Archive for Communion

Preview: God’s Spring Appointed Holidays 5783/2023

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Prophecy, Spring Feasts, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 2, 2023 by paulthepoke

There are seven God appointed holidays communicated through the Old Testament Law. The first three spring holidays were fulfilled on the appointed holiday by Jesus Himself. The names of the feasts are: Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits.

In the Hebrew year 5783 or the Gregorian calendar year of 2023, the holidays occur as follows. Passover essentially begins at sunset on Wednesday, Nisan 14th (Hebrew calendar) or April 5th on a western calendar. The first day of Unleavened Bread is the next day at sunset on Thursday, Nisan 15th or April 6th. Lastly, the feast of First Fruits starts at sunset on Friday, Nisan 16th or April 7th. The holidays culminate and end at sunset on Thursday, April 13th. These are the mathematically calculated dates 21st century calendars.

As usual, there is not consensus on these dates within various studies of Judaism and Jewish Messianic believers in Yeshua or Jesus Christ. Granted, all of these folks are making good faith efforts to be accurate. Each group has good reason(s) for the dates selected. They are not all idiots. When in doubt, search for the new moon and full moon. Humanity struggles to keep time as God has directed. No one knows the day or the hour…

Creation of Time: The Calendar

The first of God’s holidays is Passover or Pesach in the Hebrew. The holiday begins on the 14th day of the Hebrew month Nisan (March or April on a Gregorian calendar). There is a play on words in the original Hebrew. A “pesach” is an unblemished lamb which was required for the sacrifice. After the “pesach” was sacrificed, the blood was to be smeared on the wooden posts of the house. When God saw the blood on the door posts, He passed over or “pasach” and the house was spared judgment.

The original directions for the Passover were given to Moses and Aaron in Egypt. The statute and happenings are noted in Exodus 12. God defines the purpose of the holiday to Israel. 

Exodus 12:26-27a “And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’ you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’”

The second of God’s holidays is Unleavened Bread or Chag haMatazt in the Hebrew. The holiday begins on the 15th of Nisan and runs for seven days.

The directions of Unleavened Bread are noted in Exodus 12:15-20. The focus of the week is to live a life without leaven, the symbol for sin. Leaven is not to be in the house. Leaven products are not to be consumed. Bread without yeast, matzah, is to be eaten.

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The third of God’s holidays is First Fruits or Reshit Katzir in the Hebrew. The one day holiday begins on the day after the Sabbath or Sunday on our calendar.

The directions for First Fruits are noted in Leviticus 23:9-14. The priest is to make a barley offering of the first portion of the harvest to the Lord. The priest intervenes on behalf of the people. The reality of the holiday for the people of Israel is this. The people bring their grain sheaf to the priest. They are to sacrifice a lamb without blemish. The offering is also to be presented with bread and wine.

Jesus was resurrected on First Fruits. He is the First Fruits or barley offering before God the Father. He is the High Priest who intervenes on our behalf for sin. He is the perfect offering.

In memory of Him, we participate in communion with the elements of bread and wine.

At some point in the future, as a pattern of history, will believers in Christ be resurrected on First Fruits?

Jesus Christ died. He was buried. And He was raised.

This is the gospel message of Jesus Christ, really “good news”.

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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The New Covenant

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Gospel with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 11, 2022 by paulthepoke

Scripture: Acts 15:1-34

Object Lesson: What is a covenant?

In today’s vernacular, loosely, a covenant is a contract, agreement or a treaty. It depends on the context. It is an agreement that one person agrees to do something, usually if some other person fulfills a condition.

This is the Old Testament word berith: a covenant, treaty, alliance, or league. Simply put, it is an agreement. From God’s perspective, a divine constitution or ordinance with signs or pledges.

As people, humanity struggles as covenant keepers. We are broken sinners.

The covenants that God made with Israel differed than the agreement described above. God made promises to Israel that were not dependent on anything that Israel did. God takes the initiative. He draws up the terms and defines the terms. God guarantees their keeping. Israel does nothing. God swears by His own Word.

Key Theme: The Power of the Blood of Christ

The New Covenant is found in Jeremiah 31:31-34. This everlasting covenant is made with nation Israel. God is the initiator and He is the one to will it to happen. A regenerated heart and mind and forgiveness of sin are promised as part of the agreement.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

So how does this covenant with nation Israel affect us in the Church Age? The Church and Israel are separate. Nation Israel has yet to receive the benefit of the New Covenant. It is yet future in the Millennial Kingdom. How can this arrangement apply to us? The answer is in the blood of Christ.

Jesus’ death on the cross ushers in and ratifies the New Covenant (Matthew 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, 1 Corinthians 11:25).

It is His blood that is the covenant. The shedding of innocent blood allows for the forgiveness of sin. This is acceptable to God (Hebrews 9:14). According to the Law, all things are cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of innocent blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:16). Christ’s blood is the bleach that removes the stain of sin. As believers, we get the spiritual benefits of the agreement when we believe that Jesus died as payment for sin. As believers, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 2:12-16 instructs us that we were separate from Christ and excluded from nation Israel. Translation, we were not a benefactor of the New Covenant. The text teaches us that we were without hope. Thankfully, we were brought near by the blood of Christ. It is the blood of Christ that unifies the two groups (Jew and Gentile) into one group.

Ephesians 2:12-16 …that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

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Romans 11:17 indicates that Gentiles were grafted into the root of the olive tree. We, Gentiles, were grafted because other original branches, Israel, were broken off. Gentiles get the full benefit of the root.

As we take communion and we hear the words, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” These words are a reminder that we, believers, have the spiritual benefits of the New Covenant: teaching of the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sin. Communion is in memory of the work of Christ. He died once and for all to bear the sins of many (Hebrews 9:28). It is to be taken seriously (1 Corinthians 11:25-29).

We are to do this until He comes again.

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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This Week in Prophecy: Temple Mount, Jordan Divided?, Russia & Finland, Speaker Pelosi & Communion, MonkeyPox!

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 24, 2022 by paulthepoke

This Week in Prophecy:

The Jewish Temple is back in the news in the Jerusalem Post. The Temple is referred to as “The Address of God”. The article dives into the mathematical concept of The Golden Ratio or Fibonacci Sequence.

King Abdullah restricts the travel and communication of his half brother Crown Prince Hamza bin Hussein. All is not whole in the Hashemite Kingdom.

Russia blocks natural gas to Finland as Finland applies to NATO. Russia demands payments be made in rubles.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is banned from Communion by the archbishop of San Francisco because of her position on abortion. Speaker Pelosi is informed that she is sinning.

“As you have not publically repudiated your position on abortion, and continue to refer to your Catholic faith in justifying your position and to receive Holy Communion, that time has now come. Therefore, in light of my responsibility as the Archbishop of San Francisco to be ‘concerned for all the Christian faithful entrusted to [my] care’ (Code of Canon Law, can. 383, §1), by means of this communication I am hereby notifying you that you are not to present yourself for Holy Communion and, should you do so, you are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, until such time as you publically repudiate your advocacy for the legitimacy of abortion and confess and receive absolution of this grave sin in the sacrament of Penance.” -Archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone

Luke 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

Get ready, Monkey Pox is coming!!!

https://www.jpost.com/judaism/kabbalah-of-information-the-theory-of-likeness-680412

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-707165

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10839581/Russia-blocks-energy-going-Finland-country-applied-join-Nato.html

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/20/politics/pelosi-communion-ban-abortion-san-francisco-archdiocese/index.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/23/cdc-officials-sound-alarm-for-gay-and-bisexual-men-as-monkeypox-spreads-in-community-.html

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The Word, The Spirit, and The Glory… Rodna Epley

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Rodna Epley with tags , , , , , , , , , , on July 8, 2021 by paulthepoke

The author of a book I’m reading by David G. Bloesh “Holy Scripture” stated that “truth must be transmitted to humanity through the grace and power of Jesus Christ by means of the awakening of the Holy Spirit.” An awakening of the glory within us (if Christ is in us) is indeed what we need!

Some theologies are dependent upon science to confirm the Scriptures, or dependent upon the futility of human reasoning, which is devoid of the Spirit of God, to confirm them. But Scripture actually teaches there is nothing in man in his fallen nature that can know God or even recognize Him anywhere. While reasoning can certainly aid us if our spiritual eyes have been opened, without “eyes that see”, we are blind to the truth of Scripture. Human reasoning alone will make laws out of everything. It can arrive at a conclusion, but it will be a wrong one. It will bind and not loose.

It is the Father of glory who enlightens our eyes, but it is not apart from Scripture. He always confirms a revelation with the Word.

Ephesians 1:17-18 “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saint.”

While we should be able to see God everywhere, all of creation has been subjected to futility due to the bondage of corruption, so we cannot. Even though “the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1), still man cannot recognize his Creator without direct intervention from God who opens the eyes and minds of the blind. The heart of man without the oneness of the glory of God is deceitful and desperately wicked. He cannot do good and he is utterly blind. Scripture is only black and white ink to him, but God could open His eyes as He is reading.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:19)

The Spirit of God is one with His Word and one with His Glory, the essence of the Trinity. The written word that we call Scripture is the framework of the living Word. While Scripture is not without error, the living Word is without error, and the Lord watches over His own Word to perform it. He works with His written Word. Truth is like a stream of pure glory running through the Word that cannot be broken, but it is invisible until He reveals it to us. He illuminates it to us as we read. If any part of the written Word is not from Him, then it will not be illumined by Him, so we do not have to worry about it.

“Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” (Jeremiah 1:12, ESV)

As we read, we might find ourselves saying, “Wow! I never saw that before! That’s amazing Lord!” His presence accompanies revelation of the Word and perfect peace is present. It radiates on us in that moment.

There is no mistaking the presence of God once we encounter Him. Any revelation from Him will always be backed by Scripture. Otherwise, it is only us trying to make sense of something. Scripture apart from the Spirit does nothing for us, except bind us with a law. We walk away and forget immediately what manner of man we were (James 1:24).

But the Holy Spirit of glory reveals truth through His written Word as if He were just now giving it. It does not matter if it was written thousands of years ago; the Spirit of God is eternal; He is timeless; He exists outside of time. He is past, present, and future all at once and then some. The same Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures, also gives light to our eyes so we can know Him and be known by Him with even the same strength that Jesus knows Him.

Many times, I receive revelation from the Holy Spirit while not reading the Word and not listening to a preacher, but I have the Word hidden in my heart, and Scriptures come to my mind along with the revelation, so it is still being confirmed by the Word.

When we partake of communion, the body of Jesus is representative of not only His body broken for us, but also of His Word. We eat it and live forever. His Word is our home. We sup with Him and He with us. We even become the Word ourselves because we are becoming all that Christ is. His Word and His Spirit and His Glory are ONE. They all work together to give us the wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

Blessings to everyone!

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There Shall Be Seven Weeks: Burnt Offering

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Angels with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 30, 2021 by paulthepoke

Daniel 9:25b …there shall be seven weeks…

Resuming the series…

The context of this series of posts is the course of the Jewish people for the initial 49 years of the 483 year period communicated from the angel Gabriel to the prophet Daniel. The city of Jerusalem has been rebuilt post exile. These events are covered in Nehemiah 8-13. Israel is returning to God’s Law. The focus is Temple worship service. The showbread or shewbread was the first topic. Up next is the grain offering.

Nehemiah 10:33b …the regular grain offering and burnt offerings…

The focus of this section of Temple worship service is the daily sacrifices. Nehemiah is effectively going to review Numbers 28. This is the source of origin from God Himself to Moses.

Numbers 28:3 And you shall say to them, This is the food offering that you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering.

God says there are to be two sacrifices a day, one in the morning and one at twilight. Two perfect lambs are sacrificed and roasted every day.

Numbers 28:4 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight;

Then, God gives a recipe for how to make bread.

Numbers 28:5 …also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil.

An ephah is roughly one bushel or 8 dry gallons or 35 liters or 8 pounds. Multiply x .1. We are talking a little less than a gallon or 3.5 liters.

Beaten oil is from pressed olives. The liquid measurement of a hin is roughly 1.5 U.S. gallons or 5.7 liters. Multiply x .25. This is about .375 gallons or 1.425 liters.

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Lastly, God requests a “strong drink“. This would indicate fermentation or alcohol. The Hebrew word shekar is associated with drunkards in the Old Testament.

Numbers 28:7 Its drink offering shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb. In the Holy Place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD.

God states a quarter of a hin of likely wine for each lamb. A quarter of a hin or .375 gallons or 1.425 liters x2 = .75 gallons or 2.85 liters in total.

Numbers 28:8 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight. Like the grain offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you shall offer it as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

A lamb is sacrificed and burned. Symbolically, judgment has been delivered perpetually. In conjunction, bread and wine are served. These are the elements for what we know as communion. And the Lord is pleased with this sacrifice.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

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Jesus, Holy First Fruits Offering

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Gospel, Prophecy, Spring Feasts with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 10, 2020 by paulthepoke

John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”

John 20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

The context of John 20:17 is the first thing in the morning. This is the day after Jesus was crucified. It was a God appointed Feast Day, the day of First Fruits.

The third of God’s holidays is First Fruits or Reshit Katzir in the Hebrew. The one day holiday begins on the day after the Sabbath or Sunday on our calendar.

The directions for First Fruits are noted in Leviticus 23:9-14. The priest is to make a barley offering of the first portion of the harvest to the Lord. The priest intervenes of behalf of the people. The reality of the holiday for the people of Israel is this. The people bring their grain sheaf to the priest. They are to sacrifice a lamb without blemish. The offering is also to be presented with bread and wine.

Jesus is very specific in His directions to Mary. “Do not cling to Me.” The Greek word translated as “cling” is ἅπτομαι/haptomai. HELPS Word Studies defines the term as: to modify or change by touching, properly, “touching that influences” (modifies); touching someone (something) in a way that alters (changes, modifies) them, i.e. “impact-touching.”

John 20:17 translated another way. “Don’t touch Me. You can’t touch Me.”

Jesus is using very strong, directive language to Mary. Why?

Jesus is now in His glorified state and body. His resurrection had overcome sin and death. He was as Holy and pure as One could be. Jesus had not yet gone to His Father in Heaven.

Jesus tells Mary, “for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”

Jesus has unfinished business for this appointed day. He is going to Heaven to be the First Fruit offering before God the Father in Heaven.

Jesus is our High Priest and representative before God the Father.

Jesus is the first portion barley offering before the Father. Jesus is also bringing a grain sheath offering with Him before His Father. Matthew 27:52-53 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Christ is the sacrificed Lamb for sin.

And we remember His death until He comes again at communion with wine and bread.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

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Isaiah 11:3a The Smell of Obedience

Posted in Gospel, Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 12, 2014 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 11:3a And He will delight in the fear of the LORD…

The Hebrew text reads literally, “and his smelling is in the fear of the Lord.” (NET Bible).

Reyach is Hebrew for smell. The word is translated as “delight” by the NASB version. It can be translated as scent, fragrance, aroma, odor of soothing (technical term for sacrifice to God). Definition provided by Strong’s Concordance.

He, Jesus, will enjoy and desire to respect and revere the LORD as if it had a pleasant smell.

“Reyach” is the word used as God’s response to the sacrificial system in the Old Testament.

Numbers 15:7 and for the drink offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine as a soothing aroma to the LORD.

Leviticus 23:13 ‘Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire to the LORD for a soothing aroma, with its drink offering, a fourth of a hin of wine. This is a recipe for bread. God delights in the smell of baked bread. This aspect of the sacrificial system is also looking to the future. Notice the elements, bread and wine. The New Testament equivalent is Communion.

Animal sacrifices were required in the Old Testament to be a reminder of sin. These animal sacrifices upon a burning altar produced a soothing aroma to God. The smell of burning animals with spices, God likes the smell of grilled meat. The blood of these animals could not take away sin. But the blood of Jesus could. See Hebrews 10 for detail.

This same word “reyach” is used for “delight” in Amos 5:21 “I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. Translation to the religious ones of the day, your religious actions stink. God does not care for performance religion. He wants your heart.

Our response to all of this is to pray. In the throne room of Heaven, prayers are equated with incense. Our prayers are a fragrant aroma to God. Revelation 8:3-4 Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. Prayers smell good to God and He likes them.

He, Jesus, will enjoy and desire to respect and revere the LORD as if it had a pleasant smell.

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Isaiah 1:10-15 God Hates Religion

Posted in Isaiah with tags , , , , , , , , on October 4, 2010 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 1:10-15 Listen to the Lord’s word, you leaders of Sodom! Pay attention to our God’s rebuke, people of Gomorrah! “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?”says the Lord. “I am stuffed withburnt sacrifices of rams and the fat from steers. The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats I do not want.When you enter my presence, do you actually think I want this –animals trampling on my courtyards? Do not bring any more meaninglessofferings; I consider your incense detestable!You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations, but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies; they are a burden that I am tired of carrying. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I look the other way;when you offer your many prayers, I do not listen, because your hands are covered with blood.

Religion is going through a ritual or performance. Religion can take many forms. Religion thinks these acts are going to score points with God or impress God. One can see God is not impressed with the religious acts of the Jews in Isaiah 1:10-15. Yes, the Jewish people were required to sacrifice according the Scriptures, but look at their attitude and their actions above. God makes it perfectly clear in  verse 14, “I hate …” Make no mistake, in the Hebrew the word means hate.

Look at the cynicism and sarcasm in verse 10. God refers to the leaders of Jerusalem as comparable to Sodom and Gomorrah. The level of sin had reached the point of their destruction.

Observe the list of “works” as noted by God in these verses. They include burnt sacrifices, offerings, burning of incense, new moon festivals, observance of the Sabbath, and prayer. Yes, even prayer can be “religious” and hated by God. In the next study, the origin of these “religious works” and specific verses will be discussed and defined in their appropriate context.

What is that motivates somebody to do something for “religious” purposes? Is one trying to impress others? Is one trying to draw attention to self for their glory?  Is one trying to get God’s attention or impress God? God is not impressed with “works”. He does not need them. One cannot work their way to Heaven. These Jews were doing what they were supposed to do. They were going to the synagogue on Saturday and burning incense. Does this sound familiar? The problem was ritual and they were going through the motions.

Fast forward to the New Testament, things had not changed much in the church in I Corinthians 11. People were showing up for the Lord’s Supper drunk. Yes, communion is a wonderful thing, but not if you have a bad attitude.

I Corinthians 11:20-22 Now when you come together at the same place, you are not really eating the Lord’s Supper. For when it is time to eat, everyone proceeds with his own supper. One is hungry and another becomes drunk. Do you not have houses so that you can eat and drink? Or are you trying to show contempt for the church of God by shaming those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I will not praise you for this!

So what should our attitude be? Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. This is having confidence of knowing that what the Bible says is real. Knowing when God says that we should love one another (1 John 3:11b) that it is the truth. It is having the resolution and the confidence that God knows what is best for us. We are to do these works because God has deemed what is good and what is right. God created these good works for us to complete before the beginning of time (Ephesians 2:10). We do these works because we relate and respond to His Word. James 2:17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. So, if one’s works are not based in faith… pointless religion.

In today’s world, God is still not interested in misguided works. He is interested in relation and response to His Word. The world may say, “Well, that works for you.” And the answer is, “Yes it does”.  It is also true that God’s Word can work for all of us.

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