a gas balloon. Oh my, these souls are indeed more than diamonds - I'd far sooner save one soul than be Queen Victoria. ?As I came away from supper, a man with such a sad face came to me and wanted an interview. He told me he could not conquer a certain kind of sin. I took him off to my room. He said he was a Ministerial Student; he had been converted but had lately fallen into this sin and it had mastered him. We talked long; he loathed it and wanted to quit. He saw his own utter impotence. I said, 'Have you surrendered?' 'Yes, I have, yet sinned again.' 'Have you since that asked forgiveness?' 'No.' 'Well, that comes first.' 'Will you do so now?' 'Yes.' We got on our knees and he confessed and asked forgiveness and receive it and that consciously; then he again made a full surrender, and I said, 'Now ask for the Holy Ghost.' But he did not understand and argued about the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, while we were on our knees. I showed him the difference between Apostles before and after Pentecost. He owned that if he was filled with the Holy Ghost, he would not be committing the sin. At last he asked to be filled, and then I prayed and asked God to take out the desire and let it no more enter in: oh, his whole heart went out into it, and he got up anew, and said, 'I know, for I feel He has given me the victory.' So I said, 'Then get down on your knees again and thank Him' and he did. His face had before had despair as black as night written on it, but now it was all changed. He was in tears of joy and went away rejoicing. ?(Next day) Last night I saw - and had a talk with him. He is the one who had become a slave to a sin. He said it was all right, God has given him complete victory and he was a new being; we went under a tree and kneeling down, had some prayer. ?H. was next, and the Lord led me in a strange way. After a bit he said he was saved, sins forgiven. ?Why do you think so?' 'Oh, I feel so.' 'What makes you feel so?' 'Oh, I am trying to make Jesus my example.' 'Oh,' said I, 'then you are quite sure to be damned.' It slipped out before I knew it, and it did the Lord's work, for the fellow was perfectly astounded and asked me again and I repeated it: it so astonished and convicted him, that he asked in the exact words of the Philippian jailer, 'Then what must I do to be saved?' So I showed him. After a while he got down and confessed, received salvation as a gift, then surrendered and asked for the Holy Ghost, and went away quite different.? ?Monmouth, Nov. 19. Had a splendid time all yesterday with souls, interviews all day long, and in the last case a backslider who had fallen into deep sin. He looked as black and sullen as despair, but a three hours' fight gave complete victory. I had him an hour and then had to rush off straight to a meeting: another student took him on till I came back, and I returned two hours afterwards to find he had got the victory just before. You should have seen his face, oh, so bright; it was marvelous. ?After tea the leader of the College Y.M.C.A. came and made a full surrender, asked for the gift of the Holy Spirit and went away knowing he had received, so bright and believing and set on doing personal soul-saving work. There is such a lack of this. It seemed the same tale every place, spiritual darkness because of this not doing personal work. You should have seen the shining face yesterday of the President of the College Y.M.C.A. He had been a Christian two years and had never won one soul. He won his first the night before at my meeting, and yesterday he said he had never been so happy and never believed he could be so happy - too happy to sleep. ?The same evening S. came round and said he had been asked to speak at chapel next day. The Lord at once seemed to tell me that I should have to speak, but I said nothing. God stopped S. speaking ten minutes or more before the end of the time; he could not think of another word, though he had prepared to speak for 25 minutes; every word left him and he had to sit down. I was thereupon asked if I would speak, although I was sitting at the back of the building. I walked up as fast as I could lay legs to the ground and began right away. I prayed first just these words, 'Oh, Lord, may my tongue go as fast as my heart, for Jesus Christ's sake,' and He answered abundantly. I spoke with all the gusto of making a century at cricket against the Australians. Oh, it is so good to know the Lord is with one. ?Then S. came to my room with me for a talk. He came right full out, confessing, surrendering, and receiving the Holy Ghost. Oh, such a change as you cannot understand, he is unrecognizable; we are just about drunk with the Spirit. Oh, such freedom in prayer. We just laughed and thanked and prayed before God. ?God has made things so plain to me and enables me to put it plainly to others. Here is the gist of what I tell them. Assurance of salvation depends on the fact that Jesus paid the penalty of your sin, not on any feeling of yours. As Christ died for you, you belong by rights to Him. After further explanation I say, 'Will you not in a practical business way on your knees yield yourself and all to Jesus?' 'Yes.' Then he or she does it, and I ask if Jesus has accepted him. If they do not know, I simply ask if God is a liar, which at once produces the required assurance, as it is impossible for God to have lied. Then I tell the inquirer to ask in one sentence for the Holy Ghost, and he does it. Then I ask, 'Has He been given?' By the same method the answer comes back 'Yes'; then I tell him to thank God for (1) having accepted him, (2) having given the Holy Ghost. Then I say, 'Don't worry or fret, or think, or try, but just be careful for nothing, only trust and obey His voice. Rejoice and be glad in Jesus always. The feeling will come in due course, but it is a fact that God has given the Holy Ghost. Do not hinder God by helping Him, but quit hindering Him.' They come long-faced, and go away sparkling and beaming.? * * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat Jan 14 09:23:51 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2012 09:23:51 -0800 Subject: APR 14 - Acts 9 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org * * * *January 14, 2012* * * *APR 14 - ACTS 9 - CHURCH: PAUL AND PETER* *1. 9:1-2 SAUL: HIS FORMER LIFE. ?But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 andasked him for letters to :Damascus unto the synagogues; so that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.? *This is not the Kingdom of God: this is the kingdom of Satan! But *Your* Kingdom is *greater*, Father; You can reverse this situation! *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 9:5-6 (9:3-9) SAUL: HIS CONVERSION. ?And he said, Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom you persecute: 6 but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do.? *What a dramatic confrontation! Your resurrected and ascended Son Father, appeared in Glory to convert this wayward Saul. What an immediate change! *Your :kingdom come! * *3. 9:15-16 (9:10-19a) SAUL: A DOUBLE BAPTISM. ?But the Lord said unto him Go: for HE is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my :name both before the Gentiles and kings, and the sons of Israel: 16 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my :name.? *Father You have servants on earth for special tasks, and to do Your will. Saul is a special one in this category! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 9:20, 22 (9:19b-30) SAUL: PROOFS OF GENUINE CONVERSION. ?And straightway in the synagogues he proclaimed :Jesus, that this is the Son of :God. 22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving this this is the Christ.? *Surely none could doubt the genuine conversion of Saul! What a miracle! Father, forgive us that we so often doubt Your ability to convert the most difficult. *Our :daily :bread Give us this day.* *5. 9:31 THE CHURCH: ITS STATE. ?The church therefore throughout all :Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied.? *We can understand this peace! With Saul converted, the church's chief persecutor was now on their side. Father, You can do *all* things! Blessed be Your Name! *And forgive us our :debt, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 9:34-35 (9:32-35) PETER: RESULTS OF HEALING OF AENEAS. ?And Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you: arise, and make your bed. And straightway he arose. 35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and in :Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. *How dramatic this healing: a whole town converted! How rapidly You turn about situations, Father! Yes, our faith is strengthened by Your doings! *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 9:40 (9:36-43) PETER: RESULTS FROM RESURRECTION OF DORCAS. ?But :Peter put all out, and knelt and prayed; and turning to the body said, Tabeitha, arise. And SHE opened her :eyes; and seeing :Peter sat up.? *There is no doubt that signs and wonders are a means of turning many to the Lord! Father, we magnify You for Your might! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 9:27 (9:19b-30) SAUL: DOORS OPENED BY BARNABAS. ?But Barnabas took **and brought him unto the apostles, and rehearsed to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had done boldly in the name of Jesus.? *Thank God for Barnabas! Father, we thank You that You have among Your servants catalysts, who bring together those who need to be jointed! *ROOTS - A DAVID L. WOLPER PRODUCTION - 4 DISC DVD* *30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION* *EXTRAORDINARY. WE ARE WATCHING MORE THAN A DRAMA. WE ARE WITNESSING AN EXPERIENCE.* *His name was Kunta Kinte. Kidnapped from Africa and enslaved in America in 1767. He refused to accept his slave name of Toby. Heirs kept his heroic defiance alive, passing on his tale across generations until it reached a young boy growing up in Tennessee. His name was Alex Haley. Through the lineage of one family, Haley and his Pulitzer Prize-winning ROOTS told a story for all America and the world. Seen by 130 million viewers during its premiere telecasts and the winner of dozens of awards, the David L. Wolper production remains an engrossing entertainment 30 years later. Embark on an engrossing unforgettable DVD journey.* *EPISODE 1 in Gambia, West Africa, Kunta Kinte son of Omoro and Binta, distinguished himself in manhood training rituals. But he does not enjoy his new status long: slave traders sweeping the countryside seize him. Chained with other captive, Kunta begins an agonized odyssey to the New World.* *EPISODE 2. Despite a violent rebellion, the slave ship Lord Ligonier completes its voyage and Kunta Kinte endures the indignity of an Annapolis slave auction. Fiddler, the slave in charge of Kunta's training, becomes his only friend - a friendship that's tested when Kunta plans an escape so he can be with Fanta.* *EPISODE 3. In 1776, a nation fights for freedom ... but not for all. Kunta Kinte escapes again and is crippled by slave catchers. He marries, gains a daughter and loses his long-time friend Fiddler. Another chance for escape arises, but Kunta sacrifices it to care for his wife and the newborn he names Kizzy, an African word for ?stay put.?* *EPISODE 4. At age 16, Kizzy is sold and bears her new master's son, who grows up to become fun-loving Chicken George. Yearning to see her parents, Kizzy is comforted by Samuel Bennett, but they are ill-matched. When she returns to her birthplace, Kizzy learns of her parents' fates.* *EPISODE 5. Chicken George is sent to England as payment for his owner's gambling debt. Fourteen years later, he returns home a free man, a status that has a profound effect on the family begun by Kunta Kinte. The Civil War erupts; at last the era of slavery draws to an end.* *EPISODE 6. The Civil War is over but night riders terrorize ex-slaves. By marking his clients' horseshoes, Tom identifies the raiders but endangers his own life. Chicken George, who fought for the Union, rejoins his family. He leads them to a new home in Tennessee.* *DISC 4 - 2007 DOCUMENTARY - CROSSING OVER: HOW ROOTS CAPTIVATED AN ENTIRE NATION.* *Alex Haley's son William Haley and LeVar Burton join the historians and creators of ROOTS in assessing the impact of the book and miniseries on culture and society over the past 30 years* *During commentaries, you may select the video option to view the recording sessions.* *Our Psalm for the day: 104:24-25 (104:1-36) ?O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. 25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable living things both small and great? (ESV). *Your *works*, O Jehovah Father, are past finding out! You do all things well. Among living creatures, You make all things both small and great. There is none other like You. *Hallowed be Your :Name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Jan 16 09:35:05 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:35:05 -0800 Subject: Krauthammer on Obama Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 16, 2012 *Fast Facts** **About Dr. Charles Krauthammer , MD* 1. *Born: **March 13* *, **1950* 2. *Birthplace: **New York City* *, **New York* 3. *Raised in **Montreal* *, **Canada* 4. *Attended **Mc Gill University* * and **Harvard Medical School* 5. *1972* *diving accident left him paralyzed from the neck on down.* 6. *Directed **psychiatric* * research for the **Carter* * administration* 7. *Began writing career in **1981* * with **The New Republic* 8. *Helped develop the "**Reagan* * ** Doctrine**" in the **80's* 9. *Appointed to Presidential Council on Bioethics in **2002* Dr. Charles Krauthammer , MD *Dr. Krauthammer is frequently on the Fox News Channel. He is an M.D., a lawyer **and is paralyzed from the neck down.* *A friend went to hear Charles Krauthammer. He listened with 25 others in a closed room. What he says here is NOT 2nd-hand but 1st. The ramifications are staggering for us, our children and their children. Last Monday was a profound evening. Dr. Charles Krauthammer spoke to the Center for the American Experiment. He is a brilliant intellectual, seasoned & articulate. He is forthright and careful in his analysis and never resorts to emotions or personal insults. He is NOT a fear monger nor an extremist in his comments and views. He is a fiscal conservative and has received a Pulitzer Prize for writing. He is a frequent contributor to Fox News and writes weekly for the Washington Post.* *The entire room was held spellbound during his talk. I have summarized his comments, as we are living in uncharted waters economically and internationally.* *Even 2 Dems at my table agreed with everything he said! If you feel like forwarding this to those who are open minded and have not drunk the Kool-Aid, feel free....* *Summary of his comments: 1. Mr. Obama is a very intellectual, charming individual. He is not to be underestimated. He is a cool customer who doesn't show his emotions. It's very hard to know what's behind the mask. The taking down of the Clinton dynasty was an amazing accomplishment. The Clintons still do not understand what hit them. Obama was in the perfect place at the perfect time. 2. Obama has political skills comparable to Reagan and Clinton. **He has a way of making you think he's on your side, agreeing with your position, while doing the opposite**. ** **Pay no attention to what he SAYS; rather, * *watch what he DOES! ** 3.** **Obama has a ruthless quest for power**. He did not come to Washington to make something out of himself but rather to **change everything, including dismantling capitalism**. He can't be straightforward on his ambitions, as the public would not go along. * *He has a heavy hand and wants to level the playing field with income redistribution and punishment to the achievers of society. He would like to model the USA to Great Britain or Canada . 4. His **three main goals* *are to control **ENERGY, PUBLIC EDUCATION and NATIONAL HEALTHCARE** **by the Federal government**.* *He doesn't care about the auto or financial services industries but got them as an early bonus. The cap and trade will add costs to everything and stifle growth. Paying for FREE college education is his goal. Most scary is his healthcare program because if you make it FREE and add 46,000,000 people to a Medicare-type single-payer system, the costs will go through the roof. **The only way to control costs is with massive RATIONING of services, like in Canada ..* *God forbid! ** 5.** **He has surrounded himself with mostly far-left academic types.** No one around him has **ever even* *run a candy store**. But they are going to try and run the auto, financial, banking and other industries. This obviously can't work in the long run. **Obama is not a socialist; rather he's a far-left secular progressive bent on nothing short of revolution**. He ran as a moderate **but will govern from the hard left**. **Again, watch what he DOES, not what he says.** 6. Obama doesn't really see himself as President of the United States but more as a ruler over the world. **He sees himself above it all, trying to orchestrate & coordinate various countries and their agendas.** He sees moral equivalency in all cultures. His apology tour in Germany and England was a prime example of how he sees America as an imperialist nation that has been arrogant, rather than a great noble nation that has at times made errors. **This is the first President, **ever** **, **who has chastised our allies and appeased our enemies!** 7. He is now handing out goodies. He hopes that the bill (and pain) will not come due until after he is reelected in 2012. He would like to blame all problems on Bush, from the past, and hopefully his successor in the future. He has a huge ego and Dr. Krauthammer believes he is a narcissist. 8. Republicans are in the wilderness for a while but will emerge strong. Republicans are pining for another Reagan but there will never be another like him. Krauthammer believes Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty & Bobby Jindahl (except for his terrible speech in February) are the future of the party. Newt Gingrich is brilliant but has baggage. Sarah Palin is sincere and intelligent but needs to really be seriously boning up on facts and info if she is to be a serious candidate in the future. We need to return to the **party of lower taxes, smaller government, personal responsibility, strong national defense and State's Rights**.** **9. The current level of spending is irresponsible and outrageous.** We are spending trillions that we don't have. **This could lead to hyperinflation, depression** **or worse**. **No country has ever spent themselves into prosperity.* *The **Media* *is giving **Obama, Reid and* * Pelosi* *a **Pass* *because they love their agenda. But eventually the bill will come due and people will realize the huge bailouts didn't work, nor will the stimulus package. **These were trillion-dollar payoffs to Obama's allies, unions and the Congress to placate the left, so he can get support for #4 above.** 10. The election was over in mid-September when Lehman brothers failed, fear and panic swept in, **we had an unpopular President, and the war was grinding on indefinitely without a clear outcome.** The people are in pain and the mantra of change caused people to act emotionally. **Any Dem would have won this election; it was surprising it was as close as it was.** **11. In 2012, if the unemployment rate is over 10%, Republicans will be swept back into power. If it's under 8%, the Dems continue to roll. If it's between 8-10%, it will be a dogfight. It will all be about the economy. I hope this gets you really thinking about what's happening in Washington and Congress.* *There is a left-wing revolution going on**, according to Krauthammer, and he encourages us to keep the faith and join the loyal resistance. The work will be hard but we're right on most issues and can reclaim our country before it's far too late.* *"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their Constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember it or overthrow it." - Abraham Lincoln* *Do yourself a long term favor.* *Send this to all who will listen to an intelligent assessment of the big picture. All our futures and children's futures depend on our good understanding of what is really going on in DC and our action pursuant to that understanding!! * *It really IS up to each of us to take individual action!! * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Jan 18 15:30:33 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:30:33 -0800 Subject: Acts 10:1-11:18 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 18, 2012 *APR 15 - ACTS 10:1-11:18 - CHURCH AND GENTILES* *1. 10:4b-6 (10:1-8) CORNELIUS: ANGELIC VISITATION. And he said to him, ?Your :prayers and your :alms are gone up for a memorial before :God. 5 And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter: 6 HE lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea? (NNT). *Father, You master-mind *everything* from heaven! *Nothing* escapes Your attention! *You* are God, and there is *none* other. We gladly submit to Your rule in Christ. *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 10:15-16 (10:9-16) PETER: PREPARATION BY VISION. ?And a voice cameunto him again the second time, What things :God has cleansed, Do not YOU make common. 16 And this was done thrice: and straightway the vessel was received up into heaven.? *This is a remarkable vision. It cut counter to *everything* Peter had been taught. Father, we acknowledge our outlook is colored by false traditions and conclusions. Forgive us for our lack of perception. *Your :kingdom come! * *3. 10:19-20 (10:17-23a) PETER: VISION CONFIRMED. ?And while :Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said, Lo, two men seek you. 20 But arise, and get down, and go with them, nothing doubting: because I have sent them.? *This is *Your* Spirit, Father, and the Spirit of Christ. *You* provided clear direction for Cornelius and Peter. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 10:38 (10:23b-43) PETER: PREACHES TO CORNELIUS. ?How God anointed Jesus :of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all those oppressed of the devil; for :God was with him? *It was foretold that *this* would be the work of Messiah; and *this Jesus* of Nazareth did this! How simple and crystal clear did Peter make Your Gospel of the Kingdom, Father! Forgive us for so often adding or taking away from this simplicity. *Our :daily :bread, Give us this day.* *5. 10:45-46 (10:44-48) GENTILES: RECEIVE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. ?And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, who came with :Peter, because that on the nations also was poured out the gift of the Holy :Spirit. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify :God.? *What the early Jewish disciples received at Pentecost now Gentiles are receiving. You made no difference between Jew and Gentile, Father. *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors!* *6. 11:2-3 (11:1-3) PETER: CALLED ON THE CARPET IN JERUSALEM. ?And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, that he went in unto men uncircumcised, and had eaten with them.? *How difficult this must have been for Jews: first Peter: now the apostles. Why are we like this, Father? But when once we see Your position, and walk in it - alright! *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 11:17 (11:4-18) PETER: VINDICATES CALL OF GENTILES. ?If then :God gave them the like gift as also to us, who had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand: God?? *How clear is the reasoning of Peter at this juncture! No doubt his answer was much by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, as You promised, Father. *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 11:18 (11:4-18) PETER'S DEFENSE ACCEPTED. ?And when they heard these **things, they held their peace, and glorified :God, saying, Then to the nations also has :God granted :repentance unto life.?* Repentance is initially a gift from *You*, Father! Notice in Acts 10:38, that God the Father anointed Jesus His Son (who was also through Mary the Son of :man) - with the Holy Spirit and *power*! First John baptized Him in water prior to the beginning of His 3 years ministry. But no signs or miracles followed this experience. Next the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness for a 40 day fast, and a 3-fold testing of Satan. By quoting the Word of God, Jesus successfully withstood the temptations of the devil. Then - it was following these 40 days, that Jesus returned in the *power*of the Holy Spirit - with signs, wonders and miracles. Then it is insufficient for us only to receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit. We too like Jesus and Paul, must be led of the Spirit into a time of testing and suffering - even with fasting - before God will entrust us like Jesus and Paul with *power* also. When we receive the Holy Spirit as a gift, He comes *into* (eis) us. But when we receive the *power* (DUna-mis) of the Holy Spirit - he comes *upon*(Epi) us! See Acts 1:8. This is exactly parallel to our text here, Acts 10:38. Jesus in Acts 1:8 is telling His apostles, ?*But you shall receive power (DUna-mis), when the Holy Spirit is come upon (Epi) you: and you shall be my witnesses ...?* A believer will not have *this kind of a witness* that Jesus commissions - until he has this kind of an experience. For my Master of Divinity degree in 1952 at ?Northern Baptist Theological Seminary? of Chicago, I gave it the title - ?Preaching with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven.? I made the distinction between receiving the Holy Spirit - eis (into) - and later receiving *empowerment) of the Spirit*(DUna-mis) - by *now* having Him come *upon* (Epi) us! Dr. T. J. McCrossan, examiner in Greek and Hebrew for Canadian Presbyterian Candidates for the Ministry - wrote a book entitled, ?Christ's Paralyzed Church X-Rayed.? Throughout this book he carefully makes the distinction between these two Greek prepositions: eis (into) - and Epi (upon). One who has this ?upon? (Epi) experience of the DUnamis (power) of the Holy Spirit, has a witness comparable to that of Jesus and Paul. It is an * observable* anointing. Then *we too* can walk in Mark 16:17-18 - *?And these signs shall **follow** them that have believed: in my :name shall they cast out demons, speak with tongues; **18** and in the**ir** hands they shall take up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on **the** sick, and they shall recover.?* Following the Ascension of Jesus 40 days after His Resurrection and 10 days prior to the Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit - we see the fulfillment of the above in Mark 1:19-20 - *?So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them was taken up into :heaven, and sat down at the right * *hand** of :God. **20** And THEY went forth, **and** preached everywhere the Lord working with **them**, and confirming the word by **the signs that followed**.?* Dr. McCrossan wants us to thoroughly understand - that with an ?into? (eis) experience of the Holy Spirit alone - we are part of Christ's paralyzed church! But with an ?upon? (Epi) experience in the DUna-mis (Power) of the Holy Spirit - then we join with Jesus and Paul and the first 12 apostles in a witness confirmed with signs following! And we need to remember that Ivan Panin discovered through Bible Numerics in 1890 - that if *any* portion of the NT could be omitted - the last of such portions would be Mark 16:9-20! *More* Bible Numerics of confirmation appear here than in *any other* portion of the NT! Consider our Psalm for the day: *105:43-45a (105:1-45) TELL OF ALL HIS WONDERFUL WORKS! ?So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing. **44** And he gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples' toil, **45a** that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws? (ESV). *What a glorious fulfillment of this verse! You devastated Egypt Father, that this promise might be fulfilled. How great is Your Power, and Your love and faithfulness past finding out. *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sun Jan 22 11:18:50 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:18:50 -0800 Subject: Acts 11:19-12:25 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 22, 2012 * * *APR 16 - ACTS 11:19-12:25 - CHURCH: INTENSIFIED TROUBLE* *1. 11:23-24 (11:19-24) BARNABAS: STRENGTHENS WORK AT ANTIOCH. ?Barnabas, when he came and saw the grace :of :God, was glad; and he exhorted all to cleave unto the purpose of their heart in the Lord: 24 because he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and faith: and a large crowd was added to the Lord? (NNT). *What an unusual gifting to the church! Father, Barnabas was from You in Christ. We bless you for this! *Hallowed be your :name.* *2. 11:25-26 BARNABAS: SEEKS THE HELP OF PAUL. ?And he went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul; 26 and having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, both that even for a whole year they were gathered together in the church and taught a large crowd, and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.? *Now here was a wise and unselfish action on the part of Barnabas! May we too emulate such wisdom! *Your :kingdom come.* *3. 11:28 (11:27-30) AGABUS: ACCURATELY INFORMS OF COMING FAMINE. ?And one of them Agagus by name stood up and signified by the Spirit that a great famine would be over all the inhabited earth: which came to pass in the daysof Claudius.? *Here is another one of Your giftings, Father. We bless you for Agabus too. You do *all* things well: You give us just the ministries we need and just the appropriate time! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 12:5 (12:1-19) PETER: SUPERNATURALLY DELIVERED BY ANGEL. ?Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto :God for him.? *What exciting and traumatic days were there for the early church! How Sovereignly and powerfully You worked, Father! But You are no respecter of *times* or places, and will do *yet more* at the end of the age. *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 12:23 (12:20-23) HEROD: JUDGED FOR PRIDE BY ANGEL. ?And immediately theLord's angel struck him, because he gave not :God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and expired.? *My glory I will *not give* to another: this is what You have said, O Jehovah Father! O let us hear this warning, and not be as Herod and Hezekiah (2 Chr. 32:31)! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 12:24 WORD OF GOD: ITS INCREASE! ?But the word of the Lord grew and multiplied.? *What an encouraging word! When we work with and under Your leadership, Father, then we see *Your* results. You in Christ do *all*things well. When we do *our* thing, we get but meager results. We choose to do *Your thing*! *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 12:25 BARNABAS, SAUL AND JOHN MARK. ?And Barnabas and Saul returned when they had fulfilled their ministration Jerusalemward, having taken along John :surnamed Mark.? *How good it is that the various city churches sent relief to one another in times of need! We have no doubt that *You*inspired this Father, for you are aware of *all* things! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 12:11 (12:1-19) PETER ACKNOWLEDGES GOD'S DELIVERANCE. ?And when :Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know truly, that the Lord has sent forth his :angel and delivered me out of Herod's hand and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.? *This was a most supernatural deliverance. These things are always common through You Father, when our faith is high. The Book of Acts is often titled by scholars as follows: ?The Book of the Acts of the Holy Spirit through the apostles: specifically Peter and Paul.? It's long - but accurate and descriptive. It also brings out clearly to us the 3rd Person of the Tri-unity of the Godhead. We see Him in a true function in 2 Corinthians 13:14 - *?The grace (CHAris) of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love (aGApe) of God, and the fellowship (koi-noNIa) of the Holy Spirit be with you all.?* It is proper that Paul should end this letter with this ascription to the Holy Spirit. For all through 2 Corinthians and the Book of Acts we see Fellowship or koi-n*o*NIa exhibited! Notice in Acts 2:42 that one of the four main practices of the early believers from the example of the apostles, was their fellowship or koi-n*o*NIa! It was the Holy Spirit through the apostles setting forth this example to the early church. No wonder Jesus told the 12 that it was *better* for Him to go away - so that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, would *then* come to take His place. And he added - *?It is better that He be in you - than I be withyou!? * So those who wish they lived when Jesus walked on earth are missing something! We today - are better off than those - for we like the apostles now have the privilege of the Holy Spirit *in* us - as they! ?Rees Howells, Intercessor? by Norman P. Grubb - sets forth the unique ministry of the Holy Spirit following the Ascension of Christ. Then look at Romans 8:26-27 (8:26-30) *?And in like manner the Spirit also helps our :infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself intercedes mightily for **us **with groanings unutterable; **27** and who searches the hearts knows what **is** the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for **the** saints according to God.? *This is a window of insight for us to see the inner working of the Holy Spirit within the life of each believer. And what can enhance the working of the Holy Spirit within our lives? Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 14:18-19 (14:1-19) *?I thank :God I speak with a tongue **more than you all**: **19** but in church I would **rather** speak five words with my :understanding that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.? *Paul in his private devotions spoke *more*in a tongue than any other believer. Smith Wigglesworth of England followed his example in the last century. But in church meetings Paul preferred edifying the congregation through words from his understanding. In 1 Corinthians 14:2 Paul explains that who speaks in a tongue *speaks to God*, not men - and such communication from the human spirit is speaking * mysteries*! Some 27 times in the NT this word ?mystery? appears. It takes revelation of the Spirit to perceive and understand these mysteries - and those who use a tongue in their private devotions - greatly enhance their ability to more completely understand the many NT mysteries! Some will undoubtedly say - ?But I don't see such gifts for today, not for me in particular.? I understand this is the teaching we receive in most Evangelical churches. *But* - does such teaching truly accord to what the Bible itself is teaching? I have copied out the NT in English and Greek a number of times, and completely outlined it sentence by sentence - gathering these summaries into paragraphs and sections or chapter equivalents. And truly, I have found that we should let the Bible mean what *it* wants to mean (not necessarily church teaching) - and let God say what *He* wants to say! To check the Greek Aorist tense for ?gave? and ?set? in Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:28 completely settled this problem for me, and I believe can do the same for any other sincere and diligent seeker. From a sincere friend - who desires to be truly helpful to all fellow-believers. And finally - our Psalm for the day: *106:23 (106:1-48) GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD? (ESV). ?Therefore he said he would destroy them - had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.? *Who has ever thought that intercession was dispensable? Prayer *counts*! Intercession *works*! Father, work in our hearts the truth that You are a *great* God, and that You work through us abundantly above all we can ask or think when we pray, and allow the Holy Spirit to intercede through us! *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Jan 24 14:59:48 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:59:48 -0800 Subject: Acts 13-14 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 24, 2012 *APR 17 - ACTS 13-14 - CHURCH EXTENSION: SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES* *1. 13:2 (13:1-3) CHURCH AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. ?And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy :Spirit said, Separate me then :Barnabas and Saul for the work unto which I have called them? (NNT). Ministry* to You Father, with fasting prayer and no preconceived ideas: *this* releases Your Son to build His church through us! In this way we acknowledge You in Christ as *King* of Your Kingdom. *Hallowed be your :name.* *2. 13:12 (13:4-12) RESULTS THROUGH SUPERNATURAL JUDGMENT. ?Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.? *This was not Paul; this was really *You* Father in Christ revealing Your displeasure with Elymas. Help us always to see You in Your apostles and prophets. *Your :kingdom come.* *3. 13:19 (13:13-41) PAUL: MAJORS ON THE RESURRECTION. ?When he had destroyed seven nations in Canaan land, he gave them their :land for an inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years.? *This is bold preaching! Father, it is Your Spirit in Paul giving him this holy boldness! Yes, and You give us *all* good things according to Your good pleasure. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 13:48 (13:42-52) THE GOSPEL: JEWS VERSUS GENTILES. ?And as the nations heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of :God: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.? *All who the Father gives Me shall come unto Me, Jesus said. Father, we bless You that You have opened our hearts, and given us to Your Son Jesus, that we might exercise the gift of repentance and come to You! O forgive us that we fall so short in understanding, and fail to magnify You as we ought for Your great grace! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 14:3 (14:1-7) ICONIUM: SERIOUS THREATENINGS. ?Long time therefore they tarried there being bold in the Lord, who witnessed unto the word of his :grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by his :hands.? *The clearer the message of the Good News of the Kingdom of God, the sooner the persecution! Is our Gospel so far removed from the apostolic understanding and proclamation, that it has lost its teeth, Father? *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 14:14-15 (14:8-18) HEALING: WRONGLY EXALTS APOSTLES. ?But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard it, they rent their own :garments, and sprang forth among the crowd, crying out 15 and saying, Men, why do you these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good tidings, that you turn from these :vanities unto a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and that in them are.? *If not through persecution, then through worship of man would Satan pervert the Gospel. Truth walks the razor edge of heresy! *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 14:23 (14:19-28) STONING, ORDAINING, REPORTING. ?And when they had appointed for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fastings, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.? *Within *months * following conversion, elders serving as overseers and shepherds were appointed! How different from today! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 13:38-39 (13:13-41) THE CENTRALITY OF JESUS. ?Be it known unto you therefore, men **and brethren, that through his man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: 39 and by him every one that believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.? *This is a *clear* word. This word glorified You and Your Son, Father! Acts 13:48 above is for some one of the most difficult verses of the Bible - while for others it is the most blessed! With my background as first a Presbyterian and then a Baptist, I have like George Muller tended to the latter view. *Apprehension of Truth* comes from learning to meditate upon the Word of God. Our new Outlined Interlinear NT about to come out - will make this much easier. See some points which God began to show Mr. Muller while at Teignmouth, England in 1829: 1. That the word of God alone is our standard of judgment in spiritual things; that it can be explained *only* by the Holy Spirit; and that in our day, as well as in former times, *He* is the teacher of His people. The office of the Holy Spirit I had not experimentally understood before that time. Indeed, of the office of each of the blessed persons, in what is commonly called the Trinity, I had no experimental apprehension. I had not before seen from the Scriptures that the Father chose us before the foundation of the world; that in Him that wonderful plan of our redemption originated, and that He also appointed all the means by which it was to be brought about. Further, that the Son, to save us, had fulfilled the law, to satisfy its demands, and with it also the holiness of God; that He had borne the punishment due to our sins, and had thus satisfied the justice of God. And further, that the Holy Spirit alone can teach us about our state by nature, show us the need of a Savior, enable us to believe in Christ, explain to us the Scriptures, help us in preaching, etc. It was my beginning to understand this latter point in particular, which had a profound effect on me; for the Lord enabled me to put it to the test of experience, by laying aside commentaries, and almost every other book, and simply reading the word of God and studying it. The result of this was, that the first evening that I shut myself into my room, to give myself to prayer *and meditation over the Scriptures*, I learned more in a few hours than I had done during a period of several months previously. *But the particular difference was, that I received real strength for my soul in doing so. *I now began to try by the test of the Scriptures the things which I had learned and seen, and found that only those principles which stood the test were really of value. 2. Before this period I had been much opposed to the doctrines of election, particular redemption, and final persevering grace; so much so that, a few days after my arrival at Teignmouth I called election a devilish doctrine. I did not believe that I had brought myself to the Lord, for that was too manifestly false; but yet I held, that I might have resisted finally. And further, I knew nothing about the choice of God's people, and did not believe that the child of God, when once made so, was safe for ever. In my fleshly mind I had repeatedly said, If once I could prove that I am a child of God for ever, I might go back into the world for a year or two, and then return to the Lord, and at last be saved. But now I was brought to examine these precious truths by the word of God. Being made willing to have no glory of my own in the conversion of sinners, but to consider myself merely as an instrument; and being made willing to receive what the Scriptures said; I went to the Word, reading the New Testament from the beginning, with a particular reference to these truths. To my great astonishment I found that the passages which speak decidedly for election and persevering grace were about four times as many as those which speak apparently against these truths; and even those few, shortly after, when I had examined and understood them, served to confirm me in the above doctrines. As to the effect which my belief in these doctrines had on me, I am constrained to state, for God's glory, that though I am still exceedingly weak, and by no means so dead to the lusts of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, as I might and as I ought to be; yet, by the grace of God, I have walked more closely with Him since that period. My life has not been so variable, and I may say that I have lived much more for God than before. And for this have I been strengthened by the Lord, in a great measure, through the instrumentality of these truths. For in the time of temptation, I have been repeatedly led to say: Should I thus sin? I should only bring misery into my soul for a time, and dishonor God; from being a son of God for ever, I should have to be brought back again, though it might be in the way of severe chastisement. Thus, I say, the electing love of God in Christ (when I have been able to realize it) has often been the means of *producing holiness, instead of leading me into sin.* It is only the notional apprehension of such truths, the want of having them in the heart, while they are in the head, which is dangerous. (pp. 387-8 from ?George Muller of Bristol? by Dr. A.T. Pierson, 1899). Our Psalm for the day: *107:42-43 (107:1-43) LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO. ?The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth. 43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD? (ESV). *Not unto us, not unto us belongs praise; but unto *Your Name* does praise belong, Father! For we forfeit all right to blessing by our rebellion, disobedience and hard heart; but in Your grace You deliver us when we repent and call on Your Name. *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Jan 25 12:28:52 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:28:52 -0800 Subject: Acts 15:1-35 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 25, 2012 *APR 18 - ACTS 15:1-35 - CHURCH PROBLEMS: SOLUTIONS* *1. 15:1 (15:1-2) CIRCUMCISION: PROBLEM TO GENTILES. ?And certain mencoming down from :Judea were teaching the brethren [that], Except you be circumcised after the custom :of Moses, you cannot be saved? (NNT). *Isn't this just like Satan: he holds over us old traditions, old wineskins, that can *never* hold the new wine of the Spirit and be preserved! We need * renewed*, *reconstituted* wineskins! Father, *this* is what we need in both individuals and churches. *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 15:4 (15:3-5) JERUSALEM: PLACE OF SOLUTION FOR ANTIOCH. ?And when they came to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed what things :God had done with them.? *Only at Jerusalem could the problems of Antioch with Gentiles be solved. Each city church was sovereign, and justice had to be sought there concerning their troublesome members. We accept Your wisdom here, Father! *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 15:8-9 (15:6-12) PETER, BARNABAS AND PAUL SPEAK ON THE PROBLEM. ?And :God, who knows the heart, bore witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as to us; 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their :hearts by :faith.? *If God baptized Gentiles in the Spirit apart from circumcision, surely *He* is saying something here to which we should listen! You meet us where we *are*, Father! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 15:14-15a (15:13-21) JAMES SUMMARIZES AND CONFIRMS SCRIPTURE. ?Simon has rehearsed how first :God visited the nations, to take out a people for his :name. 15a And to this agree the words of the prophets.? *Hear the wisdom of City Church Pastor James, half brother of our Lord: Old Covenant Scriptures agree with the reasoning of Peter from the light of experience. O forgive us Father, that we so often stubbornly cling to old ways when You are moving on! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day.* *5. 15:28-29 (15:22-29) THE EPISTLE: FORMED BY HOLY SPIRIT AND LEADERS. ?For it seemed good to the Holy :Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these :necessary things: 29 to abstain from thingssacrificed to idols and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare well.? *How You protect us Father, by not laying upon us burdens we cannot bear! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors!* *6. 15:30-31 (15:30-34) THE EPISTLE: ITS EFFECT. ?They therefore whendismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude, delivered the epistle. 31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation.? *This Jerusalem church conference was a great blessing for Gentile believers. No wonder the saints of Antioch rejoiced! *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 15:35 PAUL AND BARNABAS AT ANTIOCH. ?But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the gospel of the word of the Lord, with many others also.? *We bless You Father, that Silas was part of this also. What a victory this renewed message was for the church! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 15:11 (15:6-12) THE BASIS OF DELIVERANCE. ?But we believe we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.? **This* is the heart of the Good News of the Kingdom of God! It is by the *grace of Jesus*, not liturgy or works of the law whereby we are saved. It is *New Covenant!* Acts 13:1-3 and Acts 15 - are perhaps the two major NT passages that lay out for us illustrations of the working of a City Eldership or Presbytery in the Gates of Antioch and Jerusalem. Boaz called for an Eldership to meet in the City Gate of Bethlehem to decide an inheritance problem that revolved around Ruth. Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:18 and 4:14 illustrates how a city Eldership sets apart for ministry - by impartation through the laying on of hands and prophecy. God visited Northern Canada in 1948 to restore this latter practice among 11 others. It brought controversy among hearers - and even temporary doubt upon those commissioned for this restoration process. In Acts 13:1-3 the Holy Spirit led in a commissioning service for the first missionary sending-forth - and in Acts 15 we see how God used the Eldership in the City Gate of Jerusalem to solve one of the most difficult and controversial problems that arose in the early church. Because of denomination separations, it is today very difficult to bring together the key elders of local churches in a city for similar purposes - as functioned in the early church. Again - we see Paul raising up 14 city churches and Elderships where others had not labored. It is obviously easier to build a house from scratch - rather than remodel a house. So it was easier in the beginning to establish city churches in functioning unity - with operating Elderships - than in our fragmented City Churches today, separated by denomination and fellowship divisions. But can it be done today? Yes - but through a ?Remnant? in the beginning - not on a complete city basis. Perhaps even through smaller churches in the home rather than through large and super local churches. But - we can confidently expect to see such happen before the return of our Lord. In Hezekiah's day, when he led Israel to revival and restoration of God's original desire through Moses for Israel - the priests were so far away from such a pattern, that Levites had to do their work for them. But when the priests observed that Hezekiah was truly following the leading of the Lord - then with shame they sanctified themselves and took their place in the Temple. A similar change of outlook could take place with pastors today, once God starts to work with a remnant! Our Psalm for the day: 108:12-13 (108:1-13) WITH GOD WE SHALL DO VALIANTLY. ?Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! 13With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes? (ESV). From our point of view, it sometimes seems that You have forsaken us, Father. But no, You are only sifting and maturing us, that You might reveal Yourself unto us in a *deeper* way! Then You can remove the scaffolding of our enemies! *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Jan 26 15:43:12 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:43:12 -0800 Subject: Acts 15:36-19:20 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 26, 2012 *APR 19 - ACTS 15:36-19:20 - CHURCH GROWTH AND PAUL* *1. 15:36 (15:36-16:5) PAUL: ADDS TIMOTHY TO HIS TEAM. ?And after some days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they fare? (NNT). *It would seem the right thing to do indeed! They had now been left alone for over a year! Imagine leaving new churches and leaders without help for such a period of time: *not* our 20th Century way! Yet see the prosperity here when led by the Holy Spirit! *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 16:9 (16:6-10) PAUL: SUPERNATURALLY LED TO EUROPE. ?And a vision appeared to :Paul at night: A certain Macedonian man was standing and beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.? *Visions and dreams: from Joseph, Daniel and Job (33:14-18). You Father, have guided Your servants this way. Moses You spoke to face to face. May we not despise Your choice this way! *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 16:30b-31 (16:11-40) PAUL: PHILIPPI LAUNCHED AMIDST PERSECUTION. And the jailer said, ?Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and YOU shall be saved and your :household.? **Household salvation*: what a glad and joyous message! And this came in the midst of Lydia and the birthing of the church at Philippi! Father, You do *all*things well! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 17:11 (17:1-15) PAUL: CONTRAST BETWEEN THESSALONICA AND BEREA. ?Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so.? *O forgive us Father, that so often we fail to exhibit this mind of the Bereans! We consult our own interests, the status quo, our traditions: and fail to realize that *You* are in the thing we sometimes oppose! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 17:27b-28 (17:16-34) PAUL: MEAGER RESULTS AT ATHENS. ?God is not far from each of us: 28 for in him we live, and move, and have our being, as certain even of your own :poets have said, For we are also his offspring.? *Sophistry, splitting the infinite and unscrewing the inscrutable - is not the path that leads to trust in Your Messiah, Father! When our head leads before our heart, we do greatly err! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 18:9-11a (18:1-23) PAUL: TROUBLESOME ENTRY INTO CORINTH. ?And the Lord said to :Paul at night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not your peace: 10 because I am with you, and no man shall set on you to harm you: because I have much people in this :city. 11a And he dwelt there a year and six months.? *What reassuring words! You in Christ Father, meet our every need, and here You do it through dreams and visions again! Why do we miss this channel so often? *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 18:26 (18:24-19:20) PAUL: FRUITFUL MINISTRY AT EPHESUS. ?And APOLLOS began to be bold in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of :God more accurately.? *Many things happened here at Ephesus: but this concerning Apollos is of interest. Note that the Numeric Greek manuscript of Ivan Panin places Priscilla ahead of Aquila four times of their six appearances. This is no mistake by the Holy Spirit! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 19:8 (18:24-19:20) PAUL: BOLDNESS IN HIS PREACHING. ?And he entered into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for three months reasoning and persuading concerning the kingdom of :God.? *A right heart is then followed by a right mind! God led in guidance for Paul and others through dreams and visions many a time, *both* in OT and NT times. However - it is important to note that God more often guides us as we *meditate over His Word*! It is not a case of either/or - but both/and. A principle to be observed is Mark 16:17-20. Here the Holy Spirit guides Mark to note that signs (gifts of the Spirit, miracles, guidance) *follow* the clear and bold preaching of the Word. When we start depending *more* on the signs that follow, than the *Word itself*, then we open ourselves to deception and the confusion from the enemy. The word (LOgos) of the NT appears 330 times, majoring on the *word*itself. R *E*ma (word) - the *living* word - the word of the Spirit - appears but 70 times. In a proportionate sense, we should be spending 4 ? times more on meditation and praying over the written word - than in seeking a prophetic and living word. It is a concern that many believers will chase for a word of the Spirit 90% of the time over against 10% for finding God's will from meditating over His written Word. When we seek God Himself through His Word first - then He is often pleased to give a vision, a dream, a prophecy, a word of the Spirit. But when we seek these latter first, rather than letting *Him*give such in His own Sovereign time - we are not following the example of Paul who said, Follow *me* - as *I* follow Christ! Israel and the church always have false dreamers and diviners who would deceive us. See What God says through Jeremiah in 29:8-9 (29:1-9) JEREMIAH'S LETTER TO THE EXILES. *?For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the LORD.? *We need to be as wise as serpents, and as harmless as doves! Jeremiah 23:25-32 (23:9-40) LYING PROPHETS. *?I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed!' 26 How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, 27 who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal? 28 Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD. 29 Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? 30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal my words from one another. 31 Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who use their tongues and declare, 'declares the LORD.' 32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD.? * As important as dreams and visions can be (Job 33:14-18), and here Elihu points out 4 very important purposes for dreams - yet in *God's* sight - His Word is as *wheat*, and dreams are but as *straw*. this does *not*eliminate the value of straw, for without it the wheat cannot mature. But in the final picture, wheat continues, while straw is burnt! We need to keep our perspective in the same way that *God* looks at dreams and visions. They *have* their place! But His Word is pre-eminent - for His Son and His Word are *one*! We need to keep our proportionate times as 4 ? for the Written Word - and *one* for dreams and visions, prophecies and signs following! Here is the way of safety and maturity! Here is the way of Paul and the other 7 NT writers. Here is the way of George Muller, George Whitefield and Oswald Chambers. I am so concerned over many of my fellow-believers - who fail to walk in the above perspective! Our Psalm for the day: *109:23-25 (109:1-31) HELP ME, O LORD MY GOD. ?I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust. **24** My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt, with no fat. **25* * I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads? (ESV). *We can rejoice in the light of the end of persecutors. You Father, keep the books! In the end the way of the righteous, You justify; but the end of the persecutor is judgment. *Hallowed be your :name.* * * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri Jan 27 15:19:23 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:19:23 -0800 Subject: Acts 19:21-21:14 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 27, 2012 *APR 20 - ACTS 19:21-21:14 - CHURCH GROWTH AND THE HOLY SPIRIT* *1. 19:26 (19:21-41) PAUL'S DECISION IN SPIRIT: EXPLOSION IN EPHESUS. ?And you see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all :Asia, this :Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands? (NNT). *These who have turned the world upside down are come here also (17:6)! This was spoken in Thessalonica, but the same turmoil is in Ephesus. Your Kingdom Father, first brings a sword of division, even as Jesus said! *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 20:1 (20:1-6) PAUL: INTERLUDE IN GREECE. ?And after the uproar ceased, :Paul having sent for the disciples and exhorted them, took leave, anddeparted to go into Macedonia.? *When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. These were the words of Your Son Jesus, Father. Sometimes wisdom is the better part of valor! May we always be sensitive to Your Spirit, to apply correct guidance from Your Word! *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 20:7 (20:7-12) PAUL IN TROAS: RAISING OF EUTYCHUS. ?And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered to break bread, :Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his :speech until midnight.? *What hunger existed for Your Word in those early days, Father! O may we too hunger after Jesus, the true manna; and thirst after Your Spirit, true drink! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 20:16 (20:13-16) PAUL: BY FOOT TO MILETUS. ?For :Paul had determined to sail past :Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in :Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of :Pentecost.? *Paul was Yours in a unique way, Father; he walked in ways well-pleasing to You, and was able to say, *Follow me*, *as I follow Christ*! O forgive us that we settle for lesser goals. Lord plant our feet on higher ground! *Our :daily :bread, Give us this day!* *5. 20:32 (20:17-38) PAUL'S FAREWELL MESSAGE TO THE EPHESIANS. ?And :now I commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his :grace, which is able to build up, and to give the inheritance among all the sanctified.? *The Word of Your Grace at this time Father, was the Old Covenant of prophecy, types and shadows which you had revealed to Paul especially. The New Testament was not yet written. The New is in the Old contained; the Old is by the New explained! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 21:4 (21:1-6) PAUL: A WARNING THROUGH THE SPIRIT. ?And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days: and these told :Paul through the Spirit, not to set foot in Jerusalem.? *Paul had a clearer word from the Lord directly, and could not be distracted by this true word of warning. The Gospel of the Kingdom is furthered when we obey You directly, Father! *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 21:11 (21:7-14) PAUL: WARNED THROUGH AGABUS BY THE SPIRIT. ?And coming unto us, and taking the girdle of Paul, he bound his own :feet and :hands, and said, These things says the Holy :Spirit, Thus shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man whose this :girdle is, and shall deliver him into thehands of the nations.? *This was a traumatic situation. Christians still are divided as to whether Paul was right or wrong. But the future release of Your Kingdom Father, justified Paul! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE: 20:35 (20:17-38) PAUL'S EXAMPLE. ?In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that Himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.? *Paul walked in this word of Jesus, and would have all of us do also!* * Please go to our Website * *and click on ?Interlinear.? Then scroll down to Acts 21:1-14, and check on the NOTE at the bottom. There the principle introduced by Agabus and other prophets in this reading - is expanded upon. This insight has an importance, that if acted upon - will free many believers from rushing around on lower plains of confusion. To listen to Joel Osteen from Houston Texas - will teach one how to *major*on the *Bible*, especially *the NT*. *Don't* major on what the enemy is doing! Let him do his thing! That's his business! Don't talk about it. Talk about what *God* is doing, and what *His Word* says. Be a Joshua. Let 1:8 be your touch-stone. Let not *God's word* depart from your mouth. *Meditate* upon * it* day and night - *not* what Satan is doing - or your doubts and fears. Then *do* what you meditate upon from God's Word - and *then* reap the reward of making your *way prosperous* and having good success. *This* is the Word of God. See also Psalm 19:14 and Psalm one. *And*, make the New Covenant, the NT, the focal point of your *meditation*! Remember what Dr. David Stern says about Hebrews 8:6 (8:1-13) - ?But *now*has he [Jesus] obtained a ministry the *more superior*, by *so much* as he is also mediator of a *better covenant*(than the OT) which has been enacted (or constituted as Torah, the law) upon better promises. Here we learn that God has made the New Covenant the same as the Old Covenant - to *meditate* upon! As a matter of fact, George Muller contends we should meditate and do the NT *more* than the OT! In 1 Timothy 4:15 (4:11-16) Paul tells Timothy to be *diligent in meditating* upon the things he is writing to him there! *Don't* meditate on negatives and Satan's doings. Settle it that you will *think* on the things of God! See Philippians 4:8 (4:4-16). These *8 things* here to *think on*, *speak on*, *do* and *live*! Meditating on such things will *free* you from Satan's deceptions, your own negativity, and lead you into God's spiritual prosperity and success. Joel Osteen's messages lead his people into *this*syndrome. And now our Psalm for the day: *110:1 (1-7) SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND. ?The LORD says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool'? (ESV). *This is a remarkable Psalm, with unusual New Covenant significance. 6 times it is quoted in the NT, *more* than any other portion of the OT! Father, You speak here of Your Son, after the order of Melchizedek. You speak of His ultimate victory over *all* His enemies. And * You* have placed *us* in *Him*! Hallelujah! *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat Jan 28 12:29:16 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:29:16 -0800 Subject: Acts 21:15-24:27 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 28, 2012 *APR 21 - ACTS 21:15-24:27 - CHURCH GROWTH: PAUL'S EVANGELISM* *1. 21:15 (21:15-16) PAUL TO JERUSALEM. ?And after these :days we made ready our baggage and went up to Jerusalem? (NNT). *Right or wrong, Paul made a commitment as he understood You Father, and followed through. He * always* gave You the benefit of the doubt! He was Your apostle of going the third mile! Help us to emulate this burning heart for You! *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 21:23-24 (21:17-26) PAUL: ACTS ON ADVICE OF JERUSALEM ELDERS. ?Do therefore this that we say to you: We have four men that have a vow from themselves; 24 these take, and purify yourself with them, and be at charges for them, that they may shave their heads**:** and all shall know that thereis nothing in what they have been informed concerning you; but that yourself also are firm keeping the law.? *Was this compromise? We think not. Was this not in accordance with the heart of Your apostle, Father (ROM 9:1-5; 11:13-14; 1 COR 9:22)? *Your :kingdom come.* *3. 21:28 (21:27-36) ASIAN JEWS: BRING CITY INTO AN UPROAR. ?Men of Israel, help: This is the man that teaches all everywhere against the people, and the law, and this :place; and moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and has defiled this holy place.? *See how hot-heads misconstrue facts and jump to conclusions! Father, deliver us from such: yet, You use even them to work things together for good! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!* *4. 22:16 (21:37-22:21) PAUL'S COURAGEOUS TESTIMONY. ?And what shall you donow? arise, and be baptized, and wash away your :sins, calling on his :name.? *This is a proper response following such a definite commission. Your Spirit Father, gave this word through Ananias. What a clear cut vision, commission and response. O forgive us, that we fail to respond to You in as full a spirit as did Paul! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 22:25 (22:22-29) PAUL: CLAIMS RIGHT AS A ROMAN CITIZEN. ?And when they had tied him up with thongs, :Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Whether it is lawful for you to scourge a Roman [man], and uncondemned? *What a powerful ploy Paul here employed! Sometimes You lead us to avert persecution, Father. Sometime You lead us like Jesus, to be as a lamb before her shearers, dumb. Whatever Your leading, be with us in the hour of testing! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 23:11 (22:30-23:35) PAUL: UNUSUALLY DELIVERED. ?And the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer: for as you have testified :concerning me at Jerusalem, so must you witness also at Rome.? *We see Father, that you make *all things* work together for good. What a powerful witness of Jesus Paul gave in Jerusalem and Rome! Would he have had this opportunity had he not obeyed You in going up to Jerusalem? *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 24:14-15 (24:1-27) PAUL'S BOLD CONFESSION OF FAITH. ?But this I confess to you, that after the Way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets; 15 having hope toward :God which these also themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of just and unjust.? *In the light of this testimony Father, *Yours is* the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory for ever. Amen! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 24:16 (24:1-27) PAUL'S COMMENDABLE EXAMPLE. ?Herein I also exercise myself to have a conscience void of offense toward :God and :men always.? *This is a good resolution in the light of judgment to come! Though Rees Howells spent the majority of his life in Wales, and six years in Africa as a missionary - yet his influence has been largely in America, especially through his biography by Norman P. Grubb, ?Rees Howells, Intercessor.? However, at the encouragement of Mr Grubb and Samuel Rees Howells, son of his father Rees - Doris M. Ruscoe has written a follow-up on his biography entitled, ?The Intercession of Rees Howells.? *This book explains the Scriptural and applied principle of Rees Howells' mission in life. It provides the key to his life's work.* Doris Ruscoe first came to the Bible College of Wales in 1932. She writes, ?After some years of local preaching in Derbyshire I was spiritually 'dried up' and earnestly seeking to meet God in a new way ... the answer came to me through Rees Howells ... The meeting fascinated me. I was gripped with a sense of God's presence as never before, and the first time I heard Rees Howells speak I knew here was a man who really knew God and knew him in a way I had never met in anyone before.? As the war approached Rees Howells declared that prayer was not enough, only the deep spiritual commitment of intercession would take them through the dark days that lay ahead. The author shows, in the words of Norman Grubb ?how the Holy Spirit led Rees Howells from his new birth onwards, to discover the principles of Intercession. She traces for us his earlier stages of learning and application, fascinating to those of us who by grace are being taken the same way.? And now - our Psalm for the day: *111:5-6 (111:1-10) GREAT ARE THE LORD'S WORKS! ?He provides food for those who fear him; **he remembers his covenant forever**. **6** He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations? (ESV). *All Your works Father, are righteous and just; in mercy and covenant love (CHEsed) You balance Your purposes. Your dealings with us and circumstances show that mercy and truth kiss each other. * Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sun Jan 29 09:06:42 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:06:42 -0800 Subject: The Return of God's Glory Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 29, 2012 (?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt ? Congregation Beth Chesed, Tacoma* *Web: **www.2rbetter.org** - Email: **jmbetter at gmail.com* *November 27, 2006)* *?THE RETURN OF GOD?S GLORY? ? Bakht Singh* *INTRODUCTION: *In 1955 Hubert Mitchell introduced us to Bakht Singh. I wanted a key Christian worker for each continent to pray for. He gave me Nicholas Bhengu of Africa, a Zulu saint who founded some 3000 churches in Africa averaging about 600 per church, with 6000 in New London. For America at that time he recommended Billy Graham and for India, Bakht Singh. He founded over 300 churches. He would move into a city with 50 workers. They would often sleep on the train platform. They would pray much early morning and late evening. They would visit homes during the day and invite people to a meeting that night. In one month often 1500 confessed Jesus as Lord. They would leave 4 to 6 workers to follow up, and take 4 to 6 of the new converts to fill this gap, and then press on to a new town or city. This team would found up to 12 churches a year ? but other teams were doing the same thing. Each service lasted 5 hours: 2 hours for worship ? 2 hours preaching and teaching ? one hour for the invitation. They then baptized the new converts immediately according to Acts 2:38. Hubert Mitchell put music to the words of Annie Johnson Flint ? ?He Giveth More Grace?. Following are excerpts from Chapter 2 of ?The Return of God?s Glory?. 7 messages were given at this time in India to workers for WEC (World Evangelization Crusade) founded by C. T. Studd while he served the Lord in Africa. I found this book in my library by accident ? up to this time unread. I found it to be excellent, and trust you will also. ? Jim Watt ?*The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken.? 1 Samuel 4:22.* ?*Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.? 2 Chron. 7:1.* In the first sentence, we read that the glory was departed from Israel; and in the second we see that the fire came down from heaven and the glory of the Lord filled the house. There are certain divine principles according to which God works. His glory is seen only when we are willing to abide by those principles. In Exodus 40 we see how the glory came by the fulfilling of those divine principles. In verses 16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32 and 33 we read this phrase: -- ?As the Lord commanded Moses.? And in the last verse, ?So Moses finished the work.? Then in Exodus 40:34, ?And the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.? That fragment, ?As the Lord commanded Moses?, is repeated as if the Lord Himself was examining the whole work which had been done, and He was fully satisfied in every small detail. It is only when the work is finished according to God?s standard that the Glory comes down. That is how the Bible defines the descent of the glory of God. See what our Lord Himself says in John 4:34, ?My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.? It is only when a work is finished according to God?s perfect revealed will, and according to His heavenly plan, that at His command the GLORY COMES DOWN. Just the mere manifestation of some power or miracle or sign is NOT God?s glory. It is a finished and complete work, done according to His command and order, which brings down the FULL GLORY of God. How can we prove that God?s glory is among His people? First, let us look at Numbers 7:89. ?And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with Him then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and He spoke unto him.? >From the day that God?s glory had filled the tabernacle He began to speak from between the cherubim, from above the mercy seat. God had spoken to Moses before, from the burning bush: He spoke to him when He called him, on the Mount, and there He gave him the whole law and the pattern for the tabernacle. But now we find this speaking is different altogether. From now onward God began to open His heart to Moses to reveal His whole mind, from between the cherubim. Here we get the proof that God?s glory was amongst His People. God was speaking and He was making His mind clear to all those that came to Him. It was the privilege of anybody among all the twelve tribes that for his personal or family problems or for any other matter concerning the congregation, he could go to Aaron, the high priest, and find out the mind of God and the will of God. Then Aaron would go to God and hear Him speaking from between the cherubim above the mercy seat. God speaking is the one great proof that God?s glory is among His people. Secondly, let us read Numbers 9:15-23. ?The cloud covered the tabernacle.? This is the second great proof that God was with them in His full glory. Their eyes were constantly upon the cloud resting upon the tent of the congregation. Whether the cloud lifted in the morning or mid-day, or evening, or midnight, the children of Israel moved only when the cloud lifted. When the cloud tarried for a day or a week or a month or a year or even longer, they had to stay; they could not move; but wherever the cloud went, they had to go. By these two great signs we know that God?s glory was dwelling amongst His people. Now we find in 1 Samuel 4:22 that the glory departed. There were many causes responsible for that; and because of these causes, these people of God lost their privileges one by one. The time came at last when God had to leave them, -- for a time. Let us consider a few of the causes that were responsible for the spiritual decline of the people. Judges 21:25, ?Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.? The first great cause of their failure and their barrenness was that ?everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.? Secondly, 1 Samuel 2:12-17. Here we see another cause. These sons of Eli the high priest, began to despise the sacrifices; and not only that, they began to use force. We are told in verse 13 that they had with them a fleshhook of three teeth, to take away the flesh which was meant for God. Nowadays, the very same thing is happening, through fleshhooks of three teeth; that is, the honor that ought to be given to God is being given to man, because of (a) Love for money; (b) Love for power; and (c) Love for fame. These are the three great teeth which are being used now by many people. Many people do serve God, no doubt; but you find in their heart of hearts, either they have love for money, love for power, or love for fame. They will make any sacrifice, if only they can satisfy their desire for power, or money, or name! Also, we find that Eli knew all this! Yet, he would not rebuke his sons. That is why God had to punish him so severely. See further in 1 Sam. 3:13 ? ?For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.? He knew it. Nothing was hidden from him. No doubt he did tell them, ?This is not right!? But as the margin says: ?He did not frown upon them, nor did he rebuke them? As high priest, it was his duty; and when he found corruption going on in the house of God, he ought to have strongly rebuked his sons. But he did not frown upon them, nor rebuke them. For this cause, we find that the glory departed from the house of God, and from Israel. Then we see in 1 Samuel 4:1-6 that Eli knew that his sons were living in sin, and yet he permitted them to carry the ark into the battlefield. These are a few of the causes responsible for the barrenness and death found in those days among God?s people. First of all, we see that every man thought that whatever he did, was right! That is how the downfall began. Secondly, when Eli knew that corruption had come into the house of God, rather than firmly rebuking and punishing his children, he politely scolded them: ?Please don?t do it. It is not good for you.? It is like saying to a thief, ?Mr. Thief, don?t steal ? it is not good for you.? Would he ever listen to you? So God had to say to Eli that he was going to judge his house once and for all! Then we see the evil of these young men in that they carried the ark. They were not only heedless and careless about what they were doing in the house of God, but they were presuming to be leaders of Israel, in carrying the ark! In the same way today, we find so many ungodly men of wealth, position and ability holding responsible positions in the churches and where God?s work goes on! And THAT IS WHY THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED from among the people of God. Whatever the condition was in those days, you find the very same nowadays throughout the world; we have to acknowledge that the glory has departed. Look around the churches in India, America, Canada, Europe or in any other part of the world, you will agree that this is true ? God?s glory has departed! God?s Word has become precious, or rare! In very few places are people receiving good sermons and good teaching. They acquire a good head-knowledge of the Scripture, but there are very few places where God?s message is given in simplicity; where people say, ?Hear ye what God says ? this is His message!? And in those days, we read, God?s Word became precious. They had the privilege of receiving God?s Word from the high priest but, he also became spiritually deaf, dull and dumb. God?s message was not being given to him. The people also became blind, and relied upon their own wisdom and judgment in the work of God! We find everywhere these days that these hooks of three teeth are used by those who call themselves the servants of God. Leave aside modernists and those who are the people of the world, even among the so-called fundamentalists, we find the love for power and fame is there. That is why they have to use force, appeal, and other cunning in advertising. They glorify man in their love for name, or power or money. It gives me a shock when I see servants of God begging for money. Once in America, I heard a man, a good man, making an appeal for money. He said: ?Friends, we have arranged a banquet for young people; and we are expecting ten thousand young people. This is an opportunity to give them God?s Word. But we want ten thousand dollars within two days; and unless you give liberally, we are going to be in a hole.? Now you find almost all Americans in a ?hole? these days. They have to beg for money. They beg through letters, reports, and other means. They beg, and get what they beg for. No one is justified in begging because it is God?s work for which they are asking money. We believe in a living God, and preach a living God! If God can forgive sins, He also can supply needs. One day on the train, I saw a Hindu lady in the same compartment. She said to me, ?How can God meet your needs? You say that you don?t belong to any society, how can God meet your needs?? I said, ?Tell me, do you believe as I told you before, that God forgave my sins? I gave you my testimony of how I struggled hard and tried to get my sins forgiven by every possible means. I was prepared to spend any amount of money and go anywhere to find someone who could forgive my sins. But nobody could. The day came when I heard these words clearly, ?My son, your sins be forgiven you.? I can tell you again and again that the Lord Jesus Christ forgave my sins more than thirty years ago; now can you tell me that your sins are forgiven?? She said, ?No. I can?t say that ? I wish I could say so.? I said, ?Well, if you believe God forgave my sins, is it difficult for Him to supply my needs? The whole amount of the world?s money could never have taken away my sins ? they were so many. If you believe God can forgive a sinner, it is very easy to believe that the same living God can supply all my needs. I believe it. I know it also by experience.? We do not have to ask for money; to do so is lack of faith. If we are God?s servants, God will not fail His servants. Sometimes it is not money, but fame that men are seeking. They want a big report, so that people will say, ?What a great work is being done by So-and-so!? Is it in a desire for fame, that we are working? Now what was the condition in those days? Outwardly they were doing the service of the house of God, but all the time they were grabbing the things of God, and robbing God of His glory. Thus the GLORY was departed from among God?s people. I have come across so many of God?s servants, who have told me very sadly, ?Why is it, brother, we work so hard, we are fundamentalists; we believe in God?s Word; we live a simple life; why can?t we see God?s glory?? THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED However, we read also in God?s Word that the same glory which departed, came back. We see this is 2 Chronicles 7:1. God not only tells us of our failure; but He also has a remedy for everything. God exposes sin in very plain language; there is no book in the world which uncovers and exposes sin in the language that the Bible does! How horrible and terrible is sin! God uncovers it, but He also has a remedy for it! Now we find that as we read the six books from the first book of Samuel through to the end of second Chronicles, we come across the names of four people who play a very important part in bringing back that departed Glory. *In our next mailing we will talk about the first of these four people, and the important principle that she learned and practiced that pleased God! * *NOTE*: *The above message was given while Marie and I were still leading in Congregation Beth Chesed in November 11, 2006. I ran across it in my files yesterday, and felt the Spirit leading for me to share it once again - Jim Watt* * * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Jan 30 10:18:25 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:18:25 -0800 Subject: Hannah: The Return of God's Glory Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 30, 2012 *(?TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt ? Beth Chesed, Tacoma* ? *Federal Way WA 98093-2116* *Web: **www.2rbetter.org** ? Email: **jmbetter at gmail.com* *November 28, 2006)* *?HANNAH: THE RETURN OF GOD?S GLORY? ? Bakht Singh* *INTRODUCTION: Our last Mailing was from Bakht Singh?s ?The Return of God?s Glory?, Chapter 2, Introduction. After Israel lost God?s Glory in the days of the Judges and finally under Eli, our author sees 4 basic principles that resonate with the heart of God, and with His approval, initiates the Return of His Glory! Bakht Singh found these 4 principles associated with 4 people in the 6 books from the first book of Samuel through to the end of second Chronicles. This mailing introduces the first of these 4. Jim Watt* The first is Hannah; the second is Samuel, the third is David, and the fourth is Solomon. In the six books we find that these four characters play a very big part in bringing back the departed glory. As we go along we shall see how these four names speak of four divine principles. In fulfilling these principles we shall find God?s departed glory coming into our hearts, into our assemblies, and into our work. Let us see how these four principles can help us individually and collectively, as God?s servants, that God?s glory may return. First of all turn to 1 Samuel 1:2. The name Hannah means, grace. Even though this woman had a very good name, she was in great sorrow; she was being constantly provoked by Peninnah. In verses 4-7 we find Hannah in sorrow, in pain, and being constantly hurt. Peninnah kept sarcastically saying to her, in order to hurt her: ?You are barren ? it is God?s curse upon you!? We are told, that as Hannah was being so sorely provoked she went and fasted and prayed, yet it seemed that God did not hear her prayer. So she continued weeping, and went on praying with faith. Now Hannah was a godly woman ? a far better woman that the other. Then why did God remain silent to her prayer? It was surely for a purpose. In the beginning Hannah was praying only for her own need: ?Lord I am barren, meet *my *need, take away *my *barrenness. Lord, look upon *me* and *my* affliction and *my *barrenness and *my *condition and *my *sorrow, and save *me* from the reproach of *my *neighbors.? All her tears were for HER NEED. She did not know that God could also have some NEED! Then her prayer changed; ?Lord, now I forsake my own selfish need and promise that if you give me a man-child, he will be lent back to You.? Somehow, when she discovered God?s need, God answered her prayer and gave her a son. Many of us pray like Hannah did: ?Lord we are barren; take away our barrenness. Lord, we are empty, please fill us. Lord, we see no fruit for our labors; Send a revival!? Many prayers are being offered throughout the world for revival, some praying for a whole night, others for a whole week, others still, praying with fasting, but still no answer. Why? Our prayers are selfish; we go by our own conception of how God must work. God must work in this, or that way we think. ?Lord, you must work in this plan and meet our need in this way,? we pray. We ask: ?Lord take away our barrenness; give us more fruit; let us see Your power in our midst, more and more!? But God does not answer our prayers! Why? Because we have not yet discovered God?s need. Yes, we have a need indeed, but what about God? Unless we find God?s need, we cannot expect God to work! We take a lot for granted. We say, India is poor, and we must keep asking for money for India. Are you sure about that? That is not God?s way of working! We must not take for granted that because people are in poverty, they must be given money. Sometimes tragedies and floods are His judgments. We have no right to interfere in God?s work. Even though we should spend the whole of the world?s wealth, we can never remove poverty and sickness from the earth! We as God?s servants must find out what God?s need is today. What is God?s need in India, -- north India, or south India? What is God?s need in Africa, in Europe, or in America? We must find this out by prayer. Don?t go by the assumption that because God worked in a certain place so many years ago, that He must do the same there again today! This is only our own idea! That is why our prayers are left unanswered. I believe we learn in Hannah how to pray. Even though Hannah prayed with fasting, and tears, and with faith; even though she was a sincere, godly woman; nevertheless, God did not hear her prayer. He waited till she understood His need! You, too, may be thinking: ?Why is God so silent? He knows the value of man?s life. Why does He allow this or that to happen and go on for years?? God has His own way of working. He wanted a man, for He cannot work without a man. He wanted a man who was given to Him willingly, and for that He waited. A similar case we see in Elijah, in 1 Kings 19:1-4. He was very sure that because God had sent fire, as recorded in 1 Kings 13:38, surely now He must again send fire. Is not Jezebel a wicked queen? And does she not deserve to be punished? So the prophet was very positive that God would punish this woman, for she deserved it; she had threatened to take the life of God?s servant. But nothing happened! Elijah began to despair when he saw that God was taking no action. He said in effect: ?Now Lord, I resign my office as a prophet, and give You an hour?s notice. From today I refuse to be Your prophet. What is the use of serving You? This wicked woman wants to kill me and YOU ARE ASLEEP!? But God was so gracious. He was not sleeping, but He was not going to punish Jezebel in the wisdom of Elijah! He had already planned that He would use Jehu to punish her, and not Elijah. That was God?s way. Now my point is, that we have no right to dictate to God; He has ways that are higher than our ways, and we can safely wait for Him. What about God?s purpose in the matter of Hannah? God was waiting very patiently, and He was pleased to choose Hannah to be His partner. He permitted that barrenness in the life of Hannah to make her a true partner of God. What an honor to be given to Hannah! She had been praying: ?Lord, take away my reproach.? God was saying, ?Hannah, what about My need? My name is also being reproached.? That is why we also fail; because we are more concerned about our mission, our name, our reputation, and our depression even, than we are for God?s Name. Many of our prayers are for ourselves only! ?Lord, do a new work in our midst, in our group,? we pray. God does not work in that way. We must learn how to pray in order to find God?s need or what He is after. If we want God?s glory to come down, we must first of all learn how to pray thus; for we find that before every true revival, there has been first of all a great burden for prayer. Go to Ireland, Wales, Assam or to any other part of the world where there has been revival, and you will find that it was a prayer revival, first of all. They began to cry everywhere for revival, praying day and night; not only for themselves, but also for the whole world. They were praying that God would have His way, for the first principle is to pray according to God?s will; seeking to find His mind and His need. Please do not assume that you are the only person responsible to take the Gospel to the whole world! Are you sure that God has given this job to you? Read Matt. 28:19-20, and you will see that this commandment is given to all believers. God has not given the monopoly to any one nation or people. We may be wealthy and educated; but we cannot say that because we have more money, or more education that it is our special privilege to evangelize the whole world. Unless we make every believer a strong witness for the Lord and preach the whole church?s responsibility to evangelize, the job is impossible. IT WON?T HAPPEN! Why did God not allow the Jews to evangelize the world? They were a more gifted people; they had their apostles; and yet you see that God passed by the Jews, and He came to Antioch. (Acts 13:2) You would think that the Great Commission would have been given to the apostles at Jerusalem. They are the first people who should be sent out to other parts of Europe to evangelize. But not so. God in His own sovereign way chose Antioch as His center. The center shifts from Jerusalem to Antioch. What about today?s command? Can we very truthfully say that we spend hours in prayer till we know God?s mind? Or are we taking it for granted that this must be God?s plan? *Hannah teaches us the principle of prayer. *She learned how to pray, in order to know God?s will. *CONCLUSION: *Like Hannah, I once believed I knew God?s pattern for my life, and what He would have me do. But suddenly a man I highly regarded approached me and asked if I would consider taking his place as pastor of a certain church. This church had fallen on evil days. Sin had entered in. Unscriptural divorces and remarriages had taken place. Other sexual sins occurred. Debts had taken hold in the city, all to the reproach of God?s Name. I considered this challenge, but knew that if I accepted it, and my name became associated with it, many doors would immediately close to my ministry. I had held meetings in some 70 churches in a 5-state area prior to this time over a 2 years period. So I told God ? ?God, if I take this church, it will tarnish my name by association, and shut most doors to my ministry.? ?Yes,? the Lord responded, ?But consider this. MY NAME is already associated with this church, and has been tarnished in the sight of many. You give YOUR name to lift My Name, and I promise you ? that in the long run, your name will not suffer.? ?For Your sake and Your Name?s sake,? I replied, ?but for no other first priority reason, I submit.? When I attended ministerial meetings soon after, I would hear whisperings,? There?s that new pastor of that church with all those problems and aberrations.? Of course I felt badly. But I remembered God?s long range promise. Then two months following my accession as pastor of this church, a pastor friend of mine asked if I would like to have Nicholas Bhengu of Africa speak at our church. Because I had been praying for him daily for 10 years, I immediately said, ?Yes! Any day that is open!? One last Wednesday night was open on August 20th before he returned to Africa. I picked him up at lunch time and plagued him with questions until service time that night. What an arsenal of wisdom, experience, faith and grace! That night I led in a time of praise and worship. I would glance at him beside me on the platform, and wonder how could God use him? He seemed so passive and dead ? almost like Aaron?s rod before it budded. When he got up he announced he would speak on ?Bones!? ?Bones,? I thought ? ?What could be more deadly?? But before he preached he said ? ?Whenever I come to a new city, I ask God what this city means to Him? I have been in this city for a month, but until tonight He has not spoken to me. But tonight on this platform He said, ?I am going to visit this city in the not too distant future, and I am going to use this Church to spearhead My Visitation! I lived on that word and stood on it for 7 years; and then God visited our city for two successive years in such a Visitation and Glory that we called it City I and City II after Vatican I and Vatican II. 50,000 people attended Round Robin meetings in our Metroplex in one week, with 100?s or perhaps 1000?s saved, healed, delivered, restored and rejuvenated! Everything God promised me took place 7 years later, because like Hannah, I regarded His Name and His interests first. And Nicholas Bhengu that night in August preached on Ephesians 5 ? We are BONE of HIS BONE? ? a message I will never forget as long as I live. And like Hannah ? our church joined Marie and myself in fasting and prayer during those 7 years. We paid the price and met the conditions to see the Glory of the Lord return! Jim Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Jan 31 14:33:50 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:33:50 -0800 Subject: Samuel: The Second Divine Principle - Bakht Singh Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* January 31, 2012 *(Jim & Marie Watt ? Beth Chesed, Tacoma* *December 7, 2006)* *?THE RETURN OF GOD?S GLORY? ? Bakht Singh* *Samuel: The Second Divine Principle* *INTRODUCTION: *In a former mailing we looked at ?Hannah: the first Divine Principle? in the progress of the Return of God?s Glory. Through Eli and his lack of discipline towards his two wicked sons ? God lifted His Glory off of Israel when the Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Philistines. The wife of one of the slain sons of Eli named her firstborn ?Ichabod,? ? The Glory has departed. But in God?s thinking He desired to return His Glory to His people again, and initiated His desire through Hannah, a woman. Then He followed up with three more Divine Principles, starting with Samuel. And what is the Divine Principle that God used through Samuel? Read on as Bakht Singh unfolds the revelation that God gave him. ?*And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh, by the Word of the Lord.? 1 Samuel 3:21* This is the second divine principle which has to be fulfilled if we want God to send His glory into our midst, if we are going to allow God to reveal Himself. We need the fearless, faithful witness of men like Samuel. We have good Bible teachers, and many scholars who can write very good books and some very good preachers also ? but not many Samuels. We want men of God, men who are actually the mouthpiece of God; Men who can say boldly and freely: ?Hear ye what God says,? and ?Thus says the Lord.? God?s Word came to Samuel as a small boy. God first told him, ?You go and tell Eli.? How could he, a small boy, go to an old man ? his master, and give him God?s message? But even though it was a difficult and terrible message, he obeyed God and gave it. We find that there are very few people who are prepared to give God?s message. We think we have to be so polite and diplomatic in what we say, so that no one knows what we are talking about! There was a man in England, known as Lord Asquith, a very fine speaker, and with a fine command of language. Yet he spoke in such a way, that no one knew what his views were! Some years ago, I was in Ahmedabad. One Saturday night I began to pray for God?s message. Very clearly God spoke to me saying, "You have to speak on the blood of Christ tomorrow morning.? I said, ?Lord, I will do it on Monday, because there is one leading person on the committee who is a staunch member of the Oxford Group.? There were pastors and missionaries as well as myself invited to dinner on this occasion. I said, ?Lord, if I give that message they will be so angry that they may even cancel the dinner: so let me have the dinner, and I will give the message on Monday.? But God would not leave me! So when the time came, I gave what God had given to me ? and that day they gave me no food! They were so angry with me that they left me without any food the whole evening. The third day, the same person came to me. I asked, ?Are you a member of the Oxford Group?? ?Yes,? he answered. ?And why were you so angry with me?? I asked. He said, ?Because you spoke those things so bluntly.? I said, ?Don?t you believe in perfect love? Is it not one of the rules of the Oxford Group, to love your enemies? And if I be your enemy, you must love me also. You invited me here yourself, and I accepted your invitation ? why don?t you love your enemy?? He saw the point ? that he needed practice and not only theory. They all repented, and the Lord saved them. Now unless we give God?s message at the proper time, the enemy will gain ground. We have a desire to be very polite lest we lose a chance to speak again. We reason this way: If I give God?s full message they will never ask me again. Does it matter? It doesn?t matter. Are we here just to be popular speakers, or do we want to be God?s messengers with God?s message? God wants a man who will be His mouthpiece, who will not be afraid of any man?s face. I feel that in these days there is a serious need for a man like Samuel. Before the work began in Madras, I prayed for a whole month, and God would not speak to me. I fasted too, but still no answer came. One night, I said, ?Lord, I promise Thee I will pay the price, even though I get no more invitations to speak anywhere, I don?t care!? I had been saying, ?Lord, now I have four hundred invitations for campaigns in India, Burma and Ceylon. See Lord, there is an open door in every part of India ? they are all asking me for meetings. I can go anywhere now with the message and somebody else can do the follow-up.? But God would give me no message. Now I prayed, ?Lord, I will be satisfied even if you keep me in one lonely place. I don?t want big campaigns, I only want to be sure I am in Thy will. Nothing else will satisfy me.? When I said that, like a flash God spoke to me, ?Behold, I make a covenant; I will do marvels.? And from that day He gave me more than seventy verses of assurances of how He would work. I believe with all my heart that unless we are men like Samuel, we will not see God?s power fully manifested. He may use us, but not fully; He may bless us, but not fully; He may work among us, but not deeply; unless, we are men like Samuel, and God?s Word can come and go out freely as He gives it. In 1 Samuel 13:5-14, we see how God used Samuel when His people were in trouble. Reading this passage, you will agree by human reasoning that Saul was justified in his action. Their enemies had gathered in large numbers; and all Saul?s men were trembling in fear. Samuel had said that he would come within seven days. But they could not wait. Saul had waited seven full days but still Samuel did not come; so he forced himself to offer a sacrifice, which he had no right to do. He ignored the law of God. He knew full well that he had no business to offer a sacrifice. That was Samuel?s job, not his. So Samuel had to rebuke Saul and at great cost. Many of us may demand that God must work, or answer our prayer within a certain period, perhaps within seven days. God will not work according to our plan. In the first place, it was God that delayed Samuel in coming. We do not know the details; but God was evidently proving and testing Saul. He wanted to show Saul what was in man?s heart; and also that a man like Samuel would implicitly obey God. When we find the enemies coming against us like Saul did, and when we find things becoming very difficult to bear, we often go against the mind of God. Our argument may be: It is the work of God; -- it must not suffer for want of money. Now we have prayed with faith for so many months and no money has come in. So let us go and beg for it! Even in groups who began on a faith basis I find they have started begging and giving many hints for money. Why is it? Because the work is great? ?In the olden days there was not so much work,? we say; ?but now with so many missionaries throughout the world, the work has grown great. We must have more money and thus there is no harm in begging for it!? CAN GOD NOT WORK TODAY? Why did Samuel delay his coming? At God?s command, he delayed. God may delay in sending help for some time. We cannot change the divine principle ? Faith means faith! If we say we have faith ? it must be living faith. Now Saul knew full well that God was going to deliver them through Samuel. This was not the first time God had worked such a miracle. Saul knew that Samuel was God?s prophet and that in the Name of God he would defeat the enemy, and not by their own strength. But the people trembled and were so frightened when Samuel delayed to come, that Saul forced himself, and offered the sacrifice. Now we want men like Samuel, that whenever God?s people depart from the truth, whenever they are acting against God?s Word, God?s servant will have courage to say: ?You are wrong, brother; do not depart from your first vision.? We find that God has prophets, and even today, through His prophets His mind is revealed, and we must obey His word even though it may be hard and faithful. In 1 Samuel 15:23-31 and 16:1, you will see that Samuel had to say a hard thing to King Saul: ?Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.? You will see also from these verses that Saul shed tears over his sin, so much so, that Samuel, even though he was a prophet of God, mourned for him and pleaded to God for him. But it was of no use. God had refused him! You have very false hopes if you think you will bring reformation among the denominations. You may argue about it as much as you like. Let us learn the lesson God wants to teach us in this passage: His command to Saul had been to destroy the enemy utterly, but Saul had spared Agag and the choice of the flock and thus he failed God. God had to refuse Saul for two great failures. Firstly, he changed God?s order for sacrifice. Secondly, he gave partial obedience to His command. The very same thing is happening also among the people of the denominations ? a continual change of God?s order. They think that there is no harm in having some human way in their church life. For example, it is entirely unscriptural to appoint elders by vote. They all know that by having elections in their system they bring strife in the churches. It begins by election. One party wins, the other party loses. How can we justify that practice when we know it is unscriptural. Also, in this way, ungodly men are elected to hold offices! That is why God does not work fully in these groups. There can be blessing; no doubt God can use them to save souls, and spread the Gospel. But He cannot fully bless them. In the same way God allowed Saul to remain as king for some time; but he was no longer really His anointed vessel. And Samuel began to weep, being an old man. He felt sorry for him, and he must have prayed: ?Lord, please forgive him ? forgive Saul. I know he has done wrong: but he has done good also.? But God said to him, ?How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him?? (16:1). You may think that by giving some cooperation to the denominations, you can bring more light and help to them. It will never work. You may see some blessing but you will never see God?s glory, as the Scriptures show. We see further what God was looking for. He wanted the people to come to His full glory. He not only wanted them to overcome the Philistines, which would be for only a short time, but He had a far greater plan for Israel as a nation. They must be brought into their full inheritance in Canaan, and they must see God working fully in their midst. This was God?s purpose. God wants men after His own heart, and even Samuel himself had to learn this lesson. In 1 Samuel 16:2-3 he said: ?If Saul hears it, he will kill me.? And the Lord said, ?I will show you what you shall do: and you shall anoint unto Me him whom I name unto you.? Here is another reason why God wanted Samuel ? that God?s anointed vessel might be found. Even though Samuel wanted by human wisdom to give Saul one more chance, God refused it. God wants those whom He has called and prepared for a particular service. And you are not likely to find this happening in a group who depend upon election ? they only want the persons of the preference to be the ones appointed for this or that. Now please note verse 4: ?And Samuel did that which the Lord spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Do you come peaceably?? Why did the elders tremble at the coming of Samuel? He did not go with a sword or a stick. He was not going to say what they thought he was going to say. He would say what God told him, for he was a man of God ? God?s prophet. And whatever they had done wrong, it would be uncovered by his coming. This is why they were trembling. If we had men like Samuel, we would find this type of thing happening today and men would be trembling. But while we remain so careful and so diplomatic and so cautious of every word, lest we hurt someone, we will not see anything happing ? There will be no conviction! Samuel was a man of God who brought conviction wherever he went. He went peaceably; yet, MEN TREMBLED. Let us look further at verses 16 and 17 of the same chapter where we are shown the divine principle of choosing leaders: ?for the Lord sees not as man sees: for man looks on the outward appearance. But the Lord looks on the heart.? In the work of the Lord we have to be very, very careful never to be governed by nationality, nor by appearances of any kind. Now it is possible that you have appointed a man as leader of your mission, who has never been called of God, -- and now you are paying the price for it! You may have said, ?He is a very nice man, a qualified man, let him be our leader, preacher or co-worker,? but you have gone only by outward appearance ? NOT BY GOD?S CHOICE. *NOTE:** Gene Edwards founded ?SeedSowers?, Christian Books Publishing House, 4003 N. Liberty Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206 ? Call: 1-800-Act-Book ? **www.seedsowers.com* * They have recently announced the Biography of Bakht Singh. * * *Bakht Singh was, perhaps, the greatest Christian worker ever to emerge outside the traditional church. This is ironic in that he is virtually unknown in the West. When Bakht Singh died in 2003, at the age of 96, some 600,000 people attended his funeral. In his lifetime he raised up over 60,000 churches, the total number of believers in these assemblies running in the millions! It is important to know the Bakht Singh story and *how *he did what he did! Such biographies have been key influences which have changed great men?s lives and are absolutely necessary for the passing of the torch from one century to another. If you come across some hot-hearted man or woman who does not quite ?fit in? to the way things are, please pass this book on to him or her. As surely as Watchman Nee and Singh were affected by the lives of men who came before them, so the story of men like Nee, Singh and T. Austin-Sparks will light a fire in the hearts of young men and women of whom we have not yet heard. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Feb 1 14:49:32 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2012 14:49:32 -0800 Subject: David - 3rd Divine Principle - Bakht Singh Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 1, 2012 *(Jim & Marie Watt ? Beth Chesed, Tacoma* *December 11, 2006)* *?THE RETURN OF GOD?S GLORY? ? Bakht Singh* *David: The Third Divine Principle* The third name is David, illustrating the third divine principle ? the necessity for God?s order. In Samuel 16:12-14, even though the Lord had departed from Saul, yet we see that God allowed him to continue as king for a while, so that David also might be properly prepared. In 1 Samuel 30:1-4 we read of the tragic way in which David was overcome by the Amalekites at Ziklag. David and his men all began to weep until they had no power left to weep. Why? Because their wives and their children were taken captive; and their houses and possessions were burned ? what a great loss! Now it is generally the privilege of women to weep. They weep on the roadside, bus, on the train ? anywhere. But a man does not weep. If a man should weep on the roadside, it is considered strange. Here we find that David and all his men were weeping. This shows what a very great loss there was to recover! This loss was the result of David?s own failure. He had failed to consult God before he joined the army of the Philistines. The time came when the Philistines joined battle against Israel. 1 Samuel 29. David saw in this an opportunity to avenge himself on Saul; so he decided to join the Philistines in battle too, saying to himself, ?He is my enemy; he has tried to kill me; I have waited so long for this chance; let me go against Saul.? Though he knew full well that God would not allow him to touch Saul, he impatiently joined the Philistines, not waiting to find God?s will as he had done at other times. But he failed, and he and his men suffered great loss. In verse 8 we see David enquiring after God. God forgave him and told him to ?pursue, overtake them, and without fail, recover all.? David pursued, and not only recovered all but found such great spoil that he was able to pay his debts to all his men; and send gifts to the elders in Judah. But God himself dealt with Saul without the help of David. We see in 1 Samuel 31:1-6 that Saul?s end came when the battle of the Philistines went sore against him, and Saul died. David had no need to go against him. God had this in His own control. My point is, that we do not have to go and fight against people ? using carnal weapons! 2 Samuel 24:1-4; 13-17 gives the second occasion when David incurred a loss. He fell into temptation by numbering the people. He knew full well that all the battles had been fought and won because of the power of God, and not by the strength of his army; but because of his pride, he wanted to assure himself that he had a very large army behind him. The result was that God had to punish him, and 70,000 of his men were killed. He was about to wipe out Jerusalem, but He stayed His hand when David confessed his sin on the threshing floor of Araunah: ?Lo I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me.? Then God forgave him, and the very same site became the site for the temple God wanted to be built. In the same way many have failed. They argue: ?We must have more money, more power, more men, more knowledge.? In that way they have changed God?s plans, but cannot defeat the enemy by any human strength or resources. In 2 Samuel 11:1 we see that David becomes a murderer, because of his failure to obey God?s Word and go on duty. That was David?s third loss. David tarried at Jerusalem and was tempted and became an adulterer, and afterwards a deceiver. He repented sincerely, but God had to humble him. To make him humble, God even permitted in David?s life these temptations. In God?s work we have to be extremely humble and broken. So whenever we are going through a testing time, remember, it is that God may make us humble vessels. In 1 Chronicles 13:1-11 we see God dealing with David the fourth time. David should have known that the ark of God was to be carried on the shoulders of the Levites, and not taken in a cart; yet in human wisdom he ignored the divine order. The Philistines had returned the ark of God in a new cart, and David began to imitate the Philistines, so God became angry. All Israel came with great zeal, singing and dancing and with harps, to take the ark to the city of David, but the whole procedure was against God?s will. David thought that by having a very grand procession, and a military band, it would please God. But they entirely ignored the revealed plan of God. The Ark must be borne by the Levites. It must be carried on their shoulders. So God?s judgment fell, and then David feared God. Now when David returned to God?s order in bringing back the ark, there was great joy. It was then that David wrote that wonderful psalm in 2 Chronicles 16:7-36. Maybe we have the same temptation that David had. He thought that by making some change he would make a better impression. But in God?s work, we can never change God?s order. Whatever has been revealed in the Bible is to be followed, for every period of time, for every worker and for every group. YOU CANNOT CHANGE IT. When you are tempted and make some change, there always comes loss. Afterwards when David returned to God?s ways, God gave him the pattern and plan for the temple. He did this on two separate occasions; but only after he was delivered from his human wisdom. We think that we are living in different days; but I can see from God?s Word clearly that unless we follow the heavenly pattern in our day, we cannot see God coming in His full glory. Sometimes we have to be brought on the ?threshing floor? because, in God?s work, we are depending far too much on human wisdom and cleverness; but we cannot make any improvement on the heavenly plan. *NOTE:* In review ? we have seen that the Glory of the Lord departed from Israel because of the sin of Eli in refusing to discipline his two wicked sons. God warned him twice. He was not ignorant of God?s thinking. Then we see God?s heart in preparing to return His Glory to Israel through 4 divine principles illustrated by 4 Bible personages: Hannah, who switched from personal desires to God?s desire; Samuel, a man of God, who forthrightly spoke the Word of the Lord on all occasions; now David, who painfully learned the necessity for God?s order; next mailing we will learn the 4th divine principle that finally returned the Glory of God. But back to David ? Why is God such a stickler for HIS order over against ours? In 1963 Marie and I had a house built for us in Kent, Washington. One day when I came to see its progress, the foreman said to me ? ?Oh by the way, I took 5 feet off your living room and added them to the next bedroom. I knew you would like it better that way.? I was so sure no one would be so foolish as to change our plans without first consulting with us, that I assumed I had misheard him. But that weekend I was able to visit my family in Port Alberni, BC, and shared with Marie what I thought I heard the foreman say. She asked ? ?Did you check with the Builder?? I acknowledged that I hadn?t. ?I think you should,? she said. So I phoned, and upon checking, the Builder discovered that our Foreman had foolishly taken it into his own hands to change our plans. As soon as I returned to the Seattle area, I immediately went to Kent to sort out the problem. I told the Foreman: ?We are in the ministry! We have meetings in our home, and actually need a living room larger than our original plans. By taking 5 feet off of it, it makes it impossible for us to use the house as we planned and intended. ?Furthermore, the bedroom you put the extra 5 feet on, is the guest bedroom. We don?t want it too comfortable so that guests may be tempted to want to stay too long. ?Therefore, we can?t take over our house unless you restore our plans the way we gave them to you.? ?Oh, I can?t do that,? he said. ?Then you buy the house, seeing you?ve built it according to your plans, not ours,? I replied. ?Oh, I can?t do that,? he responded. So I turned it over to the Builder, and he ordered the foreman to restore it according to our original plans. He was so upset that he let it sit there for a month. It was a split level colonial house, and the 2-set stairway would have to be moved 5 feet to meet the original requirements. He finally obeyed the builder, but complained that it was the first time he had remodeled a house before he built it the first time! One night the Presence of the Lord drew very near to me, and He spoke, ?This house problem has disturbed and upset you, hasn?t it?? I agreed with Him that the whole episode was deeply disturbing. ?Well, look at it in this light. I am building a house, My Church. And the builders say to Me, ?Lord, we know Your plan and pattern, but You don?t understand our world of today. We will remain anchored to Your Rock ? but we believe it should be geared to the times! We know You will like it better this way!? ?Now I don?t like how denominations and pastors are building My Church according to their changes ? anymore than you like it when your foreman has changed your plans without consulting you. ?And you may use this illustration wherever you go!? David learned this painful lesson. Don?t do ANYTHING in God?s Kingdom in the matter of human change, without checking with Him first! Jim Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Feb 2 08:51:28 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2012 08:51:28 -0800 Subject: Solomon - #4 Principle to Return God's Glory Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 2, 2012 *(Jim & Marie Watt ? Beth Chesed, Tacoma* *December 13, 2006)* *?THE RETURN OF GOD?S GLORY? ? Bakht Singh* *Solomon: The Fourth Divine Principle* Now let us consider Solomon illustrating the fourth Divine principle to ensure God?s glory. ?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 6:1. This was a very unique building. There is no building in the world which can be built without a sound; but there was no need for any sound at all in this building, because every stone fitted in so beautifully according to God?s plan. When you follow God?s plan in your individual life, and family and church life, you will find unity, co-operation, openness, fellowship, and spiritual joy in living together. Otherwise there is strife. When we have God?s plan, and we know our ministries, there will not be any jealousy. Much work has suffered because of jealousy. I remember in one place we were having a meeting. I found it very hard going that day in the meeting. When I came back to my room, I asked the Lord, ?What is it that made it hard?? The Lord spoke to me and showed me that it was my prayer-partner that was at fault. So I called him and said, ?Brother, tell me why was it so difficult today?? He said, ?I am very sorry to confess to you, but I felt very jealous of you while you were speaking.? Even as God?s servants, we can be jealous of each other, and it brings loss. There is no doubt about it; we may have to pray for a whole night or longer to make sure of God?s mind. And then we find oneness. When the work of building was complete, we read in 2 Chronicles 7:1 that there was great joy that day, because the glory of the Lord filled the house! For 140 years God had waited. He loved His people, rebuked them, and chastised them, till they came into His heavenly order, and then the glory came down. In conclusion, let me bring these four things before you again. First, we acknowledge that the glory is departed. We confess our barrenness, and our fruitlessness ? that we are not receiving God?s Word today, as we ought to receive it. ?Lord, make me like Hannah, that knowing Your need, I can learn how to pray, and have the privilege of meeting that need ? as Hannah did, when she offered her son to the Lord.? :?Lord, make me like Samuel ? Your true mouthpiece, that I may know Your message and have Your authority and boldness to give that message.? ?Lord, give us men like David; men after Your own heart, who will be completely free from worldly wisdom; and who can receive Your pattern.? In David we see God?s plan for the Church emerging, when God revealed to him the heavenly plan for the temple. Before God could give David the plan, He had to chastise him; He had to punish him, cleanse him, change him, humble him, empty him completely of human wisdom. So in David we are made Church conscious; in Solomon we are made God-conscious. ?Lord make me like Solomon ? a man of peace ? building God?s temple by living stones fitly joined together by unity and openness.? Our Lord prays in John 17:21-24 for a four-fold oneness: ?that they may be one, as we are,? oneness in relationship; ?that they may be made perfect in one,? oneness in perfection, ?that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them,? oneness in love; ?and the glory which You have given me I have given them;? oneness in glory. It is only by such oneness that we can finally see God?s glory coming down. *NOTE:* Bakht Singh states that jealousy among fellow Christian workers can arise when we are not clear concerning our position in the Body of Christ. Consider this: of all the multitude members in the human body, there is no thought of jealousy. Each member became itself under the hand of God while the embryo was but weeks old. Differentiation took place according to the DNA structure in each cell. The complete body requires EACH member performing in harmony to produce a healthy body. In February of 1948 in Northern Canada, a prophetic word came forth in a Bible College one morning during chapel. God revealed that what He had been promising for the past 13 years, He was about to fulfill! He informed some 80 or so present that morning, that in a new way He was about to reveal to each one their place in His spiritual body ? the Church ? where in the Body God saw him placed ? and how he was to function. He said that He would reveal those who spiritually were ready and prepared for this ministry. When called forth to be ministered to through the laying on of hands and prophecy, God would fulfill His will and desire. In much trepidation, several teaching elders approached the first candidate as he knelt at a chair. Then the Spirit of God like a magnet caused their hands to descend on his head. An anointing to prophesy God?s mind came. It was revealed the type of missionary apostolic ministry God had designed for him with his airplane ? and how this would be enhanced by a powerful gift of healing to confirm God?s purposes. Following this ?Presbytery? type of ministry, the leader being a practical man, invited any sick that morning to come forward to be ministered to by this candidate. Some 15 or so immediately received healing! All the above greatly concerned and disturbed the elders. Were they moving into heresy? Did they have Scriptural warrancy in what they felt led to do? All that night ? like the Bereans of the book of Acts ? they searched the scriptures to see if the leading they followed was legitimate. Among many Bible confirmations they found the account of Timothy. Paul reminded him that according to the prophecies that came to him, he should by them war the good warfare (1 Timothy 1:19). He also said, ?Neglect not the gift in you, which was given you through prophecy, with laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Be diligent in these; give yourself wholly to these; that your progress may be evident to all? (1 Timothy 14-15). Ponder these words. What Hannah, Samuel, David and Solomon performed to see the Glory of God return to His Temple in that day ? so God in 1948 started a restoration of the Presbytery and 5-fold Ministry concept to start putting living stones into His Spiritual Body, the Church. For those who by the above ministry learned their position in Christ?s Body, and received an immediate anointing to start functioning in it ? much occasion for jealousy was counteracted. What came in embryonic form in 1948, is now starting to mature. Recently in France the power and effectiveness of the Presbytery concept was demonstrated. Before the return of Christ we should see this multiplied in all nations and multiplied cities. It is also well to note that the New Testament Presbytery functioned much more widely that just ordaining a man like Timothy to join Paul?s apostolic team. Later Timothy became the Apostolic pastor of the many congregations for the city church of Ephesus, just as James the brother of Jesus functioned in similar fashion in Jerusalem. In Acts 13:1-3 we read of the functioning Presbytery of Antioch, and how the first great missionary movement was launched under Barnabas and Saul. In Acts 15 we see God using the Presbytery concept to successfully solve the great Judaizing controversy that was playing havoc among the Gentile churches Paul and Barnabas were founding. In Israel of old, each town and city had an eldership (or Presbytery) in the main gate of that city. There problems both spiritual, secular and practical were solved. It was in Bethlehem that Boaz called together the elders, and they were witnesses in solving that Ruth the Moabitess, the ancestress of David and Jesus, should go to Boaz, not the nearer kinsman. Just as the glory of God returned to Israel through the Temple of Solomon and his 3 predecessors ? so the Glory of God shall return to the church prior to the return of Jesus, God?s Son. The 12 Embryonic Revival principles of 1948 are coming to maturity! As Communism received a terrific set-back in 1991, so Islam will suffer God?s blow soon ? and 10?s of millions of Muslims will be set free to find the Living God! Submitted by Jim Watt * * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri Feb 3 10:24:47 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 10:24:47 -0800 Subject: Acts 25-26 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 3, 2012 *APR 22 - ACTS 25-26 - CHURCH GROWTH: WITNESS TO LEADERS* *1. 25:5 (25:1-5) PAUL HELD BY FESTUS. ?Let them therefore, says he, that are of power among you go down with me, and if anything is amiss in the man, let them accuse him? (NNT). *How You can protect us Father, in times of turmoil and danger, using even unbelievers to work Your purpose! We see Your Sovereignty and Power here, and acknowledge Your right. *Hallowed be your :name.* *2. 25:11 (25:6-12) PAUL: APPEALS TO CAESAR. ?If therefore I am a wrong-doer, and have done anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if none of those things is true of which these accuse me, no one can give me to them as a favor. I appeal to Caesar.? *What a forthright and honest testimony! Your servant Paul said, Follow *me* as I *follow* Christ. We submit to this challenge and respond. *Your :kingdom come.* *3. 25:19 (25:13-22) PAUL: HEARING DESIRED BY AGRIPPA. ?But [Paul's accusers] had certain questions against him of their own religion, and of one Jesus, who was dead, whom :Paul affirmed to be alive.? *You use our troubles Father, to open up opportunities for us to testify concerning Jesus. How *wise* Your counsels. * Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. 25:27 (25:23-27) PAUL: PRESENTED TO AGRIPPA BY FESTUS. ?For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him.? *The politics of Festus have come home to roost, and are now an embarrassment. Did Agrippa discern this? we are not told. *Our :daily :bread Give us this day.* *5. 26:15-16 (26:1-23) PAUL'S DEFENSE BEFORE AGRIPPA. ?And I said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. 16 But arise, and stand upon your :feet: for to this end have I appeared unto you, to appoint you minister and witness both of the things in which you have, and of those in which I will appear to you.? *What an unusual vision! This became an immediate point of conversion for Paul! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 26:27-28 (26:24-29) PAUL'S APPEAL TO AGRIPPA. ?King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe. 28 And :Agrippa said unto Paul, With but little you persuade to make a Christian of ME.? *This was a powerful witness and confrontation. Almost, a king was converted! Yes Father, we here see a salutary example of Your ability to fulfill the words of Jesus to Paul! *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 26:31b-32 (26:30-32) PAUL: PRONOUNCED NOT GUILTY. ? This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds. 32 And Agrippa said to :Festus, This man could have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.? *Here again Your Sovereign purposes take charge Father, and You overrule the thoughts, plans, and devices of men. *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 26:17-18 (26:1-23) PAUL: HIS COMMISSION FROM JESUS. ?[I will appear to you] delivering you from the people, and from the nations, unto whom I send you, **18 to open their eyes to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of :Satan unto :God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in me.? *And this You did through Your Son, Father! This is the third time in Acts 26 that Paul gives his testimony. It is a powerful challenge for hearers to hear a clear and forthright testimony. Whenever the Holy Spirit prompts any of us to share how God brought us into His Kingdom, we should be sensitive to obey. It may not be an Agrippa who nearly *comes* to the Lord - but it may well be a loved one, a friend, or a stranger. I have seen a number come to the Lord when I have obeyed His promptings to share how He brought me into His Kingdom. Perhaps to my best friend I shared such the first year of my conversion. He said, ?If what you say is true, a person would be a fool not to take advantage of such an opportunity.? I agreed. And within two weeks he entered into this Gospel opportunity! Shortly after my conversion and birth from above with God's incorruptible Word - I was asked to name the 3 chapters in the book of Acts where Paul gives his testimony. I was too new in the Lord to be able to do so - but I swiftly memorized these 3 locations, plus his testimony in the book of Galatians and Philippians. So - as Paul before King Agrippa faithfully gave his testimony of conversion with a telling application! So you and I have the privilege to join Paul in giving our testimony when opportunity presents itself, and the Spirit confirms. *Let the Redeemed of the LORD say so*! And - our Psalm for the day: *112:5, 7 (112:1-10) THE RIGHTEOUS WILL NEVER BE MOVED! ?It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice. 7 He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD? (ESV). *O the deep, deep love of Jesus Father, which is also Your love in Him! It expresses Your faithfulness to Your saints, Your holy ones, those whom You have made living letters of Your Covenant Love! *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Feb 6 09:59:30 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 09:59:30 -0800 Subject: Acts 27-28 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 6, 2012 *APR 23 - ACTS 27-28 - CHURCH GROWTH IN ROME* *1. 27:25 (27:1-44) PAUL: SHIPWRECKED ON WAY TO ROME. ?Wherefore, men, be of good cheer: for I believe :God, that it shall be even so as it has been spoken to me.? *Good for Paul! It is good to discern and believe Your heavenly vision Father, and to step out *boldly* upon it. O may we Your leaders and people follow this same pattern. *Hallowed be your :name.* *2. 28:6 (28:1-6) PAUL: DELIVERED FROM A VIPER. ?But they expected that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but when they were long in expectation and beheld nothing amiss come to him, they changed their mind, and said he was a god.? *How superstitious the heathen! Thank You Father, for Your Gospel of the Kingdom, which gives us *correct* views on things! *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 28:8 (28:7-10) PAUL: HONORED BY PUBLIUS. ?And it was so, that the father of :Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery: unto whom :Paul entered in, and prayed, and laying hands on him healed him.? *How merciful You are to the heathen Father, through Your Gospel messengers! Yes, and You supplied daily bread for all the ship-wrecked, not just Your own! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!* *4. 28:15 (28:11-16) PAUL: ARRIVES AT ROME. ?And thence the brethren, when they heard about us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns; whom when :Paul saw, he thanked :God, and took courage.? *May we always remember that Your servants are human Father, and need encouragement, help and ministry along the way! May we remember to *regularly pray* and intercede for them! O forgive us that we so often fail in this responsibility and privilege! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 28:20 (28:17-22) PAUL: TESTIFIES TO JEWS AT ROME. ?For this cause therefore did I invite you to see and to speak with me: for because of the hope of :Israel I am bound with this chain.? *Thank You Father, that Paul was not ashamed of his chain, but used it as an opportunity to bear witness to the Jews of Rome. Yes, and we bless You that You were with him in all his trials, testings and temptations. *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 28:23 (28:23-29) PAUL: WARNS THE ROMAN JEWS. ?And when they had appointed him a day, quite a number came unto him to the lodging; to whom he expounded, testifying the kingdom of :God, and persuading them concerning :Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning till evening.? *How we bless You for the faithfulness of Your servant Paul, Father! Yes, and in all his persecutions, trials and testings, You delivered him from the evil one. *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 28:30-31. PAUL: EFFECTIVE WITNESS AT ROME. ?And he abode two whole years in his own hired dwelling, and received all that went in unto him, 30preaching the kingdom of :God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.? *And this history does not end here! It is *still* being written until Jesus returns! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 27:33 (27:1-44) PAUL: WISDOM IN BREAKING A FAST. ?And while day was coming on, :Paul besought all to partake of food, saying, Today is **thefourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.? *What a storm this must have been to have brought fasting on soldiers, ship's crew, and passengers alike: believers and unbelievers! Now Your mercy Father, enables them to end their fast. I edited and updated the above reading on March 31st. Oswald Chambers reading for this date is also on the life of Paul from the book of Romans, and is most appropriate for today! *Do You See Your Calling? * *(From ?My Utmost for His Highest? by Oswald Chambers)* ? *... separated to the gospel of God ...? (Romans 1:1).* Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as *the* abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell - it is *redemption*. The need to perceive this is the most vital need of the Christian worker today. As workers, we have to get used to the revelation that *redemption* is the only reality. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes. Paul did not say that he separated himself, but *?when it pleased God, who separated me ...? (Galatians 1:15).* Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of *redemption*. Christian workers fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire to know God. ?Don't ask me to be confronted with the strong reality of redemption on behalf of the filth of human life surrounding me today; what I want is anything God can do for me to make me more desirable in my own eyes.? To talk that way is a sign that the reality of the gospel of God has not begun to touch me. There is no reckless abandon to God in that. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character. Paul was not conscious of himself. He was recklessly abandoned, totally surrendered, and separated by God for one purpose - to proclaim the gospel of God (see Romans 9:3). And now our Psalm for the day: *113:7-8 (113:1-9) WHO IS LIKE THE **LORD**OUR GOD? ?He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, **8** to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people? (ESV). *No wonder we praise You Father, in the light of Your Condescension, and Grace to the children of men! We see You In Jesus washing the disciples' feet, and like Peter of old we pull up our feet in embarrassment to refuse You. *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Feb 7 09:27:19 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2012 09:27:19 -0800 Subject: Joshua 1 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 7, 2012 *APR 24 - JOSHUA 1 - LEADERSHIP PROVISION* *1. 1:2 (1:1-2) JOSHUA: PASSING OF THE TORCH. ? Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel? (ESV). *There is none of us who is indispensable before You, Father. Your Kingdom did not collapse because Moses died, nor will it when anyone of us dies. Humble us with this truth. Show us that You can choose any one of us to succeed Your Moses. We submit. *Hallowed be your :name!* *2. 1:3 (1:3-4) JOSHUA: PROMISE OF THE LAND. ?Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, just as I promised to Moses.? *You give us the land, our promise Father; but we must appropriate it, by placing our spiritual foot upon it! Your Sovereignty requires our responsibility for fulfillment. Passivity is the great enemy to possession. ?Standing on the Promises,? is our watchword. *Your :kingdom come.* *3. 1:7 (1:5-7) JOSHUA: PROMISE OF VICTORY. ?Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.? *Your complete blueprint must be adhered to Father; not departing from, not adding to, nor taking from. *Then* You fulfill Your promises! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!* *4. 1:8 (1:8-9) JOSHUA: PROVISION THROUGH THE WORD. ?This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.?* *Meditation* and *confession* of the LOgos word - transforms it into a R*E*ma word, and brings full prosperity and wise doings. Father, burn this truth upon our heart. Circumcise our heart with it. And, *Our :daily :bread, Give us this day!* *5. 1:11 (1:10-11) JOSHUA: CHARGE TO THE OFFICERS. ?Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, 'Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.'? *True faith has wise follow-through - with obedience, preparation and provision. Like You Father, we call the things that are not as though they were, and act like it! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 1:14b-15 (1:12-15) JOSHUA: CHARGE TO 2 ? TRIBES. ?But all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, 15 until the LORD gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.? *And be sure your sin will find you out if you fail in this (Numbers 32:20-24). *And bring us not into temptation.* *7. 1:16 (1:16-18) JOSHUA: THEIR ANSWER. ?And they answered Joshua, 'All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.'? *What a marvelous response: even death to the disobedient. See King Asa's slogan: Revival or death (2 Chronicles 15:13)! This honors You Father. *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: 1:9 (1:8-9) JOSHUA: GOD'S ADDITIONAL WORD TO HIM. ?Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.? *What an encouraging promise You have given Joshua, Father! We move in, and apply it unto ourselves. Joshua 1:8 is one of the most important verses in the OT - and even in the entire Bible. Three things Moses lays upon his servant and successor Joshua, 40 years his junior: he is to read aloud the words of Moses in the first 5 books of the Bible - the Torah, law, or *teaching*. Kings of Israel at the beginning of their reign, were commanded to copy the same by hand, and read the same like Joshua. Secondly, Joshua was to *meditate* upon this portion of God's Bible, which alone was in existence at that time. Meditation in the heart could also be softly vocalized. Thirdly, he was to *do* all written in the Pentateuch, the 5 books of Moses, the Torah. Then follows two wonderful promises - spiritual prosperity and success. Remember too - meditation upon God's Word is to be *day* and *night*! Only two slips are recorded against Joshua in the next 30 years of his life as leader - so his leadership was solidly based on vocalizing the word, *meditating* upon it, and *doing* *all* of it! Psalm 19:14 sets forth the first two of these commands, and Psalm 1:1-3 also. George Muller and George Whitefield followed closely in the steps of Joshua, and both of these saints powerfully set forth the wisdom in basing one's life upon these principles. The ?Outlined Interlinear NT? based on the works of Ivan Panin - can greatly help us in simple and effective meditation. The whole of the NT should be the basis of our careful and faithful meditation! See 1 Timothy 4:15, which according to the Greek can be properly rendered - *?Be diligent in meditating over all the teachings I Paul have given you, Timothy.?* Whatever you are led by the Spirit to memorize in the NT - *faithfully* * meditate* upon it also! It is through *meditation* that we transfer the written word (LOgos) into the *living* Word (R*E*ma, Christ Himself!). And Paul adds in Hebrews 8:6 (8:1-13) *?But now has he [Jesus] a ministry the more superior [than Moses], by so much as he is also mediator of a bettercovenant, which has been constituted by God as Torah upon better promises!? *Because of this, George Muller majored on the NT, which uses the OT as types and shadows. And now - our Psalm for the day: *114:7-8 (114:1-8) TREMBLE AT THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD. ?Tremble O earth, at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.? *It was through Your people Father, that You caused this great effect upon the earth! When we are yielded to You as Israel then was, You can do *anything* through us! *Hallowed be your :name!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Feb 8 09:08:57 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 09:08:57 -0800 Subject: Joshua 2-5 - Outline Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 8, 2012 *APR 25 - JOSHUA 2-5 - LAND ENTRANCE* *1. 2:9 (2:1-11) JOSHUA: THE SPIES AND RAHAB. ?And she [Rahab] said to the men, 'I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you'? (ESV). *What a testimony from a heathen woman, a sinner! What faith in *You*, Father! O that we Your people always had the perception and heart of Rahab! *Hallowed be your :name.* *2. 2:18 (2:12-24) JOSHUA: BOUND BY SPIES' WORD TO RAHAB. ?Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's household.? *Here is a practical turn of faith on the part of Rahab; and You honored it, Father! O may Your will be done in us as effectively as it was in Rahab! *Your :kingdom come!* *3. 3:5 (3:1-13) JOSHUA: PROMISES, AND PROMISED MIRACLE. ?Then Joshua said to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.'? *There is a significance about this that we must *not*pass over! The 12 stones doubled - represent the 12 tribes: 12 baptized (circumcision); 12 resurrected (Romans 6:4). The *sign* of Jordan was Your approval Father, and seal that the 7 nations would go (3:10). To this we too pledge our obedience of faith. *Our :daily :bread Give us this day.* *4. 3:17 (3:14-17) JOSHUA SEES DOUBLE PROMISES FULFILLED. ?Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.? *And the *sign* of the Red Sea for Moses - is now fulfilled through Joshua by Jordan! Not only Israel, but *all nations* took note of this and the 10 plagues - and Sihon, and Og! O forgive us Father, for failing to see Jesus delivering us from Satan, and the world, and the spiritual Canaanites in us, the *greatest* of all! *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!* *5. 4:9 (4:1-24) JOSHUA: THE DOUBLE MEMORIAL. ?And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.? *The second set of 12 stones in the Promised Land: A *sign* to future generations of the miracle at *Jordan*! O may we read Your *signs*aright Father, and not be tempted to forget Your great wonders! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. 5:9 (5:1-9) JOSHUA: REMOVES REPROACH THROUGH CIRCUMCISION. ?And the LORD said to Joshua, 'Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.' And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.? *Uncircumcision for a Hebrew was a reproach. See 'uncircumcised' Philistine, David's taunt! The first generation out of Egypt had so much of Egypt left in them, that they failed their second generation in circumcision. Now the LORD had Joshua remedy this. *And bring us not into temptation!* *7. 5:15 (5:10-15) JOSHUA: PASSOVER AND CONFIRMATION. ?And the commander of the LORD'S army said to Joshua, 'Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.' And Joshua did so.? **Jesus*in a *soldier suit*, said one Sunday School boy (John 17:5). Also, *Passover*re-instituted with old corn of the new land, ended manna! *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE: 3:7 (3:1-13) JOSHUA: GOD'S PROMISE TO HIM. ?The LORD said to Joshua, 'Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.? *Through * signs* and *wonders* You choose to magnify Your chosen, Father. O, do it again today with your leaders! *SPIRITUAL DEJECTION - February 7 - Oswald Chambers* *(From: ?My Utmost for His Highest?)* *Luke 24:21 (24:13-32) ?We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.?* Every fact that the disciples stated was right, but the conclusions they drew from those facts were wrong. Anything that has even a hint of * dejection* spiritually - is always wrong. If I am depressed or burdened, I am to blame, not God or anyone else. *Dejection* stems from one of two sources - I have either satisfied a lust or I have not had it satisfied. In either case, *dejection* is the result. *Lust* means ?I must have it at once.? Spiritual lust causes me to demand an answer from God, *instead of seeking God Himself* who gives the answer. What have I been hoping or trusting God would do? Is today ?the third day? and He has still not done what I expected? Am I therefore justified in being *dejected* and in blaming God? Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer. It is impossible to be well physically and to be *dejected*, because *dejection* is a sign of sickness. This is also true spiritually. * Dejection* spiritually is wrong, and we are always to blame for it. We look for visions from heaven and for earth-shaking events to see God's power. Even the fact that we are *dejected* is proof that we do this. Yet we never realize that all the time God is at work in our everyday events and in the people around us. If we will only obey, and do the task that He has placed closest to us, we will see Him. One of the most amazing revelations of God comes when we learn that it is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ! And - our Psalm for the day: *115:16 (115:1-18) TO YOUR NAME GIVE GLORY. ?The heavens are the LORD'S heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of men.? *What a contrast between You and idols, O great Jehovah Father! Why is man so blind and obtuse that he forsakes *You*, the Fountain of Living Waters, and carves out for himself broken cisterns? And why does he insist on seeking to occupy the planets, when it is but the earth that you have given to us as man? In the light of this, we choose to *Hallow your :name!* * * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Feb 14 11:56:24 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:56:24 -0800 Subject: "Fullness of Time" Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 14, 2012 *Report on ?The Fullness of Time? Conference - James A. Watt* *Thursday Feb. 9 to Sunday Feb. 12, 2012, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho* *Hostess: Kari Browning* *- Session 3 - Friday 11:30 am - Kari Browning (Interview with James Watt & Dave & Cheryl Brion)* *(Followed by Outlined Interlinear NT - Gospels - 200 copies)* *- Ministry followed with 5 teams: Timothy Johnson, James Watt & Jim Ray, 5 th team* *- Session 4 - Friday, 7:00 pm - Paul Keith Davis/Dr. James Maloney* *- Session 5 - Saturday, 9:30 am - Shawn Bolz* *- Session 6 - Saturday, 11:30 am - Paul Keith Davis* *- 4:15-5:15 pm - Israel School of the Prophets with Timothy Johnson* *- Plus James Watt re the 12 Embryonic Revival Principles from the 1948 Latter Rain Visitation.* *- Session 8 - Sunday 10:10 am - Shawn Bolz* *(Opening Prayer - James Watt)* *Various Insights -* *It was in February 12, 1948 that God sovereignly visited a Bible College in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, and commenced the restoration and bringing together of 12 Embryonic Revival Principles. Very often God simultaneously does a work in the church and in His nation Israel. It was in May of 1948 that God chose to officially restore His nation Israel to their land after a lapse of some 1900 years. His people, their land and their language were all supernaturally restored after nearly 2000 years.* *And in that same time God started to restore in His church on February 12 th, 12 Revival Principles. The laying on of hands and prophecy by the Presbytery or Eldership - had lapsed in general disuse after nearly 1900 years. We learn from Hebrews 6:1-2 that six foundation truths need to be thoroughly laid - and then maintained. The ?laying on of hands? was the 4thof these Foundational Truths. * *Then in Ephesians 4:11-12, Paul revealed how Jesus gave to the church the 5-fold Ministries of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers - for the ?chiropractic adjustment? of the 33 vertebrae of the church's spinal cord. The 7 cervical vertebrae effectively unite Christ the Head with His spiritual body - us! The 12 thoracic vertebrae give excellent protection to the heart, lungs and liver; the 5 lumbar vertebrae, providing lifting strength for the body; and the 9 lower vertebrae represent the 9 gifts of the Spirit and the 9-fold fruit of the Spirit.* *The Heavenly Choir was the last of these 12 Embryonic Revival Principles restored in October 1948, following the Feb. 12th Visitation.* *But in February 12, 1967, God supernaturally preserved Israel from 4 enemy nations, and restored Jerusalem once again to Israel, after a lapse commencing in 70 AD, when Rome destroyed her temple. On this day He gave a vision of an ?Organic Laser-Telescope?, which had 7 component parts. The Head of the Observatory announced that the first and key part was the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? - based on the Greek and English Bible Numeric Texts prepared by Ivan Panin of Russia - upon his discovery of how God prepared the Hebrew and Greek alphabets to protect His Word from being counterfeited. Then He led Panin to discover that Bible Numerics even reveal His sentence, sub-paragraph, paragraph and section structure. It is this discovery I have used to Outline God's Interlinear NT.* *Next he showed me the Pedestal holding the Interlinear NT. He said that it represented the City Church with a Presbytery or Eldership in the Gate of each City Church. The next parts in 1967 He did not reveal as to their nature, for I did not have a part in preparing them. But on December 7, 2010, in answer to a break-through by an Intercessory team in Minnesota, He revealed the last 5 parts.* *Prayer Multiplication** is seen in the triangular diagram prepared by Pastor Ern Baxter, formerly of Vancouver, BC. He saw how God on the basis of covenant (di-aTH**Eke) offered to each of us the privilege of entering into vertical covenant with him; one which we could accept or reject, but could not modify. My wife Marie and I accepted His offer. Then in 1948 we obeyed his leading to marry on December 27, 1948, and made a SUNthe-kecovenant with each other on a horizontal plain. We took the challenge of Deuteronomy 32:30 that one can drive 1000 to flight, but two - 10,000! We have proved the truth of this! This was linked with the Menorah of the Holy Place in the Tabernacle of Moses. Clan & Household Salvation flows from this!* *But the 4th Component part of the laser-telescope is linked with the Table of Shewbread, where the 12 loaves representing the 12 tribes of Israel were placed. These are linked with the 12 Embryonic Revival Principles of February 12th 1948, plus the 12 world cultural gifts for the Body of Christ. These can be seen in detail on our Website (www.2rbetter.org) under ?Embryonics?.* *The fifth component part is Worship & Intercession, and is linked with the Altar of Incense in the Holy Place. ?Rees Howells, Intercessor? by Norman P. Grubb brings out the deep significance of this.* *Component # 6 is ?Focusing on Jesus?. Oswald Chambers in his ?My Utmost for His Highest? brings out this most important part, and is linked with the ?Ark of the Covenant? in the Holy of Holies. Jesus should be the One to whom our thoughts and attention constantly return following all other attentions.* *And lastly, we look at the ?Mercy-Seat? upon the Ark of the Covenant. There we meet with God, and learn to ?meditate? on His Word as seen in the Outlined Interlinear NT. Psalm 19:14, Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:1-3 reveal the great meaning in the heart of each one of us - like George Muller - to have Bible Meditation lift us to a level of faith in prayer - that can believe God for whatever challenge He is pleased to lead us into!* *So**, there is a **close relationship between the 12 Embryonic Revival Principles of February 12, 1948 - and the Organic Laser-Telescope of February 12, 1967, which incorporates within itself these same 12 Embryonic Revival Principles of 1948.* *Then on February 12, 2008, 60 years after the Northern Canada Visitation, Dr. John Roddam, formerly of St. Luke's Episcopal Church of Seattle, exhorted Marie and myself to let him come into our home and document the pros and cons of the 1948 Visitation. He as a ?Talk-Show? host prepared 10 thirty minute segments to cover the events of 1948 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. These 3 DVD's are still available by contacting < www.reason-for-hope.com> - ?The Fire Continues - 60 years later? with Jim & Marie Watt.* *But on February 12, 2012, 64 years later, the Lord has put together a team for the Printing of ?The Outlined Interlinear NT?! Timothy Johnson of Moses Lake with the help of his team, brought for this conference celebration - the 64th Anniversary of the February 12, 1948 Visitation, the First-fruit of this. I like to note that ?64? is ?2? to the 6th power! On July 1, 1995, the 128th Anniversary of the founding of the Dominion of Canada, 27 nations met in Whistler, BC on that day (which is ?2? to the 7thpower) - and made reconciliation under the leadership of Freda Cooper - with some 60 representatives of 20 tribes of First Nations People - on a vertical relationship with God - followed by horizontal reconciliation of these people with representatives of Great Britain, the United States and Canada. One key Canadian representative who was present - said it was the most significant day of his life.* *I believe that February 12, 2012, 64 years following the 1948 Visitation, with 200 of the first copies of God's ?Outlined Interlinear NT? available - is just a significant event and anniversary! All 200 Gospel copies went within an hour. The remaining volumes will be available with 5 weeks. To obtain this project of God, 70 years following the death of Ivan Panin - contact ?BT Johnson Publishing, PO Box 1247, Moses Lake, WA 98837 - < btjohnsonpublishing.com>.* *On Saturday afternoon at 4:15 pm - Timothy Johnson made his presentation of the ?Israel School of the Prophets? initiation in August of this year. Timothy asked as a part of his presentation if I would run through the12 Embryonic Revival Principles that came together in 1948 in Northern Canada, 64 years ago this very same time. These are:* ?*Healing? - linked with the tribe of Asher, and Latin America as its Cultural link*** ?*Quick & Accurate Decisions? - linked with Dan and North America*** ?*The **Gift of the Holy Spirit? (without tarrying) linked with Simeon and Korea* ?*Our Jewish Roots? - linked with Reuben and Israel*** ?*Presbytery? - linked with Naphtali and Africa*** ?*God's Dwelling? - linked with Zebulun and China*** ?*Sensitivity, obedience & faithfulness? - linked with Issachar & First Nations People*** ?*Bridal Love? - linked with Joseph & Polynesians*** ?*5-fold Ministries? - linked with Levi and Japan*** ?*Fasting? - linked with Gad & Asia*** ?*Heavenly Choir? - linked with Judah & Africa-Americans*** ?*Team Spirit? - linked with Benjamin and Europe*** *The above is not a ?Thus saith the Lord? - but a helpful memory aid (See our Website under ?Embryonics? for more details).* *Then on Sunday morning for Session 8, Kari Browning asked if I would open this last session of the conference with prayer. I again in the spirit of Israel - blessed God for His February 12th ?REma? interventions into ?CHROnos? time: - namely February 12, 1948; February 12, 1967, incorporating 1948 into the ?Organic Laser-Telescope?; February 12, 2008 - 60th anniversary of 1948 with the 3 DVD's on the pros and cons of that Visitation; and lastly February 2012, with the Printing of God's ?Outlined Interlinear NT, 70 years after the death of Ivan Panin.* *DVD's and CD's, are available from the above conference. Let me recommend for you (which I am also ordering for myself) - Session 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8: - * ** *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Feb 15 15:54:39 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:54:39 -0800 Subject: Glitch Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 15, 2012 *Jim Watt re ordering DVD's on 60th Feb. 12, 1948 Anniversary* *I recently mailed out a Report on* ?*The Fullness of Time? Conference at Coeur d'Alene last week-end.* *I mentioned a DVD set of 3, in 10 sessions,* *pros and cons of the Feb. 12th 1948 Latter Rain Visitation -* *Talk-show host: Dr. John Roddam,* *formerly of St. Luke's Episcopal Church of Seattle.* *This had been successfully available* *through Norlynn Audio Visual Services* ** *entitled ?The Fire Continues - Sixty Years Later?* *by Jim & Marie Watt* *But recently their server turned their service over to another server,* *through which we cannot get through.* *Until they obtain a reliable server,* *Stuart Spani, president, has made available* *his email on a temporary basis for your order -* ** *They apologize for the above problem -* *and as soon as corrected, will let us know.* *Thanks for bearing with us in this time of transition -* * * *Jim Watt* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Feb 16 09:48:50 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:48:50 -0800 Subject: TRUE GUIDANCE Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 16, 2012 ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt ? Beth Chesed, Tacoma - * *TRUE GUIDANCE: SAFEGUARD FOR GIFT OF PROPHECY?** - 2007.01.16* *(From ?Answers to Prayer? by George Muller)* The ?Presbytery Concept? was restored to the Church on February 12, 1948 at the Sharon Bible School, North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada. In a sense it was completely unexpected ? and yet contrariwise, it had been expected for 13 years. Over that period of time God had given a steady stream of encouraging words to George R. Hawtin of Alsask, Saskatchewan concerning this impending Restoration event. During this period of time, God had worked into Hawtin?s character to go along with specific attributes to prepare him for the leadership for 1948. Look at Abraham, Joseph, David and Paul. Each had a 13 year preparation time also, before God released them into the true calling he had for them. In other articles I have written in detail on this. Suffice it to say here, that that day in February will never be forgotten, not only by those who were present, but for the rest of us who saw the results of this Restoration, plus 11 other Revival Principles, which all came together that year. But with every privilege comes responsibility. I have been asked ? What happened during the July 1948 Camp Meeting in North Battleford that brought you into balance? It happened one afternoon that July. George Hawtin had announced in the morning that there would take place that afternoon the Commissioning to Africa of two missionary couples. I knew them both, and had a word for the "Rosenkis.? The other couple was the ?Shepherds.? I had invited Marie Gaudet from Vancouver BC (my wife now) to attend this Camp Meeting. She was interested in the Bible and God, but a Christian Science friend was offering to help her in this direction. I knew that though the help offer was genuine and sincere, yet it was ?very sincerely wrong.? So I sent Marie a return train ticket from Vancouver to Saskatoon, trusting that God would speak to her through the Convention. I had thought that anyone reading the Bible 8 and 12 hours a day would have a good work of grace already started. But when I picked Marie up in Saskatoon at the train station, I knew I was in for a time. Her hair-do was beautiful, but it reminded me of Nefertiti of Egypt, wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten, and perhaps a ruler in her own right after his death. I knew that with her long ear-rings, purple lipstick and unusual flashing dress ? that when I brought her 90 miles northwest to a Pentecostal Camp Ground, that much would break loose. It did! Yet by November of that year back in Vancouver, Marie made a decision and choice to follow Christ fully, and in December to let Him possess her by His Holy Spirit. As one of the 7 elders at the Camp in July, I was much on the platform, and then at the front ministering primarily to couples, but also some singles, in Confirmation and Commissioning with the Laying on of Hands and Prophecy. I felt concerned with Marie sitting at the back, and following every service many women would come wanting to get her to the front to be saved. So I asked George Hawtin this afternoon if I could not sit with her. ?But we need the word God gives you,? he said, ?for those ministered to with the Presbytery Concept.? But he understood my concern and relented. ?Alright,? he said, ?Sit with her. But when we minister at the front, stand and give the word God gives you from where you are.? During the service they announced that they would Commission the Rosenkis first as missionaries, and then the Shepherds. So as they ministered according to their announcement for the Rosenkis, I stood and gave the word I believed the Lord had given me for them and then sat again beside Marie. Then they announced ? ?Now we will pray over the Rosenkis!? They had switched the two couples without announcing to that effect. And ? God did NOT as He did for Jacob, show me to cross my hands. I had given the wrong word to the wrong couple. Following the service I sought out Ern Hawtin, and told him of my devastating discovery. He knelt with me, counseled me and prayed with me. I appreciated his love and concern, but I told him that until God showed me why He hadn?t directed me as He did with Joseph and his 2 sons ? I would be seeking some very clear answers. Because of several doctrinal inroads early in this movement, I became concerned. In April of the next year Marie and I severed connections, but not until I had first thoroughly talked to one of the other elders, explaining my concern, and why the possibility of a separation might take place. For 18 years I did not move in the stream that started in 1948. Then in about 1963 I was invited to speak at a church in Everett WA. I felt I had the message for that service when driving up from Kent. But enroute to Everett the Lord said, ?I want you to use the title of ?True Guidance? for your message tonight, and I want you to illustrate the necessity for My perfect Guidance, by recounting what happened at North Battleford in July of 1948, when you gave the wrong word over the wrong couple.? ?I can?t do that,? I said. ?There will be two men in the meeting tonight from North Battleford, and it would NEVER do to tell such a thing publicly.? ?DO it,? He said. I argued with him like a Dutch uncle. It normally took me an hour to drive from my home in Kent to Everett. That night it took two hours! And God wouldn?t change His mind. When I sat on the platform that night ? Sure enough ? there were my two acquaintances sitting in front of me. I don?t know how I got through that service, but I obeyed God, and gave His Word. Then He said, Show the *safe way* way to get ?True Guidance,? not just by relying on prophecy ? but by letting ?My Word? be a Plumbline ? to evaluate, discern and correct ALL prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:29-33). Use the Preface to George Muller?s ?Answers to Prayer,? and his 6 point ?How to Ascertain the Will of God.? Here it is: One. I SEEK at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord?s will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is. Two. Having done this, I do not leave the result to *feeling* or *simple impression*. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions. Three. I seek the Will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with, the Word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone with the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Spirit guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them. Four. Next I take into account providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God?s Will in connection with His Word and Spirit. Five. I ask God in prayer to reveal His Will to me aright. Six. Thus, through prayer to God, the study of the Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly. In trivial matters, and in transactions involving most important issues, I have found this method always effective. Then God said ? ?Next use Muller?s Appendix A and his Five Conditions of Prevailing Prayer.? Here they are: One. ENTIRE DEPENDENCE upon the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ as the only ground of any claim for blessing (See John 14:13, 14; 15:16, etc.) Two. Separation from all known sin. If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us, for it would be sanctioning sin. (Psalm 66:18.) Three. Faith in God?s word of promise as confirmed by His oath. Not to believe Him is to make Him both a liar and a perjurer. (Hebrews 11:6; 6:13-20.) Four. Asking in accordance with His will. Our motives must be godly: we must not seek any gift of God to consume it upon our lusts. (1 John 5:14; James 4:3.) Five. Importunity in supplication. There must be waiting on God and waiting for God, as the farmer has long patience to wait for the harvest. (James 5:7; Luke 18:1-8; Luke 11:5-10; Daniel 10:12-14.) It is not enough to infallibly know God?s will by correcting any prophecy that does not line up with God?s word. It is THEN necessary to *bring it to pass*. When God revealed to C. T. Studd of England on his way as a missionary to China, that it was His will for him to marry a very fiery Salvation Army miss ? her response to his proposal was ? ?Charlie Studd, if you were the last man on earth, I wouldn?t marry you!? He went to the Lord and said, ?Are you sure?? His response was ? ?She?s the one ? keep drilling!? When they arrived in China he stopped at Shanghai and she went on to Peking. He wrote, ?Twelve reasons why you should marry me.? Answer: ?13 reasons why I shouldn?t.? Each letter went up by one till they reached 20. Then in desperation Charlie fasted and prayed for two weeks. Her next letter ? ?Okay Charley ? God got through to me ? when do you want to get married?? I returned home after that Everett service, somewhat beaten. Very soon afterwards I was asked to speak to about 40 pastors in Portland Oregon at a Full Gospel Business Men?s meeting. I had been advertised as a Baptist pastor, which I was. I had graduated in 1952 from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary of Chicago with an M.Div. (Master of Divinity) and been assistant pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church of Chicago, Pastor of Kostner Avenue Baptist Church of Chicago and First Baptist Church of Round Lake, Illinois. I overheard one pastor say to another ? ?I wonder what this Charismatic Baptist pastor thinks he?s going to educate us with?? But then God led me to repeat the message on ?True Guidance? I had given in Everett. This time it was much easier telling stories on myself. I was learning the secret of being crucified with Christ and becoming ?dead? to myself. Soon I heard my pastor friend say to his neighbor again ? ?THIS is no Charismatic Baptist ? THIS is an old dog in Pentecost!? That meeting opened up doors for me in the greater Portland area that kept me busy fulfilling them for a year. So WHY did God humble me by having me tell of this incident in 1948? Because He was against prophecy? Not at all. He was absolutely serious to let people hear ? that in HIS sight it is MOST important that we are all very careful and cautious about prophecy, dreams, and the gifts of the Spirit. He could have had me cross my hands like Jacob with his two grandsons in 1948 ? but He DIDN?T. He was willing to humble me that I would everlastingly be careful about the Gift of Prophecy, and that whenever He indicated, I was to share what TRUE Guidance was in His estimation and sight. His WORD is more sure than prophecy or dreams. I have heard too many prophecies ?MISS IT? in so-called ?Presbytery Meetings,? that I feel sick at times. There was a Presbytery Meeting in Southern California on one occasion a number of years ago. The chairman of the Presbytery prophesied over a couple ? ?Thus says the Lord! Thou shalt be as pillars in this church. Here you shall uplift the arms of the pastor as did Aaron and Hur for Moses. You shall be as a tree planted by the rivers of underground water. When all is dry around, your leaf shall not wither, and you will bring forth abundant fruit. ?As long as you stay in this church as pillars for this pastor, you shall be blessed. If you leave this church, you shall not lose your salvation ? but your greatest blessing is by continuing to abide here. ?Thus says the Lord.? Afterwards the pastor said to the chairman, naming him by name. ?I think we might have missed it with this couple. We commissioned them as missionaries to Japan last week.? Response ? ?Well ? you can?t hit it all of the time.? The above would NOT have happened if Presbytery had not been infiltrated with tradition ? departing from the 1948 standards, but MOST OF ALL from the Bible standards. Modern practice in many circles does not allow the Presbytery to know ANYTHING about the candidates prior to ministering to them. This was NOT true of Timothy. Elders from 3 cities were well acquainted with most everything about Timothy! It is testing God wrongly NOT to let the Modern Presbytery know such facts ? and much more. God has given a word on December 20th, 2006, that He would be moving swiftly from that date on to bring to maturity not only the Presbytery concept, but all 12 of the 1948 Revival Principles that came together under the hand especially of George Hawtin, with the 7 elders. At that time we did NOT move in this modern concept. Neither did the Scriptures teach such. The 5-fold ministries need to be carefully cautious not to be carried away with fleshly enthusiasm that cannot be checked with Scripture, Providence and the Spirit. The City Church concept in this area is a GREAT safeguard here. One then doesn?t require outside traveling Presbyteries coming in and being kept apart from all candidates to whom they are to minister. The local pastor elders, who also double with all of the 5-fold, and serve the needs of the City Church freely ? THEY perform this service. Outside prophets are *visitors*. *CONCLUSION*: Well ? all of the above is because of a request today from a Tacoma pastor. I wasn?t at first going to do much with it. Then again, I got the 1963 word from God for Everett. ?Spill the beans on your embarrassment in July 1948. Give the correction of ?TRUE Guidance? from George Muller. And then trust ME to bring good out of evil.? Your friend ? Jim Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri Feb 17 13:34:22 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:34:22 -0800 Subject: The Five Kingdoms Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 17, 2012 *Congregation Beth Chesed* *Jim & Marie Watt - May 21, 2006* *?CONVERSION & THE FIVE KINGDOMS?*** One of D.L. Moody?s favorite authors was Henry Drummond of Scotland. His book ?Natural Law in the Spiritual World? especially intrigued Moody. Here we see the wisdom for the basis of Jesus? parables. He took from nature and ordinary human events -- the human interest foundation for his parables, and then related them to the Kingdom of God. In 1946 I came across Drummond?s use of the 5 Kingdoms, and passed it on to some 100 Christian students of the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan as a witnessing tool. We are all familiar with the ?Mineral Kingdom?. It lies beneath our feet. To all intents and purposes it is inanimate, though in the movement of atoms and electrons, who knows how God looks on this Kingdom. But the ?Vegetable Kingdom? reaches down into the Mineral Kingdom, and through osmosis and other abilities, has the wonderful function of converting the mineral kingdom into the higher vegetable kingdom. A transformation takes place. Scientists can still analyze the mineral content of vegetation, but through photo-synthesis the minerals now partake of the life of this higher kingdom, howbeit in a transformed state. Then Mrs. Cow reaches out her tongue and grabs a tuft of grass, and converts this part of the vegetable kingdom into a higher state ? that of the ?Animal Kingdom?. True, the content of the vegetation can be detected by scientists in the life of the animal ? but it has been TRANSFORMED indeed, and now exists on a higher plane. Next we human beings go to the market and purchase beef steaks. When we have eaten what God said to Noah was now open to the human race after the flood, we transform the animal by digestion into a yet higher state ? the Human Kingdom. Conversion has been active in each of these three stages. But ? wonder of wonders ? in the wisdom and foreplanning of God, through Jesus Christ, He reaches down and accomplished the fourth and greatest phase of transformation and conversion. Through the atoning work of Jesus Christ we by identification receive justification by our faith, all by grace. Then we freely and boldly come to the Father, who grants us ?forgiveness? of our sins ? at the very place Jesus brought His blood as our Great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek ? after His death, burial and first Ascension. Christ Jesus then tells us that except we eat of His flesh (the Word) and drink of His blood (the Spirit); we have no life (*Z**O**-**e*) in us. But then the Spirit through Paul bids us offer our bodies a LIVING SACRIFICE to God, which is our spiritual and Levitical service to God. Through this He receives us into Himself, and we enter into a life of the Kingdom of God ? more complete, revolutionary and transforming than any of the 3 preceding conversions. Are we INDEED in Him and He in us? Are we truly one with God as Jesus is in the Father, and the Father in the Son? Don?t too quickly claim such an extraordinary transformation ? unless the fruit of it bears witness to the truth of such an experience. All of this is wrought by ?grace? through faith ? not of works, lest any man should boast. God initiated this. Previously He foreknew, and foreordained it. George Muller at one time said such teaching was of the pit and the devil ? but when challenged to look into the New Testament thoroughly, found that 4 times to one the Scriptures corroborated what he had been condemning. He acknowledged that there was a danger in this position if held only in the head and mind ? but if it through prayer and meditation came into the heart ? then it became a powerful incentive to holy living. CONVERSION! CONVERSION! Have we entered into God?s thinking on this marvelous transformation? If we have ? then all the promises of God, become through us a possibility of attainment! Jim Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat Feb 18 09:44:38 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 09:44:38 -0800 Subject: God's Hidden Language Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 18, 2012 (?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt ? Beth Chesed, Tacoma, January 8, 2007)* *?TAPPING INTO GOD?S HIDDEN LANGUAGE: DREAMS?*** God has laid this on my heart many years ago, but in 1985 it took on a new urgency, and in 1995 I taught a class to some 20 or so for a quarter. Now in 2007 He is saying to do a bit more. Let me introduce this article by repeating an unusual dream that God gave me in 1985. While I was in Point Roberts, BC, I came across a book on dreams written by 3 Catholic Charismatics. Later in Camrose, Alberta I purchased a copy of it, but it is now mislaid, and I don?t recall the name of the title. As a subtitle it read ? ?37 ways of interpretation in doing dreamwork.? While I was reading it, the Spirit spoke to me ? ?Would you like to ask Me for a Destiny dream? I can show you how I see you, and how you can cooperate with Me in letting Me have a more effective right of way through you.? I immediately assented. That night I had a vision of the night in a dream. I found myself in Washington D.C. As I was looking over a beautiful green grassy area, I saw a man approaching me. He was about 5? 6?, and was dressed in casual gabardine slacks and shirt ? but quite expensive looking. By his coloring, I assumed he was from a northern Mediterranean country: Italy, France or Spain. I knew he was a medical doctor. As he got closer, I could see a slight smile of greeting on his face. He then said, ?I am here in response to your request last night to receive from God your destiny dream.? You can imagine my emotions and sensations! He continued: ?The answer is in one word. You will discover that it is like a rose bud. Receive it gently and carefully. You will find that it will open up, and in its fullness all you need to know will be there. The key word is ?Cervantes.?? I immediately wakened, and wrote down in detail all I could remember. The book above that I mentioned has a ?TTAQ? formula. The first ?T? stands for Title. If you were writing this up for a newspaper article, write out a title for it 8 words or less. The second ?T? is for Theme. What is the main thought coming across to you in the dream? "A" stands for affection or feeling. What was the main emotion or feeling you experienced during the dream and following it? ?Q? stands for Question: Question the Holy Spirit as to His purpose and thought behind giving you this dream. When I finished this, I had come to the conclusion that the dream had something to do with a medieval Christian sect, probably in Southern France, that had been under persecution. I did dreamwork along this line for about an hour till the Spirit interrupted me and asked ? ?Don?t you think you should go downstairs and consult the Encyclopedia concerning ?Cervantes?? Chagrined that I hadn?t thought of this myself, I immediately obeyed. I soon discovered that I had been entirely on the wrong track. Cervantes was only mentioned once in the Encyclopedia, and it had nothing to do with a Christian sect. It related to a man from Spain. At the age of 20 he joined the army, and went to fight the Turks in Cyprus with the Greeks. After 5 years of this he decided to return home. But his ship was captured by pirates from North Africa, who held him for ransom for 5 more years until his relatives and church in Spain could raise the ransom money. When he got back to Spain at the age of 30, he was so tired of the old world, that he made an effort to follow the lead of Columbus and go to the new world. But his government said, ?No! We will not give you permission for this. If your relatives and church raised money for your ransom for 5 years, the least you can do is to stay around and show your thanks this way. So you can live, we give you the job as a tax-collector.? But his Spanish people were so poor, that he sought help from God to bring their lives together. God in answer gave him the plot for the first psychological novel. The hero represented the spiritual part of man, and his servant Sancho Panza represented the practical part. Many of you will have guessed by now that the hero was Don Quixote. I read this book when I was 17, and was so disgusted with Quixote for his in my opinion stupid decisions, that I threw the book away, and to this day have not finished it! But from the Encyclopedia I learned that in his 50?s Miguel Cervantes wrote the first half of this book to help his poor fellow citizens put their lives together, and then 5 years later wrote the second half. Nearly all psychological novels since follow the insights developed in his book. By now I realize that the man in Washington D.C. was a Spaniard. Then God spoke to me in answer to my questions. He said, ?In your spiritual part you are somewhat like Don Quixote, and can become so spiritually oriented that you miss it. But the practical Sancho Panza part of you, when balanced with the spiritual, will make you useful in My hands. Every week for the next 2 years I will give you 2 or 3 dreams a week as a check up, to let you see how you are progressing in getting it together.? Which he did! ?However, when you do get it together, you still won?t be fully useful in My hands, for the Quixote part of you will still unduly predominate. But your wife Marie has the practical side of Sancho Panza. When you and Marie are able to fulfill the ?Two Are Better than One? goal, that I set before you for your marriage ? than you will enter into an Intercessory possibility that I told you to call ?Spiritual Star Wars.? Through the prayer multiplication of one driving 1000 to flight, but two driving 10,000 ? and even greater possibilities through the ?Automated Laser Telescope,? you will understand why I call this for you ? your Destiny Dream!? Marie and I have seen the actuality of this on numbers of occasions, and are awed at its potential and possibilities. Dreams again are part and parcel of this. Now for some practical steps to understand dreams in a general way. First, it would do us all good to read Bob Ekblad?s ?Reading the Bible with the Damned.? Here he shows that he serves as a facilitator or midwife when reading the Bible with the marginalized people of our nation. He carefully refrains from suggesting answers himself. Instead he has prisoners and disenfranchised read the Scripture portion, and then asks leading questions so they can find correct answers what God is really like. This is exactly the role for a dream interpreter. He DOESN?T interpret. Instead he asks questions of the dreamer to let HIM discover the symbols in his own dream that could apply ONLY to himself. I have symbols in my past that God brings up in my dreams that you could never understand, and vice versa. When God wants to get my attention, he has my father appear in my dream. My ?donkey ears? go up right away. I know this dream is from God, and my father is a symbol of an attention-getter. One time he used George Hawtin, the leader in the 1948 Northern Canada Visitation. God HAD my attention. This took place in July 1992. This symbol possibly would not have meant the same thing to anyone else. And you have specific people and scenes in your past that relate to you, and I couldn?t possibly interpret them for you. I can only ask questions to help you see your specific symbols and understand what God is saying to YOU through them. Another thing about symbols. Dreams are primarily SYMBOLICAL. They are NOT literal. Let me qualify that. 2-3 % of dreams are literal. For instance, Joseph, step father to Jesus had 4 literal dreams for guidance. The wise men did also. Pilate?s wife did too. But all 6 literal dreams related to Jesus for His safety. The first error most dreamers fall into is to literalize their dreams. God?s forgotten language is NOT literal. It is like the book of Revelation. It is a book of SYMBOLS. So are your dreams, except for rare exceptions. Look at the symbols that God can use between the age of 2-5; 6-12; 13-18; 19-30; 31-50; 51 and up. Help the dreamer come to his own interpretation by understanding the significance of past events, people and objects, and help him to see them as symbols that God loves to use. Note also, that every believer should learn to understand what are symbols unique to him, and how to use them for his own dream interpretation. Now with an unbeliever it is different. They don?t have the Holy Spirit to help them as does a believer. So Joseph had to interpret the dreams of the butler, the baker and Pharaoh. But he interpreted his own dreams. And Daniel had to interpret the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. But we should not try and interpret the dreams of fellow believers. Instead we should work with them in helping them understand these things until they can interpret their own dreams. Note too that we need the gift of ?discernings of spirits? in connection with dreams. All that glitters is NOT gold. All dreams are NOT of God. As a rough rule of thumb, maybe 5 % of our dreams deserve dreamwork. Maybe 5 % or more are night mares and from demons of the pit. Then perhaps 90 % are from our own subconscious ? from the flesh part of it, which Solomon says are brought by the multitude of business (Ecclesiastes 5:3). Or perhaps too much pizza too late at night! I recommend that we discern the 5 % of dreams from God, and do the TTAQ on them. It is a waste of time trying to get something out of most of our dreams. Each one of us has a dream every 90 minutes of sleep in our sleep cycle. Even animals and birds have dreams. They are necessary for our total health. But those from God have unusual meaning over and above that. Angels are vitally connected with dreams and all 9 of the gifts of the Spirit of 1 Corinthians 12:8-ll. In chapter 14, Paul tells us that the SPIRITS (angels of the prophets) are subject to the prophets. Notice how often angels are present when the gifts of the Spirit are functioning in either Testament. H.A. Baker of ?Visions beyond the Veil? fame, saw this in operation in the Chinese Orphanage he and his wife conducted in S.W. China. He also saw it operating in Ka-Do land of that part of China. Sadhu Sundar Singh of India also saw the reality of this, and here the two of them agreed. Note also the symbols used by Jacob in Genesis 49 and Moses in Deuteronomy 33 with the 12 tribes of Israel. Hebrew names are significant. If the character of a person changes, then there is a name change. See Jacob to Israel; Abram to Abraham; Sarai to Sarah. See also the linkage of an animal with the tribes. Issachar and the donkey. Naphtali and the deer. Judah and the LION. No mistake here. Then see that each tribe is identified with a beautiful colored precious stone. These are found in Exodus 28, and the order of the tribes and the stone is in Numbers 2. Each of us as individuals can be linked with one of the tribes, and find that the prophecies of Jacob and Moses can be helpful to us too. We will find that this linkage of symbols and then our own symbols from our past life that God can draw upon, all help to make our dreams not only meaningful ? but tremendously helpful. Look at Job 33 and the insight of Elihu on dreams. Dreams according to him have 4 main purposes. I like the one that keeps us from pride. We are all prone to pride, and why, we will never know, for we really have nothing to be proud of. Paul says all we have, we have RECEIVED! So how on earth can we be proud of what we have received? But there is a more serious matter with Job's 3 friends. How can we receive help from one that God says did NOT speak right with his 2 companions as Job had done? Why did God want the sayings of these 3 ?not so good? friends in the Bible? And He DID! I think it was to give us a test to see how astute we are. See what God said to Jeremiah ? ?If you will take the PRECIOUS from the VILE ? you shall be as My mouth? (Jeremiah 15:19). I believe what Elihu has said here in Job 33 about dreams is precious at this point, but much of what Eliphaz said is vile. We have to be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. If we will read the Bible together to get what God is REALLY saying, like Bob Ekblad and his friends ? we will develop a sensitivity and understanding to the real thinking of God both about the Bible as well as about our DREAMS. The two go together. *IN CONCLUSION:* I am writing this for a limited readership ? who I call a Team of transforming Embryonic truths into MATURITY. Dreams will be a real aid and help in this. We can pray for one another, and God will help us develop as a team to receive corporate insights and revelation that none of us alone would receive. Many are not sufficiently serious to walk in the discipline that is necessary to let God have His perfect way in this area. Paul said ? ?These light afflictions are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed!? I agree ? but all do not see this. I find that they want someone else to interpret their dreams for them. It is difficult to encourage them to pay the price to learn to know the Lord, *His Word*, His Spirit, intimately, and the symbols in the past of each one of us that He can draw upon. *Bible Meditation* based on our ?*Outlined*Interlinear New Testament?, using Ivan Panin's two texts, can *greatly* help. Bless you each one. I think highly of you. I expect more from us corporately than I do individually. I see the 12 Embryonics from 1948 becoming MATURE and becoming parameters of safety in the hands of God for the last visitation before the return of His Son! Ready? Let?s all get on the band-wagon together, and mean business for God. Al Houghton with his ?WordatWork? monthly epistle can greatly help us. Many others of you have much to contribute. Let?s pool our resources. Let?s be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. On to victory and the overcoming life both individually and corporately! Your friend, brother and goader! As C.T. Studd said concerning his wife ??I love my wife because she?s a red hot poker chasing me to keep me running for Christ!? Jim Watt P.S. John Sanford, ?Dreams: God?s Forgotten Language? Morton Kelsey, ?God, Dreams & Revelation? A Christian Interpretation of Dreams. Herman Riffel, ?Dream Interpretation: A Biblical Understanding? The above 3 books are all available from Amazon, used or new, extremely reasonable prices. Riffel is my favorite author on dreams. He?s a Baptist, but was a Mennonite. JW. P.P.S. Recently Adrian Beale and Adam F. Thompson have written ?The Divinity Code - The Keys to Decoding your Dreams and Visions? *< www.thedivinitycode.org> - *They have wisely eliminated all aspects of the work of Carl Jung, who moved in a New Age spirit. This latter book is therefore an imporvement on the above 3 authors, all who studied under Jung. Beale & Thompson aid one in interpreting his own dreams in the light of the thoughts above. JW. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Feb 20 11:35:01 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:35:01 -0800 Subject: The Border Crossing Sacrifice Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 20, 2012 (*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt ? Beth Chesed - June 5, 2006**)* *?THE BORDER CROSSING SACRIFICE?* Watkin Roberts of Wales was saved in the 1904 Welsh Revival. God called him to N.E. India in 1910, but it had been closed since 1870, when Rochunga Pudaite?s grandfather took 600 British heads in one day. Watkin Roberts went to Imphal to speak to the Maharaja of Manipur, when Ro?s grandfather invited him to Senvon village in Assam. This was in reply to Watkin?s gift of the Gospel of John to each of the 300 tribal leaders of N. E. India. The Maharaja reminded Mr. Roberts of the 40 year closure. Roberts asked if he signed a document declaring the Maharaja not guilty if he lost his head, could he go in anyway. He was granted 10 days. In those 10 days, 5 young men from this head-hunting tribe received God in Jesus. It was the illustration of ?The Border Crossing Sacrifice? that melted their hearts. Roberts recounted to the people of Senvon Village how the tribes of this area of India made peace when they were tired of taking heads. One chief gave a signal, and if the other tribe was open, they met at the border and killed a sacrifice. The chiefs then reached down and smeared one another with the blood of the animal. They then each cut a finger, dripped the blood in a common container of wine, and both drank it. They took an oath in the presence of their elders, that if either chief broke the covenant of the Border Crossing Sacrifice, his elders would cut him in two at the border! The son of the Senvon village chieftain was one of the 5 who saw that God sacrificed HIS ONLY SON at the border, and is offering to receive any human being who meets Him over the blood of His Son. Since 1910, 85 % of the Hmar tribe of Assam of some 80,000 people are born again Christians, have reached 15 other tribes, and planted churches in Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet. Rochunga, the grandson, has translated the entire Bible into the Hmar tongue plus a hymn book of 400 hymns. He has planted over 60 elementary schools for his tribe, 3 Jr. High Schools, a Senior High School, a College and a hospital ? all for his Hmar people. Dr. Bob Pierce of World Vision said it is the most remarkable story of regional evangelism he has ever come across. He visited these people several times. There are 5 states in N. E. India including Nagaland ? and Watkin Roberts through Chawnga Pudaite, Ro?s father, has had a significant part in bringing the Gospel to this area in 1910. Marie and I met Watkin Roberts in Chicago in 1955 at an NAE Convention. He later contacted us from Toronto and asked us if we could give every courtesy and help to Rochunga who was working on his Master?s degree at Wheaton College. I served as Ro?s American secretary for 17 years for the Indo-Burma Pioneer Mission, and we were grateful to have a part both in time, prayer and finances to help Ro in his rather remarkable ministry. E. W. Kenyon?s book ?The Blood Covenant? is quite parallel to ?The Border Crossing Sacrifice?, which was commonly practiced in the 5 provinces of N. E. India Literally hundreds of thousands have come to Christ through ?The Blood Covenant? and ?The Border Crossing Sacrifice.? It broke the heart of the people of Assam when they realized God had voluntarily in love given His ONLY begotten Son to save us, reconcile us, and that God forgave our sins on the basis of His Son?s Atoning work on our behalf ? ?THE BORDER CROSSING SACRIFICE!? Jim Watt* * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Feb 21 12:08:35 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:08:35 -0800 Subject: Tribulation Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 21, 2012 *2012-02-21 - ?TRIBULATION? - FOREWARD - H. A. Baker* *(Author of ?Visions Beyond the Veil - written in the 1920's* *See our Archives - 2010-07-07 to 2010-09-09 for a copy* *Also see end of Chapter IB 2010-07-07 - Adullam Beginnings - for information * *how to receive an updated copy by H. A. Baker's grandson Rolland)* This is a companion volume to *Tribulation to Glory* (sent out 1931) which has been surprisingly well received the few months it has been in circulation. After reading the message of that book many readers say that it brought out clearly truths they had before seen in more or less obscurity. This reaction toward the former book encourages the bringing of the present volume into circulation, for it gives the fuller scriptural support for this theme relating to the time of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. As in the case of my other books, in sending this one out I have especially in mind our friends who have been faithful prayer supporters of our work for many years and have been interested in all we have done or written. I wish here to assure you that if you will carefully read and meditate upon what is contained in this book and come to believe in the truths herein set forth, you will find yourself brought more fully into the meaning of the cross as we should expect to experience it. You will feel that you are more perfectly in line with the experience of Jesus and the saints who have gone before us. You will see that the cross-bearing way, the tribulation way, is the most glorious way. What we want is truth. All truth must check out with scripture. But we all, as Paul says, see through a glass darkly as compared with seeing all truth as it is in its right setting and proportions. We must ever remember that in our searching for the truth as revealed in the scriptures it is important to maintain a spirit of love and right consideration towards other seekers for truth. Difference in doctrinal beliefs is not ground for unchrist-like attitude of mind. Many of our best friends at present believe differently for what they will find in this present book. We love them none the less for believing what that have been taught - erroneously taught, as we now see it. While I believe what they will read will give such a more consistent and satisfying Christian life, a supreme love for Christ and His children should be paramount. We are naturally inclined to grab at any straw that will help defend us in our position, while rejecting truth that would be most clearly evident were we willing to accept it. It is hard to honestly and fairly consider and weigh every interpretation of scripture on its own merits. More than that, we are naturally cowards. We are afraid to act on the truth we see because of the physical, mental, or spiritual pain honest acceptance and execution of truth will involve. Let's be honest in facing truth and facts. Let's be brave and accept without excuse the truth we see and make our actions check in its execution. Otherwise we will surely miss God's best. My hope is that readers of this book will honestly consider what is written and compare it all with scripture. If what you find is scriptural, as I believe it is, I will rightly expect you to accept it and act upon it regardless of what it may involve in the way of pleasure or pain. It seems to me that the reader will not fail to see that the so-called ?pre-tribulation theory? that the Church will be caught away from the earth before the time of the reign of the man of sin, or anti-Christ, is false doctrine, not supported by scripture. I believe this present discussion will show, on the other hand, that the coming of the Lord will not be until after the so-called great tribulation. Like myself, so far as I know, or anyone who knows, every believer of the popular any-moment-secret-rapture-doctrine came to believe in it by first hearing it from a preacher, or a teacher, or a friend, or from reading it in the religious literature of the day. I know of no one at present who came to this belief at first by his own personal Bible study, do you? Books on this then and much other literature that came to my hand in my first contacts with this subject, with but little exception, taught the commonly accepted erroneous doctrine. I secured a Schofield Bible and practically devoured its contents. I studied every chapter, verse, note, line. At last I came to a ?dead end.? I saw no through road in its teaching. My first contacts with this doctrine and my first study of it through other men's eyes, as well as natural inclination towards so pleasing a way out of the present confusing and evil world, led me to half believe the doctrine and to half-heartedly preach it. In spite of all my reading in its favor there had, from the first, been underneath it all the thought that this very important, much-embracing doctrine was founded on ?inference? rather than definite statements of scripture. I feel certain that it was the Holy Spirit who, one morning, when I was studying this question, brought clearly to my mind nearly all the main considerations found from Chapter I to the end of this present discussion. Later when the Lord poured out the Holy Spirit upon our orphanage of Chinese children in a most remarkable way, as recorded in my book, *Visions Beyond the Veil*, and as shown there, many children, even small children, had repeated visions and other revelations of the reign of the anti-Christ and the persecution of saints as well as revelations of the preaching of the gospel in unusual power at that time. This corroborated what I had seen in the scripture and at the same time made the coming of anti-Christ-tribulation so imminent that it had a very practicable and far-reaching effect on my subsequent missionary work. I will now indicate how this belief affected my work. Shortly after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit just mentioned, the Lord miraculously opened the doors for the remarkable work of the Spirit that took place among the tribal people in the mountains of Yunnan province, China, as recorded in my other book, *God in Ka Do Land.* Thoroughly convinced now that the Church would be on earth till the end of the reign of the anti-Christ and that the anti-Christ persecution was very near, from the time I made my first itinerary among the tribes I always felt the urge to work with, that it might be my last chance to freely preach. No itinerary was ever free from this thought. Knowing that anti-Christ persecutions were ahead and that my people must be prepared for the tribulation that would come upon them, I never wanted to plan any self ease, or prepare myself for less that I expected was to be our lot in the future. I felt no time was to be taken out for furlough or for months or weeks or even days of vacation. I even watched the very hours lest time be lost. I allowed nothing to divert me from the work in hand, so that I might prepare as many people as possible and as well as possible for the day the door would slam in my face and tribulation would settle down on my sheep in the mountains. I expected that I and my Christians of various tribes would be caught together in the persecutions of the anti-Christ, whose spirit we often felt about us. From the first I taught my people that they were not to count their lives dear unto themselves, but I taught them what the Bible said, that the anit-Christ would come first and then Jesus would return. This they plainly saw in reading the Bible for themselves. My many co-workers and I everywhere preached that some, or all, of us might have to be martyrs for Jesus. We talked and preached so much about the cross and how Jesus loved us and died for us, while the Holy Spirit made these things so real that the thought of suffering even unto death for Him who had suffered all for us became a joyful thought and an inspiration to lives of deeper devotion to our Lord. I have seen young men and young women and old men and old women weeping outright many a time because they regretted they had been unable to suffer more for Jesus. Since we would all have to die some time, unless the Lord came in our day, many came to think that of all the forms of death imaginable, there could be no death so satisfactory and glorious as to be a martyr for Jesus. I am relating this because it shows the right outcome of the teaching of right doctrine. My people were always taught that the anti-Christ would come first and then Jesus would come. They were always taught that the more we suffer for Christ, the more Christ-like we become. They knew that the nail-pierced hands are a challenge for us to enter resurrection glory by way of the cross. Is not this the Christian way? Is not this the way the Old Testament prophets and the Old Testament saints went? Is not this the way the Church has come down through the centuries? How about the saints behind the iron and the bamboo curtains today? For whom is there an easy rocking-chair or a soft hammock way to heaven today? Is there to be an exception to the whole principle of Christianity and the experience of the saints ever since the days of Abel? Why any exception? Are saints today better than Daniel and all of his train? Or, are present day saints too weak and cowardly to suffer tribulation and hence desire to be taken away lest they fail the Lord in time of trial? Surely not. If too weak and cowardly, what would they do in heaven if they got there? Would they not be so ashamed when they looked upon the nail-pierced hands and looked into the beaming faces of the martyrs that they would plead night and day for the Lord to allow them to return to earth to really suffer a little for Jesus? In China I faced grave danger many times. I have faced death more than once. Then at last the Lord spoke to my people in the words: (Chinese) ?Bei Muh si dy gong dzo wai, liao. O yao ling ta dao ih go hao di fange.? Which means: ?Pastor Baker's work is finished. I am going to take him to a good place.? I wondered if what I had expected and tried to be prepared for had come. Was I going to die in the midst of my people, or was I going to be killed and go to that ?good place, - heaven? Here I am, out of it all, in the ?good place? - America. How about my people? When I was anxious about what would happen to them, did the Lord not speak directly to me in words, telling me who would not care for them, ?He who cares for the sparrow!? Not one of them will fall without my Father's notice. Not a hair of their heads will perish. If killed for Jesus' sake, not a hair will perish. They are already on the resurrection side. If the Lord wants to keep them alive He will still do what He did while I was there: turn enemies into friends and make the communists, who are supposed to destroy the churches, say that the Christians were the best of the people and even tell the ungodly that had better be Christians. It is my opinion that my sheep, right in the midst of the ungodly mess, are not suffering. On the contrary, they may be suffering great tribulation, as have saints in all ages. To be ready to suffer all things for Christ and to count all loss for Him and to leave it with Him when to suffer in prison or when to be delivered by the angels is the right attitude of mind. Should not every follower of the crucified Christ be prepared to go through great tribulation to glory and then leave it to Jesus to work it all out? Since many readers of this present volume may not have had opportunity to read Volume I, (It costs $100 at Amazon and Alabris!) in the *Introduction*to the present volume, I summarize much that was in the former volume, showing the errors of the any-moment rapture, or the escape-tribulation theory. If you have read the first book you may, if you desire, skip the * Introduction* and begin with Chapter I. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Feb 22 13:52:36 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:52:36 -0800 Subject: Tribulation - Introduction Part A Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 22, 2012 *2012-02-22 - TRIBULATION - INTRODUCTION PART A - H. A. Baker* *A New Doctrine* The teaching that the Church in whole, or in part, will be caught up to heaven before the reign of the man of sin, the anti-Christ, did not appear in church history until the early part of the nineteenth century. Neither any of the early church fathers nor later church writers taught this doctrine. Neither did the early church creeds nor the church creeds of modern time before the nineteenth century teach this doctrine. On the contrary, whenever these writers, or creeds, referred to the last days of the Church, in every such instance they said that the Church would continue on earth to the end of the reign of the anti-Christ. I intended to quote from some of the church fathers and from some of the church creeds; but I believe that is unnecessary, since no one will deny the above statement of facts, and since anyone who cares to do so may make personal investigation as to their truthfulness. Of course beliefs of church fathers or beliefs as stated in creeds do not prove a doctrine true. The Bible is the proof-standard. However, these evidences from church history do show that this doctrine in question is a *new doctrine. * *How We Got the New Doctrine* After my study of the scriptures had led me to believe this an erroneous doctrine I learned about its origin. You may be as surprised as I was to learn how this teaching got into the Church and became so popular. It appears that it came about as follows: In March, 1830, a woman in Richard Baxter's church in London, England, when under supernatural power, prophesied that the Lord Jesus might come any time and that true believers in Him might any day be caught up by translation to heaven. This church and this woman were connected with the Irvingite movement that soon went astray on many false doctrines. The Irvingite movement at that time placed much emphasis on supernatural manifestations such as speaking with other tongues, prophesying under supernatural power, etc. At the same time John Darby and a little group of men gathered at Plymouth, England, were engaged in independent Bible study. This was the beginning of the sect later called ?The Plymouth Brethren.? Although Richard Baxter himself did not accept as true the prophecy of the Irvingite woman in his church, it seems that many others did. And although Darby and his group of Plymouth Brethren were not a part of the Irvingite movement they nevertheless, accepted this prophecy as coming from the Lord, and they incorporated it into their teaching. Since Darby was one of the most influential preachers in England at that time, and since this easy way of escape-tribulation-doctrine was pleasing, and since it is a natural weakness of Christians to be readily attracted by any doctrine that promises to be a ?new? revelation, this supposedly new revelation about the rapture of the Church quickly spread throughout the evangelical churches of England. George Muller of the famous Muller orphanage and Tregelles, reputed to be the best Bible scholar of that century, and Spurgeon, and many others by public addresses and in writing, opposed this new teaching, declaring it to be unscriptural and false. However, all this opposition was in vain, as already shown. Having accepted this ?spirit?-inspired new teaching Darby and his group proceeded by ?new? interpretations and inferences to make the scriptures support the new ?theory.? Darby's line of ?interpretations? and ?inferences? have come down to us today through the Plymouth Brethren sect with little variation from the teachings of Darby. In our day Charles Scofield, one of the Darby line and closely associated with the ?Brethren,? has perhaps done more than any other one man to propagate the escape-tribulation, any-moment, secret-rapture teaching. Another man who helped much in making this teaching widely known was W. E. Blackstone. He summarized the Darby-Scofield teaching on this subject in a book called, ?Jesus Is Coming,? and with the help of some men of wealth sent free copies to preachers and missionaries all over the world. That is how I first came in contact with any definite discussion about the return of the Lord. This was doubtless true in the case of thousands of others who had been as ignorant as I about the whole question. I read recently that Blackstone, after further study, reversed his former view and saw the error of his previous belief. However, he did much in his time in promoting the Darby-Scofield view. Like Blackstone, and Oswald Smith, and Henry Frost, American secretary of the China Inland Mission, and like many, many others, who after more careful study, have reversed their beliefs, you may have to reverse yours, for you will see that the popular belief is ?the tradition of the fathers,? but not of the church fathers. At any rate, the above is a brief outline of the history of this ?new? Darby doctrine. Further information on this point, supported by more evidence of its accuracy, is given in my book *Tribulation to Glory.* *What Darby Taught* So far as I know, all familiar with the facts agree that Darby taught as stated in this chapter. He taught that Jesus might return any moment to raise the dead in Christ and to translate, without death, the believers in Christ, who will be alive at the time. This coming, Darby claimed, would be invisible, noiseless, secret. After the disappearance of the believers from the earth the man of sin, the anti-Christ, would openly appear to reign over the whole world. At the end of this usurper's reign the Lord Jesus would *openly* return to earth to raise the rest of the dead believers, judge the world, and set up His visible kingdom on earth. According to Darby, this first coming of Christ would be ?for? His saints and the coming after the reign of the man of sin would be ?with? His saints for whom He had previously come. Although Darby and his followers of the Darby-Scofield line have written volumes sufficient to fill many a library shelf dealing with the ramification of the any-moment-rapture theory, the main points are discussed in one section of the book ?Tribulation to Glory,? to which we refer the reader. However, for the benefit of those who do not have access to that book I will here more concisely repeat what is in the other book. I will now touch on some of the main teachings of Darby and suggest reasons why these lack sufficient scriptural support. Because Darby and his group could find no direct statement of the scripture that the believers would be translated before the time of the anti-Christ, they found it necessary to support the new doctrine by ?interpretations? and ?inferences? not found by direct statements of the Word of God. How can it be emphasized too strongly that this much-embracing doctrine from Darby's day to ours has only the support of ?inference?? *A. The ?Worthy-to-Escape? Passages* Two passages of Scripture were favorite texts for Darby. One of these reads: ?Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:36. Darby said that the things that were ?to come to pass? were the persecutions under the anti-Christ. Darby said that, but the Bible does not. Darby ?inferred? that the reign of the man of sin was in question. Does not the Bible ?infer? that the destruction of the wicked *after* the reign of the man of sin is referred to? Read the context. The Lord was talking about the destruction of the heaven and the earth and what would happen to ?them,? to people on the earth at that time. Who? The wicked. How would ?they,? the wicked, be caught? Unawares. How about us? We would not be caught unawares if we should watch and pray, but would be safe in the day of judgment - ?escape.? Now we see how the following Scripture fits in with my ?inference? that the *day of judgment* and not the reign of the anti-Christ is referred to in the above passage in Luke, Read this: ?What manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 2 Peter 3:11, 12. Peter wrote primarily to Gentile churches, and hence this looking for the day of destruction (post-tribulation) cannot be shifted over to the Jews. Christians in general are to look for the day the wicked will be destroyed. Although I believe that my ?inference? is most scriptural that the passages in Luke and in Peter refer to the same thing, and that in the following Bible study I can show by much scripture that the day we hope to ?escape? is the day of judgment of the wicked, all I insist on here is that this Darby-Scofield ?inference? is unprovable in its setting and that this passage can have *other** *interpretations. A second favorite passage much used to support Darby's theory was this: ?Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, upon the earth,? Rev. 3:10. The ?hour of temptation,? Darby ?inferred,? was the time of the reign of the anti-Christ, and being ?kept? meant being translated to heaven by a rapture before that reign began. So much for this new interpretation started by Darby. So much for inference. Does the Bible say what this hour of temptation is? Does it say how anyone is to be ?kept,? or where, or when? The Greek can mean *kept through* or *kept away from*. For eighteen months I and my people in the mountains of China were kept safe in the midst of the communists. My people at this present ?hour? probably are unharmed in the midst of wolves. I am being kept from ?that hour? by being brought home. But none of us have been translated to heaven. As I will show later, there is a plain scripture to show that the ?hour? through which the Christian hopes to be ?kept? is the day of judgment of the wicked at the end of the reign of anti-Christ. All that I insist on here, however, is that there is plenty of proof that Darby's ?inference? in not ?proof? nor provable by any direct statement of scripture anywhere. *B. The-One-Taken-and-the - Other - Left - Doctrine* Another new interpretation of scripture, which no one seems ever to have heard before the days of Darby, concerned the Lord's statement that at the time of His return two would be grinding at the mill; one would be taken and the other left. Two would be in the same bed; one would be taken and the other left. Two would be together in the field; one would be taken and the other left. Darby said these mentioned as being ?taken? were saved Christians or believers who would thus be ?taken.? Taken where: To heaven. How? By a silent translation, or rapture. When? Any time today, tomorrow - any day, any moment. It would be when the Lord came near the earth to secretly, without any external manifestation, raise the righteous dead and catch the living believers up to meet Him in the air. But, we ask, what proof did Darby have that these to be ?taken? as spoken of by the Lord were to be part of a general rapture of the saints at the time Darby stated: Darby did not *prove* this. He *said* it. Does the Bible say it? No. Darby simply ?inferred? this and then somebody else inferred it and then somebody else until today it still hangs there on ?inference.? Now, while Darby's ?inferences? about what was meant by the one ?taken? and the other ?left? fit into his unproven theory of a secret rapture, these ?inferences? do not fit into the plain statements of the Bible. In fact, the Word of God directly contradicts Darby in this connection. For instance, the Lord Jesus definitely stated that when He comes he will * first* gather out of His kingdom that which offended. He Himself in explaining the meaning of the parable of the wheat and tares and that of the dragnet, said that the tares among the wheat and the bad in the drag-net represented the *wicked* who would ?first? be destroyed before the *good* were gathered in. Matt.13. There it is: Darby said the the Lord would come and first gather the *wheat* from among the tares and leave the tares still in the world. Jesus said that when He comes He will do the very opposite - *first* gather the tares out of the wheat and not leave the tares but bind them into bundles and *burn them*. Does not Jesus' definite statement flatly contradict Darby's ?inference?? What proof is there that the particular moment Jesus had in mind was the time of the resurrection of the dead and the translation of living believers when He was talking about ?the one taken and the other left?? If He referred to the translation of the Church, and the one ?taken? was to be one of those caught up by secret rapture, then do we not have here still another contradiction of scripture? Paul said that it was *he* who revealed to the church the ?mystery? of living believers being caught up to meet the Lord in the air and that of the resurrection of believers at that time. As every Bible student knows, the idea of ?mystery? as used in the Bible is that of making known some truth not previously made known. Now, if Jesus was telling His disciples about the translation of living believers when He told about ?the one taken and the other to be left,? would not Jesus, rather than Paul, have been the revealer of this rapture-?mystery?? And if Jesus revealed this mystery, would not such a comforting and inspiring hope have been handed down through disciples to the days of Paul? And if so, how could Paul have been revealing any ?mystery? at all when he would have been telling disciples what they already would have known? Surely Darby here makes Jesus and Paul contradict one another. In view of the above scriptures and definite statements of Christ, I submit the following ?inferences? as being more consistent than those of Darby: Since the ?tares,? or the wicked men, are *first* to be taken out from the good, could not the ?one taken? be the one taken to be burned and the one not so wicked be ?left?? Could Darby or any one prove that it could not be so?? Here is further support for this inference: Jesus was talking about the similarity between the day of His coming and that of the destruction of the world in the days of Noah and of the destruction in the days of Lot.* Destruction of the wicked* is what He was talking about, was it not? Then what is inconsistent in ?inferring? that although in the days of Noah and Lot the wicked were *all* destroyed suddenly and unexpectedly, in like manner not all, but *some* of the wicked, or unregenerated, would be suddenly destroyed when the Lord comes with His angels to gather the tares? The two in the same bed, the two grinding together at the mill, the two working together in the field might every one of them be *unbelievers. *As students of the Bible must know without argument, the Lord will not * immediately* destroy *all* of the unbelievers when He appears. Will not the destruction of the wicked, begun then, extend over considerable time? At any rate, the believers of the Darby-Scofield interpretations agree that there are unbelievers to be left for the millennium, most of whom, they say, will not ever be converted. Thus, consistent with Darby's own theory about the judgment of the wicked, the worst wicked of the two unbelievers could be ?taken? and the best of the two ?left.? Why not? Equally consistent could not, in some cases, the ?one left? be a true Christian - a grain of wheat left when the tares were taken out? Why not? Furthermore, where is there anything in the statement of the Lord to indicate that anyone was to be ?taken? away from the earth? They were not ?taken? from the earth in the days of Noah or in the days of Lot, were they? These last considerations are not submitted as definite proof; but are they not more consistent with scripture than those of Darby? In short, the above should show that Darby's theory of the righteous being *first*taken from among the wicked is direct contradiction of scripture and the statements of the Lord, and in the second place, when it comes to ?inferences,? plenty of inferences based on direct scripture statement directly oppose those of Darby, showing that he had no sufficient ground for trying to support his theory by such unscriptural and scripture opposing ?inferences.? *Note: *Dr. James R. Graham, Presbyterian scholar and Missionary to China, has unusual confirmation to the views expressed above by H. W. Baker - JAW. * * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Feb 23 12:07:34 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:07:34 -0800 Subject: Introduction - Part B - H.A. Baker Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 23, 2012 *2012-02-23 - THROUGH TRIBULATION - INTRODUCTION Part B - H. A. Baker* *Darby's Interpretations and ?Inferences? - for our Translation prior to anti-Christ* *A. The ?Worthy-to-Escape? Passages* *B. The-One-Taken-and-the - Other - Left - Doctrine (A & B in Introduction Part A)* *C. The Man-Child Theory* When Darby first accepted the Irvingite ?spirit?-inspired woman's any-moment, secret rapture teaching he at once grabbed symbolic twelfth chapter of Revelation and pulled it in to help support his new theory. ?Here we have it,? Darby said, ?the man-child is the raptured church.? Bible students who ought to know say that so far as students of church history seem to know, this idea of making the man-child of Revelation refer to the rapture of the Church started with John Darby. This new offspring born of Darby inference, has surely been prolific - its generation is legion. This whole twelfth chapter of Revelation is figurative language, as no one will deny. Its interpretation is not given in the Bible, as is also undeniable. Any interpretation of this chapter must, therefore, be by ?inference.? Rampant throughout the church today are innumerable false doctrines started by teachers who make the Bible speak by ?inference? where, in fact, it preferred silence. No man can prove anything by the twelfth chapter of Revelation, but he can give his imagination full liberty here to warp it to fit almost any theory. All we take time to say here is that this is not proof text for Darby's theory, or any other theory, and to say whatever the figurative language of this chapter may mean, it cannot mean what Darby said, in view of the *facts * stated in the Word of God as quoted in the following studies in this volume. *D. Enoch, Elijah, Noah* The Darby group brought in Enoch, Elijah and Noah to make them help. Enoch and Elijah, they said, were types of the rapture of the Church before the so-called great tribulation, while Noah and his family, saved at the time of the flood, were types of the Jews being saved *through* the great tribulation. Now what are the facts? The bible does not say that Enoch and Elijah are types of anything. If their experiences are to prove anything or to illustrate anything, they can be said to definitely prove that men can be transformed and translated to heaven without having died. This shows the possibility of the translation of living believers at the time of the Lord's return; but, we may well ask, what is there about the experiences of these two prophets to typify anything about the *time* of the translation of the Church, even if there be any typical connection? Elijah had plenty of persecution while he was alive. No unusual great tribulation or time of persecution followed soon after the translation of Enoch or Elijah; what great tribulation were these men caught away to ?escape?? What about the ?inference? that Noah typified the salvation of the Jews * through* the great tribulation? The Bible definitely states that the salvation of Noah and his family typifies *our* salvation by baptism accompanied by right attitude of heart towards God. 1 Peter 3:18-21. This typifies our being saved from destruction in hell, does it not, according to the Bible? The day Noah entered the ark all of the wicked in *all of*the world were *destroyed*. If we seek similarities, is it not true that the Word of the Lord states that at the time the Lord will return *after* the great tribulation He will destroy the tares and gather the wheat into His garner? However, there is no hint in the scripture that the case of Noah was intended to teach anything about the rapture of the Church. This interpretation by ?inference? was new interpretation never taught before Darby's day, but introduced by him to help his new doctrine. *The Church and the Book of Revelation* By the ?inference?-plan started by Darby and his Plymouth Brethren, the book of Revelation was given new interpretations. In this way the messages to the seven churches were supposed to be types of seven church - ?dispensations,? although there is nothing in the messages themselves, or other statements of scripture, that indicate such meaning. From the end of the third chapter to the end of the book nothing applies to the Church, the Darbyites said, for the Church is not specifically mentioned after the third chapter. The fact that the Church is not mentioned by name after the third chapter of Revelation is no more proof that it had been taken from the earth than that it was not on earth when some of the epistles were written, for in some of them the Church is not mentioned. *Darby's New Dispensation* However, Darby nor anyone else denies that saints and believers appear all through the book of Revelation. If the Church would not then be on earth, who must these saints in Revelation be? Very evidently there must be a new ?inference? to fit the new problem. Here is the new make-up which authorities say never before appeared. The Darby-school decided there must be a new and special and unique ?dispensation? intervene between between the time the Lord comes to take His Church by rapture to heaven and the time of the end of the age after the reign of the anti-Christ. This so-called dispensation they called ?The Great Tribulation.? Although this period will be the greatest time of tribulation the world has ever seen, there appears to be no proof from church history that the term, ?the great tribulation,? was ever applied to these concluding years alone. Anyway, the important point is that Darby claimed that during these years in question the Lord would again deal with Israel in a new way and that a different gospel - called ?the gospel of the kingdom? - would be preached during these years and that the result of this would be a different class of believers whom Darby called ?the tribulation saints.? Here it would be easy to write a few whole chapters showing the error of these ?inferences.? But why the need? Do we not all know there can be no other gospel?? Did not Paul say that if any one preached another gospel, let him be accursed? Surely we all know that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek. Col. 3:28. We know well enough that Christ broke down the wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, making them one body. Eph. 2:14. We also know that all true believers become members of the Church, the body of Christ, do we not? Now, if Darby was right in calling the time of the anti-Christ ?The Great Tribulation? exclusively, then this period must be the time of the greatest revival the world has ever known. The Word says: ?I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds and people, and tongue stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes ... these are they which came out of [the] great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Rev. 9:14. (This is the only place the article ?the? occurs in the Greek in this connection).* Note* We believe that ?the great tribulation? out of which comes the great multitude which no man can number out of every nation, tribe and tongue, began when Adam sold out to the devil. The entrance of sin into God's world brought great tribulation to all mankind and especially to the saints of God who have always been compelled to live in the midst of the enemies of God. While the earth has always been in great tribulation, the end time, under the reign of Satan and the anti-Christ, will be a time of such concentration of the powers of evil that it will be worse than has ever been before, or shall be, the scripture states. ?Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed above all that is called God, or that is worshiped.? 2 Thess. 2:1-4. To the casual reader this passage definitely states that the coming of Christ and the translation of living believers would not be till after the reign of the man of sin. As already stated, the early church fathers and other church writers and the church creeds up till the time of Darby accepted this passage of scripture just as it reads. Darby attempted to remove this barrier that blocked his new doctrine by saying that the ?coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? was not the same as ?the day of Christ.? The Darby-school went still farther and stated that the ?day of Christ? is not the same as ?the day of the Lord.? These men ?infer? that and dogmatically state it as a a fact; but by what scripture do they prove it? A statement without proof is not proof. Let any reader take a concordance and search out all the references to the ?day of the Lord,? the ?day of Almighty,? the ?Day of Christ,? the ?Day of Jesus Christ,? etc. and compare what the Darby-school ?infer? and state with what the Bible says. Just look at the above passage. Is Paul not going to special pains in writing to these Christians to tell them not to be deceived by a ?spirit,? or by a letter, or by any claiming Paul's authority, or by any other means? Did he not try to make them know without any doubt whatever that the coming of the Lord would not be till after the reign of the man of sin? That's the way I read it. If the Lord was to come ?any moment? to catch these saints up to heaven and they were to have nothing to do with the man of sin, why bother them about it and get them confused by using confusing language and terms that did not mean what was apparent? Was Paul not very evidently trying to make things very clear to these Christians? If Darby is right, Paul failed, did he not? If this passage cannot be understood as it reads, then Paul failed to write clearly. If Darby is right, then who would naturally read this scripture and even ?guess? what Darby saw unless told about it by someone indoctrinated in the Darby-school? Let me here ask the reader, in all sincerity, whether he ever thought of such an interpretation of this passage as Darby gave until he heard it given by others or read it somewhere. *What About Giving It to The Jews?* Here is another passage of scripture that, taken as it reads, stood squarely against the so-called pre-tribulation theory of the Darby group. It reads: ?Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man: and then shall all the tribes of he earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.? Matt. 24:29, 30. What did Darby do with this passage that stood directly in his way? Why, he gave it to the Jews! Since his theory claimed that was to be the rapture of the Church *before* the reign of the man of sin and since there would be saints when the Lord came ?immediately *after*? that reign, here was something to be ?explained.? Here is the way Darby ?explained? it: He said that during the period of the reign of the man of sin, the lawless one, the anti-Christ, the Lord would deal with the Jews in a special way and that during this period the Jews would lead in the proclamation of the ?gospel of the kingdom.? Later modifications of this theory also brought in a mysterious, unique group of Gentiles to witness at this time. The result, it was claimed, would be what they called ?the tribulation saints.? This Jewish remnant and their converts were the ones to whom the Lord referred in speaking of His coming ?immediately after the tribulation of those days,? and all this in no way concerned the Church, the Darbyites asserted. Having started with Darby, this new scheme of giving-it-to-the-Jews, called by critics ?the Jewish-waste-basket,? has opened the door for ?inferences? and ?interpretations? and ?theories? galore. The Darby-Scofield teachers by this giveaway plan, made all of the after-tribulation signs concerning the Lord's return apply to the Jews. Some of the Darby line, by this Jewish waste-basket-plan, have given all of the sermon on the mount to the Jews alone. Others have given the whole gospel of Matthew to the Jews, while still others have sliced out diverse sections of other parts of the New Testament and handed these all over to the Jews exclusively. Since all this is about the Jews by ?inference? and every man is free to ?infer? as he likes, so long as real proof is not essential in this system, why not just as well make one clean sweep by one big all-inclusive ?inference? and ?infer? that we are out of it all, for the whole New Testament, except a small portion, was written by Jews and the New Testament, or New Covenant, according to the Bible, was a covenant to be made with the Jews. To who was the Holy Spirit directly promised? The Jews. To whom was directly given the command to preach the gospel to the whole world? The Jews. Salvation is from the Jews, Jesus said so. To the Jews were given the covenants and the promises. Paul said so. This Darby-Scofield ?inference? of give-it-to-the Jews comes to another self-contradiction in the Scofield Bible in which it is claimed that Jesus came to the Jews as the Messiah and that had they accepted Him, He would then and there have set up His kingdom on earth and there would have been no death on the cross; but, since the Jews rejected Jesus, He died on the cross and as a result the Church age came in as a parenthesis in the Lord's dealing with the Jews. Thus the Lord's plan about His kingdom to give-it-to-the Jews, according to Scofield, having failed, we got in on the present plan of salvation through the cross and have the hope of resurrection from the dead. There would be no ?second coming? of Christ at all, had the Jews acted as the Lord expected, according to Scofield. Does not all this show that we can follow the Jewish waste-basket false ?theory? and give the whole Bible to the Jews, or we can reject the *whole theory* and appropriate all the of the New Testament promises for Jewish and Gentile believers alike? Thus can we not, with assurance, say that when Jesus was talking to His disciples about the signs they would see and about His coming ?immediately * after* the tribulation of those days?, He was talking about what Jew and Gentile believers alike would see? If not, why not? If He meant otherwise, would He not have clearly said so? *Summary* The foregoing discussion should show that the pre-tribulation-rapture theory started in the days of Darby is founded on ?inference? only and that the inferences drawn are unsupported by definite scripture and in many cases are contradictory to clear teaching of the Word of God. We have considered this under the topics: The-worthy-to escape-doctrine. One-taken-and-one-left. The man-child theory. Enoch, Elijah and Noah. The Church and the book of Revelation. A new dispensation theory. Darby and the Thessalonian letters. About giving it to the Jews. We have now considered the main inference-supported foundation of the imminent rapture theory, while other still more doubtful ?inferences,? too numerous to mention, are also brought forth to give support to this new doctrine which lacks even *one* direct statement of the scripture. I was reluctant to write this chapter that will be so contrary to former beliefs of so many of my friends; but I became convinced that it was necessary to clear up much misunderstanding and to set forth in this way some things the Bible does *not teach* concerning the theme under consideration. Will the reader now, with as little prejudice as possible, turn to the positive study of the Word of God as set forth in the following chapters and stick at it to the end in order to give the subject a fair and complete consideration. Amen! Then let us proceed. *NOTE**: *Dr. James R. Graham came to the Kostner Avenue Baptist Church of Chicago, possible in 1957-58. He as a Presbyterian scholar, had gone to China as a missionary, and became very proficient in the Chinese language, probably Mandarin. His superiors commissioned him to translate the Notes of ?The Scofield Bible? into Chinese. Half-way through this assignment, he discovered that these Notes were not based on Scripture - but on ?inferences.? As a man of integrity he approached his superiors and resigned his commission in the light of his new-found convictions. ?Through Tribulation?: by H.A. Baker was probably written in the early 1930's. One of the best books ever written on ?The Rapture.? This book is very rare. On a ?Google-Search? under H.A. Baker, and on page 2, see [PDF] ?Under His Wings?, the autobiography of our author, made available to us by his great grandson, Elisha James Baker, August 2008. During his College days in the Midwest, H.A. Baker excelled as the lead on his debating team, and won many debates with other colleges. As you read ?Through Tribulation?, you will see debating skills come forth as he exposes the grave fallacy of the ?Secret Rapture? teaching. I came across his writings as a new convert in 1944, and possess most of his writings. JAW. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri Feb 24 14:18:59 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:18:59 -0800 Subject: Through Tribulation - Chapter I - H.A. Baker Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 24, 2012 *2012-02-24 - THROUGH TRIBULATION - Chapter I - H.A. Baker* *THE GOSPELS, THE BOOK OF ACTS,* *THE EPISTLES AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION* *ALL TEACH THAT THE RETURN OF CHRIST* *WILL BE AT THE END OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION AFTER THE* *1) REIGN OF THE ANTICHRIST AND AFTER* *2) UNPRECEDENTED PHYSICAL DISTURBANCES OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.* *A. CHRIST, IN THE GOSPELS, TAUGHT THAT TWO SERIES OF EVENTS* *WOULD PRECEDE HIS COMING.** (* The method followed in this study is as follows: *1*. Each main heading is a PROPOSITION founded on scripture. 2. Immediately below the main proposition follow other *propositions*, also founded on scripture further corroborating the main proposition. 3. Next in order is the scripture proof-text which should show the correctness of the preceding propositions. 4. The scripture text is next followed by ?Notes? which consist of personal comments relating to the foregoing topic. 5. The *black-faced type* in the scripture quotations are the special proof-texts of the preceding propositions. This black-faced part of the quotations may be read, if so desired, without taking time to read the attendant context, printed in ordinary type. 6. Scripture quoted is from the American Standard Version of 1901.) (1) The reign of the anti-Christ during the concluding years of earth's tribulation must *precede* the Lord's return. Christ said that wars and rumors of wars must come, ?but the end is not yet.? There must first be the definite signs that conclude the great tribulation, one being the abomination of desolation prophesied by Daniel. Jesus stated that His coming would be *after* the tribulation of those days, the days of the anti-Christ. (2) Before Jesus comes there will be also the second series of events, ?signs in sun and moon and stars - the roaring of the sea and billows - when the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.? *Proof Text: the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world?* *wars and rumors of wars;* *the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel, the prophet, ... then shall be great tribulation such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now; no, nor ever shall be.* *But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:* *the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matt. 24:3-6, 15, 21, 29, 30.* *be great earthquakes,* *great signs from heaven* *the roaring of the sea and the billows;* *powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Luke 21:11, 25, 26* *Note: *Jesus disciples asked him a plain question, ?What shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world?? Jesus gave a plain and one hundred per cent clear answer: ?There shall be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world ... immediately *after* the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken; and *then* ... they shall see the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.? To avoid this clear statement of Jesus to His disciples that His coming would be at the end of the tribulation and *after* the disturbances in heaven and on earth, Darby by his system of ?inference,? and by ?inference? alone, said that here Jesus was talking to Jewish disciples and all this applied to the Jews alone and has nothing to do with us, or Gentile believers. Was not this group of disciples to whom Jesus was speaking the same group to whom the Lord gave the great commission to preach the gospel to all the world? Does that have nothing to do with us? Were only the Jews to preach the gospel? Did not many of these same Jewish disciples write books of the New Testament? Were these revelations to the Jews to be the commands and promises to the Jews alone? The promise of the Holy Spirit was made to the Jewish disciples, was it for the Jews alone? Surely any unprejudiced mind must see that here Jesus was talking to His disciples as representatives of all the disciples to follow, whether Jew or Gentile, for in Christ there is no distinction. To whom was this command and promise, to Jew or Gentile disciples: ?Go you, therefore, and teach all nations ... and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.? Who was to ?Go,? only the Jews? With whom would the Lord be present in this preaching? Only the Jews? Who was to do this preaching to the nations till the ?end of the world,? Jews? Gentiles? Was this great promise of the Lord's blessing to only the Jews? Were not *all*disciples, all true Christians, of the church age to preach to all the world? Was not Jesus by His Holy Spirit to be with *all* disciples Jew or Gentile - all members of His true church wherever they worked till the ?end of the world?? In the same way and to the same group represented of all disciples for all the age as was the commission and promise given, was the information given by Jesus that His coming would be *after* the great tribulation ended and the heavens and earth were shaken and the stars fell. In all fairness, is it not like this: Jesus told His disciples, without distinguishing Jew or Gentile, to preach to all the world to the end of the world and promised to be with them in this preaching till the end of the world, and when they asked Him when the ?end? would be (that would end all preaching) He unqualifiedly replied that the end would be after the great tribulation. In all this Jesus very evidently included all disciples in general without race distinction. He did not say or hint that he meant all or any of this for the Jews alone. Darby by ?inference,? without one definite statement from the scripture to support him, said the *Jews alone*. Here we have it: Jesus definite statement, unqualified; Darby's contrary ?inference.? Since the disciples of Christ were to preach the gospel till ?the end of the world,? and since Jesus said that ?the end of the world would be *after*the greatest tribulation and *after* the physical disturbances of heaven and earth, and since the disciples of Christ, without distinction between Jew and Gentile constitute His Church, it follows that the Church will be on earth witnessing till ?the end of the world? *after* the great tribulation. *B. THE HOLY SPIIRT IN THE ACTS AND EPISTLES TEACHES THAT THE COMING OF JESUS WILL BE PRECEDED BY THESE TWO EVENTS.* *(1) *Here we read, in the first place, that Jesus' coming will not be until after ?the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,? the anti-Christ, whose reign will be during the concluding years of the great tribulation. *(2) *The Holy Spirit says that, in the second place, the coming of Christ will also be preceded by physical disturbances in heaven and upon earth: ?wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth beneath - blood and fire and vapor of smoke; that sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the day of the Lord comes.? *Proof Text: coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him;* *as that day of the Lord is just at hand;* *it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; he that opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God, or that is worshiped;* *And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to naught by the manifestation of his coming. 2 Thess. 2:1-8.* *wonders in the heaven above, *and* signs on the earth beneath;* *the sun shall be turned into darkness. *And* the moon into blood, before the day of the Lord. Acts 2:19, 20* *Note: *Here we quote again Paul's definite statement about the time of the Lord's return: ?Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him ... it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, he that opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God, or that is worshiped.? Here Paul definitely says that no one is to believe a contrary teaching about the time of the coming of Christ, even though it claims to be a special revelation given by a ?spirit.? He warns, ?Let no man beguile you in any wise, ?for,? as he goes on to say, ?the coming of Christ will not be ... ?except ... the man of sin be revealed? (the anti-Christ). Here is clear, definite statement that would appear sufficient to settle the question for any unprejudiced mind. Was Paul talking about *two* comings of the Lord, or one coming? He said that ?it,? that day (singular), will not come, except - etc. What did Darby say? He said that ?the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto Him? was one coming of the Lord *before* the reign of the man of sin, the anti-Christ, and that ?the day of the Lord? mentioned in this connection is another coming of Christ *after* the man of sin, the anti-Christ, comes. ?Inference.? Wholly ?inference.? Hand the Bible to any man, woman or child who knows nothing about the question discussed and ask such a one whether the writer of these verses is talking about *one* coming of Christ, or *two*. Ask whether or not, after reading these and preceding verses in the chapter above, it is not apparent that the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is the same as the ?day of the Lord.? Will not ten out of ten such readers answer that Paul is talking about *one* event and that the day of the Lord and the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ are that same day? Try this on an unprejudiced reader and see. Were Paul talking about *two* events would he not have taken pains to make it clear, since he was definitely writing this to the Thessalonians to clear up some confusion they had in their minds? If he meant *two* when apparently he indicated but *one* coming of Christ, would he not have been adding confusion to confusion, rather than clearing up a question already confused? What say you? I say, yes. It is in place here to refer to another of Darby's ?inferences? in this connection. Paul said that there was something that hindered the manifestation of the ?man of sin? and that until this hindrance was removed, the man of sin would not appear, he who is also called ?the lawless one,?: at the head of the ?mystery of lawlessness.? By pure ?inference,? without even a hint in scripture as to what this hindrance was, Darby declared that this hindrance is the Church. Therefore, Darby said, since this hindrance was the Church and since this hindrance had to be removed before the appearance of the man of sin, the anti-Christ, the Church will be raptured before the so-called great tribulation under the anti-Christ. But where is there any scripture-statement that this hindrance is the Church? Who can prove by even ?inference? that there could be no other that the Church to hinder? Nearly all the world has been heathen to the present day. In the society and the governments of the greater part of the world the church has had very little, if any, noticeable influence. How about China? How about India? How about the tribes of Africa? How about South America? Here is a whole continent shut away from light by the nominal church. Who can show from the Bible, or from history, that it is the Church that has restrained and still hinders lawlessness from running its full course? Satan is the prince of this world; he would have destroyed it long ago, or at least, made it all his, had it not been for the restraining hand of God, who over-rules all. God's power and ways of restraining evil and saying, ?Thus far and no further,? are not now, nor ever were confined to the Church of the New Testament. How about pre-church days of Old Testament time? The Bible does definitely make some statements in comparing the power of the church and that of the anti-Christ. It says: ?And it was given unto (the beast, the anti-Christ), to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues and nations.? Rev. 13:7. We missionaries did not keep the lawless, godless communists out of China. They ran us out. The church in China could not ?hinder? them. They are hindering the church. *C. THE BOOK OF REVELATION ALSO TEACHES THAT THE LORD'S RETURN WILL BE PRECEDED BY THESE TWO SERIES OF EVENTS.* *(1) *Revelation teaches that the first series of events that will take place during the final years of the great tribulation will precede the coming of the Lord, for all the events of the ?six seals? must take place before Jesus' returns. The things under these seals end the great tribulation. *(2) *The second series of events - the physical disturbances in heaven and earth - must also precede the Lord's return, for after the ?sixth seal,? or ending with the sixth seal, ?was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair while the moon became as blood and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth.? These disturbances just precede the great day of ?the wrath of the Lamb,? the return of Christ. *Proof Test: opened one of the seven seals, and - forth conquering, and to conquer.* *he opened the second seal, - peace from the earth.* *he opened the third seal, - a measure of wheat for a shilling and three measures of barley for a shilling;* *he opened the fourth seal, - a black horse, - his name was Death; - the fourth part of the earth to kill with a sword, and with famine and with death,* *opened the fifth seal, - had been slain for the word of God, - their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed,* *he opened the sixth seal, - a great earthquake; - sun became black - moon became as blood; - stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, - heaven was removed as a scroll when it is - every mountain and island were moved out of their places. - kings of the earth - princes, chief captains, - the rich - the strong, - every bondman - free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand? Rev. 6:1-17.* *Note: *Darby and his school started another line of argument by ?inference? regarding the book of Revelation. He said that since the Church is not definitely mentioned after the fourth chapter of Revelation it must, therefore, have been translated by rapture before the events that will take place according to the following chapters of this book. But the Church is not definitely mentioned in some of the epistles. To be consistent with Darby's line of ?inference,? must we believe then, that Paul and Peter and John wrote these epistle to churches that were not on earth? We know by a better ?inference? that there was the Church on earth to whom these epistles were written, for they were written to ?believers,? and it is ?believers? who constitute the Church. Likewise, there are ?believers? all through the book of Revelation. Are not all ?believers? member of the Church, or body of Christ, till the day He returns to set up His kingdom? Must not all true believers be born again of the Holy Spirit to see the kingdom of God? When born of the Holy Spirit are they not then in the real Church? Then again, John was to write the book of Revelation to ?the seven churches.? Rev. 1:3, 4. That is the statement at the beginning of the book. At the end of the book we read: ?I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify unto you these things *in the churches.? * Rev. 22:16. If all the book of Revelation did not concern the whole Church, why write it to the ?churches?? That the message of Revelation is to more that the seven churches is proven by the facts that the revelations of the things that ?must come to pass? as revealed to them did not come to pass in the days of these seven churches. Who will allow Darby's ?inference? to take from us all of Revelation but the first four chapters? This whole book of Revelation harmonizes with the outline of events in the gospels and epistles. The physical disturbances of the heavens and the earth being considered *as the last revealed events* just before the Lord's return, this book will be seen to present a series of views and partial views of scenes and events preceding and following the great day of the Lord's return in glory to judge and reign over all the world. Thus considered, the events of Revelation are not continued successive series but various pictures many of which might be partial views of differing events of the same time. Thus it will be seen that the judgments are followed by the *seventh seal, *the* seventh trumpet* and *seventh vial, *all of which usher in the return of Christ and the setting up of His eternal kingdom. *Conclusion: *Since messages of the book of Revelation were written to all ?the churches? and must apply to the Church, and since these messages indicate that the reign of the anti-Christ and the signs in the heavens will precede the coming of Jesus, the Church will, therefore, go through the great tribulation.* * *Replies:* Oregon pastor - What a needed teaching. Oregon Leader - I'm enjoying the Tribulation series. The Part A is very much like a teaching I heard from David Pawson of England. He is of your age group and an excellent Bible teacher. He reminds me of you. I've attached a teaching he does that coincides with Part A. I think you would be particularly interested in what he says about Darby. His family were in the Plymouth Brethren sect - some agreed with Darby and some did not. Anyway, if you have time, take a listen. B.C. National Leader, Teacher and Preacher: Thanks for this Jim. Very interesting. It is also illustrative of how important it is to study the Word with as few of man's preconceptions as possible. Though I have never delved in to study this subject at depth, just my general reading of the Word had left me to dismiss the idea of a pre-tribulation rapture. Now I'll have to even question my mid-trib view! Canadian Leader: I found these two articles on the Rapture and Tribulation very encouraging, showing me that my understanding on these issues was scriptural. I have since the 1970's when I first heard that the rapture theory was not scriptural, and checked it out, and I found that Jesus told his disciples in Matt. 24 that first tribulation would come and then the angels would gather His Elect from the earth. Yet this false teaching is so prevalent in almost all denominations, that if it is brought up, in Bible studies, most think you are spreading heresy. For this reason I would like your permission to post these two articles on my web-site. Thanking you in advance. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Feb 27 12:04:42 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:04:42 -0800 Subject: Through Tribulation - Chapter 2 - H.A. Baker Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 27, 2012 *2012-02-26 - THROUGH TRIBULATION - Chapter 2 - H.A. Baker* *THROUGH TRIBULATION TO HEAVEN* *THE UNVARYING PRINCIPLE OF REDEMPTION* *A. THE SAINTS, THE CHURCH, SHOULD NOT EXPECT TO ESCAPE TRIBULATION * *BUT TO ENTER THE KINGDOM THROUGH GREAT TRIBULATION* The true saints of the true Church should not expect to escape tribulation. On the other hand, it is only through tribulation that they can enter the blessings of the kingdom. They will be beaten and led to judgment before kings and councils. Brother will deliver brother to death, and the father his child. Unbelieving children will deliver their Christian parents to death, and the true saints will be hated of all men. Beholding the suffering and patience of the prophets, he who like them endures suffering in patience ?until the coming of the Lord,? will be blessed. The world hated Christ and persecuted Him. In the world we, too, will have tribulation. The servant is not above his lord. Except a man bear a cross and be willing to renounce all that he has - father, mother, sister, brother, children - and willing to suffer and give his life in death, he cannot be Christ's perfect disciple. He will be a joint heir with Christ in glory if he now be a partaker with Him in suffering. After we have suffered with Him, then will we be perfected, established, and strengthened to rejoice with Him at the revelation of His glory. This path of entering the kingdom through suffering is the path that all the saints of old have trod. It is the road over which all the saints of the present must pass. Paul having been persecuted, scourged, stoned, and dragged about; having counted all things but loss and desiring to be crucified as was the Lord, was passing through trials on the way to the glories of the resurrection life from among the dead. Paul said that ?through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.? The saints of old, bound for the city whose builder and maker was God, and on the way to the resurrection had trials of mocking and scourgings, bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned and sawn asunder. They were tempted and slain. They were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated, and were driven out to wander in deserts and mountains and caves and holes of the earth. Therefore we, their successors, encompassed about by all these witnesses must enter their kingdom and share their glory by passing over the same road of suffering they have gone. By the same process as the Lord used in days of old will we be perfected in following the same Perfecter who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross and all shame and has now sat down on the right hand of the throne of God. *Proof text: Take heed that no man lead you astray.* *For they shall deliver you up to councils; ... you shall be beaten:* *And when they lead you to judgment, ... brother shall deliver up brother do death, and the father his child, and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death, ... you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endures to the end time shall be saved. Mark 13:4, 5, 9-13.* *- an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets ... them blessed that endured. James 5:7-10, 11.* *- in me, you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation: ... John 16:33* *- some of them ... shall fall, to refine them, and to purify, ... to make them white, ... to the time of the end. Daniel 11:35.* *- Many shall purify themselves, ... make themselves white, ... be refined; ... Daniel 12:10* *- the world hated you. ... A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. John 15: 19-20.* *- any man ... take up his cross, ... whoever would save his life shall lose it: Matt. 16:24-25.* *- man comes ... hates not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters; yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. .. not bear his own cross, ... cannot be my disciple. ... whoever he be ... that renounces not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26, 27-33.* *- joint heirs with Christ: ... suffer with him ... be also glorified with him. Romans 8:16-17.* *- you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, ... at the revelation of his glory also you may rejoice with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:12-13.* *- we are to suffer affliction; 1 Thess. 3:4. ... the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world ... after that you have suffered ... shall himself perfect, establish and strengthen you. 1 Peter 5:8-10.* *- Antioch ... Iconium: ... stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead ... exhorting them ... and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God. ... I count all things to be loss ... I* *suffered the lost of all things, ... that I may gain Christ. Acts 14:19-22; Phil. 3:8.* *- power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, ... death; ... I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead. Phil. 3:10-11.* *- longsuffering, ... patience, persecutions, sufferings; ... persecutions I endured: and out of them all the Lord delivered me. ... all that would live godly ... shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3:11-13.* *- dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance: ... better resurrection: ... trial of mockings and scourgings, ... bonds and imprisonment: ... stoned, ... sawn asunder, ... slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated; ... wandering in deserts and mountain and caves and the holes of the earth. Heb. 11:35-38.* *- Therefore ... let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus ... for the joy ... endured the cross, despising the shame; ... sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb. 12:1-2.* *Note: * Saints who have gone before us were kept in times of tribulation, as great tribulation as ever could come to man. Daniel was kept from the lions, and his friends were kept through the fiery furnace. So also were the children of Israel kept during the plagues of Egypt. The prophets were kept during great tribulation in Old Testament days until their testimony was complete. In New Testament days the apostles and prophets and saints of God were kept. Paul and Silas in prison and Peter also in prison were kept and delivered. Of course, the real saints of God have always suffered in this evil world that the devil has made a world of great tribulation; but, the true saints suffer no more and no less that is the will of God, so long as they are yielded to His whole will. They suffer only as much as is best for their own spiritual development and for the advancement of the kingdom of God. Until their work is finished the true saints will continue their witness in spite of any and all tribulation. When their work is done and their testimony is complete, the Lord will take them home, perhaps by a martyr's death. But, even so, not a hair of their head will perish, for body and spirit are perfectly and eternally saved in Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Thus the saints are kept safe before death, at the time of death, and through the resurrection after death. A wide-spread theory that there is to be a final group of saints under the reign of anti-Christ, called ?tribulation saints? is one of the many ?inferences? started by Darby and his Plymouth Brethren. As a matter of history the true saints of God have been ?tribulation saints? ever since there have been saints on earth. The spirit of the anti-Christ has always been here, too. The last years of earth will be an intensifying of what has already been experienced - not something new, but more of the *old*. *B. THE SAINTS WILL BE KEPT THROUGH THE GREAT TRIBULATION* The Lord will keep His saints through all of earth's great tribulation. Jesus prayed not that the Father should take His disciples *out* of the world by a rapture to heaven. On the contrary, He sent them *into* the world to endure its tribulation, during which they would be kept from Satan and his powers. The saints will be kept in the days of tribulation, for Jesus' prayer is certain of an answer. With temptations and trials God, who is faithful, will make a way of escape. In times of temptation and tribulation He will deliver His people from the snare and pestilence and the arrows that fly by day and the terror by night. He will give His angels charge over His saints to keep them in all of their ways in any tribulation. *Proof text: ... you should keep them from the evil ... God is faithful ... John 17:15; 1 Cor. 10:13.* *- under the shadow of the Almighty. Surely he shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler, ... You shall not be afraid ... for the arrow ... he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. Psalm 91:3, 5, 11.* *- For I will give you a mouth of wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. ... there shall not a hair of your head perish. In your patience possess your souls. Luke 21:15-19.* *Note: *That the church should go through all of earth's age-long great tribulation is consistent with the unvarying principle of God's dealing with His children. Every son He receives He scourges. The saints in all past ages have entered the kingdom of God through great tribulation and suffering. From the day Abel was murdered to the day of the last Old Testament martyr, what was the experience of the prophets and holy men of God if not a march to glory over the rough road of great tribulation? On what road to glory did the apostles and holy men in New Testament days, from the murder of Stephen on, travel, if not the great tribulation road that passed through martyrs' graves? If not through great tribulation, by what road was it the saints from the first to the present century have come on down? Read *?Fox's Book of Martyrs?* and you will know. For thirty years in Russia, and longer in South America, and right now in China and all red countries are the best of saints bing caught away from great tribulation, or are they in the furnace of fire, fire as hot as saints have ever seen? Read *?Total Terror,?* by Kalme, and tell me if there has been, or ever can be, worse torture and more intense suffering that that endured in our day by saints as good as ever have lived and as good, many of them, as ever will live. If any of these have been falsely taught that they would be caught away out of great tribulation, they have found their mistaken teaching. They are now caught *in it*. On what principle, then, should any present-day Christians be taught that the present Church is to be an exception and ?escape? any great tribulation? Looks strange. One-third of the world's population with its Christians already being chewed in the red dragon's mouth and the rest being drawn in, and yet we, who are still free, are to be a unique exception; they say! On what grounds are we to be an exception? Are we more virtuous than others - Daniel, the prophets, the apostles, the saints of all preceding ages? How would the present ease-loving non-cross-bearing, half-converted Church of our day feel over in glory-land after getting there on flowery beds of ease and then seeing the martyrs marching by? Would they not wish to return to earth and return again to heaven over the blood-saturated road the saints before have gone? *I *?infer? that all of Darby's ?inferences? about there being for *any*generation of saints any way to glory but the way of the cross through great tribulation are wrong ?inferences.? *Conclusion*: Since the Bible, from the beginning to end, teaches that suffering tribulation on the way to glory is the way saints of old have gone and saints in the future must go, the Church will go through the great tribulation to its end. *FINAL NOTE**: A friend of mine has alerted me to the thoroughly Biblical teaching of David Pauson of England. One of his teachings is on the Book of Revelation - and deals with the same subject above - namely: the time of the Rapture from a Biblical perspective. I was challenged with his presentation, and believe if any of you want another perspective on what H. A. Baker is presenting on the Tribulation - then this could be a clear help to you. I am adding it to this note so that if you wish, you may Download his CD presentation. His spirit is certainly in line with the Spirit of God. - Jim Watt* *BookofRevelationSeminar08of10.mp3* 23351K Play Download * * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Feb 29 09:24:23 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:24:23 -0800 Subject: Marriage & Covenant! Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* February 29, 2012 (?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt ? Beth Chesed, Tacoma - October 11, 2006)* *?MARRIAGE: BOTH A PARABLE & A COVENANT?* In our Western Culture, Separation and Divorce in marriage has reached proportions that often show little difference in statistics either within or without the church. How could such a state of events come to pass? First of all because of ignorance of God?s point of view on this. And secondly ? because in America we have lost our understanding of the distinction between mental belief and discipleship. Look for instance at the high calling of a man and woman into marriage as outlined in Ephesians 5:21-33. When a man and woman take the solemn vows of living together as husband and wife, they are illustrating as one flesh ? what Christ is to His church as ?one spirit?. Everything Moses acted out by God?s command as he recorded in Genesis through Deuteronomy, was a shadow or type of the New Covenant to come ? as Christ would fulfill it. Because Christ would die but once for the remission of our sins ? Moses broke this type by striking the rock a second time. Because he failed to honor God before Israel in correctly acting out the type, he and Aaron lost the privilege of entering the Promised Land. Joshua took Moses? place for this honor. So what does God think when married couples break the type and shadow pointing to Christ and His church ? by so easily settling for divorce? On this JESUS IS ADAMANT: Saving for the cause of fornication -- illegal sex outside of the marriage relationship ? there can be no divorce in the eyes of God. Fornication includes adultery, the illegal act of homosexuality, bestiality, and all other acts of perversion. For such, divorce is permissible. So, marriage as a parable according to the above passage of Scripture, makes it far more highly important than most of us are aware of. But ? what of marriage as a Covenant? Some years ago, just preceding his second marriage, Derek Prince wrote a book entitled, ?The Marriage Covenant.? It is a pity that this book is not more widely known and practiced. For Covenant is one of the 4 great Words of the Old Testament. To understand it (B?rith) plus ?Chesed? ? ?Covenant Love? or Grace or Mercy ? would completely transform our thinking on this matter ? and enable our mind to be renewed and come into conformity with the thinking of God. ?Chesed? ? or Covenant Love ? is the glue that holds the Marriage Covenant, and all other Covenants ? together. In Malachi 2 God talks first about the Covenant that He made with the Levites and Priests. He carries on in sharing His deep upset with their lifestyle. He says, You cry out, ?Why has the LORD abandoned us?? I?ll tell you why! Because the LORD witnessed the vows you and your wife made with each other on your wedding day when you were young. But you have been disloyal to her, though she remained your faithful companion, the wife of your marriage vows. 15 Didn?t the LORD make you one with your wife? In *body * and in *spirit* YOU ARE HIS. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard yourself; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. 16?FOR I HATE DIVORCE!? says the LORD, the God of Israel. ?It is as cruel as putting on a victim?s bloodstained coat,? says the LORD Almighty. ?So guard yourself; always remain loyal to your wife? (Malachi 2:14-16). And of course in our enlightened culture with equality of the sexes ? the same words today apply to the wife for her loyalty to her husband! One might say ? ?But that is Old Testament, and we are freed from law and are under grace.? Oh? But the moral law contained in the Old Testament has been repeated by Jesus and His apostles in the New Testament! And Jeremiah states that God will make a New Covenant with Israel, and write THE WORDS OF THE TORAH (the moral law) on our minds and hearts by the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit within us will live out through us the moral law in the spirit, which Israel could not keep under the Mosaic Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-40). And remember ? You and I who are non-Jews but Gentiles, have been grafted into Israel?s roots, and with them are ?One New Man? in Christ. Romans 9-11 clearly states these truths, and show that in God?s thinking the Church has not replaced Israel. Rather, because of the benefits the church has received through our Jewish Hebraic Roots ? we have the privilege of praying Israel who has returned in unbelief to their land ? into a nation to be born again in a day, and to receive Jesus as their Messiah ? the One they rejected 2000 years ago. Just how does the Marriage as a Covenant impinge upon us? We in the Western world have much to learn from the Middle East and from the Third World countries. Stanley found David Livingstone in Africa because of ?The Blood Covenant.? See E. W. Kenyon?s book with this title. Watkin Roberts demonstrated the power of this concept. God garnered this Welshman into His Kingdom during the Welsh Revival of 1904. He went to India as a missionary in 1910. In response to his gift of the Gospel of John to every Tribal Chieftain in Assam, Manipur and the other 3 NE Provinces of India, the Chieftain of the Senvon village of Assam invited him to come and tell his Hmar people more. A problem: the chieftain had taken 600 British heads in one day 40 years previously, and that part of India had been closed to all Europeans since 1870. Mr. Roberts however prevailed upon the Maharaja of Manipur in Imphal, to let him go to Senvon for 10 days. The first 7 days of his preaching was fruitless. His interpreter told him that if on the way in ? he hadn?t talked so much about Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London ? he, the interpreter, could have told him of the customs of his people, which would have served as Kingdom principles. As conditions existed, the people of Senvon hadn?t understood a thing the missionary had said during the first 7 days. Roberts humbled himself to his interpreter, and begged for help. ?Well?, said the interpreter, ?there?s not much time left, but here is one of the most significant customs of all the 300 tribes in these 5 Provinces. It is called ?The Border Crossing Sacrifice.? When tribes are not taking heads from outsiders, they are taking heads from one another. When one Chieftain tires of this, he goes to the border between the two warring tribes and signals the other chieftain by blowing a horn, or beating a drum. The message says, ?I?m tired of taking and losing heads. Are you too? Come meet me at the Border, and we?ll settle this thing.? ?If the other Chieftain agrees and responds, they come and face each other across the Border. Their elders flank them in a semi-circle, and do the palavering. Should a solution be agreed upon, they kill a sacrifice on the Border. The two Chiefs then reach down into the sacrificial blood, and smear one another with it. They then take a cup of wine, cut themselves in their wrists ? drip a few drops of their own blood into the wine, stir it, and both then drink of it. They then take a very solemn vow or oath, that if either breaks this Covenant, their own elders will do to them what happened to the Border Crossing sacrifice. They also exchange gifts.? Watkin Roberts shared the above story with the Village people that 8thnight. They immediately brightened up for the first time in 7 days. ?Oh, the missionary is getting smart,? they said. ?That?s a very good story! That?s exactly the way we do it!? For the first time they understood him. He then applied the story as a parable. The great God of Heaven who created all things: heaven and earth ? all living creatures including man ? has great sorrow in His heart, because mankind has moved away from Him. So without a drum sound or a horn ? He came to the border between God and man. There He sacrificed His only begotten Son. Then He blew the horn and beat the drum and announced: ?All who meet Me and embrace Me over the blood of My Son ? I will forgive him, restore him, and bring Him into my family again.? Five young men responded. Chawnga Pudaite, son of the chieftain, was one. He memorized much of the New Testament and taught it to his people. Today over 80% of the Hmar, his former head-hunting tribal people, have embraced God over Jesus, God?s Border Crossing Sacrifice. Within a few years, 15 other tribes were evangelized. Now consider the Marriage Covenant! A solemn vow is given by the groom to the bride, and then by the bride to the groom. On Saturday, October 7th, the 1st day of the Feast of Tabernacles, my grandson Seth heard me say, ?Seth, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together after God?s holy Ordinance, in the Holy Estate of Matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her, so long as you both shall live?? Seth answered, ?I will.? Then in turn Jennifer answered affirmatively to the same question. Then they solidified the above Question and Answer, by this exchange of vows, following the joining of their right hands: ?I Seth, take you Jennifer, to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, To love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God?s holy ordinance; And to this I give you my pledge.? They then separated hands, and upon rejoining them, Jennifer repeated this vow to Seth. Often in a marriage ceremony Communion (Eucharist or the Lord?s Supper) is celebrated. This speaks of the Border Crossing Sacrifice. Then in a double ring ceremony, an exchange of rings takes place, with a further vow: ?With this ring I thee wed, And with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.? Next comes the Covenant Prayer of Confirmation: ?Lord, SEAL this Covenant Marriage with its exchange of rings, and with its exchange of vows. Let Your Blessing be upon this marriage. And may the LORD bless you and keep you: The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious unto you. The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.? (Before Stanley found Livingstone, he went through this with a Chieftain far south of Livingstone.) Then there is the ceremony of lighting the ?Unity Candle? from two servant candles, which are then put out, signifying that two lives have now become one flesh. The cutting of the wedding cake, sometimes done with a sword ? could signify the cutting of the Border Crossing Sacrifice. *NOTE: *My oldest grandson Seth and Jennifer his bride, asked if I would give the above as the Homily at their Wedding. Some would not know of the Solemnity and Importance of Marriage, and they felt it would be good for them to know. Others present would know, but perhaps it could deepen their understanding, or stir up their minds in remembrance. Many came up to me following the service to thank me for the enlightenment they received in seeing so clearly how Marriage is both a Solemn Parable and an Important Covenant. I had to tell them: ?You must thank the Bride and Groom ? It was at their request that I gave this Homily for their Wedding. They had read together Derek Prince?s ?The Marriage Covenant?, which we had previously given them as a gift. My wife Marie had lent them 8 other books on Marriage, of which they had already read four. THIS is the way to enter into the ?Halls of Highest Human Happiness? ? a Peter Marshall synonym for ?Marriage.? King Solomon agrees with Peter Marshall. In Ecclesiastes 9:9 (NLT) he says: ?Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God gives you in this world. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil.? Both Marie and I believe that to enter into Marriage like Seth and Jennifer ? based on the above two-fold understanding ? is a wonderful foundation and safeguard. In our regular mailings ? we seldom mention personal or family matters. But I was so impressed at the request of Seth and Jennifer for the above Homily, that I felt it deserved an exception. Your friends ? Jim & Marie Watt P.S. Five of our grandsons were present for the above occasion. One of them had a question for me after the ceremony. ?Grandpa ? what has all the taking of those heads to do with marriage and a wedding ceremony?? I tried to tell him that the Border Crossing Sacrifice was an illustration of ?The Blood Covenant?. Marriage is a Covenant, and all covenants are based upon the Great Shedding of Blood by Jesus. Mel Gibson?s ?The Passion of the Christ? is apropos in this respect. The background of the Headhunting Hmar tribe of N.E. India was partly an illustration of Covenant, and the actual detail leading up to making a Covenant would not in Marriage be fully Germaine to the subject ? yet would be valid as the background of the illustration. His response was: ?I still don?t get the connection.? But at least it shows that this pre-teenager is a serious thinker! He will eventually take it in his stride. But just think how THIS will prepare him for his own marriage one day! Marie felt this P.S. would be an important addendum. J & M. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Mar 1 18:28:26 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2012 18:28:26 -0800 Subject: 7 Churches & 7 Nations Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 1, 2012 *(?TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt ? Beth Chesed, Tacoma - October 25, 2006)* *?7 CHURCHES & 7 NATIONS?* *EXPLANATION:* *OVERCOMING GOALS FOR THE 7 CHURCHES OF REVELATION * On a mailing dated October 21, 2006 and titled: ?12 Gates of the City & the 7 Creative Days?, I received a request: ?Would it be possible to enlarge on this theme?? I was about to respond that a ?Google? search would turn up quite a bit on this, when I ran across something I wrote in 1994 on this subject. Here ?tis! *EPHESUS: MUST OVERCOME THE HIVITE SELF-CENTERED LIFE ? DAY 1* There is a warning here! Alan Vincent of England states that the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians is a prophetic word to Ephesus that did not find fulfillment. Ephesus failed. Her Candlestick was removed. She left her first love, did not act upon the warning of Jesus, and little trace of her can be found today in modern Turkey. God is yet awaiting a City Church that will arise, and meet the 7-fold challenge of this epistle. What light could have come to the world had the church of Ephesus arisen to the challenge? But the Hivite spirit of Selfishness and Self-centered living replaced the fire of her first love. Remember again the deadly aspects of Self-centered living: life focused on self; proud of self and self?s accomplishments; self-confidence; depending on self and one?s own abilities; affirming self; seeking to be acceptable to the world and its ways; looking at circumstances from a human perspective; selfish and ordinary living. And again consider what Ephesus could have returned to in Love: an expression of God-centered living; confidence in God; dependence on God and His ability and provision; life focused on God and His activity; humble before God; denying self; seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; seeking God?s perspective in every circumstance; holy and godly living. And what was the Holy Spirit?s goal for the church of Ephesus? Christ?s * Church*, with Himself as her life and Head; Christ?s *Body*, each member individually and corporately responding to its living Head; God?s *One New Man*, with no middle wall of division; the *Temple* of God, Jesus Christ the chief Corner-stone and Capstone; God?s *Building*, only gold and silver and precious stones; Christ?s *Bride*, loving, obeying and respecting Him; God?s *Army*, doing effective warfare against principalities, powers and all territorial spirits. Pray that the church of Jerusalem and all cities of the world may arise to this challenge. *O Father, we do pray that the church of the city in which we live will arise and fulfill the challenge that Ephesus failed in. We pray also for the peace of Jerusalem, and that the church of that city may become a realization of the Epistle to the Ephesians. In Jesus? Name, Amen.* *SMYRNA: MUST OVERCOME THE JEBUSITE SPIRIT OF ENVY ? DAY 2* In this week we are not only considering the 7 churches of Revelation 2 & 3, but also the 7 Canaanite nations of Deuteronomy 7:1, each required by God for Israel to DRIVE OUT and DESTROY. Each of these 7 nations represents the 7 ?Capital? or besetting sins of the human race. The Contemplative movement through St. John of the Cross showed the way to union with God through ?The Ascent to Mount Carmel? (purging oneself from all defilement of the flesh); and through ?The Dark Night of the Soul? (purging oneself from defilement of the spirit); and then perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord (2 Corinthians 7:1, bringing union and communion with Christ). The Jebusite spirit of ENVY is worse than the capital sin of Hatred (Proverbs 27:4). Envy and Jealousy are twins: the former coveting the possessions of its owner; the latter coveting the characteristics and giftings of their owner. Both break the 10th Commandment of Exodus 20, and are not to be separated. They are twin marks of Covetousness. Smyrna was like the writer of Psalm 73: he coveted the prosperity of the wicked. Yet Jesus Christ had no word against her or Philadelphia, the only two without censure of the seven. Christ encouraged Smyrna in her tribulation and persecution. FAITHFULNESS to Christ in the midst of testing is the key to overcoming and approval. Look only to Jesus, NOT the status or experience of those who measure themselves against others (2 Corinthians 10:12-17). Instead, like Job, endure through testings, trusting God alone in His timing to vindicate and reveal His hidden purposes. The word of Jesus to Smyrna is a difficult but necessary word. He, who has ears, let him hear it. *Father, we trust and rest in Your help to overcome the sin of Envy. Walk THROUGH us the divine perfection of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Enable us to endure testing, and bring us through with flying colors. In Your Son?s Name, Amen.* *PERGAMUM: MUST OVERCOME THE GIRGASHITE SPIRIT OF PRIDE ? DAY 3* Revelation 2:12-17; Deuteronomy 7:1; Ezekiel 28:1-19 According to Charles G. Finney, the selfishness or self-will of Ephesus is the key sin: overcome here, and all else is a house of cards. The Pride of Pergamum is the key sin that led to the fall of Lucifer into Satan. And it is here in Pergamum, the city of Pride, where we again find Satan?s throne. Martyrdom unto death is also found here. Satanism and sexual license are found hand in hand ? so it is not surprising to find the sin of Balaam here too. And there is yet MORE sin ? that of the Nicolaitans, who encouraged idolatry and sexual sin. The Girgashites are the least known in their origins among the 7 Canaanitish nations mentioned in Deuteronomy 7:1. The capital sin of Pride identified with this nation is subtle. It is a *religious spirit*. It is like the smile of Leonardo da Vinci?s ?Mona Lisa?, who seems to intimate the knowledge of a secret unknown to others. People infected with this spirit count all others as of lesser spirituality to themselves. It leads those seduced and deluded by this spirit to become rebellious, above rules and laws that govern others; divisive, strange, peculiar, doing odd things brought on by inner voices that bring reproach to the Gospel. Those who lend their beings to the control of the religious spirit of pride of the Girgashites, believe they alone are truly led of the Holy Spirit. Like Saul of Tarsus before conversion, even the killing of Christians is thought to be serving God. Killing babies, homicides, suicides, are often instigated by this evil spirit. As Satan was a liar and murderer from the beginning, so those who follow the prideful Girgashite, act like those of Pergamum. Yet thank God, Overcomers are in this church also! *Lord, help us to remember that we are ALL open to deception and pride. GUARD us against this subtle sin. Amen* *THYATIRA: MUST OVERCOME THE AMORITE SPIRIT OF LUST ? DAY 4* 1 Kings 16:29 ? 19:4; 21:1-29; 2 Kings 9:1-37 William Barclay gives an excellent geographical and historical background on each of these 7 churches. G. Campbell Morgan sets forth these 7 churches in a helpful and practical manner in his book on this subject. Thyatira means ?Perfume out of Bruising?. There was good coming out of this church that pleased the Lord, but it was a mixture. Along with the good were terrible and grave excesses. Chief among these was the false prophetess Jezebel who the chief apostle and pastor permitted to function and poison the church. Just as Queen Jezebel poisoned Israel through weak and compliant King Ahab, so this evil woman poisoned the church of Thyatira because of the weakness and compliance of the chief pastor. Why do men having the authority suffer themselves to be deceived, deluded and contaminated? Elijah and the Apostle Paul were not of this spirit. It takes an Ahab to make possible a Jezebel. False prophecy has no effect in a church when the leadership is functioning as Prophet, Priest and King in families and churches. But when Patriarchy becomes Matriarchy because men like Ahab abdicate their responsibility, then the situation found in Thyatira becomes possible. Usually women resent being forced by abdicating husbands to take the leadership in the home and church. They much prefer their men to be ?men?. But there are these odd women with ambition and drive who thrive on a weak Ahab. God help the family and church where this takes place. It is usually accompanied with sexual excess, adultery and perversion. Sometimes a man can have a Jezebel spirit, as was evidenced in the 80?s in a large church in Seattle. Thank God again, in spite of the Amorite spirit of LUST (spiritual connections), such a church still has Overcomers! *Father, in our homes and churches, make our men ? MEN; let them function as Prophet, Priest and King; let their wives as co-heirs of God?s grace function as Prophetess, Priestess and Queen. Break the spirit of Ahab and Jezebel, and set us free, in Jesus? Name. Amen.* *SARDIS: MUST OVERCOME THE PERIZZITE SPIRT OF APATHY ? DAY 5* Revelation 3:1-6; Deuteronomy 7:1; Ephesians 5:8-17 Jesus could find nothing good to say about Sardis or Laodicea. What deception and delusion existed in Sardis! All the time they saw themselves in Life, the Lord saw them in Death and Darkness. In such self-deception, a spirit of paralysis seems to take over. It takes intercession on the part of others to blast through this spirit of error, so that anointed eyes can see the true situation of ?apathy? as the Lord sees it. Better to find out now if rugged repentance is necessary in the light of grave deception, than to appear before the Lord at His Judgment Seat, unprepared for His devastating words: You have been weighed in the balance, and found wanting! *Apathy* is a binding, blinding sin. ?Blasting?, on the part of loving, concerned intercessors, alone seems to break through. This is an occasion for extra sadness, because suddenly the Lord comes in judgment as a thief in the night. Those who walk in the Light avoid this irremediable judgment. Rufus Moseley points out the aggressive solution: Learn to abide in Jesus, to remain in union with Him! Choose to manifest Him only in all situations as the Spirit of Love; Cleave to His Freedom which is released to all disciples who walk joyfully in His Word! Gandhi, a non-Christian, advised Christians how to make their faith work in other countries: Christians, missionaries and all, must begin to live more like Jesus Christ. Second, practice your religion without adulterating it or toning it down. Third, emphasize love and make it your working force, for love is central in Christianity. Fourth, study the non-Christian religions more sympathetically to find the good that is within them, in order to have a more sympathetic approach to the people. *O Lord, help us to humble ourselves, and profit from the insight of even non-professing Christians ? that pride and apathy might be broken in our lives. Amen.* *PHILADELPHIA: MUST OVERCOME THE HITTITE SPIRIT OF ANGER ? DAY 6* Our dispensational friends tend to see this church and Laodicea jointly representing the end of this age. There is a weak church, namely Philadelphia; but one which is enabled by grace to accomplish God?s purposes in her day. Then there is a section of the church almost completely inundated with materialism, humanism, New Ageism and pleasure: namely Laodicea. Philadelphia, the city of brother-love, has no word against its church by her Lord. Weak, yes; but a little strength; and by the Lord?s enabling grace, entering into the open doors of God. John Dawson speaks of overcoming a besetting sin by operating in the opposite spirit. In one Argentine city of pride, the American team knelt before them Arab style in the public square. This act of humility broke the opposite spirit of pride, and opened the door to effective evangelism. So in Philadelphia ? the opposite spirit of brotherly love broke down the Hittite spirit of anger. This is a paradox, but the pragmatic test is: it works! Try it with individuals or groups, large or small, and this principle usually comes through with flying colors. And what of our enemies, in our weakened condition? It is the Lord Himself who on our behalf causes our enemies to bow before us. Gentile Christians are not Jews, though many through a false ?Replacement Theology? position think they are. But, just ask a Jew! Or, ask God in the light of Romans 11 and many other Scripture passages. Such a position is error and deception, even though tenaciously defended. `And note: not a word of censure by Jesus against this church, a church of humility, brotherly love and perseverance out of weakness. Let us too cleave in faithfulness to Jesus. *O Lord, You alone are the Light of our life, the Love of our soul, the Life of our walk. We cleave to You alone, and in total trust say, ?Manifest through us continually the Balance and Beauty of Yourself.?* *LAODICEA: MUST OVERCOME THE CANAANITE SPIRIT OF GREED ? DAY 7* * *It is sad to think that the last word to these 7 churches should end on such a depressing note. But Realism is better than living in a fool?s paradise, and this but serves as a warning to us. Romans chapter 1 is the potential for every church that walks in the flesh, but not after the Spirit. It is a warning to every individual also. It behooves us to walk softly and humbly before our God, lest we end up and receive from Him a word like unto Laodicea, with nothing at all good to say about us! The Canaanite spirit of greed is one of barter, merchandising, profits, material gain, security in this life, provision for this life alone with no practical though of spiritual verities and life?s tomorrow. The book of Proverbs calls such an individual or church, Fool! And our country of America is so full of this spirit of materialism and greed! G. Campbell Morgan warns us: ?Watch the world; what it is emphasizing today will be operating in the church within 10 years!? Can we not spot this truth? See our low conscience in the church concerning TV violence and lust; see our disdain concerning those who put the Kingdom of God and His righteousness ahead of our own interests; and look at our permissive view concerning school education, abortion, euthanasia, child and woman abuse; new ageism; the occult. Our conscience is dulled and even seared by permissiveness. Religious leaders of Jesus? day sneered at Him for holding up an ideal contrary to their Laodicean spirit of greed and materialism. This century God had to rebuke the world through a Gandhi, who freed a nation from exploitation through upholding the idea of Truth-force and love. *O Lord, protect us from the subtle influence of greed and materialism of the church of Laodicea. Grant us the anointing of the Holy Spirit to see as You see, and Your power and help to choose what pleases You!* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri Mar 2 10:01:12 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2012 10:01:12 -0800 Subject: City Church & Eldership Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 2, 2012 *C. MATURITY - CITY CHURCH & ELDERSHIP - May 26, 2011* *1. MATTHEW 16:18 (16:13-20) THE CHURCH: BELONGS TO JESUS.* f. 16:18 JESUS REVEALS THE FOUNDATION AND TRIUMPH OF HIS CHURCH *And I also say unto you, that you are Peter,* ka' 'G*O* DE soi LEg*o*, HOti su ei PEtros [4074], *and upon this :rock I will build my :church* kai ePI TAUt*e* t*e* PEtra [4073] oi-ko-doM*E*s*o* [3618] mou t*e*n ek-kl*e*SIan [1577] *and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.* kai PUlai [4439] HAdou [86] ou ka-tiSCHUsou-sin [2729] auT*E*S. g. 16:19 THE AUTHORITY JESUS DELEGATES TO PETER AND DISCIPLES *I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens; and whatever you shall bind on the earth* D*O*s*o* soi tas KLEIdas [2807] t*e*s ba-siLEIas [932] t*o*n ou-raN*O*N; kai ho eAN D*E*s*e*s [1210] ePI t*e*s g*e*s *shall be bound in the heavens; and whatever you shall loose* EStai de-deMEnon en tois ou-raNOIS; kai ho eAN LUs*e*s [3089] *on the earth shall be loosed in the heavens.* ePI t*e*s g*e*s EStai le-luMEnon en tois ou-raNOIS. Here we see the first of 114 references to the word ?church?. Again, the rules of pedagogy cause us to consider carefully the insights from this first reference. The church was purchased by Christ by His blood. Therefore *we belong* to Him! And the ?counsels? of hell will *not* prevail against Christ's Church! *Hallowed be your :name.* *2. MATTHEW 18:15-17 THE CHURCH: SOLVES INTERPERSONAL PROBLEMS.* 4. 18:15-17 THREE STAGES IN RESTORING A BROTHER a. 18:15 HOW TO GAIN A SINNER: SEEK TO WIN HIM ALONE *And if your :brother sin, go,* E-AN de ha-marT*E*s*e* ho a-delPHOS sou, HUpa-ge, *reprove him between you and him alone:* Eleg-xon auTON me-taXU sou kai auTOU MOnou: *if he hear you, you have gained your :brother.* eAN sou aKOUs*e*, eKERd*e*-sas [2770] ton a-delPHON sou. b. 18:16 *ONLY* BRING OTHERS IN IF FIRST STEP FAILS. *But if he hear not, take with you one or two more,* eAN de m*e* aKOUs*e*, paRAla-be [3880] meTA sou Eti HEna *e* DUo, *that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word stand.* HIna ePI STOma-tos DUo marTUron [3144] e triON staTHE pan 'REma [4487]. c. 18:17 ONLY TAKE DRASTIC THIRD STEP IF FIRST TWO FAIL *And if he refuse to hear them, tell the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also,* eAN de pa-raKOUs*e* [3878] auT*O*N, eiPON t*e* ek-kl*e*SIa: eAN de kai t*e*s ek-kl*e*SIas pa-raKOUs*e*, *let him be to you as the Gentile and the publican.* ESt*o* soi H*O*Sper ho eth-niKOS [1482] kai ho teL*O*n*e*s [5057]. This is the *second* reference to *church*. Here is a 4-fold manner in which to solve interpersonal problems - and according to Jesus - this is the *only* way for NT observant believers to solve such problems! *Your :kingdom come.* *3. ACTS 13:1-3 THE CITY CHURCH: HAS AN ELDERSHIP IN ITS GATE.* XV. 13:1-14:28 SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES OF CHURCH EXTENSION A. 13:1-3 THE HOLY SPIRIT AND MISSIONS a. 13:1 PROPHETS AND TEACHERS AT ANTIOCH *Now in the church that was at Antioch were prophets* *E*san de en An-ti-oCHEIa kaTA t*e*n OUsan ek-kl*e*SIan proPH*E*tai [4396] *and teachers, both :Barnabas and Symeon :called Niger,* kai diDAska-loi [1320], ho te BarNAbas kai Su-me*O*N ho kaLOUme-nos NIger, *and Lucius of Cyrene, *kai LOUki-os ho Ku-r*e*NAIos, *and Manaen foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.* Ma-na*E*N te H*e*R*O*dou tou teTRAar-chou SUNtro-phos, kai SAUlos. b. 13:2 WORSHIP AND FASTING RELEASES THE HOLY SPIRIT *And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted,* lei-tourGOUNt*o*n [3008] de auT*O*N t*o* KuRI*o*, kai n*e*-steuONt*o*n [3522], *the Holy :Spirit said, Separate me then :Barnabas and Saul* EIpen to PNEUma to HAgi-on, A-phoRIsa-te [873] d*e* moi ton BarNAban kai SAUlon *for the work unto which I have called them.* eis to ERgon ho proSKEkl*e*-mai [4341] auTOUS. c. 13:3 MISSIONARY COMMISSIONING *Then, having fasted *TOte, n*e*STEUsan-tes *and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.* kai pro-seuXAme-noi [4336] kai e-piTHENtes tas CHEIras auTOIS, aPElu-san. Each City Church in NT times had its Eldership in the Gate of its city, just as did Bethlehem in the OT. The 5-fold Eldership of prophets and teachers waited on God - had the Word of the Spirit - fasted - and *obeyed*the Word of the Spirit. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.* *4. ACTS 15:22-26 (15:1-35) THE CHURCH & ELDERSHIP: JOINT DECISION.* 2. 15:22-29 SCRIPTURAL ACTION FOLLOWING A DECISION a. 15:22-26 DELEGATES SENT WITH THIS CONCLUSION *Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church,* TOte Edo-xe tois a-poSTOlois kai tois pres-buTErois, sun HOl*e* t*e* ek-kl*e *SIa, *to choose men out from them,* e-kle-xaMEnous ANdras ex auT*O*N, *and send them to Antioch with :Paul and Barnabas: * PEMpsai eis An-tiOchei-an sun t*o* PAUl*o* kai BarNAba: *Judas :called Barsabbas, and Silas,* IOUdan ton kaLOUme-non Bar-sabBAN, kai SIlan, *chief men among the brethren: 23 and they wrote by their hand, * ANdras h*e*-gouMEnous {2233] en tois a-delPHOIS: GRApsan-tes [1125] diA cheiROS auT*O*N, *The apostles and the elder brethren to the brethren* Hoi aPOsto-loi kai hoi presBUte-roi a-delPHOI tois *who are of the nations in :Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:* kaTA t*e*n An-tiOchei-an kai SuRIan kai Ki-liKIan a-delPHOIS tois ex ethN*O*N, CHAIrein: *24 Forasmuch as we have heard that certain from among us* E-peiD*E* *e*KOUsa-men HOti tiNES ex h*e*M*O*N *have troubled you with words, subverting your :souls;* eTAra-xan [5015] huMAS LOgois, e-na-skeuAzon-tes [384] tas psuCHAS huM*O*N; *to whom we gave no commandment; 25 it seemed good to us, having come to one accord,* hois ou di-e-steiLAme-tha [1291]; Edo-xen h*e*MIN, ge-noMEnois ho-mo-thu-maDON [3661], *to choose out men *e-kle-xaMEnois ANdras *and send them unto you with our :beloved Barnabas and Paul,* PEMpsai pros huMAS sun tois a-ga-p*e*TOIS h*e*M*O*N BarNAba kai PAUl*o*, *26 men that have hazarded their :lives* anTHR*O*pois pa-ra-de-d*o*KOsi [3860] tas psuCHAS auT*O*N *for the name of our :Lord Jesus Christ.* huPER tou oNOma-tos tou KuRIou h*e*M*O*N I*e*SOU ChrisTOU. Probably no greater controversy arose in the early church but that caused by the ?Judaizers?. The Book of Galatians was written by the Spirit through Paul to address this problem. How satisfactory was the 4-fold solution here! *Our :daily :bread give us this day.* *5. RUTH 4:1 (4:1-21) THE OT CITY ELDERSHIP. ?Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there; and, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; unto whom he said, Ho, you! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down? (ASV '01). *The cities of Israel from ancient times had an Eldership in the Gate of their cities, with many synagogues within. How important was their decision here. Boaz took precedence over the nearer kinsman. David and David's Greater Son Jesus - came from this decision! *And forgive us our :debts, as we also have forgiven our :debtors.* *6. REVELATION 2:7 (2:1-7) SEVEN CHURCHES: SPOKEN TO BY THE SPIRIT.* *e. 2:7a **Who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.* Ho Ech*o*n ous, a-kouSAt*o* [191] ti to PNEUma [4151] LEgei tais ek-kl*e* SIais. f. 2:7b PROMISE TO OVERCOMERS ? PARTAKERS OF THE TREE OF LIFE *To him that overcomes, to him will I give to eat of the tree of :life,* T*o* niK*O*Nti [3528], D*O*s*o* auT*O* phaGEIN ek tou XUlou [3586] t*e*s z*o *-*E*S [2222], *which is in the Paradise of :God.* ho es-tin en t*o* pa-raDEIs*o* [3857] tou TheOU. All city churches should be listening to the voice of the Spirit. Pastor Bob Birch of Canada thoroughly understood this. *Overcomers* in each city church emerge as individuals who hear (which implies obedience) the Word of the Spirit. *And bring us not into temptation.* *7. 1 CORINTIANS 16:19 (16:19-24) THE CHURCH: CAN ALSO LOCALLY BE IN A HOME.* B. 16:19-24 CLOSING GREETINGS 1. 16:19-20 SALUTATIONS AND GREETINGS *a. 16:19a The churches of :Asia salute you.* AsPAzon-tai [782] huMAS hai ek-kl*e*SIai t*e*s A-SIas. *b. 16:19b Aquila and Prisca salute you much in the Lord, with the church in their house.* asPAze-tai huMAS en KuRI*o* polLA A-KUlas kai PRISka, sun t*e* kat' OIkon auT*O*N ek-kl*e*SIa. There are 14 local churches mentioned in the NT. Aquila and Priscilla led 3 of these in 3 city churches. The elder of each local church formed the plural city church Eldership as seen in Acts 15. *But deliver us from the evil one!* *NOTE**: *The City Church with its Eldership in the Gate - is *the Pedestal * holding up God's Word: His Bible Numeric Outlined Interlinear Greek NT. In the 1967 Vision I saw the City Churches with their Eldership as being God's Pedestal to *support* His Word: *specifically* this Interlinear product! We are not to be under any false illusions on this. It is God's purpose that this unique Interlinear Greek NT for Laymen - hold pre-eminence over all other NT texts and translations. The Numeric Phenomenon marks it as being unique. It is *not* in the Aramaic text. It is not in the Hebrew translation of the NT. God for His own purposes and according to *His own* counsel, has determined to set it in this particular product. God's Numerics - not the Anglicans Westcott and Hort - established this text. There is much confusion in this area, with many divergent theories and opinions. God is the final adjudicator! And we have His verdict through *His * Numeric phenomenon. Back to the Church - God's Pedestal for His Word! It comes from the Greek word ek-kl*e*SIa, which appears 114 times in the NT. Once in Acts 7 it refers to *Israel* in the Wilderness; 3 times it refers to the secular city of Ephesus (Acts 19:21-41); 14 times it refers to a church in the home such as in 1 Corinthians 16:19; 15 times for the Universal Church: Jew and Gentile in the One New Man for all time; but - *81 times* concerning the City Church! Revelation 2 and 3 contain 14 of these 81 references to the City Church. It is important that we have *God's* perspective on these teachings. It matters little to us who is right or wrong - it only matters that *our God's * perspective is allowed to be predominant. Let God say what *He* wants to say - and let the Bible mean what *it* wants to mean. All of this will come out in the wash upon the return of Christ Jesus - our Lord of lords and King of kings. Roland Allen from England, missionary to China and Africa, author of ?Missionary Methods: St. Paul's or Ours?? and ?The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church? - had these two books placed in my hands in 1949 by Harry Conn of Chicago, when I was attending Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. These two books and the exhortation of Mr. Conn started me in the direction that has led me to the above. Jim Watt *SPECIAL**: ?I Have Never Forgotten You? - *Oscar winner Nicole Kedman narrates this fascinating Tribeca Film Festival selection for documentarian Richard Trank, who relays the remarkable story of architect turned Nazi hunter *Simon Wiesenthal*. After losing nearly 90 family members in the Holocaust and surviving a German deathcamp, Wiesenthal volunteered to help the American War Crimes Unit track down war criminals on the lam, and went on to find more that 1,000 of them. - *1 hr. 45 min. 2006* My wife Marie and I received the above from Netflix, and found it one of the most outstanding documentaries on the Holocaust of all we have ever viewed. In it Frederick Forsyth tells how he worked with Wiesenthal in producing ?The Odessa File?. Also, Anthony Hopkins recounts the outstanding part Wiesenthal played in the production of Steven Spielberg's ?Schindler's List.? Added also is Wiesenthal's key part in the production of ?The Boys from Brazil?. It is a pity that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran could not immerse himself in the truth of this - rather than the lies he walks in. J & M *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat Mar 3 08:52:35 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2012 08:52:35 -0800 Subject: Honey & Cannamon Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 3, 2012 *Fw: Facts on Honey and Cinnamon* 1 message ------------------------------ *Tue, Feb 28, 2012 at 8:36 A.M.* Subject: Fw: Facts on Honey and Cinnamon *Cinnamon and Honey* Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality honey is always honey. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will do what I rather call "crystallizing". When this happens I loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water, turn off the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey. * Cinnamon and Honey* Bet the drug companies won't like this one getting around. Facts on Honey and Cinnamon: It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.. Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists: * HEART DISEASES:** * Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins. * ARTHRITIS:** * Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain. * BLADDER INFECTIONS:** * Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder. * CHOLESTEROL**: * Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol. * COLDS:** * Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses. * UPSET STOMACH:** * Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.. * GAS**:* According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas. * IMMUNE SYSTEM:** * Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases. * INDIGESTION:** * Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals. * INFLUENZA**:* A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ' Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu. * LONGEVITY**:* Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age.. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old. * PIMPLES**:* Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root. * SKIN INFECTIONS:* Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections. * WEIGHT LOSS:* Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet. * CANCER:** * Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day. * FATIGUE**:* Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr.. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week. * BAD BREATH:* People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day. * HEARING LOSS:** * Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it! * You might want to share this information with a friend, kinfolks and loved ones. Everyone needs healthy help information.* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Mar 5 18:18:55 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2012 18:18:55 -0800 Subject: Romans 9:4-5 - Overview- 8 blessings from Israel Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 5, 2012 * ROMANS 9:4-5 - OVERVIEW - 8 BLESSINGS OF ISRAEL* *INTRODUCTION: *Because Gentiles have been grafted into the Jewish Roots, we now share with them these 8 blessings. In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek. In Christ we are together ?One New Man.? In Christ we are both parts of His Spiritual Body. This is the Mystery of the Gospel which it was given to Paul to share with the Church. As Apostle to the Gentiles, himself a Jew from the Sanhedrin - he held a position altogether unique. 14 of the epistles of the NT were authored by him, over ? the books of the NT. Almost all of these 14 letters were primarily addressed to Gentiles. Hebrews was uniquely directed towards his fellow Jewish believers. It is important for Gentiles to understand that Romans 11 lays out for us our Gospel debt to Jews. Nations who understand and honor this are blessed. The opposite is true. *This* is perhaps the chief of the Gospel *Mysteries* given to Paul, and has yet to find full fulfillment. Note also how these 8 blessings tend to overlap. *1. ADOPTION - huio-theSIa - Strong #5206 - 5x in NT appearance. It comes from 2 Greek words: *huiOS - meaning son - 382x - and TIth*e*-mi meaning a placing. By all means look up this Strong's reference, as it contains rich material. It is *not* a Western concept. See ?Our Father Abraham? by Dr. Marvin R. Wilson under his chapter of ?Block Thinking.? It is just the opposite to Greek Hellenistic Lineal thinking. The Bible is an Eastern book, and its teaching, especially the Parables, center on this concept. Every Jewish boy had to be adopted by his own father when he came to maturity, and then he became a partner with his father. It then would become ?Isaac and Son,? as it were. Our Western concept of ?adoption? is foreign to the Bible. Perhaps ?Sanctification? as pertaining to full discipleship, is parallel to Biblical Adoption for Gentiles. Suffice it to say - This great blessing to Israel is now shared with us Gentiles in the ?One New Man?, the Church, the Body of Christ. *2. GLORY - DOxa - Strong #1391 - 168x.* This is one of the most difficult concepts for Gentiles to grasp as it relates to God. Howbeit - if one goes to the ?net? on the ?Shekinah glory?, as called by the Jews - there are *innumerable* references, but hardly in line with the original Hebrew meaning. Moses prayed to God, *?Show me Your glory,? * Exodus 33:18,* *which God did in a 13-fold manner, equating His Glory with the revelation of His Name - Exodus 34:6-7 (34:1-9) *?And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth; **7** keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear **the guilty**, visiting the iniquity of the father's upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.? *This is *the revelation of God's nature in the thirteen attributes.*. ?God's ways? are not proclaimed unto Moses in the thirteen characteristic qualities of the Divine Nature. The Rabbis held that there are thirteen distinct attributes in these two verses; though there are differences as to their precise enumerations. *1 & 2. the LORD, the LORD. *Heb. *Ye-h**o**VAH, Ye-h**o**VAH. *Ye-h*o*VAH denotes God in His attributes of mercy: and the repetition is explained in the Talmud as meaning, 'I am the merciful God before a man commits a sin, and I am the same merciful and forgiving God after a man has sinned. Whatever change has to be wrought, must be in the heart of the sinner; not in the nature of the Deity. He is the same after a man has sinned, as He was before a man has sinned.? *3. God. *Heb. *el. *The all-mighty Lord of the Universe, Ruler of Nature and mankind. *4. merciful. *Heb. *raCHUM; *full of affectionate sympathy for the sufferings and miseries of human frailty. *5. and gracious. *Heb. *ve-chanNUN*; assisting and helping; consoling the afflicted and raising up the oppressed. In man these two qualities manifest themselves fitfully and temporarily; It is otherwise with God; in Him, compassion and grace are permanent, inherent and necessary emanations of His nature. Hence, He alone can be spoken of as *raCHUN ve-chanNUN * (Mendelssohn). *6. long-suffering. *Or, 'slow to anger.' Heb. *Erech apPAYim; *not hastening to punish the sinner, but affording him opportunities to retrace his evil courses. *7. abundant in goodness. *Or, plenteous in mercy. Heb. *rav CHEsed; *granting His gifts and blessings beyond the desserts of man. This is the ?fulcrum? or middle-point of these 13 attributes. *8. and truth. *Heb. *ve-eMET*; eternally true to Himself, pursuing His inscrutable plans for the salvation of mankind, and rewarding those who are obedient to His will. Note that ?CHEsed?, lovingkindness, precedes ?eMET? truth, both here and generally throughout Scripture; as if to say, ?Speak the truth by all means; but be quite sure that you speak the truth in love.? *9. keeping mercy unto the thousandth generation. *Heb. *n**o**TZER CHEsed LAe-la-fim;* Remembering the good deeds of the ancestors to the thousandth generation, and reserving reward and recompense to the remotest descendants. *10. forgiving iniquity. *Heb. *n**o**SEH aV**O*N; bearing with indulgence the failings of man, and by forgiveness restoring him to the original purity of his soul. The Heb. for ?iniquity? is aV*O*N; sins committed from evil disposition. *YEtzer haRAH - *is a Hebrew term of this difficult human disposition. *11. transgression. *Heb. *PEsha; *evil deeds springing from malice and rebellion against the Divine. *12. sin. *Heb. *chat-taAH;* shortcomings due to heedlessness and error. *13. will by no means clear the guilty. *i.e. He will not allow the guilty to pass unpunished. Heb. *ve-nakKEY lo ye-nakKEY. *The Rabbis explain: *ve-nakKEY *acquitting - the penitent; *lo ye-nakKEY*, but not acquitting - the impenitent. He is merciful and gracious and forgiving; but He will never obliterate the eternal and unbridgeable distinction between light and darkness, between good and evil. God cannot leave repeated wickedness and obstinate persistence in evil entirely unpunished. His goodness cannot destroy His justice. The sinner must suffer the consequences of his misdeeds. The unfailing and impartial consequences of sin help man to perceive that there is no 'chance' in morals. The punishments of sin are thus not vindictive, but remedial. *visiting ... upon the children.* See Ex. 20:5. This law relates only to the consequences of sin. Pardon is not the remission of the *penalty*, but the forgiveness of the guilt and the removal of the sinfulness. The misdeeds of those who are God's enemies are visited only to the third and fourth generation, whereas His mercy to those who love Him is unto a thousand generations. (The above notes are largely taken from ?The Pentateuch and Haftorahs? edited by J. H. Hertz, Second Edition, 1971.) *3. COVENANTS - di-aTHEke - Strong's #1242, 33x.* See Genesis 12, 15, 17. Here we see the progression for the key Old Testament Covenant that God made with Abraham. In chapter 12 He issues His call, and the three-fold separation He required of Abraham. In Chapter 15 by laying out the unusual sacrifice, and at sundown having a furnace and a torch pass between the divided pieces, He here assures Abram (whose name is not changed until the true covenant in chapter 17) that his servant Eliezer will not be his heir, but that from Sarai he will have a true heir. Also, Abram was almost asleep when God in Icon form as Father and Son walked through the pieces, not Abram, signifying that this was an unconditional promise that did not depend upon Abram at all. It isn't till we reach Genesis 17 that the Real Covenant is reached - all up to this point is preliminary. The circumcision of Abram and all the males of his family is key that validated the covenant. The change of name from Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah, is most significant. Here God added to their names the letter ?cheth?, which is associated with ?life.? When we say Yeshua Chai - Jesus Lives - we are emphasizing this point. It was following the change of names by ?Life? being inserted, that the bodies of now Abraham and Sarah, became rejuvenated, and in 9 months Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 and Sarah 91. Not only was this a double miracle, but a triple one, for God revealed the sex of Isaac prior to his birth, and he was one of eight named before his birth. The New Covenant of New Testament, is the Old fulfilled through the birth of Jesus. This Covenant is vastly superior to the Abrahamic, for Jesus inaugurates the Church, the One New Man, His Spiritual Body - and through the now Indwelling Holy Spirit, all promises of the Old Covenant are not viable, and open to Gentiles as well as Jews. Vastly different! *4. GIVING OF THE LAW - no-mo-theSIa - Strong #3548, 1x. The Torah here really means ?Teaching.?* *This* is a temporary tiding over through types and shadows - until ?Grace and Truth? came through the New Covenant in Jesus Christ - to replace the Law of Moses. And yet - all of the moral law under Old Testament Torah is now viable through the Holy Spirit. See Jeremiah 31:31-33 (31:31-34) - *?Behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband unto them, says Jehovah. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Jehovah: I will put my law (TOrah, Teaching) in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.? *What Israel could *not* do in keeping the Old Covenant T*O*rah, Teaching, because the Holy Spirit, the Promise of the Father was not given until Jesus provided the ?Finished Work? of His Atonement - now under the New Covenant, Jew *and Gentile* can keep the Torah because of the indwelling Spirit. At this point, it is most important to note Hebrews 8:6 - *?But now has he (Jesus) obtained a ministry the more superior; by so much as he is also mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted (ne-no-moTHEte-tai) upon better promises.? *Dr. David Stern in his ?Complete Jewish Bible? translates this word ?enacted? this way - ?God has *constituted as Torahthe New Covenant based upon these better promises.? *This means that in God's sight, ?The New Covenant? is on the same level as the entire Old Testament or Covenant. Messianic Jews accept this. One day Orthodox Jews will also! The word ?ne-no-moTHEt*e*-tai? appears only this once in the NT. We should unite in prayer that all believers and all Jews will have their eyes opened to see and discern the importance of this concept from God's viewpoint. *5. WORSHIP - laTREIa - Strong #2999, 5x.* The tribe of Levi led in this, and is largely laid out in the book of Leviticus, and the Tabernacle Worship as set forth by Moses. Under David and Samuel, Levi again in the Temple built by Solomon, led in this. The book of Psalms, mostly by David, but half by Asaph and other Levites, provided the basis for this wonderful worship. But after Pentecost, an entirely new type of worship arose. We now offer sacrifices to God by the fruit of our lips offering vocal praise and worship, and presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, whether Jew or Gentile. See Romans 12:1-2 for this picture. *?I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of :God, * *to present your :bodies a living sacrifice;** (a whole burnt offering or holocaust) holy, well-pleasing to God, your **spiritual service**. **2**And be not fashioned according to this age: but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, that you may prove what **is** the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of :God.? *?Rees Howells, Intercessor? by Norman P. Grubb, shows what it is like to be *possessed* by the Holy Spirit, and prepared by God for true laTREIa or worship. Again, Gentiles now are grafted into their Jewish Roots, and can equally share with them in this high privilege. *6. PROMISES - e-pag-geLIa - Strong #1860, 53x.* This is closely connected with Covenant, which is the basis. The *great*Promise of the Father is the Holy Spirit, all based on Messiah's Atonement. See Acts 1:4 (1:1-5), *?And, being assembled with **them**, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait **for the promise of the Father**, which you have heard from me.?* Yet - take *all* the Promises of the New Testament, and apply them. Don't settle for a ?break-through? - go on to *possess* the land! *Now!* *7. THE FATHERS - paTEres - Strong #3962, 419x* Gentiles can now do research on Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and even Joseph. We are now grafted in with Jews into the blessing that is inherent here. Look at the 12 tribes of Israel that come from Jacob. Here too Gentiles can glean areas of their inheritance. So though the patriarchs at the time were *special* for Israel, all that is involved here, is under the New Covenant, for the One New Man. Look up Embryonic Truths on our Website, and find 12 Restored Truths linked with the 12 Tribes of Israel, rich with insight and blessing for you and me. *8. CHRIST - MESSIAH - ChrisTOS - Strong #5547, 569x.* According to the flesh (SARka), Jesus as the Son of Man is our Messiah. He was born *to die* - for both Jew and Gentile. *This** *is the *Mystery* of the Gospel that God reserved for the Apostle Paul to reveal to the Church through his many epistles. As a Jew with rabbinical background, yet he was the *Apostle to the Gentiles* by the will of God. Jesus as God in the flesh is a hateful concept to Satan, for it spells his eventual and certain doom Christ comes from CHRI*o*, Anointed, Strong #5548, 5x. MaSHIach - Anointed One - *Above* His fellows, is the Hebrew word. The *Fullness* of the Godhead bodily indwelt Jesus. His earthly life as Son of Man started in Nazareth and Bethlehem, but His eternal life was evermore with the Father - Before Abraham was, Jesus said, *?I AM?*. Jesus left His eternal relationship to take on identification with us, and as Son of Man, fulfilled Old Testament Scriptures and brought Redemption to the human race, and reconciliation for us with God. In Gethsemane as Son of Man - He questioned the cup of Calvary passing from Him - but immediately repudiated the thought as impossible, for for that very reason He became man and entered into this world. *CONCLUSION: Romans 9-11 should be mastered by every Gentile. Chapter 11 is often a portion of ignorance for much of the church, but ought not to be. These 8 words of Romans 9 above are so rich for Jews, but equally rich for us Gentiles. Let us master and walk in these truths with increasing understanding and application. I have been working on this, plus 13 other natural NT outlines since 1967. I keep updating them from time to time. Now I want to personally meditate over these 8 points for both Jews and Gentiles in the ?One New Man?. Join with me if this appeals to you. Today, March 5, 2012, makes me 88 years and 8 months. It is time I get back into this. I see the Tribe of Reuben as a link with our Jewish Roots, and a link with Romans 9-11, and these 8 points. J.A.Watt * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Mar 8 11:45:32 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2012 11:45:32 -0800 Subject: Family Tree Significance 2-fold Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 8, 2012 BRITISH COLUMBIA FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE PRESENT BIOGRAPHICAL VOLUME III THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY VANCOUVER PORTLAND SAN FRANCISCO CHICAGO 1914 BIOGRAPHICAL - GEORGE ROBERTSON GORDON. George Robertson Gordon, financial agent at Vancouver, devoting his time largely to his duties as executor of several estates and also to the handling of private interests, was born at Goderich, Ontario, September 1, 1861. His par- ents, James and Mary Ann (Gordon) Gordon, were both natives of Ireland, the former born in County Fermanagh and the latter in County Armagh. The father learned the carpenter's trade there and in 1855 crossed the Atlantic to the new world, becoming a resident of Goderich, Ontario, where for thirty-five years he conducted business as a contractor. He filled the offices of town assessor and building inspector for a number of years and passed away in Gode- rich in 1892, at the age of sixty-seven years. His wife arrived in Canada in early womanhood and they were married in Hamilton. She passed away a number of years before her husband, dying in 1875, at tne age of forty-two. At the usual age George R. Gordon began his education as a public-school student in his native city and passed through consecutive grades to the high school, from which he was graduated before entering mercantile circles in 1876, at the age of fifteen. He was first employed as a clerk in a general store in his home town, spending his time in that way until 1881, when he removed west- ward to Manitoba. Owing to ill health while in that province, he soon returned to the east and remained in Ontario until 1884, when he located at Spences Bridge, British Columbia, remaining there for a year. In 1885 he embarked in merchandising at North Bend, British Columbia, in partnership with E. Johnston, but in the spring of 1886 sold out to his partner and came to Van- couver, which was then a small and unimportant town, known as Granville. Here he has resided continuously since and with the growth of the city has been closely associated, watching its development from early days and taking active part in its progress. He began merchandising here in March, 1886, but was burned out by the fire which occurred on the I3th of June of that year. Nothing daunted by this calamity, however, he secured another stock of goods and was soon again engaged in business, in which he continued until 1900, winning a sub- stantial measure of success through all the intervening years, for his trade increased with the growth of the city, his straightforward and honorable busi- ness methods securing him a gratifying patronage. With the opening year of the century he closed out his business and turned his attention to other pursuits becoming secretary of the Terminal City Building Society, the City of Vancouver Building Society and the Burrard Building Society, the last named being the only one of the three now in existence. He resigned his position as secretary in 1911 and at the present time is executor of several estates, while his private interests also make large claim upon his attention and energies. He is the holder of much valuable business and residential property in Vancouver and is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and twelve acres at Langley, British Columbia, which is devoted to the production of fruit, the raising of stock and poultry and to dairy interests, each branch of the business bringing to him a substantial return. His has been a life of unfaltering energy and close application, in which there have been few leisure hours, and his wise utilization of his time and talents has brought him to a most creditable and gratifying position among the leading busi- ness men of the city. Mr. Gordon was married, in Clinton, on Cariboo road, British Columbia, October 18, 1887, to Miss Susan E. Mclntyre, a daughter of John and Anna (Kilpatrick) Mclntyre, both of whom were natives of Stewartstown, Ireland. The father died in Vancouver in June, 1900, at the age of eighty-three years, and Mrs. Mclntyre is still a resident of this city. Although now in her eightieth year, she is still hale and hearty, retains her faculties unimpaired and is as alert and active as a person many years her junior. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gordon have been born two children: Irmgarde, who is a graduate of the Vancouver high school and the Ontario Ladies College of Whitby; and Alva Mclntyre, who is a student at McGill University. Mr. Gordon is a conservative in politics and has been an active and stalwart advocate of party principles. He has voted in every municipal election ever held in Vancouver and for nine years he was a member of the school board of this city. He became one of the founders of the Pioneer Society of Vancouver, of which he is now serving as treasurer, and no man is more familiar with the history of development, progress and improvement here than he. He holds mem- bership in Pacific Lodge, No. 26, I. O. O. F., in which he has passed through all the chairs, and was grand representative to the sovereign grand lodge in 1902-03. He is prominent and popular in the club circles of the city, connected through membership with the Canadian and Progress Clubs. Both he and his wife are active and prominent members of Wesley Methodist church and take helpful interest in various lines of church and charitable work. Mr. Gordon is now serv- ing as a member of the board of trustees of the Ferris Road, Trinity and Dundee Street Methodist churches. His wife is active in the Ladies Aid Socety of the Wesley Methodist church, has been a member of the directorate of the Children's Aid Society for six years and is active in the home work of that organization. In fact, both Mr. and Mrs. Gordon are possessors in large measure of that broad humanitarian spirit which reaches out in helpfulness and kindliness to all, and their labors have done much toward making the world better and brighter for the unfortunate ones. (This is the first of some 200 biographies from the beginning of British Columbia) *NOTE**: *The above on George R. Gordon is an important link in my personal genealogy. Can knowing links in each of our genealogies prove to be significant? I believe so. The English doctor who nursed Scottish Eric Liddell of ?Chariots of Fire? fame - in a Japanese prison of war camp in China before he died - I believe has significance. Billy Graham in his book on prayer, quoted from ?Healing the Family Tree? by Dr. Kenneth McAll - as his story relates to the healing of the Bermuda Triangle. But in a practical manner for each of us as individuals - Dr. McAll shows that if each of us will form a ?Family Tree? going back to our great grandparents - we can clearly see how members in this genealogy can be affected adversely back to great grandparents. When we form such a 4-fold genealogical chart and see such adverse connections - we can then have a communion service - and with such a Family Tree portraying this on the Table, then by the prayer of faith on the basis of our Lord Jesus' Finished Work on Calvary - we can *break* the bondages over afflicted members from the past! Like Dr. McAll - we have seen definite victories from such ?Healing of the family tree?. But *conversely* - it is also important to see the *blessing* coming down from past members of our family Tree! Jonathan Edwards was by faith led to claim through ?Covenant? - salvation for his descendants to the 3rd and 4thgenerations. Some 1600 of these entered into the blessing of the Kingdom of God through Covenant. Charles H. Spurgeon saw similar blessing in his descendants as well as those working for him - some 300. My grandfather James A. Watt who immigrated to Canada from Scotland, died in B.C. His widow, my Irish grandmother, married fellow Irishman immigrant to Canada - G. R. Gordon. He was at that time widower from his first marriage. He was the first one who served Gospel seed into me from the age of 10-14. He did not do so verbally, but each month when we lived on his farm in Langley mentioned above, he brought out for 4 years little 32 page booklets called the ?Lily Series?, recounting the salvation of individuals in England. These sparked a desire in my heart to know God the way these English converts came to know Him. Mr. Gordon followed these up with the book ?*Intra Muros*? by Agnes R. Springer. This even more powerfully planted the desire in me to know the Living God! In the Fall of 1942 I was attending the University of B.C., and for the first time in my life at the age of 19, God spoke to me from Psalm 107:23-24. He said, ?Join the Navy, and I'll reveal Myself to you.? He *knew * the desire of my heart planted there by my step-grandfather Mr. Gordon. I did so in July of 1943, and on Passover of 1944 - 9 months later, God brought to fruition the seed my step-grandfather planted in me. Do I believe in this 2-fold benefit of making use of our Family Trees? Indeed I do! And I encourage each of you - Explore the possibility of potential blessing - by forming a genealogy back to your fourth generation. Claim healing for every living individual in this tree - who may be suffering from a wrong inheritance from one or more past members. But - most of all and positively - find individuals on your part who have powerfully brought down to your spirit blessings untold! Your friend - Jim Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Mar 12 11:10:21 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:10:21 -0700 Subject: Meditation: A Tentative Evaluation Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 12, 2012 *(2009-02-24 [Revised]) - MEDITATION - PART 2* *TENTATIVE EVALUATION* *NOTE**: - I am sending forth this Tentative Evaluation on ?Meditation? once again. The Reason: Our ?**Outlined Interlinear NT? will be printed in book form and on E-book this year. It is possible to use this text as an exellent basis for Meditation. Watch our Website and mailings for when these will be available. This ?Interlinear? is not an end in itself - It is a means to an end! - namely - for Meditation!* 1. *MEDITATION *is related to Worship and Prayer. See Girdlestone, ?Old Testament Synonyms,? p. 219. 2. *MEDITATION* is related to Singing and Song. See ?New Englishman's Hebrew and Chaldea Concordance,? A P & A, p. 1206, #7878 SEEagh, and p. 1255 #7891 sheer. 3. Zodhiates states, ?It is possible that the scriptures were read somewhat audibly during the process of *meditation*. See #1897, HaGAH, p. 1587, Hebrew Greek Study Bible, Zodhiates, AMG, 1984. #1897, HaGAH; to murmur, to mutter, to growl, to coo, to sigh, to moan, to roar; to *meditate *, to muse, so speak, to praise; to whisper. The word occurs mostly in poetry, especially in Psalms and Isaiah. It describes a low moaning sound like that of a dove (ISA 38:14; 59:11), or the growling of a lion what has trapped its prey (ISA 31:4). Sometimes it was used to describe the context of mourning (ISA 16:7; JER 48:31) or the whispering of the enemy after the collapse of Jerusalem (LAM 3:62). Wizards made strange noises when they practiced the occult (ISA 8:19). The Psalmist (5:1) cried out to God for help while in distress. Sometimes the term refers to plots (PSA 2:1; PRO 24:2; ISA 59:3, 12); or righteous ponderings (PSA 35:28; 37:30; 71:24; PRO 15:28), or *meditation* (PSA 1:2; 38:12; 63:6; 77:12; 143:5). It is possible that the Scriptures were read somewhat audibly during the process of *meditation.* 1899. Hegah; this mas. noun comes from 1897. It means a murmur, sighing, * meditation*, a thought, growling (used of thunder in Job 37:2, i.e. rumbling). Compare the related term higgayown (1902) which was a musical notation which possibly referred to a harp PSA 92:3). Or, it may have meant that a period of *meditation* was to follow PSA 9:16). 1900. Haguwth; this fem. noun which comes from1897 means *meditation*, it occurs only once (PSA 9:16). 4. *MEDITATION, *#7878 Siyach, Zodhiates, p. 1645. To ponder, to *meditate*, to muse; to speak, to talk, to converse (aloud, or even with oneself), to utter (with the mouth, Job 12:8; PSA 69:13; PRO 6:22); to complain (Job 7:11; PSA 55:18), to talk disparagingly (PSA 69:12); to declare; to pray, to talk with oneself (i.e., to *meditate*, especially upon divine things, PSA 77:4, 7, 13; 119:15, 23, 27, 48, 78, 148); to sing (JUD 5:10; PSA 145:5), to celebrate something in song (PSA 105:2); to consider, to think upon something in song (PSA 105:2); to consider, to think upon something (ISA 53:8). This verb conveys the idea of going over a matter in one's mind, i.e., rehearsing it, whether inwardly or outwardly. 7879. Siyach; this Heb. mas. noun derives from 7878; it is a contemplation, an utterance, a *meditation* (1 K 18:27; PSA 104:34), a thought; a speech, a discourse (2 K 9:11), babbling (PRO 23:29), talking (1 K 18:27); a complaint (1 SAM 1:16; Job 7:13); prayer (PSA 64:1). 7880. Siyach; this Heb. Mas. noun has it origin in 7878. It refers to a shoot (like a word which has been put forth); shrubbery, a shrub, a plant, or a bush. There are only four occurrences (GEN 2:5; 21:15; JOB 30:4, 7). 7881. Siychah; this fem. Heb. noun comes from 7879. It means reflection, devotion, *meditation*, or prayer. There are only three instances in the O.T. (Job 15:4; PS 119:97, 99). ?It is my *meditation* (siychah) all the day!? 5. *MEDITATION. *Present day Jews , especially the Orthodox, use a prayer book while *meditating*, rocking forward and backward; while reading, they usually pray and *meditate* audibly. 6. *David Yonggi Cho *in his ?The Fourth Dimension #2, points out the remarkable effect our *tongue* has upon our psyche (soul) when used, either properly or improperly. Our soul and subconscious is programmed by speech, and when spoken with conviction, triggers the soul and subconscious to bring to pass the expressed thought and conviction. Vocal *meditation* on the Word will trigger 2 PET 1:4, commencing the tendency and train of events to bring it to pass. How important it is that we guard our tongue. How important that we obey Joshua 1:8, by vocal *meditation* upon God's word day and night. Note that when a sheep chews its cud, it brings back stored food to the mouth. When we *meditate*, we bring back the Word memorized to the mouth. When we speak the Word, it is transformed into the Rhema word, and we partake of the Divine Nature (2 PET 1:4). The sheep transform food gathered ahead of time into lamb chops. The analogy is quite exact. 7. *VOCAL MEDITATION* on God's word was not a habit with George Muller for the first 10 years of his life as a believer. He states in his autobiography the amazing change that started in his life once he committed himself to daily vocal *meditation* upon the Word of God. In no Bible Commentary nor in any sermon had he run across this discipline. He found it of such value that from the age of 70 to 87, he traveled 200,000 miles in 40 different countries, and this was one of the seven major emphases that he made in each address. It is unfortunate that believers have not dipped into their Jewish roots, for there they would soon have found this secret that flows out of ?The Living Talmud.? 8. *NOTE *#7880 Siyach. This Heb. masc. noun has its origin in 7878. It refers to a shoot (like a *word* which has been put forth by audible * meditation*). Just as a shoot from a seed takes on visible form, so the word of God in our mind when expressed, drops to our heart, germinates, and tends to form in us the Divine Nature, an actual shining forth of divine manifestation. Vocalization with *meditation* appears to be the key causing germination and growth to take place. 9. *NOTE JOHN 1:1* - and the WORD was GOD. The mind of the Father is perfectly expressed in Jesus, the Living Word. The Written word, given by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, is an exact expression of Him in the letter. When we utilize Joshua 1:8, audibly *meditating* upon the entire Bible, we start the process that can bring us to maturity of sainthood such as is seen in our century in Oswald Chambers, A. E. Tozer, Watchman Nee, Nicholas Bhengu, Smith Wigglesworth, and David Yonggi Cho. Deborah and Anna the prophetess demonstrated this maturity in Bible times. St. Theresa of Avila, Madame Guyon, Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur, and Pandita Ramabai of the Mukti Mission outside of Bombay demonstrated this potential in modern times. 10. *JOSHUA 1:8* - perhaps the key verse on *meditation* from all 77 references. Notice that Hebrew parallelism places *meditation* day and night with Torah in the Mouth. This sets the tempo according to the law of first reference for hah-GAH. 11. *PSALM 29* - an expression of God's *meditative* voice in THUNDER. 12. *MEDITATION* finds a parallel between Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:1-3. A lover of the Word, The Torah, is going to walk like George Muller in Vocal * meditation*. His path will be a shining light, shining *more and more* unto the perfect day. 13. *HIGGAION: *A command by the Spirit for us to *meditate*. Milk this truth for all it is worth. Look at it line by line, and word by word. Talk it over with God. Compare this with - SElah. 14. *PSALM 19:7*. This Law of the Lord, this Torah, is the *meditation* of 19:14, and is that which God commanded to be in the mouth of Joshua. 15. *MEDITATION* is vertical toward God, horizontal toward man, and inward toward self. David's spirit communed with his soul in PSA 103:1-5. 16. *ORAL MEDITATION* in the Word: sets the heart on fire! George Muller found this perhaps the most transforming act of his daily life. Jeremiah discovered he could not remain silent when this fire of God in the Word burned in his bones. God's Word is a *fire*. *Meditate* upon it, and you will catch on fire. 17. *MEDITATION: *the key to discover God's hidden secrets (PRO 2:1-12). Kids enjoy an Easter egg hunt, for God has put this desire in the human heart to find things. The saint of God has a continual feast through * meditation*, for all of God's hidden treasures then start to turn up for him. 18. *GOD CALLED DAVID *a man after His own heart. The *meditations* of David upon God and His word transformed him, tending to bring him to God's image. The Psalms reveal David's *meditative* heart. Learn his secret and be transformed. 19. *BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT*, and horizontally let the outflow build one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. But, let the LOgos of Christ dwell in you richly through *vocal meditation*, and find fulfillment richly in new worship (JNO 4:23-24; Phil 3:3); God *seeks* such worshipers, and very few things He seeks. 20. *THE WELL OF MEDITATION* dried up? Try counting your blessings; see what God has done; recall His wondrous acts; soon your heart will have a new song. What a wonderful way to prime one's pump! 21. *NOTICE*: David often started a Psalm in the depths of despair. But then he changed gears; took his attention off himself and his circumstances; transferred it upon God, His former faithfulness and His promises. Invariably this ended up one's *meditation* in praise! 22. *THERE IS A SPIRIT* of excellence about David. His music at times commenced with solemn sound, *meditatively*. Even in old age this worked for David, and he assures us that, God being no respecter of persons, it will work for us too. 23. *MOURNING IS A FORM OF MEDITATION*, and can be exercised by the good or the evil. For the righteous, it is a form of intercession in the light of the second beatitude. It takes our eyes off ourselves (being poor in spirit), and takes up a mourning burden for those in need of intercession: to lift them up into Christ. Every need we see is not a call to criticize and condemn, but to mourn and intercede. ROM 8:26-27 is an expression of this. 24. *LEARN FROM THE DOVE* when she is troubled. Then hear the change in the sound of her cooing when deliverance comes. Hezekiah started out with mournful dovelike *meditation*, but ended up with great deliverance. Use Isaiah 1:18 as a basis for fruitful *meditation*. 25. *THERE IS A WRONG USE OF MEDITATION.* We can mutter, grumble and complain against the Lord, expressing our disobedience, rebellion and hard-heartedness. How we need Your mercy and converting power at such times, O Lord. 26. *FROM A SEED* spring up shrubs and bushes. This is a natural analogy what happens when we take the LOgos as a seed and *meditate* upon it. Vocalizing upon the word miraculously causes it to germinate as a seed, find its way from the head to the heart, and there grow, bringing forth the Divine Nature, the Christ within. As the female egg is impregnated and finds its way to the womb, eventually bringing forth a child: even so Christ lives within us as we discipline ourselves daily to walk in the way of scriptural *meditation* (GAL 2:20; 1 PET 1:23). 27. *MINISTERING TO THE LORD *with fasting and prayer ((Acts 13:1-3) is a form of *meditation*. When rulers and leaders accept this responsibility, sitting in the gates of the city; the Lord Himself will build His church through us (MAT 16:18-19). 28. *OUT OF ANGUISH AND DESPERATION* of heart we pour out our utterances unto God. This is *meditation* in one of its highest senses. It ought to be a regular part of the life of a believer. 29. *SHOULD DAVID TRY AND MEDITATE *silently, the fire would soon burn, and out would come a voice utterance exactly paralleling his heart contemplation. Jeremiah and David both experienced this consistently. Here we find David *praying* (a synonym for *meditating*) evening, morning and at noon. 30. *NOTE* the three directions of *meditation*: unto *God*, vertically; unto man, horizontally; unto one's own soul by the spirit, inwardly (PSA 103:1-5). All three can be vocal. At least, if they start out silently, they may well end up vocally. 31. *FEW COMMENTARIES, TRANSLATIONS AND SERMONS* seem to catch the strong underlying vocal aspect of *meditation*. George Muller marveled at this lack in his day. Religious Jews continually practised this; but this started to be lost to the Gentile church from about 500 AD. Messianic Jews became swallowed up during the centuries in the Gentile church, and lost their roots in religious historic Judaism. In 1805 they began to form Messianic congregations in Britain; in 1905 in America; and today Messianic congregations worldwide composed of both Jew and Gentile are beginning to rediscover this ancient Biblical method of vocal *meditation*. It is like life from the dead (ROM 11:15). 32. *JEREMIAH* awoke from dreams from the Lord, and found that his sleep had been *sweet* (JER 31:26). Solomon told his son that rest in the Lord with a heart full of the Living Word brought nightly visitations from the Lord in guidance, safety and communion (PRO 6:20-22); Job 33:14-18). But * David* seemed to surpass them all in his exuberant contemplation of the Lord from the viewpoint of all creation. This *meditation* David found * sweet*. 33. *DAVID* constantly recounts all of God's miraculous workings. He regularly reasoned from them. This took his thoughts off himself, his problems and his circumstances, and transformed him through *vocal meditation* into a *praising saint*. He meditated vertically to God and expressed his insights horizontally to men. 34. *PRECEPTS* are God's rules for living. The book of Proverbs illustrates this point beautifully. It was upon *these* that David and the writer of Psalm 119 *meditated**,* that they might fulfill Joshua 1:8 - namely *meditation* upon God's law, precepts and ways - that *obedience of faith* might flow out of this. Paul was not against this, for it is not contrary to the Gospel of the Kingdom, but part and parcel of it. It was the Judaizing addition of tradition to the law, and the departure from faith to works in keeping the law that he objected to in Galatians, Hebrews, and his other epistles. 35. *STATUTES* are given by God to regulate our way of life. They teach us *how to live*. Statutes are in all the books of the Bible, but *Jesus* is our *Living Statute*. *Meditate on Him!* 36. *THE LOVE OF GOD'S WORD*: An incentive to Torah *meditation* day and night. Joshua had this love, and worked on it till it was habitual. It was in his *mouth*; it was *Vocal Meditation*. It was like a sheep chewing its cud: and bringing the written word back to the mouth again and again, till so transformed into a Rhema word, that it is now ready for assimilation. This is a 30-40 hour process for sheep. All natural law has a parable application in the spiritual world. Let us be like Joshua and the sheep. And for Joshua, it was that he then could be careful to *do* by the *obedience of faith*, *all* that was written in it. 37. *GOD'S TESTIMONIES* are His *way* for us for all blessing and enlightenment. God testified concerning many things, and they all should be the basis for our *meditation*. What God thinks to be important, *we*should consider important. *Jesus* is the chief testimony of God, and He should be paramount in all our *meditation*. 38. *VOCAL COMPLAINT OF MEDITATION* unto God is proper under desperate circumstances. Jonah in the belly of the great fish faced such an emergency. He fervently engaged in this exercise; and God heard him and delivered him. 39. *THE REALIST *is not like the Christian Scientist. He sees both good and evil, and quite aware that God does also. It is not giving a negative confession to be a realist, and acknowledge to God with outpouring of soul and heart one's troubles, extremities, and desolation. *Then* we should *vocally meditate* on God's past mercies, reason from them, and wait on Him until He transforms our situation. The Psalmist David knew and practiced this secret. Let not suffering-saving theologies detract us from this important insight of David. 40. *PROVERBS 6:22* - one of the great verses of the Bible. This is the spiritual counterpart of the High Priest's breastplate of judgment which contained the Urim and Thummim. See Exodus 28:15-30, and note how exactly Proverbs 6:20-22 corresponds in the attaching of the breastplate of judgment with the commandment and law (Torah or teaching). One of the rabbis in ?Pirke Abot? (The Wisdom of the Fathers) comments: And when you walk, it (Torah in your heart through *vocal meditation*) shall lead you, *in this world*; When you lie down, it shall watch over you, *in the grave*; And when you awake, it shall talk (God's *meditative* vertical speech to us in our heart) with you, *in the world to come*. I prefer to see all 3 of these blessings of Torah in the heart as *present tense blessings*. When *it * (Torah in our heart through Joshua 1:8 *meditation* ) keeps us and talks with us during sleep, it is often through dreams, and fulfills God's four-fold purpose of Job 33:14-18. 41. *AS A DOVE* quietly coos in times of distress; and as the drunk babbles in his disorientation; so the saint at all times should speak God's word from his heart to His Maker. This is a transforming exercise. It is the grinding of grain into a form that can be mixed and baked into a loaf of bread. 42. *IN THE PROPIATORY ATONEMENT OF CHRIST, *His humanity and divinity, His purpose in the Father: all these are too much for man of Israel's day. Even angels sought to understand. The Father in the New Covenant unfolding, gives us understanding through the Holy Spirit's inward ministry. It is the Spirit of Christ within us Who allows us today to *meditatively* declare the wonders of God manifest in Christ in His propitiatory sacrifice. 43. *NOTE*: The *context* for each reference in the ?Word Study? is taken from the manuscript of ?Through the Bible in a Year,? daily devotional lessons, using the Lord's Prayer format, The *Title* is like a newspaper headline, describing the use of each Hebrew word in its verse and context. 44. *NOTE: *There are two distinct Hebrew roots translated *meditation*, both translated in a parallel form with all synonyms for all parts of speech. One possible explanation for the Holy Spirit to choose to do this, is that each root is separately related with other words such as ?singing, worship, prayer;? this doubles the number of possible relationships that these two root words have. It would be possible to explore constructively these other words related to *meditation*. 45, *OBSERVATION*: Few commentaries, sermons or translations - touch on the underlying nature of the vocalization that exists in Bible *meditation*. It is true that a few references retain the idea of *meditation* as a silent thought; but the vast majority of references demand *vocal accompaniment*. Religious Jews did and still do practice *meditation* this way. It was the constant wonderment of George Muller that so few in his day perceived the importance of this. Witness Lee encouraged it but his exhortation was little regarded because of his separatist stance. Dr. David Yonggi Cho is a strong present day exponent of this. It would seem that *Vocal Meditation* is a concept whose time has come, and that this will become commonplace in the day ahead. A return to this Biblical concept will greatly increase the potential of spiritual growth in all those who will commit themselves to this simple but powerful practice. 46. *GEORGE MULLER* wrote concerning the importance of how we conduct our personal devotions. The word we read *must* be read *aloud*, and *rephrased*to God, giving room for the Holy Spirit to enlarge on the phrase or passage as He will. Mr Muller by the end of his life was reading the whole Bible back to God on his knees 5 times a year (about 15 chapters a day). Faith comes by hearing, hearing the Rhema word of God. $7,500,000 came in by prayer alone prior to 1890 as a result, helping support 10,000 orphans, as well as 8 other projects. 47. *DR. DAVID YONGGI CHO* says that our prayer time must be *aloud*, within the framework of the Lord's Prayer. Then God will speak in His inaudible voice to our spirit. It is our part to *pray* and *obey*. This is the *obedience of faith*. 48. *BELIEVING JEWS* for 4000 years have *meditated* by praying the Word * aloud* back to God. This is a means of renewing the mind, establishing ourselves in the faith, growing in grace, and finding the ability to persevere through difficulties. This is the way of *joy* that leads to * singing* and *dancing* before the Lord. 49. *PHILIPPIANS 3:3 *tells us about the the mark of those circumcised in heart: they worship, or religiously serve God in the spirit. John 4:23-24 tells us that God *seeks* this (Only 2 things God in the Bible says He seeks). Worshiping audibly from the Word brings the Spirit; the *obedience of faith* brings the *truth*. This is true for *both* Testaments, for *both*Covenants, for our Bible is a *unity*. The *new* is in the *old* contained; the *old* is by the *new*explained. (See ?Gospel and Law: Contrast or Continuum?? by Daniel P. Fuller, Eerdmans, 1980). This verse goes on to describe the heart circumcised believer as one who *boasts* in Christ Jesus, and has *no*confidence in the flesh. This causes us to picture God in an elliptical fashion: *Jesus*, the *Son* (*sun*) of righteousness is in the first of the two foci. The Father is in the darkness of the second focus. The Holy Spirit in us takes us around the Father and the Son in an elliptical pathway, even as our earth rotates around the sun. The Spirit reveals the Son, and speaks from Him. The Son reveals the Father and speaks from Him. It is summer when we are on the Son's side, and winter on the Father's, Who dwells in thick darkness. *Rejoice* in our marvelous Triune God! 50. *VOCAL MEDITATION* is the key to release from the Bible what we hear, read, study and memorize. *Obedience* changes the LOgos to a RH*E*ma word. Dick Eastman highly recommends *vocal meditation.* Jim Watt, October 23, 1990. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Mar 13 13:16:17 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:16:17 -0700 Subject: Psalm 19:1-14 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 13, 2012 *PSALM 19:1-14 - (2009-05-31) - Day of Pentecost - Book of Ruth - Barley Harvest* *?THE WORKS - AND THE WORD OF GOD?* *A. 19:1-6 GOD'S FIRST GOSPEL: HIS WORKS!* *a. 19:l GOD'S GOSPEL IN CREATION* hash-sh*a*MAYyim [8064] me-sap-peRIYM [5608] ceB*O*D [3519] - *e*l; *The heavens declare the glory of God;* vu-ma-aSEH [4639] yaD*A*YN magGIYD [5046] h*a*-r*a*KIYa [7549]. *And the firmament shows his handiwork.* *b. 19:2 THE WITNESS OF DAY AND NIGHT* y*o*m leY*O*M yab-biy*A* [5072] Omer [561], *Day unto day utters speech,* veLAYl*a*h leLAYl*a*h ye-chavVEH [2331] - D*A*ath [1847]. *And night unto night shows knowledge.* *c. 19:3 IT IS A SILENT WITNESS* *E*YN - o-mer ve*E*YN de-b*a*RIYM [561]; *There is no speech nor language;* beLIY nashM*A* k*o*L*A*M [6963]. *Whose voice is not heard.* *d. 19:4-5 OUR SUN: PICTURES GOD'S SON!* be-c*a*l - ha*A*retz y*a*TZ*A* kavV*A*M [6457], *Their line is gone out through all the earth,* vu-bikTZ*E*H [7097] TH*E*bel [8398] mil-l*e*yHEM. *And their words to the end of the world.* lashSHEmesh [8121] S*A*M - o-hel [3605] b*a*HEM, *In them has he set a tabernacle for the sun,* veHU ce-ch*a*TH*A*N [2860] yoTZ*E* m*e*-chup-p*a*TH*O* [2646], *5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,* y*a*SHIYSH [7797] ce-gibB*O*R [1368] l*a*RUTZ *O*rach [734]. *And rejoices as a strong man to run his course* *e. 19:6 THE EXTENT OF THEIR WITNESS* mikTZ*E*H [7097] hash-sh*a*MAYIM, *His going forth is from the end of the heavens,* M*O*tz*a*-*O* vu-the-k*u*-phaTH*O* [8622] al - ke-tz*o*TH*A*M [7098]; *And his circuit unto the ends of it;* ve*E*YN nisT*A*R [5640] M*E*ham-ma-th*o* [2535]. *And there is nothing hid from its heat.* *B. 19:7-14 GOD'S SECOND GOSPEL: HIS WORDS* *a. 19:7 PURPOSE OF JEHOVAH'S LAW AND TESTIMONY* t*o*RATH [8451] Ye-h*o*VAH temiyMAH [8549], meSHIYbath [7725] NEphesh [5315]; *The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul;* *e*DUTH [5715] Ye-h*o*VAH ne-e-m*a*N*A*H [539], machCIYmath [2449] PEthiy [6612]. *The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple.* b. 19:8 *PURPOSE OF JEHOVAH'S PRECEPTS AND COMMANDMENT* pik-kuD*E*Y [4687] Ye-h*o*V*A*H ye-sh*a*RIYM [[3477], me-sam-me-ch*e*y [8056] - LEB; *The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart:* mitzVATH [4487] Ye-h*o*V*A*H b*a*R*A*H [1249], me-iyRATH [215] *e*yN*A*yim [5869]; *The commandment of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes.* *c. 19:9 PURPOSE OF JEHOVAH'S FEAR AND ORDINANCES* yirATH [3373] Ye-h*o*V*A*H te-h*o*R*A*H [2889], *o*MEdeth [5975] l*a*AD [5703]: *The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring for ever:* MISHpe-t*e*y [4941] - Ye-h*o*V*A*H eMETH [571], TZ*A*de-ku [6663] yachD*A*V. *The ordinances of Jehovah are true, and righteous altogether.* *d. 19:10 THEIR VALUE* HANnech-m*a*DIYM [2520] MIZz*a*-h*a*b [2091], vu-mipPAZ [6337] r*a*b; *More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold;* vu-me-thuKIYM [4966] mid-deBASH [1706] veNOpheth tzuPHIYM [6688]. *Sweeter also than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb.* *e. 19:11 TWO MORE PURPOSES* GAM - ab-be-c*a* [5650] nizH*A*R 2094] b*a*HEM: *Moreover by them is your servant warned:* be-sh*a*mR*A*M [8104] *E*keb [6118] r*a*b. *In keeping them there is great reward.* *f. 19:12 A PRAYER OF CONFESSION* she-giy*O*TH [7691] MIY - ya-biyn [995]? *Who can discern his errors?* MINnis-th*a*-r*o*th [5640] nakK*E*niy [5352]. *Clear me from hidden faults.* *g. 19:13 A PLEA FOR GOD'S PREVENIENT GRACE* gam miz-z*e*DIYM [2086] chaSOC [2820] abDEc*a*; *Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;* AL - yim-she-lu [4910] - BIY:* * *Let them not have dominion over me:* *a*z *e*yTH*A*M [8552], *Then shall I be upright,* ve-nikK*E*Ythi [5352] mip-peSHA [6588] R*A*B. *And I shall be clear from great transgression.* *h. 19:14 THE CAPSTONE OF THIS PSALM* YIhe-yu le-r*a*TZ*O*N [7522] im-r*e*y - PIY [6310] *Let the words of my mouth * ve-hegY*O*N ]1902] libBIY *and the meditation of my heart* le-ph*a*NEYc*a* *Be acceptable in your sight,* Ye-h*o*V*A*H, tzuRI [6697], ve-go-aLIY [1350]. *O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer.* *NOTE**: According to His promise to me at the University of British Columbia in the Fall of 1942, God revealed Himself to me at Passover of 1944. Shortly after His revelation, I was on a Navy ?Make and Mend? somewhere outside of HMCS Naden at Esquimalt, BC, just outside of Victoria. A few of us were visiting an old Tavern, and inscribed above its door were the words and reference of Psalm 19:14! This made a deep impression upon me as a new believer, and I immediately put it to memory. Later God impressed upon me the importance of having **His Words in my mouth, praying the Bible, especially Psalms, Proverbs and the New Testament back to Him orally. I later discovered also that Jewish believers meditated from the heart vocally back to God, as they davened before Him. Their Prayer Book (Siddur) which they use, is mostly a collection of Scripture verses for this purpose. One can still see them doing this today before the Western Wall and in their synagogues.* *Oral meditation, praying back to God His Word both with understanding and in the Spirit, releases revelation from the Lord, understanding and insights in His Word, strengthening of one's person: body, soul and spirit. It greatly enhances the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2) and grants victory in our thought life (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).* *I link this verse (Psalm 19:14) and this Psalm with Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1; and 1 Timothy 4:15.* *I believe these insights that God planted in my heart and mind the first few months of my conversion, have been the secret of the revelations I have received the last 65 years.* I am preparing this Psalm and NOTE on the Day of Pentecost, Solar year (Shavuot is the equivalent in the Jewish Lunar Year). In 1992 my wife Marie and I were in Jerusalem for a 5 week seminar course on our Jewish Roots. Before flying to Israel, God spoke to me in my spirit that He would speak to me a special message on June 6, 1992, the Day of Pentecost and Shavuot of that year. Seldom do these two Solar and Lunar Feasts come on the same day. But - not only these two - but also the 25th Anniversary of the Fall of Jerusalem back into the hands of Israel in 1967 at the Six Days' War -*fell on this day *! These 3 events will never coincide again! Jesus said in Matthew 24 that when Jerusalem is again restored to Israel, that generation would not pass away 'till He would return! A generation may be between 40 and 100 years. God told Abraham that his descendants would be in Egypt 4 generation of 400 years. *I attended a celebration of Shavuot, the Day of Pentecost on June 6, 1992 in a Jerusalem Synagogue unto 2:00 AM. Then Marie and I went to the Western Wall where close to one quarter of a million Jews met there, walking from some 40 synagogue groups, and with their respective Torah Scrolls, consummated the Feast of Weeks following the full reading of the Book of Ruth. Barley Harvest takes place at this time, 50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits connected with Passover - tying the two Feasts together. Passover is not consummated until Pentecost takes place with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is incomplete to have but ?Justification by Faith? in the Book of Romans. We need empowerment and the fire of holiness as revealed in the Book of Ephesians! (See Acts 2:38 - ?The Peter Package?).* *As we left the Western Wall about 7:00 AM of June 6, 1992, and as we walked opposite to the Gate of Zion on the return to our hotel - the Word of the Lord came to me - ?This day My decree has gone forth from My Throne. >From now on, 'time' from your vantage point will speed up for the next five years. That you may know that this is My Word through you, read Ezekiel 12:21-28.?* *What happened at Whistler, BC, July 1st 1995 was much of the fulfillment of this word. Freda Cooper led many of her tribal people in confessing their sin of departure from God on their part. As they made reconciliation with God, then representatives from Canada, Great Britain and the United States came and knelt and asked forgiveness on behalf of their people - for their mistreatment of the First Nations People of North America. But not until the First Nations People under the leadership of Freda Cooper firstmade reconciliation with God for their past transgressions. * *David Mainse of Toronto witnessed that this day - July 1st 1995, was the outstanding day to him in his history of all of God's dealing up to that time!* *It is interesting to note that July 1st 1995 is the 128th anniversary of the British North America Act of 1867, declaring the Dominion of Canada a separate and independent entity from Great Britain; while at the same time retaining a position within the British Commonwealth of Nations. 128 is ?2? to the 7th power! God makes no mistakes in His numbering! By some He is called ?The Mighty Numberer!? Through Ivan Panin God has reestablished the original Numeric Greek Text of the New Testament, and its English Numeric New Testament translation. God has commissioned me to put these two texts into an Interlinear Format, transliterating the Greek text into English to facilitate its use by laymen; outlining it according to the Numeric ?sentence?, ?sub-paragraph?, ?paragraph?, and ?section? divisions - and inserting Strong's numbers following the significant Greek words.* *My grandson Keelan Long is preparing a Website for this work, plus Greek Numeric Word Studies, plus Bible Book Outlines based on Numerics, plus selected Hebrew Interlinear chapters, plus Archives. Check out our Website < www.2rbetter.org> for the beginning of these postings. Keelan hopes to develop a method of posting for me (soon age 86), so that I can complete this assignment.* *In Conclusion**: - God is **no respecter of persons. He will use any of us as He used George Muller or me. Vocal Meditation, prayer in the Spirit, devotionally praying back God's word to Him in prayer format - these are the secrets that enable each of us to move up to the level where God's individual calling for each of us can then be achieved. Of course, it requires full discipleship (Matthew 28:18-20); full committal (Mark 8:34) and full renewal of mind (Romans 12:1-2). Then there is no way Satan can hinder God from fulfilling His full and perfect will through each one of us. (I am again sending this forth 2012-03-13; I am today 88 years, 8 months and 8 days - a lot of 8's!) - J.A.Watt* *P.S. In the above paragraph commemorating the 128th birthday of Canada on July 1st 1995, I initially made an error by stating it as 132 years, though it is actually ?2? to the 7th power. On Sunday March 31st, the Day of Pentecost at Aldergrove, BC, I repeated this error in a public service, and was corrected by a man, but failed to catch it. My apologies: ?To err is human - to forgive is divine!? - J.A.W.* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Mar 14 12:42:21 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:42:21 -0700 Subject: 1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:13 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 14, 2012 *(From: 1 CORINTHIANS #17 - 12:31b-13:13)* *B. 12:31b-13:13 LOVE: IDEAL MOTIVATION FOR SPIRIT MANIFESTATION* *a. 12:31b And I show you moreover an excellent way.* Kai Eti kath? hu-per-boL*E*N hoDON huMIN DEIKnu-mi. *b. 13:1 TONGUES WITHOUT LOVE ARE EMPTY* *If with the tongues of :men I speak, and of :angels, but have not love,* E-AN tais GL*O*Ssais t*o*n anTHR*O*p*o*n laL*O*, kai t*o*n agGEl*o*n, aGAp*e *n de m*e* Ech*o*, *I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.* GEgo-na chalKOS [5475] *e*CH*O*N [2278], *e* KUMba-lon [2950] a-laLAzon [214]. *c. 13:2 OTHER GIFTS WITHOUT LOVE: LEAVE US AS NOTHING* *And if prophecy I have, and all the mysteries I know and all knowledge;* ka? ?AN Ech*o* pro-ph*e*TEIan [4394], kai eiD*O* ta musT*E*ri-a [3466] PANta kai PAsan t*e*n GN*O*sin; *and if all faith I have, so as to remove mountains,* ka? ?AN Ech*o* PAsan t*e*n PIStin [4102], H*O*ste Or*e* me-thisTAnein, *but have not love, I am nothing.* aGAp*e*n de m*e* Ech*o*, ouTHEN ei-mi. *d. 13:3 ALMSGIVING FOR SHOW IS PROFITLESS* *And if I dole out all my :goods,* ka? ?AN ps*o*MIs*o* [5595] PANta ta huPARchonTA mou, *and if I give my :body that I may glory, but have not love,* ka? ?AN pa-raD*O* to S*O*-MA mou HIna kauCH*E*s*o*-mai [2545], aGAp*e*n de m *e* Ech*o*, *it profits me nothing.* ouDEN *o*-pheLOUmai. *e. 13:4-7 HOW LOVE ACTS* *:Love suffers long, is kind;* H*e* aGAp*e* ma-kro-thuMEI [3114], chr*e*sTEUe-tai [5541]; *:love envies not, vaunts not itself, is not puffed up,* h*e* aGAp*e* ou z*e*LOI [2206], ou per-peREUe-tai [5068], ou phu-siOUtai [5448], *5 is not unseemly, seeks not its :own,* ouk as-ch*e*-moNEI [807], ou z*e*TEI ta he-auT*E*S, *is not provoked, takes not account of :evil;* ou pa-roXUne-tai [3947], ou loGIze-tai [3049] to kaKON; *6 rejoices not in :unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;* ou CHAIrei [5463] ePI t*e* a-diKIa [93], sunCHAIrei de t*e* a-l*e*THEIa [225]; *7 **covers all **things, **believes all **things, **hopes all **things,**endures all **things.* PANta STEgei [4722], PANta pisTEUei [4100], PANta elPIzei [1679], PANta hu-poMEnei [5278]. *f. 13:8 LOVE OUTLASTS OTHER GIFTS* *:Love never fails: but whether **there be **prophecies, they shall be done away;* H*e* aGAp*e* ouDEpo-te PIPtei [1601]: EIte de pro-ph*e*TEIai, ka-tar-g*e*TH* E*son-tai [2673]; *whether tongues, they shall cease; whether knowledge, it shall be done away.* EIte GL*O*Ssai, PAUson-tai [3973]; EIte GN*O*sis, ka-tar-g*e*TH*E*se-tai [2673]. *g. 13:9-10 GIFTS ARE IN PART: LOVE IS THE WHOLE* *For we know in part, and prophesy in part;* ek MErous gar giN*O*Sko-men, kai ek MErous pro-ph*e*TEUo-men; *10 but when the perfect is come, what is in part shall be done away.* HOtan de ELth*e* to TElei-on [5046], to ek MErous ka-tar-g*e*TH*E*se-tai. *h. 13:11 MATURITY: SEES LOVE OUTLASTING GIFTS* *When I was a child, I spoke as a child,* HOte *E*m*e*n N*E*pi-os [3516], eLAloun h*o*s N*E*pi-os, *thought as a child, reasoned as a child:* ephROnoun [5426] h*o*s N*E*pi-os, e-lo-giZOm*e*n [3049] h*o*s N*E*pi-os: *when I became a man, I put away the things of the child.* HOte GEgo-na aN*E*R [435], kaT*E*Rg*e*-ka [2673] ta tou n*e*PIou. *i. 13:12 RESURRECTION STATE: WILL REVEAL ALL THIS CLEARLY* *For now we see by a mirror darkly;* BLEpo-men gar ARti di? eSOPtrou [2072] en aiNIGma-ti [135]; *but then face to face: now I know in part;* TOte de PROs*o*-pon [4383] pros PROs*o*-pon: ARti giN*O*Sk*o* ek MErous; *but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.* TOte de e-pigN*O*so-mai [1921] kaTH*O*S kai e-pegN*O*Sth*e*n. *j. 13:13 But now abides faith, hope, love, these :three; and the greater of these is love. * nuNI de MEnei PIStis, elPIS [1680], aGAp*e* [26], ta TRIa TAUta; MEIz*o*n de TOUt*o*n h*e* aGAp*e*.* * *NOTE:* And why would the Holy Spirit lead the apostle Paul to suddenly insert this section between chapters 12 and 14? I think it is probably because the temptation to pridefully use, misuse and abuse the gifts of the Spirit is such a possibility for new believers and carnal Christians. In a sense, chapter 12 deals with the understanding and theology of the gifts of the Spirit. Chapter 14 talks about the use and misuse of the gifts, especially prophecy and tongues. This section points out that *love*, which heads the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, is the greatest safeguard for those tempted to misuse the gifts. As stated before in 12:12-31a, manifestation of the gifts should normally take place immediately following the new birth ? but the development of the fruit of the Spirit ? especially love, the very nature and character of God ? continues throughout our lifetime. Jesus clearly lays out in Mark 8:34 the high cost of discipleship ? ?If any man would come after me, let him *deny himself* , *take up his cross*, and *follow Me*.? There is a progression in these three steps, and when arrived at, allow us to claim like Paul in Galatians 2:20,* ?**I am crucified** with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet * *not** I, but Christ lives in me; **and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live** by the faith of the Son of God, **who loves me, and gave**His life for me! *? See again Mel Gibson?s ?The Passion of the Christ,? to identify with Him in this way. In *this* state there is safety when we manifest the gifts of the Spirit. We do so in the same spirit in which Jesus Himself manifested them in His 3 year ministry on earth. It is always safe to live in the 4 Gospels. There we see Jesus manifesting these supernatural gifts to the glory of God His Father ? and the well-being of His fellow man. So yes ? there is tremendous wisdom of the Spirit in having Paul place this *love* chapter between the two ?gift? chapters. Andrew Murray of South Africa in his scores of books to the whole body of Christ - continually emphasizes the necessity of doing *all* things in love. Faith *works* by love! God *is* love! It is His basic essence, which He consistently manifests as an attribute. When one of Andrew Murray's family members sought confirmation from him after she told somebody off - his response was - that it would be better to give a loving word. As flies respond to honey before vinegar, so people respond to love more quickly than rebuke. We took the Kostner Avenue Baptist Church of Chicago as leaders in 1953. Its founder was Lewis (Dad) Crittendon, Superintendent of Pacific Garden Mission, and President of the Chicago branch of the Kimball Piano Company. He was *never* known to speak an unloving word to anyone - believer or unbeliever. A friend one time challenged him, ?Dad - I'll bet you've even got a good word for the devil!? That temporarily set him back. But then he brightened and responded, ?Well - we *could* emulate his zeal!? Very early this morning, I felt led to look up this passage, update it, print it up, and put in at the top of my daily devotional list, to run over *every day*. Perhaps some of you would like to join me. J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Mar 15 17:06:08 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:06:08 -0700 Subject: Are you adopted? Am I? Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* *S #5206 -- huio-theSIa (5) ? ADOPTION ? SONSHIP * *From S #5207 ? huiOS (381) ? A SON* *From S #5087 ? TIth**e**-mi (192) ? TO PLACE, PUT ASIDE, MAKE* * * *One. ROM 8:15 (12-17) THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION * *c. 8:15 SPIRIT OF BONDAGE VERSUS SPIRIT OF ADOPTION* *For you received not a spirit of bondage again unto fear;* ou gar eLAbe-te PNEUma douLEIas [1397] PAlin eis PHObon [5401]; *but you received a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, :Father.* alLA eLAbe-te PNEUma hui-o-theSIas [5206], en h*o* KRAzo-men [2896], AbBA, ho paT*E*R. *Two. ROM 8:23 (18-25). OUR ADOPTION: REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY. * *e. 8:23 OUR STATE: A GROANING FOR ADOPTION - BODY REDEMPTION* *And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,* ou MOnon de, alLA kai auTOI, t*e*n a-parCH*E*N [536] tou PNEUma-tos Echon-tes, *WE ourselves also groan within ourselves,* huMEIS kai auTOI en he-auTOIS steNAz*o*-men [4727], *awaiting our adoption, the redemption of our :body.* hui-o-theSIan [5206] a-pek-deCHOme-noi [553], t*e*n a-poLUtr*o*-sin [629]tou S *O*ma-tos h*e*M*O*N. *Three. ROM 9:4 (1-13). THE ADOPTION: FIRST OF EIGHT COVENANT BLESSINGS.** * *b. 9:3-5a PAUL?S WISH: BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE* *3 **For I could wish that I myself were anathema from the Christ* *e*uCHOm*e*n [2172] gar aNAthe-ma [331] EInai auTOS eG*O* aPO tou ChrisTOU *for my brethren?s sake, my :kinsmen according to **the** flesh:* huPER t*o*n a-delPH*O*N mou, t*o*n sug-geN*O*N [4773] mou kaTA SARka [4561]: *4** who are Israelites; whose **is** the **adoption,** and the glory, ** * HOItiNES ei-sin Is-ra-*e*LEItai; h*o*n h*e* hui-o-theSIa [5206], kai h*e*DOxa [1391], *and the covenants, and the giving of **the** law, and the worship, and the promises; * kai hai di-aTH*E*kai [1242], kai h*e* no-mo-theSIa [3548], kai h*e* laTREIa [2999], kai hai e-pag-geLIai; *5a **whose **are** the fathers, and of whom is the Christ as concerning the flesh,* h*o*n hoi paTEres [3962], kai ex h*o*n ho ChrisTOS to kaTA SARka [4561], *who is over all, God blessed unto the ages.* ho *o*n ePI PANt*o*n, TheOS eu-lo-g*e*TOS [2128] eis tous ai*O*nas [165]. *Four. GAL 4:4-5 (3:23-4:7) GOD?S SON: GIVES ?ADOPTION OF SONS? BY REDEMPTION. * *b. 4:3-5 GOD'S METHOD OF ADOPTING SONS: THROUGH CHRIST* *So we also, when we were babes, * HOUt*o*s kai h*e*MEIS, HOte *E*men N*E*pi-oi [3516], *were in bondage under the rudiments of the world:* huPO ta stoiCHEIa [4747] tou KOSmou [2889] *E*me-tha de-dou-l*o*MEnoi [1402]: *4 but when the fulness of the time came, :God sent forth his :Son,* HOte de *E*Lthen to PL*E*r*o*-ma [4138] tou CHROnou, e-xaPEstei-len ho TheOS ton huiON auTOU, *born of woman, born under law,* geNOme-non ek gu-naiKOS [1135], geNOme-non huPO NOmon, *5 that he might redeem those under law, that we might receive the adoptionof sons. * HIna tous huPO NOmon e-xa-goRAs*e* [1805], HIna t*e*n hui-o-theSIan [5206]a-poLAb *o*-men [618]. *Five. EPH 1:4-6 (3-14) OUR ADOPTION: GOD?S FOREORDAINED PLAN! * * **B. 1:3-14 NINE BLESSINGS IN CHRIST** * *4** even as he chose us in him before** the** world?s foundation,* kaTH*O*S e-xeLExa-to [1586] h*e*MAS en auT*O* pro ka-ta-boL*E*S [2602] KOSmou,* * *that we be holy **and without blemish before him in love* EInai h*e*MAS haGIous kai aM*O*mous [299] ka-teN*O*pi-on auTOU en aGAp*e* *5 having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself,* pro-oRIsas [4309] h*e*MAS eis hui-o-theSIan [5206] diA I*e*SOU ChrisTOU eis auTON, *according to the good pleasure of his :will, **6** to **the **praise of ** the** glory of his :grace,* kaTA t*e*n eu-doKIan [2107] tou theL*E*ma-tos auTOU, eis Epai-non DOx*e*s t* e*s CHAri-tos auTOU, *which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved:* h*e*s e-chaRIt*o*-sen [5487] h*e*MAS en t*o* *e*-ga-p*e*MEn*o*: *NOTE**: **Adoption* (huio-theSIa) appears but 5 times in the Greek NT. It is a combination of 2 words ? ?huiOS? (381x), a son; and TIth*e*mi (192 x) ? to place, put aside, make. Adoption then is the placing or establishing of a SON. Bible Adoption is NOT the same as our Western understanding of adoption. In Bible times a Jewish father would normally place his eldest son under his servants to learn all aspects of his business. When they later came to him and said, ?Sir ? your son has passed all tests, and is now read for ?Adoption.? You can have a special coming out party for him, and then place him beside yourself in your company, which will then be ?Father and Son.? We will then take our place under his direction, just as we have been under yours. THIS is what our Heavenly Father wants to do with us. We are His sons and daughters through the New Birth! But God wants us to receive ?Adoption? unto ?Sonship.? His servants are the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers of Ephesians 4:11-12. We are to accept our place under them. They then ADJUST (ka-tar-TIz*o*) us. They give us a spiritual chiropractic treatment to adjust us as the 33 vertebrae of the human body needing adjustment to protect the spinal cord. Adjustment unto ADOPTION and SONSHIP is the will of God for us as outlined in the above 5 references! It is the FIRST of the 8 blessings for Israel, that according to the MYSTERY of the Gospel taught by Paul, we as Gentiles share with Israel in the ?One New Man.? The other 7 blessings in Romans 9:4-5 are equally important for us from God?s point of view. The above 5 quotations of this word, are taken from the coming *?OUTLINED INTERLINEAR NEW TESTAMENT? *by James A. Watt, based on the Bible Numeric Greek and English texts prepared by Ivan Panin. The Outlining is also based on the discovery of Ivan Panin, and appears through the full New Testament text. Watch our Website for when this is published, plus an E-Book text for those more interested in this area. This text enables one to ?meditate? on the Word more like George Muller and George Whitefield, who excelled in this area. But the God who is no respecter of persons can enable each of us to do also! Jim Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Mar 20 15:24:14 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:24:14 -0700 Subject: Seven I AM's of Jesus Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* *?THE SEVEN I AM's OF JESUS?* *(RESULT: OVERCOMERS THROUGH THE PRE-EMINENT ONE)* *NOTE**: *It is important to see Jesus as God sees Him for us. Jesus of course understands the high calling and privilege God has given Him as the Son of Man. But - He is also - Son of God! And at His Resurrection and Ascension, the Father *proclaimed* Him as Lord (Jehovah) and Christ (Messiah)! There is a *man* upon the Throne, at the right hand of the Father. He is both Son of Man and Son of God. The fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him! When He has completed His Millennial reign as Lord of lords and King of kings, He will as Son of Man turn all things back to the Father, that God might be all things in all. Jesus said - Before Abraham was, *?I AM*.? * *The seven I AM's of Jesus in the Gospel of John make this point abundantly clear. It is because of this that He makes the statement recorded in Matthew 23:39 (37-39) *?You (Jerusalem) shall in no wise see me henceforth, till you shall say, 'Blessed who comes in the Lord's (Jehovah's) name.'?* Check our Archives July 14, 2009, Numbers 6:22-27 (It will later be posted on our Website under ?Hebrew.?) Here we see how the Holy Spirit links *?I AM? *with the 7 areas in which He serves as Son of Man, He is recognizing His pre-incarnate state with the Father. At His Bar Mitzvah at the age of 12, He was presented by His parents at the Temple, and 3 days after being missing asked, ?Didn't you know I had to be about My Father's business?? Joseph was His step-father. His true Father was His Heavenly Father, making Him both Son of Man and Son of God. Then He was born to die! Where Adam as the first man failed and brought the whole human race into a fallen state and separated from God - Jesus, the last Adam - yielded *not* to temptation, and as a perfect, sinless sacrifice, died on the Cross at Calvary, and reconciled by His Redemption, all who would believe on Him and receive Him - back to God! No wonder the theme of Oswald Chambers for both himself and us is: *?Personal, Passionate Devotion to Jesus!* I wrote the following ?Seven I Am's of Jesus? back in 1967. With but slight editing, I present them to you again! May we by them become *?Overcomers through the Pre-Eminent One!? - J*.A.W. *SURVEY VIII*. *OVERCOMERS THROUGH THE PRE-EMINENT ONE* *1. John 6:35 (22-40) THE BREAD OF LIFE.* *m. 6:35 JESUS CLEARLY ANSWERS THEIR QUESTIONING* *:Jesus said to them, I am the bread of :life:* EIpen auTOIS ho I*e*SOUS, E-G*O* ei-mi ho ARtos t*e*s z*o*-*E*S: *who comes unto me shall in nowise hunger, and who believes unto me shall in nowise ever thirst.* ho erCHOme-nos pros eME ou m*e* peiNAs*e*, kai ho piSTEU*o*n eis eME ou m*e*diPS *E*sei P*O*po-te. *i. 6:48 ** **I am the bread of :life**. ** *eG*O* ei-mi ho ARtos t*e*s z*o *-*E*S. - The Bread, ARtos, 100x, Strong 740. - The 'breaking of bread' became the name for the institution breaking (not cutting) the loaf at Lord's Supper, Acts 2:43, 20:7; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23. - Metaphorically, Christ is known as the bread of God, John 6:33, 35. - George Muller partook of the Word as Soul-food before he prayed. - Priests ate this bread in type, Bread of Presence, Lev. 24:9. - We minister the living Word by revelation, Romans 8:14. - See the Table of Shewbread in the Tabernacle - 2 piles of six loaves each representing the 12 tribes of Israel. See our Website under ?Embryonics? - here the 12 tribes are linked with the 12 Revival Principles from 1948. *2. John 8:12 (8:12-20) and 9:5 (1-7) THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.* - Light, ph*o*s, 70x - (from PHA*o*, to shine, Strong 5457. *E. 8:12-20 FATHER WHO WITNESSES OF JESUS - UNKNOWN TO JEWS* *a. 8:12 CHRIST THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD* *Again therefore :Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world:* PAlin oun auTOIS eLAl*e*-sen ho I*e*SOUS, LEg*o*n, E-G*O* ei-mi to ph*o*s [5457] tou KOSmou [2889]: *who follows me shall in no wise walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of :life.* ho a-ko-louTH*O*N [190] moi ou m*e* pe-ri-paT*E*s*e* en t*e* skoTIa [4653], all' HExei to ph*o*s t*e*s z*o*-*E*S. *e. 9:5 While I am in the world, I am Light of the world.* HOtan en t*o* KOSm*o* *o*, PH*O*S [5457] ei-mi tou KOSmou. - Metaphorically, the truth in Christ reaching the mind. - Natural man is incapable of receiving spiritual light, 1 Co 1:14. - Believers become 'sons of light' through the New Birth, receiving spiritual capacity for revelation from God, Luke 16:8. - See Candlestick (Menorah) in Tabernacle: gifts of Spirit for light, 1 Co 12:8-11. (Tongues and Interpretation = Prophecy, explaining the 7-fold light. *3. John 10:7 (7-18) THE DOOR.* *John 10:7: ?I am the gate for the sheep? -* *6. 10:7-18 JESUS EXPLAINS PARABLE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD* *a. 10:7 :Jesus therefore said again, Amen, Amen, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.* EIpen oun PAlin ho I*e*SOUS, A-M*E*N, aM*E*N, LEg*o* huMIN, eG*O* ei-mi h*e*THUra t *o*n proBAt*o*n. - The Door, THUra, 39x, Strong 2374. - Metaphorically, of Christ, John 10:7, 9. - Metaphorically of faith, by acceptance of the Gospel, Acts 14:27. - Also of entrance into the Kingdom of God, Mt 25:10, Lu 13:24-25. - Christ's entrance into a repentant believer's heart, Re 3:20. - Access to behold visions relative to purposes of God, Re 4:1. *4. John 10:11-15 (10:7-18) THE SHEPHERD.* *e. 10:11 THE PURPOSE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD* *I am the good :shepherd:* E-G*O* ei-mi ho poiM*E*N [4166] ho kaLOS [2570]: *the good :shepherd lays down his :life for the sheep.* ho poiM*E*N ho kaLOS t*e*n psuCH*E*N [5590] auTOU TIth*e*-sin [5087] huPER t *o*n proBAt*o*n. *f. 10:12-13 THE NATURE OF THE HIRELING* *Who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not,* ho mis-th*o*TOS [3411], kai ouk *o*n poiM*E*N, hou ouk EStin ta PROba-ta Idi-a, *beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees* the-*o*REI ton LUkon [3074] erCHOme-non, kai aPHI*e*-sin [863] ta PROba-ta, kai PHEUgei [5343] *(and the wolf snatches them, and scatters):* (kai ho LUkos harPAzei [726] auTA, kai skorPIzei [4650]): *13 because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep.* HOti mis-th*o*TOS es-tin, kai ou MElei [3411] auT*O* peRI t*o*n proBAt*o*n. *g. 10:14-15 THE KNOWLEDGE THAT EXISTS BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS SHEEP* *I am the good :shepherd; and I know :mine, and :mine know me,* eG*O* ei-mi ho poiM*E*N ho kaLOS; kai giN*O*sk*o* ta eMA, kai giN*O*skouSI me ta eMA, *15 even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father;* kaTH*O*S giN*O*skei me ho paT*E*R, ka' 'G*O* giN*O*sk*o* ton paTEra; *and I lay down my :life for the sheep.* kai t*e*n psuCH*E*N mou TIth*e*-mi huPER t*o*n proBAt*o*n. - The Shepherd, poiM*E*N, 18x, Strong 4166. See Strong 4165, poiMAIn*o*, 11x, to feed or rule. - Metaphorically of Christ, Mt 26:31, Mk 14:27, Jn 10:11, 14, 16, He 13:20, 1 Pe 2:25. - Pastors tend (guide and oversee) as well as feed flock, Acts 10:17, 28. - It was this service committed to elders (overseers or bishops). - Jesus Christ alone is the chief shepherd, 1 Pe 5:4. - Aaron, a type of Christ, faithful over Tabernacle. - King David shepherded God's people Israel, Ps 23. *5. John 11:25-26 (17-44) THE RESURRECTION.* *h. 11:25-26a CHRIST - THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE* *:Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life:* EIpen auT*E* ho I*e*SOUS, E-G*O* ei-mi h*e* aNAsta-sis, kai h*e* z*o*-*E* [2222]: *who believes unto me shall live, even if he die; 26a and every one* ho piSTEU*o*n eis eME, ka' 'n a-poTHAn*e* Z*E*se-tai [2198]; kai pas *who lives and believes unto me shall nowise die unto the age.* ho z*o*n kai PiSTEU*o*n eis eME ou m*e* a-poTHAn*e* [599] eis ton ai*O*na. - The Resurrection, aNASta-sis, 42x, Strong 386. - By metonymy, of Christ as the Author of resurrection. - Many found in Christ strength and firmness, a means of their salvation and spiritual life, Lu 2:34; but also a stone of offense, causing many in Israel to stumble. - God made Aaron's budding rod bring forth almonds, symbol of resurrection. - Christ Jesus raised Lazarus, and will raise us too, 2 Thess 4:13-18. *6. John 14:6 (5-7) THE WAY.* *b. 14:6 NO WAY TO GOD BUT THROUGH CHRIST* *Jesus says to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life:* LEgei auT*O* I*e*SOUS, E-G*O* ei-mi h*e* hoDOS [3598], kai h*e* aL*E*thei-a [225], kai h*e* z*o*-*E* [2222]: *no one comes unto the Father, but through me.* ouDEIS ERche-tai pros ton paTEra, ei m*e* di? eMOU. - The Way, hoDOS, 102x, Strong 3598. - Metaphorically, a course of conduct, or way of thinking. - The way instructed and approved of God, Ac 18:26, He 3:10. - Paul's ways in Christ, 1 Co 4:17. - The more excellent way of love, 1 Co 12:31. - Personified of Christ as means of access to the Father, Jn 14:6. - The course followed and characterized by followers of Christ, Ac 9:2, 19:9, 23; 24:22. - Christ in Tabernacle: Blood-sprinkled mercy seat on the Ark, which led Israel in her goings. *7. John 15:1 (1-16) THE VINE.* *C. 15:1-16:33 RESULTS FROM THE SPIRIT?S COMING* *3. 15:1-16 FRUIT: PURPOSE OF THE SPIRIT* *a. 15:1 I am the true :vine, and my :Father is the husbandman.* E-G*O* ei-mi h*e* AMpe-los [288] h*e* a-l*e*-thiN*E*, kai ho paT*E*R mou ho ge-*o*rGOS [1092] es-tin. - The Vine, AMpe-los, 8x, Strong 288. - Used figuratively of Christ, Jn 15:1, 4, 5. - A true vine shelters, as 4-fold covering of Tabernacle: badger skins, rams dyed red, goat hairs (humanity), white linen. - Father prunes branches, as they receive life from the true vine. *NOTE**: *There are 14 natural Greek word series in the NT that are related to the 12 tribes of Israel, plus Joseph's two sons. I have linked the Seven I Am's of Jesus from the Gospel of John with the tribe of Judah, the tribe of ?Praise? and of ?The Heavenly Choir?. The verse selections are from the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? which are arranged in a poetical clause form rather than in prose. Winston Churchill in his speeches and Peter Marshall in his sermons used this format. This makes it easier to meditate on such words, much in the spirit that God commanded Joshua to speak, meditate and *do* the Word of God. Joshua 1:8. We can do much better than Joshua as NT saints, when we remember that God has constituted the NT as Torah - equal in authority to the entire OT. (Hebrews 8:6.) Dr. David Stern made this discovery, and deals with it in his ?Jewish NT Commentary?. Try meditating over these 7 sections to test such helpfulness. J.A.W. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Mar 21 12:04:34 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:04:34 -0700 Subject: Numerology & Alphabetology Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 21, 2012 *2012-03-19 - NUMEROLOGY & ALPHABETOLOGY: VOIDS GOD'S WORD* *KABBALAH & THE ESOTERIC - SLIPPING INTO CHRISTIANITY* ?*CLASSICAL HEBREW? - UNDERCUTS GREEK NEW TESTAMENT* *BIBLICAL MEDITATION - JEOPARDIZED BY THE ABOVE* Hi friends - 2012-03-2012 The following article is being sent first to a very few selected friends prior to its regular mailing. It is in my estimation a very serious document. I fear the enemy is launching a very determined effort to sidetrack the Outlined Interlinear NT - so that instead of applying Biblical Meditation upon a simple Bible text, complications are being injected that will make true ?Bible Meditation? exceedingly difficult. I have had 3 very strong examples of this departure from simplicity. One back in the early 2000's in a Messianic Jewish Congregation we were leading. More recently in another Messianic Jewish Congregation. But most recently through a friend who but two years ago was walking soundly in the simplicity of the Word - but has now veered off into this land of excitement because of having departed from the simplicity of the "manna" of the Word. Israel got tired of the simplicity of angel's food, and wanted the food of Egypt. I am afraid my friend is willing to give them what they want. Before I send this out - I need your appraisal. Do you agree? Are their additions, omissions, changes that you suggest? I will most appreciate your words along this line. Your friend - Jim Watt Following are a few responses to my request above: - first from the SeaTac Metroplex - Jim, In my 30 years of ministry - 40 years as a believer - I've come to the conclusion that there is something in the carnal mind that longs for the esoteric and the unusual. While I am a great advocate of Jewish roots, I think much of the preoccupation with Messianic stuff is misguided and a fascination with Judaism rather than Biblical Christianity. Most believers today know much about Jewish customs but little about the revelation given to the apostle Paul. They don't know who they are in Christ, their authority as a believer or the basis of their standing before God (or justification). These truths, which all have heard, are assented to yet not lived. It takes prayerful meditation in God's New Covenant to bring these truths out of the intellectual realm into our lifestyle. As you know, E.W. Kenyon was both a great advocate of meditation and Paul's revelation. As I see it today, the Church is in desperate need of both. Blessings, my friend.* * In Christ, One from the East Coast - Dear Jim, I like the way you approached this. You are consistent in your approach, honoring the Word of God. You are also fair-minded and gracious with your detractors. You are a blessing! Love to Marie. Miss you both! Thanks for including me in the updates and "deeper discussions" like this. God Bless! Another from the SeaTac Metroplex - Dear Brother Jim. I see where you are going, and canot help see through the glass darkly your inference. I was going to call you and see what your take was on the exegesis presented. I will withhold any evaluation. Thank you for your presence. You are and always will be a watch-dog and guardian for common sense and reason. Best to you and your lovely bride --- *My take -* *There are 4 possible ways to interpret the Bible: PRDS - covers the following 4 points of alliteration:* *- Peshat - (lit. simple) - the direct interpretation of meanings* *- Remez - (hints)* *- Derash - (allegorical meanings - think allusions)* *- Sod - (Secret or mystical) - The last three are not mentioned by any OT or NT writers! Jesus in Matthew 15 accused Scribes and Pharisees of His day - of making void the Word of God (in its simplicity) by their traditions.* *Through Kabbalah, Numerology, Gematria and Alphabetology (making each letter of the Hebrew alphabet into a word in itself) - is both secret and verging on the occult.* *See also ?Hebrew Alphabet? under Google, and ?Ancient Hebrew Alphabet?. Some call this ?Classic Hebrew? - but actually it is a departure from the simple Bible (Torah) interpretation. It is a departure from the Simplicity of the given words as they are in the Bible, and makes simple ?Biblical Meditation? in the spirit of George Muller and George Whitefield exceedingly difficult.* *It also undercuts the integrity of the Greek New Testament - that is anything but ?form? alone. But under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it becomes through the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? based on the Bible Numeric discoveries of Ivan Panin - an extremely effective way to walk through the ?Tabernacle of Moses? into the very place of the Holy of Holies, and intimacy with God!* *No wonder Jesus was so ?rough? on those Jews of His day, who departed from the pure word of God, into their own traditions. The Talmud and Mishnah, when replacing the Torah in actuality, become suspect. Those who follow that path, are encouraging one to walk even in the spirit of Kabbalah. * *Dr. David Stern - himself from an Orthodox Jewish background, has written a ?Jewish Commentary on the NT?, which he also gave with his own interpretation. In Hebrews 8:6, he by the help of the Holy Spirit and study, discovered the following insight:* *d. 8:6 SUPERIOR COVENANT PRODUCES A SUPERIOR MINISTRY* *But now has he obtained a ministry the more superior,* nun de di-a-pho-r*o*TEras [1313] TEtu-chen [5177] lei-tourGIas [3009], *by so much as he is also mediator of a better covenant,* HOs*o* kai KREITtoNOS [2909] es-tin di-aTH*E*k*e*s [1242] meSIt*e*s [3316], *which has been enacted upon better promises.* H*E*tis ePI KREITto-sin e-pag-geLIais [1860] ne-no-moTHEt*e*-tai [3549]. *See the Greek word from which ?enacted? is translated: *ne-no-moTHEs*e*-tai - *which is the only time used in the NT. It could be freely translated - ?The NT has been constituted as Torah or law - upon these better promises in Jesus (YeSHUa) in the New Covenant.? This makes the Greek New Testament on the same level for all ?Observant Jews? as the Old Covenant - the Torah, the Hebrew OT. That is - now in NT times - no Jew can be truly Observantunless he observes the NT on the same level as the Old! Which means that the Greek NT is not just a ?form? - but in its latent written word (LOgos) is just waiting for us to vocally meditate upon it, and then like in Genesis 1 when the command is spoken, the Holy Spirit springs into action, and transforms it into a living REma word - which is Christ Himself growing in us like He did for Paul in Galatians 2:20. (The text above has been taken from our ?Outlined Interlinear NT? - now being printed.)* *So what am I saying? that 70 years ago this year, Dr. Ivan Panin originally from Russia, completed what God allowed him to discover in 1890 - namely the Bible Numeric structure of the entire Bible, both Hebrew and Greek. These are the only two languages in the world with no numerical equivalent. We in English use for mathematics, Arabic numbers. Romans used Roman numerals. Not so Hebrews and Greeks. Each letter from 4000 BC for Hebrew had a numerical equivalent - so that aleph, beit, gimel, dalet became 1, 2, 3, 4, and tov became 400. In Greek for 3000 years, alpha, beta, gamma, delta became 1, 2, 3, 4, and O-MEga became 800. Jesus (IEsous) in Greek becomes 888! The man of sin in Revelation 13 will be 666. * *Bible Numerics is not numerology linked with Kabbalah, but is simply God's signature to prevent counterfeiting His Bible. All 66 books of the Bible are undergirded with Bible Numerics. We don't need esoteric methods of interpretation by ?alphabetology? and numerology. Let's stick to the simplicity of the known 33 Bible writers of these 66 books. It is so-called ?Classical Hebrew? that leads us from this simplicity. It is quite impossible to have the pre-incarnate Christ fall upon the lintel and doorposts of the Jewish houses in Egypt at the first Passover, and have his head on the lintel - which like the lintel of our doorways - is over 6 feet high! So the word equivalents of each Hebrew letter, cannot be forced to fit this analogy.* *Throughout the church, there are now many, even in Messianic Jewish Congregations - that indulge freely and strongly in this ?Classical Hebrew? method of ?alphabetology? - which few laymen can follow or utilize, or meditate upon. K.I.S.S. - Keep it Simple, Sweetie! Don't let us be led astray from the simplicity of the Word - into esoteric Kabbalistic methods of interpretation. Jesus condemned strongly those of His day who made voidthe simple Word of God by traditions. * *Watch for our completed ?Outlined Interlinear NT? based on the 50-year labors of Ivan Panin. Under a commission of God, I have spent over 60 years putting his two Bible Numeric texts into an Interlinear format, - outlining each sentence, sub-paragraph, paragraph, chapter equivalent, and gathering them into a summarized title for each of the 27 NT books. God allowed Panin to discover this outlining format also. It is a simple format. Panin describes this in the Introduction to his Bible Numeric Greek NT. It is easily usable by lay-folk or scholars. It leads richly into Bible Meditation - and parallel with the Tabernacle pilgrimage of the 7 pieces of furniture - right into the presence of God in the Holy of Holies - through the riven veil!* *Get side-tracked in the maze and traditions warned about above - and you will miss the simplicity of the ways of God! Jim Watt* * * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Mar 22 11:16:47 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:16:47 -0700 Subject: A 40th Year 1948 Anniversary Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 22, 2012 *2012-03-22 - FEB. 12, 1988 - 40 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF FEB. 12, 1948* *In 1988, February 12, 500 of us from California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan - agreed to take part in a 21-day Daniel Fast. It was the 40th Anniversary of the 1948 Visitation by God to Northern Canada, at which time 12 Embryonic Revival Principles came together to complement what started at Azusa Street in 1906. * *Three of these 12 were: The Laying on of Hands and Prophecy to enable seeking individuals to know God's place for them in the Body of Christ; the 5-fold Ministries of Ephesians 4:11-12 to start functioning as a whole; and the Heavenly Choir to be restored, what started in the early 1900's in the meetings of Mrs. Maria Woodworth-Etter.* *For 21 days from February 1-21 we sought God's face for a word to stop the inroads of J. Z. Knight of Yelm, Washington, as she was invited to ?channel? 12,000 year old ?Ramtha?, a strong principality of Satan in this area. Two Seattle TV channels gave her opportunity to do so!* *When I heard of this ungodly news in late 1987, I prayed and sensed God leading me to call for 500 friends and acquaintances to join with me to cause to cease these public demonstrations. The 500 of us completed this assignment, but it was not till February 23rd that God spoke. He then said, ?Make yourselves individually like Michael Knight in the 'Knight Rider'. But instead of using K.I.T.T. to aid you in bringing criminals to justice - Let ME be as K.I.T.T. inside of you! Let me control you individually and corporately, and J. Z. Knight will no longer publicly channel Ramtha in your area. And here are the verses you are not only to master, but which you are to use in allowing Me to live My Life through you by the Holy Spirit. See 'Rees Howells, Intercessor' by Norman P. Grubb as an example of how it looks to have the Holy Spirit take control of your life and possess you on My behalf. First of all, learn and master Romans 12:1-2:?* *IV. ROMANS 12:1-16:23 RIGHTEOUSNESS MANIFESTED IN LIFE* *A. 12:1-2 BEGINS WITH COMPLETE SURRENDER* *a. 12:1 A WHOLE BURNT OFFERING CONSECRATION - HOLOCAUST* *I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of :God,* Pa-ra-kaL*O* [3870] oun huMAS, a-delPHOI, diA t*o*n oik-tirM*O*N [3628] tou TheOU, *to present your :bodies a living sacrifice, * pa-raST*E*sai [3936] ta S*O*ma-ta huM*O*N thuSIan [2378] Z*O*san, *holy, well-pleasing to God, your spiritual service.* haGIan, t*o* The*o* euAres-ton [2101], t*e*n lo-giK*E*N [3050] laTREIan 2999] huM*O*N. *b. 12:2 YIELD TO GOD'S TEACHERS* *And be not fashioned according to this :age:* kai m*e* sun-sch*e*-maTIzes-the t*o* ai*O*ni TOUt*o*: *but be transformed by the renewing of the mind,* alLA me-ta-morPHOUSthe [3339] t*e* a-na-kaiN*O*sei tou noOS, *that you may prove what is the good* eis to do-kiMAzein [1381] huMAS ti to THEl*e*-ma tou TheOU to a-gaTHON *and well-pleasing and perfect will of :God.* kai euAres-ton [2101] kai TElei-on. ?*Next, let Mark 8:34 have its full way in your life:?* *3. 8:34-9:1 DISCIPLESHIP: THE CONDITION FOR KINGDOM GLORY* *a. 8:34 CONDITIONS OF DISCIPLESHIP* *And he called to him the crowd with his :disciples,* Kai pro-ska-leSAme-nos ton OCHlon sun tois ma-th*e*TAIS auTOU, *and** said to them, If any would come after me,* EIpen auTOIS, EI tis THElei oPIs*o* mou elTHEIN, *let him deny himself, and take up his :cross, and follow me.* a-par-n*e*SASth*o* [533] he-auTON, kai aRAt*o* ton stauRON auTOU, kai a-ko-louTHEIt*o* [190] moi. ?*And lastly, see how Paul used Galatians 2:20 to let Me manifest Myself victoriously through his life to found 14 City Churches with an Eldership in the Gate of each - like Antioch (Acts 13:1-3) and Jerusalem (Acts 15). Under My direction, Paul wrote 14 of the 27 books of the New Testament (See 1 Corinthians 14:37). The whole NT is not the words of man, but My words through man! In just like manner - for you and your band of 500 to let Me through these 3 verses possess you - J. Z. Knight will no longer have opportunity to publicly channel and manifest Ramtha. I will be your spiritual K.I.T.T. on behalf of you as my spiritual Michael Knight, in successfully stopping J. Z. Knight from future public channeling and manifestations.?* *f. 2:20 CHRIST LIVING IN US: A LAW THAT SUPERCEDES LAW OF MOSES!* *I have been crucified with Christ; and no longer I live, but Christ lives in me:* ChrisT*O* su-neSTAUr*o*-mai [4957]; z*o* [2198] de ouKEti eG*O*, z*e* de en eMOI ChrisTOS: *and what I now live in the flesh I live by faith which is in the Son of :God,* ho de nun z*o* en sarKI [4561] en PIStei z*o* t*e* tou huiOU tou TheOU, *who loved me, and gave himself up for me.* tou a-gaP*E*sanTOS [25] me, kai pa-raDONtos [3860] he-auTON huPER eMOU. *To my knowledge, J. Z. Knight since February 23, 1988, has no longer had opportunity for public channeling of Ramtha.* *So on the 40th Anniversary of February 12, 1948 - God's Visitation at North Battleford, Saskatchewan - God in His wonderful wisdom, guidance and fulfillment, brought together the 5-fold ministry to successfully do what He promised and said.* *The three verses quoted above that the Lord directed in - are taken from our ?Outlined Interlinear NT? based on the 50 years labor of Russian Ivan Panin. It is now 70 years since he died in Aldershot, Ontario, and God in His faithfulness is having it printed this year. I trust Panin in heaven is rejoicing at God's faithfulness. Watch our Website for news when this printing is finished and available for distribution. Jim Watt * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat Mar 24 13:51:38 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2012 13:51:38 -0700 Subject: Defense & Apologetic Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 24, 2012 *2012-03-24 - DEFENSE & APOLOGETIC FOR TORAH (BIBLE) ALONE* *My first class in Hebrew was in 1946 at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. I was introduced to the words representing each of the 22 letters of the alphabet, and shared my exciting discovery with the professor. He was an outgoing Modernist, Dr. Robert Schnell, and promptly threw cold water on my discovery. I was quite shocked, and decided to do some research on the subject, which I have continued through the years. I am quite satisfied that the normal word equivalent for each of the 22 letters is quite legitimate, and that this has no connection with Kabbala (Cabala) or the occult.* *However, my concern is this: My friends, both Jewish and Gentile who use this information to form Bible interpretation - have no Biblical warranty for such use. Of the 33 known Bible book authors - not one refers to this as a legitimate basis for interpretation, nor does Jesus Himself. I have 3 friends I referred to in a recent article on this subject, who do not handle any Bible teaching without referring to these letter and number equivalents. It does excite the hearers, and one gets incredible computer hits monthly for his teachings making use of this method. Talking to and observing such hearers, I do not find them moving in a ?Bible Meditation? posture like George Muller or George Whitefield. It seems like more of an exciting discovery the teacher shares with his hearers, in a somewhat intellectual rather than a spiritual mode.* *Up till now, I have merely made my own observations, and said nothing. It was when one I highly regarded for his spiritual and edifying teaching - switched in the last few years to the mode above - that I became not just concerned, but alarmed. The majority of his hearers in the meeting I attended really had little background to evaluate what they were hearing.* *Because the Greek language does not lend itself to this type of interpretation as based on the Hebrew, the NT Greek was put down as a Hellenistic intellectual mode - far inferior to the Hebrew. This is an extremely serious conclusion. It immediately downgrades the New Covenant, and lifts up the OT in a manner that does not fit with the Pauline insights. And Paul himself said that his teaching was not of himself - but the Lord by the Spirit gave him all he wrote except a few thoughts in 1 Corinthians 7.* *Concerning numerology. I personally follow Bible Numerics by Ivan Panin, which has nothing to do with numerology. Numerics, because of number equivalents to each letter of both Hebrew and Greek - merely is God's aid in establishing the true original text of the Bible out of the number of manuscript copies existing today. Numerology as I understand it - deals with Bible interpretation on the basis of such numbers.* *Again, on the basis of the Bible writers themselves, both OT and NT, we do not find them majoring on interpretation on the basis of such numbers. Making an inordinate use of such letters and numbers as the basis for Bible interpretation, tends to major on ?head? knowledge, and though exciting because different, does not lead in my experience to true spirituality or intimacy with Jesus.* *My first year as a believer in 1944 found me introduced to a number of teachers in Victoria BC, who majored on numerology. I found it quite ?dry?. I have received 5 years each of Latin, Greek and Hebrew, which does notmake one a scholar - just an earnest student with a Master's degree. I have spent 1000's of hours in Greek perfecting an ?Outlined Interlinear NT? based on the Greek and English texts prepared by Ivan Panin. And I have spend a considerable time also preparing Hebrew Interlinear sections based on some of my favorite OT passages.* *Much later I led a Messianic Jewish Congregation for 10 years, and had the opportunity through the Torah readings - to discover what Jewish Orthodox writers did in the field of Numerology. They would add up the numbers for passages, and seek to relate such totals with other parts of the OT to produce interpretations. I used two of their texts weekly for several years - namely ?The Pentateuch and Haftorahs? by Hertz, plus ?The Chumash? - The Stone Edition, anthologized from the Rabbinic Writings.* *Some of their notes are excellent - but some are wild, departing from the Torah, and taking on from the Talmud and Mishnah insights that couldn't possibly be condoned by Jesus!* *After having looked into both fields of numerology and alphabetology (my term) for years, - I am more than ever convinced that Jesus words to the Jewish leaders of His day - ?You have made void the Word of God (Torah, both OT and NT) by your traditions? - is applicable to an excessive use of these two disciplines. Again - because no Bible writer refers to either of these disciplines in their writings - then I personally cannot lend my time in these areas. George Muller and Andrew Murray majored on Bible texts alone. Their lives, writings and fruit have been so admirable, that I have no difficulty in seeking to emulate their examples.* *The work I have done (between 40-50,000 hours) on the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? - is not an end in itself but a means to an end - namely: the basis for ?Biblical Meditation? as the major component part for making us useful in the hands of our Lord as an organic laser-telescope group.* *The above may not be convincing or appealing to others. Israel in the wilderness got tired of ?manna? for angels, and wanted the leeks and garlic of Egypt. I fear that an excessive emphasis on numerology and alphabetology - takes us from the manna of Torah - and brings us into the rabbinical views of Talmud and Mishnah; and for some - definitely into the realm of Kabbala and the occult. - Jim Watt* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sun Mar 25 18:26:16 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2012 18:26:16 -0700 Subject: Gift Versus Devotional Tongues Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 25, 2012 *1 COR 12:8-11 - TONGUES, GLOSsa, 50x, Strong #1100* *BENEFITS OF DAILY USE OF PRAYER LANGUAGE - INDIVIDUAL & CORPORATE* *MEDICAL REASON: FOR PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT* Dr. Carl Peterson of O.R.U. in Tulsa, Oklahoma is a brain specialist. He was doing research on the relationship between the brain and praying in the Spirit, or speaking in tongues. Some amazing things were discovered! Through research and testing, Dr. Peterson found that as we pray in the Spirit (our heavenly language), there is activity that begins in the brain. As we engage in our heavenly language, the brain releases two chemical secretions that are directed into our immune system, giving a 35 to 40% boost to our immune system. This promotes healing within our bodies. Amazingly, this secretion is triggered from a part of the brain that has no other apparent activity in humans, and we don't use it. It is only activated by our praying in the Spirit. Therefore, we need to pray in our prayer language more than we ever have before. Acts 2:4 (1-4, Amplified Bible) *?And they were all filled (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other (different foreign) languages (tongues), as the Spirit kept giving them clear and loud expression [in each tongue in appropriate words].?* Jude 20 (17-23, Amplified Bible) *But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit.?* *NOTE**:* Years ago Pastor Dr. David Yonggi Cho of Seoul, South Korea quoted a medical doctor in one of his books. It was not the same as the insights of Dr. Peterson, but it was somewhat parallel. According to the best of my memory, this other doctor scientifically discovered that when believers audibly spoke in their devotional prayer language, a release took place that built up such people in an unusual way in the inward man. This certainly corroborates the Spirit-inspired teaching of the apostle Paul. Mark 16:17-18 (9-18, NNT) *TONGUES: ONE OF THE 5 SIGNS PROMISED BY JESUS TO BELIEVERS. ?And these signs shall follow them that have believed: in my :name shall they cast out demons, speak with tongues; 17 and in their hands they shall take up serpents, and if they drink aught deadly, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.? *Bible Numerics is God's infallible signature. It deftly moves through the conclusions of the ?Bible Critics?, confirming where they were right, and conversely - correcting where they were wrong. In the 8th portion of the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6, ?Thine is the kingdom etc.? - Yes - they were right. This was an eager-beaver copyist's addition. But John 8:1-11, the woman caught in the act of adultery - *This* is a bona-fide part of the NT text! And Mark 16:9-20, left out of the NT by the majority of the ?Bible Criticism School? - Bible Numerics is so magnified in this portion, that if any part of the NT should be omitted, this would be the very last portion to go! 2 Timothy 2:15 (2:14-26) *RIGHTLY** DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTHL ?Give diligence to present yourself approved to :God, a workman that needs not to be shamed, rightly dividing the word of the truth.? *This verse was chosen by Lance Latham of Chicago years ago for a Boys' Club that he named *AWANA - APPROVED WORKMEN ARE NOT ASHAMED.* He proved that boys who learned to rightly divide the word of truth, succeeded in life percentage wise to an unusual degree. 1 Corinthians 13:1 (12:31b-13:13) *DIVIDE BETWEEN TONGUES OF MEN AND ANGELS. DIVIDE BETWEEN THE GIFT OF TONGUES AND DEVOTIONAL PRAYER LANGUAGE. ?If with the tongues of :men I speak, and of :angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.? *All apart from ?rightly dividing?, whether we speak of the *gift* of tongues or the devotional prayer language, either one, without love, avails little. 1 Corinthians 14:37 14:37-40) *RECOGNIZE THE LORD SPEAKING THROUGH NT WRITERS. ?If any thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of what things I write you, that it is the Lord's commandment.? *This word needs to be repeated again and again. Many professing believers feel that Paul's words are not on the level with those of Jesus. *False!* It is not just the words of Jesus in the Gospels that should be in red - but all His words through all other writers of the NT. This is a most serious observation, and most upsetting to many who reject the words of Jesus through Paul especially. Paul''s words on worship and tongues in 1 Corinthians 14 are really *not* his words, but the words of Jesus through him. When Israel in the OT rejected the words of Moses, he made the same observation. Israel was not rejecting *his* words, but the words of *Jehovah * through him! (See 1 Cor. 14:37). 1 Corinthians 7:10-12; 39-40 (7:8-40) *EXCEPTION: PAUL SPEAKS HERE, NOT THE LORD. ?But to the married I have charge, not I, but the Lord, That a wife depart not from a husband 11 (but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to the husband); and that a husband leave not his wife. 12 But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her. 39 A wife is bound for so long time as the husband lives; but if the husband be fallen asleep, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. But she is more blessed if she abide as she is after my :judgment: and I think that I also have God's Spirit.* This is the only passage in Scripture where the apostle Paul speaks on his own, apart from a command of the Lord speaking through him. Yet because of his faithfulness in the past, he believes he has here the Lord's confirmation. 1 Corinthians 14:18-19 (14:1-19) *PAUL'S TESTIMONY CONCERNING HIS USE OF TONGUES. ?I thank :God, I speak with a tongue more than you all: 19 but in church I would rather speak five words with my :understanding that I might instruct others also, then ten thousand words in a tongue. *Here is a very clear illustration where one needs to rightly divide between the *gift of tongues* and *one's devotional prayer language*. 1 Corinthians 14:5 (14:1-19) *PAUL'S DESIRE FOR US CONCERNING THE GIFT. ?Now I would you all to speak in tongues, but rather that you prophesy: and greater he that prophesies than who speaks in tongues, except he interpret, that the church receive edification.? *Do all have the gift of *tongues* or prophecy? *No!* - Yet all may have devotional tongues. Notice here, that Paul by the Spirit makes tongues and interpretation equal to prophecy. That is why the Menorah in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle of Moses could have but 7 branches, not 9 - like in the hanukkiah Therefore later in this chapter (14:26-33) when Paul gives rules of order for the most edifying way to have the manifestation of tongues and prophecy in a meeting, we can see the close connection in his rulings. Some feel Paul is quenching their spirits when he does so. *Not so* - these are rules of the Lord for edification, not selfish manifestation of the few! Now consider the verse that follows. 1 Corinthians 12:28-31a (14:12-31a) * TONGUES, LIKE APOSTLES: NOT ALL HAVE THESE GIFTS! ?And :God **has set** some in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then powers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, **kinds of tongues**. **29** Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all power workers**? **have all gifts of healings? **speak all in tongues**? do all interpret? **31a **But desire earnestly the greater :gifts.? *Consider the above questions by the Spirit through Paul. The Greek construction in each case automatically requires the answer of *No!* Not all are apostles, and *not all* have the *gift of tongues!* Yet, all may have devotional tongues, making the distinctions noted above. Some Bible teachers believe that more Christians may have the gift of prophecy than the gift of tongues. The Gift of tongues is speaking in a language known by men on earth, but unknown to the speaker. It is supernatural. It is therefore a sign to the unbeliever. Stanley Frodsham prior to the '48 Visitation, wrote a book entitled ?With Signs Following,? in which he recounts over 100 instances of this gift. Many have come to the Lord through this supernatural manifestation. Because of lack of discerning between the gift of tongues and one's devotional prayer language, much misunderstanding has of course followed. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (12:1-11) *THE NINE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT, INCLUDING TONGUES. ?But to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit **to :profit* *. **8** For to one is given through the Spirit a word of wisdom; and to another a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit: **9** to another faith, in the same spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; **10** and to another workings of powers; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; to another kinds of tongues; and to another interpretation of tongues; **11** but all these work the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each severally **even as he wills**.? *Henry Blackaby carefully points out that each of these 9 gifts are *not* for the personal edification of the user, but for the *church*. We are *not* to use any of the gifts of the Spirit for personal edification - they are to profit others. This understanding helps to prevent much abuse. Notice too that the gift of discernings of spirits comes between the gift of prophecy and the gift of tongues. These two gifts of utterance lead easily to pride and self exaltation. This leads to the possibility of demonic entrance. But the discernings of spirits coming between these two, protect the church from abuse of these two gifts. 1 Corinthians 14:2 (1-19) *DEVOTIONAL TONGUES: GIVES DIRECT ACCESS TO GOD. ? For who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men, but to God; for no one hears; but in spirit he speaks mysteries.? *Again, rightly dividing the word of truth, it is obvious that Paul here is *not* speaking of the *gift*, but of the devotional prayer language. What a blessing to have this direct access to God, Spirit to spirit. The human mind does not have understanding, but the spirit is tremendously edified. Smith Wigglesworth made use of this hours each day, and testified that *this* was the secret of his ministry, with perhaps 2 million coming to Christ, and tens of thousands healed and delivered. Note also that this communication for the believer is speaking *mysteries.* Pray then for the gift of interpretation, that the mind can also be edified. Paul unveiled *many* mysteries, especially the mystery of the ?One New Man.? No doubt he received this when praying in his devotional prayer language those 3 years in the desert following his conversion, and then receiving the interpretation. 1 Corinthians 14:4 (1-19) *DEVOTIONAL TONGUES: A WAY TO BUILD UP YOUR SPIRIT. ?Who speaks in a tongue **builds up himself**; but who prophesies builds up the church.? *Pastor Dr. David Yonggi Cho and Smith Wigglesworth are leading exponents of those who availed themselves of this privilege. 1 Corinthians 14:13-19 (1-19) *PRACTICAL TEACHING ON TONGUES, BOTH GIFT & DEVOTIONAL.* Note: The context following each verse is established by Bible Numerics. Ivan Panin believed we can trust it! ?*Wherefore let him that speaks in a tongue pray that he interpret. **14**For if I pray in a tongue, my :spirit prays, but my :understanding is unfruitful. **15** What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. *16* Else if you bless in spirit, how shall who fills the place of the unlearned say the Amen at your :giving of thanks, seeing he knows not what you say? *17* For you truly give thanks well, but the other is not built up. **18** I thank :God, **I speak with a tongue more than you all**: **19** but in church I would **rather** speak five words with my :understanding that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.? *Yet Paul in his devotional prayer language exceeded all others in its use.* *I personally believe that the total contexts for tongues, encourages us to believe for interpretation for both the *gift* and for *devotional* tongues. Note too the Spirit's exhortation through Paul to both *pray* and *sing* in the Spirit. There are some who, because of lack of understanding the difference between the gift of tongues and ones' devotional prayer language, disallow singing in the Spirit in the church, either individually or corporately, because they require interpretation in all cases. *This is wrong!* ?40 Years of Signs and Wonders in the Life of Mrs. Marie Woodworth-Etter? abundantly makes this clear. I read this book in 1944, and God made clear to me as a new believer, that in the not too distant future I would see ?The Heavenly Choir? restored. This took place in Edmonton in October, 1948. Singing in the spirit, either individually or corporately, is making use of one's devotional prayer language, and *does not* require one to give an interpretation. One man in Western Canada has written a book on this subject erroneously, bringing confusion to individuals and the church. 1 Corinthians 14:21-22 (20-25) *ANOTHER INSIGHT ON TONGUES. ?In the law it is written, [that] By strange-tongued and by lips of strangers will I speak to this :people; and not even thus will they listen to me, says **the**Lord. **22** So that the tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving: but prophecy is not to the unbelieving, but to the believing.? * This hearkens back to Frodsham's book, ?With Signs Following.? Paul here quotes from Isaiah 28:11-12 (28:9-13, ASV) *?Nay, but by **men of** strange lips and with another tongue will he speak to this people; **12** to whom he said, **This is the rest**, give rest to him that is weary; **and this is the refreshing**: yet they would not hear.? *So devotional prayer language is *rest and refreshing* in the spirit for one using it. But the *Gift of tongues* is a sign for the unbelieving, bringing many of them to Christ. 1 Corinthians 14:39-40 14:37-40) *FORBID NOT TO SPEAK IN TONGUES! ** **?So then, my brethren, desire* *earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. **49** But let all **things** be done decently and in order.? *Would to God all would hear these dual exhortations. 1 Corinthians 14:26-29 (14:26-33) *EDIFYING: THE RULE FOR ALL GIFTS. ?What is it then, brethren? When you come together, **each** has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has **a tongue**, has an interpretation. Let all **things** **be** unto **edifying**. **27** If any speaks in a tongue, * *let it be** by two, or at the most three, **and in turn**; and let one interpret: **28** but if **there** be no interpreter, let him be silent in church; and let him speak to himself, and to :God. **29 **And let prophets speak **by** two or three, **and let the others discern.?* Ern Baxter in his church in Surrey BC, observed this. And after the church gleaned from the preceding 2 o 3 messages, he would ask - ?Now is there anything the Spirit would have us act upon in the light of this Living Word?? Verse 28 then is literally a correction - for every member participating in every service would bring great confusion! Les Pritchard saw it this way. Notice too, that discernings of spirits comes between tongues and interpretation - and prophecy. Many a time a message will come that needs to be corrected, for an evil or carnal spirit has inspired the user, *not* the Holy Spirit! This happened in a church in Tacoma years ago. The pastor witnessed that a visitor had brought a false prophecy. He immediately went to the 4 or 5 elders sharing the platform with him, and got their confirmation. Then he waited for the visiting brother to finish. When he was through the pastor said, ?Now church, I have checked with the elders, and we do not witness that our brother's prophecy was of the Lord. If he would like, we would be glad to meet with him following the service. But now church - Let's go on with the service.? *This* is both a discernings of spirits and a word of wisdom. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-23 (5:12-24) *QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT. ?Quench not the Spirit; **20** despise not prophesyings; **21** but prove all **things**; hold fast what is good; **22** abstain from every form of evil. **23** And the God of :peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your :spirit and :soul and :body be preserved entire, without blame at the presence of our :Lord Jesus Christ.? *Make no mistake - we are quenching the Spirit if we do not encourage individual and corporate singing in the spirit from a ?devotional prayer tongue? sense apart from legal requirement, over against the interpretation requirement for the ?gift of tongues.? Let us *rightly*divide the Word of Truth! *CONCLUSION*: J. E. Stiles wrote a book entitled ?The Gift of the Holy Spirit?. This and other writings came out at the same time as the 1948 Northern Canada Visitation. Some called it ?The Episcopalian Bible? - it was so used by the Historic Churches at the time of the Charismatic Renewal. One of his studies was over a score of reasons why believers should use their devotional prayer language much every day. The above notes I am sure would confirm what was written by Brother Stiles. He also felt that it was unnecessary to ?tarry? for the gift of the Holy Spirit following Pentecost. Indeed, Jesus commanded the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until that time, but from then on we are to follow Acts 2:38. There in the ?Peter Package,? we need to have a Scriptural repentance and baptism - and then immediately through the laying on of hands we can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. We saw hundreds receive this way in 1948 in the light of Pastor Stile's exhortation. In the 3 Baltic States (Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania) following the 1906 outpouring at Azusa Stree, some estimated that 50% of the Baptist members of churches there received this gift, scarcely aware of its significance. Can people have an anointing apart from a devotional prayer language? Of course! See John Wesley, George Muller and Oswald Chambers as examples. They were *much* in prayer over the Word - a ?Bible Meditation? posture, but did not move in tongues. This produces an anointing and release of other gifts of the Spirit, which these 3 shared in abundance. Out of 70,000 Wesleyan members who attended class meetings, fully half faithfully and daily used their devotional prayer language. John Wesley affirmed - ?I neither encouraged nor discouraged the speaking in tongues. But of the 50% of my ministers who moved in this favor, I noted that they were amongst my most zealous soul winners.? - Jim Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Mar 26 09:28:28 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:28:28 -0700 Subject: NT Meditation Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 26, 2012 *2009-03-10 - MEDITATION, PART 5, 1 TIMOTHY 4:15* *1 Timothy 4:15 (11-16) MEDITATION FOR TIMOTHY: PARALLEL TO JOSHUA 1:8* *From meleTAo (meLEte, MElomai, MElo*, 32x) - 3 times, Strong # 3191* TAUta meLEta [3191]; ?*Be diligent (meditate) in these; * en TOUtois ISthi [2468]; *give yourself wholly to these; * HIna sou h*e* pro-koP*E* [4297] pha-neRA [5318] *e* PAsin. *that your :progress be manifest to all.?* *1. (Originally recorded Thursday November 22, 1990). ?Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend (Proverbs 27:17). It is dialog with a friend that causes ?spin-offs? in thinking, leading down unexpected vistas of truth! Such dialogue does not disturb unity: it is the very essence and proof of unity. The Jewish rabbis of the Great Synagogue and onwards went at it ?hammer and tong? with one another, so that the most accurate understanding of scripture could come forth. They called it ?halaKAH,? the main area of Talmudic investigation.* * This is what a friend (WJEB) did to me the other day. He challenged me: You write about a concept of meditation from the First Covenant that put together Prayer and Torah (Word) vocally in 20/20 vision. How does this carry over into the Second Covenant? Could it be the ?cooing of doves? of the First, as expressed in the devotional prayer language of the New?* * Strangely enough (or Providentially), just before receiving this letter, I wrote down in my Journal: The apostle and rabbi Paul knew true meditationmore in tongues (his devotional prayer language, not the gift of tongues), than any other man. He said so (1 COR 14:18). He added that he mixed this equally with prayer with his understanding. Being a rabbi and a Jew, the Apostle Paul thoroughly understood Joshua 1:8, and literally practiced it. He would also understand that prayer, worship, spiritual songs, praise, and the Davidic dance, flow out of the basic meaning and Hebrew root of meditation. * * So, vocal meditation, or quiet, cooing utterance with a devotional prayer language over the Word to God, was the basic and integral spiritual exercise of the Apostle. It was night and day. It was in the spirit of Joshua, and all that meditation meant to First Covenant saints.* *2. Only one word is rendered ?Meditation? *in the Second Covenant, namely meleTA*o* (#3191), from the root MEl*o*.* It is the exact counterpart to ?hawGAW? (Strong #1897) in the Hebrew, for Acts 4:25 (meleTA*o*) quotes Psalm 2:1 (hawGAW). *3. J. H. Thayer, ?Greek English Lexicon,? *states that it means: to care for, attend, to carefully practice: 1 TIM 4:15, be diligent in; to *meditate *, i.e. to devise, contrive: Acts 4:25 from Psalm 2:1 (this is the linkage between the Hebrew ?hawGAW,? and the Greek ?meleTA*o*." Used by the Greeks of the *meditative* pondering *and the practice of orators and rhetoricians*, which usage seems to have been in the writer's mind in Mark 13:11. * Meditation* is for *speaking*! It is vocal, which parallels the basic Hebrew meaning and thought for *meditation*. *4. MOCKING *or derogatory speaking: a sign of disrespect and evil, with punishment as the just result. Notice that this mocking is verbal; and vocal *meditation*, part of this family of words, impinges upon it. *5. CARING*: in the same family of words as *vocal meditation.* One who cares *says so*! Not only this, but also proofs of *caring* are given to the one loved. If we care about God and His Word, we will not only tell Him so, but we will *keep* His Words, and seek in all ways to please Him. *6. MetaMElomai* is heart sorrow for wrong and sin, and leads to mouth expression and acts of contrition. However, though it is associated with ?metanoia? (change of mind repentance), it does not necessarily lead to this latter. In the case of Judas, the die was cast - the point of no return reached, and this latter Mind-Repentance is no longer available as a gift. Better for this man that he had never been born. Notice again the verbal accompaniment of ?metaMElomai,? which is associated with *verbal meditation* (meleTA*o*). *7. PREMEDITATION*: A vertical and inward vocal exercise leading to outward, horizontal expression. Jesus said that for disciples in danger or persecution, this is *not* the way to go. Rather, He promised a direct conduit from God, prophetically, by revelation, that would be the exact answer needed under the circumstances. Both are verbal, but the latter is on a high supernatural order. *8. GOD'S JEWISH GIFTS AND CALLING: WITHOUT REPENTANCE.* Does this have application for all of God's people? Of course! But it does not exclude the basic ?grammatico-historical? promise of God which is to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 11 should be carefully exegeted in its context to ascertain exactly what God is saying here. Non-Jewish believers are *not*to be proud, arrogant nor nigh minded against Jews and their roots. Our roots are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and by natural descent Jewish believers have precedence over us. We Gentiles are reconciled to God because of their temporary rejection. The grafting back of the Messianic Jewish congregations today will mean *?Life from the dead? (Romans 11:15).* A subtle anti-semitism has been sown in the church by false theologies (Replacement Theology). But look at the *meditation* of God's heart, thoughts and purposes. He does not see such thoughts and purposes. He does not see such thoughts as are too often entertained in the church today. Out of the *meditation* of His heart He has thoughts of good for all. The spawning of the Hitler-type *meditation* comes from the evil one. The conclusion of the matter is that God's *meditation* requires no repentance concerning the eternal covenant God made with Abraham and his seed, both natural and spiritual (Genesis 17). *9. TIMOTHY'S MEDITATION: AMAZING PARALLEL TO JOSHUA 1:8 (1 TIMOTHY 4:15).*All that Paul enjoined upon Timothy is to be *meditated* upon. This *meditation*, by the comparison of the Greek quotation of the Hebrew word for *meditation* requires that it be *vocal*. As Joshua was to keep the Torah in his mouth, *meditating vocally* upon it day and night; so Timothy was to keep the words of his mentor the Apostle Paul, a rabbi. These things in parallel were part of the warp and woof of Paul's being. What Hebrews did in the First Covenant, we are to continue under the Second Covenant. This is a verse and teaching that is *pivotal*. We should thoroughly understand its implications, and walk in them. It ties the two covenants closely together, assuring us that *Jesus* did *not*destroy or remove the old?: He built upon it by *fulfillment*; He wrote the *law* of the First Covenant on our hearts in the Second Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31), so that by the power of the Holy Spirit we can see Christ in us living out the Sermon on the Mount. What Israel lacked power to do under the First Covenant, we can attain to by the Spirit of Redemption in the Second. *10. One reason we neglect* God, His redemption, His salvation, His Word: is that we fail to *meditate vocally* day and night on His Word. God's Word is Himself extended (John 1:1). The new birth is found in seed form in His word (James 1:18), producing might, strength, dignity and power (Genesis 49:3). We release the divine nature within us (2 Peter 1:4), growing and maturing in it, as we daily and habitually *meditate* in His Word. *?In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,? John 1:1. *We should never underestimate the privilege, power, and potential of *meditating* upon God's Word day and night. We should not forget Paul's example of how he did it (1 COR 14). We should not forget that he said, ?*Follow me, as I follow Christ? (Phil. 3:17; 2 TIM 2:2; 2:10; 1 COR 11:1). ?To the law and the testimony: if they speak not according to this word? (ISA 8:20) ... ?And as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts? ISA 55:9).* *11. Psalm 110:4 - *one of the most quoted verses in the Second Covenant. God will not *repent* concerning what He has said here. Notice the relationship between *meditation* and *repentance*. What God *purposed*, comes out of the *meditation* of His heart. Our *meditation* should follow *His meditation*. What He has purposed and stated with His mouth, shall not be reversed. As we seek out of His great and basic purposes; as we recognize that we have been created to walk in His purposes; as we *yield* to His will and purposes; then we find His yoke is easy and His burden light; then we enter into true rest of soul; then God makes His face shine upon us, and is gracious unto us; then He lifts up His countenance upon us, and gives us *peace*; then He puts His Name upon us, and blesses us. What a heritage for the godly in Christ Jesus! Honor God in His Son, and all these blessings flow forth upon us. Jesus has this more excellent ministry! *12. GOD'S CARE*: Arises out of His thoughts and purposes for us. He has chosen us because He loved us: not that we had merit or worth; but because it pleased Him to birth the life of His Son in us, mature His Son in us, and bring *many sons* into Glory. The emphasis is not upon the ?manifestation of the sons of God?: rather it is the *manifestation of the Son of God* through us! God's care arises out of *meditation*: our * meditation* causes us to understand His heart, purposes and care. Our prayer is for our *needs*; our thanksgiving is for His *blessing*; our worship is for *Himself*. *Meditation* is the royal road leading to this high revelation. *13. THESE THINGS; *these things; these things (2 PET 1:8; 1:9; 1:10; 1:12; 1:15). Where were *these things* that Peter cared about, and not be * negligent* concerning? The things concerning God's Divine Nature imparted to us through His great and exceeding precious *promises*; and the * meditation* upon the seven virtues to be added with all diligence (2 PET 1:5-7). *Vocal meditation* and obedience to *these things* according to Joshua 1:8 and 1 TIM 4:15 will absolutely revolutionize our lives: leading us into a pathway of spiritual growth with increasing speed, and a pathway shining brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. *Consider* then these truths and exhortations from the Word. Take them for a trial period of 30 days. Associate with those of like desires and goals. Beware of seducing spirits and siren calls. Beware of short cuts that promise much, but lack a high regard for God's Word, the Cross, and the Glorious Redemptive truths and blessings of our Christ through His blood. Refer to the Hebrew counterpart Word Study on *Meditation*, for these two studies are two sides of the same coin. *14. Berry, George R., ?The Interlinear Greek New Testament;? Greek-English NT Lexicon, p. 64, REPENTANCE: *metanoE*o* is the nobler word, the regular expression for thorough repentance; metaMElomai is more loosely used, generally expressing sorrow, regret or remorse. *15. Kittel, G., ?Theological Dictionary of the NT, Vol. IV,? *p. 626. MetanoEIN and metaMElesthai are distinct in class. MetanoEIN means a change of heart either generally or in respect of a specific sin, whereas metaMElesthai means ?to experience remorse.? MetanoEIN implies that one has later arrived at a different view of something (nous); metaMElesthai that one has a differtnt feeling about it (MElei). But it is easy for the two ideas to come together and even merge, since a change of view often carries with it an uncomfortable feeling. When ?remorse? is ascribed to man, there is an obvious difference from repentance metanoEIN, though the LXX does pay tribute to Hellenistic attempt to assimilate metaMElesthai and metanoEIN. Remorse does not have to be pleasing to God. It can be simply a change in mood. It is often the natural result of imprudent and unjust action. In remorse a man sees the bitter end of sin; in repentance (metanoEIN) *he breaks free from it.*Remorse comes of itself at the end of a sinful and foolish way. But a man is called to repentance by the one who brings the divine Word (metanoEIte, Mark 1:15). When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse (metamel *e*THEIS, Matthew 27:3) and brought back the thirty pieces of silver. The reference here is to remorse, not repentance. Judas sees that his action was guilty, and he gives way under the burden. The remorse of Judas (MAT 27:3) and of Esau (HEB 12:17) does not have the power to overcome the destructive operation of sin. When, therefore, the NT separates the meanings of metaMElesthai and metanoEIN, it displays a clear awareness of the unchangeable substance of both concepts. In contrast, Hellenistic usage often effaced the boundary between the two words. *16. NOTE:* The law was good, and a school master to bring one to Christ. When used lawfully, it brought conviction of sin to unbelievers. But it lacked the power to enable the OT saint to rise to the desire of his heart in God. Only the indwelling power of Christ in the Holy Spirit through the Second Covenant could supply such power. Even so, MetaMElesthai lacked the power to enable one to come to true repentance. Sorrow for sin alone is as frustrating as law alone for the OT saint. But the *gift* of repentance has transforming power (Acts 11:18). *17. The root word* for repentance that is sorrow for sin is MEl*o**, and has the thought of ?taking care,? or ?caring.? Caring can be transformed (meta) into sorrow for sin. MeleTA*o*, to *meditate*, is closely associated with the root word MEl*o**. When one *cares* for a person, he *meditates*upon that person. When that Person is God, it is natural to talk to Him, worship Him, commune with Him, reveal his intimate feelings and thoughts to Him. Sometimes words are insufficient or inadequate to communicate our deep feelings to Him. Then we have the ?d*o*reA? of 1 COR 9:15, the *unspeakable gift of the Holy Spirit*, Who came upon Jesus as a dove at His baptism. *He*enables all believers to speak to God with unutterable words of a devotional prayer language; by this we speak to God (1 COR 14:3), and speak mysteries. We can also speak with our understanding (1 COR 14:15), and follow Paul's example by speaking to God *much* in this manner (1 COR 14:18). The Father understands these words, these groanings, these divinely given cooings by the Holy Spirit, the Heavenly Dove (ROM 8:26-27). He who cares deeply for God and His great Redemptive Work in Christ, will want to worship the Father this way (PHIL 3:3; John 4:23-24). Paul says that when he speaks in a tongue, a devotional prayer language, his spirit prays (1 COR 14:14). And he also said, Follow me as I follow Christ (1 COR 11:1). Smith Wigglesworth, David Yonggi Cho, John G. Lake, Mike Bickle: all these and many more, have used this form of worship *much* daily, and have experienced an intimacy with God that is truly supernatural. Their ministries then became exceptionally enhanced. Millions upon millions of others use this love language of the dove unto the Father in measure. Those who balance ?prayer with the spirit and understanding,? and the Word; obtain 20/20 vision in the Spirit, and move more swiftly in partaking of the Divine Nature. *Meditation* is at the heart of all of this. Note - God initiated this with Joshua (1:8). Some 500 or so years later he repeated it with Psalm 1:1-3. 1000 year later again, God through Paul gave this to Timothy (1 Timothy 4:15). All believers have this privilege and responsibility. Jim Watt - November 25, 1990. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Mar 27 10:00:38 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:00:38 -0700 Subject: Interlinear Commission Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 27, 2012 *2012-03-26 - MY PERCEPTION ON GOD'S ?INTERLINEAR COMMISSION?* *Over the years I have found myself in the embarrassing situation of trying to explain how I perceive that I got into this situation.* *It was in July of 1944 that Russian Jew, Dr. Jewell of Calgary, Alberta introduced Ivan Panin to me in Victoria, B.C., and gave me two pamphlets listing the then available books and pamphlets ?by? or ?on? Panin.* *In 1945 upon discharge from the Navy and receiving a departing gift, I ordered all 20 or so publications listed on the back cover of the above pamphlets. When I read the Introduction to Panin's Bible Numeric Greek NT, I read of his second discovery in the field of Bible Numerics: that even the sentence, paragraph and chapter equivalent structure of each of the 27 NT books - is established by Bible Numerics! I am an ?outliner?, and immediately outlined the book of Ephesians on this basis. I was so intrigued with the clarity that came from this exercise, that I finished outlining the entire 27 books of the NT, with my personal notes. * *To confirm this, in 1946 I sensed God's Spirit speaking to me: ?My servant Ivan Panin died in December 1942 a disappointed man, because his goal and hope of having his 2 Bible Numeric texts: Greek and English - set in an Interlinear format - failed to take place. Now - would you for Me consider taking on this assignment??* *I replied that I would on one condition: that He would undertake the responsibility of seeing it printed, published and distributed. He said He would.* *In 1967, to speed up this project, the Spirit of God strongly impacted my spirit - ?Get My NT done!? It was early in the morning, and I leaped out of bed, and in not too long a time completed a two volume MS of this project. I typed up the complete English text, and by hand copied out underneath each clause, my hand-written Greek text.* *I did this in a ?centered format?, following the example of a Winston Churchill speech, and a Peter Marshall sermon. I sensed this was God's desire.* *I summarized each sentence above the English - in an 8 word or less title; I gathered these up into sub-paragraph summaries; these into paragraph summaries; these into section or chapter equivalent summaries; and these into the 27 Book Summaries. I have made excellent use of this MS through the years. * *Then in 1995 a friend had watched me typing up articles on a typewriter. He told me what a computer could do for me in preparing and correcting MSS, and offered to give me an early Windows Version, a Printer, and lessons for me to be able to make use of them.* *In 2000 my oldest son Jim saw how much I needed a Website to spare me from answering individual requests from mailings. His present to me of this was a life-saver!* *In 2007 I resigned leadership of a Messianic Jewish Congregation, and started typing up the NT * *Outlined Interlinear MS for my Website. My grandson Keelan Long helped set up my Website for this in 2008.* *In October 31st of 2009, I formed a Pilot Prayer Team (PPT) of 8, with one of its responsibilities to undergird in prayer the completion of this Interlinear project. In 2010 I turned the leadership of the PPT over to Elvin Gladney, who made contact with Timothy Johnson for the printing, publication and distribution of this Interlinear Project. To activate the Organic Laser-Telescope was the number one goal.* *On December 7, 2010, a Minnesota Prayer Group of some 40 undergirded this project, and had a break-through in Remembrance of Pearl Harbor.* *On February 12, 1967, in answer to a request from my wife Marie (who supplied a lap-top for the above project), I asked God for a revelation from Him concerning His thinking on why He had led in our marriage. Generally speaking, He had in 1948 the year of our marriage, said that when He links two together to count more in His Kingdom than either could do alone - that this is pleasing to Him. Now - specifically - He gave two visions in one night. The first was of an ?Organic Laser-Telescope? based on the two texts of Ivan Panin now in Interlinear format. He said this is the first and key component part of the 7. I gathered from this that the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? was not an end it itself - but a means to a far greater end.* *He also identified that the second component part of this instrument was a Pedestal - supporting the first part, and represented the restoration of City Churches with an Eldership in the Gate of each city such as seen in Acts 13:1-3 and Acts 15.* *The last 5 component parts He did not identify at that time, for I did not have direct connection with them as I did with the first two.* *But on December 7, 2010, He now revealed the last 5 component parts: Prayer Multiplication, set forth by Pastor Ern Baxter in his triangle diagram, and connected with the Menorah or Candlestick in the Tabernacle, was #3. Deuteronomy 32:30, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and Matthew 18:19 had been verses given to aid in realizing this truth for Clan & Household Salvation.* *#4 - the 12 Embryonic Revival Principles of February 12, 1948, brought together under the direction of George Hawtin of North Battleford, Saskatchewan. These He linked with the Table of Shewbread in the Tabernacle, with the 12 loaves representing the 12 tribes of Israel in 2 piles.* *(He had previously linked the Outlined Interlinear NT with the Brazen Altar in the Outer Court of the Tabernacle. The ?Finished Work? of Christ alone makes the ?Interlinear? effective! The Laver He linked with the City Church and Eldership in the Gate. Roland Allen of England developed this concept in China and Africa to quite an extent.)* *The 5th Component Part of Worship & Intercession, he linked with the Altar of Incense, the last of the 3 pieces of furniture in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. ?Rees Howells, Intercessor? by Norman P. Grubb illustrates the tremendous potential in Intercession when we allow the Holy Spirit to possess us in like manner.* *#6 Component Part is the challenge of ?Focusing on Jesus? as illustrated so strongly by Oswald Chambers in his ?My Utmost for His Highest?. It is linked with the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. Isaiah twice in his prophetic book calls Jesus our Covenant.* *#7 Component Part is ?Bible Meditation? as exemplified by George Muller and George Whitefield. It is at the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies that we find full intimacy with God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.* *When a Pilot Prayer Team of 8 allows itself to walk in the above 7 principles, the Lord can then use us to point at Satanic principalities and powers over cities and areas - blast them out of existence - and bring revival, restoration, renewal and revolution to such cities and areas! This will speed up the soon-return of our Lord Jesus!* *On December 2010, Elvin Gladney exhorted me to finish posting the last section of the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? on our Website.* *In January 2011, our Printer Timothy Johnson and his associate met in our home with Elvin Gladney, my grandson Keelan Long and myself, to expedite the printing of this project.* *In August of 2011, God Sovereignly brought Elvin Gladney to Himself. He then through Elvin's preparation and divine leadership, placed Jim Ray as his successor for the leadership of the PPT, and as liaison with the Printer and our family. This was to ensure a coordination in all aspects of this project.* *The first 200 copies of the Gospels in this new format were printed for the February 12, 2012 Coeur d'Alene Conference. Progress is taking place to have ready for printing Acts through Revelation. See our PPT as a prayer-undergirding for this, with its leader Jim Ray as the coordinating agent for this project.* *Again - I believe it is important to see: the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? is not an end in itself: it is the means to an end, greater than itself. This makes this whole project a ?God thing?. It is not just a project to be accomplished: it is a ?Divine Assignment? with a spiritual-based mandate - undergirded with prayer - not only by the PPT - but by 3 other Intercessory Groups led by Intercessory leaders.* *So - God is fulfilling the promise He gave to me in 1946, that He would assume the responsibility for Printing, Publication and Distribution. J.A.Watt* * * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Mar 28 12:47:47 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:47:47 -0700 Subject: Mystery Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 28, 2012 * 2009-03-04 - MYSTERY* (musT*E*ri-on) 27x from MU*o* - ?to shut the mouth? Matthew 13 11 (10-17) *MYSTERIES OF KINGDOM OF HEAVENS: FOR BELIEVERS. ?And he answered **and** said, [that] To you **it** is given to know the ** mysteries** of the heavens, but to them is is not given.? *The parables of Jesus were for those not in His Kingdom. When His disciples asked for understanding, it was immediately given to them. Parables keep unbelievers in safety until they make a decision to enter in. Note that in the Great Commission Jesus commands us to *make disciples*, taking for granted the conversion process. *This* is the great challenge of the church. *Full*understanding of the milk of the word (Hebrews 5:11-6:3). This is what Jesus challenged the rich young ruler with (Mark 10:17-31), and his riches deterred him from following through. Belief in Jesus is *not* enough. Discipleship to Him is Mark 8:34 (8:34-9:1). Oswald Chambers believes that we can be saved without this, but we count little in God's Kingdom until we are disciples. How many church attenders qualify with *this*? Yet, *this*is the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20! Ponder! Mark 4:11-12 (10-20) *THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. ?To you is given the **mystery** of the kingdom of :God: but to th**os**e without, :all **things** are done in parables: **12** that looking they may look, and not see, and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest by chance they should turn again, and it be forgiven them.? *Jesus explains why disciples hear and understand the *mysteries* of the Kingdom of God plainly - but those not yet in the discipleship state - in parables. Then He shows that the ?Sower and the 4 soils? is the *key* of all parables (Mark 4:13-21) - by this shall one understand *all* parables. Luke 8:10 (9-15) *MYSTERIES OF KINGDOM FOR BELIEVERS: PARABLES FOR OTHERS. ?And he said, To you **it** is given to know the **mysteries** of the kingdom of :God: but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.? *This is parallel to Mark 4:11-12. Romans 11:25-26a (25-33) *THE MYSTERY OF ISRAEL'S TEMPORARY CUT-OFF. ?For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this :**mystery**, lest you be wise in your own **conceits**, that a hardening in part has befallen :Israel, till what **time** the fullness of the nations be come in; **26**and so all Israel shall be saved:? * Paul was entrusted by the Lord to know this mystery above the other apostles. Peter thought he wrote some things hard to be understood, which unstable Christians wrestled with to their own destruction. Still today, because of the false ?Replacement Theology?, many non-Jewish believers do the very thing Paul warned against in this chapter. And let us remember, the unraveling of the *mystery* does *not* originate with Paul, but is revealed to Paul by our Lord Jesus. To miss this truth is the miss the Lord's teaching, not Paul's. Romans 16:25-27 *THE MYSTERY FOR ALL NATIONS TO OBEY. ?Now to the one able to establish you according to my :gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to revelation of **the** **mystery** kept silent through the times of ages, **26** but now is manifested, and through **the** prophetic scriptures, according to commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith: **27** to **the** only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom the glory unto the ages. Amen.? *This benediction closes and seals all that preceded in the book of Romans. What Paul taught by revelation concerning ?The One New Man,? Christ's spiritual body the Church, composed of both Jew and Gentile - in Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians and Colossians - is *all* sealed by this same benediction. Blessed is he who perceives and walks in this revelation. 1 Corinthians 2:7 (6-16) *GOD'S HIDDEN MYSTERY OF WISDOM. ?But we speak God's wisdom in **mystery**, the hidden **wisdom** which God foreordained before the ages unto our glory: **8** which none of the rulers of this :age have known: for had they known **it**, they would not have crucified the Lord of :glory.? * Notice that the wisdom of God in His heart from the beginning was not disclosed during Old Testament times, nor during the life of Jesus on earth. God reserved this disclosure when he had groomed the apostle Paul for this important revelation. 1 Corinthians 4:1 (1-5) *APOSTLES: STEWARDS OF GOD'S MYSTERIES. ?Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of God's ** mysteries**.? *Notice that *being faithful* is a key mark of true stewards of God's *mysteries*. Paul certainly was this. George Muller of the 1800's was a contemporary steward who also qualified. Suffering and humility are other key marks of true apostles. 1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:1-2 (13:1-13) *KNOWLEDGE OF MYSTERIES WITHOUT LOVE: WORTHLESS. ?And I show you moreover an excellent way, **13:1** If with the tongues of :men I speak, and of :angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. **2** And if prophecy I have, and all the **mysteries** I know and all knowledge; and if all faith I have, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.? *The humble person like Paul and George Muller qualify here. Jesus said, By their *fruits* shall you know true ministers. If they lack this qualification, they have failed, and we are not to fear them. 1 Corinthians 14:2 (1-19) *PRAYER LANGUAGE TO GOD IS IN MYSTERIES. ?For who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men, but to God; for no one hears; but in spirit he speaks **mysteries**.? *Because testified of using this gift more than any of the Corinthian believers, it would seem that God used Paul to impart to him revelation of the *mysteries* that he later on shared with all the the city churches in his writings. For 3 years following his conversion, he met with God alone in the desert, and most probably this was an enriching time when God prepared His servant in the stewardship that he later so faithfully discharged. 1 Corinthians 15:51 (35-58) *THE MYSTERY OF RESURRECTION PRIOR TO DEATH. ?Lo, I tell you a **mystery**: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.? * Here again we have a revelation uniquely presented by Paul, that previously was unknown. It is a great encouragement to believers. On talk shows we hear leaders confessing they have no authentic understanding on this or the life to come. But *we* understand, for God has revealed this *mystery* to us through His chosen vessel, the apostle Paul. To keep him humble in the light of the many extraordinary revelations, He was required to send Paul a ?thorn in the flesh.? Ephesians 1:9 (3-14) *THE MYSTERY OF GOD'S WILL IN CHRIST. ?Having made known to us the **mystery** of his :will, according to his :good pleasure which he purposed in him (Christ).? *This is a tremendous passage. Numbers have memorized it. Early in the 70's, I led a class of some 60 in preparing word studies on each significant word in it. It was a rich experience. One youth who is a medical doctor today, did excellent work in his research, coming up with valuable insights. *Christ* is the key to all of God's purposes on our behalf. As we keep our focus on Him, the *mysteries* will become part of the warp and woof of our being. *Ephesians 3 :1-6 (1-13) THE MYSTERY OF THE ONE NEW MAN. ?For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of the Christ, Jesus, in behalf of you :nations,- 2 if so that you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of :God :given me toward you; 3 how that by revelation was made know to me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words, 4 whereby, when you read, you can perceive my :understanding in the mystery of the Christ; which in other generations was not made known to the sons of :men as it has now been revealed to his holy :apostles and prophets in Spirit: 6 that the nations are fellow-heirs, and fellow-bodied and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.? I believe we have before us here, the key mystery of all the 27 mysteries mentioned in the New Testament. When I was a very new believer in 1944, Lee Ellenwood from California came up and ministered in Victoria and Port Alberni BC that summer. One of his key verses was *1 Corinthians 12:12 (12-31) *THE NATURE OF CHRIST'S BODY. Think of it! Our body has many members and trillions of cells. But Christ is Head of a spiritual bodycomposed of both Jewish and Gentile believers. The ?Fellowship of the Table? required for this - is clearly set forth by Dr. Daniel Juster of ?Tikkun Ministries.?* Ephesians 3:9-10 (1-13) *THIS DISPENSATION OF GOD'S MYSTERY NO LONGER HID. ?And to bring to light what **is** the dispensation of the **mystery** :hid for the ages in :God who created :all **things**; **10** **in order that**now unto the **principalities and the powers** in the heavenlies be made know through the church the manifold wisdom of :God, **11** according to a plan of the ages which he made in the Christ, Jesus our Lord: **12** in whom we have :boldness and access in confidence through his :faith.? *This is a direct follow-up to the preceding 2 reference to *mystery*. Imagine! God has chosen the Church of Christ through the teaching of his apostles and prophets to reveal to Satan and his high officers their final doom through the wisdom of God through Christ's body - the church! Ephesians 5:31-32 (22-33) *THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH. ?For this cause shall a man leave :father and :mother, and shall cleave to his :wife; and the two shall be one flesh. **32** This **mystery** is great: but I speak **in regard** to Christ and the church.? *Now this indeed is a * mystery*. Again, God in his wisdom has chosen the marriage of a man and a woman to illustrate His church. Homosexuality and Lesbianism is a *parody*of this, and the day will come when God will make this abundantly clear. How do human marriages show forth this higher spiritual union wherein believers and Christ as Head become one spirit? Let us pray that through * meditation* in the spirit of Joshua 1:8, and the building up of our spirits through praying in the spirit, will enable God to lift many marriages to this true picture of Christ and His Church. Ephesians 6:19 (10-20) *PAUL: PRAYER NEEDED TO DECLARE THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL. **Pray** on my behalf, that utterance be given me in opening my :mouth with boldness to make know the **mystery** of the gospel.? *It should not surprise us to know how much Satan fears the true and clear and bold preaching* *of the Gospel! The Good News of Christ and His Kingdom - both now and soon coming in greater fulfillment - spells his doom! So - he hinders men like Paul so they find it difficult to preach boldly this extraordinary Good News. But - our prayers on behalf of true preachers - enables them to break through for this in a way that glorifies God, saves and delivers souls, and disciples them to the standard that pleases the heart of God. Colossians 1:25-27 (24-29) *THE GLORY OF GOD'S MYSTERY TO THE NATIONS. ?I became minister, according to the dispensation of :God :given me toward you to fulfill the word of :God, **26** the **mystery** :hid from the ages and from the generations: but now has it been manifested to his :saints, **27**to whom :God was pleased to make known what **is** the riches of the glory of this :**mystery** among the nations, which is **Christ in you, the hope of glory**.? *Colosse was close to Ephesus in Asia Minor, present day Turkey, and one of the 7 churches of Revelation. Apparently Paul wrote this special letter to the Colossians, somewhat paralleling the letter he wrote to the Ephesians. They probably shared these 2 letters with each other. The great phrase - ?*Christ in you, the hope of glory*,? however, sets forth this letter in a unique manner, as enlarging on the *mystery* of the Gospel in Christ. Colossians 2:1-3 (1-5) *A MYSTERY CONTAINING ALL WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE. ?For I would have you know how great a conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my :face in **the**flesh; **2** that their :hearts be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the fullness of the understanding, unto full knowledge of the **mystery** of :God, Christ, **3** in whom are all the treasures of :wisdom and knowledge hidden.? *This somewhat parallels 1 Corinthians 1:30-31. Notice how the apostle Paul maintains his focus on Christ in all of his letters. And he said, ?Follow me, as I follow Christ.? Colossians 4:2-4 (2-6) *A DOOR NEEDED TO PROCLAIM THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST. ?Continue steadfastly in :prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving; **3**withal praying for us also, that :God open us a door for the word, to speak the **mystery** of the Christ, for which I am also in bonds; **4** that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.? *See the humility of the apostle Paul in this. He knew that the bold proclamation of the *mystery*in Christ was dependent upon the prayers of the saints on his behalf. If we want the results that come form heaven's true anointing upon our lives, we too will humble ourselves and sincerely seek the prayers of our fellow-believers. Note that God opens closed doors in answer to the prayers of others. Charles G. Finney reached a stage where he was unable to break through with his own prayers. In New York he begged the prayers of the saints. They responded, and as great results Finney had ever experienced took place, and one fruit of it was ?Revival Lectures,? that came out of that Crusade. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 (1-12) *THE PRESENT MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS. ?For the ** mystery** of :lawlessness does already work: only **there is** :one that restrains now, until he become out of **the** midst.? *The *mystery* of lawlessness was hidden until the preaching and writings of the apostle Paul. This whole epistle majors on this subject, and throws much light on it. Those who master these insights can enter into a higher and more effective form of intercession. 1 Timothy 3:8-9 (1-13) *THE MYSTERY OF THE FAITH. ?Deacons likewise **must be** grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; **9** holding the **mystery** of the faith in a pure conscience.? *Here ?faith? is used to speak of the full teaching of Christianity. And it *is* a *mystery*! It requires faith to press in and understand the *mystery* of the faith. Note that it is not just the city church elders who need this, but the deacons too, who in the beginning waited on tables. Philip and Stephen were two of the 7 original deacons - and their solid understanding of the *mystery* of the faith led God to catapult both of them into the higher function of the evangelist. 1 Timothy 3:16 (14-16) *THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS PERTAINING TO CHRIST. ?And confessedly great is the **mystery** of :godliness; Who was manifested in **the** flesh, Seen of Angels, Preached among nations, Believed on in ** the** world, Received up in glory.? * Here we find Paul grooming his protege, who one day would take his place. He later became the apostolic pastor of the city church of Ephesus, composed of many local churches in the home. All of Asia Minor heard the Gospel from this church. Paul later said that if he sent Timothy on an assignment, and they received him in the right spirit - it would be as good and helpful as if they had Paul himself. What a commendation! So - Timothy understood the above *mystery* of godliness concerning Christ, with all 5 aspects of this truth. Revelation 1:20 (9-20) *THE MYSTERY OF THE SEVEN STARS. ?The **mystery**of the seven stars which you saw in my :right, and the seven :golden lampstands. The seven stars are angels of the seven churches: and the seven :lampstands are seven churches.? *In ?Visions Beyond the Veil? by H. A, Baker, the little former orphans and beggars saw a large angel over a church, as well as a human pastor. Mr. Baker from their coordinated accounts, I believe, rightly assumed that what the children saw was correct. God does deploy an important angel over a city church, just as Satan deploys principalities and powers over cities, regions and nations. Daniel heard from Gabriel that the Prince of the power of Persia held him up until Michael came and routed him. Michael is the angelic prince of God over Israel. These things that were *mysteries* became clarified in New Testament times. Revelation 10:7 (1-11) *THE 7TH TRUMP AND THE MYSTERY OF GOD. ?But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to trump, **then**is also finished the **mystery** of :God, according to **the** good tidings **which** he declared to his :bondmen the prophets.? *This is a significant word. Jesus on the Cross cried out, ?It is Finished,? for He had fulfilled the will of God who sent Him, and His Finished Work on Calvary ushered in a new day for Adam's Race. The 7th Trump in Revelation finished the sequence of events opening up those things revealed in New Testament times, especially to the apostle Paul. What God starts - He finishes. What was hidden in *mysteries*- has been fully revealed in this Gospel Age. Revelation 17:4-5, 7 (1-18) *A MYSTERY: BABYLON THE GREAT - and - THE MYSTERY OF THE WOMAN AND BEAST. ?And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her :hand a golden cup full of abominations, and the unclean **things** of her :fornication, **5** and upon her :forehead a name written, a **mystery**, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. ... **7** And the angel said to me, Why did you wonder? I will tell you the **mystery** of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.? *In the last days, Religion and Politics will unite in an uneasy alliance for the purposes of Satan. The * mystery* of religion is likened to a woman. The beast she rides is the ruler sent by Satan, who in the end destroys the woman. Both the woman and the Beast are *mysteries*. Clues are given here to help identify them. However, Jesus said that Prophecy is not so much to help us understand the future in detail, but more as a confirmation, that *when it comes to pass*, we can look back and say, ?Why that's exactly what Jesus predicted, and its fulfillment *is* confirmation of His rule as true Lord and Christ, even as the Father designated Him.* * * * *NOTE*: The word ?Mystery? is sufficiently defined in the respective notes with the above references. To restate - it seems to me that in Ephesians 3:1-6 - we find the key reference in this Word Study that opens up our full understanding to it. The ?One New Man? concept set forth so clearly by the apostle Paul, was one of the more difficult mysteries for not just normal Jews, but even particularly for Jewish believers in Jesus. Acts 15 is the key New Testament chapter plus the book of Galatians, to show both the unity between Jew and Gentile in the church - but also the differences. Messianic Jewish Congregations still rock back and forth over the revelation of this mystery. At the return of Jesus for His church as King of kings and Lord of lords - soon all these difficulties and misconceptions will be solved and put to rest. The above is one of my favorite Greek Word Studies - Trust it may be the same for you - - Jim Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri Mar 30 17:58:31 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:58:31 -0700 Subject: Psalm 91 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* March 30, 2012 * * *PSALM 91 - GOD: THE ALMIGHTY SHIELD FOR ALL HIS SAINTS* *1. 91:1-2 THE BLESSING OF ABIDING IN GOD* yo*shev* [3427] be*se*ther [5643] el*yon* [5945] *He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High* be*tzel* [6738] sha*dai* [7706] yith-lo*nan* [3885]. *will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.* o*mar* *lai*ho-vah [3068] makh*si* [4268] vu-me-tzu-da*thi* [4488]*,* *2 I will say of Jehovah, -- ?He is my refuge and my fortress,* e-lo*hai* [430], eb-takh [982] -- *bo*. *my God, in whom I trust.?* *2. 91:3-8 THE PROTECTION GOD GIVES HIS SAINTS* chiy hu ya*tziyl*cha [5337] mip*pakh* [6341] ya*kush *[3353] *Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare* mi*de*ber [1698] hav*voth* [1942]. *and from the deadly pestilence.* be-e-bra*tho *[84] *ya*sech [5526] lach, *4 He will cover you with his feathers,* ve*tak*hath -- che-ma*paiv* [3671] tekh*se* [2620]; *and under his wings you will find refuge;* tzin*nah* [6793] ve-so-khe*rah* [5507] a-mit*to* [571]. *his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.* lo -- *tiy*ra [3372] mip*pa*khar [6343] *lai*lah, *5 You will not fear the terror of the night,* me*khetz* [2071] ya*uph* yo*mam*, *nor the arrow that flies by day,* *mid*de-ber [1698] ba*o*phel ya-ha*loch* *6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness* mik*ke*teb [6986] ya*shud* tza-ha*raim.* *nor **the plague that destroys at midday.* yip*pol* [505] mitz-tze-de*cha*, *7 A thousand may fall at your side,* *e*leph vu-re-ba*bah* [7233] miy-miy*ne*cha, *and ten thousand at your right hand,* e*ley*cha lo yig*gash*. *but** it will not come near you.* rak be-ey*ney*cha tab*biyt* *8 You will only observe with your eyes* vel-shil-lu*math* [8011] re-sha-iym [7563] tir*eh*. *and will see the punishment of the wicked.* *3. 91:9-13 GOD GIVES ANGELIC PROTECTION* chiy Ye-ho*vah* makh*siy* [4268] -- *If you make the Most High your dwelling --* El*yon* *sam*ta -- me-o*ne*cha [4583] *even Jehovah, who is my refuge* -- lo -- te-un*neh* e*ley*cha ra*ah* [7451], *10 then no harm will befall you,* ve*ne*ga [5061] lo -- yik*rab* be-a-ha*le*cha [168]. *and no disaster will come near your tent.* chiy *ma*le-a-chai [4397] ye-tzav-veh [6680] --*lach* *11 For he will command his angels concerning you* lish-ma-re*cha* [8104] be-chal--de-ra*chey*cha [1870]; *to guard you in all your ways;* al -- cha*paim* [3709] yis-sa*u*ne-cha [5375], *12 they will lift you up in their hands,* pen -- tig*goph* [5061] ba*e*ben [68] rag*le*cha [7272]. *so that you will not strike your foot against the stone.* al -- *sha*khal [7826] va*phe*ten [6620] tid*roch* [1869]; *13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;* tir*mos* [7429] che*phiyr* [3715] ve-tan*niyn* [8577]. *you will trample the great lion and the serpent.* *4. 91:14-16 THE RESPONSE GOD LOOKS FOR IN HIS SAINTS* chiy biy *kha*shak [2836] va-a-pal-le*te*hu [6403]; ?*Because he loves me I will rescue him;* a-sag-ge*be*hu [7682] chiy -- ya*da* she*miy* [8034]. *I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.* yik-ra*a*niy [7121], ve-e-e*ne*hu [6030]; *15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;* im*mo* -- *i*no-chiy be-a*rah* [6864], *I will be with him in trouble,* a-khal-le*tze*hu [2502] *va*-a-chab-be*de*hu [3513]. *I will deliver him and I will honor him.* *o*rech ya*miym* as-biy*e*hu [7646] *16 With length of days (long life) will I satisfy him* ve-ar*e*hu [7200] *biy*shu-athiy [3444]. *and I will show him my salvation.? (spoken by Jehovah)* *NOTE:* Mike Servello has written a book based on Psalm 91. He takes 91:4 -- that tells us that Jehovah is our God, and is a *shield* and rampart to all believers. Then he points out how God is our 7-fold Shield: 1. The Shield of the Blood of Jesus. 2. The Shield of God our Father -- a Relationship. 3. The Shield of the angels of God under the Holy Spirit. 4. The Shield of the Full Armor of God. 5. The Shield of the spirit of Faith. 6. The Shield of Integrity and Righteousness. 7. The Shield of Intercession. It is interesting to note that this 7-fold shield can be grouped around the 7 pieces of furniture in the Tabernacle of Moses. Jesus is clearly linked with the Brazen Altar in the Outer Court. Our Heavenly Father is linked with the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. The Holy Spirit and the angels under Him are linked with the Menorah -- the 7-fold Lamp stand in the Holy Place. See if you can take the last four and link them with the remaining 4 pieces of furniture. When on a daily basis we set God as our 7-fold Shield, then like Job we will find that He places around us a 7-fold Hedge -- to protect us from the wiles of Satan. 1. *A Mental Hedge *will protect our minds from the arrows of the enemy. See Romans 12:1-2 and Mark 8:34 how to walk in this truth. 2. *An Emotional Hedge*. How important it is to have this hedge in place as a result of God our 7-fold Shield! Many new and carnal believers desperately need to press into the protection of this hedge. 3. *A Physical Hedge*. God desires that our whole body, soul and spirit be preserved blameless till the coming again of our Lord Jesus. Remember again the wonderful promise of 3 John 2 -- *?Beloved, I pray that in all thingsyou prosper and be in health, even as your :soul prospers.?* 4. *A Spiritual Hedge*. Remember, because we are made in the image of God, and because He is *Spirit* -- so we are essentially spirit. God is the God of the *spirits* of all men! We have a soul, and we live in a body -- but as spirit-beings we commune with our Heavenly Father primarily through our spirit! 5. *A Moral Hedge.* Don't think that this is unimportant. ?Be you holy -- for *I* am holy? -- says Jehovah our God. Look at the list of immoral acts that will keep us out of the Kingdom of God, as listed in Galatians 5:19-21: ?*Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are: **fornication ** (all sex sin such as adultery and homosexuality), uncleanness, lasciviousness, **20 **idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, divisions, heresies, **21** envyings, drunkennesses, revellings, and the like of these; of which I forewarn you, as also I did forewarn, that they who **practise** such **things** shall **not** inherit God's kingdom.?* There are a number of other such lists in the New Testament stating this same truth. *?Be **not** deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap? (Galatians 6:7).* And remember our Bible of all 66 books is *not* the work of 33 writers, but God is speaking supernaturally through each of these writers. The Bible is *God's word*, not man's! Paul categorically states this from himself in 1 Corinthians 14:37: *?If **any** thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of what **things** I write you (in all 14 of his NT letters) that it is **the** **Lord's** commandment.?* Peter states the same principle for all OT writers, and all the NT writers: *?For **no** prophecy was ever borne by man's will; but men spoke * *from God**, being borne **on** by **the** Holy Spirit? (2 Peter1:21).* Dr. Ivan Panin, a Russian who majored in Philosophy, Mathematics and English -- through his discovery of the Numeric phenomenon in the Bible, completely and conclusively gives proof of the above, which in spite of all his challenges to scholars, has *never* been contradicted or disproven. 6. *A Financial Hedge*. This has to do with the first promise of 3 John 2 -- that we might *prosper*. Old Testament saints learned how faithful God was in this regard when they walked with Him. How much more will He be faithful to His God-honoring NT saints! 7. *A Leadership Hedge*. Righteousness exalts a nation -- but *sin* is a reproach to any people. Blessed is the people and nation who has a Hedge of Godly leaders. Out of some 21 Kings of Judah, 9 were good, and two, Hezekiah and Josiah were *especially good* like David. They were men after God's own heart, and *removed* the high places. They *even* brought their * thought* life under the control of God! They meditated on God's Word day and night, and were like the Psalm One man. How our nation, the United States of America needs a *return* to men like Washington, Lincoln and Reagan -- who honored God and His Word, and like Job, loved righteousness and *hated* evil. May there be this type of leader returned to us this election year. By all means purchase Mike Servello's book ?*The Shield of God's Protection?,* Mt. Zion Ministries. Mike Servello recommends that believers pray through Psalm 91 on a daily basis, paying special attention to God our 7-fold Shield, and the 7-fold Hedge that comes to us as a result of claiming Him daily as our Shield. You can order his book through Lifes *Truth, *8271 Rt 274, PO Box 171, Holland Patent, NY 13354 -- Tel: 315.865.8370 For those of you who are interested, I have made excellent use of John B. Kohlenberger III -- *The Interlinear Hebrew English Old Testament.?* The English part of Psalm 91 is a combination of his literal interlinear translation plus the NIV marginal text. As you no doubt have noticed, the format for Psalm 91 is parallel to that of Panin's ?Outlined Interlinear NT?. Strong's numbers beside Key Hebrew words can be a help for those who want to go a bit deeper into this Psalm. The transliteration of the Hebrew text is not literal, but phonetic, and somewhat based on the ?Berlitz Hebrew phrase book and dictionary? for tourists. Happy Hunting -- Jim & Marie Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sun Apr 1 09:25:53 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2012 09:25:53 -0700 Subject: Psalm 112 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 1, 2012 *2009-01-18 - PSALM FOR THE UPRIGHT - PSALM 112* a. 112:1 TWO REASONS WHY GOD BLESSES A MAN HAle-lu Yah. a-she-rey - IYSH yaRE [3372] eth - Ye-h*o*VAH, *Praise Jehovah. Blessed is the man who fears Jehovah,* be-mi-ts*o*THAIV [4687] chaPH*E*TZ [2654] me*O*D. *Who delights greatly in his commandments.* b. 112:2 GOD'S PROMISE TO CHILDREN OF COVENANT-KEEPERS giB*O*R BAa-retz yi-heYEH za-re*O* [2233]; *His seed shall be mighty upon earth;* d*o*r ye-shaRIYM [3477] ye-b*o*RAC. *The generation of the upright shall be blessed.* c. 112:3 MATERIAL PROMISES TO THE UPRIGHT Ch*o*n va*O*sher be-b*e*yTH*O*; *Wealth and riches are in his house;* ve-tsi-de-kaTH*O* [6666] *o*MEdeth [5975] la*E*D. *And his righteousness endures for ever.* d. 112:4 FURTHER BLESSINGS FOR THE UPRIGHT zaRACH baCH*O*shec *o*r [216] la-ye-shaRIYM; *Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness;* chanNUN [2557], ve-raCHUM [7349], ve-tsaBIYK [6662]. *He is gracious and merciful and righteous.* e. 112:5 A MOST POWERFUL PROMISE T*O*B - iysh ch*o*N*E*N [2003] vu-malVETH [3867]; *Well is it with the man that deals graciously and lends;* ye-calC*E*L [3557] de-vaRAYV be-mishP*A*T [4941]. *He shall maintain his cause in judgment.* f. 112:6 ADDED POWERFUL PROMISES ciy - le-*o*L*A*M l*o* - yimM*O*T [4131]; *For he shall never be moved;* leZ*E*cer [2143] *o*LAM yi-heYEH tsaDIYK. *The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.* g. 112:7 THE STATE OF HEART OF THE UPRIGHT mish-she-muAH [8052] R*A*-*ah* l*o* yiyR*A*: *He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:* n*a*CON [3559] libB*O*, b*a*TUach [982] bay-h*o*VAH. *His heart is fixed, trusting in Jehovah.* h. 112:8 JUSTICE FINALLY COMES TO THE UPRIGHT saMUD [5564] libB*O*, l*o* yiyR*A*, *His heart is established, he shall not be afraid,* ad aSHER - yir*E*H be-tsaR*A*YV. *Until he see his desire upon his adversaries.* i. 112:9 GENEROSITY: A MARK OF THE UPRIGHT pizZAR [6340], n*a*THAN la-ev-y*o*NIYM; *He has dispersed, he has given to the needy;* TSI-de-ka-th*o* *o*MEdeth l*a*AD: *His righteousness endures for ever:* karN*O* [7161] t*a*R*O*M [7311] be-c*a*B*O*D [3519]. *His horn shall be exalted with honor.* j. 112:10 THE END OF THE WICKED VERSUS THE UPRIGHT raSH*A* yirEH, ve-c*a*-*A*S [3707]; *The wicked shall see it, and be grieved;* shimN*A*YV yachR*O*K, ve-n*a*M*A*S [4549]: *He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away:* ta-aVATH re-sh*a*IYM [7563] t*o*B*E*D [6] . *The desire of the wicked shall perish.* *NOTE:* For many years - 64 - I have read this Psalm twice a year, and felt - *?I ought to do something special with this Psalm.?* Today, Sunday, January 18, 2009, I felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit, *?Make a Hebrew Interlinear presentation of this Psalm, and carefully point out the blessing to the children of Upright, Covenant Parents.?* This is not just a Psalm for children, grandchildren and those to the fourth generation. - *No* - this is a Psalm for godly faith-active parents on behalf of their progeny. First, it is a promise to claim salvation for them. Jonathan Edwards saw these promises, and wrote out a covenant before God. He told Him what he had discovered in His promises, and that he was claiming salvation for his progeny down to the 4th generation. Four generations later a Judge was presiding over a criminal case of a man named Doakes. A news reporter was present recording the proceedings, and discovered that the Judge was a 4th generation descendant of Jonathan Edwards and a ?believer? because of his preacher-ancestor's covenant claim! Out of curiosity the reporter did a search of their family tree. Out of over 1600 descendants, all but 20 were strongly committed to God. There were doctors, lawyers, teachers, government officials, preachers, etc. among these 1600+. However, when he also did a search on the Doake family tree of some 1400, he found over 1000 with criminal records and jail sentences, at great cost to taxpayers because of this sad heritage. But Psalm 112 is not just for salvation for one's progeny! It has a promise for success, prosperity, overcoming trials, joy, happiness and excellent character. My wife Marie and I have been aware of both of these promises, and have claimed them consistently. She has counted well over 40 of her relatives now in the Kingdom of God - and victory for our own personal family again and again. Daily we pray for each member of our children, grandchildren and next month our first great grandchild, Luke Gabriel Long. We have seen many attacks against our family members. We claim victory in each case, and have seen the exceeding faithfulness of God in these regards also. We also add Clan Salvation to our Household Salvation Target. We take the surnames of the spouses of each of our married children and grandchildren, plus those of our parents and sisters. I have some 18 clan names I regularly pray for and claim. Jack Hayford received this revelation from his father and says - *?If I have but one message to preach - and if neither the host pastor nor the Holy Spirit leads otherwise - I **always**preach on Clan Salvation.? *This is *well worth* investigating. Marie's oldest half brother at the age of 75 was reached in Quebec, and *all because* of our joint prayers for the Gaudet Clan among others. At the moment Marie and I are earnestly beseeching God on the behalf of one of our close ones who is being maliciously attacked in a financial manner. We are *assured* that God will undertake on his behalf. - Jim Watt PS. The numbers following certain Hebrew transliterated words provide all true parallel passages to this word in ?Dr. Strong's Concordance.? *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Apr 2 17:07:01 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2012 17:07:01 -0700 Subject: Laser-Telescope Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 2, 2012 *2012-03-29 - ?THE ORGANIC LASER-TELESCOPE?* *(Given as a Vision February 12, 1967)* *There are 7 Component Parts to this Instrument.* *(See the accompaning Diagram, also appearing in the printed Outlined Interlinear NT.)* *#1. ?OUTLINED INTERLINEAR NEW TESTAMENT.? * *This, said the Lord, is the Key Component Part of the seven.* *However, it is not an end in itself, but a means to a greater end.* *It was revealed to Russian Ivan Panin in 1890, shortly after his conversion.* *(As a professor of Harvard in Boston, he taught advanced Math. to Albert Einstein.)* *As Panin received from Revelation 13:18 - that ?666? is the name and number * *of the coming man of sin, the Antichrist -* *and that the number of Jesus (IeSOUS) in Greek is 888 -* *he then spent 100,000 hours in the next 50 years -* *producing a Greek NT text through ?Bible Numerics?* *identical with the original.* *(See our Website - under ?Archives? -* *dated 2011-01-02 ?Cutting Edge Ministries? on Panin.)* *Later God allowed Panin to discover * *that even the sentence, sub-paragraph, paragraph and section format of the NT -* *is established by ?Bible Numerics?.* *I have summarized each of the 27 NT books based on Panin's second discovery.* *Link the above 2 discoveries with the first piece of furniture in the Tabernacle - * *The Brazen Altar in the Outer Court!* *Here Jesus fulfilled the 5 sacrifices of Leviticus 1-7.* *#2. THE CITY CHURCH CONCEPT - with an Eldership in the Gate of each city.* *Roland Allen of England in both China and Africa - pioneered in this area.* *John Dawson of YWAM has followed this up through his first book.* *God emphasizes the ?City Church? over and above the Local Church.* *See the breakdown of the Greek word ?church? (ek-kleSIa) in the NT in its 114 references:* *once** church appears in Acts 7 for Israel;* *3 times it appears in Acts 19 representing a secular city situation;* *14 times it represents local churches - churches in the home;* *15 times it represents the universal church of both Jews & Gentiles, OT & NT.* *But** - 81 times it represents the **City Church -* *14 of these references in Revelation 2 and 3.* *So God - by emphasis - reveals His area of interest!* *Link this 2nd component part with the ?Laver? in the Tabernacle.* *In Ephesians 5:25-27, we learn that Jesus washes the Church* *with the water of the word (LOgos). He is the Word! (John 1:1).* *#3. PRAYER MULTIPLICATION. - Linked with the Menorah - Candlestick -* *in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle.* *Pastor Ern Baxter developed a triangular illustration for the basis of this.* *God does nothing with man on earth apart from Covenant.* *His Covenant with us is vertical - di-aTHEke -* *made by a Greater with a lesser.* *We can accept or reject His Covenant - but we cannot alter it!* *I accepted His Covenant in 1944 on Passover as a sailor in the Navy,* *and promised if He revealed Himself to me -* *that I would serve Him according to His NT Covenant.* *This was the first time I truly prayed in my life, and I repeated it three times.* *On the third time I knew that He had heard me, and I was frightened and awed.* *Within a month upon my first open confession of His Lordship over my life, * *He wrote His Covenant on my heart by the Holy Spirit.* *I soon became 1000-fold for His Kingdom.* *In 1948 my wife Marie joined me in this contract.* *At our marriage in December 27th of that year,* *we entered into a horizontal (SUNthe-ke) covenant with each other.* *We discovered that God linked us together to count more for Him this way -* *than either of us could have done alone. Deuteronomy 32:30; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Matthew 18:19.* *Later we discovered Zechariah 12:8, that being grafted into our Jewish Roots,* *the feeble could be as David (10,000 fold) -* *and they of the house of David as God, one million-fold!* *two - 10 million-fold; 4 couples in a Pilot Prayer Team - one billion-fold! * *Behold the 7-fold Tabernacle conditions shining in this context!* *#4. THE 12 EMBRYONIC REVIVAL PRINCIPLES OF 1948 in Northern Canada.* *God had a 13-year preparation for George Hawtin of Star City, Saskatchewan -* *to bring him to Saskatoon to found the Bethel Bible Institute.* *In 1945 He led me to apply here as a student, so that I could obtain Naval discharge.* *On this basis, when the February 12, 1948 Divine Visitation took place,* *I was asked to join the 7-fold Eldership for their Summer Camp Meeting.* *Then in July 1992 through a vision, He commissioned me* *to bring these 12 Embryonics to maturity.* ?*They?, He said, ?would be parameters of safety* *for the last Visitation prior to the return of His Son.?* *Link these 12 with the Table of Shewbread in the Tabernacle Holy Place.* *On this Table were 2 piles of bread, 6 in each pile,* *representing the 12 tribes of Israel.* *On our Website under ?Embryonics?,* *I have indicated the linkage of each tribe with each Embryonic.* *(These relationships - are not necessarily ?Thus says the Lord?.)* *#5. WORSHIP & INTERCESSION. Link these with ?Rees Howells, Intercessor?* *by Norman P. Grubb of CLC (Christian Literature Crusade).* *This is also linked with the Altar of Incense facing the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle,* *which opened up an access for us through the ?Riven Veil,?* *which took place the day of Jesus' Crucifixion!* *Andrew Murray preceded Rees Howells in emphasizing* *the great need of each of our lives to be immersed in prayer and Intercession!* *#6. FOCUS ON JESUS* *Link this with the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle.* *Oswald Chambers in ?My Utmost for His Highest? -* *points out the great need for all of us to have such a focus!* ?*Personal, passionate devotion to Jesus? was another way he had this focus! * *Isaiah twice in his prophetic book alludes to Jesus as the Messiah to come - * *as God's Covenant!* *The Ten Commandments in the Ark - represent the Old Covenant.* *With the coming of Jesus and His ?Finished Work on Calvary? -* *this Promise of the Father, the Paraclete - the Helper -* *came into believers and wrote the 10 Commandments on our hearts and minds!* *Master John 13-17 for a full picture of the above!* *#7. BIBLE MEDITATION. Linked with the Mercy Seat in the Holiest of the Tabernacle.* *Linked also with George Muller and George Whitefield -* *who both exemplified in an unusual way - this truth!* *So - what we started out with at the Brazen Altar,* *and Jesus ?Finished Sacrificial Work? on our behalf -* *now we come to the place where we can please and glorify the Father -* *by consummating this truth at the Mercy Seat,* *where He comes to commune with us above the Cherubim,* *just as He met with Moses under the former Covenant.* *The above 7 component parts, when joined together by faith* *under the direction of our Lord Jesus -* *provides in His hand an ?Organic Laser-Telescope?.* *He can then point us at Satanic principalities and powers over cities -* *Blast** them out - just as Michael did in Daniel's day* *for the prince of the power of Persia (Iran).* *Then** Revival can follow in unprecedented ways!* *On February 12, 1967, a second vision immediately followed that of the Laser-Telescope.* *70 Pilot Prayer Teams (PPT) of 8 members each, one of them as Elder leader of each -* *appeared on a Public Square in Canada.* *(These Teams can also be as an Eldership in the Gate of each city on a temporary basis - * *until they pray into being ?5-fold Elderships? for this purpose,* *as indicated in Acts 13:1-3 and Acts 15.)* *The Lord said to my wife and myself -* ?*You have been faithful in the commissions given you in the past.* *Now send these 70 teams of 8 throughout my battalions to your left,* *and lead them to take on the Laser-Telescope concept* *through the 8-fold Pilot Prayer Teams.* *They will activate and demonstrate this purpose in 70 Canadian Cities,* *and 70 American Cities.* *Where the two cannot gain entrance together in other nations -* *U.S. teams can ?Hold the Ropes? in prayer and intercession on behalf of the Canadian teams.* *The 4 major cities of the Pacific Northwest (Cascadia) will be key cities in this.* *Fire will fall in this area in an unusual manner,* *and swiftly spread to the continents and their nations.* *Arrows will be shot from these 4 cities to the Pacific Rim Volcanic nations.* *As my servant Pastor David Yonggi Cho prophesied* *in 1975, 1979 and 1984 in Canada -* *these purposes are Mine, and shall prevail. - J.A.Watt* ** [image: Telescope_UPDATED.pptx] *Telescope_UPDATED.pptx* 137K View Download *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Apr 4 13:32:04 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2012 13:32:04 -0700 Subject: Spiritual Chiropractic Adjustment Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 4, 2012 *EPH 4:12 - SPIRITUAL CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT* *ka-tarTIzo (13x), total cognates (15x), to restore, unite, Strong's # 2675* *GOD'S PURPOSE FOR THE FIVE-FOLD MINISTRIES* *1. MT 4:21 (18-22, NNT by I. Panin) MENDING NETS: A FORM OF ADJUSTMENT. ?And going on thence, he saw two other brothers, James the son of :Zebedee, and John his :brother, in the boat with Zebedee their :father, mendingtheir :nets; and he called them.? *Fish to be caught require *mended* nets. The church to become fishers of men, requires to be *mended* or *spiritually adjusted* by the 5-fold ministries to effectively catch souls for God. *2. MT 21:16 (12-16) PERFECTING PRAISE: AGAIN, ADJUSTMENT. ?And the chief priests said to him, Do you hear what these are saying? And :Jesus says to them, Yes: did you never read [that] Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have perfected praise?? *Isn't it amazing that God uses babes and children to *perfect* praise?? At the time the sperm unites with the egg at conception, some have observed as it were a flash of light. Husband and wife God uses to produce body and soul in the babe - but *He* adds the spirit at the moment of conception - and it seems that our little ones have a sense of the unseen world superior to us adults for the first years of their life. They easily see angels and have visions. See ?Visions Beyond the Veil? by H.A. Baker. *3. LK 6:40 (39-49) PERFECT ADJUSTMENT: MAKES DISCIPLES LIKE THEIR TEACHER. ?A disciple is not above the teacher: but every one perfectedshall be as his :teacher.? *He that lives *godly* in Christ Jesus *shall* suffer persecution! If we rise to let the life of Jesus manifest through us by His Spirit and His Word, then in the *perfected* state, we too will be treated like Jesus. See the last two Beatitudes. *4. 1 PET 5:10 (6-11) PERFECT ADJUSTMENT: FOLLOWS SUFFERING. ?And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal :glory in Christ after you have suffered a little, shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.?*Notice that suffering is a necessary prelude to maturity and *perfection*. See the book of Job by Oswald Chambers: ?Baffled to Fight Better!? Here God sets forth his righteous man who hates evil and desires to do good - but *perfects* him and makes him a better man through suffering. *5. ROM 9:22 (19-29) FITTED UNTO DESTRUCTION: THE CONTRAST! ?What if :God, willing to show :wrath, and to make his :power known, bore with much long-suffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction.? *Those who choose other than God, are then *fitted* for destruction, just as saints who have chosen life, are *fitted* by God's 5-fold for life! *6. 1 COR 1:10 (10-17) CORPORATE PERFECTION: GOD'S GOAL THROUGH THE 5-FOLD. ?Now I beseech you, brothers, through the name of our :Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same, and no divisions be among you: but thatyou be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.? *We have to *choose*for God's appointed *adjusters* to fit us corporately for this same mind and same judgment. We can't do it ourselves, but we can choose to let our Lord through His chosen appointees do His work! *7. 2 COR 13:9 (1-10) PERFECT ADJUSTMENT: PAUL'S PRAYER. ?For we rejoice, when we be weak, and you be strong: this we also pray for, even your :perfecting.? *Paul in his weakness, tribulations, persecutions and suffering looks at his converts, and desires for his spiritual children maturity and *perfection!* *8. 2 COR 13:11 (11-13) BE PERFECTED: A COMMAND (by submitting to the Lord's 5-fold). ?For the rest, brothers, farewell. Be perfected; be comforted; be of the same mind; be at peace: and the God of :love and peace shall be with you.? **Perfection* is not an option for the saint - it is a * command!* Again, we cannot do this for ourselves. It would be like trying to lift ourselves up by our bootstraps. It takes another to lift us into this state. And the Lord chooses to use the 5-fold to do so. And they are not sinlessly perfect! Some say they will submit to the Lord, but not to pastors or men. Careful! If we want the Lord's best, *this* is the Lord's appointed way! We can miss God if we refuse His appointed way! *9. GAL 6:1 (5:25-6:6) RESTORE THOSE OVERTAKEN IN A TRESPASS! ?Brothers, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, you the spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself, lest you also be tempted.? **Restoration!* This is again God's appointed way when we fall. We must humble ourselves and permit our fellow man to lift us back where we once were. Humbling? Perhaps. But those who do the restoration must seek the spirit in the above verse if they would be successful in this needful duty. *10. EPH 4:12 (1-16) ADJUSTMENT UNTO PERFECTION: RESPONSIBILITY OF THE 5-FOLD. ?The 5-fold is given for the perfecting of the saints, unto a work of ministry, unto a building of the body of the Christ.? *This is the key verse for this whole study. Let us observe well God's plan and program. He has designed to mature His church through *His* choice of the 5-fold ministries. We *cannot* take the prerogative upon ourselves! Nor can we deceive ourselves by thinking we are His choice. We need the confirmation for this calling through the Eldership or Presbytery. Man seals God's calling through the ?Laying on of Hands? and prophecy. *11. 1 THESS 3:10 (1-10) PAUL'S DESIRE: TO PERFECTLY ADJUST MISSING DIMENSIONS. ?Night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your :face, and may perfect what are lacking in your :faith.? * Paul's chief ministry is prayer and intercession on a constant basis on behalf of the saints. Paul could see what was lacking in these converts, and knew that through God's gifting and calling to him as an apostle, that God through him could meet any need of these saints. *12. HEB 10:5 (1-18) MESSIAH'S PREPARED BODY: THE WORK OF GOD! ?Wherefore when he comes into the world, he says, Sacrifice and offering you would not, But a body did you prepare for me.? *See God's wonderful work on behalf of His only begotten Son. Jesus had a Pre-incarnate existence from the beginning with God! Before Abraham was, *He was!* God is *One* - but He is *One* in the Triunity of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, just as we who are made in the image of God are one: spirit, soul and body. Jesus who was very God of very God, became through the body His Father * prepared* for Him, very man of very man. A mystery? Indeed - and *much* for us to meditate upon! *13. HEB 11:3 (3-12) FRAMING OF WORLD: GOD'S MASTER PARABLE. ?By faith we understand that the ages have been framed by God's word, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which appear.? *God used Jesus as the Pre-incarnate Son, as the Living Word, to create all things. See the book of Colossians. According to Romans 1, the universe was designed by God as a lesser gospel to lead us to the light of the *greater* Gospel: Jesus! He used this in the beginning to draw me to Himself as a new teen-ager. *14. HEB 13:21 (20-21) PERFECTING OF GOD'S WILL IN US: MESSIAH'S HIGH CALLING. ?Now our God perfect you in every good to do his :will, to do in us what is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom the glory unto the ages of the ages. Amen.? *This is one of the great Benedictory prayers of the Bible. Here is the will of God! He wants us * perfected* into the image of His Son Jesus, so that He through the Spirit and the Word can live His life out through us. He first wants incarnation in us, and then growth, maturity and *perfection* to do His will. Are we ready? Are we willing? Andrew Murray points us effectively in this direction. *NOTE:** *God does not plan for all of the 5-fold to be resident and operate in any one local church. He has designed that they all *should* be resident and operate in each city church, and should move from local church to local church within the city. This insight finds strong confirmation in the following analysis of *Church* - ek-kl*e*SIa. It appears 114x in the Greek NT. *Once* in Acts 7 it refers to Israel as the church in the wilderness. 3x in the book of Acts it refers to the secular church of Ephesus. 14x it refers to a local church within the city church, such as the church in the home of Aquila and Priscilla. 15x it refers to the Universal Church of OT and NT saints. *But* - 81x - it refers to the *City Church* composed of many local churches, such as 14 of these references in Revelation 2-3. Much frustration and damage has taken place because of the lack of understanding in this since the Reformation days of Martin Luther. However, in the last decades men like John Dawson have seen this truth, and clear perspective is beginning to return to the church. *This* will enable the 5-fold ministry to once again function as God has planned it from the beginning. Remember how in the beginning the apostles went forth two by two from local church in the home to local church in the home - in the context of the city church. In 1948 God visited North Battleford, Saskatchewan with a number of Restoration Revival Principles, and brought together 12 of these in an Embryonic state. George R. Hawtin taught on the nature of the 5-fold, majoring on the office of the apostle. He pointed out repeatedly that God sees the office of the apostle and prophet functioning together in the foundation for His church. The Aorist tense of the Greek in Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:28 conclusively settles that in God's thinking, these 2 offices should continue to function with the other 3 - throughout the entire church age. The importance of this teaching can be fully realized as we consider Galatians 6:1, and the spirit in which spiritual leaders should restore fellow leaders. The last century on, right into this 21st Century, we have witnessed the tragedy of fallen leaders, even to this year in Lakeland, Florida. Leaders who are young and inexperienced need to be supported in prayer, intercession and counsel, for they become targets of the enemy. And when one falls, Paul in Galatians gives exceedingly wise counsel concerning their restoration. Just this day (August 22, 2008) a very wise and humble article has come from Dutch Sheets emphasizing the true role of the church in such matters. Thank God for his honesty, humility and obedience in bringing forth this confession of repentance - much as Daniel did in Daniel 9. *2012-04-04 - The above is one of my favorite Greek Word Studies. Trust it may be a blessing to you also - Jim Watt* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Apr 5 09:30:55 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2012 09:30:55 -0700 Subject: Ephesians 4:4-6 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 5, 2012 *2012-03-30 - SURVEY IV - THE SEVEN UNITIES - Ephesians 4:4-6* *Link this Survey with Joseph. He fits in with the Moravian Proverb: In essentials unity; in non-essentials tolerance; in all things love! The Research Paper #, the page number, and the Greek Root (*) come from John Stegenga's ?The Greek-English Analytical Concordance of the Greek-English New Testament published in 1963. The Analysis is based on Vine's ?Expository Dictionary.?* *1. ONE BODY. *R.P. #1408, p. 727, A. S*O*ma***, 146 (150) references. ?S*O *ma (body), and PNEUma (spirit) may be separated; PNEUma (spirit) and psuCH* E* (soul), can only be distinguished? - (Cremer). *Body* is used metaphorically, of the mystic Body of Christ, with reference to the whole Church, Eph. 1:23; Col. 1:18, 22, 24; also of a local church, 1 Cor. 12:12-31; ministry gifts are for the body, and to perfect it, Eph. 4:11-16. In the Tabernacle of Moses, the Brazen Altar and the Laver are in the ?Outer Court?, which represents the body. *2. ONE SPIRIT. *R.P. #1153, p. 650, B, PNEUma, from PNE*o****, 385 (428) references. Like the wind, He is invisible, immaterial and powerful! The Holy Spirit in the New Testament has Divine attributes: distinct Personality in the Godhead; operation in connection with the Lord Jesus in His Birth, His life, His baptism, His Death; operations in the world; in the Church; sent at Pentecost by the Father and by Christ; operations in the individual believer; in production of Scriptures. See John 14-16 for a treatise by the Lord Jesus on the Holy Spirit. ?Rees Howells, Intercessor? by Norman P. Grubb gives much illumination on the Holy Spirit! *3. ONE HOPE. *R.P. #397, p. 243, A, elPIS***, 54 (87) references. This word describes the happy anticipation of good (most frequent significance). Our hope is the prospect before us who are *called* and have responded to the Gospel, Eph. 1:18, 4:4. This is an *objective* hope, as opposed to subjective hope of Romans 15:4. Hope is a factor in salvation, Romans 8:24. In 1 & 2 Thessalonians, our *hope* is the *sure* return of our Lord Jesus in power and glory, at which time we are resurrected, and receive a glorious body like as His present resurrected body! And what of our *calling*? See R.P. 624 , p. 394, I.B, KL*E*sis, from kaLE*o ****, 11 (519) References. The origin, nature and destiny of God's calling is *heavenly*! *4. ONE LORD. *R.P. #755, p. 466, D, KUri-os, from KUros***, 747 (772) references. This word signifies having power or authority. It is joined with the absolute title of Deity, John 20:28! It is used only of God and the Lord Jesus after this (except in Acts 10:4 & Revelation 7:14). See: Never addressed by personal Name (Jesus): always the *Lord Jesus*. The Savior's title of ?Lord? rests upon His Resurrection, Acts 2:36, Romans 10:9, 14:9, and is realized only in the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:3! *5. ONE FAITH.* R.P. #1100, p. 618, I.H. PIStis, from PEIth*o***, *244 (708) references. By metonymy, it spells out what is believed, the contents of belief, the faith, Acts 6:7, 14:22; Galatians 2:23, 3:35, 6:10; Philippians 1:27; 1 Thessalonians 3:10, Jude 3, 20. It is a *firm conviction * acknowledging God's revelation of truth. *6. ONE BAPTISM. *R.P. #183, p. 109, C, BAPtis-ma, from BAPt*o****, 22 (126) references. *This* is the baptism by the Lord Jesus in the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:13. John prophesied this baptism, Matthew 3:11, Acts 11:16. Christian baptism is a type and condition for this, consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and emergence (BAPt*o*, dip). Baptism in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost is a metaphorical use of this word. Salvation through the Holy Spirit is not ordinarily given till after water baptism, Acts 8:15-16. *7. ONE GOD.* R.P. 522, p. 342, I.A, TheOS***, 1344 (1456) references. In the New Testament, it speaks of His unity, Mark 12:29; self-existence, John 5:26; immutability, James 1:17; eternity, Romans 1:20; universality, Matthew 10:29; almighty power, Matthew 19:26; infinite knowledge, Acts 2:23; creative power, Romans 11:36; absolute holiness, 1 Peter 1:15; righteousness, John 17:25; faithfulness, 1 Corinthians 1:9; love, 1 John 4:8; mercy, Romans 9:15. And lastly, see the break-down of *and FATHER. *R.P. #1092, p. 610, A, paT *E*R***, 418 (440) references. *NOTE**: *Under Body in Point 1, I refer to the Outer Court as containing the first 2 pieces of Tabernacle Furniture: the Brazen Altar and the Laver. The Holy Place represents the soul, and has three pieces of furniture: the Menorah or Candlestick; the Table of Bread representing the 12 tribes of Israel in 2 piles of 6 pieces each; and the Altar of Incense facing the veil before the Holy of Holies, where Worship & Intercession takes place. Andrew Murray and Rees Howells demonstrate the importance of this. Then the Holy of Holies represents the spirit. Here we find the 6th and 7th piece of Tabernacle Furniture: the Ark of the Covenant, containing God's Old Covenant which was given to Israel in 10 commandments. Our *Lord Jesus* is our New Covenant, mentioned twice as such in the Prophecy of Isaiah. Oswald Chambers teaches us how to ?Focus on Jesus? - who encourages us to give ?Our Utmost? for ?His Highest.? The ?Finished Work? of Christ on Calvary should lead us into ?Personal, passionate devotion to Jesus!? The Mercy Seat is where we have the potential of Intimacy with God as had Moses. Through the Riven Veil that took place at Calvary - we have free access - dependent on our understanding of the first 5 pieces of furniture. Lee Ellenwood of California brought the above forcibly to my attention in 1944 - as a new convert in the Canadian Navy. I do not remember him omitting in any lecture the Tabernacle diagram Later - much later, a brother and I wrestled together to understand David's prayer in Psalm 86:11 *?Unite my heart to fear Your Name!?* What is a *united heart*? How does it fit into the ?Path of the Just? through the 7 pieces of Tabernacle Furniture? What came to us was that when we are born into this world since Adam - our human spirit is ?*dead?* in trespasses and sins - inherited from Adam's sin. But the Second or Last Adam - our Lord Jesus - at Calvary made propitiation for Adam's sin, and we now can be reconciled to God through His Blood Redemption. Our human spirit is *then*made alive! But our ?soul? in the Holy Place - has not been *renewed* in mind, emotions and will. When we walk in *Romans 12:1-2* - our soul is lifted up to the level of our ?made alive? spirit, and the two become our *?united heart!?* But in our unsaved or unregenerate state prior to the new birth *from above * - our soul and body is ?in cahoots? - that is *united* in the ?flesh state? - which *never* can be pleasing to God. However - when the soul, by acting upon Romans 12:1-2 - lifts us into the spirit and *a united heart* - *the flesh* is broken up - leaving the body alone - to *now follow* the engine (spirit), coal car (soul) - and like a good *caboose* (body) - having to follow! *Our body* is the temple of the Holy Spirit; our Lord Jesus is the Redeemer and Savior of *our soul*; and Jesus then leads us into the Holy of Holies to have intimacy with Him there with His Father - and now our Father. God the Father is His Father uniquely as the only begotten Son! You and I have God as our Father as *adopted* sons. Jesus now has become *the Head* of His spiritual body - the ?One New Man? composed of Jew and Gentile alike, with the middle wall of partition through the Old Testament law done away - and has become the New Covenant written on our heart and mind by the Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 31). Does the above confuse some of you? It at one time did me too. But once God opened it up to us by ?revelation? - it has become exceedingly precious, real, releasing and dynamic. I take a daily walk through the Tabernacle, visiting each piece of furniture in turn - and enter through the riven veil into the Holy of Holies, where we all have the privilege of being seated in heavenly places with the Father and our Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit at this time dwells in us now individually and corporately as the Temple of God! I know that as you pray over this, talk to God about it, *meditate* upon it - then the Holy Spirit - our Teacher and Helper - will guide each one of us into this place of the ?Halls of Highest Human Happiness? - Oneness, unity and intimacy with our God! The above words of these ?7 Unities? may be sung, with Psalm 48 as a Chorus - J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri Apr 6 09:59:32 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2012 09:59:32 -0700 Subject: 5-fold Ministry Survey Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 6, 2012 *2012-04-05 - SURVEY V - 5-FOLD MINISTRIES, Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:38; Tit. 1:5; 1 Tim 3:12* *Link these with Ephraim - the tribe of Joshua.* EPHESIANS g. 4:11-16 HIGH PURPOSE OF MINISTRY GIFTS OF CHRIST TO CHURCH *And HE gave some as apostles; and some, prophets;* kai auTOS Ed*o*-ken tous men a-poSTOlous [652]; tous de, proPH*E*tas [4396]; *and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; * tous de, eu-ag-ge-lisTAS [2099]; tous de, poiMEnas 4166] kai di-das-KAlous [1320]; 12* for the perfecting of the saints, unto a work of ministry,* pros ton ka-tar-tisMON [2677] t*o*n haGI*o*n [40], eis ERgon di-a-koNIas [1248], *unto a building of the body of the Christ:* eis oi-ko-doM*E*N [3619] tou S*O*ma-tos tou ChrisTOU: 13* till we :all attain unto the unity of the faith,* MECHri ka-tanT*E*s*o*-men [2658] hoi PANtes eis t*e*n heNOt*e*-to [1775] t*e *s PISte-*o*s, *and of the knowledge of the son of :God, unto a perfect man,* kai t*e*s e-pigN*O*se-*o*s [1922] tou huiOU tou TheOU, eis ANDra TElei-on [5046], *unto a measure of stature of the fulness of the Christ: *14 *that we no longer be babes,* eis METron h*e*-liKIas [2244] tou pl*e*R*O*ma-tos [4138] tou ChrisTOU: HIna m*e*KEti *O*men N*E*pi-oi, *tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of :teaching,* klu-d*o*-niZOme-noi kai pe-ri-pheROme-noi panTI aNEm*o* t*e*s di-da-skaLIas, *by the sleight of :men, in craftiness, unto the wiles of :error;* *en te kuBIa [2940] ton anTHROpon, en pa-nourGIa [3834], pros ten me-thoDIan [3180] tes PLAnes;* 1 CORINTHIANS o. 12:28 GOD SOVEREIGNLY SETS THE VARIOUS MEMBERS *And :God has set some in the church,* Kai hous men Ethe-to ho TheOS en t*e* ek-kl*e*SIa [1577], *first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,* PR*O*ton a-posTOlous [652], DEUte-ron proPH*E*tas [4396], TRIton di-dasKAlous [1320], *then powers, then gifts of healings,* Epei-ta duNAmeis [1411], Epei-ta chaRISma-ta iaMAt*o*n [2386], *helps, governments, kinds of tongues.* an-tiL*E*Mpseis [484], ku-berN*E*seis [2941], GEn*e* gl*o*sS*O*N [1100]. TITUS B. 1:5-16 PURPOSE OF QUALIFIED ELDERS 1. 1:5-9 QUALIFICATION AND FUNCTION OF ELDERS a. 1:5-6 ELDERS *For this cause I left you in Crete ** *TOUtou CHArin aPEleiPON [2641] se en KR*E*t*e*, *that you should set in order the things wanting,* HIna ta LEIpon-ta e-pi-di-orTH*O*s*e*, *and appoint elders in every city, as I gave you charge;* kai ka-taST*E*s*e*s [2525] kaTA POlin pres-buTErous [4245], h*o*s eG*O* soi di-e-taXAm*e*n [1299]; 6* if any is blameless, husband of one wife,* EI tis esTIN eNEGkl*e*-tos [410], miAS gu-naiKOS [1135] aN*E*R [435], *having believing children not accused of riot or unruly.* TEKna [5043] Ech*o*n piSTA [4103] m*e* en ka-t*e*-goRIa [2724] a-s*o*TIas [810] *e* a-nuPOtak-ta [506]. 1 TIMOTHY f. 3:12 HOME QUALIFICATION OF DEACONS *Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ** *diAko-noi Est*o*-san miAS gu-naiKOS ANdres, *ruling the children and their own :houses well.* TEKn*o*n [5043] kaL*O*S pro-iSTAme-nos [4291] kai t*o*n iDI*o*n OIk*o*n. g. 3:13 REWARD OF DEACONS *For who have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing,* hoi gar kaL*O*S di-a-koN*E*san-tes [1247] bathMON [898] he-auTOIS kaLON pe-ri-poiOUNtai [4046], *and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.* kai polL*E*N par-r*e*SIan [3954] en PIstei t*e* en ChrisT*O* I*e*SOU. *1. APOSTLES. R.P. #1366, p. 709, II.C, aPO-sto-los, from STELlo*, 81 (296) references.* One sent forth with a commission. Through miracle, carves out city churches from raw heathenism. The beginning church peculiarly founded upon the 12 apostles. Yet, there are many other apostles like Paul, Acts 14:4, 14; Romans 16:7; 2 Corinthians 8:23; Philippians 2:25; 1 Thessalonians 2:6. 12 other apostles are mentioned. Missionaries emulating Paul's ministry are modern apostles. There are many so-called and self-appointed apostles. *2. PROPHETS. R.P. #428, p. 283, XXIX.A, proPHEtes, from eREo*, 149 (4080) references.* Prophets speak for God what cannot be known by natural means. They forthtell the will of God for past, present or future. They edify, comfort and encourage believers (build up, cheer up, stir up), 1 Corinthians 14:3. They reveal to unbelievers secrets; convict of sin; constrain to worship. They restore dead or languishing churches, as a Revivalist, Ezekiel 37. They enable church members to find their ministry, and function in their gifts to the Body of Christ, 1 Timothy 1:18. There *are* false prophets! *3. EVANGELISTS. R.P. #24, p. 15, V.C., eu-ag-ge-lisTES, from Ago*, 3 (1291) references.* Messenger of glad tidings, or preachers of the Gospel, Acts 21:8. A distinctive function in the church, Ephesians 4:11. They are Missionaries who preach, but do not found new churches. A N.T. evangelist has ?power? gifts to shock one into the Kingdom of God. Two of the first deacons became evangelists. *4. PASTORS. R.P. #1158, p. 656, A, poiMEN*, 18 (40) references. SHEPHERD - correct translation.* Metaphorically (a figure of speech) of those who act as pastors in the churches, Ephesians 4:11. Tends (guides & oversees) as well as feeds the flock, Acts 10:17, 28. Tends and exercises oversight, 1 Peter 5:1-2. Involves tender care and vigilant superintendence. See Exodus 18 - Jethro's advice to Moses that accorded with God, and exemplified by Timothy in Ephesus, Titus in Crete: elders over elders. *5. TEACHERS. R.P. #333, p. 185, E, diDASka-los, from diDASko*, 58 (219) references.* Teachers of *truth* in the churches (there are *many* false teachers). The authority of the message requires obedience. Apostles, prophets and pastors include this office also. The true evangelist teaches foundation truths thoroughly, Hebrews 6:1-2. *6. ELDERS. R.P. #1179, p. 666, D, presBUte-ros, from PRESbus*, 67 (79) references.* Exercise spiritual care and oversight over the churches. Raised up and qualified by the work of the Holy Spirit, Acts 20:28. *Not* a self-appointed office! Paul appointed Timothy and Titus for this function. *OVERSEER. R.P. #1317, p. 695, D, ePI-sko-pos, from SKEPto-mai*, 7 (34) references.* Bishop or overseer indicates the nature of the elders' work. All three words relate to the same office. ?Elder? indicates the maturity of experience, 1 Timothy 4:12. Young Mormon elders hardly qualify here. God's plan: A plurality of elders to be appointed in each city church, called the Presbytery, 2 Timothy 4:14, with an apostolic pastor like Timothy or Titus over the city Presbytery. Each local church in the home in the beginning had but one elder. All these together formed the plurality of Eldership in the City Church. *7. DEACONS. R.P. #705, p. 424, II.A, diAko-nos, from KOnis*, 31 (109) references.* Primarily denotes a servant with regard to character. Used of the servants of Christ in the work of preaching and teaching. Used of those who serve in the churches, Acts 6; 1 Timothy 3:8-13. *8. HELPS. R.P. #770, p. 456, III.B, anTIle-sis, from lamBAno*, 1 (447) references.* Official functionaries are not in view; rather households which devote themselves to minister to saints. Especially helping and ministering to the weak and needy. *9. GOVERNMENTS. R.P. #743, p. 443, A, kuBERne-sis, from ku-berNAo*, 1 (3) references.* To guide through steering or piloting. Metaphorically (a figure of speech), those who act as guides in a local church. Those who exercise the word of knowledge and word of wisdom. *NOTE**: *There is great deal of controversy concerning the 5-fold ministries of Ephesians 4:11-12. A number of books have been written in this area. Recently I mailed out a Greek word study on *ka-tarTIzo* - to perfect, equip, chiropractically *adjust* the members of the Body of Christ, so our Lord Jesus as Head - by the Holy spirit, can cause His Church, His Body, to function corporately under His control. This took place to a large extent in the church of Jerusalem and Antioch in the beginning. The ?5-fold? have this appointed function, and it is the Body members they ?adjust?, who are to do the work of the ministry. The majority of Evangelicals to day feel that apostles and prophets ceased at the end of the church's First Century. Why choose these first two, and retain the last three? Their is no scriptural warranty for either of these actions! However, the Holy Spirit's use of the word *gave* in Ephesians 4:11, and *set* in 1 Corinthians 12:28, are in the Aorist tense. This tense expresses God's design to have these 5 ministries continue as long as there *is* a church. During times of spiritual decline, they tend to cease to function. But as soon as Revival and Renewal takes place, they spring into a functioning mode once again, along with the gifts of the Spirit of 1 Corinthians 12:8-ll, including tongues or glossolalia. Look up Strong's # for each of the above, and do a thorough Greek Word Study on each. This discipline can be extremely enlightening. Any seven significant references to any one of these words - tend to bring forth an accurate definition to any selected word. We have taken each significant Greek word in the NT and made studies for each reference, followed by a ?Tentative Evaluation? for each word. These studies are based on Ivan Panin's ?Bible Numeric Greek and English texts, his Outlined Interlinear Greek NT, the Concordance of John Stegenga, and Englishman's Greek Concordance. We *cannot* say a ?Thus says the Lord? over these results - but we can say - the ?Tentative Evaluations? are most illuminating. The above remarks are based on these 4000 manuscript pages. J.A. Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat Apr 7 12:11:23 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2012 12:11:23 -0700 Subject: Seven "I Am's" Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 7, 2012 *2012-03-15 - SEVEN I AM'S FROM JOHN - Link with Judah* *1. BREAD. R.P. #145, p. 80, I.H. ARtos, from Aro*, 99 (296) references* *John 6:35 and 48: ?I am the bread of life**?* m. 6:35 JESUS CLEARLY ANSWERS THEIR QUESTIONING *:Jesus said to them, I am the bread of :life:* EIpen auTOIS ho I*e*SOUS, E-G*O* ei-mi ho ARtos t*e*s z*o*-*E*S: *who comes unto me shall in nowise hunger, and who believes unto me shall in nowise ever thirst.* ho erCHOme-nos pros eME ou me peiNAse, kai ho piSTEUon eis eME ou me diPS*E*sei P*O*po-te. *i. 6:48 ** I am the bread of :life.** ** *eG*O* ei-mi ho ARtos t*e*s z*o*- *E*S. The ?breaking of bread? became the name for the institution breaking (not cutting) the loaf at the Lord's Supper, Acts 2:42, 20:7; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23. Metaphorically, Christ is known as the bread of God, John 6:33, 35. George Muller partook of the Word as Soul-food before he prayed. Priests ate this bread in type! Bread of Presence, Leviticus 24:9. We minister the living Word by revelation, Romans 8:14. *2. LIGHT. R.P. #1512, p. 783, I.L. PHOS, from PHAo*, 70 (255) references* *of the WORLD. R.P. #717, p. 429, A, KOSmos*, 187 (202) references* *John 8:12 and 9:5: ?I am the light of the world.?* E. 8:12-20 FATHER WHO WITNESSES OF JESUS - UNKNOWN TO JEWS a. 8:12 CHRIST THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD *Again therefore :Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world:* PAlin oun auTOIS eLAl*e*-sen ho I*e*SOUS, LEg*o*n, E-G*O* ei-mi to ph*o*s [5457] tou KOSmou [2889]: *who follows me shall in no wise walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of :life.* ho a-ko-louTH*O*N [190] moi ou m*e* pe-ri-paT*E*s*e* en t*e* skoTIa [4653], all' HExei to ph*o*s t*e*s z*o*-*E*S. *e. 9:5 While I am in the world, I am Light of the world.* HOtan en t*o* KOSm*o* *o*, PH*O*S [5457] ei-mi tou KOSmou. Metaphorically, the truth in Christ reaching the mind. Natural man is incapable of receiving spiritual light, 1 Corinthians 2:14. Believers become ?sons of light? through the New Birth, receiving spiritual capacity for revelation from God, Luke 16:8. It was *this* that Thomas Kinkaid sought to portray in his paintings, and which the world could not grasp. See the candlestick in the Tabernacle: here the ?gifts of the Spirit? are for *light*, 1 Corinthians 12:8-11. *3. DOOR. R.P. #544, p. 355, I.G., THUra, from THUo*, 39 (265) references * *John 10:7: ?I am the gate for the sheep? -* 6. 10:7-18 JESUS EXPLAINS PARABLE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD *a. 10:7 :Jesus therefore said again, Amen, Amen, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.* EIpen oun PAlin ho I*e*SOUS, A-M*E*N, aM*E*N, LEg*o* huMIN, eG*O* ei-mi h*e*THUra t *o*n proBAt*o*n. Metaphorically, of Christ, John 10:7, 9. Metaphorically of faith, by acceptance of the Gospel, Acts 14:27. Also of entrance into the Kingdom of God, Matthew 25:10, Luke 13:24-25. Christ's entrance into a repentant believer's heart, Revelation 3:20. Access to behold visions relative to the purposes of God, Revelation 4:1. *4. SHEPHERD. R.P. #1158, p. 657, A, poiMEN*, 18 (40) references, John 10:11* *GOOD. R.P. #625, p. 395, A., kaLOS*, 102 (142) references.* *John 10:11-15: ?I am the good shepherd...?* e. 10:11 THE PURPOSE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD *I am the good :shepherd:* E-G*O* ei-mi ho poiM*E*N [4166] ho kaLOS [2570]: *the good :shepherd lays down his :life for the sheep.* ho poiM*E*N ho kaLOS t*e*n psuCH*E*N [5590] auTOU TIth*e*-sin [5087] huPER t *o*n proBAt*o*n. f. 10:12-13 THE NATURE OF THE HIRELING *Who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not,* ho mis-th*o*TOS [3411], kai ouk *o*n poiM*E*N, hou ouk EStin ta PROba-ta Idi-a, *beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees* the-*o*REI ton LUkon [3074] erCHOme-non, kai aPHI*e*-sin [863] ta PROba-ta, kai PHEUgei [5343] *(and the wolf snatches them, and scatters):* (kai ho LUkos harPAzei [726] auTA, kai skorPIzei [4650]): *13 because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep.* HOti mis-th*o*TOS es-tin, kai ou MElei [3411] auT*O* peRI t*o*n proBAt*o*n. g. 10:14-15 THE KNOWLEDGE THAT EXISTS BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS SHEEP *I am the good :shepherd; and I know :mine, and :mine know me,* eG*O* ei-mi ho poiM*E*N ho kaLOS; kai giN*O*sk*o* ta eMA, kai giN*O*skouSI me ta eMA, *15 even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father;* kaTH*O*S giN*O*skei me ho paT*E*R, ka' 'G*O* giN*O*sk*o* ton paTEra; *and I lay down my :life for the sheep.* kai t*e*n psuCH*E*N mou TIth*e*-mi huPER t*o*n proBAt*o*n. Metaphorically of Christ, Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27; John 10:11, 14, 16; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25. Pastors tend, guide and oversee, as well as feed the flock, Acts 20:17, 28. It was this service committed to elders (overseers or bishops). Jesus Christ alone is the chief shepherd, 1 Peter 5:4. Aaron, a type of Christ, was faithful over the Tabernacle. King David shepherded God's people Israel, Psalm 23. *5. RESURRECTION. R.P. #595, p. 371, II.B, aNAsta-sis, from HISte-mi*, 42 (648) references.* *John 11:25: ?I am the resurrection and the life...? * h. 11:25-26a CHRIST - THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE *:Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life:* EIpen auT*E* ho I*e*SOUS, E-G*O* ei-mi h*e* aNAsta-sis, kai h*e* z*o*-*E* [2222]: *who believes unto me shall live, even if he die; *26a* and every one* ho piSTEU*o*n eis eME, ka' 'n a-poTHAn*e* Z*E*se-tai [2198]; kai pas *who lives and believes unto me shall nowise die unto the age.* ho z*o*n kai PiSTEU*o*n eis eME ou m*e* a-poTHAn*e* [599] eis ton ai*O*na. By metonymy, of Christ as the Author of resurrection, John 11:25. Many found in Christ strength and firmness, a means of their salvation - many in Israel to stumble. God made Aaron's budding rod bring forth almonds, symbol of resurrection. Christ Jesus raised Lazarus, and will raise us too, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. *6. WAY. R.P. #999, p. 554, I.A, hoDOS, 102 (137) references.* *TRUTH. R.P. #792, p. 464, II.B, a-leTHEIa, from a + LEtho*, 107 (203) references.* JOHN b. 14:6 NO WAY TO GOD BUT THROUGH CHRIST *Jesus says to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life:* LEgei auT*O* I*e*SOUS, E-G*O* ei-mi h*e* hoDOS [3598], kai h*e* aL*E*thei-a [225], kai h*e* z*o*-*E* [2222]: *no one comes unto the Father, but through me.* ouDEIS ERche-tai pros ton paTEra, ei m*e* di? eMOU. Metaphorically, a course of conduct, or way of thinking. The way instructed and approved of God, Acts 18:26, Hebrews 3:10. Paul's way in Christ, 1 Corinthians 4:17. The more excellent way of love, 1 Corinthians 12:31. Personified of Christ as means of access to the Father, John 14:6. The course followed and characterized by followers of Christ, Acts 9:2, 19:9, 23; 24:22. Christ in the Tabernacle: Blood-sprinkled mercy seat on the Ark, which led Israel in her goings. *7. VINE. R.P. #82, p. 53, A, AMpe-los*, 8 (32) references. - John 15:1* *TRUE vine. R.P. #792, p. 464, II.D, a-le-thiNOS, a + LEtho*, 27 (203) references.* John C. 15:1-16:33 RESULTS FROM THE SPIRIT?S COMING 3. 15:1-16 FRUIT: PURPOSE OF THE SPIRIT *a. 15:1 I am the true :vine, and my :Father is the husbandman.* E-G*O* ei-mi h*e* AMpe-los [288] h*e* a-l*e*-thiN*E*, kai ho paT*E*R mou ho ge-*o*rGOS [1092] es-tin. Used figuratively of Christ, John 15:1, 4, 5. A true vine shelters, as 4-fold covering of Tabernacle: badger skins, rams dyed red, goat hairs (humanity), white linen. Father pruned branches, as they receive life from the true vine. *NOTE*: Here we have a 7-fold picture of Christ - yet *much more* than this! For our Lord Jesus uses the peculiar meaning of ?Jehovah? in each of these 7 references: ?*I am*? - E-G*O* ei-mi. In the Pentateuch (Torah), Moses points out that the essence of the meaning of the Tetragrammaton: Jehovah - is ?*I am*? - E-G*O* ei-mi! It was Jesus' use of this - that so enraged the Jewish leaders of His day. They termed it ?blasphemy? and took up rocks to stone Him. *But* - He *was* all He said! He came from the Father, *knew* His Father - and as Son of man - was the perfect servant to His Father. He spoke *only*His Father's words as Son of man, and did *only* His deeds as signs and wonders. Just as these are 7 ?I AM's? in the Gospel of John, so John by the Spirit selects 7 of Jesus' signs to portray aspects of His character. In Isaiah there are 4 ?Servant Songs? prophetically looking forward to the Messiah to come: Jesus! The prophetic device Isaiah uses here - the Catholic theologians called the ?sensus plenior? - the *fuller* sense! Modernists *hate* this term - but it is *true*, nonetheless! I originally wrote the above outline in 1967, and now 45 years later - the day before Resurrection Sunday - the *first* day of the week - I find we are celebrating Jesus' resurrection (2012-04-07). Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 lays out how important and necessary is the death *and Resurrection* of our Lord Jesus! Had He *not* risen, we would be yet dead in our trespasses and sins. But He *has* risen, and His ?finished work? on Calvary is now *abundantly justified*! We *are* redeemed. We *have been* reconciled! He purchased the Presence of the Father, His heredity of the indwelling Holy Spirit to *also*indwell us! Now *our* resurrection is assured at His Second Coming! *This* is the *Blessed Hope* of the believer! Our Lord Jesus in His resurrection became the First Fruit! We will join Him in Resurrection Bodies like His present Glorified Body when He returns in Glory with His holy angels (not His saints yet). He will following our resurrection give out awards to saints at His B*E*ma (Judgment Seat) - and 1000 years later declare final judgment on all who rejected Him - who is God's *only* selection for man's salvation! No wonder Felix trembled when Paul reasoned of these things! J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sun Apr 8 18:00:31 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2012 18:00:31 -0700 Subject: Rees Howells and the Holy Spirit Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 9, 2012 *2012-04-09 - REES HOWELLS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT* *(From ?The Intercession of Rees Howells? by Doris M. Ruscoe - CLC, 1983)* IV. ROMANS 12:1-16:23 RIGHTEOUSNESS MANIFESTED IN LIFE A. 12:1-2 BEGINS WITH COMPLETE SURRENDER Romans a. 12:1 A WHOLE BURNT OFFERING CONSECRATION - HOLOCAUST *I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of :God,* Pa-ra-kaL*O* [3870] oun huMAS, a-delPHOI, diA t*o*n oik-tirM*O*N [3628] tou TheOU, *to present your :bodies a living sacrifice, * pa-raST*E*sai [3936] ta S*O*ma-ta huM*O*N thuSIan [2378] Z*O*san, *holy, well-pleasing to God, your spiritual service.* haGIan, t*o* The*o* euAres-ton [2101], t*e*n lo-giK*E*N [3050] laTREIan 2999] huM*O*N. *1. No single person* can receive the Holy Spirit until he has made a full and complete surrender. He is a person, and when he comes in, he brings in all that is of God, and from that time it is in God you live and not to any selfish motives. I never once sought a blessing after he came in; I had the blesser himself. It may take you some time to get used to this new realm, but do not try to do anything of yourself. When he wants to do something through you, he will make it plain. You need to realize your position in him: *?Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hasblessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ? *(Ephesians 1:3). Live with him, come to know him and allow him to speak to you. When you have the Holy Spirit, you do not need to make a show. He will reveal himself without your effort. It is a new realm altogether, a realm in which you are *?transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God? *(Romans 12:2). This life in the Holy Spirit is as simple as it is great. JOHN b. 14:16-17 THE INWARD NATURE OF THE COMFORTER *And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,* ka? ?G*O* e-r*o*T*E*s*o* ton paTEra, kai ALlon paRAkl*e*-ton [3875] D*O*sei huMIN, *that he be with you for ever, *17 *the Spirit of the truth:* HIna h*e* meth? huM*O*N eis ton ai*O*na, ta PNEUma [4151] t*e*s a-l*e* THEIas: *whom the world cannot receive; because it sees him not, neither knows:* HO ho KOSmos ou DUna-tai laBEIN; HOti ou the-*o*REI auTO, ouDE giN*O*Skei [1097]: *YOU know him; for he abides with you, and is in you.* huMEIS giN*O*Ske-te auTO; HOti par? huMIN MEnei [3306], kai en huMIN ES-TIN. *2. The Holy Spirit* is not an influence but a divine person, the third person of the Godhead, with all the attributes of a person: will, intelligence, power and love. He is the only witness on earth today of the Savior and of Calvary, and he is the only one who can make God's will known to you. We do not know these things until they are revealed to us, and at the 1906 Llandrindod Wells Convention in Wales, he was revealed to me, and I saw him. I had lived for the Savior for three and a half years and longed to give my life back to him. The first morning of the convention, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. *?You has he quickened, and has raised you up to sit with Christ in heavenly places.? *It was the crucified Christ I had seen before; but now I had a vision of the *glorified* Christ, and only one glimpse of that is enough for eternity. I saw myself sitting with the one I loved throughout eternity, and like the apostle Paul I was dazzled, and all the things of earth grew strangely dim. *?Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit? *(1 Corinthians 2:9-10). I believe my experience was like that of the prophet Isaiah. He saw God and saw himself. He said, *?Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips? *(Isaiah 6:5). The Holy Spirit then appeared to me and said, ?I am the one who revealed that position to you and I want a body to dwell in to reveal the Savior through you.? I saw that he was God, that he was holy, pure, divine, and I was a man with a sinful nature. Before that experience I had never seen myself. All I had by nature was self, a self I had cultivated and kept under, a self the Holy Spirit would not live with. He showed me what it would mean if he came in. The verse he gave me was, *?Know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?? *(Romans 6:3). As really as the Savior died on that Cross, I would have to die before my nature was changed. Whether it is ?good self? or ?bad self? it is still self and must go to the Cross. I had received a sentence of death as really as a prisoner in the dock. For seven days he dealt with me. My will would have to go; I would never have another choice and I was never to question him in thought, word or motive. Each day he cleansed and purged me so that I could never go back again to my former life; and finally he gave me one hour to decide whether I, myself, was to live on, or he was to live in me. My destiny for eternity depended on that hour. At last I said, ?Lord, I am willing,? and he came in. He did not force the decision on me: I had to decide. I was carried right into the presence of God and the verse he gave me was: *?Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus? *(Hebrews 10:19). >From that time on there was a line drawn between my old life and this new one. Like John the Baptist, I had to decrease and he had to increase. ACTS n. 5:32 A MOST SIGNIFICANT VERSE *And WE are witnesses of these :sayings; also the Holy :Spirit,* kai h*e*MEIS es-men MARtu-res t*o*n 'r*e*MAt*o*n TOUt*o*n; kai to PNEUma to HAgi-on, *whom :God has given to them that obey him.* ho Ed*o*-ken ho TheOS tois pei-tharCHOUsin [3980] auT*O*. *3. It is exactly the same* for a man who is born again to receive the Holy Spirit as for a man who is not born again to receive the Savior. He is given to them that *obey*. It is *his all* for *your all*. Suppose you have a property of a hundred acres and you wish to sell all except the one acre right in the middle. The new owner might resent your walking over his property and might even take you to law about it, but the verdict would be, ?If he has one acre in the middle, he must have a right of way to it.? If you withhold just one acre of your life from the Holy Spirit, the devil will find not one way of getting to it, but many. The Holy Spirit comes in to take full possession. Your life is like a plot of land, marred and made barren by the Fall, and cannot bring forth fruit unto God. The Holy Spirit will begin to work on it, one acre at a time, until he has dealt with it all. You cannot play with him. Those who have no fear of the Holy Spirit have never seen him. I had far more fear of him than I had of my old schoolmaster when I was a boy in school. He will never take second place to self or the devil, and he will not dispute with you. I never once minimized the third person of the Godhead. When he comes in, God comes in, and he will not mix with your sinful nature. You are to die *to* sin as really as the Savior died *for* sin. JOHN e. 12:25 APPLICATION TO A HUMAN SOUL *Who loves his :soul loses it; and who hates his :soul* ho phiL*O*N [5368] t*e*n psuCH*E*N auTOU a-polLUei [622] auT*E*N; kai ho miS *O*N t*e*n psuCH*E*N auTOU *in this :world shall guard it unto life eternal.* en t*o* KOSm*o* TOUt*o* eis z*o*-*E*N ai*O*ni-on phuLAxei [5442] auT*E*N. *4. When you have given up *your life entirely to the Holy Spirit you have no right to take it back or to resent what he does with it. You will have no more claim on your life yourself, and you accept everything from him, whether it seems to be for you or against you. The surrender of outward things is only the beginning. When he comes in, he shows you yourself as he sees you, and he deals with the old nature, its thoughts and motives. Human reasoning and understanding belong to the old nature, which God tells us not to trust (Proverbs 3:5). You must learn to be quiet before God for him to show you these things. At one time I spent three hours with him and the Word every evening for several months, and he dealt with every thought and motive of self. LUKE d. 24:49 JESUS PROMISES THE HOLY SPIRIT *And lo, I send forth the promise of my :Father upon you:* kai iDOU, eG*O* e-xa-poSTELl*o* [649] t*e*n e-pag-geLIan [1860] tou paTROS mou eph' huMAS: *but tarry YOU in the city, until you be clothed with power from on high.* HUmeis de kaTHIsa-te en t*e* POlei, HE*o*s hou enDUs*e*s-the [1746] ex HUpsous [5311] DUna-min. c. 24:52-53 THE JOYOUS AFTERMATH *And THEY worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:* kai auTOI pro-skuN*E*san-tes auTON, huPEstre-psan eis Ie-rou-saL*E*M MEta chaRAS meGAl*e*s: 53 *and were continually in the temple, blessing :God.* kai *E*san diA panTOS en t*o* hi-eR*O*, eu-loGOUNtes [2127] ton TheON. *5. Joy is not the proof* that the Holy Spirit has come, nor are sorrow and testing proofs that he has not come. The disciples were rejoicing in the knowledge of eternal life and the forgiveness of sins, but they needed power for service. It is as unreasonable for a missionary to go out without the power of the Holy Spirit, as it is for a minister who is not born again to preach the Gospel. The Spirit will change your nature and change your motives so that you may live entirely for him. He may not give you anything to do for some time, but you will have the realization daily that he is in you, and you will have more fellowship with him than with anyone else. Just live with him and come to know him. When you are ?in God? your position with him is a million times greater than anything he does through you. We are so apt to be active, but when he wants to do something through you, he will do it. The realization that he was in me was so great, that it affected everyone I met. There was great joy when my eldest brother was converted, and many of us who were born again had great fellowship together; but when the Holy Spirit came into my life it was different. Some of my friends did not want him, and he had no fellowship with them. Once the Holy Spirit has taken you into the presence of God, you have more fellowship on ?the other side? than down here. Put the man of God where you like, but if God is there, it is heaven upon earth. ROMANS g. 6:5-7 THE FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES OF IDENTIFICATION *For if we have become like-natured with him in the likeness of his :death,* ei gar SUMphu-toi [4854] geGOna-men t*o* ho-moi*O*ma-ti [3667] tou thaNAtou auTOU, *we shall yet be also in the likeness of the resurrection;* alLA kai t*e*s a-naSTAse-*o*s [386] eSOme-tha; 6* knowing this, that our old :man was crucified with him,* TOUto giN*O*skon-tes [1097], HOti ho pa-laiOS [3820] h*e*M*O*N ANthr*o*-pos su-ne-stauR*O*th*e* [4957], *that the body of :sin be done away, that we no longer be in bondage to :sin;* HIna ka-tar-g*e*TH*E* [2673] to S*O*ma t*e*s ha-marTIas, tou m*e*KEti douLEUein h*e*MAS t*e* ha-marTIa; 7* for who has died is justified from :sin.* ho gar a-po-thaNON [599] de-diKAIo-tai [1344] aPO tes ha-marTIas. *6. Self cannot put self on the Cross: *only the Holy Spirit can do this. If the death of the Lord Jesus is real to you, will you go to Calvary with Him? It is not weeping for the death 2000 years ago, but being willing to go to death yourself. I have never tried to show Calvary in words. It *must*be a revelation. Death must work in you and then life, and just to the extent you allow him to put you to death, will you live. With many, the planting into the death of the Savior is only a theory. You only understand his death as you enter into it in reality. The apostle Paul said, *?I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me? *(Galatians 2:20). Anyone who has really seen Calvary, is lost to the world. You must get rid of sin and limitations: the death must be actual. The law will not be satisfied with theory. It is when you die to the law of sin and death that you are free (Romans 8:2). After you are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the death of the Savior, you then walk in newness of life. Some people live in the forgiveness of sin. Just as interest can be paid out of capital, some people do this spiritually. If you reckon yourself dead to sin, you have no right to live in it. The only proof of the Holy Spirit is the life of the Holy Spirit. Leave ?the old man? on the Cross, and rise with the Savior to a new life. ROMANS g. 6:5-7 THE FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES OF IDENTIFICATION *For if we have become like-natured with him in the likeness of his :death,* ei gar SUMphu-toi [4854] geGOna-men t*o* ho-moi*O*ma-ti [3667] tou thaNAtou auTOU, *we shall yet be also in the likeness of the resurrection;* alLA kai tes a-naSTAse-os [386] eSOme-tha; *7. This life is not a death life* but a resurrection life. Jesus said, *?I am the resurrection and the life?, *and if you are in him you are in the resurrection. The prayer of the apostle Paul was, *?That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death? *(Philippians 3:10). Suffering is the very thing the ?old man? will run away from. *?For if we be dead with him we shall also live with him: if we suffer we shall also reign with him? *(2 Timothy 2:11-12). The way to the throne is always the way of the Cross. The devil only has power on this side of Calvary. The Savior always had power over him; but he came to conquer him, so that the Savior through man might ever have the victory over him. The Holy Spirit comes in with all the power of the risen Lord, and he in me constantly had victory over the enemy. The Holy Spirit was constantly binding the devil. 2 CORINTHIANS b. 2:14 THE TRIUMPH OF CHRIST *But thanks to :God, who always leads us in triumph in the Christ,* T*o* de The*O* CHAris, t*o* PANto-te thri-amBEUon-ti [2358] h*e*MAS en t*o*ChrisT *O*, *and makes manifest through us the savor of his :knowledge in every place.* kai t*e*n osM*E*N 3744] t*e*s GN*O*se-*o*s auTOU pha-neROUNti [5319] di' h*e *M*O*N en panTI TOp*o*. *8. You must see* that you get victory in every change that the Holy Spirit makes in you. I had victory in every situation. You will not be tested in the open unless you have had victory on that point in private. God can always test his own faith, but not the faith of man. You cannot hold out in a test without a revelation. Whatever you give to God, if you believe for it, you will have the hundredfold. Before you can move on to something higher, you must have perfect victory in your present position. The ?old man? tries to get victory in a place where he is not situated. You must get victory where you are. Only those who have walked it know the joy of a life of faith. In a battle, what counts is that you have had victory all along. JOHN A. 1:1-4 DIVINE FELLOWSHIP IS JOYFUL 3* what we have seen and heard declare we to you also,* ho he-*o*RAka-men kai a-k*e*KOa-men a-pagGELlo-men kai huMIN, *that you also may have fellowship with us:* HIna kai huMEIS koi-n*o*NIan [2842] Ech*e*-te meth? h*e*M*O*N: *yes, and :OUR :fellowship is with the Father,* kai, h*e* koi-n*o*NIa de h*e* h*e*-meTEra meTA tou paTROS, * and with his :Son Jesus Christ:* kai meTA tou huiOU auTOU I*e*SOU ChrisTOU: 4* and these things WE write, that our joy be made full.* kai TAUta GRApho-men [1125] h*e*MEIS, HIna h*e* chaRA h*e*M*O*N h*e* pe-pl*e *-r*o*MEn*e* [4137]. *9. How can we enter *the ?holiest of all?, when the High Priest only entered once a year? This has been taken too lightly. God's presence has not changed; his holiness has not changed; but the Holy Spirit brings us into his own fellowship, the fellowship of the Trinity. God has given me much over the years, gifts and estates; but they are as nothing compared with my fellowship with him. When you come into his realm, you are released from earthly things, and your work from then on is to do the will of God. He in you will put more value on the things of eternity than on anything else. He will take the victories of the Savior and apply them through you. At first your fallen reason cannot believe God, and he must change you. Faith will not follow human reason, but reason will always follow faith. I think of my years of abiding. What a wonderful life it was to live ?within the veil? day after day. Self cannot abide in the Savior, but as the Holy Spirit deals with you, he takes all the unbelief out of you. While you abide in the vine, all his life will flow through you. Everything of nature is to be subdued to the life of the Holy Spirit in you. *NOTE**: *At the strong urging of Norman P. Grubb, author of ?Rees Howells, Intercessor? - Doris M. Ruscoe has written a sequel to his biography. She was a member of Rees Howells' Intercessory Team of some 100, from several years before World War II until his death in 1950. The notes above were recorded primarily by Howells' personal secretary, taken mostly from lectures given to the Bible School students, and the Intercessory Prayer Meetings - often 5 times a day! These messages came from a burning heart, which had fully experienced all he gave that was recorded. J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Apr 9 13:21:18 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2012 13:21:18 -0700 Subject: Wired for Intimacy Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 9, 2012 *2012-04-09 - ?Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain?* *by Dr. William M. Struthers, Wheaton College, Illinois* *(Interviewed by January 11, 2010, the Albert Mohler Program.* WE ARE FAST BECOMING THE PORNOGRAPHIC society. Over the course of the last decade, explicitly sexual images have crept into advertising, marketing, and virtually every niche of American life. This ambient pornography is now almost everywhere, from the local shopping mall to prime-time television. By some estimations, the production and sale of explicit pornography now represents *the seventh-largest industry* in America. New videos and internet pages are produced each week, with the digital revolution bringing a host of new delivery systems. Every new digital platform becomes a marketing opportunity for the pornography industry. To no one's surprise, the vast majority of those who consume pornography are males. It is no secret that males are highly stimulated by visual images, whether still or video. That is not a new development, as ancient forms of pornography attest. What is new is all about access. Today's men and boys are not looking at line pictures drawn on cave walls. They have almost instant access to countless forms of pornography in a myriad of formats. But, even as technology has brought new avenues for the transmission of pornography, modern knowledge also brings a new understanding of how pornography works in the male brain. While this research does nothing to reduce the moral culpability of males who consume pornography, it does help to explain how the habit becomes so addictive. As William M. Struthers of Wheaton college explains, ?Men seem to be wired in such a way that pornography hijacks the proper functioning of their brains, and has a long-lasting effect on their thoughts and lives.? Struthers is a psychologist with a background in neuroscience and a teaching concentration in the biological bases of human behavior. In *Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain**, *Struther presents key insights from neuroscience that go a long way toward explaining why pornography is such a temptation for the male mind. ?The simplest explanation for why men view pornography (or solicit prostitutes) is that they are driven to seek out sexual intimacy,? he explains. The urge for sexual intimacy is God-given and essential to the male, he acknowledges, but it is easily misdirected. Men are tempted to seek ?a shortcut to sexual pleasure via pornography? and now find this shortcut easily accessed. In a fallen world, pornography becomes more than a distraction and a distortion of God's intention for human sexuality. It becomes as an *addictive poison*. Struthers explains: *Viewing pornography is not an emotionally or or physiologically neutral experience. It is fundamentally different from looking at black and white photos of the Lincoln Memorial or taking in a color map of the provinces of Canada. Men are reflexively drawn to the content of pornographic material. As such, pornography has wide-reaching effects to energize a man toward intimacy. It is not a neutral stimulus. It draws us in. Porn is vicious and voyeuristic at its core, but it is also something more. Porn is a whispered promise. It promises more sex, better sex, endless sex, sex on demand, more intense orgasms, experiences of transcendence.* Pornography ?acts as a poly drug,? Struthers explains. As Dr. Patrick Carnes asserts, pornography is ?a pathological relationship with a mood-altering experience.? Boredom and curiosity lead many boys and men into experiences that become more like drug addition than is often admitted. Why men rather than women? As Struthers explains, the male and female brains are wired differently. ?A man's brain is a sexual mosaic influenced by hormone levels in the womb and in puberty, and molded by his psychological experience.? Over time, exposure to pornography takes a man or boy deeper along ?a one-way neurological superhighway? where a man's mental life is over-sexualized and narrowed. This superhighway has countless on-ramps, but very few off-ramps. Pornography is ?visually magnetic? to the male brain. Struthers presents a fascinating review of the neurobiology involved, with pleasure hormones becoming linked to and released by the experience of a male viewing pornographic images. These experiences with pornography and pleasure hormones create new patterns in the brain's wiring, and repeated experiences formalize the rewiring. And then, enough is never enough. ?If I take the same dose of a drug over and over my body begins to tolerate it; I will need to take a higher dose of the drug in order for it to have the same effect that it did with a lower dose the first time,? Struthers reminds us. So, the experience of viewing pornography and acting out on it creates a demand in the brain for more and more, just to achieve the same level of pleasure in the brain. While men are stimulated by the ambient sexual images around them, explicit pornography increases the effect. Struthers compares this to the difference between traditional television and the new high definition technologies. Every thing is more clear, more explicit, and more stimulating. Struthers explains this with compelling force: *Something about pornography pulls and pushes at the male soul. The pull is easy to identify. The naked female form can be hypnotizing. A woman's willingness to participate in a sexual act or expose her nakedness is alluring to men. The awareness of one's own sexuality, the longing to know, to experience something as good, wells up from deep within. An image begins to pick up steam the longer we look upon it. It gains momentum and can reach a point where it feels like a tractor-trailer rolling downhill with no brakes.* *Wired for Intimacy* is a timely and important book. Struthers offers keen and strategic insights from neurobiology and psychology. But what makes this book truly helpful is the fact that Struthers does not leave his argument to neuroscience, nor does he use the category of addiction to mitigate the sinfulness of viewing pornography. Sinners naturally look for fig leaves to hide sin, and biological causation is often cited as a means of avoiding moral responsibility. Struthers does not allow this, and his view of pornography is both biblical and theologically grounded. He lays responsibility for the sin of viewing pornography at the feet of those who willingly consume explicit images. He knows his audience - after all, his classrooms are filled with young male college students. The addict is responsible for his addiction. At the same time, any understanding of how sin works its deceitful evil is a help to us, and understanding how pornography works in the male mind is a powerful knowledge. Pornography is a sin that robs God of his glory in the gift of sex and sexuality. We have long known that sin takes hostages. We now know another dimension of how this sin hijacks the male brain. Knowledge, as they say, is power. I am always glad to hear from readers. Write me at * **Mohler **>.* I interviewed Dr. Struthers on January 11, 2010 edition of *The Albert Mohler Program**. Listen **here**.* *NOTE**: *A friend of mine from Canada supplied me with a ?dish?, by which I can obtain 40 Christian Channels from ?space net?. On Saturday April 7, 2012, I inadvertently turned on to a recent broadcast of Dr. William Struthers? over ?Mastering Life Ministries?, **, * PurePassion.us>*, Tel: 615-507-4166. I immediately ordered this book by Dr. William Struthers, ?Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain.? Mothers and wives will want to make sure that sons, husbands, grandsons, nephews etc., read this book. It will save many from heartache and great frustration. J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Apr 10 08:32:19 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:32:19 -0700 Subject: Jesus the Son Versus prophets Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 10, 2012 *2012-04-09 - ?THE SON - MORE THAN THE PROPHETS?* *(From ?The Holiest of All? - An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews -* *by Andrew Murray* *HEBREWS SUMMARY: THE ABSOLUTE PRE-EMINENCE OF CHRIST* A. 1:1-2:4 THE SOBER IMPORTANCE OF THE WORDS OF GOD'S SON 1. 1:1-4 GOD FULLY BACKS UP HIS SON'S WORD TO US *:God, having spoken of old to the fathers in the prophets* Po-lu-meR*O*S [4181] kai po-luTROp*o*s [4187] PAlai [3819] ho TheOS, *by different portions and in different manners,* laL*E*sas tois paTRAsin en tois proPH*E*tais [4396], 2 *has at the end of these :days spoken to us in a Son,* ep' eSCHAtou [2078] t*o*n h*e*-meR*O*N TOUt*o*n eLAl*e*-sen h*e*MIN en hui*O *, *whom he appointed heir of all, through whom also he made the ages;* hon Eth*e*-ken [5087] kl*e*-roNOmon [2818] PANt*o*n, di' hou kai ePOI*e*-sen [4160] tous ai*O*nas [165]; We all know that there are two Testaments - the Old and the New. These represent two dispensations, two modes of worship, two sorts of religions, two ways in which God has intercourse with man, and man draws nigh to God. The one was provisional, preparatory, and intended to pass away. What it gave and wrought was not meant to satisfy, but only to awaken the expectation of something better that was to come. The other was the fulfillment of what had been promised, and destined to last for ever, because it was itself a complete revelation of an everlasting redemption, of a salvation in the power of an endless life. In both Old and New Testament it was God who spoke. The prophets in the Old, and the Son in the New, were equally God's messengers. God spoke in the prophets no less truly than in the Son. But in the Old everything was external and through the mediation of men. God Himself could not yet enter and take possession of man and dwell in him. In the New all is more directly and immediately divine - in an inward power and reality and life, of which the Old had only the shadow and hope. The Son, who is God, brings us into the very presence of God. And wherefore was it that God did not, could not, from the very beginning, reveal Himself in the Son? What need was there of these two ways of worshiping and serving Him? The answer is twofold - If man were indeed intelligently and voluntarily to appropriate God's love and redemption, he needed to be prepared for it. He needed first of all to know his own utter impotence and hopeless wretchedness. And so his heart had to be wakened up in true desire and expectancy to welcome the value what God had to give. When God speaks to us in Christ, it is as the Father *dwelling in the Son.* *?The words that I say unto you, I speak not from Myself, but **the Father abiding in Me does the works.?* Just as God's speaking in Christ was an inward thing - So God can still speak to us in no other way. The external words of Christ, just like the words of the prophets, are to prepare us for, and point us to, that inner speaking in the heart by the Holy Spirit, which alone is life and power. This is God's true speaking in His Son. It is of the utmost consequence for our spiritual life that we should rightly understand these two stages in God's dealing with man. In two ways, not in one; not in more than two; in two ways has God spoken. They indicate what, in substance, is God's way with every Christian. There is, after his conversion, a time of preparation and testing, to see whether he willingly and heartily sacrifices all for the full blessing. If in this stage he perseveres in earnest effort and striving, he will be brought to learn the two lessons the Old Testament was meant to teach. He will become more deeply conscious of his own impotence, and the strong desire will be awakened after a better life, to be found in the full revelation of Christ as able to save completely. When these two lessons are learned - the lesson of despair of self and hope in God alone - the soul is prepared, if it will yield itself in faith to the leading of the Holy Spirit, to enter truly into the New Testament life within the veil, in the very Holiest of All, as it is set forth in this Epistle. Where Christians, through defective instruction, or through neglect and sloth, do not understand God's way for leading them on unto perfection, the Christian life will always remain full of feebleness and failure. It was thus with the Hebrew Christians. They belonged to the New Testament, but their life was anything but the exhibition of the power and joy Christ came to reveal. They were far behind what many of the Old Testament saints had been; and the reason was this - they knew not the heavenly character of the redemption Christ had brought. They knew not the heavenly place in which He ministers, nor the heavenly blessing He dispenses, nor the heavenly power in which He secures our enjoyment of these blessings. They knew not the difference between the prophets and the Son; what it means that God has now spoken to us in His Son. The one object of the Epistle is to set before us the heavenly priesthood of Christ and the heavenly life to which He in His divine power gives us access. It is this gives the Epistle its inestimable value for all time, that it teaches us the way out of the elementary stage of the Christian life to that of full and perfect access to God. Let us grasp and hold firmly the difference between the two stages. In the one, the action of man is more prominent: God speaks in the prophets. In the other, the divine presence and power are more fully revealed: God speaks in the Son, who bears and brings the very life of God, and brings us into living contact with God Himself. In the one, it is the human words that occupy and influence and help us to seek God; in the other, the divine indwelling Word reveals its power within. In the one, it is multiplicity of thoughts and truths, of ordinances and efforts; in the other, the simplicity and the unity of the one Son of God, and faith in Him alone. How many have sought by study and *meditation* and acceptance of the words of the Bible to find God, and yet have failed. They knew not that these were but the finger-posts pointing to the living Son, - words coming indeed from God, most needful and profitable, and yet not sufficient; only yielding us their true blessing when they have brought us to hear God Himself speaking in His Son. *1. Let none of us rest content with the lower stage. Let us see that personal fellowship with God, through the Holy Spirit, is what Christ gives. God calls us to it: Christ lives in heaven to work it, through the Spirit He gives from heaven.* *2. One may know much of the Bible and the words of God, and yet remain feeble. What one needs is to know the living Word, in whom God speaks within, in life and power.* *3. All the prophets point to the Son, as the true Prophet. Let us take them very definitely as our teachers, to reveal God to us.* *4. When I speak a word, I desire all its meaning and force to enter into him whom I address. God has in these last days but one Word. He desires to have all that Word is and means enter in and live in us. Let us open our hearts, and God will speak into it that one Word, ?This is My Son,? in such a way that He will indeed be all our own.* *NOTE**: *The above chapter by Andrew Murray lays out clearly the contrast between OT prophets and our Lord Jesus; OT and NT; Old Covenant and New Covenant. Murray wrote some 300 books and booklets during his lifetime, some in Dutch that have not been translated. His book ministry has had an extraordinary effect throughout the whole world; many in this area were not even aware of his specific ministry in South Africa to the Dutch church. George Muller and Charles H. Spurgeon held similar views with Andrew Murray concerning this relationship between Old and New Testaments. Because the Jews addressed in the Book of Hebrews were unable to see this clear distinction, they were unable to enter into the clear exposition of the apostle Paul. It is for this reason that Andrew Murray and George Muller so clearly set forth this contrast and distinction. May we *too* walk in this insight they failed to perceive. J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Apr 11 12:11:40 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:11:40 -0700 Subject: The Armor of God - Eph. 6:10-20 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 11, 2012 *2012-04-05 - SURVEY VI. ARMOR OF GOD. Ephesians 6:10-20* *1. TRUTH. R.P. #792, p. 464, II.B, a-leTHEIa from LEtho*, 107 (203) references.* *LOINS. R.P. #1053, P. 586, osPHUS*, 8 references* Truth protects the ?reins?: our subconscious motivations. It comprises the true teaching of the Gospel, Romans 1:25. Truth is in God, and is embodied in Jesus Christ, John 14:6. Truth involves sincerity, integrity of character as well as words. John 8:44 describes Satan, one in whom there is *no truth*! *2. RIGHTEOUSNESS. R.P. #325, p. 170, XIII.D, di-kai-oSUne from DEcho-mai*, 92 (1023) references.* *BREASTPLATE. R.P. #546, p. 356, TH**Orax*, 5 references.* Righteousness protects our emotions, will and heart (conscious motivations). The character or quality of being right or just: likewiseness. It is the sum total of the religious duties of man: almsgiving (duty to neighbor); prayer (duty to God); fasting (duty of self-control), Matthew 6:1-18. Abraham became this by accepting God's Word and mind and spirit, Romans 4:3. The death of Christ proves that God is just, who passes not over sin, Romans 3:25-26. *3. PEACE. R.P. #428, p. 269, VII.A, eiREne from eREo*, 92 (4080) references.* *GOSPEL. R.P. #24, p. 14, V.A. eu-agGEli-on, from Ag**o*, 79 (1291) references.* *FEET. R.P. #1173, p. 663, POUS*, 93 (108) references.* Protects us from majoring on minors: Communism, Social gospel, etc. Harmonizes relationships between God and man through the Gospel, Acts 10:36. Sense of rest and contentment, a fruit of the Gospel, Matthew 10:13. *4. FAITH. R.P. #1100, p. 618, I.H., PIStis from PEItho*, 244 (708) references.* *SHIELD. R.P. #544, p. 355, I.H., thu-reOS, from THUo*, 1 (2651) references. * Protects us from festering slanders, persecution and smarting rejection. Trust in a living God and Christ, protects us from fiery darts. Trust in God's promises lifts us above Satan's attacks through man. *5. SALVATION. R.P. #1407, p. 727, I.D., soTEri-os, from SOzo*, 5 (212) references.* *HELMET. R.P. #657, p. 411, A.2, pe-ri-kePHAlai-os, ke-phaLE*, 2 (89) references.* Protects our thought life from Satan's insidious suggestions, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. Gives perspective on tribulation because of Hope of the Resurrection, Romans 13:11. Immediate deliverance upon fulfilling Hebrews 6:1-2, the Foundation Truths! All blessings bestowed by God on men in Christ through the Holy Spirit, 2 Corinthians 6:2; whether past, present (sanctification, 1 Peter 1:9) or future. *6. WORD. R.P. #428, p.282, XXV.B, 'REma, from eREo*, 70 (4076) references. * *SWORD. R.P. #3868, p. 482, I.B., MAchai-ra, from MAcho-mai*, 29 (46) references.* *SPIRIT. R.P. #1153, p. 650, B, PNEUma, from PNE**o*, 385 (428) references.* 2 Corinthians 10 3-5 protects us from fighting Satan carnally, Ephesians 6:12). Luke 1:37 - No *word* from God shall be void of power! When the Spirit brings an individual scripture to mind - it first requires that we are regularly storing our mind with Scriptures! The word of the Spirit comes by revelation, Romans 8:14. *7. PRAYER. R.P. #461, p. 310, II.B., pro-seuCHE, from EUcho-mai*, 37 (134) references.* *SUPPLICATION. R.P. #326, p. 179, B, DEe-sis, from DEo*, 'B', 19 (43) references.* *WATCHING. R.P. #1494, p. 775, II.A., a-grupNEo, from Ago + HUPnos*, 4 (18) references.* *BOLDLY. R.P. #428, p. 282, XXVI.A, par-reSIa, from eREo*, 31 (4076) references.* Protects us from relying on man's resources; grants Spirit-power. Prayer is addressed to the Father and Son. Prayer in the Name of our Lord Jesus is led of the Spirit, Romans 8:26, James 5:16. Philippians 4:6, 1 Timothy 2:1, 5:5 also like prayer and supplication. Understanding (1 Corinthians 14:15) and will (Colossians) are also involved in prayer. *ARMOR. R.P. #1035, p. 572, A.1, pa-noPLIa, from HOplon*, 3 (11) references.* The above 7 pieces of armor comprise God's Heavenly Panoply! See ?The Authority of the Believer?, by J.A. MacMillan, Christian Publications. We need the spiritual helps of God for overcoming the temptations of the Devil! *NOTE**: Many people meditate **daily on these 7 pieces of armor! The actual context of Ephesians 6:10-20 demands that we see this armor as being for the corporate soldier of Jesus Christ. Of course - it also has an individual application!* *We can remember the words God gave to Joshua concerning the Old Covenant. He was to ensure that the Torah - the 5 books of Moses - did not depart our of his mouth. He was to meditate upon what he spoke day and night! All this was so he would be careful to do all that was written here, and that he had spoken. The promise that followed was that after these three things had been done, - then he would make his way prosperous, and then he would have good success.* *Do God's words to Joshua apply to us today? Not exactly! We live now under a new - a better covenant. Jesus inaugurated it at Calvary and Pentecost! And - He Himself is that Covenant! Isaiah twice says so!* *But yet more importantly - the Spirit in Hebrews 8:6 has an extraordinary word for us! Talking of Jesus it says: * d. 8:6 SUPERIOR COVENANT PRODUCES A SUPERIOR MINISTRY *But now has he obtained a ministry the more superior,* nun de di-a-pho-r*o*TEras [1313] TEtu-chen [5177] lei-tourGIas [3009], *by so much as he is also mediator of a better covenant,* HOs*o* kai KREITtoNOS [2909] es-tin di-aTH*E*k*e*s [1242] meSIt*e*s [3316], *which has been enacted upon better promises.* H*E*tis ePI KREITto-sin e-pag-geLIais [1860] ne-no-moTHEt*e*-tai [3549]. *The word enacted bears the following meaning as brought forth by Dr. David Stern in his ?Jewish NT? and ?Jewish NT Commentary?.* *This better covenant has been constituted as Torah, on the same level of authority as the Old Covenant! But it is superior to the Old Covenant for the above reasons.* *Therefore** - let these words sink deep into our hearts! God would have you and me **speak aloud, meditate upon - and do - the words of Jesus and His apostles in the New Covenant!* *I have collated 15 natural Bible series in the NT, starting with the Beatitudes, and ending with the 7 churches of Revelation. * *I read aloud, meditate upon, and do these daily - as key readings of the NT - and still walk in the entire NT: Relish the Gospels! Be enlarged by the book of Acts. Let James through Jude establish you. Find in Romans through Thessalonians - amazing answers to ?mysteries?. Hebrews will lead you into the Holy of Holies. Timothy, Titus & Philemon will give you a post-graduate course - And God has designed the ?Revelation? as His ?Temple Capstone?!* *Can you perceive the power that is in these exercises? It makes us just as effective and powerful as Joshua in the OT - and yet more so! - inasmuch as the New Covenant has been constituted as Torah on Better Promises, and by a Better Redeemer!* *Soon we will have the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? based on the works of Ivan Panin.* *Not only** is the Greek text the same as the original - but the translation then becomes more trustworthy than any other translation, * *and the Bible Numeric based outlining* *gives us contexts for every NT verse* *more accurate than any other contextual study!* *Friends! God has favored us in these last days - starting this year - 2012 - with a tool - a means of becoming like Joshua - for our NT times.* *When I am awake during the night - I immediately commence to run over these 15 outlines - which I have memorized. What a blessed time I have each night I happen to be awake. Join me! Speak aloud the Word of God with me! Meditate on what you speak - with me! Then - DO it! with me! Find prosperity and success in the Kingdom of God, such as you never dreamed possible!* *Your blessed, exhilarated, and joyful friend - Jim Watt* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Apr 12 10:43:58 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:43:58 -0700 Subject: Ephesians 2:11-22 - Interlinear Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 12, 2012 *(From: EPHESIANS #3 - 2:11-22)* D. 2:11-22. WRETCHED GENTILE CONDITIONS CONTRASTED WITH TEMPLE a. 2:11-12. GENTILES REMEMBER HOPELESSNESS *Wherefore remember, that once you, the nations in **the **flesh,* Di? ho mn*e*-moNEUe-te [3421], HOti poTE huMEIS, ta ETHn*e* [1484] en sarKI, *who are called Uncircumcision* hoi leGOme-noi a-kro-busTIa [203] *by what is called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;* hoPO t*e*s le-goMEn*e*s pe-ri-toM*E*S [4061] en sarKI chei-ro-poi*E*tou [5499]; 12* that you were at that :season apart from Christ,* HOti *E*te t*o* kaiRO eKEIn*o* ch*o*RIS ChrisTOU, *alienated from the commonwealth of :Israel,* a-p*e*l-lo-tri-*o*MEnoi [526] t*e*s po-liTEIas [4174] tou Is-ra*E*L, *and strangers to the covenants of the promise, * kai XEnoi [3581] t*o*n di-a-th*e*K*O*N [1242] t*e*s e-pag-geLIas, *having no hope and without God in the world.* elPIda m*e* Echon-tes kai Athe-oi en t*o* KOSm*o*. b. 2:13 GENTILES: BROUGHT NIGH THROUGH BLOOD OF CHRIST *But now in Christ Jesus you that once were far **off* nuNI de en ChrisT*O* IeSOU huMEIS hoi poTE ONtes makRAN *are become nigh in the blood of the Christ.* e-geNEth*e*-te egGUS en t*o* HAIma-ti [129] tou ChrisTOU. c. 2:14-18 CHRIST MAKES JEW AND GENTILE ONE NEW MAN *For HE is our :peace, who made :both one,* AuTOS GAR es-tin h*e* eiR*E*n*e* [1515] h*e*M*O*N, ho poi*E*sas ta amPHOte-ra hen, *and broke down the middle wall of the partition, *15* having abolished in his :flesh the enmity,* kai to meSOtoi-chon [3320] tou phragMOU [5418] LUsas, t*e*n ECHthran [2189] en t*e* sarKI auTOU, *the law of the commandments contained in ordinances;* ton NOmon t*o*n en-toL*O*N [1785] en DOGma-sin [1378] ka-tarG*E*sas [2673]; *that he might create in himself of the two one new man, making peace;* HIna tous DUo KTIs*e* [2936] en auT*O* eis HEna kaiNON [2537] ANthr*o*pon, poi*O*N eiR*E*n*e*n; 16* and might reconcile :both in one body to :God* kai a-po-ka-talLAx*e* [604] tous am-phoTErous en heNI S*O*ma-ti [4983] t*o*The *O* *through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:* diA tou stauROU [4716], a-pokTEInas [615] t*e*n ECHthran [2189] en auT*O*: 17 *and he came and preached peace to you the far off, and peace to the nigh:* kai elTH*O*N eu-*e*g-geLIsa-to [2097] eiR*E*n*e*n huMIN tois makRAN, kai eiR *E*n*e*n tois egGUS: 18* because through him we :both have the access * HOti di? auTOU Echo-men t*e*n pro-sa-g*o*G*E*N [4318] hoi amPHOte-roi *in one Spirit unto the Father. ** *en heNI PNEUma-ti pros ton paTEra. d. 2:19-22 FOUNDATION FOR THE ONE NEW MAN AND ONE BODY *So then you are no more strangers and sojourners,* Ara oun ouKEti esTE XEnoi [3581] kai PAroi-koi [3941], *but are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of :God?s household,* alLA es-te sun-poLItai [4847] t*o*n haGI*o*n [40], kai oiKEIoi [3906] tou TheOU, 20* being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,* e-poi-ko-do-m*e*THENtes [2026] ePI t*o* the-meLI*o* [2310] t*o*n a-posTOl*o*n [652] kai pro-ph*e*T*O*N, *Christ Jesus himself being chief corner stone;* ONtos ak-ro-g*o*-niAIou [204] auTOU ChrisTOU I*e*SOU; 21* in whom every building, fitly framed together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord;* en h*o* PAsa oi-ko-doM*E*, su-nar-mo-lo-gouMEn*e* [4883], AUxei eis naON HAgi-on en KuRI*o*; 22* in whom you also are built together into a habitation of :God in Spirit. * en h*o* kai huMEIS su-noi-ko-doMEISthe [4925] eis ka-toi-k*e*T*E*ri-on [2732] tou TheOU en PNEUma-ti. *NOTE:* J. Sidlow Baxter in his ?Explore the Book,? has an interesting and helpful insight for understanding the 7 city churches of Paul in his first 9 epistles. Romans represents the Outer Court of the Tabernacle ? Justification by Faith. 1 & 2 Corinthians represent how the church of Corinth had moral lapses in relationship to the great standard restored through Martin Luther. Galatians shows how the churches in the area of modern Turkey departed doctrinally from the key teaching of this letter, and through the Judaizers sought to return to the legalism of Jewish standards. Even in the Old Testament, only Gentiles living in close proximity to Jews were required to move in this manner, and in the latter part of Acts 15 were freed by God from even this. Baxter saw Ephesians as the high point of church truth in the Bible. It is rich in pictures and analogies of the relationship of believers ? both Jew and Gentile ? to Christ. Philippians is the Holy Spirit through Paul shoring up lapses in Joy and Unity from this high standard. Colossians points out doctrinal aberrations from Ephesus, and tendencies to revert to worship of angels, and departing from God the Father?s true standards for His Son. Greek cults of that day sought to wean true believers from the way God sees these things, and God used Paul by the Spirit to seek to return them to the true Plumbline of truth. Arianism and Jehovah?s Witness cultism was in existence back then! It is *here* that believers enjoy being in the Holy Place of God?s Tabernacle and Temple! 1 & 2 Thessalonians prepare God?s people for the Second Coming of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The early church constantly kept this truth in view. George Muller in his day did the same, and Mother Basilea Schlink. Here believers experience the first-fruits of Bridal-Love with Christ. Here one enters the riven veil, and experiences divine relationship in the Holy of Holies. There is one other key thought that emerges clearly from this passage ? ?The One New Man.? Reuven Doron has written a book in the early 1990?s with this title. By all means do a ?Google-Search? and order it. It is clear, warm and living. The recent writings of Dr. Daniel Juster also clearly bring out this truth of Jew and Gentile in one body, the Church. Mike Bickle has partnered with Juster to give a living example of this truth. The Church has a marvelous privilege and responsibility of praying the Messianic Jewish Movement into the 5-fold ministry and the other 11 Embryonic Revival Principles restored in 1948 in Northern Canada. Next year ? 2008 ? is the 60th Anniversary of the rebirth of Israel as a nation, and God?s Visitation on February 11th at North Battleford, Saskatchewan. The Rev. Dr. John Roddam of Seattle, and Stuart Spani of North Vancouver BC have produced a 3 DVD package of 10 parts featuring Marie and myself as the last living elder of the 1948 July Camp Meeting of that time. Order through * - ?The Fire Continues ... Sixty Years Later? -*The above full ?Outlined Interlinear NT? will be printed and available this year, possibly before summer (2012). - J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri Apr 13 13:14:48 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:14:48 -0700 Subject: Five-fold - or - Four-fold? Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 13, 2012 *2012-04-11 - Five-fold - or - Four-fold?* *NOTE**: *I recently received the following response from the mailing of my following response - ?*Shepherds and teachers are the same as indicated by the lack of a definite article.?*** As you can see from my response, I held his same position for a number of years. Why I withdrew from my former dogmatic position, you can observe. I suppose I am mellowing in theological positions with the passing of the years - but I trust I am as close to adhering to *the true* meaning of Scripture nonetheless. *You* judge! Do a Google-search on ?Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky,? the Flagship of this denomination of some 16 million. I am impressed with the scholarship of this man, yet at the same time his openness in receiving people in spite of their position. This is an area I would desire to emulate more. ?*I am the last of the 7 elders from the Summer Camp meeting of 1948 at North Battleford, Saskatchewan.* *I really feel that elders should be somewhat older. I was but 25 at the time, but had been with the teachers of the Sharon Orphanage and Schools in 1945 as a first year student at Bethel Bible Institute, and when the divine Visitation came, I was asked to join them.* *12 Embryonic Revival Principles came together that year, starting February 12th. The second concerned the Five-fold Ministry Gifts of Ephesians 4:11-12. George R. Hawtin delved into this portion of the Scriptures again and again, so as a young person, I easily picked it up. Later I became interested in the 4 couplets in Isaiah 11:2, describing the ministry of the coming Messiah, and by linking shepherds (pastors) and teachers together as a couplet, I felt I had a match. I continued in a Four-fold treatment of this passage in Ephesians for a number of years.* *However, I was influenced by the illustration of Ivan Panin: ?If you take a drop of water out of the ocean and analyze it, in trace form you will find all the constituent elements of the ocean. In like manner, when you take a verse out of the Bible and analyze it, it should not in any manner contradict any other portion of Scripture.? I like that. Some have said, But that would mean that a teacher of the Word would have to have an accurate grasp of the entire Bible. Exactly! That's why James said in 3:1 - ?Be not many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive greater condemnation!? Rather, our attitude should be like Panin in one of his favorite verses in Isaiah 66:2b - ?But this is the one to whom I will look declares the LORD: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word!? I like that, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of both wisdom and knowledge. A healthy respect for Him and His Word, is wisdom indeed!* *So as I continued in my growth in Him - I came across 1 Corinthians 12:28 - ?And :God has set some in the church, first apostle, second prophets, third teachers, and numbers to follow.? As in Ephesians 4:11, there are no definite articles preceding ?teacher? there, nor before these first 3 ministries. As some have pointed out in the Ephesians passage, does this make these three in Corinthians - one - as pastor and teacher are linked as one there, because there is no article preceding ?teacher?? * *And then what of 1 Timothy 5:17 - ?Let the elders ruling well (pastors, shepherds) be counted worthy of double honor, specially those who toil in the word and teaching.? The obvious conclusion here is that all elder pastors are not gifted also in teaching, and therefore are not teachers.* *Going back to Panin's analogy of a drop of ocean water - and a Bible verse out of the total Bible context - then I have to be careful about interpreting Ephesians 4:11-12! * *I have typed up the entire NT translation of Panin's English translation, including each colon (:) standing for the definite article ?the? - preceding a noun or other part of speech preceded by a colon, but for which it would be improper to translate it. I wrote in by hand his entire Bible Numeric Greek text underneath, clause by clause and sentence by sentence, not word for word. I also outlined each Bible Numeric sentence, gathered these summaries into sub-paragraphs, paragraphs, sections or chapter equivalents and finally the 27 NT books. I agree with Panin concerning the importance of the Greek article, whether translated or indicated by symbol. Jehovah Witnesses love to point out from John 1:1 that Jesus is not divine like the Father - because there is no article preceding Him when described as just God - no article!* *But in John 20:28, Thomas responds to Jesus' challenge concerning His true resurrection by saying: ?My :Lord and my :God.? Here the article precedes Jesus as God, making Him one with His Father!* *So what is my ?take?, and what is my ?conclusion?? I have to reverently say to God, that I don't know His Word as completely as I would like. I come back to a saying from a Book Title I picked up in the mid-40's - ?Let God say what He wants to say - and let the Bible mean what it wants to mean.? Therefore I humbly come back to Ephesians 4:11-12 and say - perhaps after all this verse does not preclude the 5-fold ministry. So I must eat humble pie. But for His sake and His Word's sake - being dead to sin according to Romans 6, I am most willing to do.* *Do I ask others to follow my example. Not necessarily. In 1945 I was handed a tract - ?Others may - you cannot!? I am on a pilgrimage. Others are on their pilgrimages. The Moravian proverbs says, ?In essentials, unity; in non-essentials - tolerance; in all things, charity or love.? I count this problem as a non-essential. You can see my tentative position from above. Several fellow-students - not scholars - have discussed this. Some have asked Greek professors concerning this. The more we study and discuss, the less dogmatic we become in this particular area. In the areas of the ?essential?! No compromise! But in this area, - well!?* *Jim Watt* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat Apr 14 10:23:28 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2012 10:23:28 -0700 Subject: 5-fold/4-fold Response Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 14, 2012 *2012-04-14 - RESPONSE TO ?FIVE-FOLD - or - FOUR-FOLD??* A professor friend of mine read my article response - ?Five-fold - or - Four-fold?? He has sent me the following response, which I much appreciate. As he inferred - there are many other 5-fold connections in the human body that likewise confirm the Ephesians 4:11 five-fold. One is the 5 lumbar vertebrae. They are the power and lifting vertebrae. Just as they are as it were the fulcrum for the body's 33 vertebrae to protect the spinal cord - which sends messages from the brain to every organ and cell of the human body - so the 5-fold ministries give support, adjustment and equipping to every member of Christ's spiritual body. Here is my friend's most interesting response: On Fri, Apr 13, 2012 at 3:33 PM, wrote: *Dear Bro Jim: I have followed you for years online and am on your mailing list. I agree with your answer to the brother that I just accessed today. Although it is not an essential concerning our salvation, I do believe it is an essential to our perfection. Let me give you several illustrations, some you may have already known, some you may not. I just leave them here for your consideration. For years I taught in a Canadian Christian College writing and teaching from the present truth revelation God was giving as I studied the Word. Before I began there in 1991, my heart had been being exercised concerning the term used by Paul, "the Body of Christ". The Lord kept drawing my thinking to doing a study on this subject from the perspective of the natural body being a type and shadow. Although I have a number of Doctoral letters behind my name, medical doctor is not one of them. I did not want to venture into that arena not having the medical authority to do so. Then Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancy wrote their initial book "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made". Dr Brand providing the medical expertise and a basis of spiritual insight through his years and a leprosy surgeon in India, and Philip Yancy his superb writing skills. Because of your walk with God and spiritual birth in the move of 1948, you will understand when I speak of knowing things by revelation that you were unable you are unable to prove, because of lack of the availability of natural knowledge. Because of that level of revelation, I was able to take Dr. Brand's applications into further depth. I would particularly like to apply some of that the understanding of what we have always called, "the five-fold ministry". Please be patient with me in this. (I am going to block and paste from different portions of my courses "Spiritual Parallels to the Natural Body, & from Spiritual Parallels to The Natural Body, The Head") Different quotes have a double space between them. **"In every portion of the body we have those cells, bones, body members, and organ functions that speak of the five ministry gifts. As we come to them, we will deal with each expression that shows a portion of the function. It is these cells that are able to continue to multiply, that are a type of the five ministry gifts. They do the repair needed to those portions of the Body that need it. "** (Spiritual Parallels to the Natural Body) **"The White Blood Cells: These patrol the blood, these FIVE DISTINCT TYPES of cells form the initial assault forces against infection and invaders."* *There are some arresting similarities between the operation of the white cells and the functioning of the five ministry gifts. The primary function of the white cells is to fight invaders and is a defensive position. In the following paraphrase from Dr. Brand's book, we set the stage for that understanding. * *"Very appropriate to describing what happens within our bodies is language and imagery used for war. Our bodies simply declare war on invaders." (This next section is rather long but foundational to understanding the parallels) Often God's ministries go on the attack when something threatens them from outside the Body of Christ. i.e., legislation, community actions, etc. The white blood cells do not become mobilized until there is an invasion into the body. These white blood cells are to keep the blood pure and free from foreign matter. The white blood cells form the initial assault forces. They have very distinctive functions. This, then, sets the context for our understanding of the function of ministry within the Body of Christ. In describing the action of the white cells, we will first give an overview of their action and then delineate why we feel each, in their function, is like certain ministry. I am going to place a footnote with each one that will describe the spiritual ministry parallel, as well as say what the reference source was. There is a group of white cells that serve as the initial assault troops, who are armed with crude chemicals; these try to overwhelm the invaders by force of numbers, alone. There are others that come in with heavier chemicals as ammunition equivalent to battle tanks. Another group of white cells float freely in the bloodstream, taking out stray invaders. There is also a group that try to herd the invaders into the lymph glands, like taking captives back to a fortress for execution. Then there is the sanitary corps, who stay around and clean up after all the fighting is done." Because some of the white cells are programmed for only one disease, there needs to be a vast number of them. ..... Most white cells live only 10 hours, but a few live for sixty or seventy years and are the memory bank that preserve that battle strategy against the invaders. These cells check into their assigned lymph glands every few minutes. Dr. Brand calls them the master cells. Before we deal with "master cells", I want to talk about the majority cells that last only 10 hours. This refers to the majority of the ministries working within the Body at large, not having a major effect on the whole. Their influence is basically local or temporary, though. There is an interesting application when the spiritual equivalent is examined. There is a scripture in the book of Eccl. that seems to fit the description. ECC 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. In our study it would seem that the lymph nodes represent local assemblies. This being true, it would validate that all ministry, whether Apostle or any of the others, should be based from a local assembly. They may travel throughout the Body, but there must be a "checking in" at their local bases from time to time. In the words of our verse, these representatives of the Apostolic ministry are the "masters of assemblies" They are given to oversee the local assemblies. 1CO 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. Concealed in this passage is another responsibility of the Apostle. Again, using the language of scripture and of Dr. Brand, we find the master builder, in the body, builds an immune system, or army. In this master white cell are hidden all the plans for war, and the formula used to raise the armies of resistance to invasion. These "walking libraries" hold within them the blueprint for battle and building. The Apostolic Ministry are ordained of God to found local assemblies. God places within them the blueprint, or vision, for the expression of the local assemblies they found. It is important in our understanding of this that we do not expect all Apostles to act and react the same. Each one is to be distinctive in his/her expression and work. In the natural, without these senior white cells, the body would loose all ability to protect itself. You will note, as you read the writings of the Apostles, that each one had a distinctive expression. There were certain errors that each one fought and others that they all rose up against. They are the ministry that keep the consistency in the Body of Christ. It is their call to keep the Body free from the invasion of error. It is important to notice the following statement and apply it to the Body of Christ. "In order to win the bodies, antibodies must kill 100 percent of the invaders." The purpose of God, in the midst of all of the type and shadow, is to be able to express His desire for His Body through them. His desire is that His Body be fully free from error of infection, virus, and disease. Dr. Brand says that is as difficult a task as killing all mosquitoes in a given city. Without the ministry that God has provided, it is impossible to be able to keep His Body error free. There are those who will not acknowledge certain of the ministry. This means that their portion of the Body has an immune deficiency. The Body of Christ is weak and sickly because the Body of Christ refuses to allow the ministry to function as God ordained. The restrictions placed upon the ministry are like drugs used to suppress immunity. It is the purpose of God that the ministry function as directed by the Head. Our Creator has placed within the white cells certain capabilities. Some have the ability to pick up or build a certain antibody. That white cell's whole life will be dedicated to that one purpose. Some He has programmed to flow throughout the body, dealing with stray microbes that may have escaped from the initial fight. ..... "Although there are five white blood cells, there are three that are more alike than others. There is a relationship between the three and the others, the three could be called virus or microbe eaters." These three could be said to be the equivalent of the three governmental ministries. **1CO 12:28** And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues."... * *"In the foot God places five toes that are indicative of His care for our walk, both naturally and spiritually. There spiritual counterparts are: 1. Grace to keep our walk in balance. 2. Ministry to help balance out our walk with Him and our walk with one another.* *"The Blasts, who produce the fibers, are likened by Dr. Paul Brand to the ministry of prophets and teachers. They interpret the unchangeable principles in the light of the peculiar conditions of their day. They teach the word and the Spirit of it, thereby helping the Bones of the Body adapt to the stresses of the time. I would like to suggest another possibility to Dr. Brand?s description, what he feels is the application of the Blasts that lay the fibres. In what we have read in the text describing the work of these spiritual Blasts, he uses the word ?interpret.? In the use of this, he suggests to me a scripture in Job." * *All expressions of the ministry are covered with skin. Clearly God wants to bring the ministry to a place where they are willing to be hidden from sight, yet fully functional.* *[from the section on the ear] In the INNER EAR are three canals , that although they are filled with the same fluid as the other portions of the inner ear, their function is totally different than the other. These three canals govern our balance. If these are faulty it is impossible for us to maintain our balance. These canals are collectively called the Corti. Two stand basically upright and the other is horizontal. These aptly detect movement of the head and send appropriate messages to the brain. If there is a problem in these, we will not be able to tell which way is up. Again these are coordinated in the brain, not in the ear. This means that we must be sensitive to those commands that come from the brain that interpret our circumstances or our posture according to the norms of God. (Norms are the absolutes of God. Many today do not realize that that there are absolutes. These are only known in the brain) ... An interesting factor in the understanding of balance is, that men and women can balance without sight, but cannot balance if the inner ear is dysfunctional. One of the reasons for this is that there are five nerves that come into these three canals. These three five nerves of these canals represent the positions of the five fold ministry in checking out the balance in the word that we hear in the Spirit. God has placed them there in type and shadow that we might learn to walk in balance. It is interesting that they are not seen, in type, in the outer ear or the middle ear. It is the inner ear that is governed by these ministry. It is not the surface levels of hearing that God is speaking of when these are looked at.(from The Head) ..................................................................................... There are a number of other quotes I could use, but I just wanted to communicate that in the natural body, the type and shadow that God Himself made, the 5-fold ministry is typed both in multiple ways and in varied expressions throughout the whole of the Body. I hope I have not wasted your time, but I really felt to send this to you. Your friend * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Apr 16 20:58:02 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:58:02 -0700 Subject: New Covenant Meditation Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 16, 2012 *2012-04-16 - NEW COVENANT MEDITATION* *God gave to Joshua a basis for successful meditation under the Old Covenant - the Torah, the 5 books of Moses. Note the 3 conditions, and the 2 promises:* *JOSHUA 1:8 (1:1-9) - ?JEHOVAH'S CHARGE TO JOSHUA?* (Parallel to Psalm 1:2) l*o* - yaM*U*SH [4185] s*e*PHER [5612] ha-t*o*R*A*H [8451] hazZEH mipP*I*Yc* a* [6310], *This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth,* ve-h*a*G*I*Ytha [1847] b*o* y*o*M*A*M veLAYlah, *but you shall meditate on it day and night,* leMAan tishM*O*R [8104] la-aS*O*TH [6213] ce-c*a*l - hac-c*a*TH*U*B [3789] b *o*: *that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it:* c*i*y - *a*z tatzL*I*Yach [6743] eth - de-r*a*CEca [1870], *for then you shall make your way prosperous,* veAZ tasC*I*YL [7919]. *and then you shall have good success.* *The book of the law (sePHER ha-toRAH) was not to depart from Joshua's mouth. For us as NT saints - it is the New Covenant promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34 that is not to depart from our mouths. Hebrews 8:6 confirms this, for here the Holy Spirit through the writer tells us that Jesus is the Mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted or constituted as Torah upon better promises. The ?Mystery? of the ?One New Man? revealed by the Lord through Paul, shows that Gentiles share equally with Jews in the wonderful New Covenant promises originally made to Israel. * *So - for us - we are to meditate day and night on the New Covenant. I am linking a number of key passages - natural Greek Word Studies - that are like mountain peaks of this covenant. We need the full covenant - but these will help us get started, and also help us maintain this meditating posture. * *And finally, the above two steps are to enable us to do what we speak and meditate upon! Except we follow up the first two steps with doing what we speak and meditate upon - we are like the man Jesus spoke of who built his house upon the sand instead of upon a rock foundation (Matthew 7:24-27)! * *George Muller and Andrew Murray saw clearly that we must go beyond the Old Covenant with its types and shadows - and enter into the reality of the New Covenant, which is Christ Jesus Himself! However, we can use the Tabernacle of Moses with its types and shadows and its 7 pieces of furniture, to walk through daily many of the New Covenant sets of seven. The 7 days of Creation fit here also. For added help in understanding the present day application of the Tabernacle, one can purchase ?The Tabernacle Tour?, A Handbook on Heart Transformation by Jim Ray. See < www.thetabernacletour.com>* *Here then are the natural Bible outlines I meditate upon in turn daily, with the Tabernacle tour:* *THE BEATITUDES - Matthew 5:1-12 (5-7) - link with Asher (See our Website, Embryonics and Asher)* *Poor in Spirit - See Isaiah 66:2b - Ivan Panin's verse* *They that Mourn - For self - and others in Intercession* *The Meek - Moses: Numbers 12:3; - Jesus - Matthew 11:28-30* *Who Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness - Pray for this to be your portion* *The Merciful - Yes!* *The Peace-makers - Moves one from child state to ?Young Man? state!* *Persecuted for Righteousness sake - a Blessed State!* *Persecuted for Jesus' sake - a Twice-Blessed State!* *THE LORD'S PRAYER - Matthew 6:9-13 (6:1-18) - Link with Ephraim* f. 6:9 PRAYER PATTERN: FIRST THE FATHER'S NAME! *Pray YOU therefore thus:* HOUt*o*s oun proSEUches-the [4336] huMEIS: *Our Father who is in the heavens, Hallowed be your :name.* PAt*e*r h*e*M*O*N ho en tois ou-raNOIS, Ha-gi-asTH*E*t*o* [137] to OnoMA [3686] sou. g. 6:10a* **Your :kingdom come**. *elTHAt*o* [2064] h*e* ba-siLEIa [932]sou. h. 6:10b *Your :will be done**, As in heaven, so on earth.* ge-n*e*TH*E*t*o* [1096] to THEleMA [2307] sou, h*o*s en ou-raN*O*, kai ePI g *e*s. i. 6:11 *Our :daily :bread** Give us this day.* ton ARton [740] h*e*M*O*N ton e-piOUsi-on [1967] dos [1325] h*e*MIN S*E*me-ron [4594]. j. 6:12 PRAYER AND FORGIVENESS: ITS CONDITION *And forgive us our :debts,* kai Aphes [863] h*e*min ta o-pheiL*E*ma-ta [3781] h*e*M*O*N, *As we also have forgiven our :debtors.* h*o*s kai h*e*MEIS aPH*E*ka-men [863] tois o-pheiLEtais [3781] h*e*M*O*N. k. 6:13 PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE - IF TESTED *And bring us not into temptation,* kai m*e* ei-seNEGkes [1533] h*e*MAS eis pei-rasMON [3986], *But deliver us from the evil one.* alLA 'RUsai [4508] h*e*MAS aPO tou po-n*e*ROU [4190]. *JESUS' 7 ?I AM'S? - Link with Judah.* *I am the Bread of life - John 6:35, 48.* *I am the Light of the world - John 8:12, 9:5.* *I and the Gate (Door) of the sheep - John 10:7.* *I am the good Shepherd - John 10:11.* *I am the Resurrection and the life - John 11:25.* *I am the Way, the truth, and the life - John 14:6.* *I am the true Vine - John 15:1.* *THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE** - James 3:17-18 (3:13-18) - Link with Dan* e. 3:17 THE NATURE OF HEAVENLY WISDOM *But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable,* h*e* de An*o*-then soPHIa PR*O*ton men hagN*E* [53] es-tin, Epei-ta ei-r*e* -niK*E* [1516], *gentle, easily entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, * e-pi-eiK*E*S [1933], eu-peiTH*E*S [2138]], mesT*E* eLEous [1656] kai karP*O*N a-gaTH*O*N, *without variance, without hypocrisy.* a-diAkri-tos [87], a-nuPOkri-tos [505]. *OUR POSTURE IN THE LIGHT OF END TIMES** - 1 Peter 4:7-11 - Link with Manasseh* D. 4:7-11 OUR CONDUCT IN THE LIGHT OF THE SECOND COMING a. 4:7-11a OUR CONDUCT IN THE LIGHT OF THE SECOND COMING *But the end of all **things** is nigh:* PANt*o*n de to TElos [5056] *E*Ggi-ken [1448]: *be therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayers:* *so*-phroN*E*sa-te [4993] oun, kai N*E*psa-te [3525] eis pro-seuCHAS [4335]: 8* above all being fervent in your :love among yourselves;* pro PANt*o*n t*e*n eis he-auTOUS aGAp*e*n [26] ek-teN*E* [1618] Echon-tes; *for love covers a multitude of sins:* HOti aGAp*e* kaLUPtei [2572] PL*E*thos [4128] ha-mar-ti*O*N [266]: 9* hospitable one to another without murmuring:* phiLOxe-noi [5382] eis alL*E*lous Aneu gog-gusMOU [1112]: 10 *according as each has received **a gift, ministering** it among yourselves,* HEka-stos kaTH*O*S Ela-ben CHAris-ma [5486], eis he-auTOUS auTO di-a-koNOUNtes [1247], *as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;* h*o*s kaLOI oi-koNOmoi [3623] poiKIl*e*s [4164] CHAri-tos [5485] TheOU; 11a* if any speaks ? as if oracles of God;* ei tis laLEI ? h*o*s LOgi-a [3051] TheOU; *if any ministers ? as of the strength which :God supplies:* ei tis di-a-koNEI [1247] ? *o*s isCHUos [2479] h*e*s cho-r*e*GEI [5524] ho TheOS: *that in all things :God be glorified through Jesus Christ,* HIna en PAsin doXAz*e*-tai [1392] ho TheOS diA I*e*SOU ChrisTOU, *whose is the glory and the dominion unto the ages of the ages.* H*O* es-tin h*e* DOxa kai to KRAtos [2904] eis tous ai*O*nas [165] t*o*n ai* O*n*o*n. *SEVEN BLOCKS FOR FAITH** - 2 Peter 1:5-7 (1:1-11) - Link with Simeon* b. 1:5-7 SEVEN CONDITIONS TO MAINTAIN THE PROMISES *Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence,* kai, auTO TOUto de spouD*E*N [4710] PAsan pa-rei-seNEGkan-tes [3923], *in your :faith supply :virtue;* e-pi-cho-r*e*G*E*sa-te [2023] en t*e* PIStei [4102] huM*O*N t*e*n a-reT*E*N [703]; *and in :virtue :knowledge; 6 and in :knowledge :self-control;* en de t*e* a-reT*E* t*e*n GN*O*sin [1108]; en de t*e* GN*O*sei t*e*n egKRAtei-an [1466]; *and in :self-control :patience; and in :patience :godliness;* en de t*e* eg-kraTEIa t*e*n hu-po-moN*E*N [5281]; en de t*e* hu-po-moN*E* t* e*n euSEbei-an [2150]; 7* and in :godliness **brotherly :kindness**; and in **your **brotherly :kindness :**love**. * *en de te eu-seBEIa ten phi-la-delPHIan [5360]; en de te phi-la-delPHIa ten aGApen [26].* *PROOFS OF THE BIRTH FROM ABOVE** - 1 John - Link with Simeon* *John 3:7 (3:1-15) **NECESSITY OF NEW BIRTH FROM ABOVE. * *1 John 2:29 (2:18-29) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: **DOER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.* *3:9 (3:1-12) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: **SIN NOT PRACTISED.* *4:7 (4:7-21) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: **LOVE OF BROTHERS.* *5:1 (5:1-12) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: **BELIEF IN JESUS AS CHRIST.* *5:4 (5:1-12) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: **OVERCOMING THE WORLD.* *5:18 (5:18-21) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: **KEEPING ONESELF FROM SATAN. * *THE BLESSINGS OF TRIBULATION** - Romans 5:3-5 (5:1-11) - Link with Joseph* b. 5:3-6 FURTHER BLESSINGS THAT FLOW FROM THE SPIRIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS *And not only so, but let us also rejoice in :tribulations:* ou MOnon de, alLA kai kauCH*O*me-tha en tais THLIpse-sin [2347]: *knowing that :tribulation works patience;* eiDOtes HOti h*e* THLIpsis hu-po-moN*E*N [5281] ka-terGAze-tai [2716]; 4* and patience, approvedness; and approvedness, hope:* h*e* de hu-po-moN*E*, do-kiM*E*N [1382]; h*e* de do-kiM*E*, elPIda [1680]: 5* and :hope puts not to shame; because the love of :God has been shed abroad* h*e* de elPIS ou ka-taisCHUnei [2617]; HOti h*e* aGAp*e* [26] tou TheOU ekKEchu-tai [1632] *in our :hearts through the Holy Spirit :given us:* en tais karDIais h*e*M*O*N diA PNEUma-tos HaGIou tou doTHENtos [1325] h*e* MIN: *BLESSINGS FROM THE ONE NEW MAN** - Romans 9:4-5 (9:1-13) - Link with Reuben* b. 9:3-5a PAUL?S WISH: BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE 3 *For I could wish that I myself were anathema from the Christ* *e*uCHOm*e*n [2172] gar aNAthe-ma [331] EInai auTOS eG*O* aPO tou ChrisTOU *for my brethren?s sake, my :kinsmen according to **the** flesh:* huPER t*o*n a-delPH*O*N mou, t*o*n sug-geN*O*N [4773] mou kaTA SARka [4561]: 4* who are Israelites; whose **is** the **adoption**, and the **glory**, ** * HOItiNES ei-sin Is-ra-*e*LEItai; h*o*n h*e* hui-o-theSIa [5206], kai h*e*DOxa [1391], *and the **covenants**, and **the **giving of **the** law**, and the ** worship**, and the **promises**; * kai hai di-aTH*E*kai [1242], kai h*e* no-mo-theSIa [3548], kai h*e* laTREIa [2999], kai hai e-pag-geLIai; 5a *whose **are** the **fathers,** and of whom is the **Christ** as concerning the flesh,* h*o*n hoi paTEres [3962], kai ex h*o*n ho ChrisTOS to kaTA SARka [4561], *who is over all, God blessed unto the ages.* ho *o*n ePI PANt*o*n, TheOS eu-lo-g*e*TOS [2128] eis tous ai*O*nas [165]. *SEVEN-FOLD MINISTRIES** - Romans 12:6-8 (12:3-21) - Link with Naphtali* c. 12:6-8 MINISTER ACCORDING TO PROPORTION OF FAITH *And having gifts differing according to the grace :given us,* Echon-tes de chaRISma-ta [5486] kaTA t*e*n CHArin t*e*n doTHEIsan h*e*MIN diApho-ra [1313], *whether prophecy, prophesy according to the proportion of :faith;* EIte pro-ph*e*TEIan [4394], kaTA t*e*n a-na-loGIan [356] t*e*s PIste-*o*s; *7 or ministry, attend to the ministry; who teaches, to the teaching;* EIte di-a-koNIan, en t*e* di-a-koNIa [1248]; EIte ho diDASk*o*n [1321], en t *e* di-da-skaLIa; *8 or who exhorts, to the exhorting: who gives, be it with liberality;* EIte ho pa-ra-kaL*O*N [3870], en t*e* pa-raKL*E*sei: ho me-ta-diDOUS, en haPLOt*e*-ti; *who rules, with diligence; who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.* ho pro-i-STAme-nos [4291], en spouD*E* [4710]; ho e-le*O*N [1653], en hi-laROt*e*-ti [2432]. *GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT** - 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 (12:1-11) - Link with Zebulun* e. 12:8-11 NINE SOVEREIGN MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SPIRIT *For to one is given through the Spirit a word of wisdom;* h*o* men gar diA tou PNEUma-tos DIdo-tai LOgos soPHIas [4678]; *and to another a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:* ALl*o* de LOgos GN*O*se-*o*s [1108], kaTA to auTO PNEUma: *9 to another faith, in the same Spirit;* heTEr*o* PIStis [4102], en t*o* auT*O* PNEUma-ti; *and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit;* ALl*o* de chaRISma-ta [5486] iaMAt*o*n [2386], en t*o* heNI PNEUma-ti; *10 and to another workings of powers; and to another prophecy;* ALl*o* de en-erG*E*ma-ta [1755] duNAme-*o*n [1411]; ALl*o* de pro-ph*e*TEIa [4394]; *and to another discernings of spirits: to another kinds of tongues;* ALl*o* de di-aKRIseis [1253] pneuMAt*o*n: heTEr*o* GEn*e* gl*o*sS*O*N [1100] ; *and to another interpretation of tongues;* ALl*o* de her-m*e*NIa [2058] gl*o*sS*O*N; *11 but all these works the one and the same Spirit,* PANta de TAUta en-erGEI [1754] to hen kai to auTO PNEUma, *dividing to each severally even as he wills.* di-aiROUN [1244] iDIa heKASt*o* kaTH*O*S BOUle-tai [1014]. *FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT** - Galatians 5:22-23 (5:17-24) - Link with Issachar* e. 5:22-23 NO LAW TOUCHES THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT *But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, * ho de karPOS tou PNEUmaTOS es-tin aGAp*e* [26], chaRA [5479], eiR*E*n*e* [1515], *longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,* ma-kro-thuMIa [3115], chr*e*sTOt*e*s [5544], a-ga-th*o*SUn*e* [19], PIStis [4102], *23** **gentleness**, **self-control**; against :such **there **is no law.* praUtes [4236], egKRAteia [1466]; kaTA ton toiOUton ouk EStin NOmos. *THE SEVEN UNITIES** - Ephesians 4:4-6 (4:1-16) - Link with Joseph* b. 4:4-6 THE SEVEN UNITIES OF OUR CALLING 4* **There is **one **body**, and one **Spirit**, even as also you were called in one **hope **of your :calling;* hen S*O*ma, kai hen PNEUma, kaTH*O*S kai ekL*E*th*e*-te en miA elPIdi t*e*s KL*E*se-*o*s [2821] huM*O*N; 5* one **Lord**, one **faith**, one** baptism**, *6* **one God and **Father* * of all,* heis KUri-os, MIa PIStis [4102], hen BAPtis-ma [908], heis TheOS kai paT*E*R panT*O*N, *who **is **over all, and through all, and in all.* ho ePI PANt*o*n, kai diA PANt*o*n, kai en PAsin. *THE FIVE-FOLD MINISTRIES** - Ephesians 4:11-12 (4:1-16) - Link with Levi* g. 4:11-16 HIGH PURPOSE OF MINISTRY GIFTS OF CHRIST TO CHURCH *And HE gave some as apostles; and some, prophets;* kai auTOS Ed*o*-ken tous men a-poSTOlous [652]; tous de, proPH*E*tas [4396]; *and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; * tous de, eu-ag-ge-lisTAS [2099]; tous de, poiMEnas 4166] kai di-das-KAlous [1320]; *12 for the perfecting of the saints, unto a work of ministry,* pros ton ka-tar-tisMON [2677] t*o*n haGI*o*n [40], eis ERgon di-a-koNIas [1248], *unto a building of the body of the Christ:* eis oi-ko-doM*E*N [3619] tou S*O*ma-tos tou ChrisTOU: *THE ARMOR OF GOD** - Ephesians 6:14-18 (6:10-20) - Link with Gad* e. 6:14-16 STAND THROUGH USING GOD?S DEFENSIVE ARMOR *Stand therefore, having girded your :loin with truth,* ST*E*te oun, pe-ri-z*o*SAme-noi [4024] t*e*n osPHUN [3751] huM*O*N en a-l*e* THEIa, *and put on the breastplate of :righteousness,* kai en-duSAme-noi [1746] ton TH*O*ra-ka t*e*s di-kai-oSUn*e*s [1343], *15 and shod your :feet with preparation of the gospel of :peace;* kai hu-po-d*e*SAme-noi [5265] tous POdas en he-toi-maSIa [2091] tou eu-ag-geLIou t*e*s eiR*E*n*e*s; *16 **in all **things** taking up the shield of the **faith**,* en PAsin a-na-laBONtes [353] ton thu-reON [2375] t*e*s PISte-*o*s, *wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery :darts of the evil ** one.* en h*o* duN*E*ses-the PANta ta BEl*e* [956] tou po-n*e*ROU ta pe-pu-r*o*MEna [4448] SBEsai [4570]. f. 6:17-20 PRESS THE BATTLE THROUGH GOD?S OFFENSIVE ARMOR *And receive the helmet of :salvation,* kai t*e*n pe-ri-ke-phaLAIan [4030] tou s*o*-t*e*RIou [4992] DExas-the, *and the sword of the Spirit, which is God?s word:* kai t*e*n MAchai-ran [3162] tou PNEUma-tos, HO es-tin 'R*E*ma [4487] TheOU: *18 with all prayer and supplication* diA PAs*e*s pro-seuCH*E*S [4335] kai de*E*se-*o*s [1162] *praying at every season in **the** Spirit,* pro-seuCHOme-noi [4336] en panTI kaiR*O* [2540] en PNEUma-ti, *THINGS TO THINK UPON** - Philippians 4:8 (4:1-0) - Link with Judah* 4. 4:8-9 A CLOSING WORD a. 4:8 FINALLY: EIGHT THINGS TO RECKON *For the rest, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever are honorable,* To loiPON, a-delPHOI, HOsa esTIN a-l*e*TH*E* [227], HOsa semNA [4586], *whatever are just, whatever are pure, whatever are lovely, whatever are of good report;* HOsa DIkai-a [1342], HOsa hagNA [53], HOsa pros-phiL*E* [4375], HOsa EUph*e*ma [2163]; *if there be any virtue, and if any praise, take account thereof.* ei a-reT*E* [703], kai EI tis Epai-nos [1868], TAUta loGIzes-the [3049]. *FOUNDATION TRUTHS** - Hebrews 6:1-2 (5:11-6:8) - Link with Benjamin* e. 6:1-2 AN EXHORTATION: GO BEYOND FOUNDATIONS *Wherefore leaving the word of the beginning of the Christ,* Di? ho aPHENtes ton t*e*s arCH*E*S [746] tou ChrisTOU LOgon, *let us be borne on unto the perfection; not laying again a foundation* ePI t*e*n te-leiOt*e*-ta [5047] pheR*O*me-tha; m*e* PAlin theMEli-on [2310]ka-ta-balLOme-noi *of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, --* me-taNOIas [3341] Apo neKR*O*N ERg*o*n, kai PIste-*o*s [4102] ePI TheON, -- *2** the teaching of **baptisms**, and of **laying on of hands**,* bap-tisM*O*N [909] di-daCH*E*N, e-piTHEse*O*S [1936] te chrei*O*N, *and of **resurrection** of **the** dead, and of eternal **judgment**.* a-naSTAse-*o*s [386] neKR*O*N, kai KRIma-tos [2917] ai-*o*NIou. *THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION** - Revelation 2 & 3 - Link with Naphtali * *Ephesus - A Church that Lost Its First Love - 2:1-7* *Smyrna - A Church in Tribulation - 2:8-11* *Pergamos - A Church with False Teachers - 2:12-17* *Thytira - A Church Tolerating False Prophecy - 2:18-29* *Sardis - A Church with Dead Orthodoxy - 3:1-6* *Philadelphia - A Church Fulfilling Ideal Faithfulness - 3:7-13* *Laodicea - A Lukewarm Church: Abhorred by Christ - 3:14-22* *NOTE**: For added help, turn to our Website www.2rbetter.org and click on ?Interlinear?. Here you will find full contexts for the above 18 passages for meditation. The entire ?Outlined Interlinear NT? will hopefully be in print before summer.* * For yet more information on the 12 tribes of Israel as linked with the 12 Revival Principles that came together in 1948, click on our ?Embryonics?. Jim Watt* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Apr 17 21:53:51 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:53:51 -0700 Subject: Wired for Intimacy Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 17, 2012 *2012-04-17 - WIRED FOR INTIMACY -* *How pornography hijacks the male brain. By William M. Struthers.* *We are hard-wired for human intimacy and relationships. *But in our pornified culture, pornography disrupts how men interact with women. Countless Christian men struggle with the addictive power of porn. And all too often our responses, such as prayer and accountability groups, are of limited help. Neuroscientist and researcher William Struthers explains how pornography affects the male brain and what we can do about it. Because we are embodied beings, viewing these images changes how the brain works, how we form memories and make attachments. By better understanding the biological realities of our sexual development, we can cultivate healthier sexual perspectives and interpersonal relationships. Struthers exposes false assumptions and casts a vision for a redeemed masculinity, showing how our sexual longings can actually propel us toward sanctification and holiness in our bodies. *With insights for men who struggle and those who care for them, this book offers hope for freedom and transformation.* ?*This book opens the door for Christians to talk about men, sex and addiction in a candid and intelligent manner.? - Douglas Weiss, *Ph.D., author of Sex, Men and God, president of the American Association for Sex Addiction Therapy ?*Wired for Intimacy is a groundbreaking book on the brain chemistry of sexual addiction. Every man needs to understand how his sexual choices affect this crucial part of his humanity. It will be a great help toward sanctification for those who embrace its message.? - Russell Willingham, *author of Breaking Free: Understanding Sexual Addiction and the Healing Power of Jesus ?*Finally there's a book that scientifically quantifies what those of us who work in the field of sexual addiction have long understood: pornography powerfully impacts the brain. Wired for Intimacy surpasses the typical recovery book in its scientific foundation and careful scholarship. This is a much-needed and welcome addition to the Christian literature addressing the pandemic of pornography.? - Marnie C. Ferree, *director of Bethesda Workshops, author of No Stones: Women Redeemed from Sexual Addiction *William M. Struthers *(Ph. D., University of Illinois at Chicago) is associate professor of psychology at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where he teaches courses on behavioral neuroscience, men and addictions, and the biological bases of behavior. His theoretical research in the area of neuroethics, the biological bases of spirituality and personhood, and the nature of integration in psychology. *Introduction* *What is it about pornography* that makes it so appealing to so many men? Why does a naked female body or a movie of a woman having sex seem to hijack a man's brain, hypnotizing him and rendering him incapable of making good decisions? Why might a man who is married to a lovely wife risk that relationship for a ten-second video clip of a couple having sex? What is it about being male that makes it so difficult for men to look away? While pornography ravages and destroys the lives of both men and women, this book and the research within focuses almost exclusively on pornography's impact on men. It is true that women are increasingly becoming consumers of pornography, but there is little doubt that it is primarily men who are hooked on it. And the reasons that women view pornography are very different that the reasons men do. Men seem to be wired in such a way that pornography hijacks the proper functioning of their brains and has a long-lasting effect on their thoughts and lives. As a biopsychologist and person of faith, I am in a unique position to engage many of the questions posed above. It is hard to be a Christian in the United States and not be sensitive to the pervasive influence of pornography and the warped views of sexuality that saturate our culture. Pornography and the hypersexuality found in the media are almost impossible to avoid. As I have looked carefully at some of my Christian beliefs about sexuality and felt convicted to respond to the pornification of our culture, I have had an unexpected opportunity to integrate my faith with my academic discipline. As I have studied how the brain develops, how hormones and culture affect it and how addictions and compulsions develop, it has become increasingly apparent to me why many men struggle so much. In this book I share this material, and I hope it can be a part of the healing process that so many long for. Like many adolescent boys growing up in the 1980s, I had occasional opportunities to view lingerie catalogs in the mail and softcore pornography magazines stashed away by friends and relatives. These were my first exposures to the naked female form, eliciting what I now know to be sexual interest. As I grew older, frontal nudity and erotic sexual scenes in movies became readily viewable on cable television channels such as HBO and Playboy. Home videotapes made access to all types of pornography easier than ever before. While I can't recall feeling a compelling attraction toward pornography, I won't deny that I found it hypnotizing when I stumbled upon it. But I was struck by the hold that it had over several of my teenage friends and their desire to expose me to it. Perhaps I was just late in my sexual awakening, but as I entered my twenties, my exposure to porn shifted into high gear. Legally an adult and living with other men who were enjoying the freedoms of college life, I was exposed to additional forms of pornography. I became increasingly aware of how many men subscribed to *Playboy* and regularly rented adult videos. I began to notice how many of my friends and acquaintances - men who by all other accounts would have made fine boy-friend and husbands - sacrificed relationships with real women for the allure of an image of a woman on the magazine page or video-tape of a couple having sex. I admit that I was not a saint and did not avert my eyes from every temptation, I believe that it is only by the grace of God that I was mostly spared from the seductive draw of the pornographic page and screen. I can think of many ways I have benefited from computer technologies and the vast knowledge available on the Internet. But I also delete dozens of e-mails each day that solicit pornographic material, sexual enhancement products or opportunities for sexual encounters. My workplace has an Internet filter, but sexually explicit material is easy to access if you are determined. I put on self-imposed blinders as I wade through tantalizing advertisements with Victoria's Secret models in the margins of my weather forecast. My Internet service provider's homepage is littered with dating services (?Hot Single Girls in Your Neighborhood Looking for Love!?) and my sports websites have galleries of scantily clad cheerleaders. If I watch a soccer match on television with my children, I have to be vigilant to change the channel when commercials for Viagra are aired. In a world that has been hypersexualized, it is hard to get through the day without being battered and numbed by the intrusions of pornography. Many people have asked me if I have ever looked at pornography. I'm not sure if the question is geared to label me a hypocrite or to appeal to an ?everybody does it? mentality. When I tell them that I find many things on television or on newsstands pornographic, they frown. Apparently this makes me a prude, which is worse than being a hypocrite. Yes, I have viewed pornography because *it is everywhere*. You cannot get away from it; if you don't view it intentionally, you will unintentionally. The result is that repeated exposure to pornography and the objectification of the female body changes the way our brains see each other. Repeated exposure to any stimulus results in neurological circuit making. That is how we learn. But what does pornography teach and how does it change those who regularly consume it? My journey in asking this question began several years ago when, as a faculty member at a Christian college, two significant things happened. First, I knew three men in different stages of life from varied backgrounds who had problems with pornography and engaged in sexually inappropriate behaviors. These men had allowed pornography to warp their idea of sexuality, impacting them and their families negatively. Watching these men deal with the consequences of their problems was exceptionally painful. In one situation, I felt that I had unknowingly contributed to the breakdown of one man's marriage by encouraging him to discover the wonders of the Internet for quick and easy stock trading. Instead he discovered it as a gateway to free pornography and depravity. A second factor was an upper-division psychology class I taught called Men and Addictions. In part of this course, I spent a significant amount of time exploring findings about men's struggles with pornography and compulsive sexual behaviors. We evaluated whether or not a person could become addicted to porn and if it should be classified as a clinical problem. This component to the course turned out to be an invitation for hordes of college-aged men to visit me during my office hours. There they confided that they felt trapped by their inability to stop consuming pornography. The weight of the guilt they carried was heartbreaking. I began the process of seeking out therapeutic options for these men and came across statistics about the adult entertainment industry. I was flabbergasted at the economics and demographics of it all. I met regularly with these young men and referred them to counselors when appropriate. It became apparent that many of them were dealing with significant emotional and spiritual wounds that had resulted from their experience with pornography. This book is a result of the great need for healing that I saw in these men as a result of pornography consumption. My personal agenda will be clearly evident to anyone who reads this book. It stems from my Christian faith and my desire that each person fully understand how we all are unique and appreciate how much we share in common as human beings created in the image of God. My faith requires that every human life be viewed as sacred and the dignity of every individual be respected and honored. When we better understand the devastating spiritual, psychological, social and biological reality of how pornography violates our unique position in God's creation, we will be better able to minister to those who have been wounded by it. Because of this perspective, I view pornography as a institutional evil that prays on the disaffected, wounded and desperate members of society. I believe that even those who wholeheartedly embrace pornography's lie of sexual fulfillment and freedom (whether producers, actors or consumers) are still loved by God. Our calling as Christians is to examine ourselves and walk alongside those who have been damaged by this evil. We are not to demonize others, but to share God's healing, grace and mercy as they discover their identity in Christ. Healing and right thinking about our sexual nature are found in the person of Jesus Christ, Scripture, the power of the Holy Spirit and the ministry of the church. Many excellent books have been written by Christian authors who explain in plain terms how men can deal with pornography. They use language common in Christian culture and easy for many men to grab hold of: lust of the flesh, sexual sin, diseased soul, sexual idolatry. Much good comes from using this language when wrestling with the reality of pornography. Many of these authors rightly frame pornography as more than just an ethical or legal matter - it is a *spiritual* matter. Pornography is also a *physical* matter, rooted in the biological intricacies of our sexual design. In my opinion, nowhere is the complexity of our sexual nature seen more than in the wiring of the brain. Our reproductive organs are often given too much attention in the discussion of sexuality. It is the brain, however, where we feel the sexual longing, the arousal, the focus and the ecstasy that comes from sexual intimacy. Using spiritual and psychological language to describe the tenacious grip of sexually destructive patterns is helpful. But calls to pray harder, move the computer to the living room and get plugged into an accountability group only go so far. They come across as hollow to many men whose brains have been altered and rewired by their experiences with pornography. They have trained their brains to respond sexually to the pornography they consume. We need to move to the next stage of dealing with pornography, cybersex addictions and sexual compulsions. We can find healthy ways to train the male brain to understand and act on its sexual nature. By appreciating our created nature and acknowledging pornography's unhealthy impact on our brain (and the rest of our body), we have a better path forward. I hope that as recent scholarship in the brain sciences reframes and informs our ideas about how we are made, we can develop a better understanding of how fearfully and wonderfully made we are. Pornography taps into many men's wrong thinking about themselves, in places where their brains are most vulnerable to exploitation. But as we appreciate the reality of our sexuality and place it within the biblical narrative, we will see hope for redemption. As we more clearly see our need for redemption and the path of sanctification, we will be better equipped to heal from the wounds of pornography and allow our sexuality to be a necessary part of the process by which we are conformed to the image of Christ. *NOTE**: *There is no quotation above from the book proper. From the back cover and the Introduction, it is our hope than many will order this book. Part 1: How Pornography Works - and Part 2: Healthy Masculinity and Sexuality - allows the author to give hope to many who feel hopeless in this addiction. Mothers and wives can help sons and husbands through this book. I immediately ordered a copy when I heard Dr. Struthers on an unexpected program I turned on. It is published by InterVarsity Press, and can be contacted by * * - also handles it. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Apr 18 14:46:53 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:46:53 -0700 Subject: More New Covenant Meditation Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 18, 2012 *2012-04-18 - Further Areas for NEW COVENANT MEDITATION* *Just as God gave Joshua areas on which to meditate under the Old Covenant (Joshua 1:8) - so for New Covenant saints - He gives us special areas for meditation. The promises for New Covenant meditation are just as great as Joshua had under the Old. See the first of these for us:* *THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, Matthew 4:17-7:29* 1. 4:23 (4:17-25) KINGDOM PATTERN. 2. 5:9 (5:1-16) KINGDOM MATURITY. 3. 5:19 (5:17-48) KINGDOM HEART. 4. 6:14-15 (6:1-18) KINGDOM MOTIVATION. 5. 6:33 (6:19-34) KINGDOM PROVISION. 6. 7:12 (7:1-12) KINGDOM RELATIONSHIPS. 7. 7:13-14 (7:13-29) KINGDOM PATHWAY. *THE SEVEN SAYINGS OF JESUS FROM THE CROSS* THE FIRST WORD - * ?Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.? *Luke 23:34 (23:32-49) THE SECOND WORD - *?Amen I say unto you, Today shall you be with me in :Paradise.? *Luke 23:43 (23:32-49) THE THIRD WORD - Jesus said to his mother: *?Woman, behold, your :son!? *Then he said to the disciple, *?Behold, your :mother!? *John 19:26-27 (19:25-27) THE FOURTH WORD - *?El**o**i, Eloi, lema sabachthanei? *that is, *My God, my God, why did you forsake me?? *Matthew 27:46 (27:45-56); Mark 15:34 (15:33-41) THE FIFTH WORD - *?I thirst.? *John 19:28 (19:28-30) THE SIXTH WORD - *When :Jesus therefore had received the vinegar he said, ?It is finished:? and he bowed his head **and** gave up **his** :spirit. *John 19:30 (19:28-30) THE SEVENTH WORD - *And :Jesus cried with a loud voice, **and** said, ?Father, into your hands I commend my :spirit:? and having said this, he breathed **his **last. *Luke 23:46 (23:33-49) *A COMPLETE DEFINITION OF LOVE* e. 13:4-7 HOW LOVE ACTS *:Love suffers long, is kind;* H*e* aGAp*e* ma-kro-thuMEI [3114], chr*e*sTEUe-tai [5541]; *:love envies not, vaunts not itself, is not puffed up,* h*e* aGAp*e* ou z*e*LOI [2206], ou per-peREUe-tai [5068], ou phu-siOUtai [5448], *5 is not unseemly, seeks not its :own,* ouk as-ch*e*-moNEI [807], ou z*e*TEI ta he-auT*E*S, *is not provoked, takes not account of :evil;* ou pa-roXUne-tai [3947], ou loGIze-tai [3049] to kaKON; *6 rejoices not in :unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;* ou CHAIrei [5463] ePI t*e* a-diKIa [93], sunCHAIrei de t*e* a-l*e*THEIa [225]; *7 **covers all **things**, **believes all **things**, **hopes all **things* *,** **endures all **things**.* *PANta STEgei [4722], PANta pisTEUei [4100], PANta elPIzei [1679], PANta hu-poMEnei [5278].* *SEVEN AREAS OF ?DESERVING? FOR JESUS* e. 5:11-12 THE DECLARATION OF MANY ANGELS *And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels* kai EIdon, kai *E*kou-sa ph*o*N*E*N agGEl*o*n POLl*o*n *round the throne and the living beings and the elders;* KUKl*o* [2943] tou THROnou kai t*o*n Z*O*-*o*n kai t*o*n pres-buTEr*o*n; *and the number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands,* kai *e*n ho a-rithMOS [706] auT*O*N mu-riAdes [3463] mu-riAd*o*n, *and thousands of thousands; *12* saying with a great voice,* kai chi-liAdes [5507] chi-liAd*o*n; LEgon-tes ph*o*N*E* meGAl*e*, *Worthy is the Lamb :slain to receive the power,* A-xiON [514] es-tin to arNIon [721] to es-phagMEnon [4969] laBEIN t*e*n DUna-min, *and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing.* kai PLOUton, kai soPHIan, kai isCHUN, kai tiM*E*N [5092]*,* kai DOxan, kai eu-loGIan. *SEVEN CITY CHURCHES SET FORTH BY PAUL.* *- ROME - JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH - Jesus set forth as our PASSOVER - Foundation Truths for Gentiles, parallel to Hebrews 6:1-2* *- CORINTH - Correction in Experience - for falling short from Truth in Romans* *- GALATIA - Correction in Doctrine - Judaizers fell from Truth in Romans* *- EPHESUS - GOD'S MASTER-PIECE - Christ's Heredity in the Holy Spirit made available to us because of Justification by Faith! 50 days after Resurrection, PENTECOST - Shavuot!* *- PHILIPPI - Correction in Experience - for falling short of the love of the Spirit* *- COLOSSE - Correction in Doctrine - falling short of the many-fold picture of the Bride of Christ in Ephesians.* *- THESSALONICA - THE NATURE OF CHRIST'S RETURN - THE BLESSED HOPE! Will take place at the Feast of TABERNACLES - Succot - the third great feast of the Lord - Leviticus 23.* (The above insights seen in ?Explore the Book? by J. Sidlow Baxter). *ROMANS - THE GREAT ?DOCTRINAL? BOOK OF THE BIBLE.** Martin Luther was freed through ?**Justification by Faith? - wrote the 95 theses - and inaugurated the Protestant Reformation.* *- 1:16-17 (1:1-17) - INTRODUCTION TO JUSTIFICATION* *- 3:28 (1:18-4:25) - OT LAW SHUTS UP TO JUSTIFICTION* *- 5:17 (5:1-21) - ATONEMENT AND GRACE: BASIS OF JUSTIFICATION* *- 8:10 (6-8) - HOLY SPIRIT: PROMISE OF JUSTIFICATION* *- 11:25 (9-11) - RELATIONSHIP OF ISRAEL & GENTILES TO JUSTIFICATION* *- 12:18 (12:1-16:23) - PRACTICAL OUTWORKING OF JUSTIFICATION* *- 16:25, 27 (16:25-27) - ?GLORY TO GOD? FOR JUSTIFICATION!* *EPHESIANS - GOD'S GREAT PICTURE OF THE SPIRIT-FILLED CHURCH **-* *- Contains various pictures of our relationship to Christ -* *1. The Church - 1:23 (1:15-2:10)* *2. Christ's body - 1:23 (1:15-2:10)* *3. We are his workmanship - 2:10 (1:15-2:10)* *4. He has created us as his One New Man - Jew & Gentile together - 2:15 (2:11-22)* *5. God's household - 2:19 (2:11-22)* *6. God's building - 2:21 (2:11-22)* *7. God's holy temple - 2:21 (2:11-22)* *8. A habitation of God in Spirit - 2:22 (2:11-22)* *9. The mystery of the Christ - 3:5 (3:1-13)* *10. The saints - 4:12 (4:1-16)* *11. A perfect man - 4:13 (4:1-16)* *12. The Bride of Christ - 5:22-33* *13. The Army of God - 6:10-20* *AN OUTLINE OF EPHESIANS** - (Based on the ?Outlined Interlinear New Testament? - Ivan Panin's Greek and English texts)* *- 1:3 (1:2-14) - NINE BLESSINGS IN MESSIAH* *- 2:8-9 (1:15-2:10) - VISION MOTIVATES* *- 2:21-22 (2:11-3:21) - REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY: THE CHURCH* *- 4:11-12 (4:1-16) - CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTING: EQUIPPING - PERFECTING* *- 5:11-12 (4:17-5:14) - SANCTIFICATION: INEVITABLE COROLLARY* *- 5:28-30 (5:15-6:9) - LOVE RELATIONSHIPS* *- 6:12 (6:10-24) - MYSTERY OF EVIL* *NOTE**: Fuller information on the above outlines can be obtained from our Website - , by turning to ?Interlinear? which contains the full NT text, plus ?notes?. We expect the printed copy of the Interlinear to be available by summer.* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sun Apr 22 19:02:05 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:02:05 -0700 Subject: John 3:1-21 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 22, 2012 * * *(From JOHN #6 - 3:1-21)* D. 3:1-21 NEW BIRTH, ATONEMENT AND JUDGMENT EXPLAINED 1. 3:1-15 NICODEMUS! ATONEMENT IS BASIS FOR BIRTH FROM ABOVE a. 3:1-2 NICODEMUS IS ARRESTED BY SIGNS OF JESUS *Now there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus his name, a ruler of the Jews:* *E*n de ANthr*o*-pos ek t*o*n Pha-riSAI*o*n, NiKOd*e*-mos Ono-ma auT*O*, ARch*o*n [758] t*o*n IouDAI*o*n: 2 *the same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi,* HOUtos *E*Lthen pros auTON nukTOS, kai EIpen auT*O*, 'RabBEI [4461], *we know that you are a teacher come from God;* OIda-men HOti aPO TheOU eL*E*lu-thas [2064] diDAska-los [1320]; *for no one can do these :signs which you do, except :God be with him.* ouDEIS gar DUna-tai TAUta ta s*e*MEIa [4592] ha su poiEIS, eAN m*e* h*e* ho TheOS met' auTOU. b. 3:3 NATURE AND NECESSITY OF REGENERATION *Jesus answered and said to him, Amen, Amen, I say unto you,* a-peKRIth*e* I*e*SOUS kai EIpen auT*O*, A-M*E*N [281], aM*E*N, LEg*o* soi, *Except one be born from above,* eAN M*E* tis gen-n*e*TH*E* [1080] An*o*-then [509], *he cannot see the kingdom of :God.* ou DUna-tai iDEIN t*e*n ba-siLEIan [932] tou TheOU. c. 3:4 NICODEMUS CAN ONLY SEE NATURAL BIRTH - THE LETTER *:Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born being an old man?* LEgei pros auTON ho NiKOd*e*-mos, P*o*s DUna-tai ANthr*o*-pos gen-n*e*TH*E*nai GEr*o*n [1088] *o*n? *can he enter a second time into the womb of his :mother, and be born?* m*e* DUna-tai eis t*e*n koiLIan [2836] t*e*s m*e*TROS auTOU DEUte-ron ei-selTHEIN, kai gen-n*e*TH*E*nai? d. 3:5 BIRTH FROM ABOVE IS BY WATER AND SPIRIT, NOT NATURAL BIRTH *:Jesus answered, Amen, Amen, I say unto you,* a-peKRIth*e* ho I*e*SOUS, A-M*E*N, aM*E*N, LEg*o* soi, *except one be born of water and Spirit,* eAN M*E* tis gen-n*e*TH*E* ex HUda-tos kai PNEUma-tos, *he cannot enter into the kingdom of :God.* ou DUna-tai ei-selTHEIN eis t*e*n ba-siLEIan tou TheOU. e. 3:6 FLESH AND SPIRIT CONTRASTED *What is born of the flesh is flesh; * to ge-gen-n*e*MEnon ek t*e*s sarKOS SARX es-tin; *and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.* kai to ge-gen-n*e*MEnon ek tou PNEUma-tos PNEU-MA es-tin. f. 3:7* Marvel not that I said to you, You must be born from above.* m*e* thauMAs*e*s [2296] HOti EI-PON soi, Dei huMAS gen-n*e*TH*E*nai An*o* -then. g. 3:8 BIRTH BY THE SPIRIT IS INWARD AND INVISIBLE *The Spirit breathes where he wills, and you hear his :voice,* to PNEUma HOpou THElei pnei [4154], kai t*e*n ph*o*N*E*N [5456] auTOU aKOUeis, *but do not know from where he comes, and where he goes:* alLA ouk OIdas POthen ERche-tai, kai pou huPAgei: *so is every one :born of the Spirit.* HOUt*o*s esTIN pas ho ge-gen-n*e*MEnos ek tou PNEUma-tos. h. 3:9 * Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?* a-peKRIth*e* NiKOd*e*-mos kai EIpen auT*O*, P*o*s DUna-tai TAUta geNESthai? i. 3:10 JESUS QUESTIONS NICODEMUS *Jesus answered and said to him, * a-peKRIth*e* I*e*SOUS kai EIpen auT*O*, *Are you the teacher of :Israel, and do not understand these things?* Su ei ho diDAska-los tou Is-ra*E*L, kai TAUta ou giN*O*skeis? j. 3:11 NICODEMUS DID NOT RECEIVE JESUS' SIMPLE WITNESS *Amen, Amen, I say unto you [that], We speak what we know, and witness what we have seen;* aM*E*N, aM*E*N, LEg*o* soi [HOti], ho OIda-men laLOUmen, kai ho he-*o*RAka-men mar-tuROUmen; *and you receive not our :witness.* kai t*e*n mar-tuRIan h*e*M*O*N ou lamBAne-te. k. 3:12 A PENETRATING QUESTION *If I told you the earthly things and you believe not, * ei ta ePIgei-a [1919] EIpon huMIN kai ou piSTEUe-te, *how shall you believe if I tell you :heavenly?* p*o*s eAN EIp*o* huMIN ta e-pouRANni-a piSTEUse-te? l. 3:13 ONLY THE SON OF MAN HAS SPOKEN FROM HEAVEN *And no one has ascended into the heaven,* kai ouDEIS a-naBEb*e*-ken [305] eis ton ou-raNON, *except he that descended out of the heaven, the Son of :man.* ei m*e* ho ek tou ou-raNOU ka-taBAS [2597]*,* ho huiOS tou anTHR*O*pou. m. 3:14-15 THE BRAZEN SERPENT: A TYPE OF CHRIST *And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,* kai kaTH*O*S M*o*-uS*E*S HUps*o*-sen [5312] ton Ophin [3789] en t*e* eR*E*m* o* [2048], *so must the Son of :man be lifted up;* HOUt*o*s hu-ps*o*TH*E*nai dei ton huiON tou anTHR*O*pou; 15* that whoever believes have in him eternal life.* HIna pas ho piSTEU*o*n en auT*O* Ech*e* z*o*-*E*N ai*O*ni-on. 2. 3:16-21 ATONEMENT: GOD'S PURPOSE - JUDGMENT: PENALTY FOR REJECTION a. 3:16 THE LOVE OF GOD IN GIVING HIS SON FOR MAN *For :God so loved the world,* HOUt*o*s gar *e*GAp*e*-sen [25] ho TheOS ton KOSmon [2889], *that he gave his :only begotten :Son, that whoever* H*O*Ste ton huiON ton mo-no-geN*E* [3429] Ed*o*-ken, HIna pas ho *believes unto him perish not, but have eternal life.* piSTEU*o*n eis auTON m*e* aPOl*e*-tai [622], ALla Ech*e* z*o*-*E*N ai*O* ni-on. b. 3:17 THE END FOR WHICH GOD SENT HIS SON *For :God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world;* ou gar aPEstei-len ho TheOS ton huiON eis ton KOSmon HIna KRIn*e* [2919]ton KOSmon; *but that the world be saved through him.* all' HIna s*o*TH*E* [4982] ho KOSmos di' auTOU. c. 3:18 BELIEF: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALVATION AND JUDGMENT *Who believes unto him is not judged: who believes not has been judged already, * ho piSTEU*o*n eis auTON ou KRIne-tai: ho m*e* piSTEU*o*n *E*d*e* KEkri-tai, *because he has not believed unto the name of the only begotten Son of :God. * HOti m*e* pePIsteu-ken eis to Ono-ma tou mo-no-geNOUS [3439] huiOU tou TheOU. d. 3:19 REJECTION OF LIGHT: BASIS OF JUDGMENT *And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world,* HAUt*e* DE es-tin h*e* KRIsis, HOti to ph*o*s [5457] eL*E*lu-then eis ton KOSmon, *and :men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their :works were evil.* kai *e*GAp*e*-san hoi ANthr*o*-poi MALlon to SKOtos *e* to ph*o*s; *e*n gar auT*O*N po-n*e*RA ta ERga. e. 3:20 PRACTICERS OF EVIL HATE THE LIGHT *For every one that practices evil things hates the light,* pas gar ho PHAUla [5337] PRASs*o*n [4238] miSEI [3404] to ph*o*s, *and comes not unto the light, that his :works be not reproved.* kai ouk ERche-tai pros to ph*o*s, HIna m*e* e-legchTH*E* [1651] ta ERga auTOU. f. 3:21 DOERS OF TRUTH COME TO LIGHT *But who does the truth comes unto the light,* ho de poi*O*N t*e*n aL*E*thei-an [225] ERche-tai pros to ph*o*s, *that his :works be manifested that they have been worked in God.* HIna pha-ne-r*o*TH*E* [5319] auTOU ta ERga HOti en The*O* es-tin eir-gasMEna [2038]. *NOTE**: *3:1-15 - Nicodemus was high up as a ruler in Jewish affairs - yet he was completely ignorant concerning true spiritual concepts. Still - the ?signs? Jesus performed were so authentic, that they drew this man - by night - to search Jesus out and find answers to his questions. It is in the Gospel of John that the author again and again emphasized the importance of Jesus' words by the double ?Amen, Amen? emphasis. Each time we run across this introduction to one of Jesus' statements, the importance is so great that it will pay us to memorize each of these statements, and spend time in meditating upon them. Note too that it is one thing to ?see? the kingdom of God - and it is * another* thing to enter it. The birth from *above* with water (the living word) and *Spirit*, are the conditions for this entrance. How many ?see?, but do not press on to enter? *He that hungers and thirsts after righteousness, shall be filled!?* The reward is *not* to the passive person, but to the earnest seekers. In 3:8 we learn of the mysterious and inexplicable workings of the Spirit. His comings are unexpected, and often *sudden*. And - when a person is * totally* committed to God and His ways, like Oswald Chambers - *abandoned*to the Spirit, - then like George Muller, Rees Howells and Chambers - their movements *also* become inexplicable and strange like those of the Spirit. One of Chamber's interesting quotes is, ?*Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.? * I have found this concept to be freeing. 3:14-15 brings out an aspect for Jesus' first coming that makes a great deal of sense. Jews have had difficulty and stumbled over the two comings of the Messiah. His first coming was designed by the Godhead to make the Son of Man the ?Suffering Servant or Messiah? - as the one to bring Redemption and Reconciliation to the lost race of Adam. It fits in with Isaiah 53, which Jewish rabbis usually bypass. But His next coming will be as Lord of lords and King of kings - and though the Jews expected this at His first coming - they will be shocked at the Reality of His Second Coming. They will *then* realize that in their ignorance, they rejected Him as a whole at His First Coming. Zechariah depicts their deep mourning when they discover the wound-marks in hands, feet and side - that they helped give Him at His first coming. Yet God in His wisdom used even this to make room for the coming of Gentiles into the Church, the One New Man - along with a remnant of believing Jews, the Messianic believers. Some scholars have wondered if 3:16-21 is also a part of Jesus' words to Nicodemus; or whether they stopped at verse 15, and are general words that follow. Up till now I have had no opinion on this - but today as I looked closely at the Interlinear Greek text, I have tentatively concluded that they *also* are a part of Jesus' words to Nicodemus. What do you think? J.A.Watt P.S. - The complete manuscript of the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? is now in the hands of the Printer. Much of it has already been processed and proof-read for printing. In the very near future it can be in your hands - plus an E-book copy for those preferring this. The above format has already been adjusted to a 6x9 page - for ease in transferring to the E-book format. J. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Apr 23 09:32:40 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:32:40 -0700 Subject: John 5:1-30 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 23, 2012 *(From: JOHN #11 - 5:1-30)* V. 5:1-47 THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS CONFIRMED A. 5:1 SECOND FEAST ATTENDED BY JESUS *After these things was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. * MeTA TAUta *e*n he-orT*E* [1859] t*o*n IouDAI*o*n; kai aNEb*e* I*e*SOUS eis Ie-roSOlu-ma. B. 5:2-47 JESUS ANSWERS HIS ADVERSARIES 1. 5:2-9a JESUS HEALS AN INFIRM MAN ON THE SABBATH a. 5:2 THE POOL OF BETHESDA *Now there is in :Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool,* EStin de en tois Ie-ro-soLUmois ePI t*e* pro-ba-tiK*E* [4262] ko-lumB*E*THra [2861], *the one called in Hebrew Bethzatha, having five porches.* h*e* e-pi-lo-goMEn*e* He-bra-isTI [1447] B*e*th-zaTHA, PENte stoAS [4745]Echou-sa . b. 5:3 * In these lay a multitude of the sick, blind, halt, withered.* en TAUtais kaTEkei-to PL*E*thos t*o*n as-theNOUNt*o*n, tuphL*O*N [5185], ch* o*L*O*N [5560], x*e*R*O*N [3584]. (5:4 - Omitted by Bible Numerics) c. 5:5 * And a certain man was there who had been thirty and eight years in his :infirmity.* *e*n DE tis ANthr*o*-pos eKEI triAkon-ta kai okT*O* Et*e* Ech*o*n en t*e*as-theNEIa [769] auTOU. d. 5:6 JESUS QUESTIONS HIM *:Jesus seeing this man lying down, and knowing that he had been thusalready a long time, * TOUton iD*O*N ho I*e*SOUS ka-taKEIme-non, kai gnous HOti poLUN *E*d*e*CHROnon [5550] Echei, *said to him, Would you be made whole?* LEgei auT*O*, THEleis hu-gi*E*S [5199] geNESthai? e. 5:7 THE SICK MAN'S ANSWER *The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man,* a-peKRIth*e* auT*O* ho as-theN*O*N, KUri-e, ANthr*o*-pon ouk Ech*o* HIna, *when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool:* HOtan ta-rachTH*E* [5015] to HUd*o*r, BAl*e* me eis t*e*n ko-lumB*E*THran [2861]: *but while I am coming, another steps down before me.* en h*o* de ERcho-mai eG*O*, ALlos pro eMOU ka-taBAInei. f. 5:8* :Jesus said to him, Arise, take up your :bed, and walk.* LEgei auT*O* ho I*e*SOUS, Egei-re, Aron ton KRAbatTON [2895] sou, kai pe-riPAtei [4043]. g. 5:9a* And straightway the man became whole, and took up his :bed and walked.* kai euTHE*o*s eGEne-to hu-gi*E*S ho ANthr*o*-pos, kai *E*re ton KRAbat-ton auTOU kai pe-ri-ePAtei. 2. 5:9b-30 JESUS CLAIMS EQUALITY WITH GOD a. 5:9b* Now it was the sabbath on that :day.* *E*n de SABba-ton [4521] en eKEIn*e* t*e* h*e*MEra. b. 5:10 SABBATH CONTROVERSY *Said the Jews therefore to the one cured, It is the sabbath,* Ele-gon oun hoi IouDAIoi t*o* te-the-ra-peuMEn*o*, [2323] SABbaTON es-tin, *and it is not lawful for you to take up the bed.* kai ouk ExeSTIN [1832] soi Arai ton KRABba-ton. c. 5:11 THE HEALED MAN'S RESPONSE *But he answered them, He who made me whole,* hos de a-peKRIth*e* auTOIS, Ho poi*E*sas me hu-gi*E*, *the same said to me, Take up your :bed, and walk.* eKEI-NOS moi EIpen, Aron ton KRABbaTON sou, kai pe-riPAtei. d. 5:12* They asked him, Who is the man that said to you, Take up, and walk?* *e*R*O*t*e*-san [2065] auTON, TIS es-tin ho ANthr*o*-pos ho eiP*O*N soi, Aron [142], kai pe-riPAtei? e. 5:13 THE DISAPPEARANCE OF JESUS *But the one healed knew not who it was; * ho de iaTHEIS [2390] ouk *E*dei TIS es-tin; *for :Jesus disappeared, a crowd being in the place.* ho gar I*e*SOUS eXEneu-sen, OCHlou ONtos en t*o* TOp*o*. f. 5:14 JESUS' WARNING TO THE HEALED MAN *After these things :Jesus finds him in the temple, and said to him, See, you are become whole:* MeTA TAUta heuRIskei auTON ho I*e*SOUS en t*o* hi-eR*O*, kai EIpen auT*O*, Ide, hu-gi*E*S GEgo-nas: *sin no more, lest something worse befall you.* m*e*KEti haMARta-ne, HIna m*e* CHEI-RON [5501] SOI ti GEn*e*-tai. g. 5:15* The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him whole.* aP*E*Lthen ho ANthr*o*-pos, kai EIpen tois 'IouDAIois HOti I*e*SOUS es-tin ho poi*E*sas auTON hu-gi*E*. h. 5:16 * And for this the Jews persecuted :Jesus, because he did these things on a sabbath.* kai diA TOUto eDI*o*-kon [1377] hoi IouDAIoi ton I*e*SOUN, HOti TAUta ePOIei en sabBAt*o*. i. 5:17 * But he answered them, My :Father works even until now, and I work.* ho de a-peKRIna-to auTOIS, Ho paT*E*R mou HE*o*s ARti erGAze-tai [2038], ka' 'G*O* erGAzo-mai. j. 5:18 FURTHER PERSECUTION *For this therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him,* diA TOUto oun MALlon eZ*E*toun auTON hoi IouDAIoi a-pokTEInai [615], *because he not only broke the sabbath, but also said :God* HOti ou MOnon Elu-e to SABba-ton, alLA kai paTEra Idi-on *was** his own Father, making himself equal with :God.* Ele-ge ton TheON, Ison he-auTON poi*O*N t*o* The*O*. k. 5:19 JESUS JUSTIFIES HIMSELF *:Jesus therefore answered and said to them,* A-peKRIna-to oun ho I*e*SOUS kai Ele-gen auTOIS, *Amen, Amen, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself,* A-M*E*N, aM*E*N, LEg*o* huMIN, ou DUna-tai ho huiOS poiEIN aph' he-auTOU ouDEN, *but what he sees the Father doing:* an M*E* ti BLEp*e* ton paTEra poiOUNta: *for whatever things HE does, these the Son also does likewise.* ha gar an eKEInos poi*E*, TAUta kai ho huiOS hoMOI*o*s [3668] poiEI. l. 5:20 HE EXPLAINS YET MORE CLEARLY *For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself does:* ho gar paT*E*R phiLEI [5280] ton huiON, kai PANta DEIKnu-sin [1166] auT*O*ha auTOS poiEI: *and greater works than these will he show him, that YOU may marvel.* kai MEIzo-na [3187] TOUt*o*n DEIxei auT*O* ERga, HIna huMEIS thauMAz*e*-te [2296]. m. 5:21 AS THE FATHER - SO THE SON *For just as the Father raises the dead and makes alive, * H*O*sper gar ho paT*E*R eGEIrei tous neKROUS kai z*o*-o-poiEI, *thus the Son also makes alive whom he will.* HOUt*o*s kai ho huiOS hous THElei z*o*-o-poiEI. n. 5:22-23a FATHER'S GIFT OF JUDGMENT TO THE SON *For neither does the Father judge any one, but has given all :judgment to the Son;* ouDE gar ho paT*E*R kriNEI [2919] ouDEna, alLA t*e*n KRIsin [2920] PAsan DEd *o*-ken t*o* hui*O*; 23a* that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.* HIna PANtes tiM*O*si [5091] ton huiON, kaTH*O*S tiM*O*si ton paTEra. o. 5:23b * Who honors not the Son honors not the Father that sent him.* ho m*e* tiM*O*N ton huiON ou tiMA ton paTEra ton PEMpsan-ta auTON. p. 5:24 THE BELIEVER'S HAPPY STATE *Amen, Amen, I say unto you [that],* A-M*E*N, aM*E*N, LEg*o* huMIN [HOti], *who hears my :word, and believes him that sent me,* ho ton LOgon mou aKOU*o*n, kai piSTEU*o*n t*o* PEMpsanTI me, *has eternal life, and comes not into judgment,* Echei z*o*-*E*N ai*O*ni-on, kai eis KRIsin ouk ERche-tai, *but has passed out of :death into :life.* alLA me-taBEb*e*-ken ek tou thaNAtou eis t*e*n z*o*-*E*N. q. 5:25 A PROPHETIC WORD *Amen, Amen, I say unto you, that an hour comes, and now is,* aM*E*N, aM*E*N, leG*O* huMIN, HOti ERche-tai H*O*ra, kai NUN es-tin, *when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of :God, and who hear shall live.* HOte hoi neKROI aKOUsou-sin t*e* ph*o*N*E*S tou huiOU tou TheOU, kai hoi aKOUsan-tes Z*E*sou-sin*.* r. 5:26-27 THE FATHER'S FULLER GIFT TO THE SON *For just as the Father has life in himself, * H*O*Sper gar ho paT*E*R Echei z*o*-*E*N en he-auT*O*, *thus gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:* HOUt*o*s kai t*o* hui*O* Ed*o*-ken z*o*-*E*N Echein en he-auT*O*: 27* and he gave him authority to pass judgment, because he is Son of man.* kai e-xouSIan [1849] Ed*o*-ken auT*O* KRIsin poiEIN, HOti huiOS anTHR*O*pou esTIN. s. 5:28-29 THE RESURRECTION *Marvel not at this: for the hour comes,* m*e* thauMAze-te [2296] TOUto: HOti ERche-tai H*O*ra, *in which all they in the tombs shall hear his :voice,* en h*e* PANtes hoi en tois mn*e*MEIois [3419] aKOUsou-sin t*e*s ph*o*N*E*S auTOU, 29* and shall come forth; who have done the good things,* kai ek-poREUson-tai [1607]; hoi ta a-gaTHA poi*E*san-tes, *unto resurrection of life; who have practiced the evil things, unto resurrection of judgment.* eis aNAsta-sin [386] z*o*-*E*S; hoi ta PHAUla [5337] PRAxan-tes [4238], eis aNAsta-sein KRIse-*o*s. t. 5:30 THE SON: A PERFECT SERVANT TO THE FATHER *I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge:* Ou DUna-mai eG*O* poiEIN ap' e-mauTOU ouDEN: kaTH*O*S aKOU*o*, KRIn*o*: *and :my :judgment is righteous;* kai h*e* KRIsis h*e* eM*E* diKAIa esTIN; *because I seek not MY :will, but the will of him that sent me.* HOti ou z*e*T*O* to THEl*e*-ma to eMON, alLA to THEl*e*-ma tou PEMpsanTOS me. *NOTE**: *In the Spring of 1945 I was drafted from HMCS Naden near Victoria, BC, to HMCS Cornwallis, near Digby, Nova Scotia. There as a sailor I met an Anglican clergyman who discovered I had recently become a Christian believer. He asked me what I found most challenging in the New Testament. I told him - ?The epistles of Paul, especially that of Romans.? He replied, ?Son, I urge you to spend *much* time in the Gospels. Learn the direct words of Jesus. See and meditate on what He has said. You will then find that your Christian life will become solidly based. Then go on to the epistles.? When one reads the passage of John 5:1-30 above, it is easy to see the wisdom of my clergyman friend, who counseled me. What a joy it has been - preparing the Interlinear Greek NT on the Gospel of John. I will then go to Matthew, Mark and Luke, which for me will complete this wonderful and blessed assignment from the Lord. John is the spiritual Gospel of the Son of God, with the perspective of the eyesight of an eagle. Matthew describes Jesus as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Gospel with so many quotations from the OT, that it especially appeals to Jews. Mark is the Gospel of Jesus as the Son of Man and servant of the Father, and appeals to the Roman type of character. Here He is symbolized as a servant by the ?ox?. Luke is the Gospel of the Son of Man, with a special regard for women, and appeals to the Greek type of mind. How wise God was to have 4 different types of men record the earthly life of His only begotten Son - in whom He was *well-pleased*! Luke was a Greek convert to Christianity, and a part of the One New Man. The section of John above shows the increasing animosity of the Jewish religious leaders of that day to Jesus, who so clearly refuted their traditions that made void the Word of God, - and who despised the needs of the common people. American political leaders would do well to look into this Gospel, and see how they make void the wisdom of our early Founding Fathers, and how they arrogantly fail to listen to the cries of the hurting common people. Just see how the healing of this lame man by Jesus on the Sabbath, brought such unjustified criticism upon Him, and showed such little compassion for the poor healed man. Nothing Jesus said really got through to these blind and biased leaders, who had forgotten the real call of God upon them from the beginning of their nation. The lessons of this passage are innumerable. Let us read and meditate upon the sentences and subdivisions. Truly the Spirit *will* speak to our spirits, and illuminate our hearts and minds. Some have asked: What Greek text do you use in this Interlinear? It is not the Textus Receptus, Westcott & Hort, or any other of the 6 major Greek manuscripts. It is the Bible Numeric Greek text produced by Ivan Panin beginning in 1890 and completed approximately 1940, 2 years before his death. He spent 50 years and 100,000 hours through Bible Numerics in perfecting a Greek text the same as the original - no copy. God also allowed Ivan Panin to discover through Bible Numerics the sentence and paragraph structure of the NT, which I have used in outlining the entire ?* Outlined* Interlinear NT?, using both his Greek and English texts. To understand the marvel of Bible Numerics that God worked into His Bible 4000 years ago in Hebrew; and 3000 years ago in Greek; turn to our Website * * and click on ?Archives?. Then scroll down to 2011-01-02 ?Cutting Edge Ministries on Panin?. Here you will find a challenging, brief historical account of the remarkable discoveries of Ivan Panin. - J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue Apr 24 11:39:27 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:39:27 -0700 Subject: John 11:17-53 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 24, 2012 *(From: JOHN #26 - 11:17-53)* 2. 11:17-44 RELATION OF INDIGNATION TO RESURRECTION a. 11:17* :Jesus therefore came and found that he had been in the tomb four days already.* El-TH*O*N oun ho I*e*SOUS HEUren auTON TESsaras *E*d*e* h*e*MEras Echon-ta en t*o* mn*e*MEI*o* [3419]. b. 11:18-19 THE STATE OF BETHANY *Now Bethany was nigh to :Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off;* *e*n de B*e*-thaNIa egGUS t*o*n Ie-ro-soLUm*o*n, h*o*s aPO staDI*o*n [4712]DEka PENte; 19* and many of the Jews had come to :Martha and Mariam,* polLOI de ek t*o*n IouDAI*o*n e-l*e*LUthei-san pros t*e*n MARthan kai Ma-riAM, *to console them concerning their brother.* HIna pa-ra-muTH*E*s*o*n-tai [3888] auTAS peRI tou a-delPHOU. c. 11:20 MARTHA MEETS JESUS FIRST *:Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming,* h*e* oun MARtha, h*o*s *E*kou-sin HOti ho I*e*SOUS ERche-tai, *met him: but Mariam still sat in the house.* huP*E*Nt*e*-sen auT*O*: Ma-riAM de en t*o* OIk*o* e-kaTHEze-to. d. 11:21 * :Martha therefore said unto Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my :brother had not died.* EIpen oun h*e* MARtha pros I*e*SOUN, KUri-e, ei *e*s H*O*de, ouk an aPEtha-nen ho a-delPHOS mou. e. 11:22 * And now I know that, whatever you shall ask of :God, :God will give you.* kai nun OIda HOti, HOsa an aiT*E*s*e* ton TheON, D*O*sei soi ho TheOS. f. 11:23* :Jesus said to her, Your :brother shall rise again.* LEgei auT*E* ho I*e*SOUS, A-naST*E*se-tai [450] ho a-delPHOS sou. g. 11:24* :Martha said to him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.* LEgei auT*O* h*e* MARtha, OIda HOti a-naST*E*se-tai en t*e* a-naSTAsei [386], en t*e* esCHAt*e* h*e*MEra. h. 11:25-26a CHRIST - THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE *:Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life:* EIpen auT*E* ho I*e*SOUS, E-G*O* ei-mi h*e* aNAsta-sis, kai h*e* z*o*-*E* [2222]: *who believes unto me shall live, even if he die; 26a and every one* ho piSTEU*o*n eis eME, ka' 'n a-poTHAn*e* Z*E*se-tai [2198]; kai pas *who lives and believes unto me shall nowise die unto the age.* ho z*o*n kai PiSTEU*o*n eis eME ou m*e* a-poTHAn*e* [599] eis ton ai*O*na. i. 11:26b * Do you believe this? ** *piSTEUeis TOUto? j. 11:27 MARTHA EXPRESSES HER FAITH IN CHRIST *She said to him, Yes, Lord: I have believed that you are the Christ,* LEgei auT*O*, Nai, KUri-e: eG*O* pePIsteu-ka HOti su ei ho ChrisTOS, *the Son of :God, even he that comes into the world.* ho huiOS tou TheOU, ho eis ton KOSmon erCHOme-nos. k. 11:28 MARTHA GOES FOR MARY *And when she had said this, she went away,* kai TOUto eiPOUsa, aP*E*Lthen, *and called Mariam her :sister secretly saying,* kai ePH*O*n*e*-sen Ma-riAM t*e*n a-delPH*E*N auT*E*S LAthra EIpa-sa, *The Teacher is here, and calls you.* Ho diDAska-los PAre-stin, kai ph*o*NEI se. l. 11:29* And SHE, when she heard it, arose quickly, and went unto him.* eKEIn*e* de, h*o*s *E*kou-sen, *e*GERth*e* taCHU [5035], kai *E*Rche-to pros auTON. m. 11:30 JESUS APPROACHES BETHANY *(Now :Jesus was not yet come into the village,* (OUp*o* de e-l*e*LUthei ho I*e*SOUS eis t*e*n K*O*m*e*n, *and was still in the place where :Martha met him.)* all' *e*n Eti en t*o* TOp*o* HOpou huP*E*Nt*e*-sen auT*O* h*e* MARtha.) n. 11:31 THE JEWS FOLLOW MARY *The Jews then who were with her in the house, and consoling her,* hoi oun IouDAIoi hoi ONtes met' auT*E*S en t*e* oiKIa, kai pa-ra-muTHOUme-noi [3888] auT*E*N, *when they saw :Mariam that she rose up quickly and went out,* Idon-tes t*e*n Ma-riAM HOti taCHE*o*s aNESt*e* kai eX*E*Lthen, *followed her, supposing that she was going unto the tomb to wail there.* *e*-koLOUth*e*-san [190] auT*E*, DOxan-tes HOti huPAgei eis to mn*e*MEIon HIna KLAUs*e* [2799] eKEI. o. 11:32 MARY SHARES HER DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE DELAY OF JESUS *:Mariam therefore, when she came where Jesus was,* h*e* oun MaRIam, h*o*s *E*Lthen HOpou *e*n I*e*SOUS, *and** saw him, fell down at his :feet, saying to him, Lord,* iDOUsa auTON, Epe-sen auTOU pros tous POdas, LEgou-sa auT*O*, KUri-e, *if you had been here, my :brother had not died.* ei h*e*s H*O*de, ouk AN mou aPEtha-nen ho a-delPHOS. p. 11:33-34a THIS TROUBLES JESUS *When Jesus therefore saw her wailing,* I*e*SOUS oun h*o*s EIden auT*E*N KLAIou-san, *and the Jews also wailing who came with her,* kai tous su-nelTHONtas auT*E* IouDAIous KLAIon-tas, *he was indignant in spirit and troubled himself, *34a* and said, * a-ne-briM*E*sa-to [1690] t*o* PNEUma-ti kai eTAra-xen [5015] he-auTON, kai EIpen, *Where have you laid him?* Pou teTHEIka-te auTON? q. 11:34b* They say to him, Lord, come and see.* LEgou-sin auT*O*, KUri-e, ERchou kai Ide. r. 11:35* :Jesus wept. ** *eDAkru-sen [1145] ho I*e*SOUS. s. 11:36 * The Jews therefore said, See how he loved him!* Ele-gon oun hoi IouDAIoi, Ide p*o*s ePHIlei [5318] auTON! t. 11:37 THE JEWS ALSO QUESTION THE ACTION OF JESUS *But some of them said, Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man,* tiNES de ex auT*O*N EIpan, Ouk eDUna-to HOUtos, ho aNOIxas tous oph-thalMOUS tou tuphLOU, *have done so that this man also should not die?* poi*E*sai HIna kai HOUtos m*e* a-poTHAn*e*? u. 11:38a* Jesus therefore again indignant within himself came to the tomb. * I*e*SOUS oun PAlin em-briM*O*me-nos [1690] en he-auT*O* ERche-tai eis to mn* e*MEIon. v. 11:38b* Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it.* *e*n de SP*E*lai-on [4693], kai LIthos ePEkei-to ep' auT*O*. w. 11:39a * :Jesus said, Take you away the stone.* LEgei ho I*e*SOUS, Ara-te [142] ton LIthon [3037]. x. 11:39b THIS COMMAND OF JESUS TROUBLES MARTHA *Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, * LEgei auT*O* h*e* a-delPH*E* tou te-te-leu-t*e*KOtos [2348], MARtha, *Lord, he already stinks, for he is dead four days.* KUri-e, *E*d*e* Ozei [3605], te-tarTAIos GAR es-tin. y. 11:40 JESUS QUESTIONS MARTHA *:Jesus said to her, Did I not say to you, * LEgei auT*E* ho I*e*SOUS, Ouk EIpon soi, *that if you believe, you should see the glory of :God?* HOti eAN piSTEUs*e*s, Ops*e* t*e*n DOxan [1391] tou TheOU? z. 11:41a* They took away therefore the stone. ** **E*ran oun ton LIthon. aa. 11:41b THE PRAYER OF JESUS *And :Jesus lifted up his :eyes, and said, * ho de I*e*SOUS *E*ren tous oph-thalMOUS An*o*, kai EIpen, *Father, I thank you that you heard me.* PAter, eu-cha-riST*O* [2168] soi HOti *E*kouSAS mou. bb. 11:42 HIS CONFIDENCE IN HIS FATHER *And I knew that you hear me always: but because of the crowd that stands around I said it,* eG*O* de *E*dein HOti PANtoTE mou aKOUeis: alLA diA ton OCHlon ton pe-ri-eST *O*ta [4026] EIpon, *that they may believe that you did send me.* HIna piSTEUs*o*-sin HOti SU me aPEstei-las [649]. cc. 11:43 * And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.* kai TAUta eiP*O*N, ph*o*N*E* meGAl*e* [3173] eKRAUga-sen [2905], LAza-re, DEUro Ex*o*. dd. 11:44a THE UNUSUAL RESURRECTION *The dead man came forth, bound :hand and :foot with grave-clothes;* eX*E*Lthen ho teth-n*e*K*O*S [2348], de-deMEnos [1210] tous POdas kai tas CHEIras keiRIais [2750]; *and his :face was bound about with a napkin.* kai h*e* Opsis [3799] auTOU sou-daRI*o* [4676] pe-ri-eDEde-to [4019]. ee. 11:44b* :Jesus said to them, Loose him, and let him go.* LEgei auTOIS ho I*e*SOUS, LUsa-te [3089] auTON, kai Aphe-te [863] auTON huPAgein [5217]. 3. 11:45-46 DIVISION AGAIN a. 11:45 BELIEF OF MANY JEWS: RESULT OF THIS RESURRECION *Many therefore of the Jews, who came unto :Mariam* PolLOI oun ek t*o*n IouDAI*o*n, hoi elTHONtes pros t*e*n Ma-riAM *and beheld what he did, believed unto him.* kai the-aSAme-noi ho ePOI*e*-sen, ePIsteu-san eis auTOU. b. 11:46 REPORT TO THE PHARISEES *But some of them went away unto the Pharisees, * tiNES de ex auT*O*N aP*E*Lthon pros tous Pha-riSAIous, *and told them what things Jesus had done.* kai EIpan auTOIS ha ePOI*e*-sen ho I*e*SOUS. 4. 11:47-53 DIE IS CAST: DEATH FOR JESUS IS SURE a. 11:47 THE SANHEDRIN SEEKS A RESPONSE *The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees* SuN*E*ga-gon [4863] oun hoi ar-chi-eREIS [749] kai hoi Pha-riSAIoi [5330] *gathered a Sanhedrin, and said, What do we? because this :man does many signs.* suNEdri-on [4892], kai Ele-gon, Ti poiOUmen? HOti HOUtos ho ANthr*o*-pos polLA poiEI s*e*MEIa. b. 11:48 THEIR CONCERN IF JESUS IS NOT STOPPED *If we let him thus alone, all will believe on him:* eAN aPH*O*men auTON HOUt*o*s, PANtes piSTEUsou-sin eis auTON: *and the Romans will come and take away both our :place and :nation.* kai eLEUson-tai hoi 'R*o*MAIoi [4514] kai aROUsin [142] h*e*M*O*N kai ton TOpon kai to ETHnos. c. 11:49-50 THE PROPHECY OF CAIAPHAS *But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest of that :year,* heis DE tis ex auT*O*N, KaiAphas, ar-chi-eREUS [749] *o*n tou e-ni-anTOU [1763] eKEInou, *said to them, YOU know nothing at all,* 50 *nor consider* EIpen auTOIS, HuMEIS ouk OIda-te ouDEN, ouDE loGIzes-the *that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people,* HOti sumPHErei huMIN HIna heis ANthr*o*-pos a-poTHAn*e* huPER tou laOU, *and the whole nation perish not.* kai m*e* HOlon to ETHnos aPOl*e*-tai [822]. d. 11:51-52 THE PROPHETIC COUNSEL OF CAIAPHAS *Now this he said not of himself: but being high priest of that :year,* TOUto de aph' he-auTOUouk EIpen: alLA ar-chi-eREUS *o*n tou e-ni-auTOU eKEInou, *he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation;* e-proPH*E*teu-sen [4395] HOti Emel-len [3195] I*e*SOUS a-poTHN*E*skein huPER tou ETHnous; 52* and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather* kai ouch huPER tou ETHnous MOnon, all' HIna kai ta TEKna [5043] *into one the children of :God that are scattered abroad.* tou TheOU ta di-e-skor-pisMEna [1287] su-naGAg*e* [4863] eis hen. e. 11:53* From that :day on therefore they took counsel to kill him.* Ap' eKEIn*e*s oun t*e*s h*e*MEras e-bouLEUsan-to [4823] HIna a-pokTEIn*o*-sin [615] auTON. *NOTE**: *In one sense, it is scarcely necessary to write a Note. The Reason is - that the ?outline? inserted into the Interlinear text is almost self-explanatory. The idea for these outlines came to me first in 1945, after I ordered and received the 20 books or so either ?by? or ?on? Ivan Panin. When I read his introduction to his Greek Bible Numeric text, I found that Bible Numerics not only establishes what was the ?original? Greek Text from among 7 quite complete NT Greek Manuscript copies, plus thousands of fragments - but also it establishes what are *true* sentences, sub-divisions, paragraphs and sections (chapter equivalents). I like to summarize, and thought - What if I summarize each sentence; gather these summaries into the sub-divisions; the sub-divisions into paragraphs; the paragraphs into section, and the sections into Books - What would I discover? What might be for me the first of the 27 NT books to put to this test? Why not Ephesians? I was so amazed at the result, that I was ?hooked?. I typed up the entire Numeric English NT, and hand-wrote the complete Greek text underneath clause by clause. Then I summarized the entire NT. I used Roman Numerals - for the Sections, or chapter equivalents. Capital Letters - for Paragraphs Arabic numbers - for Sub-divisions Lower Case letters for Sentences This produced an *entirely different flavor* for each book of the NT! Check this out with the section above. It does *not* follow the regular Chapter and Verse division as found in our King James and other translations. To confirm the *great importance* of this discovery by Panin through Bible Numerics - I received help in University summaries in 1946 through Jock Davidson, a fellow student at St. Andrews College of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was amused at my ?grousing? because I wasn't receiving the grades in University subjects I felt I was capable of. He offered: ?Come up to my room, give me an hour of your time - and I'll show you how to lift all your present grades by a full point. If you have a ?C? - it will become a ?B?; if a ?B? - an ?A?; if an ?A?, and ?A+?. I could scarcely believe him, but I thought, ?I can afford an hour to give it a trial.? ?First of all?, he said, ?when you take notes on class subjects, leave the upper ? of the right hand page blank. At the end of the day, summarize the left and right page into that corner. Two weeks before the exam, summarize the summary, and memorize it. ?When the exam comes up, and it says, Choose any 5 of the following 7 question, and answer fully in essay type answer, *Don't* start answering immediately. Instead, *outline* each of the 5 question you choose, leaving a space for the fuller answer later on. When all 5 are summarized, then go back to question one and start answering in essay style. If you don't finish this stage, not to worry. The professor will see by your summaries and the two or three answers you complete, that you know what you are doing. He'll be so glad that he doesn't have to read all 5 short essays, that he'll in gratitude give you an ?A?! ?Summarize text books in the same manner as the lecture notes. ?For term papers, make a careful outline of the development you plan to use. Then write it up according to the outline at the top.? Then he said ?Of course, I myself don't follow this plan rigidly.? His room-mate piped up, ?O yes he does! He's like a slave to the above!? I followed Jock's above 4 suggestions, won 3 scholarship the next semester, and graduated ?cum laude? (with honor). I could hardly believe it! I have taught over 1000 students the above, and many of them can testify of similar results. ?But? - and this is a *big* but - when you carefully follow Panin's Bible Numerics method of outlining the 27 books of the NT - you will be awarded by God a ?summa cum laude? - a graduation *with* *great* *honor*! Then you won't need a *NOTE* to give understanding of difficult passages. This Outline Method of summarizing the 27 NT Books - will be its own reward! As you can see, I leave a space above my summaries. By all means cross out any of mine that don't sit well with you, and substitute them with your own! You will never be the same again. We together will start to think God's thoughts after Him, and indeed enter into the mind of Christ. Especially when we take God's challenge to Joshua in 1:8, and read *aloud*these sentences and summaries, and meditate over them - even kneeling before God as we do so. George Muller did this. George Whitefield too. I do also. Blessings on you as you take this challenge. May we *all* end up in God's sight ?summa cum laude? - graduates with *great* Honor! - J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed Apr 25 08:49:21 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:49:21 -0700 Subject: Matthew 1:1-25 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 25, 2012 *(From: MATTHEW #1 - 1:1-25)* *MATTHEW'S SUMMARY: THE LION OF JUDAH AND HIS KINGDOM* I. 1:1 THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS *A genealogy of Jesus Christ, David's Son, Abraham's Son.* BIBlos [976] geNEse-*o*s [1078] I*e*SOU ChrisTOU, huiOU DauID, huiOU A-braAM. II. 1:2-6a ABRAHAM TO DAVID *Abraham begat :Isaac, Isaac in turn begat :Jacob,* AbraAM eGENn*e*-sen [1080] ton IsaAK, I-saAK de eGENn*e*-sen ton IaK*O*B, *Jacob in turn begat :Judah and his :brethren,* IaK*O*B de eGENn*e*-sen ton IOUdan kai tous a-delPHOUS auTOU, 3* Judah in turn begat :Phares and :Zara of :Thamar,* IOUdas de eGENn*e*-sen ton PhaRES kai ton ZaRA ek t*e*s THAmar, *Phares in turn begat :Hesrom, Hesrom in turn begat :Aram,* PhaRES de eGENn*e*-sen ton HesR*O*M, HesR*O*M de eGENn*e*-sen ton A-RAM, 4* Aram in turn begat :Aminadab, Aminadab in turn begat :Naasson,* A-RAM de eGENn*e*-sen ton A-mi-naDAB, A-mi-naDAB de eGENn*e*-sen ton Na-asS* O*N, *Naasson in turn begat :Salmon, *5* Salmon in turn begat :Boes of :Rachab, * Na-asS*O*N de eGENn*e*-sen ton SalM*O*N, SalM*O*N de eGENn*e*-sen ton BoES ek t*e*s 'RaCHAB, *Boes in turn begat :Iobed of :Ruth, Iobed in turn begat :Jessai,* BoES de eGENn*e*-sen ton I*o*B*E*D ek t*e*s 'Routh, I*o*B*E*D de eGENn*e*-sen ton IesSAI, 6b* Jessai in turn begat :David the king.* IesSAI de eGENn*e*-sen ton DauID ton ba-siLEa. III. 1:6b-11 FROM DAVID TO BABYLON REMOVAL *David in turn begat :Solomon of the wife of :Uriah, *7* Solomon in turn begat :Roboam,* DauID de eGENn*e*-sen ton So-loM*O*na ek t*e*s tou OuRIou, So-loM*O*N de eGENn*e*-sen ton 'Ro-boAM, *Roboam in turn begat :Abija, Abija in turn begat :Asaph,* 'Ro-boAM de eGENn*e*-sen ton AbiA, A-biA de eGENn*e*-sen ton A-SAPH, *8 Asaph in turn begat :Josaphat, Josaphat in turn begat :Joram,* A-SAPH de eGENn*e*-sen ton I*o*-saPHAT, I*o*-saPHAT de eGENn*e*-sen ton I*o* RAM, *Joram in turn begat :Oziah, *9* Oziah in turn begat :Joatham,* I*o*RAM de eGENn*e*-sen ton O-ZIon, O-ZIas de eGENn*e*-sen ton I*o*Atham, *Joatham in turn begat :Achas, Achas in turn begat :Hezekiah,* I*o*Atham de eGENn*e*-sen ton Achas, Achas de eGENn*e*-sen ton He-zeKIan, 10* Hezekiah in turn begat :Manasseh, Manasseh in turn begat :Amos,* He-zeKIas de eGENn*e*-sen ton Ma-nasS*E*, Ma-nasS*E*S de eGENn*e*-sen ton A-M*O*S, *Amos in turn begat :Josiah,* A-M*O*S de eGENn*e*-sen ton I*o*SIan, 11* Josiah in turn begat :Jechoniah and his :brethren* I*o*SIas de eGENn*e*-sen ton Ie-choNIan kai tous a-delPHOUS auTOU *at the time of the Babylon removal.* ePI tes me-toi-keSIas Ba-buLOnos. IV. 1:12-16 FROM BABYLON REMOVAL TO CHRIST *After the Babylon removal Jechoniah in turn begets :Salathiel,* MeTA de t*e*n me-toi-keSIan Ba-buL*O*nas Ie-choNIas genNA [1080] ton Sala-thi*E*L, *Salathiel in turn begets :Zorobabel, *13* Zorobabel in turn begets :Abioud, * Sa-la-thi*E*L de genNA ton Zo-roBAbel, Zo-roBAbel de genNA ton A-biOUD, *Abioud in turn begat :Eliakeim, Eliakeim in turn begat :Azor,* A-biOUD de eGENn*e*-sen [1080] ton E-li-aKEIM, E-li-aKEIM de eGENn*e*-sen ton A-Z*O*R, 14* Azor in turn begat :Sadoc, Sadoc in turn begat :Acheim,* A-Z*O*R de eGENn*e*-sen ton SaD*O*K, SaD*O*K de eGENn*e*-sen ton A-CHEIM, *Acheim in turn begat :Elioud, *15* Elioud in turn begat :Eleazar,* A-CHEIM de eGENn*e*-sen ton E-liOUD, E-liOUD de eGENn*e*-sen ton E-leAzar, *Eleazar in turn begat :Maththan, Maththan in turn begat :Jacob,* E-leAzar de eGENn*e*-sen ton MathTHAN, MathTHAN de eGENn*e*-sen ton IaK*O*B, 16* Jacob in turn begat :Joseph the husband of Mary,* IaK*O*B de eGENn*e*-sen ton I*o*S*E*PH ton ANdra [435] MaRIas, *of whom was begotten Jesus :called Christ.* ex h*e*s e-genN*E*th*e* I*e*SOUS [2424] ho leGOme-nos ChrisTOS [5547]. V. 1:17 SUMMARY OF GENEALOGIES - 42 GENERATIONS *All the generations therefore from Abraham till David are fourteen generations,* PAsai oun hai ge-neAI [1074] aPO AbraAM HE*o*s DauID geneAI DEka TESsa-res, *and from David till the Babylon removal fourteen generations,* kai aPO DauID HE*o*s t*e*s me-toi-keSIas Ba-buL*O*nos ge-neAI DEka TESsa-res, *and from the Babylon removal till the Christ fourteen generations.* kai aPO t*e*s me-toi-keSIas Ba-buL*O*nos HE*o*s tou ChrisTOU ge-neAI DEka TESsa-res. VI. 1:18-25 BIRTH OF JESUS a. 1:18 MARY ENGAGED TO JOSEPH *Now the birth of :Jesus Christ was thus:* Tou de I*e*SOU ChrisTOU h*e* GEne-sis HOUt*o*s *e*n: *His :mother Mary, betrothed to :Joseph, before they came together,* Mn*e*-steuTHEIs*e*s [3423] t*e*s m*e*TROS auTOU MaRIas, t*o* I*o*S*E*PH, prin h*e* su-nelTHEIN [4905] auTOUS, *was found with child of the Holy Spirit.* heuREth*e* [2147] en gasTRI [1064] Echou-sa ek PNEUma-tos [4151] HaGIou [40] . b. 1:19 JOSEPH SOUGHT AN HONORABLE SOLUTION *And Joseph her :husband being righteous, and not willing to make an example of her,* I*o*S*E*PH de ho aN*E*R auT*E*S DIkai-os [1342] *o*n, kai m*e* THEl*o*n auT* E*N deig-maTIsai [1209], *was minded to put her away privately.* e-bouL*E*th*e* [1014] LAthra [2977] a-poLUsai [630] auT*E*N. c. 1:20 BIRTH OF JESUS FORETOLD *But as he thought on these things, lo,* TAUta de auTOU en-thu-m*e*THENtos [1760], iDOU, *the Lord's angel appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph,* AGge-los [32] KuRIou kat' Onar [3677] ePHAn*e* [5316] auT*O*, LEg*o*n, I*o*S *E*PH, *David's Son, do not fear to take to you Mary your :wife:* huiOS DauID, m*e* pho-b*e*TH*E*S [5399] pa-ra-laBEIN [3880] Ma-riAN t*e*n guNAI-KA [1135] sou: *for what is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit.* to gar en auT*E* gen-n*e*THEN [1080] ek PNEUmaTOS es-tin HaGIou. d. 1:21 JESUS IS PRE-NAMED *And she shall bear a son, and you shall call his :name :JESUS;* TExe-tai [5088] de huiON [5207], kai kaLEseis [2564] to Ono-ma [3686] auTOU I*e*SOUN; *for HE shall save his :people from their :sins.* auTOS gar S*O*sei [4982] ton laON [2992] auTOU aPO t*o*n ha-mar-ti*O*N [266]auT *O*N. e. 1:22-23 SCRIPTURE FULFILLED *Now all this is come to pass that it might be fulfilled* TOUto de HOlon GEgo-nen HIna pl*e*-r*o*TH*E* [4137] *which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying,* to 'r*e*THEN [4483] aPO tou KuRIou diA tou proPH*E*tou [4396] LEgon-tos, 23 *Lo, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son,* I-DOU, h*e* parTHEnos [3933] en gaSTRI HExei, kai TExe-tai [5088] huiON, *And they shall call his :name Emmanuel;* kai kaLEsou-sin to Ono-ma [3686] auTOU Em-ma-nou*E*L [1694]; *which being interpreted is, :God with us.* HO es-tin me-ther-m*e*-neuOme-non [3177], Meth' h*e*M*O*N ho TheOS. f. 1:24-25 JESUS BORN *And :Joseph arose from his :sleep* e-gerTHEIS [1326] de ho I*o*SEPH aPO tou HUPnou [5258] *and did as the Lord's angel commanded him, and took to him his :wife,* ePOI*e*-sen h*o*s proSEta-xen [4367] auT*O* ho AGge-los KuRIou, kai paREla-ben t*e*n guNAIka auTOU, 25* and knew her not till she had borne a son; and he called his :name JESUS.* kai ouk eGIn*o*-sken auT*E*N HE*o*s hou Ete-ken huiON; kai eKAle-sen to Ono-ma auTOU I*e*SOUN. *NOTE**: *Matthew 1 is different from any other of the 260 chapters in the NT. According to the sentence, paragraph and section structure revealed by Bible Numerics and discovered and utilized by Ivan Panin, this chapter has *six sections* of chapter equivalents! What might God be trying to tell us here? Many folk are not too interested in Bible Genealogies. Think of 1 Chronicles and its first 10 chapters! How many who read the Bible through in a Year - skip these? Yet - God has something to say by His Spirit concerning our DNA. First of all - we are *all* one family in Adam - fallen through him to be sure - but Redeemed by Jesus Christ through His blood of the Cross! And each one of us who have heard His call - and responded - now find ourselves in the ?One New Man?! Here there is neither Jew nor Gentile, male nor female, rich or poor - but *all* brethren in this New Jerusalem, Christ's Heavenly Bride! Matthew 1 shows Christ's Genealogy through Joseph, His legal - but not natural father. Luke shows His genealogy through Mary - through Solomon's brother Nathan. So Jesus is Son of Abraham, Son of David, Son of God! He is God's only begotten Son, our Elder Brother, and the only Savior of the world! I am interested in genealogies to a point - but I *do* find these 42 generations in Matthew as leading to Christ - to be fascinating - and to bear thoughtful meditation. There is another thought that impressed me here. Before Jesus was born - God gave His Name to Joseph. Jesus is the eighth Bible personage named prior to Birth! An angel of the Lord named Abraham's first son through the Egyptian Hagar - and called him ?Ishmael: God hears? (Genesis 16:10)! God heard Hagar's prayer, and answered. But Ishmael was not God's design for Abraham's inheritance, but a son through his wife Sarah! God told Abraham that the son through Sarah was to be called ?Isaac - laughter? (Genesis 1:19) - and the covenant would be established through him, not Ishmael. God's choice prior to Christ was the Jewish nation of Israel, promised 4000 years ago. And *we* as Gentiles have been grafted into the root of Israel, and enjoy and share with them the 8-fold blessings of Romans 9:4-5. Solomon, 1 Chronicles 22:9; Josiah, 325 years before birth, 2 Kings 13:2, 2 Kings 22:1; Maher-shalal-hashbaz, Isaiah 8:1-3; Cyrus, 175 years before birth (Isaiah 44:18-45); John the Baptist, Luke 1:13; 60-63 - these are the others named before birth. It is fitting that Jesus is the 8th of this special group. He arose from the dead on the *eighth* day! His letter/number equivalent in the Greek is 888! Old things are completed with 7 - but new beginnings start with 8! Look at these. Consider them. Ask God about them. Seek *His* thinking of significance concerning them. But major on the last of these 8. It is *Jesus* that takes *pre-eminence* over all that precedes. And this chapter, Matthew 1, introduces us to God's Son, and God's thinking surrounding His Son. J.A.Watt * * *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu Apr 26 09:35:51 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:35:51 -0700 Subject: Matthew 16:1-20 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 26, 2012 *(From: MATTHEW #26 - 16:1-20) * E. 16:1-12 WARNING AGAINST PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES 1. 16:1-4 THE SIGN OF JONAH FOR CARPERS a. 16:1 JEWISH LEADERS SEEK A SIGN *And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and trying him* Kai pro-selTHONtes hoi Pha-riSAIoi kai Sad-douKAIoi, peiRAzon-tes* *[3985] *asked him to show them a sign from :heaven.* e-p*e*R*O*t*e*-san [1905] auTON s*e*MEIon [4592] ek tou ou-raNOU e-piDEIxai [1925] auTOIS. b. 16:2 WEATHER FORECAST FOR EVENING *But he answered and said to them, When it is evening,* ho de a-po-kriTHEIS EIpen auTOIS, O-PSIas ge-noMEn*e*s, *you say, Fair weather: for the heaven is red.* LEge-te, EuDIa [2115]: purRAzei [4449] gar ho ou-raNOS. c. 16:3a* And in the morning, Foul weather today: for the heaven is red and lowering.* kai pr*o*I, S*E*me-ron cheiM*O*N [5494]: purRAzei gar stugNAz*o*n [4768] ho ou-raNOS. d. 16:3b WEATHER FORECASTING FAILS IN SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT *You know how to discern the face of the heaven;* to men PROs*o*-pon tou ou-raNOU giN*O*ske-te di-aKRInein [1252]; *but you cannot discern the signs of the seasons.* ta de s*e*MEIa t*o*n kaiR*O*N [2540] ou DUnas-the. e. 16:4a DESIRE FOR SIGNS : INDICATION OF AN EVIL GENERATION! *An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign;* ge-neA po-n*e*RA kai moi-chaLIS [3428] s*e*MEIon e-pi-z*e*TEI; *and no sign shall be given it, but the sign of Jonah.* kai s*e*MEIon ou doTH*E*se-tai auT*E*, ei m*e* to s*e*MEIon I*o*NA. f. 16:4b * And he left them, **and** departed. ** *kai ka-ta-liP*O*N [2641]auTOUS, aP *E*Lthen. 2. 16:5-12 BEWARE OF LEAVEN OF SCRIBES AND PHARISEES a. 16:5* And the disciples came to the other side and forgot to take loaves. * Kai elTHONtes hoi ma-th*e*TAI eis to PEran e-peLAthon-to [1950] ARtous laBEIN. b. 16:6 JESUS WARNS DISCIPLES OF FALSE LEAVEN *And :Jesus said to them, Take heed and beware* ho de I*e*SOUS EIpen auTOIS, HoRAte [3708] kai proSEche-te [4337] *of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.* aPO t*e*s ZUm*e*s [2219] t*o*n Pha-riSAI*o*n kai Sad-douKAI*o*n. c. 16:7* And they reasoned among themselves, saying [that], We took no loaves.* hoi de di-e-loGIzon-to [1260] en he-auTOIS, LEgon-tes [HOti], ARtous ouk eLAbo-men. d. 16:8 JESUS REBUKES THEIR MISUNDERSTANDING *And :Jesus perceiving it said, You of little faith,* gnous de ho I*e*SOUS EIpen, Ti di-a-loGIzes-the, *why do you reason among yourselves, because you have no loaves?* en he-auTOIS, o-liGOpi-stoi [3640], HOti ARtous ouk Eche-te? e. 16:9 JESUS REASONS WITH THEM *Do you not yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves* OUp*o* noEIte, ouDE mn*e*-moNEUe-te [3421] tous PENte ARtous *of the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?* t*o*n pen-ta-kis-chiLI*o*n, kai POsous koPHInous [2894] eLAbe-te? f. 16:10 * Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many hampers you took up?* ouDE tous hepTA ARtous t*o*n te-tra-kis-chiLI*o*n, kai POsas sphuRIdas [4711] eLAbe-te? g. 16:11a* How do you not perceive that I spoke not to you concerning loaves?* p*o*s ou noEIte HOti ou peRI ARt*o*n EIpon huMIN? h. 16:11b* But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.* proSEche-te [4337] de aPO t*e*s ZUm*e*s t*o*n Pha-riSAI*o*n kai Sad-douKAI*o *n. i. 16:12 DISCIPLES FINALLY GET THE POINT *Then they understood that he bade them beware not of the leaven* TOte suN*E*kan [4920] HOti ouk EIpen proSEchein aPO t*e*s ZUm*e*s *of the loaves, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.* t*o*n ARt*o*n, alLA aPO t*e*s di-daCH*E*S [1322] t*o*n Pha-riSAI*o*n kai Sad-douKAI*o*n. F. 16:13-20 THE IDENTITY OF JESUS AND HIS PURPOSE a. 16:13 JESUS SEEKS FROM HIS DISCIPLES HOW *OTHERS* IDENTIFY HIM *Now when :Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea :Philippi,* ElTH*O*N de ho I*e*SOUS eis ta MEr*e* Kai-saRIas t*e*s PhiLIPpou, *he asked his :disciples, saying,* *e*R*O*ta tous ma-th*e*TAS auTOU, LEg*o*n, *Who do :men say that the Son of :man is?* TIna LEgou-sin hoi ANthr*o*-poi EInai ton huiON tou anTHR*O*pou? b. 16:14 THE VARIOUS IDENTIFICATIONS MEN ATTEMPTED FOR JESUS *And they said, Some say John the Baptist; and some Elijah; * hoi de EIpan, Hoi men I*o*An*e*n ton bap-tisT*E*N; ALloi de *E*-LEIan; *and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.* HEte-roi de, Ie-reMIan, *e* HEna t*o*n pro-ph*e*T*O*N. c. 16:15* He says to them, But who do YOU say that I am?* LEgei auTOIS, HuMEIS de TIna me LEge-te EInai? d. 16:16 * And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living :God.* A-po-kriTHEIS de SIm*o*n PEtros EIpen, Su ei ho ChrisTOS, ho huiOS tou TheOU tou Z*O*Ntos [2198]. e. 16:17 JESUS REVEALS THE SOURCE OF PETER'S DISCERNMENT *And :Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you,* a-po-kriTHEIS de ho I*e*SOUS EIpen auT*O*, MaKAri-os [3107] ei, *Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you,* SIm*o*n Ba-ri-*o*NA: HOti sarx kai HAIma ouk a-peKAluPSEN soi, *but my :Father who is in the heavens.* all' ho paT*E*R mou ho en tois ou-raNOIS. f. 16:18 JESUS REVEALS THE FOUNDATION AND TRIUMPH OF HIS CHURCH *And I also say unto you, that you are Peter,* ka' 'G*O* DE soi LEg*o*, HOti su ei PEtros [4074], *and upon this :rock I will build my :church* kai ePI TAUt*e* t*e* PEtra [4073] oi-ko-doM*E*s*o* [3618] mou t*e*n ek-kl*e*SIan [1577] *and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.* kai PUlai [4439] HAdou [86] ou ka-tiSCHUsou-sin [2729] auT*E*S. g. 16:19 THE AUTHORITY JESUS DELEGATES TO PETER AND DISCIPLES *I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens; and whatever you shall bind on the earth* D*O*s*o* soi tas KLEIdas [2807] t*e*s ba-siLEIas [932] t*o*n ou-raN*O*N; kai ho eAN D*E*s*e*s [1210] ePI t*e*s g*e*s *shall be bound in the heavens; and whatever you shall loose* EStai de-deMEnon en tois ou-raNOIS; kai ho eAN LUs*e*s [3089] *on the earth shall be loosed in the heavens.* ePI t*e*s g*e*s EStai le-luMEnon en tois ou-raNOIS. h. 16:20 * Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no one that he is the Christ.* TOte e-peTIm*e*-sen tois ma-th*e*TAIS HIna m*e*-deNI EIp*o*-sin HOti auTOS es-tin ho ChrisTOS. *NOTE**: *Unbelievers like the Pharisees and Sadducees are to be avoided, especially their teaching! It is like leaven! And leaven in the Bible usually has a connotation of *evil*! My background was in this type of environment. I did not hear the Gospel clearly presented until *after* I became a Christian! We will do well to heed Jesus' warning concerning these types of teachers. Those who take away from the Word of God (Sadducees), and those who *add* to God's Word (Pharisees) - *they* are modern versions of such false teachers. 3 times in the Bible God warns of these latter (Deuteronomy, Proverbs and Revelation). It is interesting to note the questions of Jesus to His disciples concerning His identity. The general answers given by His disciples did not satisfy Him. He wanted *their* direct answer as to His identity. Peter by direct revelation of the Spirit of the Father received the answer Jesus desired. He was the *Christ*, the *Messiah* to come, the *Son* of the living God! What a revelation! And Jesus *confirmed* that this was what He was looking for! He pronounced a blessing upon Peter in the light of this revelation. Now 16:18 has been a verse with a number of interpretations by scholars. It seems that the majority feel that the revelation God gave Peter concerning His Son - as a *confession*, was the ?rock? upon which Jesus would build His church. However, the use of the two Greek words for ?rock? might offer another outlook. The word Peter is ?PEtros?, meaning ?a little rock?. The rock upon which Jesus said He would build His church is ?PEtra?, a large rock. Off the Province of Newfoundland and the great fishing banks off the shores of New England, are the ?Grand Banks?, or ?PEtra?. Upon it are numbers of smaller rocks, ?PEtros?. Jesus Himself can be likened to the Grand Banks - ?PEtra?, and we like Peter are living stones built upon Him, to form a Living Temple of Living Stones, with Jesus the Chief Corner Stone, and also the coming Capstone, the Alpha and Omega. It is true, that each living stone needs to receive Spirit revelation from the Father - but I tend to favor this latter view. Further, not only Peter, but all true living stones receive the keys of the Kingdom. As we faithfully proclaim the Gospel as Peter did, it becomes a key to open the door to the Kingdom of God. In 16:19 the ?Williams? translation of the NT is perhaps closer to the truth here than almost all others. It reads, ?Whatever you shall bind on earth, must already in the mind of God *have been bound* in heaven (Perfect Passive Participle); and whatever you shall loose on the earth must already *have been loosed*(Perfect Passive Participle) in heaven. This translation requires us to live close enough to God, that knowing His mind, we can *then* boldly proclaim on earth *His* desire, and it *shall*be done. This is quite a different perspective in the use of the keys of the Kingdom. It makes *us* the water-boys of God, not God *our* water-boy. I am not dogmatic on this point, but I personally favor it, and personally follow it. George Muller, Rees Howells and Oswald Chambers did also. I, like them, can be *bold* in my faith, when I know the mind of God. See 1 John 5:14-15 - *?And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his :will, he hears us; 15 and if we knowthat he hears us whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.?* Our *boldness* here comes when we ask *anything* *according to Hiswill *! This fully accords with the Williams translation of Matthew 16:19. - J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri Apr 27 12:41:00 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:41:00 -0700 Subject: Mark 1:1-8 Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 27, 2012 *(From: MARK #1 - 1:1-8)* *MARK - SUMMARY: THE GOSPEL OF SERVICE AND POWER* I. 1:1-8 THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST - INTRODUCTION a. 1:1* A beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.* ArCH*E* [746] tou eu-ag-geLIou [2098] I*e*SOU ChrisTOU. b. 1:2-4 JOHN PREPARES FOR JESUS BY A REPENTANCE MESSAGE *Even** as **it is written in :Isaiah the prophet:* KaTH*O*S GEgrap-tai en t*o* *E*-SAIa t*o* proPH*E*t*e* [4396]: *Lo, I send my :messenger before your face,* I-DOU, a-poSTELl*o* ton AGgeLON [32] mou pro proS*O*pou [4383] sou, *Who shall prepare your :way; *3* A voice of one crying in the wilderness,* hos ka-ta-skeuAsei [2680] t*e*n hoDON [3598] sou; ph*o*N*E* [5456] bo*O*Ntos [994] en t*e* eR*E*m*o* [2048], *Make you ready the way of the Lord, Make his :paths straight;-* He-toiMAsa-te [2090] t*e*n hoDON KuRIou, euTHEIas [2117] poiEIte tas TRIbous [5147] auTOU;- 4 *John came, who was baptizing in the wilderness and preaching* eGEne-to I*o*An*e*s, ho bapTIz*o*n [907] en t*e* eR*E*m*o* k*e*RUSs*o*n [2784] *a baptism of repentance unto remission of sins.* BAPtis-ma [908] me-taNOIas [3341] eis Aphe-sin [859] ha-mar-ti*O*N [266]. c. 1:5 THE WIDE RESULTS OF JOHN'S MESSAGE *And all the country of Judea went out unto him,* kai e-xe-poREUe-to pros auTON PAsa h*e* IouDAIa CH*O*ra [5561], *and all they of Jerusalem; and were baptized of him* kai hoi Ie-ro-so-luMEItai PANtes; kai e-bapTIzon-to hup' auTOU *in the river Jordan, confessing their :sins.* en t*o* IorDAn*e* po-taM*O* [4215], e-xo-mo-loGOUme-noi [1843] tas ha-marTIas auT*O*N. d. 1:6 JOHN'S FOOD AND CLOTHING *And :John was clothed with camel's hair* kai *e*n ho I*o*An*e*s en-de-duMEnos [1746] TRIchas [2359] kaM*E*lou [2574] *and a leather girdle about his :loin; and was eating locusts and wild honey.* kai Z*O*n*e*n der-maTIn*e*n [1193] peRI t*e*n osPHUN [3751] auTOU; kai ESth* o*n aKRIdas kai MEli Agri-on. e. 1:7 JOHN HIGHLY EXALTS JESUS *And he preached, saying, After me comes the one mightier than I, the latchet* kai eK*E*rus-sen, LEg*o*n, ERche-tai ho i-schuROteROS [2478] mou oPIs*o*mou, hou ouk eiMI hi-kaNOS *of whose :shoes I am not fit to stoop down and unloose.* KUpsas [2955] LUsai [3089] ton hiMANta [2438] t*o*n hu-po-d*e*MAt*o*n [5266]auTOU. f. 1:8* I baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.* eG*O* eBAPti-sa huMAS HUda-ti [5204]; auTOS de bapTIsei huMAS PNEUma-ti [4151] HaGI*o* [40]. *NOTE: *The Gospel of Mark with its first eight verses points up the uniqueness of Panin's Discovery of Bible Numerics as it relates to a clearer and more accurate context. The old adage of ?A text without a context is a pretext? applies here. God's Bible Numeric sentence, subdivision, paragraph and section structure - establishes a context for the entire NT with a uniqueness not found anywhere else. For instance: between Ephesians chapter 1 and chapter 2, Bible Numerics makes but a * sentence* division - *not* a chapter - as is normally found. Here in Mark, the first 8 verses form a Section or chapter equivalent. This sets these 8 verses apart in a unique and important manner. The next chapter equivalent section is Mark 1:9 to 6:29! This throws an entirely different light on these beginning 6 chapters from the point of view of contextual understanding. I encourage all readers of this Interlinear Greek NT based on the two texts of Ivan Panin - to carefully examine all NT books from this outlined point of view. Many of the insights found in my *NOTES* - spring out of such an examination. I am not sure if even Panin himself saw the importance of outlining the entire NT on the basis of his Discovery. God set this up at the time of each Hebrew and Greek Bible writer, and not even *they* were aware of this unusual and helpful feature. It would seem that God has reserved the production of a text featuring this Discovery of ?Context? for the ?Last Days,? preceding the return of His Son - to offset the erroneous ?Textual Criticism? of many of the Liberal, Modernistic and Humanistic so-called scholars. It was in 1945 that I discovered the significance of Ivan Panin's Discovery. Since then I have devoted tens of thousands of hours to produce this Interlinear Greek NT, which has but 40 chapters to go for completion. The enemy of our souls greatly hates and fears this production. Four different individuals who call themselves friends of Ivan Panin, have done everything in their power to undermine this work, giving it a twist that completely destroys its efficacy. Normally - at 87 I should be too old to be giving myself to this work. But I believe I have a mandate from God to do this for Him - no matter how difficult. It is for me, then, a joy to have heard his Word in 1967 - ?Get *My* New Testament done!? This for me is then a labor of love, and a privilege to please Him. If *He* is pleased, I am pleased. If others are pleased and profit from it also, that is an extra bonus. For *me alone* to make use of this Interlinear, the labor has been worth it. Mark 1:8 contrasts John's *water* baptism with that of Jesus' *Spirit*baptism. The two are analogous! They are both baptisms of *immersion*, not ?washing? as one has said. In the family of words or cognates surrounding the root word *baptize*, (bapTIz*o*); there are 80 total references, with 4 parts of speech involved. All but one of these deal with immersion. bap-tisMOS, appearing 4 times in the NT, *is* properly translated a ?washing?, but *none* of the other 76. This is an example where ?a little bit of Greek is a dangerous thing.? One of the 4 so-called friends of Panin with no academic background in Greek, has changed Panin's translation in all 80 cases to say ?Washing? or ?to wash.? Who needs enemies when they have so-called friends? I do *not* count myself as a scholar. I have had 2 years of classical Greek at the University of Saskatchewan under Dr. Leddy, a Rhodes scholar; and 3 years of NT Greek, which does not make one a scholar, but it does provide some background in this area. I have also had 5 years of Latin and 5 years of Hebrew, which * again*, does *not* qualify one as a scholar; but it does give somewhat to help Lay-folk make use of the Bible Numeric Discoveries of Panin. In 1947 at St. Andrew's College, a Seminary of the United Church of Canada in Saskatchewan, I studied the Gospel of Mark under Dr. John Corston from Nova Scotia, who obtained his doctorate degree in Greek from Edinburgh, Scotland. He knew this Gospel so thoroughly, that he could quote it in Greek in its entirety, giving his own free translation as he went along. One day for a special verse, he asked the 20 or so of us in the class, to read from any other translation we happened to have, to give more light on the verse. Mr. Thomas read from Panin's English translation, which he had purchased from me. Dr. Corston said - ?Mr. Thomas - that translation comes most closely to the Greek text. From what are you reading?? When Mr. Thomas said that it was Ivan Panin's translation, the professor replied - ?Oh no! that this could happen to me!? The average scholar is like Dr. Corston. He won't even investigate the validity of Bible Numerics. Such scholars say, ?This is so incredible, that it's not even worth investigating!? Even many Evangelical scholars often take this same position. But what *they* count incredible - God chose the only two languages in the world, Hebrew and Greek, which have no numerical equivalents, for His Bible of 66 books. (24 in the Jewish OT). When numbers are substituted for letters, the Antichrist, the man of sin, when he comes, will be equivalent to ?666?. Jesus in Greek - ?I*e*SOUS? - is 888. Iota, 10; *E*ta, 8; Sigma, 200; Omi-cron, 70; Upsi-lon, 400; SIGma, 200; Total, *888*! Go to our Website, *;* and click on ?Interlinear?. At the close of the Introduction, is a ?URL?, leading to Toronto, Canada, for an article on ?How to Use Bible Numerics to witness to Mathematical and Scientific individuals.? There are 5 links in this article. The one under ?Dr. Keith L. Brooks,? is helpful as an introduction. It also makes available how to order all books ?by? or ?on? Ivan Panin. Karl Sabiers book was written in 1941 one year before Panin's death in Aldershot, Ontario. Sabiers interviewed him for one year prior to the writing of this book, so it clearly represents the final thinking of Panin on this Discovery. Panin's Introduction to his Bible Numeric Greek NT is very helpful also, for those who desire to check out more thoroughly this extraordinary Discovery. Panin was not the first to make this Discovery. It had been uncovered by Astruc in the 1700's - but Panin was the first to do 100,0000 hours of research to produce a Greek NT with no alternate readings, and an English translation setting forth the contextual basis of sentences, subdivision, paragraphs and sections or chapter equivalents. Because of this phenomenal research, he could be called the true Discoverer. I apologize for the length of this *NOTE*: there are many already convinced of the integrity of Panin's Discovery, and others who are interested to research it for personal satisfaction. Men like Dr. Jowett of Scotland, Winkie Pratney of New Zealand, Dr. David duPlessis of South Africa, are but 3 of hundreds who are satisfied with the Discovery claims of Dr. Panin. J.A.Watt *Addendum**: *Here are a couple of good questions that came in as a result of the above mailing. I am giving them, plus my response: ?I find the explanation about ?bap-tisMOS? interesting. Obviously, I too hold that biblical baptism means the immersion of the believer. But I am curious about the explanation. Two questions: If ?bap-tisMOS means *immersion*, then why don't you translate it ?immersion? rather than the more nebulous transliteration ?baptism? that I believe was invented in the early English translations to avoid taking sides in the immersion/dipping/pouring debate? And, what is the actual difference in meaning between ?washing? and ?immersion? since both would refer to the total contact of water with that which is being ?baptized?? Does ?washing? refer to the impact of the act ofbaptism while ?immersion? refer to the mode of the act?? - Just interested in your thinking. *Answer*: Good questions - not sure if I can give a satisfactory answer - but here goes - One: bap-tisMOS really doesn't mean immersion in the strict sense of what John the Baptist or Jesus' disciples or the early church did. It seems to be a specific noun used in Jewish liturgy for the Levitical washing of sacrifices and containers. In the Tabernacle and Temple there were water containers specifically for this purpose, not directly for immersion. The Levites washed parts of the sacrifice at these places, and the utensils connected with these duties - so that immersion was not really the thought here. My former associate took these 4 references, and applied them to all the other 76 - *not* kosher! Here's another thought: John Knox, when sent back to Scotland by Calvin, had to make a decision on the ?mode? of baptism. 49 went down to London from Scotland for this purpose. 24 voted for immersion; 24 for sprinkling. The Chairman cast the deciding vote for sprinkling - hence the Presbyterians (my background) by one vote left the Baptist field! King James set English translators to produce the King James or Authorized Version of 1611. The King was a language scholar, so the translators came to him with their specific problem. They reminded him that bapTIz*o* in the Greek literally means to dip or immerse. Should they translate it this way, the people would say - ?Then why don't we do it?? But if we transliterate the Greek word, we can give it any meaning we want.? Reply of the King - ?Transliterate it? - and say it means to sprinkle. - Interesting! Question 2 - The difference between ?washing? and ?immersion is based on the technical Levitical use of the two words. So - only 4 times in the NT is ?washing? the proper translation for the technical use of bap-tisMOS - while all the other 76 are properly translated dip as in dyeing - or immersion. So - really there *is* a distinct difference as I understand between bap-tisMOS and the other references, and should not be confused. Maybe this doesn't answer your questions to your satisfaction - but it seems the best I can do - Jim. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat Apr 28 09:56:04 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:56:04 -0700 Subject: Galatians - Introduction Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 28, 2012 *2012-04-28 - GALATIANS - Introduction* *(From THE MESSAGE - The Bible in contemporary Language - Eugene H. Peterson * *NavPress - Bringing Truth to Life - www.navpress.com)* *When men and women get their hands on religion, one of the first things they often do is turn it into an instrument for controlling others, either putting or keeping them ?in their place.? The history of such religious manipulation and coercion is long and tedious. It is little wonder that people who have only known religion on such terms experience release or escape from it as freedom. The problem is that the freedom turns out to be short-lived.* *Paul of Tarsus was doing his diligent best to add yet another chapter to this dreary history when he was converted by Jesus to something radically and entirely different - a free life in God. Through Jesus, Paul learned that God was not an impersonal force to be used to make people behave in certain prescribed ways, but a personal Savior who set us free to live a free life. God did not coerce us from without, but set us free from within.* *It was a glorious experience, and Paul set off telling others, introducing and inviting everyone he met into this free life. In his early travels he founded a series of churches in the Roman province of Galatia. A few years later Paul learned that religious leaders of the old school had come into those churches, called his views and authority into question, and were reintroducing the old ways, herding all these freedom-loving Christians back into the corral of religious rules and regulations.* *Paul was, of course, furious. He was furious with the old guard for coming in with their strong-arm religious tactics and intimidating the Christians into giving up their free life in Jesus. But he was also furious with the Christians for caving in to the intimidation.* *His letter to the Galatians churches helps them, and us, recover the original freedom. It also gives direction in the nature of God's gift of freedom - most necessary guidance, for freedom is a delicate and subtle gift, easily perverted and often squandered.* *NOTE**: *Eugene Peterson was a seminary professor in an East-coast Presbyterian institution. His denominational leaders noted that Professor Peterson was gifted with a life-giving word. They were also aware that their churches were slipping into a lethargy and deadness. They challenged him to consider temporarily leaving his teaching profession, and taking one of their churches as minister - with the hope that new life could be breathed into it. Mr. Peterson took the challenge, and was appalled at the deadness and lethargy that he encountered. What could he do? He fell upon the idea of taking the book of Galatians, and rendering it into contemporary language. It produced such life-giving results, that he did this for the entire New Testament, and taught it in this format to the congregation. The Navigators were enthused over the life-giving results that they too experienced in its use, and challenged Professor Peterson to do the same for the entire Old Testament. He temporarily withstood their challenge, but finally agreed, and produced the entire Bible in ?The Message? format. The Preface to Galatians above shows how powerfully and effective is this translation. It was introduced to me by a friend in the early 2000's, and I too have been blessed and motivated by it. Back in the mid 1960's Ken Peterson attended our church in Seattle, the Broadway Tabernacle. Through his mother he invited me to the Montana area near Flathead Lake to hold meetings. We later found out that Ken and Eugene are brothers. I am sure that all of you who dip into ?The Message? - will find it a life-imparting experience both for yourself and those you minister to. - Jim Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon Apr 30 18:30:37 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:30:37 -0700 Subject: God's Personal Commissions to me Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* April 30, 2012 *2012-04-29 - Vashon Island - Frank Davis - Overview of the Word of Lord* *for the last 70 years from 1942* *- 1933 - Spring - Langley BC - Romans 1:20 - Gospel in Creation - the Heavens* *- G.R. Gordon - The Lily Series, monthly for 4 years + Intra Muros* *- A Gospel Seed planted* *- United Church of Canada - The Canadian Boy S.S. take home paper - The Puzzle Corner* *4 years of 52 weeks each - 4 Bible verses to find - for 4 books* *- 1942 - Fall - Psalm 07:23-24 - Join the Navy and I'll reveal myself to you. - This was one month before Ivan Panin died in December. God arranged for me to be in the Navy where He planned to reveal Himself to me, and then in July have a fellow Russian introduce Panin to me in 1944. Then in 1945 God hooked me on Panin's discovery of the Bible Numeric sentence and paragraph paragraphing, which led me to outline the Book of Ephesians, and then volunteer to put together Panin's Greek and English texts in an Interlinear format, and outline it all. Now it is 2012 - 70 years following the death of Panin, and his life's desire to see his work in an Interlinear format will be printed! God is the Master Chess-player! And all we are pawns and pieces on his board so He can defeat Satan! It reminds me of how Daniel counted up the 70 years from Jeremiah's prophecy of Judah's captivity - and then prayed for their restoration! I guess what Daniel did for Judah, I am doing for Panin.* *- 1942 - Fall - Dr. Gerald B. Switzer - Prof. of Church History - Union College - U.C. of Canada* *series of 6 messages - ending with, ?Every young man ought to consider the ministry as a profession.?* *- God used it to get a commitment from me -* *- 1943 - July - RCNVR - HMCS Naden - read 100 books in the hope of finding God * *- Gordon Jary - witness of a backslider* *- 1944 - finally turned to the Bible for the first time seriously - Romans - Knew God's conditions - * *- finally yielded - prayed seriously for first time in life - 3rd time, knew He heard.* *- Go to Vern McMahon - former Communist chum - and tell him you can't go that way any more - you have made a decision to serve Me according to the Bible.* *- Did - born again - because fulfilled Romans 10:9-10 -* *- Read the Bible through in 6 weeks to see what I had got myself into.* *- Asked the Lord - ?Why out of 500 friends and acquaintances, have You revealed Yourself to me?? ?Because?, He said, ?I am going to restore my church with apostles and prophets, and if you are faithful, you may have part in this.?* *- Passover - full moon of Nisan 14* *- 7 books immediately dropped into my hands* *this year.* *- George Muller's ?Answers to Prayer?* *- Smith Wigglesworth's ?Ever Increasing Faith?* *- Dr. Charles S. Price - Golden Grain* *- H.A. Baker - ?Visions Beyond the Veil?* *- ?40 Years of Signs and Wonders in the Life of Mrs. Maria Woodworth-Etter? * *(#3 Word of the Lord - ?In the not too distant future, you will see the Heavenly Choir restored.?* *- ?Herald of His Coming? - ?Household Salvation? by J.A. MacMillan* *- July - Dr. Jewel from Calgary Alberta - Russian Jew - ?I will teach you Greek, if you will study the works of the great Ivan Panin? - 2 pamphlets with some 20 books ?by? or ?on? Panin.* *- July - baptized in Holy Spirit* *- Used a naval leave to go to Port Alberni, and from Mrs. Mary Bertha Allquist learned the spiritual significance of the Urim and Thummim through Proverbs 6:20-22 - plus the significance of the 7 feasts of the Lord in Leviticus 23.* *- 1945 - August - Word of the Lord from HMCS Cornwallis, Digby, Nova Scotia - after I made a bike right - ?Write George R. Hawtin, Bethel Bible Institute, Saskatoon, and apply as a student.?* *- October - preached following naval discharge at Port Alberni - Man I made bike right with - present - and had led my father to the Lord on his death bed - visited him every night of his last 30 days.* *- Saskatoon - BBI - ordered the 20 Panin books, and uncovered Panin's Bible Numeric discovery of the original Greek text, plus its sentence, paragraph and section structure - also on Numerics.* *- 1946, February 12, Word of Lord came to me at 3:00 AM - ?Ask Me for your family in salvation - and I will give them to you.? I jumped out of bed on a cold cement floor - 38 degrees below zero outside, and quickly said - ?My father, my mother and my brother.? ?You've got them,? was the answer, so I jumped back into bed, and all three marvelously came into the Kingdom in their respective times.* *- Also - same time - Word of the Lord - ?He came as a burning, flamingfire to dwell in the heart of His people.? I thought it was a verse from the Scripture, but faculty members of the Institute said, Not so! But it is an entirely scriptural word of the Spirit. I have claimed it, and walk in it.* *- 1947 - Jock Davidson - showed me how to win scholarships by: proper note taking; proper outlining of texts; how to write essay type tests; how to write term papers* *- I applied this to outlining the Book of Ephesians - and was so impressed that I made a commitment to make an Outlined Interlinear NT based on Panin's 2 texts.* *- 4 members of the male quartet from the IVCF chapter of the University of Saskatchewan volunteered to purchase this when completed.* *- 1948 - Feb. 12 - God's Visitation at Sharon Orphanage and Schools at North Battleford, Saskatchewan (formerly BBI of Saskatoon). Ern Hawtin in April came to Saskatoon to report on this Visitation.* *- June 30 - offered my self with the ?Gift of Singleness? for missionary work in a N. Africa Muslim country. God again spoke, ?But if I could link you with one that together you could count more in My Kingdom that either of you could alone, would you consider that?? I agreed, and within days received a letter from Marie Gaudet informing me that she was reading the Bible 8 and 12 hours a day! She came to the July '48 Camp Meeting at North Battleford, plus the 6 weeks of meetings in Vancouver BC with the Hawtin party - made a decision for Christ, and was baptized in the Spirit. We were married December 27 of that year, and had our first date on our honeymoon.* *- I was invited to be one of the 7 elders for the July Camp Meeting of that year at North Battleford.* *1949 - Because some problems started to come into this fellowship, in April of '49 Marie and I left Regina, Saskatchewan for the USA and Minnesota.* *- In September God led us to the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary of Chicago, where I graduated with a Master of Divinity degree, and completed 5 years of Latin, Greek and Hebrew, enabling me to complete the ?Outlined Interlinear NT?.* *- 1951 - God visited NBTS with a Visitation through Wheaton College, which had originated in Seattle at King's Garden. 1000 souls were saved within weeks, revival for 100 churches led by student pastors.* *- 1952 - Attended a Wm. Branham meeting in Hammond, Indiana, and God granted us our first son as a result.* *- 1955 - Samuel B. Doctorian from Beirut, Lebanon came to our church in Chicago, and brought a visitation from the Lord.* *- 1958 ?Dutchie? Booth from Bogalusa, Louisiana came to our Baptist church in Chicago, and initiated a move for the next 9 months that brought 100 souls to the Lord* *- 1959 February - went to Round Lake, Illinois to the First Baptist Church for 4 years. Saw it grow from 30 to 200. Then in June of '62 - ?You have been faithful for the past 18 years. Resign as pastor from this church and move to the West Coast. I am about to lay the foundation for what I promised you in 1944.?* *- 1963 - Wrote the ?Through the Bible in a Year? reading guide.* *- 1964 - Derek Prince asked if I would consider taking his place at the Broadway Tabernacle of Seattle, as he had to return to England. It was a church in trouble because of the predecessors of Dr. Prince. I hesitated because of its reputation - but received this word, ?Look at it this way - My name is already associated with the church. If you give your name to lift My name - in the long run you will not suffer.? For His sake I did so. That August Nicholas Bhengu of South Africa spoke for us. He had a word of the Lord for us. God had chosen this church to bring a visitation to the Seattle Metroplex. This took place in 7 years, and we thankfully stood on that word until its fulfillment. * *- 1967, Feb 12, two visions in answer to prayer. The Organic Laser Telescope with 7 Component parts, the chief being Ivan Panin's Outlined Interlinear NT. The second - Elderships of 8 in 70 of the leading cities of Canada - and the same for the USA, with ?hands across the border? in support from the US when they were unable to visit countries open to Canada. * *- ?Get My NT done!? (Not mine - not Panin's - but God's!)* *- dream - my father - In light of a very fruitful garden harvest in Port Alberni - ?Whatever you want to do with all your heart, you will alwaysaccomplish!? * *- 1968 - Fred Dorflein of the FGBMF permitted me to challenge 200 pastors at their conference: to meet each Wednesday morning at 7:00 AM until God visited our city. 12 responded: Dennis Bennett with 2 associates; Joseph Fulton with 2 associates; a Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Assembly of God and myself from an Independent Church. * *- 1971 - Dennis Bennett, now the chairman of a group of some 30, challenged us to host 50 apostolic teachers across the continent for a week of closed session meetings morning and afternoon, plus a Round Robin evening type of meetings with 5 churches. 30 responded to the invitation, all their needs were met, and 50,000 met during the week at the evening meetings, with some 1000 saved, healed and other needs met. The closed session meetings solved many problems. Both Seattle daily newspapers gave wonderful coverage, and deferred to Dennis Bennett in what they printed. This was repeated in 1972. But after the resignation of Dennis Bennett, the spirit he engendered was sabotaged by his successor, and God in sorrow lifted His Spirit in 1973.* *- 1973 - I became associate pastor with Ern Baxter of the Surrey Christian Centre in BC. The Greek Word Study format that came on March 18, 1967, we used to produce some 4000 MS pages of these for Pastor Baxter. He carried them around the world with him.* *- 1982 - first Wednesday in August. Jack Hayford visited the First Baptist Church of Arcata, California, and presented ?Clan Salvation.? From this - untold blessing has come.* *- 1987 - Wetaskiwin, Alberta - Hobbema - Nick Adams - 1st Wednesday in August - God revealed the cause of a 10 year unseasonal rain both seed-time and harvest. Farmers were having their farms taken over. Once revealed, we approached the ?5 nations? of Hobbema - they worked with us in prayer on the first Wednesday of September. God answered. No rain until December 11th. For the first time in 10 years every farmer harvested his crops, prepared the soil for spring seeding, and repaired fences etc. It was the talk of meteorologists across Canada.* *- 1987 - September, Hawaii, Daniel Kikawa picked up from the challenge of Wetaskiwin, wrote ?Perpetuated in Righteousness? plus a follow-up - and has seen a visitation in his State.* *- 1990 - February - Beth Simcha - learned of the danger of ?Replacement Theology?.* *- 1992 - June 6, at Zion Gate - ?This day my decree has gone forth from My Throne - In the next 5 years time will speed up from your vantage point. That you may know this is My Word - check the last verses of Ezekiel 12.? On that day, Christian Pentecost fell on the same day as Jewish Shavuot - plus it was the 25th anniversary of the fall of Jerusalem back into the hands of Israel because of the ?6 Day War.?* *- July of '92 - ?Take the 12 Embryonic Revival Principles from 1948 and link them with the 12 tribes of Israel. Believe to see them brought to maturity. They will be parameters of safety preceding the last Visitation before the Return of My Son.? (See our Website under ?Embryonics?.)* *- 1995 - July 1 - the 128th Anniversary of the Independence of Canada through the BNA. 37 nations met at Whistler, BC, 2200 delegates. That day some 20 tribes of First Nations People met under the leadership of Freda Cooper, granddaughter of the great Coast Salish chief. She first led some 60 of her people in making vertical repentance and reconciliation with God, and then representatives from Great Britain, Canada and the US apologized and asked forgiveness from them for the broken covenants by white immigrants. David Mainse said it was the most outstanding day of his life to witness this.* *- 1998 - Richard Long of Ottawa challenged me to write up the 12 Embryonic Revival Principles that came together in 1948, 50 years previously.* *- 2000 - I did so, and my oldest son Jim generously made a Website for me to handle the many requests that came in.* *- 2007 - My grandson Keelan updated my Website to receive the Outlined Interlinear NT.* *- 2009 - On October 31st, we formed a ?Pilot Prayer Team? in the light of the second vision in 1967. The goal was to see the Laser-Telescope with its 7 component parts start to function in the Lord's hands to produce the ?Spiritual Star Wars? effect. Within months we saw a miraculous demonstration of this.* *- 2010 - Elvin Gladney in January contacted our Printer, and shared the vision - that the Outlined Interlinear NT is not an end in itself, but the chief component part of 7 to produce the Organic Laser- Telescope. Timothy Johnson picked up on this, and offered to print it. However, God promoted Elvin to be with him in August of 2011. Jim Ray has taken over as leader of the Pilot Prayer Team, and coordinator to work with a core team for the accomplishment of this vision. On February 12, 2012, the core team met in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for a Conference. The first 200 copies of the Gospels of the Outlined Interlinear NT were made available, and were all sold within an hour. The complete NT will be ready for printing before summer.* *INSIGHTS**: The 1948 Visitation at North Battleford with its 12 Embryonic Revival Principles, - linked with the 1967 Feb. 12 vision of the Organic Laser-Telescope, of which the Outlined Interlinear NT is the chief component part - plus the Table of Bread in the Tabernacle with the 12 loaves representing the 12 tribes of Israel - is lined up with the 12 Embryonic Revival Principles. It does seem that God in 2012, the 64**thanniversary of the '48 visitation - and the 70 th anniversary of Ivan Panin's Home-going - is causing all of these to come together for some purpose of His own, which could most possibly come to pass before this year is over. * A friend of mine invited me to his church on Vashon Island - to share. I suggested that my wife Marie and I share on ?Clan & Household Salvation?. However - he felt it would be more profitable for his people if I shared out of my experience with God's dealings with me in various commissions during the last 68 years. As I prayed concerning this change, confirmation came through a member of our PPT (Pilot Prayer Team) - that this would be in line with what I previously shared in Gig Harbor. So as I shared on the key underlined portions of God's dealings in the past; we sensed God's blessings on this presentation. Then our PPT member confirmed the importance of this, by testifying how the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? has led him into more effective ?Meditation?, bringing him into a more practical ?Intimacy with God?. I previously sent these notes out to a few selected friends. This morning I sensed it could be a help to send them out to our general mailing. No doubt each one of us could produce a parallel listing of God's dealing with us individually through our lifetime. - *Jim Watt* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed May 2 13:11:43 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 2 May 2012 13:11:43 -0700 Subject: Pull the Plug on Porn Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 2, 2012 *2012-05-02 - The PORN EPIDEMIC - How To Break Free* *PULL THE PLUG on PORN** - J. Lee Grady* *(Forwarded by Andrew Strom - Revival List* *YES! - You have permission to post these emails to friends or other groups, boards, etc. -* *unless there is a copyright notice which says differently)* *If you or someone you love is struggling with a porn addiction, take these steps to freedom.* *At a men's conference I sponsored last weekend in Philadelphia, some of my friends took the stage and got gut-level honest about their temptations. I was so proud of their courage. Shay, a young father from Ohio, admitted that he was exposed to hard-core pornography when he was only five years old. He began modeling what he saw in X-rated videos when he was just six.* *Another guy from Pennsylvania told the men in the audience that he began watching porn when he was a preteen - and this led him to sex with dozens of girls in high school. Until recently this man still battled the shame of this porn habit even though he was a lay leader in his church.* ?*It's not enough to whisper a quiet prayer under your breath. To break free from a life-controlling habit as powerful as porn, you must talk to someone else. And you should do it sooner, not later.?* *Jason, a youth pastor in northwestern Pennsylvania, preached to the men on Friday night about how to reclaim purity in our sex-saturated culture. Like so many of the guys in our conference, Jason had been exposed to porn at a young age. His lust could not be satisfied by masturbation or kinkier videos, so his addiction drove him to seek out multiple girls for instant gratification. That's where porn leads.* *Thankfully all these guys eventually found Christ and discovered the grace to escape the porn trap. They are happily married today, and they've been freed from the shame of past failures. But I meet many Christian men who are not so fortunate. A huge percentage of men in church have given up trying to resist temptation.* *If you are one of those men (or women) who wears a fake smile when you go to church, pretending to be an ?overcomer? when you really are a prisoner of lust, then please consider taking these radical steps. (And if you know someone who is battling this monster, please consider forwarding this message to him or her.)* *1. Spill your guts. The first step toward repentance is honesty and it must be brutal. To repent means to turn 180 degrees, so this decision cannot be half-hearted. It's not enough to whisper a quiet prayer under your breath. To break free from a life-controlling habit as powerful as porn, you must talk to someone else. And you should do it sooner, not later. * *James 5:16 says, ?Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed? (NASB). I have prayed with many guys about their porn addictions, and they have testified that the power of their sin broke the moment they admitted it. Sit down with someone (preferably a more mature Christian you know and trust) and put all your cards on the table. If you humble yourself, God will give you grace to change.* *2. Get ruthless. Sin is deceitful. It loves to make up excuses such as, ?No one knows about your habit, so it's not hurting anyone,? ?I deserve this little treat? or ?I can play with fire and not get burned.? Don't believe the lies. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup, and many men today forfeit their relationship with God by compromising with porn.* *You can't break free from sexual sin by slowly backing away from it or taming it like a pet. The Bible tells us to ?flee? from immorality (2 Timothy 2:22). You must lay the axe to the root of your problem. Cut off all access to porn. Say goodbye and slam the door in its face. And it you can't stop looking at it in your phone or computer, get rid of your phone and computer.* *3. Keep no secrets. Guys addicted to porn struggle with constant shame. They can't enjoy prayer or worship because they feel condemned. They can't share their faith with others because they feel like hypocrites. And many Christian men are so full of guilt they turn to alcohol or drugs to numb their pain.* *It is not enough to confess your sin to a brother once. You must stay in relationship with people who love you enough to confront you. Find one or two accountability partners and make a covenant with them to live transparently. And don't wait until you fall to call for counsel. Contact them whenever you feel tempted. Send up a flare and ask for help before it's too late.* *4. Refocus your life on others. Lust is ultimately about self-gratification. When a young man gets hooked on porn, he can't grow up emotionally. This is why some adult men in their 50's and 60's act like 13-year-olds when it comes to sex. They are stuck in perpetual puberty.* *You will never break free from bondage of sexual sin simply by gritting your teeth and trying to forget the images you saw in magazines or videos. You must totally redirect your energies toward serving others: your spouse, your children, your church and the needy people around you. Throw yourself into selfless ministry and starve your illegal urges.* *5. Stay filled with the Spirit. None of these previous steps are possible without the Holy Spirit, who is our promised Helper (see John 14:16). Self-help is not the answer. Ask the Spirit to fill your life with His refining fire. He will go to the root of your unholy desires, burn up your lust and give you supernatural ability to resist temptation.* *NOTE**: K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Sweetie. - There are many books and articles available along this line to help - but **this one is simple, short, and can be extremely effective. Jim Watt* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri May 4 14:37:17 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 4 May 2012 14:37:17 -0700 Subject: Acts 2:1-21 Interlinear Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 4, 2012 *(From: ACTS #3 - 2:1-21)* II. 2:1-47 THE THEOLOGY OF PENTECOST 1. 2:1-4 THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER FULFILLED a. 2:1* And when the day of :Pentecost was being fulfilled, * Kai en t*o* sun-pl*e*ROUSthai t*e*n h*e*MEran t*e*s pen-t*e*-koST*E*S [4005] , *all were together in the one **place**. ** * *E*san PANtes hoMOU ePI to auTO. b. 2:2 ACCOMPANIMENTS OFTHE SPIRIT *And suddenly a sound came from :heaven as of a mighty wind rushing,* kai eGEne-to APHn*o* ek tou ou-raNOU *E*chos H*O*Sper phe-roMEn*e*s pno*E*S biAIas, *and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.* kai ePL*E*r*o*-sen [4127] HOlon ton OIkon hou *E*san kaTH*E*me-noi [2521]. c. 2:3 FIRE OF THE SPIRIT *And tongues as if of fire being distributed appeared to them;* kai *O*PHth*e*-san [3700] auTOIS di-a-me-riZOme-nai [1266] GL*O*Ssai h*o*SEI puROS [2523]; *and it sat upon each of them. ** *kai eKAthi-sen eph' HEna HEka-ston auT*O* N. d. 2:4 ALL FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT *And all were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues,* kai ePL*E*Sth*e*-san PANtes PNEUma-tos HaGIou, kai *E*Rxan-to laLEIN heTErais GL*O*Ssais, *as the Spirit gave them utterance.* kaTH*O*S to PNEUma eDIdou a-pophTHEGges-thai [659] auTOIS. 2. 2:5-13 MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT: A SIGN TO UNBELIEVERS a. 2:5 MANIFESTATION: ITS FIRST SETTING *Now in Jerusalem were dwelling Jews, devout men,* *E*san de en Ie-rou-saL*E*M ka-toiKOUNtes [2730] IouDAIoi, ANdres eu-laBEIS [2126], *from every nation, those under :heaven.* aPO panTOS ETHnous [1484], t*o*n aPO ton ou-raNON. b. 2:6 THE MULTITUDE COME TOGETHER *And when this :voice was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded,* ge-noMEn*e*s de t*e*s ph*o*N*E*S TAUt*e*s, suN*E*Lthe to PL*E*thos [4128], kai su-neCHUth*e* [4797], *because each heard them speaking in his own :language.* HOti *E*kou-sen heis HEka-stos t*e* iDIa di-aLEKt*o* [1258] laLOUNt*o*n auT* O*N. c. 2:7 MANIFESTATION: A CAUSE OF AMAZEMENT AND MARVELING *And they were amazed and marveled, saying,* eXIstan-to [1839] de kai eTHAUma-zon [2296], LEgon-tes, *Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans?* OuCHI iDOU, PANtes HOU-TOI ei-sin hoi laLOUNtes Ga-liLAIoi? d. 2:8-11 MANIFESTATION: A SIGN TO ALL NATIONS *And how do we hear, each in our own :language in which we were born?* kai p*o*s h*e*MEIS aKOUo-men, HEka-stos t*e* iDIa di-aLEKt*o* h*e*M*O*N en h *e* e-genN*E*th*e*-men? 9* Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in :Mesopotamia,* PARthoi kai M*E*doi kai E-laMEItai, kai hoi ka-toiKOUNtes [2730] t*e*n Me-so-po-taMIan, *and Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and :Asia, *10* and Phrygia and Pamphylia, * IouDAIan te kai Kap-pa-doKIan, PONton kai t*e*n A-SIan, PhruGIan te kai Pam-phuLIan, *Egypt and the parts of :Libya :about Cyrene,* AIgup-ton kai ta MEr*e* [3313] t*e*s LiBU*e*s t*e*s kaTA KuR*E*n*e*n, *and :Roman sojourners, both Jews and proselytes, *11 *Cretans and Arabians, * kai hoi e-pi-d*e*MOUNtes 'R*o*MAIoi, IouDAI-OI te kai proS*E*lu-toi, KR*E*tes kai Ara-bes, *we hear them speak in our :tongues the mighty works of :God.* aKOUo-men laLOUNt*o*n auT*O*N tais h*e*-meTErais GL*O*Ssais ta me-gaLEIa [3167] tou TheOU. e. 2:12 * And all were amazed, and perplexed, saying one to another, * eXIstan-to de PANtes, kai di-*e*-poROUNto, ALlos pros ALlon LEgon-tes, *What does this mean? ** *Ti THElei TOUto EInai? f. 2:13* But others mocking said [that] They are filled with new wine.* HEte-roi de di-ach-leuAzon-tes Ele-gon [HOti] GLEUkous me-me-st*o*MEnoi [3325] eiSIN. 3. 2:14-21 GOD VINDICATES HIS PROPHETIC WORD a. 2:14 PETER'S ADDRESS *But :Peter, standing with the eleven,* StaTHEIS, de ho PEtros, sun tois ENde-ka, *lifted up his :voice, and spoke forth to them,* eP*E*ren t*e*n ph*o*N*E*N auTOU, kai a-pephTHEGxa-to auTOIS, *You** men of Judea, and all that dwell at Jerusalem,* ANdres IouDAIoi, kai hoi ka-toiKOUNtes Ie-rou-saL*E*M PANtes, *be this known to you, and give ear to my :words.* TOUto huMIN gn*o*STON [1097] ESt*o*, kai e-n*o*TIsas-the [1801] ta 'R*E*maTA [4487] mou. b. 2:15-18 QUOTATION FROM JOEL *For these are not drunken, as YOU suppose; * ou gar h*o*s huMEIS hu-po-lamBAne-te, HOUtoi meTHUou-sin; *for it is **the** third hour of the day; ** * EStin gar H*O*ra TRIt*e* t*e*s h*e*MEras; 16* but this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:* alLA TOU-TO es-tin to ei-r*e*MEnon [2045] diA tou proPH*E*tou [4396] I*o*-*E *L: 17* And it shall be in the last days, says :God,* Kai EStai en tais esCHAtais [2078] h*e*MErais, LEgei ho TheOS, *I will pour forth of my :Spirit upon all flesh:* ek-che*O* [1632] aPO tou PNEUmaTOS [4151] mou ePI PAsan SARka [4561]: *And your :sons and your :daughters shall prophesy,* kai pro-ph*e*TEUsou-sin [4395] hoi huiOI huM*O*N kai hai thu-gaTEres [2364]huM *O*N, *And your young :men shall see visions,* kai hoi ne-aNIskoi [3495] huM*O*N hoRAseis [3706] Opson-tai [3700], *and your :elders shall dream dreams:* kai hoi presBUte-roi [4245] huM*O*N e-nupNIois [1798] e-nup-ni-asTH*E*son-tai [1797]: 18* Yes and on my :bondmen and on my :bondmaids in those :days* kai ge ePI tous DOUlous mou kai ePI tas DOUlas mou en tais h*e*MErais eKEInais *Will I pour forth of my :Spirit; and they shall prophesy.* ek-che*O* [1632] aPO tou PNEUmaTOS mou; kai pro-ph*e*TEUsou-sin [4395]. c. 2:19-21 SALVATION RIGHT UP TO TRIBULATION *And I will show wonders in :heaven above, And signs on :earth beneath;* kai D*O*s*o* [1325] TEra-ta [5059] en t*o* ou-raN*O* An*o*, kai s*e*MEIa [4592] ePI t*e*s g*e*s KAt*o*; *Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:* HAIma [129], kai pur [4442], kai atMIda [822] kapNOU [2586]: 20* The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood,* ho H*E*li-os me-ta-straPH*E*se-tai eis SKOtos, kai h*e* seL*E*n*e* [4582]eis HAIma [129], *b**efore the great and notable day of **the** Lord come:* prin elTHEIN h*e*MEran KuRIou t*e*n meGAl*e*n [3173] kai e-pi-phaN*E* [2016]: 21* And it shall be, that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.* kai EStai, pas hos eAN e-pi-kaLEs*e*-tai [1941] to Ono-ma KuRIou s*o*TH*E*se-tai [4982]. *NOTE**: *The word ?Theology? comes from two Greek words signifying ?a * word* about *God*?. ?The Theology of Pentecost? is a phrase coined by Pastor Ern Baxter signifying, ?God's Word concerning the Feast of Pentecost, and the Promise of the Father fulfilled by the coming of the Holy Spirit to replace Jesus on earth, according to His promise to His disciples in John 13-17.? Pastor Baxter had a personal library of some 17,000 volumes, but his ?working library? consisted of some 1500 volumes, which he had mastered. When I stayed with him on occasion, he and Ruth set me up to sleep in his library. He usually cautioned me, ?Be sure to show respect to these volumes, and you may look into a volume or two that interest you.? The Greek Word Studies I developed primarily from the Bible Numeric phenomenon discovered by Ivan Panin, I made available to him. With the help of an assistant, we produced some 4000 MS pages of the major NT Greek words, which he carted around the world on his travels. He often asked, ?Do you happen to have a Greek Word Study on ?righteousness? (di-kai-oSUn*e*), which being interpreted meant, ?Could you have it ready for me yesterday?? I served as Mr. Baxter's associate for 3 years in Surrey, British Columbia, and to the time of his home-going in 1993 from the time we developed a close friendship in 1948 through the North Battleford Visitation, we maintained this relationship. ?The Theology of Pentecost? was one of Pastor Baxter's chief interests, and in this and other of his interests, I profited much. He developed a diagram on God's *covenant* - our relationship to Him as individuals through this; and subsequently our relationship with one another. He put God at the apex of a triangle, and illustrated how He offers His covenant (di-aTH*E*k*e*) to us as individuals. We can accept or reject His offer, but we *cannot* modify it. Once we accept, we can advance to a thousand-fold fruitfulness through Him. But when we link *horizontally*with a fellow believer (SUNth *e*-k*e*), *Prayer Multiplication* kicks in, and we become 10,000-fold (Deuteronomy 32:30). Through Zechariah 12:8 we can further advance to a million-fold each, and 4 couples can reach a billion-fold effectiveness. * This* is when with six other component parts, ?Spiritual Star Wars? through an ?organic automated Laser-Telescope? kicks in! So - of the 7 component parts of this revelation, Pastor Baxter contributed to the understanding of the 3rd component part. 2:1-4 - In the understanding of ?The Theology of Pentecost?, the Promise of the Father mentioned in Acts 1:4 - *here* finds fulfillment. 2:5-13 - reveals how God uses ?Signs Following? (Mark 16:17-20) to alert the attention of unbelievers, and many times ushers them into the Kingdom of God. 2:14-21. Here Peter weaves a prophetic picture of how the Feast of Pentecost has a distinct relationship with the events right up to the last days preceding the Return of our Lord Jesus. Oswald Chambers was a great believer in maintaining a constant daily, hourly and even momentarily focus on Jesus, through whom the Holy Spirit comes. For *He* is the *baptizer* in the Holy Spirit. Not only are we filled with the Spirit through this baptism, but, like a bottle in a sink of water - we are *immersed* in the Spirit. Dr. J. Edwin Orr made much of this analogy. He also talked of the 3 baptizers and the 3 elements. When we are ?saved?, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ. Then the preacher baptizes us into water, a symbol of this. Finally, Jesus baptizes us into the Holy Spirit. No finer book than ?Rees Howells, Intercessor? by Norman P. Grubb in chapter 5 and 31, simplifies and clarifies this - the true ?Theology of Pentecost?. J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat May 5 09:30:40 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 5 May 2012 09:30:40 -0700 Subject: Acts 11:27-12:25 Interlinear Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 5, 2012 *(From: ACTS #20 - 11:27-12:25)* XIV. 11:27-12:25 SUPERNATURAL GUIDANCE AND INCREASE OF THE CHURCH A. 11:27-30 SPIRIT LEADS IN FAMINE RELIEF a. 11:27* Now in these :days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.* En TAUtais de tais h*e*MErais kaTH*E*Lthon aPO Ie-ro-soLUm*o*n proPH*E*tai eis An-tiOchei-an. b. 11:28 AGABUS ACCURATELY PREDICTS FAMINE *And one of them Agabus by name stood up and signified by the Spirit * a-naSTAS de heis ex auT*O*N aNOma-ti Aga-bos eS*E*mai-nen diA tou PNEUma-tos *that a great famine ** * liMON meGAl*e*n *would be over all the inhabited earth: which came to pass in the days of Claudius.* MELlein Eses-thai eph' HOl*e*n t*e*n oi-kouMEn*e*n [3625]: H*E*tis eGEne-to ePI KlauDIou c. 11:29-30 CHURCH ACTS ON WORD OF THE SPIRIT *And the disciples, every one of them according to his ability,* t*o*n de ma-th*e*T*O*N, kaTH*O*S eu-poREI-TO tis H*O*ri-san [3724], HEka-stos auT*O*N, *determined to send relief unto the brethren that dwelt in :Judea:* eis di-a-koNIan [1248] PEMpsai ka-toiKOUsin en t*e* IouDAIa a-delPHOIS: 30* which also they did, *ho kai ePOI*e*-san, *sending it unto the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.* a-poSTEIlan-tes pros tous pres-buTErous diA cheiROS BarNAba kai SAUlou. B. 12:1-23 TWO SUPERNATURAL CONTRASTING EVENTS 1. 12:1-19 A SUPERNATURAL DELIVERANCE a. 12:1 HEROD PERSECUTES THE CHURCH *Now about that :season Herod the king* Kat' eKEInon de ton kaiRON ePEba-len H*e*R*O*d*e*s ho ba-siLEUS *put forth his :hands to harm certain :of the church.* tas CHEIras kaK*O*-SAI [2559] ti-nas t*o*n aPO t*e*s ek-kl*e*SIas. b. 12:2 * And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.* aNEIlen [337] de IA-k*o*-bon ton a-delPHON I*o*Anou maCHAIr*e* [3162]. c. 12:3a* And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also.* iD*O*N de HOti a-reSTON es-tin tois IouDAIois, proSEthe-to sul-laBEIN kai PEtron. d. 12:3b * And those were the days of the unleavened loaves.* *E*san de h*e*MErai t*o*n aZUm*o*n [105]. e. 12:4 HEROD IMPRISONS PETER *And when he had taken him, he put him in prison,* hon kai piAsas [4084], Ethe-to eis phu-laK*E*N [5438], *and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him;* pa-raDOUS TESsar-sin te-traDIois stra-ti-*o*T*O*N [4757] phuLASsein [5442]auTON; *intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.* bouLOme-nos [1014] meTA to PAScha [3957] a-na-gaGEIN auTON t*o* la*O*. f. 12:5 THE CHURCH PRAYS FOR PETER *:Peter therefore was kept in the prison:* ho men oun PEtros e-t*e*REIto en t*e* phu-laK*E*: *but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto :God for him.* pro-seuCH*E* de *e*n ek-teN*O*S gi-noMEn*e* huPO t*e*s ek-kl*e*SIas pros ton TheON peRI auTOU. g. 12:6 THE STATE OF PETER IN PRISON *And when :Herod was about to bring him forth,* HOte de *E*mel-len pro-sa-gaGEIN [4254] auTON ho H*e*R*O*d*e*s, *on that :night :Peter was sleeping between two soldiers,* t*e* nukTI eKEIn*e* *e*n ho PEtros koiM*O*me-nos [2837] me-taXU DUo stra-ti- *o*T*O*N, *bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept the prison.* de-deMEnos haLUse-sin duSIN: PHUlaKES [5441] te pro t*e*s THUras eT*E*roun t *e*n phu-laK*E*N. h. 12:7a THE LORD'S ANGEL ROUSES PETER *And, lo, the Lord's angel stood by him, and a light shined in the cell:* kai, iDOU, AGge-los KuRIou ePEst*e*, kai ph*o*s Elam-psen en t*o* oiK*E* ma-ti: *and he struck :Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly.* paTAxas de t*e*n pleuRAN tou PEtrou, *E*gei-ren auTON, LEg*o*n, A-NAsta en TAchei [5034]. i. 12:7b * And his :chains fell off from his :hands.* kai eXEpe-san [1601] auTOU hai haLUseis ek t*o*n cheiR*O*N. j. 12:8a * And the angel said unto him, Gird yourself, and bind on your :sandals.* EIpen de ho AGge-los pros auTON, Z*O*sai [4024], kai huPOd*e*sai [5265] ta sanDAliA [4547] sou. k. 12:8b* And he did so. ** *ePOI*e*sen de HOUt*o*s. l. 12:8c* And he says to him, Throw your :garment about you, and follow me. * kai LEgei auT*O*, Pe-ri-baLOU [4015] to hiMAtiON [2440] sou, kai a-koLOUthei [190] moi. m. 12:9 PETER OBEYS AS IN A VISION *And he went out, and followed; and he knew not* kai e-xelTH*O*N, *e*-koLOUthei; kai ouk *E*dei *that what was done through the angel was true, but thought he saw a vision. * HOti a-l*e*THES es-tin to giNOme-non diA tou agGElou, eDOkei de HOra-ma BLEpein. n. 12:10 THE ANGEL LEADS PETER OUT OF PRISON AND DEPARTS *And when they were past the first and second guard,* di-elTHONtes de PR*O*t*e*n phu-laK*E*N [5438] kai deuTEran, *they came unto the iron :gate that leads into the city;* *E*Lthan ePI t*e*n PUl*e*n [4439] t*e*n si-d*e*RAN [4503] t*e*n PHErou-san eis t*e*n POlin; *which opened to them of its own accord: *H*E*tis au-toMAt*e* *e*NOIg*e* [455] auTOIS: *and they went out, and went on through one street;* kai e-xelTHONtes, pro*E*Lthon 'RUm*e*n [4505] MIan; *and straightway the angel departed from him.* kai euTHE*o*s aPEst*e* ho AGge-los ap' auTOU. o. 12:11 PETER REALIZES THE LORD'S DELIVERANCE *And when :Peter was come to himself, he said,* kai ho PEtros en he-auT*E* geNOme-nos, EIpen, *Now I know truly, that the Lord has sent forth his :angel* Nun OIda a-l*e*TH*O*S, HOti e-xaPEstei-len ho KUri-ou ton AGge-lon auTOU *and delivered me *kai eXEIlaTO [1807] me *out of Herod's hand and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. * ek cheiROS H*e*R*O*dou kai PAs*e*s t*e*s pros-doKIas [4329] tou laOU t*o*n IouDAI*o*n. p. 12:12 PETER GOES TO JOHN MARK'S HOME *And when he had considered, he came to the house* su-niD*O*N [4894] te, *E*Lthen ePI t*e*n oiKIan *of :Mary the mother of John :surnamed Mark;* t*e*s MaRIas t*e*s m*e*TROS I*o*Anou tou e-pi-ka-louMEnou [1941] MARkou; *where many were gathered together and praying.* hou *E*san hi-kaNOI su-n*e*-throisMEnoi [4867] kai pro-seuCHOme-noi [4336]. q. 12:13 * And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, * KROUsan-tos de auTOU t*e*n THUran tou puL*O*nos, proS*E*Lthe paiDIsk*e*hu-paKOUsai, *Rhoda by name. ** * oNOma-ti 'ROd*e*. r. 12:14 RHODA ANNOUNCES PETER'S PRESENCE *And when she recognized the voice of Peter, she opened not the gate for :joy, * kai e-pigNOUsa t*e*n ph*o*N*E*N tou PEtrou, aPO t*e*s chaRAS ouk *E*noi-xen ton puL*O*na, *but ran in, ** * eis-draMOUsa de, *and** reported that :Peter stood before the gate.* aP*E*Ggei-len [518] heSTAnai ton PEtron pro tou puL*O*nos. s. 12:15a * And they said unto her, You are mad.* hoi de pros auT*E*N EIpan, MAIn*e* [3105]. t. 12:15b * But she was confidently affirming it to be so.* h*e* de di-i-schuRIze-to [1340] HOUt*o*s Echein. u. 12:15c * And they said, It is his :angel. ** *hoi d' Ele-gon, Ho AGge-los es-tin auTOU. v. 12:16 PETER CAUSES AMAZEMENT *But :Peter continued knocking: and when they opened, they saw him,* ho de PEtros ePEme-nen [1961] KROU*o*n: aNOIxan-tes de, EIdan auTON, *and were amazed. ** * kai eXEst*e*-san [1839]. w. 12:17a PETER RECOUNTS THE LORD'S DELIVERANCE *But he, beckoning with the hand to be silent,* ka-taSEIsas [2678] de auTOIS t*e* cheiRI siGAN [4601], *rehearsed to them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison.* di-*e*G*E*sa-to [1334] auTOIS p*o*s ho KUri-os auTON eX*E*ga-gen ek t*e*s phu-laK*E*S. x. 12:17b * And he said, Report these things to James, and to the brethren. * EIpen te, A-pagGEIla-te [518] IaK*O*b*o*, kai tois a-delPHOIS tauTA. y. 12:17c * And he departed, and went to another place.* kai e-xelTH*O*N, e-poREUth*e* eis HEte-ron TOpon. z. 12:18 * Now when day came, no small stir was among the soldiers, * Ge-noMEn*e*s de h*e*MEras, *e*n TAra-chos [5017] ouk oLIgos en tois stra-ti* O*tais *What HAS become **of** :Peter! ** * ti Ara ho PEtros eGEne-to! aa. 12:19a HEROD COMMANDS THE DEATH OF PETER'S GUARDS *And when Herod had sought for him and found him not,* H*e*R*O*d*e*s de e-pi-z*e*T*E*sas [1934] auTON kai m*e* heuR*O*N, *he examined the guards, and commanded that they be led away to death.* a-naKRInas [350] tous PHUla-kas, eKEleu-sen a-pachTH*E*nai [520]. bb. 12:19b * And he went down from :Judea to Caesarea, and tarried there.* kai ka-telTH*O*N aPO t*e*s IouDAIas eis t*e*n KaiSAri-an, diEtri-ben. 2. 12:20-23 JUDGMENT ON A PROUD PERSECUTOR a. 12:20 TYRE AND SIDON SEEK PEACE FROM HEROD *Now he was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon:* *E*n de thu-mo-maCH*O*N [2371] TuRIois kai Si-d*o*NIois: *and they came with one accord unto him, and,* ho-mo-thu-maDON [3561] de paR*E*san pros auTON, kai, *having persuaded Blastus the chamberlain of the king, they asked for peace, * PEIsan-tes [3982] BLAston ton ePI tou koiT*O*nos [2846] tou ba-siLE*o*s, *e*TOUNto eiR*E*n*e*n, *because their :country was fed from the royal country.* diA to TREphes-thai [5142] auT*O*N t*e*n CH*O*ran [5561] aPO t*e*s ba-si-liK *E*S [935]. b. 12:21 HEROD ADDRESSES THOSE OF TYRE AND SIDON *And upon a set day :Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel,* takT*E* de h*e*MEra ho H*e*R*O*d*e*s en-duSAme-nos esTH*E*ta [2066]ba-si-liK *E*N [937], *and** sat on the throne, **and made an oration unto them.* kaTHIsas ePI tou B*E*ma-tos [968], e-d*e*-m*e*GOrei [1215] pros auTOUS. c. 12:22* And the people shouted, God's voice, and not man's.* ho de D*E*mos e-pePH*O*nei, THEou ph*o*N*E*, kai ouk anTHR*O*pou. d. 12:23 THE LORD'S ANGEL PUNISHES HEROD *And immediately the Lord's angel struck him,* pa-raCHR*E*ma [3916] de ePAta-xen [3960] auTON AGge-los KuRIou, *because he gave not :God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and he expired.* anth' h*o*n ouk Ed*o*-ken t*e*n DOxan t*o* The*O*: kai geNOme-nos sk*o*l*e* KObr*o*-tos, eXEpsu-xen. 3. 12:24 * But the word of the Lord grew and multiplied.* Ho de LOgos tou KuRIou *E*Uxa-nen [837] kai e-pl*e*THUne-to [4129]. C. 12:25 MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: SERVANTS RETURN *And Barnabas and Saul returned* BarNAbas de kai SAUlos huPEstre-psan *when they had fulfilled their ministration Jerusalemward,* eis Ie-rou-saL*E*M pl*e*R*O*san-tes [4137] t*e*n di-a-koNIan [1248], *having taken along John :surnamed Mark.* sun-pa-ra-laBONtes [4838] I*o*An*e*n ton e-pi-kl*e*THENta MARkon. *NOTE**: (2010-03-11) - * These notes which accompany each mailing will be eliminated at the time of printing, but will appear on our Website. The ?Notes? are not inspired, and should not accompany the printing of the actual NT Interlinear text. Here is another of the reasons I believe the Lord is *not* leading for them to be printed along with the text. Let me illustrate this from my reading last night in ?Oswald chambers: Abandoned to God? by David McCasland, Discovery House Publishers, 1993, pp. 87-88: ?Chambers' crisis of full surrender to God in 1901 profoundly altered his life. Some time after the experience, he spoke of it in a letter to a friend: - 'You ask a question about the baptism of the Holy Spirit - did I get there all at once or easily? No, I did not. Pride and the possession of the high esteem of my many Christian friends kept me out for long enough. But immediately I was willing to sacrifice all and put myself on the Altar, which is Jesus Himself, all was begun and done. ?Holiness is not an attainment at all, it is the gift of God, and the pietistic tendency is the introspection which makes me worship my own earnestness and not take the Lord seriously at all. It is a pious fraud that suits the natural man immensely. *He* makes holy, *He* sanctifies, *He*does it all. All I have to do is come as a spiritual pauper, not ashamed to beg, to let go of my right to myself and act on Romans 12:1-2. It is never 'Do, do, and you'll be' with the Lord, but 'Be, be, and I will do through you.' It is a case of 'hands up' and letting go, and then entire reliance on Him.' ?During the next five and a half years at Dunoon, Chambers developed into a powerful and much sought after preacher. To his gift of unique and forceful expression he added *tact* and *compassion*, qualities evidently lacking in his earlier years. Duncan MacGregor's son Easdale, a close friend and keen observer of Chambers, notes that Oswald's earlier sermons 'seemed to create a fear of God, in the sense of terror, in his hearers rather than of confidence and love.' One request to the principal for a preacher from the college concluded with a prohibition against Oswald: 'Dinna send us young lang-haired swearin' parson!'? Yesterday I was reading from ?One Church Many Tribes? by Richard Twiss, published by Regal Books, 2000, excerpts from pp. 191-197 - ?In November 1996, in a remote part of the world, the sleepy and picturesque town of Rotorua, New Zealand, witnessed a turning point in modern Church history. The inaugural World Christian Gathering of Indigenous People (WCGIP) signaled the emergence of indigenous people as a critical factor in God's purposes for nations. I heard and saw there the advent of a new song of reconciliation for the Church coming from indigenous people. Centuries of pain resulting from rejection by their colonial brethren had given birth to a word of *forgiveness* and *healing* for the Body of Christ. ?As I listened to the pain and observed the tears of grief and loss of indigenous people from generations of pain and rejection, one thing was evident: *There was a glaring absence of bitterness and resentment*. Any hearts that still questioned and harbored ill feelings were softened by deep-seated words of forgiveness, reconciliation and healing at the heart of what was said. ?Approximately 30 Native North Americans from the United States and Canada entered the sports center and slowly walked in a clockwise procession as a traditional-style grand entry, some wearing traditional regalia. We were accompanied by a David Ruis worship song entitled ?Let the River Flow,? sung in part in the Saulteax language. In single file we marched and danced around the interior of the arena until we reached the center aisle in the back. I then called my blond-haired, blue-eyed wife to my side and, hand in hand, we led the delegation to the front as we danced a traditional friendship dance. Many told us later that just the sight of us dancing in a traditional way, as a cross-cultural couple, was living proof that reconciliation is possible in Jesus Christ. As we all stood facing the audience, we could see many were crying and rejoicing before the Lord. ?A report reached us the next day that five Maori people, including one who had been in prison, prayed to receive Jesus Christ because they were so deeply touched by our entrance, our music and our dance. One Maori brother said he began weeping when we entered and could not stop for the next hour because of the presence of God and the beauty of the Lord he saw in us. Later, an Aboriginal man from Australia shared his joy with us: When he saw us dancing, he had joined us and danced in the traditional style of his own tribe. He said it was the first time he had felt the liberty to do so as a Christian. He was released, blessed and affirmed by the Lord as he danced. ?A White brother spoke of being acutely aware of the fact that the treasure of indigenous people generally continues to be excluded from the Church and that, as a result, the church rarely has the benefit of ?drinking from their wells.? The gathering made me realize more than ever before that this is a story the Church around the earth needs to hear and see.? The lack of bitterness at this conference of 2000 people from 32 countries and 100 nations - for past mistreatment - has produced a spirit of Jesus that is opening doors of Evangelism in a special way for our First Nations People. I am committed as an Anglo White person to stand with them until like the 12 tribes of Israel, they like Benjamin who was nearly lost as a tribe to Israel (last chapters of the Book of Judges), may take their world place as one of the 12 cultural groups of our earth. I want a deeper drinking from the wells of Oswald Chambers since 1901, and the World's Aboriginal peoples as manifested in 1996 in New Zealand. Then I trust that my ?NOTES? following these Interlinear mailings, may take on more of the spirit above. J.A.Watt *Addendum: The prophets of the OT, and John the Baptist and Jesus in the NT, prayed for those in office and authority; but at the same time spoke out openly and forcefully against abuses by those holding such office. A modern prophet and John the Baptist is Dr. David Barton, more of a historian than a Biblical speaker, but very famous for his knowledge of historical facts as well as Biblical truths.* *DR. DAVID BARTON - ON OBAMA* *Respect the Office? Yes. Respect the man in the Office? No, I am sorry to say.* *I have noted that many elected officials, both Democrats and Republicans, called upon America to unite behind Obama. Well, I want to make it clear to all who will listen that I AM NOT uniting behind Obama!* *I will respect the Office which he holds, and I will acknowledge his abilities as an orator and wordsmith and pray for him. BUT that is it. I have begun today to see what I can do to make sure that he is a one-term President!* *Why am I doing this? it is because:* *- I do not share Obama's vision or value system for America;* *- I do not share his Abortion beliefs;* *- I do not share his radical Marxist's concept of re-distributing wealth;* *- I do not share his stated views on raising taxes on those who make $150,000+ (the ceiling has been changed three times since August);* *- I do not share his view that America is Arrogant;* *- I do not share his view that America is not a Christian Nation;* *- I do not share his view that the military should be reduced by 25%;* *- I do not share his view of amnesty and giving more to illegals than our American Citizens who need help;* *- I do not share his views on homosexuality and his definition of marriage; * *- I do not share his views that Radical Islam is our friend and Israel is our enemy who should give up any land;* *- I do not share his spiritual beliefs (at least the ones he has made public);* *- I do not share his Beliefs on how to re-work the healthcare system in America;* *- I do not share his Strategic views of the Middle East; and* *- I certainly do not share his plan to sit down with terrorist regimes such as Iran.* *Bottom line: my America is vastly different from Obama's, and I have a higher obligation to my Country and my GOD to do what is Right!* *For eight (8) years, the Liberals in our Society, led by numerous entertainers who would have no platform and no real credibility but for their celebrity status, have attacked President Bush, his family, and his spiritual beliefs!* *They have not moved toward the center in their beliefs and their philosophies, and they never came together nor compromised their personal beliefs for the betterment of our Country!* *They have portrayed my America as a land where everything is tolerated except being intolerant!* *They have been a vocal and irreverent minority for years!* *They have mocked and and attacked the very core values so important to the founding and growth of our Country!* *They have made every effort to remove the name of GOD or Jesus Christ from our Society!* *They have challenged capital punishment, the right to Bear firearms, and the most basic principles of our criminal code!* *They have attacked one of the most fundamental of all Freedoms, the right of free speech!* *Unite behind Obama? Never!!!* *I am sure many of you who read this think that I am going overboard; but I refuse to retreat one more inch in favor of those whom I believe are the embodiment of Evil! PRESIDENT BUSH made many mistakes during his Presidency, and I am not sure how history will judge him. However, I believe that he weighed his decisions in light of the long established Judeo-Christian principles of our Founding Fathers!!!* *Majority rules in America, and I will honor the concept; however, I will fight with all of my power to be a voice in opposition to Obama and his ?goals for America.?* *I am going to be a thorn in the side of those who, if left unchecked, will destroy our Country! Any more compromise is more defeat!* *I pray that the results of this election will wake up many who have sat on the sidelines and allowed the Socialist-Marxist anti-GOD crowd to slowly change so much of what has been good in America!* ?*Error of Opinion may be tolerated where Reason is left free to combat it.? - Thomas Jefferson* *GOD bless you and GOD bless our Country!!!* *Thanks for your time; be safe. **?**In GOD We Trust?* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sun May 6 15:51:28 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sun, 6 May 2012 15:51:28 -0700 Subject: Acts 21:1-14 - Interlinear Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 6, 2012 *(From: ACTS #35 - 21:1-14])* D. 21:1-14 LESSONS ON WARNINGS FROM THE SPIRIT 1. 21:1-6 WARNING OF THE SPIRIT a. 21:1-2 FROM MILETUS TOWARDS PHOENICIA *And when it came to pass that we were parted from them and had set sail,* H*o*s de eGEne-to a-nachTH*E*nai [321] h*e*MAS a-po-spasTHENtas [645] ap' auT*O*N, *we came with a straight course unto :Cos,* eu-thu-droM*E*san-tes [2113] *E*Ltho-men eis t*e*n K*o*, *and the next day unto :Rhodes, and from there unto Patara:* t*e* de heX*E*S eis t*e*n 'ROdon, ka' 'KEIthen eis PAta-ra: 2* and having found a ship crossing over unto Phoenicia, we went aboard, andset sail. * kai heuRONtes PLOIon [4143] di-a-peR*O*N [1276] eis PhoiNIk*e*n, e-piBANtes [1910], aN*E*CHth*e*-men. b. 21:3 PAST CYPRUS TO TYRE *And when we had sighted :Cyprus, and leaving it on the left,* a-naPHAnan-tes [398] de t*e*n KUpron, kai ka-ta-liPONtes [2641] auT*E*N eu*O *nu-mon [2176], *we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre;* ePLEo-men eis SuRIan, kai kaT*E*Ltho-men [2609] eis TUron; *for there the ship was to unload her :cargo.* eKEIse gar to PLOIon *e*n a-po-phor-tiZOme-non [670] ton GOmon [1117]. c. 21:4 PROPHETIC WARNING TO PAUL *And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days:* a-neuRONtes [429] de tous ma-th*e*TAS, e-peMEIna-men [19611 auTOU h*e*MEras hepTA: *and these told :Paul through the Spirit, not to set foot in Jerusalem.* HOti-nes t*o* PAUl*o* Ele-gon diA tou PNEUma-tos, m*e* e-piBAInein [1910]eis Ie-roSOlu-ma. d. 21:5-6 FROM TYRE - BACK ABOARD SHIP *And when it came to pass that we had accomplished the days,* HOte de eGEne-to h*e*MAS e-xarTIsai [1822] tas h*e*MEras, *we departed and went on; all, with wives and children,* e-xelTHONtes e-po-reuOme-tha [4198]; pro-pemPONt*o*n [4311] h*e*MAS PANt*o*n *bringing us on till out of the city:* sun gu-naiXI kai TEKnois, HE*o*s Ex*o* t*e*s POle*o*s: *and kneeling on the beach, *kai THENtes ta GOna-ta ePI ton ai-gi-aLON,* * *we prayed, *6* and bade each other farewell;* pro-seuXAme-noi, a-p*e*-spaSAme-tha alL*E*lous; *and we went on board :ship, but they returned :home.* kai eNEb*e*-men eis to PLOIon, eKEInoi de huPEstre-psan [5290] eis ta Idi-a. 2. 21:7-14 FOREWARNINGS - BUT STRENGTHENED TO DO GOD'S WILL a. 21:7 PAUL'S TEAM ARRIVES AT PTOLEMAIS *And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre,* H*e*MEIS de ton ploun [4144] di-aNUsan-tes [1274] aPO TUrou, *we arrived at Ptolemais; and we greeted the brethren,* ka-t*e*nT*E*sa-men [2658] eis Pto-le-maIda; kai as-paSAme-noi [782] tous a-delPHOUS, *and** abode with them one day.* eMEIna-men h*e*MEran MIan par' auTOIS. b. 21:8 NEXT STEP: PHILIP'S HOME AT CAESAREA *And on the morrow we departed, and came unto Caesarea:* t*e* de ePAUri-on e-xelTHONtes, *E*Ltha-men eis KaiSAri-an: *and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist,* kai ei-selTHONtes eis ton OIkon PhiLIPpou tou eu-ag-ge-liSTOU [2099], *who was one of the seven, we abode with him.* ONtos ek t*o*n hepTA, eMEIna-men [3306] par' auT*O*. q* Now this man had four virgin daughters, who prophesied.* TOUt*o* de *E*san thu-gaTEres TESsa-res parTHEnoi [3933], pro-ph*e*TEUou-sai [4395]. d. 21:10 AGABUS FROM JUDEA *And as we tarried some days, * e-pi-meNONt*o*n de h*e*MEras PLEIous, *a certain prophet came down from Judea, Agabus by name.* kaT*E*L-THEN tis aPO t*e*s IouDAIas proPH*E*t*e*s, oNOma-ti Aga-bos. e. 21:11 MESSAGE OF AGABUS TO PAUL *And coming unto us, and taking the girdle of Paul,* kai elTH*O*N pros huMAS, kai Aras [142] t*e*n Z*O*n*e*n [2223] tou PAUlou, *he bound his own :feet and :hands, and said,* D*E*sas [1210] he-auTOU tous POdas kai tas CHEIras, EIpen, *These things says the Holy :Spirit, Thus shall the Jews* TAde LEgei to PNEUma to HAgi-on, Ton ANdra HOU es-tin h*e* Z*O*n*e* *at Jerusalem bind the man whose this :girdle is,* HAUt*e* HOUt*o*s D*E*sou-sin [1210] en Ie-rou-saL*E*M hoi IouDAIoi, *and shall deliver him into the hands of the nations.* kai pa-raD*O*sou-sin eis CHEIras ethN*O*N. f. 21:12 PAUL URGED NOT TO GO TO JERUSALEM *And when we heard these things, both we and they* h*o*s de *e*KOUsa-men TAUta, pa-re-kaLOUmen [3870] h*e*MEIS te kai hoi *of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.* enTOpi-oi tou m*e* a-naBAInein auTON eis Ie-rou-saL*E*M. g. 21:13 PAULS READINESS TO SUFFER FOR CHRIST'S SAKE *Then :Paul answered, *TOte a-peKRIth*e* ho PAUlos,* * *What do you do, weeping and breaking my :heart?* Ti poiEIte, KLAIon-tes kai sunTHRUPtonTES mou t*e*n karDIan? *for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem* eG*O* gar ou MOnon deTH*E*nai [1210], alLA kai a-po-thaNEIN [599] eis Ie-rou-saL*E*M *for the name of the Lord Jesus.* heTOIm*o*s Ech*o* huPER tou oNOma-tos tou KuRIou I*e*SOU. h. 21:14 PAUL'S FRIENDS LEAVE HIM TO HIS WILL *And when he would not be persuaded, *m*e* pei-thoMEnou de auTOU, *we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.* h*e*-suCHAsa-men, eiPONtes, Tou KuRIou to THEl*e*ma giNESth*o*. *NOTE**: *21:9 - The four daughters of Philip prophesied (pro-ph*e*TEUou-sai), which would correspond with the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:8-11. But this would *not* place them in the *office* of prophet, as in Ephesians 4:11-12. The feminine equivalent form is #4398 proPH*E*tis, but Philip's 4 daughters are *not* in this category. 21:10-14 - Paul in the past mentioned that in city after city prophecies came forth of bonds that awaited him in Jerusalem. This was confirmed in Tyre (21:4). But Agabus in the latter part of this reading, like Ezekiel of old, acted out what would happen to Paul should he go up to Jerusalem. It is important to note here how Paul lived out these prophecies - he did * not* let them distract him from what *he* believed was the Lord's *guidance*at this time for his life. Were the prophecies true? Absolutely. But from Paul's viewpoint, they were *not* to take precedence over the more important guidance from God. There are believers today who will go a thousand miles to get a word from the Lord. But - do they know how to get * direct* guidance from Him, that supersedes prophetic words and revelation? This is a serious situation. Fully committed disciples like Paul - do not live on the level of prophetic guidance from others, even though authentic. They have so progressed into the Lord like Oswald Chambers, George Muller and Rees Howells - that *their* guidance is a direct word from the Lord. Does one often hear this distinction made today? Confirmation to Paul in the above - can be found in the life of Elisha when his mentor Elijah was about to be taken from him (2 King 2:3) - *?And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Do you know that Jehovah will take away your master from your head today? And he said, Yes, I know it; hold your peace.? *This happened again with the prophets from Jericho 2 verses later. Elisha did not need confirmation from the gift of prophecy. As a prophet, he like Paul had direct guidance from the Lord. We need to ?come up higher?, and not live in the realm of depending upon gifts of the Spirit for guidance. They can be true words as to what is about to happen should we follow a certain course - but *not* the personal word and guidance of the Lord for us. Many are confused over this passage with Paul, Agabus and the other prophets. Perhaps these words will help some to sort out the above, lead them to ?move to higher ground? like Paul and Elisha, and *not miss* the * true* guidance of the Lord. J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon May 7 11:40:25 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 7 May 2012 11:40:25 -0700 Subject: Urgent Prayer Request Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 7, 2012 *2012-05-07 - AN URGENT PRAYER REQUEST* *Re the Manuscript for Printing of the ?Outlined Interlinear New Testament? by Pentecost* *in the light of so many Satanic attacks.* *(A word of explanation re Panin's book order -* ?*God allowed Ivan Panin to discover ?Bible Numerics?* *to uncover the original Greek text of the New Testament;* *plus the sentence, subdivision, paragraph and section structure;* *plus the author of each New Testament book;* *and even the book order - of each New Testament book!?)* *Ivan Panin died in December of 1942, 70 years ago. One month before he died, God spoke to me for the first time at the age of 18 - to join the Canadian Navy, where He would reveal Himself to me. He did this at Passover in 1944 in Victoria B.C., and in July laid on me the works of Ivan Pan through a Russian Jew, Dr. Jewel of Calgary, Alberta.* *On the basis of Dr. Jewel's gift of 2 pamphlets on Panin, I ordered all the books listed there either ?by? or ?on? Panin. When I discovered the unique sentence, subdivision, paragraph and section structure of each of the 27 NT books, and the insight that came upon outlining the book of Ephesians in the light of this, I offered to produce for God and Panin an ?Outlined Interlinear New Testament? on this basis. In 1967 the Lord strongly emphasized that I was to get His NT done. It was not mine, nor Panin's, nor my family's, nor that of any team - but it was God's! I was merely His steward to complete it.* *That same year He revealed that the ?Interlinear? was not an end in itself; it was merely the means to a greater end: namely, it was the initial component part of seven - for an ?Organic Laser-Telescope?, to produce a ?Spiritual Star Wars? effect. Each of the 7 component parts line up with the 7 pieces of furniture in Moses' Tabernacle.* *The ?Interlinear? represents Jesus as the Word of John 1:1, and Himself as the 5-fold sacrifice of Leviticus as laid out on the Brazen Altar; then He is also the basis of ?Bible Meditation? through the Interlinear on the Mercy Seat with the Father. So Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega of this revelation, and points to George Muller and George Whitefield as to how we too can use the Interlinear as the basis for ?New Covenant Bible Meditation?. A Pilot Prayer Team and an Eldership (Presbytery) in the Gate of each City Church, will then receive the fruit of this Interlinear through the ?Organic Laser-Telescope?.* *The present world church by-and-large - and the average believer may not perceive the potential in the above - but Satan does. Elvin Gladney fully perceived this potential and effectively helped me demonstrate it in 3 cities of Cascadia. He was the second leader of the first Pilot Prayer Team formed October 31, 2009. Elvin introduced this ?Interlinear? potential so effectively to Timothy Johnson of Moses Lake in 2009, that Timothy felt God leading him to offer to print the ?Interlinear? for me, in line with the above vision and purpose.* *But in August 2011, God called Elvin up higher. Jim Ray became the third leader of the Pilot Prayer Team, and as Chairman of the Interlinear Publication Committee, has sought to move with the Printing Committee and my family - in finalizing what Elvin initiated.* *Unusual** difficulties and trials have accompanied this process. Only ** God can see us through to final victory as promised in Psalm 91.* *Last night 4 of the key members of the publication committee met by Telephone Conference. Our goal: to see the complete ?Outlined Interlinear New Testament? manuscript ready for printing - by this year's Feast of Pentecost, Sunday May 27th. * *This** is the Urgent Prayer Request noted above. Will you join with us that this design of **God will proceed to successful fruition?* *Jim Watt - your friend, and member of the Interlinear Publication Committee.* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed May 9 16:58:41 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 9 May 2012 16:58:41 -0700 Subject: Amos the Prophet Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 9, 2012 *2012-05-09 - AMOS - INTRODUCTION* *(From ?The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language? by Eugene H. Peterson)* *More people are exploited and abused in the cause of religion than in any other way. Sex, money, and power all take a back seat to religion as a source of evil. Religion is the most dangerous energy source known to humankind. The moment a person (or government or religion or organization) is convinced that God is either ordering or sanctioning a cause or project, anything goes. The history, worldwide, of religion-fueled hate, killing, and oppression is staggering. The biblical prophets are in the the front line of those doing something about it. * *The biblical prophets continue to be the most powerful and effective voices ever heard on this earth for keeping religion honest, humble, and compassionate. Prophets sniff out injustice, especially injustice that is dressed up in religious garb. They sniff it out a mile away. Prophets see through hypocrisy, especially hypocrisy that assumes a religious pose. Prophets are not impressed by position or power or authority. They aren't taken in by numbers, size, or appearances of success.* *They pay little attention to what men and women say about God or do for God. They listen to God and rigorously test all human language and action against what they hear. Among these prophets, Amos towers as defender of the downtrodden poor and accuser of the powerful rich who use God's name to legitimize their sin.* *None of us can be trusted in this business. If we pray and worship God and associate with others who likewise pray and worship God, we absolutely must keep company with these biblical prophets. We are required to submit all our words and acts to their passionate scrutiny to prevent the perversion of our religion into something self-serving. A spiritual life that doesn't give a large place to the prophet-articulated justice will end up making us worse instead of better, separating us from God's ways instead of drawing us into them.* *NOTE**: Prophets are not popular. When King Jehoshaphat of Judah requested a true prophet of the LORD to give counsel to him and King Ahab of Israel - the latter said concerning the prophet Micaiah - ?I hate him - he always speaks evil of me!? Jehoshaphat chided Ahab for this outburst, but it did little good!* *When John the Baptist rebuked King Herod for marrying his brother's wife, Herodias contrived to have John beheaded!* *When Jesus as the Son of God and a true prophet confronted the scribes and Pharisees of His day - they arranged to have Him crucified.* *Persecution and death has been the normal end for all true prophets. It mattered not to them whether it was a king, a governor, a ruler or a rich man - all true prophets spoke out the truth - let the chips fall where they may!* *There was a time when the word that came forth over pulpits was of this order. Mary Queen of Scots heard John Knox speak concerning her so clearly, that she wept. She said, ?I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the armies of England! When Know preached, it is said that he ?dinged the pulpit into blads.? Interpretation: While he preached, he hit the pulpit so hard, that splinters flew off!* *We have an election coming up. Is it legitimate for one to hear from the pulpit concerning our present president? Should he be given a second term? Or is he like Mary Queen of Scots - one who needs to hear from the pulpits of the land areas where he needs to repent, truly come to God, and hew the line as a ruler by conforming to the Word of God? If all professing Christians heard and followed such words, we would have a definite change in the presidency.* *There are many in our land who are not clear in their thinking concerning the prophetic responsibility of the pulpit in this area for our day. J.A.Watt* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu May 10 17:40:51 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 17:40:51 -0700 Subject: Matthew 15:1-20 - Interlinear Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 10, 2012 *(From: MATTHEW #24 - 15:1-20)* B. 15:1-20 ESSENTIAL FALSITY OF THE PHARISEE POSITION 1. 15:1-11 TRADITION MAKING VOID THE WORD OF GOD a. 15:1-2 THE PHARISEES NIT-PICK *Then come to :Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and Scribes, saying,* TOte proSERchon-tai t*o* I*e*SOU aPO Ie-ro-soLUm*o*n Pha-riSAIoi kai gram-maTEIS, LEgon-tes, 2 *Why do your :disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?* DiA ti hoi ma-th*e*TAI sou pa-raBAInou-sin [3845] t*e*n paRAdo-sin [3862] t* o*n pres-buTEr*o*n [4245]? *for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.* ou gar NIPton-tai [3538] tas CHEIras HOtan ARton esTHI*o*-sin. b. 15:3 JESUS REVERSES THE SITUATION *But he answered and said to them, Why do YOU also transgress* ho de a-po-kriTHEIS EIpen auTOIS, DiA ti kai huMEIS pa-raBAIne-te [3845] *the commandment of :God because of your :tradition?* t*e*n en-toL*E*N [1785] tou TheOU diA t*e*n paRAdo-sin [3862] huM*O*N? c. 15:4 GOD'S WORD THROUGH MOSES *For :God said, Honor your :father and :mother:* ho gar TheOS EIpen, TIma [5091] ton paTEra kai t*e*n m*e*TEra: *and, Who reviles father or mother, let him die.* kai, Ho ka-ko-loG*O*N [2551] paTEra *e* m*e*TEra, thaNAt*o* [2288] te-leuTAt *o* [5053]. d. 15:5 THE HYPOCRISY OF THE PHARISEES *But YOU say, Whoever shall say to his :father or :mother,* huMEIS de LEge-te, Hos an EIp*e* t*o* paTRI *e* t*e* m*e*TRI, *That with which you might have profited by me is a gift to God, shall in no wise honor his :father.* D*O*ron [1435] ho eAN ex eMOU *o*-phe-l*e*TH*E*S [5623], ou m*e* tiM*E*sei ton paTEra auTOU. e. 15:6* And you made void the law of :God because of your :tradition.* kai *e*-kuR*O*sa-te [208] ton NOmon tou TheOU diA t*e*n paRAdo-sin huM*O*N. f. 15:7-8 JESUS NAILS THEIR HYPOCRISY *You** hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, * hu-po-kriTAI [5273], kaL*O*S e-proPH*E*teu-sen peRI huM*O*N *E*-SAIas, LEg*o *n, 8 *This :people honors me with their lips; but their :heart is far from me. * Ho laOS HOUtos tois CHEIleSIN [5491] me tiMA; h*e* de karDIa auT*O*N PORr*o*aPEchei [568] ap' eMOU. g. 15:9 * But in vain they worship me, Teaching for doctrines precepts of men.* MAt*e*n [3155] de SEbonTAI [4576] me, diDAskon-tes di-da-skaLIas enTALma-ta [1778] anTHR*O*p*o*n. h. 15:10-11 JESUS EMPHASIZES THE PROBLEM *And he called to him the crowd, and said to them, Hear, and understand:* kai pro-ska-leSAme-nos [4341] ton OCHlon, EIpen auTOIS, A-KOUe-te, kai suNIe-te [4920]: 11* Not what comes into the mouth defiles the man;* ou to ei-serCHOme-non eis to STOma koiNOI [2840] ton ANthr*o*-pon; *but what goes out of the mouth, this defiles the man.* alLA to ek-po-reuOme-non [1607] ek tou STOma-tos, TOUto koiNOI ton ANthr*o* -pon. 2. 15:12-14 COMMAND: LEAVE BLIND GUIDES ALONE! a. 15:12 THE DISCIPLES' CONCERN *Then come the disciples, and say to him,* TOte pro-selTHONtes hoi ma-th*e*TAI, LEgou-sin auT*O*, *Do you not know that the Pharisees were stumbled, when they heard the saying?* OIdas HOti hoi Pha-riSAIoi aKOUsan-tes ton LOgon, e-skan-daLISth*e*-san [4624]? b. 15:13 JESUS' STERN REPLY *But he answered and said, Every planting* ho de a-po-kriTHEIS EIpen, PAsa phuTEIa [5451] *which my :heavenly :Father planted not, shall be rooted up.* h*e*n ouk ePHUteu-sen [5452] ho paT*E*R mou ho ouRAni-os, e-kri-z*o*TH*E*se-tai [1610]. c. 15:14a * Leave them, they are blind guides.* Aphe-te [863] auTOUS, tuphLOI [5185] ei-sin ho-d*e*GOI [3595]. d. 15:14b* And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a pit.* tuphLOS de tuphLON eAN ho-d*e*G*E*, amPHOte-roi [297] eis BOthu-non [999]peSOUNtai [4098]. 3. 15:15-20 INTERPRETATION OF WORDS THAT DEFILE a. 15:15* And :Peter answered and said to him, Declare to us the parable.* A-po-kriTHEIS de ho PEtros EIpen auT*O*, PHRAson [5419] h*e*MIN t*e*n pa-ra-boL*E*N. b. 15:16* And he said, Are you also even yet without understanding?* ho de EIpen, AkM*E*N kai huMEIS aSUneTOI [801] es-te? c. 15:17 NEUTRALITY OF WHAT ENTERS THE MOUTH *Do you not perceive, that all that goes into the mouth* ou noEIte [3539], HOti pan to ei-spo-reuOme-non [1531] eis to STOma *passes into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?* eis t*e*n koiLIan [2826] ch*o*REI [5562], kai eis a-pheDR*O*na [856]ekBALle-tai [1544]? d. 15:18 DEFILEMENT: THROUGH WHAT COMES *OUT* *OF* THE MOUTH *But the things which go out of the mouth* ta de ek-po-reuOme-na ek tou STOma-tos *come forth out of the heart; and those defile the man.* ek t*e*s karDIas eXERche-tai; ka' 'KEIna koiNOI [2840] ton ANthr*o*-pon. e. 15:19-20 A LIST OF DEFILEMENT FROM THE HEART *For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, * ek gar t*e*s karDIas eXERchon-tai di-a-lo-gisMOI [1261] po-n*e*ROI, PHOnoi [5408], *adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnessings, blasphemies:* moiCHEIai [3430], porNEIa [4202], kloPAI [2829], pseu-do-mar-tuRIai [5577], blas-ph*e*MIai [988]: 20* these are what defile the man;* TAU-TA es-tin ta koiNOUNta [2840] ton ANthr*o*-pon; *but to eat with unwashed hands defiles not the man.* to de a-nipTOIS [449] cherSIN [5495] phaGEIN ou koiNOI ton ANthr*o*-pon. *NOTE**: *Jesus is *very* clear in this passage - both to the Pharisees as well as to His disciples. Here He is pulling no punches. The Pharisees walked into this appropriate rebuke. It was so clear and frontal, that it bothered His disciples. But He responded both to them and to the crowd so plainly - that there could be *no* misunderstanding. The Pharisees deserved this rebuke. But they were so blind and set in their ways, that they did not want anyone pointing out their hypocrisy. The ?tradition of men? meant far more to them than the ?Word of God.? They replaced God with man. It is important to see that the Orthodox Jews of today by and large - still 2000 years later - have the *same* spirit of the Pharisees of Jesus' day. They follow the ?Talmud? and its human traditions *above* the Torah, the 5 books of Moses, plus the rest of the OT. They *also* fail to understand Hebrews 8:6, which puts the NT on the same level of Torah, as the OT. And they still reject Isaiah 53 as pointing to a suffering Messiah, because it conflicts with *their* theology of a *reigning* Messiah. Jesus indeed will come the second time as a reigning Messiah; but for the sake of Redemption, it was necessary to come first and fulfill the types and shadows of Leviticus in the 5 sacrifices outlined at its beginning. But in Zechariah we learn that upon Christ's return - when Israel sees the wounds He received at His first coming in the house of His friends - they will *deeply* mourn - and *then* a remnant nation will be born in a day. J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri May 11 10:34:19 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 10:34:19 -0700 Subject: Matthew 16:1-20 - Interlinear Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 11, 2012 *(From: MATTHEW #26 - 16:1-20) * E. 16:1-12 WARNING AGAINST PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES 1. 16:1-4 THE SIGN OF JONAH FOR CARPERS a. 16:1 JEWISH LEADERS SEEK A SIGN *And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and trying him* Kai pro-selTHONtes hoi Pha-riSAIoi kai Sad-douKAIoi, peiRAzon-tes* *[3985] *asked him to show them a sign from :heaven.* e-p*e*R*O*t*e*-san [1905] auTON s*e*MEIon [4592] ek tou ou-raNOU e-piDEIxai [1925] auTOIS. b. 16:2 WEATHER FORECAST FOR EVENING *But he answered and said to them, When it is evening,* ho de a-po-kriTHEIS EIpen auTOIS, O-PSIas ge-noMEn*e*s, *you say, Fair weather: for the heaven is red.* LEge-te, EuDIa [2115]: purRAzei [4449] gar ho ou-raNOS. c. 16:3a* And in the morning, Foul weather today: for the heaven is red and lowering.* kai pr*o*I, S*E*me-ron cheiM*O*N [5494]: purRAzei gar stugNAz*o*n [4768] ho ou-raNOS. d. 16:3b WEATHER FORECASTING FAILS IN SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT *You know how to discern the face of the heaven;* to men PROs*o*-pon tou ou-raNOU giN*O*ske-te di-aKRInein [1252]; *but you cannot discern the signs of the seasons.* ta de s*e*MEIa t*o*n kaiR*O*N [2540] ou DUnas-the. e. 16:4a DESIRE FOR SIGNS : INDICATION OF AN EVIL GENERATION! *An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign;* ge-neA po-n*e*RA kai moi-chaLIS [3428] s*e*MEIon e-pi-z*e*TEI; *and no sign shall be given it, but the sign of Jonah.* kai s*e*MEIon ou doTH*E*se-tai auT*E*, ei m*e* to s*e*MEIon I*o*NA. f. 16:4b * And he left them, **and** departed. ** *kai ka-ta-liP*O*N [2641]auTOUS, aP *E*Lthen. 2. 16:5-12 BEWARE OF LEAVEN OF SCRIBES AND PHARISEES a. 16:5* And the disciples came to the other side and forgot to take loaves. * Kai elTHONtes hoi ma-th*e*TAI eis to PEran e-peLAthon-to [1950] ARtous laBEIN. b. 16:6 JESUS WARNS DISCIPLES OF FALSE LEAVEN *And :Jesus said to them, Take heed and beware* ho de I*e*SOUS EIpen auTOIS, HoRAte [3708] kai proSEche-te [4337] *of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.* aPO t*e*s ZUm*e*s [2219] t*o*n Pha-riSAI*o*n kai Sad-douKAI*o*n. c. 16:7* And they reasoned among themselves, saying [that], We took no loaves.* hoi de di-e-loGIzon-to [1260] en he-auTOIS, LEgon-tes [HOti], ARtous ouk eLAbo-men. d. 16:8 JESUS REBUKES THEIR MISUNDERSTANDING *And :Jesus perceiving it said, You of little faith,* gnous de ho I*e*SOUS EIpen, Ti di-a-loGIzes-the, *why do you reason among yourselves, because you have no loaves?* en he-auTOIS, o-liGOpi-stoi [3640], HOti ARtous ouk Eche-te? e. 16:9 JESUS REASONS WITH THEM *Do you not yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves* OUp*o* noEIte, ouDE mn*e*-moNEUe-te [3421] tous PENte ARtous *of the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?* t*o*n pen-ta-kis-chiLI*o*n, kai POsous koPHInous [2894] eLAbe-te? f. 16:10 * Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many hampers you took up?* ouDE tous hepTA ARtous t*o*n te-tra-kis-chiLI*o*n, kai POsas sphuRIdas [4711] eLAbe-te? g. 16:11a* How do you not perceive that I spoke not to you concerning loaves?* p*o*s ou noEIte HOti ou peRI ARt*o*n EIpon huMIN? h. 16:11b* But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.* proSEche-te [4337] de aPO t*e*s ZUm*e*s t*o*n Pha-riSAI*o*n kai Sad-douKAI*o *n. i. 16:12 DISCIPLES FINALLY GET THE POINT *Then they understood that he bade them beware not of the leaven* TOte suN*E*kan [4920] HOti ouk EIpen proSEchein aPO t*e*s ZUm*e*s *of the loaves, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.* t*o*n ARt*o*n, alLA aPO t*e*s di-daCH*E*S [1322] t*o*n Pha-riSAI*o*n kai Sad-douKAI*o*n. F. 16:13-20 THE IDENTITY OF JESUS AND HIS PURPOSE a. 16:13 JESUS SEEKS FROM HIS DISCIPLES HOW *OTHERS* IDENTIFY HIM *Now when :Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea :Philippi,* ElTH*O*N de ho I*e*SOUS eis ta MEr*e* Kai-saRIas t*e*s PhiLIPpou, *he asked his :disciples, saying,* *e*R*O*ta tous ma-th*e*TAS auTOU, LEg*o*n, *Who do :men say that the Son of :man is?* TIna LEgou-sin hoi ANthr*o*-poi EInai ton huiON tou anTHR*O*pou? b. 16:14 THE VARIOUS IDENTIFICATIONS MEN ATTEMPTED FOR JESUS *And they said, Some say John the Baptist; and some Elijah; * hoi de EIpan, Hoi men I*o*An*e*n ton bap-tisT*E*N; ALloi de *E*-LEIan; *and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.* HEte-roi de, Ie-reMIan, *e* HEna t*o*n pro-ph*e*T*O*N. c. 16:15* He says to them, But who do YOU say that I am?* LEgei auTOIS, HuMEIS de TIna me LEge-te EInai? d. 16:16 * And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living :God.* A-po-kriTHEIS de SIm*o*n PEtros EIpen, Su ei ho ChrisTOS, ho huiOS tou TheOU tou Z*O*Ntos [2198]. e. 16:17 JESUS REVEALS THE SOURCE OF PETER'S DISCERNMENT *And :Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you,* a-po-kriTHEIS de ho I*e*SOUS EIpen auT*O*, MaKAri-os [3107] ei, *Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you,* SIm*o*n Ba-ri-*o*NA: HOti sarx kai HAIma ouk a-peKAluPSEN soi, *but my :Father who is in the heavens.* all' ho paT*E*R mou ho en tois ou-raNOIS. f. 16:18 JESUS REVEALS THE FOUNDATION AND TRIUMPH OF HIS CHURCH *And I also say unto you, that you are Peter,* ka' 'G*O* DE soi LEg*o*, HOti su ei PEtros [4074], *and upon this :rock I will build my :church* kai ePI TAUt*e* t*e* PEtra [4073] oi-ko-doM*E*s*o* [3618] mou t*e*n ek-kl*e*SIan [1577] *and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.* kai PUlai [4439] HAdou [86] ou ka-tiSCHUsou-sin [2729] auT*E*S. g. 16:19 THE AUTHORITY JESUS DELEGATES TO PETER AND DISCIPLES *I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens; and whatever you shall bind on the earth* D*O*s*o* soi tas KLEIdas [2807] t*e*s ba-siLEIas [932] t*o*n ou-raN*O*N; kai ho eAN D*E*s*e*s [1210] ePI t*e*s g*e*s *shall be bound in the heavens; and whatever you shall loose* EStai de-deMEnon en tois ou-raNOIS; kai ho eAN LUs*e*s [3089] *on the earth shall be loosed in the heavens.* ePI t*e*s g*e*s EStai le-luMEnon en tois ou-raNOIS. h. 16:20 * Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no one that he is the Christ.* TOte e-peTIm*e*-sen tois ma-th*e*TAIS HIna m*e*-deNI EIp*o*-sin HOti auTOS es-tin ho ChrisTOS. *NOTE**: *Unbelievers like the Pharisees and Sadducees are to be avoided, especially their teaching! It is like leaven! And leaven in the Bible usually has a connotation of *evil*! My background was in this type of environment. I did not hear the Gospel clearly presented until *after* I became a Christian! We will do well to heed Jesus' warning concerning these types of teachers. Those who take away from the Word of God (Sadducees), and those who *add* to God's Word (Pharisees) - *they* are modern versions of such false teachers. 3 times in the Bible God warns of these latter (Deuteronomy, Proverbs and Revelation). It is interesting to note the questions of Jesus to His disciples concerning His identity. The general answers given by His disciples did not satisfy Him. He wanted *their* direct answer as to His identity. Peter by direct revelation of the Spirit of the Father received the answer Jesus desired. He was the *Christ*, the *Messiah* to come, the *Son* of the living God! What a revelation! And Jesus *confirmed* that this was what He was looking for! He pronounced a blessing upon Peter in the light of this revelation. Now 16:18 has been a verse with a number of interpretations by scholars. It seems that the majority feel that the revelation God gave Peter concerning His Son - as a *confession*, was the ?rock? upon which Jesus would build His church. However, the use of the two Greek words for ?rock? might offer another outlook. The word Peter is ?PEtros?, meaning ?a little rock?. The rock upon which Jesus said He would build His church is ?PEtra?, a large rock. Off the Province of Newfoundland and the great fishing banks off the shores of New England, are the ?Grand Banks?, or ?PEtra?. Upon it are numbers of smaller rocks, ?PEtros?. Jesus Himself can be likened to the Grand Banks - ?PEtra?, and we like Peter are living stones built upon Him, to form a Living Temple of Living Stones, with Jesus the Chief Corner Stone, and also the coming Capstone, the Alpha and Omega. It is true, that each living stone needs to receive Spirit revelation from the Father - but I tend to favor this latter view. Further, not only Peter, but all true living stones receive the keys of the Kingdom. As we faithfully proclaim the Gospel as Peter did, it becomes a key to open the door to the Kingdom of God. In 16:19 the ?Williams? translation of the NT is perhaps closer to the truth here than almost all others. It reads, ?Whatever you shall bind on earth, must already in the mind of God *have been bound* in heaven (Perfect Passive Participle); and whatever you shall loose on the earth must already *have been loosed*(Perfect Passive Participle) in heaven. This translation requires us to live close enough to God, that knowing His mind, we can *then* boldly proclaim on earth *His* desire, and it *shall*be done. This is quite a different perspective in the use of the keys of the Kingdom. It makes *us* the water-boys of God, not God *our* water-boy. I am not dogmatic on this point, but I personally favor it, and personally follow it. George Muller, Rees Howells and Oswald Chambers did also. I, like them, can be *bold* in my faith, when I know the mind of God. See 1 John 5:14-15 - *?And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his :will, he hears us; 15 and if we knowthat he hears us whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.?* Our *boldness* here comes when we ask *anything* *according to Hiswill *! This fully accords with the Williams translation of Matthew 16:19. - J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat May 12 15:55:02 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 15:55:02 -0700 Subject: Joy - Philippians Introduction Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 12, 2012 *2012-05-12 - PHILIPPIANS - Introduction* *(From ?The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language? - Eugene H. Peterson)* *This is Paul's happiest letter. And the happiness is infectious. Before we've read a dozen lines, we begin to feel the joy ourselves - the dance of words and the exclamations of delight have a way of getting inside us.* *But happiness is not a word we can understand by looking it up in the dictionary. In fact, none of the qualities of the Christian life can be learned out of a book. Something more like apprenticeship is required, being around someone who out of years of devoted discipline shows us, by his or her entire behavior, what it is. Moments of verbal instruction will certainly occur, but mostly an apprentice acquires skill by daily and intimate association with a ?master,? picking up subtle but absolutely essential things, such as timing and rhythm and ?touch.?* *When we read what Paul wrote to the Christian believers in the city of Philippi, we find ourselves in the company of just such a master. Paul doesn't tell us that we can be happy, or how to be happy. He simply and unmistakably is happy. None of his circumstances contribute to his joy: He wrote from a jail cell, his work was under attack by competitors, and after twenty years or so of hard traveling in the service of Jesus, he was tired and would have welcomed some relief.* *But circumstances are incidental compared to the life of Jesus, the Messiah, that Paul experienced from the inside. For it is a life that not only happened at a certain point in history, but continues to happen, spilling out into the lives of those who receive him, and then continues to spill out all over the place. Christ is, among much else, the revelation that God cannot be contained or hoarded. It is this ?spilling out? quality of Christ's life that accounts for the happiness of Christians, for joy is life in excess, the overflow of what cannot be contained within any one person.* *NOTE**: *?*Joy* is the most infallible sign of the presence of God.? - Teilhard de Chardin. I found this quotation in a boys' room many years ago, and it captivated me. Fits in with Paul in Philippians? Then Nehemiah came up with - ?The *joy of the LORD* is your strength.? Neh. 8:10. *True*! Next David says, ?Weeping may tarry for the night - but *joy* comes with the morning.? Psalm 30:5. Back in the '50's in Chicago at the Kostner Avenue Baptist Church - we had each member memorize a chapter from the Bible. Marie outdid herself, and memorized the entire book of Philippians - a *lot* of positive *joy* here! So do you think that God considers *joy* to be an important ingredient for the ?overcoming? Christian? Read again Eugene Peterson's ?Introduction to the Book of Philippians?, and let your heart receive from the apostle Paul his overflow from the *joy of the LORD*! J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sun May 13 08:23:52 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 08:23:52 -0700 Subject: Mother's Day Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 13, 2012 *2009-05-10 - PROVERBS 31:10-31 (ASV '01) - MOTHER'S DAY* ?*DESCRIPTION OF A WORTHY WOMAN?* *E*sher - CHAyil [2428] m*i*y yimTZ*A* [4672]? *A worthy woman who can find?* ve-r*a*CHOK mip-pe-n*i*yN*I*YM [6443] micR*A*H [4337]. *For her price is far above rubies.* B*A*tach [982] b*a*h l*e*b [3820] ba-aL*A*H [1167], *11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,* ve-sh*a*L*A*L [7998] l*o* yechS*A*R [2637]. *And he shall have no lack of gain.* ge-m*a*LATHhu [1580] t*o*b ve-l*o* - R*A* *12 She does him good and not evil* c*o*l yeM*E*Y chayYEYah [2416]. *All the days of her life.* D*A*Rsh*a*h [1875] TZEmer v*u*-mishT*I*YM *13 She selects wool and flax* vaTAas [6213] beCH*E*petz [2656] capPEY*a*h. *And works eagerly with her hands.* H*A*ye-th*a*h c*a*-aN*I*Yy*o*th [591] s*o*CH*E*R [5503]; *14 She is like the merchant-ships;* mim-merCH*A*K t*a*B*I*Y la-cheM*A*H [3899]. *She brings her bread from afar.* vaT*A*k*a*m [6965] be*O*D LAYl*a*h, *15 She rises also while it is yet night,* vat-tiT*E*N TErep [2954] le-b*e*yTH*A*H, *And gives food to her household,* veCHOK [2706] le-na-a-roTHEYah [5291]. *And their task to her maidens.* z*a*-meM*A*H [2161] S*A*reh, vat-tik-k*a*CH*E*h*u* [3947]; *16 She considers a field, and buys it;* mip-peR*I*Y [6529] capPEY*a*h N*A*te-*a* [5193] C*A*rem [3754]. *With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.* CH*A*ge-r*a*h be*O*Z [5797] m*a*-theNEY*a*h [4975] *17 She girds her loins with strength* vat-te-amM*E*TZ [553] ze-ro-*o*THEY*a*h [2220]. *And makes strong her arms.* T*A*a-m*a*h [2938] c*i*y - t*o*b sachR*A*H [5504]; *18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable;* L*O* - yicBEH [3518] baLAYl*a* n*e*R*A*H [5216]. *Her lamp goes not out by night.* Y*A*dey-*a*h shil-leCH*A*H bac-c*i*ySH*O*R [3601], *19 She lays her hands to the distaff,* ve-capPEY*a*h T*A*Mc*u* [8551] P*A*lec [6418]. *And her hands hold the spindle.* CAPp*a*h p*a*rS*A*H [6566] le-*a*N*I*Y [6041]; *20 She stretches out her hand to the poor;* ve-y*a*DEY*a*h shil-leCH*A*H [7971] L*A*ebY*O*N [34]. *Yes, she reaches forth her hands to the needy.* l*o* - th*i*yR*A* [3372] le-b*e*yTH*A*H miSH*A*leg [7950]; *21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household;* c*i*y c*a*l - b*e*yTH*A*H l*a*BUSH sh*a*N*I*YM [8144]. *For all her household are clothed with scarlet.* mar-baD*I*YM [4765] *A*se-th*a*h - L*A*H; *22 She makes for herself carpets of tapestry;* sh*e*sh [8336] ve-ar-g*a*M*A*N [713] le-b*u*SH*A*H [3830]. *Her clothing is fine linen and purple.* n*o*D*A* [3045] bash-she-*a*R*I*YM [8179] ba-aL*A*H, *23 Her husband is known in the gates,* be-shibT*O* [3427] im - zikN*E*Y [2205] *A*retz. *When he sits among the elders of the land.* saD*I*YN [5466] *A*sa-th*a*h vat-timCOR [4376], *24 She makes linen garments and sells them,* va-chaG*O*R n*a*-theN*A*H lacCE-na-aN*I*Y [3669]. *And delivers girdles unto the merchant.* *o*z [5797] - ve-h*a*D*A*R [1926] le-b*u*SH*A*H; *25 Strength and dignity are her clothing;* vat-tishCHAK [7832] leY*O*M a-chaR*O*N. *And she laughs at the time to come.* P*I*Y*a*h [6310] p*a*thCH*A*H [6605] be-ch*a*-ceM*A*H [2451]; *26 She opens her mouth with wisdom;* veTH*O*rath [8451] - CHEsed [2617] al - le-sh*o*N*A*H [3956]. *And the law of kindness is in her tongue.* TZ*O*p*i*y-yah [6822] ha-l*i*yC*O*TH [1979] b*e*TH*A*H, *27 She looks well to the ways of her household,* veL*A*chem atzL*U*TH [6104] l*o* th*o*CH*E*L. *And eats not the bread of idleness.* K*A*M*u* B*A*ney-*a*h VAye-ash-sheR*U*-*a*h [833]; *28** **Her children rise up, and call her blessed;* ba-aL*A*H, VAY-HAleL*A*H [1984], *Her husband **also**, and he praises her, **saying**:* raB*O*TH B*A*n*o*th [1323] *A*s*u* CH*A*Yil, *29** **Many daughters have done worthily,* veAT *a*L*I*YTH al - culL*A*n*a*h. *But you excel them all.* SHEker [8267] HAch*e*n [2580] veHEbel [1892] hayY*O*p*i*y [3308]; *30 Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain;* ishSH*A*H [802] yir-ath [3373] - Ye-h*o*V*A*H [3068], h*i* thith-halL*A*H ]1984]. *But a woman that fears Jehovah, she shall be praised.* te-n*u* - L*A*H mip-peR*I*Y [6529] y*a*DEY*a*h; *31 Give her of the fruit of her hands;* V*I*Yha-leL*U*-*a*h bash-she-*a*R*I*YM [8179] ma-aSHEY*a*h [4639]. *And let her works praise her in the gates.* *NOTES**: *The following remarks are by the widow of Peter Marshall - Catherine Marshall, in her book ?To Live Again.? Here we obtain a glimpse of her role as a wife and widow, and Peter's high picture of ?Woman,? which of course accords with wife and mother. It does agree with Solomon and Proverbs 31:10-31, doesn't it? Just months after the death of Peter at 46 years of age in 1949, Catherine edited 12 of Peter's Sermons in a book entitled ?Mr. Jones, Meet the Master.? It is this book she is autographing, and it is from this book that she quotes an excerpt from his sermon ?*Keepers of the Springs.? J.A.W.* ?It is a rare party, I found, which the average bookseller can handle in orderly fashion. Americans do not like lines; I can't say that I blame them. They would rather crowd around, poking books in all directions, first come, first served. The autographer - sunk down in the middle of the melee, feeling like a target for bow and arrow practice, gasping for a breath of fresh air, her right arm aching, the flowers on her left shoulder tickling her nose, the corsage pin scratching her shoulder - sits there, writing furiously, her signature getting more and more illegible, wondering if the smile on her face looks as mechanical is it began to feel a full hour ago. She meanwhile has one eye on the bookstore clock and the other on the still-unsigned piles of books which must be autographed before an escape can be made back to the hotel room. ?It should not have surprised me that I was finding details of my new life - such as sleepless nights on jerking trains or bumpy plane rides - a hurdle and a challenge. The truth was I couldn't even read a plane or train schedule. During twelve years of marriage, all training and motivation has been in quite the opposite direction. During these years I had stayed in the background - a behind-the-scenes wife. So definitely was this true that there were those in my husband's congregation who did not know whether or not the minister was married, or at best, had never seen me. ?This was quite in keeping with Peter's ideas and ideals on the subject of marriage. He took a dim view of feminism. But he was able to articulate this in a way that had attracted rather than repelled most of the feminine sex who heard him. His credo of marriage was spelled out - indeed, spread all over the landscape - in his sermon *?Keepers of the Springs.? *Yet during all his years in the ministry, this had been by far the most popular sermon he had ever preached. *The emancipation of womanhood began with Christianity* *and it ends with Christianity . . . .* *When women in this country achieved equality with men,* *it was accomplished only by stepping down from the pedestal* *on which Christianity, chivalry, and idealism had placed her. . . .* *So she copied the vices of men - in the name of progress!* *But it is not progress to go in a downward direction.* *It is not progress to lower moral standards and to lose ideals!* *No woman every became lovelier by losing her essential femininity.* *There is no substitute for goodness . . .* *nothing can take the place of purity.* *To be sweet is far better than to be sophisticated.* *America needs young women who will build true homes,* *whether they live in two rooms - or ten . . .* *whether starched white organdy curtains * *hang at the windows - or silk damask.* *We need homes where harassed husbands may find peace* *understanding* *refreshment of body and soul . . .* *where children may find the warmth of love . . .* *where friends may find hospitality* *graciousness* *and joy.* *Only out of such homes will go men with strength and courage* *to help the United States build a new and a better world.* *To make such homes is therefore,* *any woman's supreme contribution to her country* *and to her generation. . . .* ?There might well have been some conflict between Peter and me over his strong views on the role of women in marriage had I not discovered early in our life together that putting these ideas into practice brought me joy and satisfaction at a deep level. Such nonfeminist ideas meant that I was single-eyed in the marriage relationship. I was not a divided personality. All the talents I possessed, all energy, all creativeness, were poured into the marriage partnership, and no effort was made to channel any part of it in any other directions. ?For any minister - who must preach twice or three times every Sunday and often prepare several weekday talks - a steady stream of new ideas is the breath of life. Therefore, I handed over to Peter any ideas that came to me or that I stumbled across in reading that might be sermon material, as well as any thoughts I might have on the ever-present church organizational or personnel problems. ?Nor was any of this a hardship or a sacrifice. I felt in need of neither credit nor approbation for It. For I was discovering for myself during those years the profound truth of that ancient and inexorable law that '*he that loses his life . . . shall find it.'? *Submitted by J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Tue May 15 13:24:38 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 13:24:38 -0700 Subject: Tribes & Temperaments Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 15, 2012 *2012-05-15 - TRIBES & TEMPERAMENTS* *In 1949 I served as Assistant Pastor to Dr. D. A. Scotchie McCall of Tabernacle Baptist Church of Chicago. That Fall we had Dr. A.W. Slemming from England as guest speaker one Wednesday evening. He presented his message that night as a ?Show and Tell? - and came out dressed like Aaron as a Jewish High Priest. It was most captivating! He spoke on the 12 tribes of Israel, represented by the 12 stones he wore on the ?Breastplate of Judgment?. At the close of the service I purchased his book entitled ?These Are the Garments.? There were 12 chapters on the 12 tribes of Israel. After reading up on them I asked the Lord - ?There is more on this, isn't there?? He encouraged me to ask Him for the ?more?, and He would add to them. Fourteen years later in 1963 I came across Dr. Tim LaHaye's books on the 12 Temperaments. Out of curiosity I did a ?Matching test? with the 12 tribes and the 12 Temperaments, and came up with the following.* *In the 4 Gospels, Jesus is perfectly balanced between the Lion of the Tribe of Judah in Matthew - 50 points; the servant spirit of the Ox in Mark - 50; the Son of Man of Luke - 50; and the Eagle of John representing Jesus as the Son of God - 50.* *God gives a portion of each of these 4 to us also, but none of us have the perfect score of Jesus. The two highest scores for two of the Gospels link us with one of the 12 tribes, and shows us our linkage with the appropriate Temperament. Those who know us well, especially our family, can help us to find our Tribe and Temperament. From the age of three, it is possible to see the temperament and tribe of our children, for Solomon says in Proverbs - that the child is the father of the man! * *Following is the listing of the 12 tribes according to the order of the march in Numbers chapter 2. * *1. JUDAH is a ?Matthew/John? - and means Praise! From him descends the Lion of the Tribe of Judah; Colossians sets forth this same truth in the Pre-eminence of Christ! Just as Judah was first among the tribes in order of the march, so Christ is pre-eminent in all of God's creation. John, the spiritual gospel, whose emblem is the eagle, sets forth this same pre-eminency through the 7 I AM's. Through Christ and Judah, the shout of a king is in the midst of Israel and the Church (Numbers 23:21). When we meditate upon Philippians 4:8, Christ is built up within us in these 8 glorious ways. ?The Heavenly Choir? which was restored to the Church in 1948, brings forth praise and worship in a wonderful way. African-Americans through their suffering, manifest the new song of the Lord. They sing, ?We shall overcome? - and by faith can truly sing - ?We now overcome today!? Maybe as many as one out of 12 of us are linked with Judah and this two-fold powerful Temperament! And - not only each of us as individuals can be linked with one of these 12, but also each local church! Each City Church! Each State or Province - and each nation or country. Each of us can also be linked with one of the 7 ministries of Romans 12:6-8!* *2. ISSACHAR is a ?Mark/Luke? - and represents the wise soul-winner. He is wise like a donkey, which in the Middle East and South America, is a very valuable animal. Kings rode on donkeys, and Jesus on Palm Sunday rode on a donkey. The qualification for the soul winner - is the Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23. The fruit of the Spirit is also a guard against returning to legalism, man's traditions, natural man's way of doing things, and walking in lusts of the flesh. Sow to the Spirit that you received after baptism (Acts 2:38), and you will reap the nature of Christ, and He being lifted up in you, will draw souls to Himself! I like to look at the ?First Nations People? - who have the potential of sensitivity, faithfulnessand obedience. Like the 11 tribes in Judges contrived to get 600 wives for Benjamin to start that tribe up again - we need to stand with the First Nations People until God brings them again to their full potential!* *3. ZEBULUN means ?dwelling? or ?abiding?. John 15:1-16 is a picture of the fruitful abiding life. ?Mark/Matthew? shows forth this temperament. The Gifts of the Spirit - 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 make Missions powerful and apostolic. Christians are to manifest gifts of the Spirit as soon as saved. Missionary Paul justified his apostleship on the basis of powerful gifts (2 Corinthians 12:12). Note that the Church of Corinth, though a carnal church, yet manifested all the gifts of the Spirit. God did not intend these gifts to cease with the apostolic age, and according to church history, they did not. The Aorist tense in Ephesians 4:11, ?gave?, and in 1 Corinthians 12:28, ?set?, confirm this. I like to look at China, and Brother Yun, The Heavenly Man, and his goal of 100,000 missionaries to move to Israel in our day, evangelizing Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists on the way. Martyrs? Of course! But they will then join the martyrs of Revelation 6:9-11!* *4. REUBEN is a ?Luke/Mark?, and represents the nation of Israel, and for the Church, ?Our Jewish Roots?! Reuben was a man of weakness and indecision, but could have prevailed had he availed himself of spiritual resources. Sin, disgrace and great loss came to him because he did not lay a good foundation, could not curb his lust and weakness. Fasting helps to overcome weakness and lust of the flesh. We need to add to our faith the virtues of 2 Peter 1:6-8. However, though Reuben lost the Kingship, the Blessing and the Priesthood because of sin, yet God reserved for him Simeon and Gad on the South side of the Tabernacle, and identification with the 8 blessings of Israel in Romans 9:4-5 (9:1-13).* *5. SIMEON is a ?John/Mark?, and represents South Korea, and the Gift - do-reA - of the Spirit. One with the ?Simeon? Temperament can take 2 Peter 1:6-8 (1:1-11) - and can powerfully overcome any other weakness. Simeon under his father's blessing appeared cruel, vindictive and unrestrained; suffered loss in Israel, and eventually became swallowed up in Judah. We have modern counter-parts like Simeon, who fiercely resisted his father's rebuke, and justified himself in a lawless act. He who is is truly repentant and believes the gospel, will show a different type of evidence of God's working in his life. 1 John reveals six evidences of a truly converted man. The new birth reveals itself in unmistakable changes, that should be studied carefully by those who mistake profession and intellectual assent for true possession and transformation. By their fruits you shall know them! * *6. GAD is a ?John/Matthew?, and represents Asia. Gad is like a lion, a troop, is he who is overcome, but overcomes at the last (Revelation 12:11)! He does so through the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20). Like Gad, we should recognize that we overcome Satan when properly defended and guarded. We may lose a battle, but we shall surely win the war! Elijah was a Gadite - a noble example! Elijah was one who prevailed through fasting like Jesus and Daniel. This was one of the 3 initial restoration truths that brought forth the 1948 Visitation in Northern Canada.* *7. EPHRAIM is a ?Mark/John?, and was marked by Jacob's prophecy as one slated for double fruitfulness, ahead of his older brother Manasseh. I have linked Ephraim with the Lord's Prayer of Matthew 6:9-13. What better way can one find for fruitfulness - than by living daily in this truth?* *JOSEPH is the father of this younger son, and in his two sons has a double portion through the prophecy of his father Jacob. I link him with ?Bridal Love?, and this can be seen in the 7 Unities of Ephesians 4:4-6 (1-16). When one prays over the history of the Polynesians, there are truths here that remind one of Joseph. Of all the sons of Jacob, none has more parallels with our Lord in their histories, than this 11th son given to him through Rachel.* *8. MANASSEH is a ?Luke/Matthew?. His name means ?forgetfulness?. Ephraim was set before Manasseh, though the younger, just as the church has pre-eminence above Israel. The greater spiritual blessing came to the church; yet Israel, like Manasseh, has not been forgotten. Replacement Theology has forgotten this. 1948 witnessed the return of Israel to her homeland as a nation. June 1967 witnessed the occupancy of Jerusalem by Israel: Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles or non-Jews until the end. Soon the time of Jacob's trouble will commence under a world-wide ruler called the Syrian. 1 Peter 4:7-11 reveals the changes that ought to take place in our lives in the light of the end times, when consummation for both Israel and the Church takes place. Romans 9-11 reveals this coming union. I link Manasseh with ?counseling? - nouthetic counseling! True counseling grounds the counselee in a renewed mind like Romans 12:2, where he can think God's thoughts after him.* *LEVI had no inheritance in the land, for the LORD was his inheritance. Levi was the tribe of guidance for Israel's leaders through the Urim and Thummim. The 5 clans of Levi were like the 5 ministry gifts of Ephesians 4:11-12, and can spiritually adjust the members of the 12 tribes to function in a unity under their Head - our Lord Jesus Christ. The parallel between Israel and the Church here is a blessing.* *9. BENJAMIN is a ?Luke/John?. This was the tribe of the apostle Paul. Benjamin is the ?wolf? tribe. If ever a tribe needed conversion, this tribe did. Look at Saul of Tarsus before his conversion and becoming Paul the apostle! Spiritually speaking I identify with this tribe, and desperately needed conversion, and continue to need to walk in the sanctifying power of the Spirit. Hebrews 6:1-2 (5:11-6:8) are the steps for true conversion needed by the Benjamin tribe. Hebrews brings forth the Gospel for Jews, and Romans sets forth the Foundation Truths for Gentiles. We should study these two epistles carefully, for they are the foundation for all that follows. A vital experience in the Holy Spirit following baptism leads naturally into all further truth.* *10. DAN is a ?John/Luke?. Dan means judge. Dan finds his New Testament parallel in Thessalonians and the Second Coming. We must through the Holy Spirit have a sanctified and holy work done in our lives, so that as overcomers we might have part in the first resurrection! All God's promises are to overcomers! to disciples! to those who deny themselves, take up their cross daily and follow Christ. The words of the Lord Jesus to the seven churches of Revelation form a composite picture of the conditions for the overcoming life. James 3:17 outlines 7 marks of wisdom for Dan, and backs him up in his ?quick decisions.? United States and Canada portray this practical tribe.* *11. ASHER is a ?Matthew/Mark?. Asher is the happy man of true heart religion. Only a man of union with God through the true pattern of prayer can evidence the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3-12, the true fruit of the blessed man. And God is more interested in what we are to and with Him, than what we do for Him! Link Asher with ?healing?, spiritual and physical. Latin Americans have demonstrated this in a number of their nations.* *12. NAPHTALI is a ?Matthew/Luke?. Naphtali is the wrestling hind. He enters rest through overcoming the trials of life. Self-denial, reckoning oneself dead through identification with Christ's death, allows the restful beauty of Christ to shine through. The self-denying mind of Christ on behalf of others is seen in Romans 12:6-8. This is the ?Presbytery? concept, with an Eldership in the Gate of the City Church. It was the first of 12 Embryonic Revival Principles restored to the Church in the Canadian 1948 Visitation. In Kenya and Tanzania, Africa, there are strong indications that the Presbytery concept could sweep that Continent, and be a blessing to the world. Pray that indeed it might be so.* *NOTE**: One can check our Website and click on ?Embryonics?. Here are listed the above 12 tribes with a fuller account of prophetic words and history for each one. The meaning of their names is found in Genesis 29 and 30; Jacob's prophecy over each in Genesis 49; Moses' prophecy over each in Deuteronomy 33; the order of their march in Numbers 2; and their historical outworking in the balance of the Old Testament. J.A.Watt* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed May 16 11:33:50 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 11:33:50 -0700 Subject: Mark 9:2-29 Interlinear Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 16, 2012 *(From: MARK #14 - 9:2-29)* H. 9:2-13 THE TRANSFIGURED JESUS a. 9:2-3 THE TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS *And after six days :Jesus takes with him :Peter, and :James,* Kai meTA h*e*MEras hex pa-ra-lamBAnei [3880] ho I*e*SOUS ton PEtron, kai ton IAk*o*-bon, *and John, and brings them up into a high mountain apart by themselves:* kai I*o*An*e*n, kai a-naPHErei [399] auTOUS eis HOros hu-ps*e*LON [5308]kat iDIan MOnous: *and he was transfigured before them; *3* and his :garments became* kai me-te-morPH*O*th*e* [3339] EMpros-then auT*O*N; kai ta hiMAti-a auTOU eGEne-to *glistening, exceeding white, so as no fuller on :earth can whiten them.* STILbon-ta [4744], leuKA [3022] LIan, HOIa gnaPHEUS ePI t*e* g*e*s ou DUna-tai HOUt*o*s leuKAnai. b. 9:4 * And Elijah appeared to them with Moses: and they were talking with :Jesus.* kai *O*PHth*e* [3700] auTOIS *E*-LEIas sun M*o*-uSEI [3475]: kai *E*san sun-laLOUNtes t*o* I*e*SOU. c. 9:5 PETER'S SUGGESTION *And :Peter answers and says to :Jesus, Rabbi,* kai a-po-kriTHEIS ho PEtros LEgei t*o* I*e*SOU, 'RabBEI, *it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tents;* kaLON es-tin h*e*MAS H*O*de EInai: kai poi*E*s*o*-men treis sk*e*NAS [4633]; *for you one, and for Moses one, and for Elijah one.* soi MEan, kai M*o*-uSEI MIan, kai *E*-LEIa MIan. d. 9:6* For he knew not what to answer; for they became sore afraid.* ou gar *E*dei ti a-po-kriTH*E*; EKpho-boi [1630] gar eGEnon-to. e. 9:7 THE WITNESS OF THE FATHER *And a cloud came overshadowing them: and a voice came* kai eGEne-to nePHEl*e* [3507] e-pi-skiAzou-sa [1982] auTOIS: kai eGEne-to ph *o*N*E* [5456] *out of the cloud, This is my :beloved :Son: hear him.* ek t*e*s nePHEl*e*s, HOU-TOS es-tin ho huiOS mou ho a-ga-p*e*TOS: aKOUe-te auTOU. f. 9:8* And suddenly looking around they saw no one any more with themselves, save :Jesus only.* kai eXApi-na pe-ri-blePSAme-noi ouKEti ouDEna EIdon meth' he-auT*O*N, ei m*e * ton I*e*SOUN MOnon. g. 9:9 THE CHARGE OF JESUS *And as they were coming down from the mountain,* Kai ka-ta-baiNONt*o*n [2597] auT*O*N ek tou Orous, *he charged them that they tell no one what things they had seen,* di-eSTEIla-to [1291] auTOIS HIna m*e*-deNI ha EIdon di-*e*G*E*s*o*n-tai [1492], *save when the Son of :man should have risen from the dead.* ei m*e* HOtan ho huiOS tou anTHR*O*pou ek neKR*O*N a-naST*E*. h. 9:10 * And they kept the saying, questioning among themselves what the rising from the dead is.* kai ton LOgon eKRAt*e*-san, pros he-auTOUS sun-z*e*TOUNtes TI es-tin to ek neKR*O*N a-naST*E*nai. i. 9:11 QUESTION *And they asked him, saying,* kai e-p*e*R*O*t*o*n auTON, LEgon-tes, *Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?* HOti LEgou-sin hoi gram-maTEIS HOti *E*-LEIan dei elTHEIN PR*O*ton? j. 9:12 JESUS' ANSWER *And he said to them, Elijah indeed comes first,* ho de Eph*e* auTOIS, *E*-LEIas men elTH*O*N PR*O*ton, *and** restores all **things: and how is it written of the Son of :man,* a-po-ka-tiSTAnei [600] PANta: kai p*o*s GEgrap-tai ePI ton huiON tou anTHR*O *pou, *that he suffer many things and be set at naught?* HIna polLA PAth*e* [3958] kai e-xou-de-n*e*TH*E* [1847]? k. 9:13 ELIJAH AND JOHN THE BAPTIST LINKED *But I say unto you, that an Elijah is even come,* alLA LEg*o* huMIN, HOti kai *E*-LEIas eL*E*lu-then, *and they have done to him whatever they would, even as it is written of him.* kai ePOI*e*-san auT*O* HOsa *E*the-lon, kaTH*O*S GEgrap-tai ep' auTON. I. 9:14-29 FAITH AND FASTING-PRAYER: KEY TO CASTING OUT DEMONS a. 9:14 CIRCUMSTANCES FOLLOWING THE TRANSFIGURATION *And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd* Kai elTHONtes pros tous math*e*TAS, EIdan OCHlon poLUN *about them, and scribes questioning with them.* peRI auTOUS, kai gram-maTEIS sun-z*e*TOUNtas [4802] pros auTOUS. b. 9:15 THE CROWD SALUTES JESUS *And straightway the whole crowd, when they saw him,* kai euTHUS pas ho OCHlos, iDONtes auTON, *were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.* e-xe-thamB*E*th*e*-san [1568], kai proSTREchon-tes [4370] *e*SPAzon-to [782]auTON. c. 9:16 * And he asked them, What do you question with them?* kai e-p*e*R*O*t*e*-sen [1905] auTOUS, Ti sun-z*e*TEIte [4802] pros auTOUS? d. 9:17-18 EXPLANATION FROM ONE OF THE CROWD *And one of the crowd answered him, Teacher,* kai a-peKRIth*e* auT*O* heis ek tou OCHlou, DiDAska-le, *I brought unto you my :son, who has a dumb spirit;* *E*neg-ka ton huiON mou pros se, Echon-ta PNEUma Ala-lon [216]; 18* and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down:* kai HOpou eAN auTON ka-taLAb*e* [2638], 'R*E*Ssei [4486] auTON: *and he foams, and grinds his :teeth, and pines away:* kai aPHRIzei [875], kai TRIzei [5149] tous oDONtas [3599], kai x*e*RAIne-tai [3583]: *and I spoke to your :disciples that they cast it out; and they were unable. * kai EIpa tois ma-th*e*TAIS sou HIna auTO ekBAl*o*-sin; kai ouk Ischu-san [2480]. e. 9:19 JESUS REQUESTS THE BOY BE BROUGHT TO HIM *And he answers them and says, O faithless generation,* ho de a-po-kriTHEIS auTOIS LEgei, *O* ge-neA Api-stos, *how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him unto me.* HE*o*s POte pros huMAS Eso-mai? HE*o*s POte aNExo-mai [430] huM*O*N? PHEre-te auTON PROS me. f. 9:20 THE DEMONIC REACTION *And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him,* kai *E*neg-kan auTON pros auTON: kai iD*O*N auTON, *straightway the spirit convulses him grievously;* to PNEUma euTHUS su-neSPAra-xen [4952] auTON; *and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.* kai peS*O*N ePI t*e*s g*e*s, e-kuLIe-to [2947] aPHRIz*o*n [875]. g. 9:21a * And he asked his :father, How long time is it since this has come to him?* kai e-p*e*R*O*t*e*-sen [1905] ton paTEra auTOU, POsos CHROnos esTIN h*o*s TOUto GEgo-nen auT*O*? h. 9:21b* And he said, From a child. ** *ho de EIpen, Ek pai-diOthen [3812] . i. 9:22 THE REPORT OF THE FATHER *And oft-times it has cast him both into fire and into waters,* kai polLAkis kai eis pur auTON Eba-len kai eis HUda-ta, *to destroy him: but if you can do anything have pity on us, and help us.* HIna a-poLEs*e* auTON: all' EI ti DUn*e* bo*E*th*e*-son [997] H*E*min, splagch-nisTHEIS eph' huMAS. j. 9:23a * And :Jesus said to him, As to the If you can!* ho de I*e*SOUS EIpen auT*O*, To Ei DUn*e* [1410]! k. 9:23b* All things are possible to him that believes.* PANta du-naTA t*o* piSTEUon-ti. l. 9:24* Straightway the father of the little child cried out, and said, I believe; help my :unbelief.* euTHUS KRAxas [2806] ho paT*E*R tou paiDIou, Ele-gen, PiSTEU*o*; bo*E*thei [997] mou t*e* a-piSTIa. m. 9:25 JESUS REBUKES THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT *And :Jesus seeing that a crowd was running together,* iD*O*N de ho I*e*SOUS HOti e-pi-sunTREchei [1998] OCHlos, *rebuked the unclean :spirit, saying to him,* e-peTIm*e*-sen [2008] t*o* PNEUma-ti t*o* a-kaTHARt*o* [169], leG*O*N auT*O* , *Dumb and deaf :spirit, I command you, * To Ala-lon kai k*o*PHON PNEUma, eG*O* e-piTASs*o* soi, *come out of him, and come no more into him.* Exel-the ex auTOU, kai m*e*KEti eiSELth*e*s eis auTON. n. 9:26 IMMEDIATE RESULTS OF THE EXORCISM *And having cried out, and convulsed him much, he came out:* kai KRAxas, kai polLA spaRAxas [4682], eX*E*Lthen: *and the boy became as one dead; so that the many said [that] He is dead.* kai eGEne-to h*o*SEI neKROS; H*O*ste tous polLOUS LEgein [HOti] A-PEtha-nen. o. 9:27 * But :Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose. * ho de I*e*SOUS kraT*E*sas t*e*s cheiROS auTOU, *E*gei-ren auTON; kai aNEst*e * [450]. p. 9:28 QUESTION OF THE DISCIPLES *And when he was come into the house, his :disciples asked him privately,* kai ei-selTHONtos auTOU eis OIkon, hoi math*e*TAI auTOU kat' iDIan e-p*e*R*O *t*o*n auTON, *Why could not we cast it out?* HOti h*e*MEIS ouk *e*-duN*E*th*e*-men [1410] ek-baLEIN auTO? q. 9:29 * And he said to them, This :kind can come out by nothing, save by prayer.* kai EIpen auTOIS, TOUto to GEnos en ou-deNI DUna-tai e-xelTHEIN, ei m*e* en pro-seuCH*E* [4335]. *NOTE**: *9:2-13 This paragraph is one of the high marks in the life of Jesus as Son of man upon earth. When we speak of His death, burial, Ascension and Pouring out of the Holy Spirit, we could precede these four events with His Incarnation, Bar Mitzvah and Transfiguration. These *seven*events in the life of our Savior - are seven windows giving us a deeper understanding of this Extraordinary Being. Whatever of Truth we can meditate upon for a fuller understanding of Him, is bound to lead us to a deeper consecration of our life for Him. My utmost - for *His* *Highest*! The Transfiguration is a *true* window into the coming manifestation of the Kingdom of God. It is inward and invisible today - it will be outward and Glorious tomorrow! Jesus' three close disciples *recognized* Moses and Elijah, most probably by inward revelation of the Spirit. Read H.A. Baker's ?Visions Beyond the Veil?. These 40 little Chinese children saw the same things in the Spirit, and recognized saints of the past when they were temporarily transported to Heaven and Paradise in groups. It is interesting to note that there is a possible ?transfiguration? for you and me in this present time. We read about it in Romans 12:2. The same word used for Transfiguration in Mark 9, is also used here in Romans concerning the desire of God for each of us to have *renewed* or * transfigured* *minds*. The Holy Spirit in our spirit as we obey God, then takes *our* thoughts in our mind, and transfigures them, so that we think God's thoughts after Him. Not too many saints enter into this potential and possibility - but it is *freely* offered to us all. Those who indeed hunger and thirst after righteousness, are abundantly filled by our blessed God. The word *transfigured* means to be changed like a caterpillar - moving into chrysalis stage - but emerging as a beautiful butterfly! God wants our human and often unworthy thoughts to be so lifted in a like parallel transfiguration! The ?high places? in Judah that only two kings removed - Hezekiah and Josiah - are like these human thoughts that can be changed by the renewing of our minds. Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - *every thought*brought into captivity to Christ! This is just another way of looking at it. Also, to see the spirit of Elijah work in John the Baptist is an important revelation. And yet - he that is *least* in the Kingdom of Heaven - is greater than John the Baptist. Not greater in ministry - but greater in * privilege*. He who has received the Holy Spirit - the d*o*-reA as a *gift*, has entered into privilege that was *not available* prior to Christ's passion. 9:14-29 - Here are lessons that can open up to us in clarity and understanding by the Holy Spirit, the Teacher Jesus promised subsequent to His Ascension. As we meditate over God's Word in prayer - on our knees - like George Muller and George Whitefield - we will scarcely be able to believe what God will open up to us. John the Baptist couldn't understand these things. He even had doubts at times concerning the true Messiahship of Jesus. But *we* have the privilege to lose all such doubts! to *glory*in Christ Jesus as the only-begotten Son of God - to see Him as God's choice to come to earth as our Redeemer and Reconciler to God! By the Holy Spirit Jesus literally imparts to *us* *His* very heredity! We enter into a new creation through entrance into the Kingdom of God, which is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Repent! for the Kingdom of God is at hand - was the initial message of both John the Baptist and Jesus. It was realized on the Day of Pentecost, 50 day following His Resurrection, and ten days after His Ascension. It will be manifested at * our* Resurrection when Jesus returns again! Then the remnant nation of Israel will be born again in a day! Then the One New Man Mystery of Ephesians 2 and 3 will become a glorious living Reality. The time is at hand. Repent, and believe the Gospel! J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu May 17 11:39:12 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 11:39:12 -0700 Subject: God, Bible & Same-Sex Marriage Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 17, 2012 *2012-05-17 - God - Bible - and Same-Sex Marriage* *I have been concerned about our President's position on illegitimate and unscriptural marriage.* *A friend of mine was questioned concerning his ?take? on this. Instead of answering directly, he quoted his denomination's position on this problem, on which he entirely agreed.* *I felt it was such a clear and necessary word, that I am enclosing it for you also.* *Trust it will be as helpful to you as it was to me -* *Your friend - Jim Watt* *AG opposes President Obama's Stance on Same-Sex Marriage * *The article below was released Thursday 10 May 2012 - 10:50 AM CST via AG News* *The Assemblies of God, in reaction to President Barack Obama's embracing of same-sex marriage, is voicing its dissent and objection. According to Dr. George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, the Assemblies of God is in complete disagreement with the president's new position and takes exception to the president's taking Scripture out of context to defend his position.* ?*The Bible clearly teaches that marriage should be a life-long commitment between one man and one woman,? states Dr. George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. ?There is no affirmation of homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. However, the Bible is replete with evidence that homosexual behavior is immoral and comes under the judgment of God.?* *The president also referred to the Bible, claiming Christ sacrificing himself for mankind and the golden rule as reasons for endorsing same-sex marriage.* ?*Although it has become popular to quote Scripture grossly out of context to serve a personal or political agenda, is still doesn't change what God's Word clearly states,? Wood says.* *Wood adds that in light of what Scripture says, Christians should not be surprised by individuals and groups twisting Scripture, citing 2 Timothy 4:3, ?For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.?* *In the Assemblies of God's official position paper on homosexuality, it states, ?We believe, in the light of biblical revelation, that the growing cultural acceptance of homosexual identity and behavior, male and female, is symptomatic of a broader spiritual disorder that threatens the family, the government, and the church.?* *The paper also states, ?Not only do the Scriptures condemn more flagrant examples of homosexual violence and promiscuity, they also provide no support for the popular modern idea that loving and committed homosexual relationships between two long-term partners are morally acceptable. Homosexual activities of every kind are contrary to the moral commandments God has given us.?* *Wood adds that it's important for Christians to not underestimate the implications of a pro-homosexual, pro-abortion president, and what it means for the church. ?In no time in our nation have we ever needed to pray more for our political leaders and this country than we need to today,? Wood says.* *For more information on the Assemblies of God stance on homosexuality and other areas, see its website and click on ?Beliefs.? * *Previous communications about SB 6239 (Washington State), Same-Sex Marriage was sent from the Northwest Ministry Network on February 27, 2012* *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Fri May 18 15:41:08 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Fri, 18 May 2012 15:41:08 -0700 Subject: Focus on Jesus Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 18, 2012 *2012-05-18 - FOCUS ON JESUS - Oswald Chambers* *(From ?My Utmost for His Highest?)* ?*Look at the birds of the air ... Consider the lilies of the field? - Matthew 6:26, 28* *Living Simply - Yet ?Focused* ?*Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin? - they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars, and the moon - all of these simply are as well - yet what a ministry and service they render on our behalf! So often we impair God's designed influence, which He desires to exhibit through us, because of our own conscious efforts to be consistent and useful. Jesus said there is only one way to develop and grow spiritually, and that is through focusing and concentrating on God. In essence, Jesus was saying, ?Do not worry about being of use to others; simply believe on Me.? In other words, pay attention to the Source, and out of you ?will flow rivers of living water? (John 7:38). We cannot discover the source of our natural life through common sense and reasoning, and Jesus is teaching here that growth in our spiritual life comes not from focusing directly on it, but from concentrating on our * *Father in heaven. Our heavenly Father knows our circumstances, and if we will stay focused on Him, instead of our circumstances, we will grow spiritually - just as ?the lilies of the field.?* *The people who influence us the most are not those who detain us with their continual talk, but those who live their lives like the stars in the sky and ?the lilies of the field? - simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mold and shape us.* *If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him, and He will make use of you every minute you live - yet you will be unaware, on the conscious level of your life, that you are being used of Him.* *NOTE**: *On December 7, 2009, Jesus revealed to me the last 5 ?Component Parts? of His ?Organic Laser-Telescope? that produces for Him the ?Spiritual Star Wars.? In 1967 He revealed the first 2 component parts: ?The Outlined Interlinear NT? based on the 2 discoveries of Ivan Panin; and ?The City Church concept? with an Eldership in its Gate. Now 32 years later He revealed the last 5 parts. The 6th Component Part: ?* Focusing* on Jesus? as brought forth through Oswald Chambers in a special way - ?*My Utmost* for *His Highest*? - and - Personal, passionate devotion to Jesus! One of the chief things to *focus* on in Jesus - is what God has made Him for Israel and for the ?One New Man? - a *Covenant*! See Isaiah 42:6 - *?I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations.? *This the Father did for His Son, our Messiah! And again in Isaiah 49:8 - *Thus says the LORD: ?In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land.?* To see Jesus as God's Covenant for Israel and the Church - as the Christ, the Promised Messiah! as the Son of God; as our Savior through His Finished Work on Calvary! On the Giver of the Holy Spirit in us and we in Him; as our Hope in the Coming King - all of these and much more - are what we ought to *Focus* on in Him at all times! It is only Galatians 2:20 constantly at work in us - we being dead to ourselves and constantly *alive*in Him by His Spirit - with Him living out His life through us - only *this* makes true disciples - makes us well-pleasing to our God! And can any one of us do this perfectly? *No*! But we *can be* on the way - and our hope is that at His coming He will send His angels and gather us to Himself. *Then* we receive our resurrection bodies like His! Then as overcomers on the way now - we become *perfected*! *This* is our hope! It is the *blessed* hope! J.W.Watt Could the following be an illustration of this? *The Romney You May Not Know* - You won't hear this on the evening ?news?. This man has Character with a capital ?C?! Sometimes, this facet of Romney's personality isn't so subtle. In July 1996, the 14-year-old daughter of Robert Gay, a partner at Bain Capital, had disappeared. She had attended a rave party in New York City and gotten high on ecstasy. Three day later, her distraught father had no idea where she was. Romney took immediate action. He closed down the entire firm and asked all 30 partners and employees to fly to New York to help find Gay's daughter. Romney set up a command center at the La Guardia Marriott and hired a private detective firm to assist with the search. He established a toll-free number for tips, coordinating the effort with the NYPD, and went through his Rolodex and called everyone Bain did business with in New York, and asked them to help find his friend's missing daughter. Romney's accountants at Price Waterhouse Cooper put up posters on street poles, while cashiers at a pharmacy owned by Bain put fliers in the bag of every shopper. Romney and the other Bain employees scoured every part of New York and talked with everyone they could: prostitutes, drug addicts, anyone. That day, their hunt made the evening news, which featured photos of the girl and the Bain employees searching for her. As a result, a teenage boy phoned in, asked if there was a reward, and then hung up abruptly. The NYPD traced the call to a home in New Jersey, where they found the girl in the basement, shivering and experiencing withdrawal symptoms from a massive ecstasy dose. Doctors later said the girl might not have survived another day. Romney's former partner credits Mitt Romney with saving his daughter's life, saying, ?It was the most amazing thing, and I'll never forget this to the day I die.? So, here's my epiphany: Mitt Romney simply can't help himself. He sees a problem, and his mind immediately sets to work solving it, sometimes consciously, and sometimes not-so-consciously. He doesn't do it for self-aggrandizement, or for personal gain. He does it because that just how he's wired. Many people are unaware of the fact that when Romney was asked by his old employer, Bill Bain, to come back to Bain & Company as CEO to rescue the firm from bankruptcy, Romney left Bain Capital to work at Bain & Company for an annual salary of one dollar. When Romney went to the rescue of the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, he accepted no salary for three years, and wouldn't use an expanse account. He also accepted no salary as Governor of Massachusetts. *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Sat May 19 16:17:46 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Sat, 19 May 2012 16:17:46 -0700 Subject: Luke 17:1-10 - Interlinear Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 19, 2012 "Outlined Interlinear New Testament" - Final Proof-reading complete, and Manuscript into hands of Printer by Pentecost Sunday. Notification how to order will be available following that. *(From: LUKE #30 - 17:1-10)* E. 17:1-10 THREE DUTIES OF DISCIPLES WHO ARE SERVANTS 1. 17:1-4 DEAL WITH THOSE CAUSING STUMBLING a. 17:1 JESUS' WORD ON OFFENCES *And he said unto his :disciples, It is impossible but that :stumblings should come;* EIpen de pros tous ma-th*e*TAS auTOU, A-NENdekTON [418] es-tin tou ta SKANda-la m*e* elTHEIN; *but woe to him, through whom they come!* pl*e*n ouAI [3759], di' hou ERche-tai! b. 17:2 THE MILLSTONE ANALOGY *Well for him if a millstone were hanged about his :neck,* lu-si-teLEI [3081] auT*O* ei LIthos mu-liKOS [3684] peRIkei-tai peRI ton TRAch*e*-lon [5137] auTOU, *and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should stumble one of these :little ones.* kai ERrip-tai [4496] eis t*e*n THAlas-san, *e* HIna skan-daLIs*e* t*o*n miKR *O*N [3398] TOUt*o*n HEna. c. 17:3 SIN - REBUKE - REPENTANCE - FORGIVENESS *Take heed to yourselves: if your :brother sin, rebuke him;* proSEche-te [4337] he-auTOIS: eAN haMARt*e* ho a-delPHOS sou, e-piTIm*e*-son [2068] auT*O*; *and if he repent, forgive him.* kai eAN me-ta-no*E*s*e* [3340], Aphes [863] auT*O*. d. 17:4 REPETITION OF THIS ORDER! *And if he sin against you seven times in the day,* kai eAN hepTAkis t*e*s h*e*MEras ha-marT*E*s*e* eis se, *and seven times turn again to you, saying, I repent; you shall forgive him. * kai hepTAkis e-piSTREps*e* [1994] pros se, LEg*o*n, Me-ta-no*O* [3340]; aPH* E*seis [863] auT*O*. 2. 17:5-6 GREAT FAITH NOT NEEDED - ACT ON WHAT YOU HAVE a. 17:5* And the apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith.* Kai EIpan hoi aPOsto-loi t*o* KuRI*o*, PROSthes [4369] huMIN PIstin. b. 17:6 THE NATURE OF FAITH *And the Lord said, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed,* EIpen de ho KUri-os, Ei Eche-te PIstin h*o*s KOKkon [2848] siNApe-*o*s [4615], *you would say to this :sycamore tree, Be rooted up,* eLEge-te an t*e* su-kaMIn*o* [4807] TAUt*e*, E-kriZ*O*th*e*-ti [1610], *and be planted in the sea; and it would obey you.* kai phuTEUth*e*-ti [5542] en t*e* thaLASs*e*; kai huP*E*kou-sen [5219] an huMIN. 3. 17:7-10 PRINCIPLE: WE ONLY DO OUR DUTY WHEN WE SERVE a. 17:7-8 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LORD AND SERVANTS *But who of you, having a bondman plowing or keeping sheep,* Tis de ex huM*O*N, DOUlon [1401] Ech*o*n a-ro-tri*O*Nta [722] *e*poiMAInon-ta [4165], *who will say unto him, when he is come in from the field, * hos ei-selTHONti ek tou aGROU, eREI auT*O*, *Come straightway and sit down to meat;* EuTHE*o*s pa-relTH*O*N aNApe-se [377]; 8* but will not rather say to him, Make ready so that I may sup,* all' ouCHI eREI auT*O*, HeTOIma-son [2090] ti deipN*E*s*o* [1172], *and gird yourself, and serve me, till I eat and drink;* kai pe-ri-z*o*SAme-nos, di-aKOnei moi, HE*o*s PHAg*o* kai PI*o*; *and afterward you shall eat and drink?* kai meTA TAUta PHAge-sai kai PIe-sai su? b. 17:9 * Does he thank the bondman because he did the things commanded?* m*e* Echei CHArin t*o* DOUl*o* HOti ePOI*e*-sen ta di-a-tachTHENta [1299]? c. 17:10 THE OBEDIENT SERVANT *So you also, when you shall have done all the things commanded you,* HOUt*o*s kai huMEIS, HOtan poi*E*s*e*-te panTA ta di-a-tachTHENta huMIN, *say [that], We are unprofitable bondmen; we have done what was our duty to do.* LEge-te [HOti], DOUloi aCHREI-OI [888] es-men; ho *o*PHEIlo-men [3784] poi*E *sai pe-poi*E*ka-men. *NOTE**: (2010-12-15) - 17:1-4 - *SKANda-la - *stumblings* - are very serious incidents to bring upon fellow believers, especially children. Sexual sin and abuse is serious enough, but there are other ways that hurt a brother. And - what we do to a fellow believer - we do to Christ! - for * He* is one with every member of His spiritual body. Yet, if a brother sin against us, *we* are to rebuke (e-piTIm*e*-sin) him. We *are* our brother's keeper. We can *not* be like Cain who murdered his brother Abel. And no matter how many times a rebuked brother repents and asks for our forgiveness - we *must* grant it. *God* is all-forgiving this way. We see it in Jesus, Who is God manifest! 17:5-6 - The apostles immediately recognized that they needed *increased*faith to forgive a repenting brother after sinning and being rebuked - especially if he repeats this a number of times. Peter in another Gospel asked Jesus if he could *fix* his brother after 7 such times of forgiving him. No, Jesus said, not even 70 + 7! - which it would be impossible to see that many sins in a day. And Jesus said faith as small as a grain of mustard seed - will meet the need of that above. 17:7-10 - It is important for us to see ourselves as servants! Jesus was * this* to His Father in His earthly life. Four times in the book of Isaiah Jesus is prophetically foretold in the four ?*Servant* Songs.? If *Jesus*is our example in all of this, then we can certainly obtain grace to *also* live like Him down here. And - when we've done *all* that is our duty to do - it *yet* is but our duty, and does not merit praise. Yes - we do need grace for this. But just think - Jesus as the Eternal Son of God manifested this earthly type of servant spirit for 33 years down here. On the Mount of Transfiguration we see Him as He was with the Father before His Incarnation. He volunteered for this position. He came to earth not to be ministered to - *but to minister*, and to give His life a ransom for many! Oh - what grace! Oh - what love! And when He is allowed by us to live His life in and through us supremely by His Spirit - then *we too* on earth can be like Him in those 33 years! J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Mon May 21 17:03:13 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Mon, 21 May 2012 17:03:13 -0700 Subject: John 1:1-18 - Interlinear Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 21, 2012 * (From JOHN #1 - 1:1-18) * *JOHN'S SUMMARY: THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, SON OF THE LIVING GOD* I. 1:1-2:11 JESUS COMMENCES HIS MIRACULOUS MINISTRY A. 1:1-18 PURPOSE OF JESUS: TO REVEAL GOD TO MAN 1. 1:1* In the beginning the Word was, and the Word was with :God, and the Word was God.* En arCH*E* [746] *e*n ho LOgos [3056], kai ho LOgos *e*n pros ton TheON, kai TheOS *e*n ho LOgos. 2. 1:2-13 PURPOSE OF WORD: LIGHT AND LIFE FOR MEN a. 1:2 * The same was in **the** beginning with :God. ** *HOUtos *e*n en arCH*E* pros ton TheON. b. 1:3 * All things became through him; and without him nothing became that had become.* PANta di' auTOU eGEne-to [1096]; kai ch*o*RIS auTOU eGEne-to ouDE hen ho GEgo-nen. c. 1:4 * In him was life; and the life was the light of :men.* en auT*O* z*o*-*E* [2222] *e*n; kai h*e* z*o*-*E* *e*n to ph*o*s [5457] t*o*n anTHR*O*p*o*n. d. 1:5 * And the light shines in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.* kai to ph*o*s en t*e* skoTIa [4653] PHAInei [5316]; kai h*e* skoTIa auTO ou kaTEla-ben [2638]. e. 1:6 * There came to be a man, sent from God, his name was John.* eGEne-to ANthr*o*-pos, a-pe-stalMEnos [649] paRA TheOU, Ono-ma auT*O* I*o*An *e*s. f. 1:7 PURPOSE OF JOHN: A WITNESS UNTO BELIEF *The same came for a witness,* HOUtos *E*Lthen eis mar-tuRIan [3141], *that he might witness of the light, that all might believe through him.* HIna mar-tuR*E*s*e* peRI tou ph*o*TOS, HIna PANtes piSTEUs*o*-sin [4100]di' auTOU. g. 1:8 * HE was not the light, but came that he might witness of the light. * ouk *e*n eKEInos to ph*o*s, all' HIna mar-tuR*E*s*e* peRI tou ph*o*TOS. h. 1:9 * The true :light was which coming into the world lights every man.* *E*n to ph*o*s to a-l*e*-thiNON ho ph*o*TIzei [5461] PANta ANthr*o*-pon erCHOme-non eis ton KOSmon. i. 1:10* He was in the world, and the world became through him, and the world knew him not.* en t*o* KOSm*o* *e*n, kai ho KOSmos di' auTOU eGEne-to, kai ho KOSmos auTON ouk EGn*o*. j. 1:11 * He came unto his :own possessions, and his :own received him not. * eis ta Idi-a *E*Lthen, kai hoi Idi-oi auTON ou paREla-ben [3880]. k. 1:12-13 A NEW BIRTH - RESULT OF ACCEPTING THE WORD *But as many as received him, to them gave he authority to become children of God,* HOsoi de Ela-bon auTON, Ed*o*-ken auTOIS e-xouSIan TEKna TheOU geNESthai, *even** to them that believe unto his :name:* tois piSTEUou-sin eis to Ono-ma auTOU: 13* who were begotten, not of bloods, nor of the will of flesh,* hoi ouk ex haiMAt*o*n [129], ouDE ek theL*E*ma-tos sarKOS*,* *nor of man's will, but of God.* OUde ek theL*E*ma-tos [2307] anDROS, all' ek TheOU e-genN*E*th*e*-san [1080] . 3. 1:14-18 PURPOSE OF JESUS: REVEAL GOD IN FLESH a. 1:14 INCARNATION AND CHARACTER OF CHRIST *And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us,* Kai ho LOgos sarx eGEne-to, kai eSK*E*n*o*-sen [4637] en h*e*MIN, *and we beheld his :glory, glory as of an only begotten with a father,* kai e-the-aSAme-tha [2300] t*e*n DOxan auTOU, DOxan h*o*s mo-no-geNOUS [3439] paRA paTROS, *full of grace and truth.* PL*E*r*e*s CHAri-tos [5485] kai a-l*e*THEIas [225]. b. 1:15 WHAT JOHN WITNESSED OF JESUS *(John witnessed of him, and cried, saying, -* (I*o*An*e*s mar-tuREI peRI auTOU, kai KEkra-gen, LEg*o*n, - *This was he who said - Who comes after me is become before me:* HOUtos *e*n ho eiP*O*N - Ho oPIs*o* mou erCHOme-nos EMprosTHEN mou GEgo-nen: *for he was first in regard of me.)* HOti PR*O*-TOS mou *e*n.)* * c. 1:16* Because of his :fullness we all received, and grace upon grace.* HOti ek tou pl*e*R*O*ma-tos [4128] auTOU h*e*MEIS PANtes eLAbo-men, kai CHArin anTI CHAri-tos. d. 1:17 CONTRAST OF MOSES AND JESUS *Because the law was given through Moses;* HOti ho NOmos [3551] diA M*o*-uSE*o*s eDOth*e*; *the grace and the truth came to be through Jesus Christ.* h*e* CHAris kai h*e* aL*E*thei-a diA I*e*SOU ChrisTOU eGEne-to. e. 1:18 THE MANIFESTATION THAT CHRIST HAS GIVEN OF THE FATHER *God no one has ever seen; an only begotten, himself God,* TheON ouDEIS he*O*ra-ken [3708] P*O*po-te; mo-no-geN*E*S, TheOS, *who is unto the bosom of the Father, HE has declared him.* ho *o*n eis ton KOLpon [3859] tou paTROS, eKEInos e-x*e*G*E*sa-to [1834]. *NOTE**: *John 1:1-18 is called the ?Prologue? to the whole Gospel of John, and in theological circles, the ?Prolegomena?. It is unique in the entire Bible, and gives the relationship of Jesus to the Father and to us, in a manner that is indeed unique. Jehovah's Witnesses have made a big deal out of 1:1, where it states that Jesus the ?Word? was ?God?, but without being preceded by the definite article ?the?. They say that he was but ?a God?, while the Father was ?the God.? I challenged one young Jehovah's Witness leader in charge of a group - ?If I could show you a passage, even from your own Interlinear Greek NT, the ?Emphatic Diaglott?, where Jesus is called ?the? God, would you acknowledge that your doctrine of making Jesus less the the Father is false? ?Yes?, he said, ?but you can't do that.? ?Turn to John 20:28,? I said, ?and read to me.? Here Thomas, when he saw the resurrected Christ with the nail-prints in His hands and feet, and the mark of the sword-thrust in His side, fell at His feet and said to Him, My ?the? Lord, and my ?*the*? God. This young man was immediately chagrined and at a loss before a home group of some 20 that he was seeking to disciple. One of our church members had been invited to attend this group, but told the leader she didn't think her pastor would approve of the teaching. ?Invite him to come,? he challenged, ?and tell him he can challenge me in any area where he has a problem. Following my challenge he said, ?I have had a dozen or so pastors challenge me in the past, but you are the first one that has put me into a losing situation.? I did not do this to embarrass this young leader, but to save our church member from falling into heresy and error. This took place in 1955 in Chicago through the Kostner Avenue Baptist Church, of which I was pastor. 1:1-2 throws light against the Gnostic error that took place, even starting in the first century of the church. It is interesting to note in 1:4, that the ?life? of Jesus is the ?light? of men - and His Life is the Life of the Holy Spirit, also called Eternal Life! 1:12-13 has been memorized by many, and is part of the 108 verses in the ?Topical Memory System? put out by the Navigators years ago. I love 1:14, telling how Jesus took on our human form to tabernacle among us, like Moses' Tabernacle in the Wilderness. For those with eyes to see, they could see the glory of the Father shining through the body of Jesus in His three year ministry amongst us. It was following the Holy Spirit descending on Him as a Dove that this manifestation with the Signs and Wonders commenced. Jesus did not perform a miracle prior to that time, in spite of some of the statements in apocryphal books. The contrast between the ministry of Moses and Jesus cannot be more clearly stated than in 1:17. And 1:18 makes it clear that all we know or can know of the Father, is only through Jesus Christ. God has chosen *Him*to manifest the fullness of the invisible God. Oswald Chambers in his writings, makes this point abundantly clear. People who love to memorize portions of Scripture, not just verses - are rewarded greatly through the memorization of this passage. Then as they * meditate* upon it, *great* reward becomes theirs. Lance Latham of Chicago raised up the ?AWANA? Clubs for boys and later also for girls. It stands for ?*A*pproved *W*orkmen *A*re *N*ot *A*shamed?. He had the members memorize chapters and even *books* of the New Testament. The Book of Romans was one he strongly encouraged for complete memorization. Over 50% of the boys in one Club ended up as pastors or missionaries because of this strong challenge! It is now 2012-05-21, and the ?Outlined Interlinear NT? based on the two Bible Numeric NT texts prepared by Ivan Panin - is about to be printed. It will appear in a slightly different format from that above, so that it can be more easily made available in the E-book format also. Readers will be kept informed how to order both these publications. - J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Wed May 23 14:04:50 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Wed, 23 May 2012 14:04:50 -0700 Subject: John 9:35-10:21 - Interlinear Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 23, 2012 *(From: JOHN #23 - 9:35-10:21)* 4. 9:35-41 JESUS REVEALS HIMSELF IN A SITUATION OF JUDGMENT a. 9:35 JESUS LOOKS UP THE HEALED MAN *Jesus heard that they had cast him out;* *E*kou-sen I*e*SOUS HOti eXEba-lon [1544] auTON Ex*o*; *and found him and said, Do YOU believe unto the Son of :man?* kai heuR*O*N auTON EIpen, Su piSTEUeis eis ton huiON tou anTHR*O*pou? b. 9:36 * HE answered and said, And who is he, sir, that I may believe on him?* a-peKRIth*e* eKEInos kai EIpen, Kai TIS es-tin, KUri-e, HIna piSTEUs*o* eis auTON? c. 9:37 * :Jesus said to him, You have both seen him, and he it is that speaks with you.* EIpen auT*O* ho I*e*SOUS, Kai he*O*ra-kas [3708] auTON, kai ho laL*O*N meTA sou eKEI-NOS es-tin. d. 9:38a.* And he said, Lord, I believe. ** *ho de Eph*e*, PiSTEU*o*, KUri-e. e. 9:38b* And he worshiped him. ** *kai pro-seKUn*e*-sen [4352] auT*O*. f. 9:39 DISCRIMINATING EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL *And :Jesus said, For judgment I came into this :world,* kai EIpen ho I*e*SOUS, Eis KRIma [2919] eG*O* eis ton KOSmon [2889] TOUton * E*Lthon, *that who see not may see; and who see may become blind.* HIna hoi m*e* BLEpon-tes [991] BLEp*o*-sin; kai hoi BLEpon-tes tuphLOI [5185] GEn*o*n-tai. g. 9:40 QUESTION OF THE PHARISEES *Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, * *E*kou-san ek t*o*n Pha-riSAI*o*n TAUta hoi met' auTOU ONtes, kai EIpan auT* O*, *Are WE also blind?* M*e* kai h*e*MEIS tuphLOI es-men? h. 9:41 JESUS MAKES A CLEAR APPLICATION *:Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin:* EIpen auTOIS ho I*e*SOUS, Ei tuphLOI *E*te, ouk an EIche-te ha-marTIan [266] : *but now you say that, We see: your :sin remains.* nun de LEge-te HOti, BLEpo-men: h*e* ha-marTIa huM*O*N MEnei. 5. 10:1-6 PARABLE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD a. 10:1 ONLY THIEVES AND ROBBERS FAIL TO ENTER THE DOOR OF THE SHEEPFOLD *Amen, Amen, I say unto you, * A-M*E*N, aM*E*N, LEg*o* huMIN, *Who enters not by the door into the fold of the sheep,* ho m*e* ei-serCHOme-nos diA t*e*s THUras [2374] eis t*e*n auL*E*N t*o*n proBAt*o*n, *but goes up some other way, the same is a thief and robber.* alLA a-naBAIn*o*n al-laCHOthen, eKEInos KLEPt*e*s [2812] esTIN kai l*e*ST*E*S [3027]. b. 10:2* But who enters by the door is shepherd of the sheep.* ho de ei-serCHOme-nos [1525] diA t*e*s THUras poiM*E*N [4166] es-tin t*o*n proBAt*o*n. *c. 10:3 SHEEP KNOW THE VOICE OF THEIR OWN SHEPHERD* *To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his :voice:* TOUt*o* ho thu-r*o*ROS [2377] aNOIgei [455]; kai ta PROba-ta t*e*s ph*o*N*E*S [5456] auTOU aKOUei: *and he calls his :own sheep by name, and leads them out.* kai ta Idi-a PROba-ta ph*o*NEI kat' Ono-ma, kai eXAgei [1806] auTA. d. 10:4 SHEEP FOLLOW THE VOICE OF THEIR SHEPHERD *When he has put forth all his :own, he goes before them,* HOtan ta Idi-a PANta ekBAl*e* [1544], EMpros-then [1715] auT*O*N poREUe-tai [4198], *and the sheep follow him: for they know his :voice.* kai ta PROba-ta auT*O* a-ko-louTHEI [190]: HOti OIda-sin [1492] t*e*n ph*o*N *E*N auTOU. e. 10:5 SHEEP FLEE FROM THE VOICE OF STRANGERS *And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him:* al-loTRI*o* [245] de ou m*e* a-ko-louTH*E*sou-sin [190], alLA PHEUxon-tai [5343] ap' auTOU: *for they know not the voice of :strangers.* HOti ouk OIda-si t*o*n al-loTRI*o*n t*e*n ph*o*N*E*N. f. 10:6 THE JEWS DID NOT UNDERSTAND THIS PARABLE OF JESUS *This :proverb spoke :Jesus to them: but THEY understood not* TAUt*e*n t*e*n pa-roiMIan [3942] EIpen auTOIS ho I*e*SOUS: eKEInoi de ouk EGn*o*-san *what things they were which he spoke to them.* TIna *e*n ha eLAlei auTOIS. 6. 10:7-18 JESUS EXPLAINS PARABLE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD a. 10:7 * :Jesus therefore said again, Amen, Amen, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.* EIpen oun PAlin ho I*e*SOUS, A-M*E*N, aM*E*N, LEg*o* huMIN, eG*O* ei-mi h*e*THUra t *o*n proBAt*o*n. b. 10:8 WISDOM OF SHEEP *All that came before me are thieves and robbers: * PANtes HOsoi *E*Lthon pro eMOU KLEPtai [2812] eiSIN kai l*e*STAI: *but the sheep did not hear them.* all' ouk *E*kou-san auT*O*N ta PROba-ta. c. 10:9 SALVATION IS *ONLY* THROUGH JESUS THE DOOR *I am the door; by me if any enter, he shall be saved,* eG*O* ei-mi h*e* THUra [2374]; di' eMOU eAN tis eiSELth*e*, s*o*TH*E*se-tai [4982], *and shall go in and go out, and find pasture.* kai ei-seLEUse-tai kai e-xeLEUse-tai, kai noM*E*N [3542] heuR*E*sei [2147]. d. 10:10 CONTRAST BETWEEN THIEVES AND JESUS *The thief comes not, but to steal, and kill, and destroy:* ho KLEPt*e*s [2812] ouk ERche-tai, ei m*e* HIna KLEps*e* [2813], kai THUs*e* [2380], kai a-poLEs*e* [622]: *I came that they may have life, and may have abundance.* eG*O* *E*Lthon HIna z*o*-*E*N [2222] Ech*o*-sin, kai pe-risSON [4053] Ech*o* -sin. e. 10:11 THE PURPOSE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD *I am the good :shepherd:* E-G*O* ei-mi ho poiM*E*N [4166] ho kaLOS [2570]: *the good :shepherd lays down his :life for the sheep.* ho poiM*E*N ho kaLOS t*e*n psuCH*E*N [5590] auTOU TIth*e*-sin [5087] huPER t *o*n proBAt*o*n. f. 10:12-13 THE NATURE OF THE HIRELING *Who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not,* ho mis-th*o*TOS [3411], kai ouk *o*n poiM*E*N, hou ouk EStin ta PROba-ta Idi-a, *beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees* the-*o*REI ton LUkon [3074] erCHOme-non, kai aPHI*e*-sin [863] ta PROba-ta, kai PHEUgei [5343] *(and the wolf snatches them, and scatters):* (kai ho LUkos harPAzei [726] auTA, kai skorPIzei [4650]): 13 *because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep.* HOti mis-th*o*TOS es-tin, kai ou MElei [3411] auT*O* peRI t*o*n proBAt*o*n. g. 10:14-15 THE KNOWLEDGE THAT EXISTS BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS SHEEP *I am the good :shepherd; and I know :mine, and :mine know me,* eG*O* ei-mi ho poiM*E*N ho kaLOS; kai giN*O*sk*o* ta eMA, kai giN*O*skouSI me ta eMA, 15* even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father;* kaTH*O*S giN*O*skei me ho paT*E*R, ka' 'G*O* giN*O*sk*o* ton paTEra; *and I lay down my :life for the sheep.* kai t*e*n psuCH*E*N mou TIth*e*-mi huPER t*o*n proBAt*o*n. h. 10:16 GENTILES WILL BE GRAFTED INTO THE ROOT OF ABRAHAM *And other sheep I have, which are not of this :fold:* kai ALla PROba-ta Ech*o*, ha ouk EStin ek t*e*s auL*E*S [833] TAUt*e*s: *them also I must bring, and they shall hear my :voice;* ka' 'KEIna DEI me a-gaGEIN, kai t*e*s ph*o*N*E*S mon aKOUsou-sin; *and they shall become one flock, one shepherd.* kai geN*E*son-tai MIa POIMn*e* [4167], heis poiM*E*N [4166]. i. 10:17 REASON FOR FATHER'S LOVE OF HIS SON *For this the Father loves me, * diA TOU-TO me ho paT*E*R a-gaPA, *because I lay down my :life, that I take it again.* HOti eG*O* TIth*e*-mi t*e*n psuCH*E*N mou, HIna PAlin LAb*o* auT*E*N. j. 10:18a* No one took it away from me, but I lay it down of myself.* ouDEIS *E*ren auT*E*N ap' eMOU, all' eG*O* TIth*e*-mi auT*E*N ap' e-mauTOU. k. 10:18b* I have authority to lay it down, and have authority to take it again.* e-xouSIan [1849] Ech*o* THEInai [5087] auT*E*N, kai e-xouSIan Ech*o* PAlin laBEIN auT*E*N. l. 10:18c * This :commandment received I from my :Father.* TAUt*e*n t*e*n en-toL*E*N [1785] Ela-bon paRA tou paTROS mou. 7. 10:19-21 ANOTHER DIVISION AMONG JEWS BECAUSE OF THIS a. 10:19* A division arose again among the Jews because of these :words.* SCHISma [4978] PAlin eGEne-to en tois IouDAIois diA tous LOgous [3056]TOUtous. b. 10:20* And many of them said, He has a demon, and is mad; why do you hear him?* Ele-gon de polLOI ex auT*O*N, DaiMOni-on [1140] Echei, kai MAIne-tai [3105]; ti auTOU aKOUe-te? c. 10:21 CHRIST'S MIRACLES CONVINCE SOME THAT CHRIST IS NOT A DEMONIAC *Others said, These are not the saying of a demoniac; * ALloi Ele-gon, TAUta ta 'R*E*ma-ta [4487] ouk EStin dai-mo-ni-zoMEnou [1139] ; *can a demon open the eyes of the blind?* m*e* daiMOni-on DUna-tai tuphL*O*N oph-thalMOUS aNOIxai [455]? *NOTE**: *- *The Parable of the Good Shepherd* has an up-to-date application for *us* today. Just as the Pharisees proved themselves thieves and robbers by the way they treated the common people as ?scum?, Jesus showed Himself as the ultimate contrast from Heaven, as the One who laid down His life for His sheep! What application can be made of this politically for the U.S.? Well, our Founding Fathers prepared a nation for justice and freedom. Abraham Lincoln the following century spelled out this foundation in the Gettysburg address on November 18, 1863. Here is a comment on this speech two years later, with the speech itself: On June 1, 1865, Senator Charles Sumner commented on what is now considered the most famous speech by President Abraham Lincoln. In his eulogy on the slain president, he called it a ?monumental act.? He said Lincoln was mistaken that ?the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here.? Rather, the Bostonian remarked, ?The world noted at once what he said, and will never cease to remember it. The battle itself was less important than the speech.? *Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.* *Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.* *But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.* Today, politically speaking, we have a News Media, a President and a Government rapidly destroying this foundation through socialism, a concept diametrically opposed to a government *of the people, by the people, and for the people*. This government trashes the wishes of the people and illegally pushes forward an untested socialistic health-care program, plus other bills that the majority of the people fear - but - like the Pharisees of old, this President and government and Media are determined to push through what is the Pharisaic ?hireling? false care of the sheep. As the Pharisees crucified Jesus for coming against their agenda - so *this*government is willing to take *any* method to prevail against those they see as enemies. If one can, by all means retrieve Glenn Beck's TV program of today, Wednesday June 2, 2010. Here he clearly expresses the blatant hypocrisy of the Flotilla that usurped the sovereign right of Israel in defending its little sliver of land, and its small population, against the Muslim land mass, and ten-fold the population. And where does the US today stand with this perversion of justice - seeking to camouflage its humanitarian aid in the face of blatant terrorism? The world, the nations, the United Nations, Turkey and Iran and the Muslim world, unilaterally seek the destruction of Israel, a people God calls the apple of His eye. A perfect nation and people? No - but at the Return of Christ, a Jew after the flesh, He will see Israel born again in a day, to rule the earth through this nation. What Harry Truman did in making the rebirth of this nation possible after 1900 years - the US now has joined the spirit of the world opposing the will of God. Will they succeed? No - a resounding No! - for they are indeed fighting God, just as the Pharisees of Jesus' day. J.A.Watt *TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org* *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org* *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmbetter at gmail.com Thu May 24 17:00:55 2012 From: jmbetter at gmail.com (Jim Watt) Date: Thu, 24 May 2012 17:00:55 -0700 Subject: Interlinear: MEANS to an end Message-ID: ?*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE? MINISTRIES* *Jim & Marie Watt* *Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com* *Web: www.2rbetter.org* May 24, 2012 *The ?OUTLINED INTERLINEAR NT?: Its Relationship* *To The ?ORGANIC LASER-TELESCOPE? -* *Its FIRST and FOREMOST CORPORATE PART* *I need to continually reiterate - ?The Outlined Interlinear NT? is not an end in itself! It is a key means to a greater end! Beyond the Sacred Page - we seek Thee, Lord! The Bible itself is but a pointer to our Lord Jesus, Who is the Living Word!* *And what is a chief key to make this happen? Bible Meditation! Praying over the Word! Praying on one's knees over the Word! This was the secret of the extreme fruitfulness of the lives of George Muller and George Whitefield.* *The first time I heard from the Lord was in my unconverted state in the Fall of 1942, while a second year student at the University of British Columbia in the College of Arts & Commerce. As I was reading Psalm 107:23-24, He spoke to my spirit very clearly: ?Join the Navy, and I'll reveal Myself to you!? This was just a month or so before the death of Russian Ivan Panin in Aldershot, Ontario. It is now 70 years later. I remember another 70-year time-frame. Daniel, as a captive in the 3rd empire of his captivity, after 70 years, read in the book of Jeremiah that Judah was to be a captive in Babylon for 70 years because of her flagrant sins. The 70 yeas was now up. So in Daniel 9 we read of Daniel's intercessory prayer for God to end the 70 years of captivity. It was done by Cyrus, who was named 100's of years before his birth!* *Panin died in 1942, saddened that his 50 years of 100,000 hours of labor in producing the Bible Numeric Greek NT text and his English translation of it - had not been put together into an Interlinear format.* *On Passover of 1944, 9 months after I obeyed the Lord in joining the Navy - He fulfilled His promise and gloriously revealed Himself to me. I felt I too could jump over the moon - like the cow in the nursery rhyme. I walked in the euphoria of the new birth for months.* *Then in July of that same year, Dr. Jewel from Calgary, Alberta introduced me to the works of Ivan Panin. Following my discharge from the Navy at the end of World War II, I ordered all the books ?by? or ?on? Ivan Panin posted on the 2 pamphlets Dr. Jewel had given me. When they arrived in the Fall of 1945 in Saskatoon, I was captivated by the Introduction to Panin's Greek New Testament. Here I learned that not only did Bible Numerics establish the original text of the 27 books of the Greek NT, but it also established the correct sentence, subdivision, paragraph and section divisions of each of these same books.* *As a committed ?outliner? - I outlined the book of Ephesians according to Panin's discovery. I was so blessed, that I'm not sure that I walked on earth for days. I was so captivated with the extraordinary insights that came to me through this outlining - that I offered myself to God to outline the entire NT on the basis of this discovery. I received another ?word? from the Lord, commissioning me to do so for His sake, and to fulfill the desire of Panin.* *In 1967 He again spoke to me - ?Get MY NT done!? I learned from this it was not Panin's - not mine - not any team of helpers - but it was God'sOutlined Interlinear NT. I flew at the completion of this project, and the manuscript became a 2-binder some 5 inches high. I typed up Panin's entire English translation, leaving room to write in by hand underneath - his corresponding Bible Numeric Greek text, and above each sentence a summary. I ga