Jacob Israel

A REED SWAYING IN THE WIND

October 25, 2009September 21, 2011Jacob Israel6 Comments

Who is John The Baptist?

2Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

It’s interesting that John the Baptist of all people would ask if Jesus is the coming one (Messiah) or not. Why would he doubt that all of a sudden? Wasn’t it John who saw the Heaven’s open for Him? Wasn’t it John that believed HE that should be baptized by Jesus not the other way around? Wasn’t it John who declared, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. So why all of a sudden did John doubt?

Well, John was in PRISON, he was suffering, going through hardship, and just like John, when trials arise and we find ourselves in the bondage of fear, doubt, or whatever else holds us captive (prison), many also may find themselves questioning their faith. Why, you ask?

Because many “Christians/Muslims/Buddhists/Jews/etc” have been sold a lie. But let’s focus soley on CHRISTIANITY as a whole. There is so much division in this one world religion, that it should be obvious, that not everyone has been taught the TRUTH. Perhaps, the TRUTH has been taught with an excess of confusion, lies, and tradition. Interesting enough, the word “Babylon” means “Confusion with Mixture.”

But here we are, Christendom. And in this faith, there are major flaws. A majority have been taught that once they verbally accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior that riches and prosperity will follow. Many “Christians” have been taught, that if they go to church enough times, sow their proper tithe and give their proper offering to the Lord, which they pay of course to their Man made “Church”, that God will open up the heavens and pour out his blessings. They believe when they say a few choice words “Jesus be my Lord and Savior” that their troubles will go away. But that is not the case.

We need to do more than believe on the LITERAL NAME of Jesus (Yeshua) – We need to believe on his NATURE/TRUTH – Which is what the meaning of the word “name” is. It is not just saying “Jesus be my Lord and Savior” it is becoming ONE with the TRUTH that is CHRIST.

This is why JOHN began to doubt when troubles came. He believed in the literal Man Jesus, as do I, but that doesn’t free him, it is only the BELIEF and KNOWLEDGE of the CHRIST WITHIN that frees us from the prison of life’s trials and torments.

The reason, many “Christians” today suffer, and doubt, is because their faith is not built on the ROCK (Christ/Truth), but on sand (people’s beliefs and traditions).

They, like John, know Jesus after THE FLESH and not after the SPIRIT. They believe their salvation comes from declaring their worship to a man from thousands of years ago, that will come again, a man that is in a galaxy know as heaven, far, far, away. They do not know the TRUTH of CHRIST WITHIN. That Christ has never left, nor forsaken us… So, when the storms beat them down, they start to doubt. They scream, “I thought things were supposed to be easy! Where is that promise land? Why are my kids still on drugs, why am I still sick, why am I broke, why, why, why, I thought YOU were supposed to make everything better… ARE YOU THE CHRIST OR AREN’T YOU?”

Why wouldn’t they question their faith and have doubts in salvation? If they have been told, do this and do that, and God will abundantly give to you.

Many have been taught by “Blind Guides” that God doesn’t want them to suffer, that sickness is for the unbeliever, that Jesus and his disciples were loaded/rich and that God wants them to have the same wealth. And when these “followers” find themselves in the “prison” of their trials they find these promises to be empty. And then, when, and if, they question their sandy beliefs they are told by their “Blind guides” it is because of their lack of faith. They don’t see that their whole belief system is corrupt, and based on lies.

What many churches and religions promise today is NOT Christ, they are selling Greed and Lust. Remember it is not ALL churches and denominations in Christianity, there are many wonderful churches, charities, Christian TV shows and stations, preachers, priests, and pastors, who mean well and truly seek the WORD OF GOD… But many, many more do not.

Matthew 7:14
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

For many, they enter Christianity, as one would enter a market to buy a lottery ticket. It has sadly become like spiritual lottery for them. “You got to be IN it (Babylon) to win it.”

Here’s how it goes down. People are going through hard times they may flip through the channels and find preachers making grand promises, meet someone handing out a flyer at the train station, hear a message on the radio, or even have someone dressed up nice come knock at the door. Those that are hurting are looking for the way out. And these blind guides seem to offer a very easy one. Some say, You need to step out in faith and give! That the reason you haven’t experienced abundance is because you haven’t given enough.

Now, for those hurting, this itches their ears real good. It is exactly like the lottery. So they, in their error and greed, GIVE… because they WANT MORE. This has nothing to do with knowing the Lord of Hosts. This has nothing to do with Christ. This is what is wrong with Religion today.

“You have turned my Father’s house into a marketplace”

And boy is it. You don’t have to go far to see that MANY are “buying and selling” the sacrifice (Jesus) is many mega churches, events, concerts, conferences, and more. Just like in Jesus’ day.

Revelation 13:17
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Now, not all, try and buy that sacrafice. The WISE VIRGINS were prepared, it was only the FOOLS that went out to purchase the precious oil (wisdom) needed to light the way.

So, the same is true for today, as it was in Jesus’ day.

LET’S COMPARE

The OUTER COURT where they sold doves, oils, sheep, goats, and exchanged money is alive and well today in the FOYER of many mega churches, or conferences. You enter in and as far as the eye can see, there are books, dvd’s, cd’s, oils, tambourines, streamers, key chains, tee shirt, hats, and more, for sale. (Now, look, there is nothing wrong with merchandise and I am not condemning such behavior, but CONDEMING the belief, that ANY OF THESE PRODUCT can bring you closer to God. You are not getting the OIL OF GLADNESS when you purchase “Olive Oil” whose label reads “Oil of Gladness” you are getting a PRODUCT. The problem is, just like in Jesus’s day, most don’t know the difference.

Moving on:

In the INNER COURT the Pharisees always saved the choice seats for the so called “important” people and inside these Churches today, the same is true. Whether those seats are for family, friends, or visiting pastors, celebrities etc… they rope these seats off in many congregations as they did in Jesus’ day and before.

At the ALTAR we see long prayers made as well as those in charge of the service making bold proclamations about how much they tithe and give. The same as Jesus’ day and before.

Matt 6 ²Therefore when thou give thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men

Matt 6⁵And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.

You see, not much has changes at all. The Pharisees are still alive and well today in many “Christian Circles” and they are still making their converts twice the sons of hell (ignorance/suffering) that they are. This is why they rejected Christ. They didn’t understand the TRUTH of the Gospel (good news) nor could they receive it. Because they were baptized INTO DARKNESS which is why they hate the LIGHT.

But when CHRIST is in the midst, these lost SHEEP are brought back into the fold. When, and IF, they HEAR (understand) His Voice (The Truth).

But those, like JOHN who are called LESS than the LEAST in the KINGDOM do not know what is TRUTH or what is LIE when trouble comes. “Are you the Christ?”

Let’s be real, no one wants to suffer. We all want things to go as smoothly as possible. We don’t want difficulty, pain. We don’t want struggle. And, when things don’t go our way, even those like JOHN, who seem so enlightened, and who spend day after day condemning people of their sin, may complain and whine and even doubt their faith.

You see what I am beginning to do here is paint a picture of WHAT kind of believer JOHN the BAPTIST really was. A true Believer never doubts CHRIST.

But JOHN wasn’t a true believer, he was LESS THAN THE LEAST in the KINGDOM. Which means people… He NEVER entered into the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN that was WITHIN HIM. John, like many religious today, are focused on the outward, on the ceremony, fasting, proclaiming, condemning, etc, etc, but when the rubber meets the road, they don’t even know who CHRIST IS.

4Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

The Truth sets us free. Now what you ask, does the TRUTH set us free from? …. The LIE!

You see many of us have been sold this lie of religion. And what this LIE does is it binds us, it traps us, it condemns us, it kills us, and it keeps us IN PRISON, as John. And in this PRISON of the LIES we were force fed it is hard to see the TRUTH. But for those who do, for those who understand the HOPE OF GLORY IS CHRIST IN YOU, not coming OUTSIDE OF YOU on a white horse, you are SET FREE.

Where once you were blind (ignorant) you see (have understanding). You begin to understand the TRUE POTENTIAL that is inside us all, that EVERYTHING is made by the son, for the son, through the son… which “Thou Art That”

“Born not of flesh and blood, but of the SPIRIT.” And as SONS (Children of God) we are set FREE from the LAW OF DEATH that JOHN and his cronies set before us.

“I set before you good (truth) and evil (error) chose this day which you will serve (believe/know/walk in).”

Let me explain JOHN the BAPTIST a bit more. He LIVED in the WILDERNESS (the place of temptation/trying) he did not LIVE in the promise land. He ATE WILD (not tame) HONEY and LOCUSTS (destroy the harvest). JOHN is the perfect picture of the RELIGIOUS MINDSET that even CHRIST allowed to be BAPTISED from. Just as many of us did.

We believed that RELIGIOUS was the way to go. We wanted freedom from the world, we wanted to know God… so we went to one we believed would lead us there…. And believe it or not, JOHN as ignorant as he was of the TRUTH (Christ) in his captivity, still was God’s messenger, who prepared the way… HOW, you ask? … Well, isn’t the LAW our schoolmaster that drives us to CHRIST?

7And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

Now this is the best part, when we take the whole story in context a mystery begins to unfold before our eyes. We realize what it is exactly that Jesus is trying to tell those about JOHN. What Jesus is trying to tell us about THE RELIGIOUS MINDSET.

Like I wrote earlier, today, many preachers, NOT ALL, but many are “itching the ears” of their blind and abused flock. They make all these promises, but life for 99.9 percent of them only gets worse. Because now, they have the same troubles, the same trials, the same sickness and death, but before RELIGION they didn’t feel so bad about having a drink, or dating, or whatever else they did without condemnation before hearing JOHNS VOICE “REPENT, REPENT”

Paul said, “I was alive once before the LAW came and then I DIED”

You see before bad religion gets its hooks in us and convinces us we are sinners damned for eternal torture, life was alright. But after JOHN baptizes you, you find a ton of guilt, shame, and rules and regulations heaped up on top of your already screwed up life. You find you are more bound than ever.
“ARE YOU THE CHRIST, OR WHAT?”

Well, why wouldn’t you worry. You were sold a line of DUNG. Which is what PAUL called everything RELIGION taught him, and he was the KING OF RELIGION.

Religion teaches, do this, do that, and you’ll be blessed, have faith. However, in Christ there is a humbling. That RELIGIOUS man needs to be put to death.

His HEAD (authority) needs to be chopped off, as JOHN’S head was, for CHRIST’S true ministry to begin!

So now Jesus speaks to the multitude and he says. “PEOPLE what exactly was it that you ran into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?”

When we wanted to learn the Truth? Did we expect to learn ONE TRUTH that is unbending, uncompromising, and firm? Did we expect to walk the straight and narrow path that is so very hard to find that few shall find it? Did we expect to be taught by ONE TEACHER who says THIS IS THE TRUTH and there is no BENDING IT, there is no SWAYING from it, there is no OTHER WAY then this way?

And what is the WIND this REED sways from… DOCTRINE. We can’t be tossed to and fro without WIND OF DOCTRINES. Take a second to look up how many denominations there are in Christianity today… Yet there is ONE SPIRIT, ONE TRUTH, ONE BAPTISM, ONE GOD THAT IS IN ALL!

Did we expect that we could believe what we want and throw away what we didn’t? Did we expect that AS CHRIST SUFFERED SO MUST WE? Did we remember that the SERVANT IS NOT ABOVE HIS MASTER and if they HATED HIM THEY WLL HATE US? Did we expect to be PERSECUTED, HATED, ACCUSED, TORMENTED, AND MADE HUMBLE? …

OR did we expect TO SEE A REED SHAKEN BY THE WIND?

The walk that God has prepared for his elect is NOT an easy one. It is meant to break us down and humble us. It may even be a road of pain and suffering, but it most definitely is a road of PERSERVERANCE and TRUST. It is designed to get you to love the most horrible of people and to forgive the most foul of crimes. This straight and narrow path is NOT one that we can veer off from time to time, because the WIND is blowing in another direction. And believe me, the TRUTH is not popular today. The ANTICHRIST/Man’s EGOCENTRIC system is popular today.

We saw how many turned away from Christ when the going got tough, or how many called him a heretic when he explained…

“Eat my FLESH and DRINK my BLOOD” or you can’t have the kingdom.

The reason? Because they believe in the LITERAL INTERPRETATION of scripture and not the ALLEGORICAL REVELATION of God’s word through scripture and experience.

You see to EAT SOMETHING, means you ASSIMILATE IT (become ONE with it) If you eat and APPLE, the APPLE soon BECOMES YOU.

This is what CHRIST was teaching, this is a great truth. TO EAT the Flesh and Drink the BLOOD of Christ is to allow the Flesh and Blood of Christ to become YOUR FLESH AND BLOOD.

“That day you shall know that I am in the FATHER, the FATHER in ME, and I in you” ==== We are ONE in CHRIST. There is no SEPERATION in Christ.

You don’t, and can’t, SEE (understand) Christ as being something far away from you, when THE AUTHORITY of the RELIGIOUS man is severed, you see CHRIST IN YOU, AS YOU, WITH YOU, FOR YOU, BY YOU, IS YOU!

“Know you not that you are the BODY OF CHRIST” “Until Christ be Formed In you” “It is No Longer I that Live, But Christ”

8But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

Did you come out into the wilderness to find a set of COMFORTABLE BELIEFS? Did you expect to receive riches and luxury? Did you expect to inherit literal riches, or to inherit the TREASURE OF THE TRUTH that you are IN FACT a CHILD OF GOD?

Indeed, most of us went out into the wilderness for a better life. We wanted an easier walk, a bigger house, better car, no more money problems, no more family problems, better health… WE WANTED TO LEARN ABOUT COMFORTABLE THINGS! And when that doesn’t happen, if we are of the MINDSET that is JOHN (RELIGIOUS LAW), we doubt.

But here was John’s problem to begin with. He was LOOKING outside himself for a SAVIOR. But the SAVIOR is not found without, but within.

Where we ARE the SAVIOR IS, “Greater is HE that is IN me, than HE that is of the WORLD (carnal man’s ego)”

Christ asks us and important question, “WHAT IS IT that we went out to see?” What do we want? Do we want the TRUTH? Or do we want what the LIES the WORLD is offering?

JOHN represents the LAW and the PROPHETS. These TWO WITNESSES do indeed come before Christ. Many of the SONS OF GOD will first humbly allow themselves to be baptized by this RELIGIOUS SYSTEM know as JOHN. (The Law and Prophets) these are the tutors and governors we are under until the time appointed by the Father. Than we, like CHRIST are driven deeper into the wilderness and we are TEMPTED… But IN CHRIST we overcome. And JOHN is not CHRIST, JOHN offers death, Christ offers life… He may be THE GREATEST AMONG MEN… BUT MAN is A LIAR!

11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Sure John is the GREATEST AMONG MEN. And the GREATEST MAN doubts the TRUTH. The GREATEST of MEN doesn’t even know CHRIST to begin with. The GREATEST OF MEN, still END UP IN PRISON. Until, the authority of the GREATEST OF MEN (liars) end.

Religion is NOT THE WAY. Religion simply sets the stage and prepares the WAY. The Law and the Prophets are the first TEACHER that we ARE subject to. And, like Salome’s Mother we grow tired of hearing the Law and Prophets tell us WHAT SINNERS WE ARE! John is our taskmaster, the one meant to bring us to Christ, to bring us to A NEW AND BETTER WAY!

Now I know what your thinking. Are you saying John is somehow NOT HOLY? Well, that is not what I’m saying it is what CHRIST JESUS SAID.

“He that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Christ tells us that the LAW AND PROPHETS are the LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

And do you know who Jesus also says is the least in the Kingdom of Heaven?

Matthew 5:19, ANYONE who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus says the LEAST IN THE KINGDOM are those that say FOLLOW THE LETTER OF THE LAW and THEY THEMSELVES CANT DO IT! That in a nutshell is who JOHN is, a hypocrite and a liar. The RELIGIOUS SYSTEM is as the field that is filled with dead mans bones… But praise God all it needs is Christ to breath LIFE back into them all.

12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

And the days of JOHNS are still here. They still teach DO THIS AND DO THAT and CANT DO IT THEMSELVES!

This is why the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN has suffered violence UNTIL CHRIST!

Finding out what the Kingdom of Heaven is makes it easy to understand this scripture more clearly. For the Kingdom of Heaven is NOT EAT OR DRINK. It is not a life of LUXURY AND PARTYING. It is RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY in the HOLY GHOST!

The Kingdom of Heaven is a PLACE OF REST in GODS SPIRIT! And when we were under the influence of the LAW AND PROPHETS that Peace, Righteousness and JOY was STRANGLED AWAY.

Jesus compares the prisoners of BAD RELIGION as children screaming “Look at all I have done and you haven’t given me anything, I’m still hurting, I’m still broke, ” They cry “Look at our tears, I’m crying because of how hard my life is and YOUR NOT HELPING ME!”

But now it is time to put away childish things and move unto maturity. We will never be free, nor will we know the TRUTH of who we are, until the HEAD OF JOHN is cut off!

We have to stop condemning ourselves, we have to stop condemning others, when we ourselves can’t get it together. We have to stop expecting an easy ride and stop worrying if the Truth doesn’t line up with what everyone else believes. We have to STOP ACTING LIKE CHILDREN crying WHY HAVENT YOU DONE ANYTHING FOR US LORD!

Today is a new day, it is the Last day! It is the Day of the Lord!

A Day that is terrible and great indeed. There may be suffering and pain. But without pressure a DIAMOND would never be formed. Without the winepress the Wine would never become a SPIRIT. Without the trials in our lives we would not grow strong AT ALL!

This is why we are told to COUNT IT ALL JOY. When these trials come upon us. This is why we are called BLESSED when we are persecuted, and tormented. Because without it the FRUIT of ETERNITY would never blossom.

We did not go into the wilderness to see a REED SHAKEN BY THE WIND.

We went into the WILDERNESS (our journey to the promise land) to have ETERNAL LIFE. And “THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE”

To know God the FATHER and Christ Jesus that is WITHIN!

Jacob
http://www.JacobIsrael.org
“The Truth Will Change You”

“Paul’s Thorn Revealed”

October 25, 2009September 21, 2011Jacob Israel15 Comments

“PAUL’S THORN REVEALED… FINALLY!”

It is perhaps one of the most misunderstood and mistranslated passages in the Apostle Paul’s writings.

2 Corinthinas 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a THORN IN THE FLESH, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

Now for years there have been books written about this and thousands upon thousands of sermons preached on this one verse. Man, in their “finite” wisdom have made long declarations about what this “Thorn” in Paul’s Flesh may be. They do this with such authority that those listening swallow their words and never once question, “Lord show me what the Thorn truly is.”

Preachers, Priests, Pastors, Prophets, and Evangelists have stated this Thorn to be many things, including, but not limited too, The Pharisees, A woman, An Ex, A leg injury, Poor eye sight, leprosy, so-called friends, the Romans, eh, the list goes on and on and on. Yet, it is SO SIMPLE to see, when God has opened your EYES (understanding) to SEE (perceive) it.

Let’s start with the verse above, to get some perspective about what Paul is discussing.

6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

Here Paul is explaining that even though he would want to say, I AM THE MAN OF GOD LOOK AT ME! He knows to do this would be foolish, because he is far from Perfect… These same words Jesus spoke to the rich man when he asked, “Good Master what shall I do”… Jesus turned and said “Why do you call me (Jesus) good? There is NONE that is good, save the FATHER.” – Paul understood this, he knew to brag about his great wisdom would be a fools errand. He also knew how weak the minds of others who put faith in his words were. This is why he made this point clear to them.

, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

Paul didn’t want anyone to think that he had all the answers, that he had figured it all out and that there was nothing he struggled with, and no further for him to go. On a personal note, I find myself doing the same thing quite often. After sharing this or that, the eyes of those listening would glaze over as if I myself were God standing before them, I quickly remind them of how dependent I am on Christ. That I worry, I have fears still, at times I get angry, I get jealous, I am far from the man I used to be, Praise God for that, but I am also far from the man I will be when that which is perfect is COME (revealed in me).

I digress, Paul is putting his humanity in perspective for them. Now we get to the crux of the matter.

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a THORN IN THE FLESH, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

Paul here is saying, that God had given him a great abundance of revelation. And with this great amount, it would be easy for any many (without struggles) to exhalt themselves, to see themselves as PERFECT, to believe that there was no need for God at all. Paul understood this. But not at first. You see, like Paul, we too, want to be free from those things that trouble us. We want freedom from the cares of the world, from the attacks of the carnal mind. We don’t want to feel insecure, hopeless, we don’t want to worry or fear, WE WANT TO BE PERFECT, like Paul wanted to be PERFECT. BUT GOD, in his “INFINITE” wisdom knew that if he allowed this, Paul would be LOST.

So God sent a MESSENGER OF SATAN to buffet him. Now I should pause to point out the significance of that last sentence. In particular, that GOD SENT not the Devil. You see it is not a popular belief that God is actually in control of all things. Including the Devil, the waster, the destroyer, the serpent, which does his part well. But that is another discussion for another time. For now, lets concern ourselves with WHO is sending this Messenger of Satan, it is GOD. So we understand, that God has a purpose for SATAN’S messengers in his life. And that purpose was to keep Paul humble.

Isn’t that the case with us. No matter how much revelation God gives us, when we mess up, when we sin (think the wrong thought) — Because SIN of course is the THOUGHT OF FOOLISHNESS (according to scripture) – when we think the wrong things, and act out of that imagination, we suffer. We pray, God TAKES THESE THOUGHTS AWAY, God DELIVER ME from this problem, HELP ME LORD TO FORGIVE THEM.

Do you see, Paul was doing EXACTLY what we do. But Paul, finally realized that GOD WAS BEHIND it all.

Let’s approach some of the beliefs, would religious persecution keep Paul from thinking he had it all figured out? Probably not. How about a woman, or a health issue, or even A LITERAL THORN in his big toe… would this SUFFERING keep him from believing that he was PERFECT? Highly unlikely. We know if we be in Christ, persecution will follow. That won’t keep us from thinking we have it all figured out. So this THORN really can’t be anything outside of Paul at all.

Now when I share what the Thorn is, if you haven’t already figured it out. You may smack your head and say “Of COURSE”

You see scripture interprets scripture. The Holy Spirit will teach you want a certain passage means so you can apply it to your life, and then there you will find witnesses of this in the scriptures. So to find out what the THORN is, all one need to do is search the bible and read every passage about THORNS, then it become clear.

For sake of time, I will use one from the Master’s mouth himself. But I encourage you to be like a Berean and seek out more. This definition of the THORN is as clear as a sunny day. It is found in the parable of the sower.

Matt 4:18 And these are they which are sown among THORNS; such as hear the WORD, 19 And the CARES OF THIS WORLD, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

We know the SEED is the WORD, and we know “your WORD oh LORD IS TRUTH” … So the THORNS are the CARES OF THE WORLD. Which strangle the TRUTH away.

And what are the CARES OF THE WORLD which produces DEATH OF TRUTH. It is Carnal Thinking, “to be carnally minded is death” – The wages of SIN, which is foolish ignorant thinking, is death.

THORNS=CARES OF THE WORLD=CARNAL THOUGHTS= SIN= DEATH

The THORNS were thoughts that were not TRUE. The Cares of the World! Isn’t that something? Paul struggled with the same “stuff” we struggle with. LIES!

Want further proof, that the THORNS were LIES in Paul’s mind (Cares of the world)… Well to find this, one only needs to look at who was giving PAUL this THORN. They were MESSENGERS OF SATAN (the FATHER OF LIES) – A messenger delivers the goods of the Master, the Messenger of SATAN delivers “Thought of lies” which is SIN, which is CARNAL THINKING, which IS THE THORN, Paul prayed God would deliver Him from.

Not enough, okay… well let’s look at the next verse.

“8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT for thee: “

So God told Paul, sorry not taking the Thorn away, but MY GRACE is sufficient to cover that Thorn of yours… WHAT? Grace?

And what does GRACE cover a multitude of people?….. SIN! That’s right, Paul, just like us struggled with the wrong thoughts at times, Paul just like us struggled with SIN.

So much for the other theories, Grace wouldn’t be needed if Paul was ill, persecuted, or even nagged by his wife (Paul would need his own grace for that :))

The THORN is SIN. SIN strangles the TRUTH. The wages of SIN (carnal thinking, cares of the world) is death.

Now if I may open your EYES to a couple of other important THORNS in the scripture.

What was CHRIST given a CROWN of before he died? That’s right, THORNS. And what does a CROWN REPRESENT a RULE or AUTHORITY… These THORNS (Lies, Sin, Cares of the world) were DRIVEN DOWN DEEP into Christ’s head (thinking)

And so CHRIST took upon himself the SINS OF THE WORLD (crown of thorns) and what happens next? He cries out “Father why have you forsaken me?” – Now we know God does not forsake us and cannot leave us, but at that MOMENT, Jesus was RULED by SIN, and he saw GOD AS FAR FROM HIM. The same way we all see God, when we are ruled by the WRONG THOUGHTS (lies)

When ADAM was driven from the Garden, the curse was not matter how hard he WORKED to get back to the Garden, the EARTH (his soul) would ONLY PRODUCE MORE AND MORE THORNS … The more we try to win our way back to God, the more we feel like we need to do this or that, the more THORNS (cares of the world) we produce.

So, the THORNS revealed. And GOD is behind it all…. Why you ask? Why would God subject his creation to Vanity (romans 8) well because he also subjected us in Hope.

THIS was GOD’S PLAN for Paul to keep him Humble, to keep him reliant on God. He sent the messenger, He sent the THORN.

Remember, God said, Let the TARES grow up with the WHEAT until the HARVEST. God has a plan for the carnal thoughts that still trouble us, torment us, and haunt us… and what is that purpose? HUMILITY!

“For my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, THAT THE POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME.”

The THORNS of our lives are there, so the POWER OF CHRIST WILL REST UPON US.

I pray this study blessed you, and you have forgiven me for my many spelling and grammar mistakes.

Peace to you all, Jacob

http://www.JacobIsrael.org

“The Truth Will Change You”

WHO AM I?

October 23, 2009December 26, 2009Jacob Israel2 Comments

WHO ARE WE REALLY?

“Jacob” is a name given to me by parents, my experiences “FORMED” me into this man I know to be Jacob. There I was a little baby, pure, just out of the womb and within moments, my earthly mother and earthly father began to imprint me. They gave me my name. They said, “You are Jacob” but was that really WHO I WAS or WHO I AM?

Go up to anyone today and ask them, “Who are you?” and EVERYTIME they will say, “I AM Bob, or Helen, or Tyrel, or Eunice and Bartholemule (If your parents were cruel lol)… BUT IS THAT WHO WE ARE?

Then we begin living, as this “name we have been given” and as we go about our lives we are imprinted more. We are told how to act, what to wear, when to go to bed, how to eat, how to think, how to speak. EVERY aspect of our lives, CONDITIONED, and slowly we begin to believe this is who we are. But this so called PERSON that we think we are, is a LIE. It is a creation of MEN/WOMEN.

Values, Beliefs, Names, all forced upon us after entering this world. Perhaps this is why we all cry. Perhaps, we somehow know what will befall us. Perhaps this is why we cry, because soon we know we shall DIE (become ignorant of who we are).

This EGO that is FORMED by our parents, peers, experiences, and the world at large, I call the FIRST MAN.

Now, lets go to the scriptures. Let’s look at how God created MANKIND….

The 1st Man (ADAM) is FORMED from the Dust of the EARTH.

Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

To understand the significance of this, you MUST do a word study of the word “Dust” and see what scripture declares “DUST” to be. In scripture DUST is compared to many things, Lies, Idolatry, Imagination, Sin, etc etc…

So you see DUST in scripture is a SYMBOL for everything that is opposite of TRUTH. Dust is another words to describe the NATIONS OF THE WORLD, the DESCENDENTS of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob… Dust is symbolic of the death found in the WORLD.

Think first of what DUST is made of. Many think of dirt, but really, Dust is DEAD FLESH. We know that FLESH is Carnality at its finest, for the FLESH is ENMITY with the spirit. Moreover, dust is another word for LIES… And isn’t that really what WE are formed out of in this world. We are given a phoney name, we begin to believe that we are what our experiences mold us into thinking we are. If we are called Fat, we become FAT and think we are FAT. If we are called a LIAR, we begin to believe this.

The words and actions of others (toward us) become a CHISEL forming us with the very lies spoken about us. And we are also imprinted with Beliefs and Ideas about God. Most of which, if not all, are lies. For the FIRST MAN is of the earth, earthy (ignorant)

Deuteronomy 9:21
And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust:

Psalm 22:15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

We were all MADE in this DUST OF DEATH. The FIRST MAN was FORMED IN IGNORANCE. –

“To be carnally minded is DEATH”

Ephesians 4:22
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts

The First Man, here depicted as the OLD MAN, is CORRUPT with decietful LUSTS. Because we believed the LIES OF THE WORLD.

However, regardless of what lies we have believed ourselves to be. We are MORE than our experiences, we are MORE than what others claim us to be. We are MORE than we have ever thought overselves to be.

John 16 ¹²I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

There is a GREAT TRUTH to who we ALL ARE. But many will not yet be able to recieve it. Like the disciples, Jesus could not tell them, as the HOLY SPIRIT had not OPENED THEIR EYES TO THE THIS TRUTH.

Instead, before CHRIST we lived in IGNORANCE. The 1st Man lives in DEATH, exists in the WILDERNESS not the PROMISE of eternal life. The 1st MAN is dead in his trespasses. The 1st Man was FORMED in LIES and BELIEVED THEM.

A life of ignorance is a life of DEATH. If we believe we are someone, we are NOT, then in fact, who we REALLY ARE is DEAD. In our MINDS the TRUTH is buried.

There is a great word picture of this in scripture, when CHRIST who is TRUTH, is put to DEATH at GOLGATHA (the place of the skull)… This powerful CRUSIFICTION in fact, has happened to us all. For we are ALL CRUSIFIED WITH CHRIST. This is why we all cry out at times “Father why have you forsaken me”… Because we ignorantly have been conditioned and FORMED into a creature that believes God would somehow punish us or leave us, for doing what we only could do, out of the very ignorance, God formed us in.

We in fact, have come into this world to DIE as Christ died.

Matthew 10:24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

What is good for the goose they say, is good for the gander. Jesus assured us, as they hated HIM, they will HATE US, as they persecuted HIM, they will persecute US. Now this comes in many ways, ways we may not even see.

Matthew 16:24
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

As Christ DIED, we too, MUST DIE… Who do we die to?

THE 1ST MAN! = the Adamic Nature (our ignorant ego)

1 Corinthians 15:47
The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

This FIRST MAN is LAST, and the LAST MAN is FIRST into the KINGDOM. This is why Paul said, “It is no longer I (Paul’s ego) that lives, But CHRIST”

Romans 6:6
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

This is who is CRUCIFIED with Jesus, OUR FIRST MAN (who we think we are, or thought we were) – OUR EGO – Our ADAMIC MAN.

But you shall see, we shall also be resurrected.

But back to the 1ST Man (Adam), the DEAD MAN, dead because he is IGNORANT, to be CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH. This 1st Man, Adam, US, is FORMED out of DUST, LIES… This 1st Man SHALL BE LAST into the KINGDOM (righteousness, peace, joy) … You see the 1st BORN, the 1st US never inherits the PROMISE.

No matter how many times you go to church, how many hail mary’s you say, no matter how many good deeds, or tithes you pay, YOUR WORKS are pointless.

The 1st Born, is a LIE to begin with. He or She believes God is seperate and this is why they WORK so hard to appease this distant, angry, God.

This 1st Man believes everything he or she is taught about this GOD. Depending on where they are born, depending on which faith, these carnal man made beliefs are driven deep into their minds… as the THORNS were driven deep into CHRIST’S.

In scripture we see in many wonderful parables, how the 1st is last, and the last (2nd) is first. You see the SECOND BORN is always the one who inherits God promise.

It is the SECOND BORN not ADAM, CANE, ISHMAEL, ESAU, but it is CHRIST, ABEL, ISAAC, JACOB… Even though tradition dictated the 1st born inherit the Father’s goods, when it comes to our TRUE FATHER it is not the ONE FORMED IN DEATH, but the ONE RESURRECTED IN LIFE.

This is why Jesus said, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN… You see the FIRST YOU is a LIE. The First Man is from the Earth, earthy, but the SECOND MAN is from HEAVEN ABOVE.

What wonderful word pictures these are in scripture. I tell you the truth, these are all Word pictures of US…

If you see ADAM as anyone other than yourself, than you are mistaken. No, I am NOT saying there was no LITERAL ADAM. I am saying, LOOK TO WHAT this account speaks of… Scripture is good for instruction, and what benefit is it to you, if you look at it only as a HISTORICAL ACCOUNT and not ALSO as an ALLEGORICAL ACCOUNT or YOU!

The 1st You is as much ADAM, and the 1st Man Adam is ADAM. Which ironically means “MANKIND” “RUDDY”

Let me show you, when you were a child, you were NAKED (not covered with understanding) but you were ALIVE and FREE…

UNTIL you ate of that TREE. Until you began to believe everything you were told and experienced. From a religious perspective, at some point we are all TOLD we are SINNERS and that we NEED A SAVIOR… And LIKE ADAM, we also ignorantly clothe ourselves in FIG LEAVES (religious tradition)

Notice we do not clothe ourselves with FRUIT. Because the 1ST MAN does not gather figs but THORNS (cares of the world)

Genesis 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

…. Also like ADAM we begin to FEAR GOD and we SEPERATE OURSELVES from GOD… And so we DIE in our IGNORANCE…

“Ye are gods and yet we shall die like mere men!” Ps 82

We are driven from the GARDEN (the unity of the spirit/heaven/paradise) and we begin to try and WORK OUR WAY BACK…

But the WORKS of the 1st MAN (EGO MAN) never get us anywhere, because they are a lie. We cannot work our way back to God, because GOD has never left us, and the belief that we somehow need to do this, or to do that, to recieve this great salvation is the very BLINDFOLD that keeps us from the light to begin with.

We need to be BORN AGAIN. We need to realize that we are GOD’S CHILD.

The good news is, as we are ADAM, we also become CHRIST… One day the HEAVENS (God’s truth and ways) will be OPENED to us and we will understand…

“Behold my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”

Then we also, like Jesus will be driven for a time into the wilderness to be tested and tried.

This life is our schoolyard, and as a chisel and hammer is used to chip away the stone to form the perfect sculpture, so our trials and tribulations chip away our carnal nature.

Romans 8:18
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

It is THE DUST this FIRST MAN is formed in that needs to be destroyed. The DUST which are the LIES of this world.. are EATEN up by the FATHER OF THEM ALL…

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Genesis 3:14
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

The SERPENT eats DUST… The LIES in our MINDS are consumed by the adversary until there is nothing left to consume but itself.

So even when we SIN, there is a work being done. Even when we are at our worst, GOD IS AT HIS BEST, working it ALL TOGETHER so the SECOND MAN Christ, can be brought into this world, THROUGH YOU, AS YOU.

“Christ In You, The Hope Of Glory”

This is good news, We cannot FAIL, because there is NO ONE to FAIL to begin with… There is only GOD. And God finishes HIS CREATION (US) in VICTORY not defeat. Our Ignorance was always part of the plan.

Romans 8 tells us, that God subjected us to this vanity but he also has subjected us in hope. He concluded that none would believe so he would have mercy on all to believe.

Jesus knew many could not understand what he understood. There is more to us than we have been told. There is more to us all. We for a time suffer this death, but a seed must die so it can produce many others when it springs back to life.

Come boldly to throne of Grace. Those who SEEK, FIND, those who KNOCK the doors open for them. Who you WERE is not who you ARE IN CHRIST. And as ALL DIED in the ignorance we were formed in, ALL are ressurected to LIFE, when we are BORN AGAIN FROM ABOVE.

1 Corinthians 15:21-23 ²¹For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. ²²For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

There is the KEY WORD PEOPLE, EVERY MAN in GOD’S ORDER. God makes EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL in it’s time. God is in control.

Who we were is not who we are, or who we shall know ourselves to be. For now I will leave you with this thought…

If you have eyes to see and ears to hear. If I have the MIND (thoughts) of Christ, and I am the body of CHRIST, and I am the given the NAME of Christ… WHO AM I?

For more information on this, there is a great YOUTUBE of Gary Sigler talking about ADAM AND CHRIST at the link below. It is great, you will love it, check it out. Also you will find many great links on his “Kingdom Resources” page.

http://sigler.org/kingdom/page1.html

Peace to you all, Jacob

http://www.JacobIsrael.org

First Resurrection From The Dead

October 21, 2009December 19, 2014Jacob Israel23 Comments

THE FIRST RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

There is some debate over what this First Resurrection is. Some wait for new bodies, others believe their old ones will be built stronger and better than before, and there are some, a few, who believe this resurrection takes place within and has nothing to do with flesh, bones, and sinew. This paper will examine the later. I also know that this may make many uncomfortable, I simply ask that you pray fully, and consider, as I promise I will do the same.

Remember in all things, “Let God be true” and consider that “every man” may be a liar. That goes for me as well. Daily I pray God will unfold to me the truth, and I have found that many times, I have thought I knew what was what, only to find that I was wrong. But even in that error, God makes a way to bring us higher. I have no doubt that God will reveal all things to the pure of heart, who truly seek and want to serve God.

This paper is what I consider to be a strong essay on what and how the first resurrection takes place. I pray it blesses you as I know writing has blessed me.

Okay, now that I got the disclaimer over, let’s begin.

Let’s start here:

1 Corinthians 15 : 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2By which also ye are saved, IF YE KEEP IN MEMORY what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

Did you notice Paul said, “IF ye keep in Memory”… You see this puts a whole new spin what many believe salvation is. Here Paul is saying, you are saved IF you remember the gospel he preached. So much for just accepting Jesus in your heart and the rest takes care of itself.

“Not all who cry Lord, Lord” know God and Christ (enter the kingdom of God)

Paul here is saying, we must REMEMBER the Gospel preached to be saved and if we FORGET this great TRUTH we are no longer saved.

It is when we believe the Gospel, and when we believe on the NAME (Nature) of Christ, that we are saved… The question I think many should ask, when seeking salvation, is, “what are we saved from?”

This is important question because very few actually know what it is we are saved from. Most believe we are being saved from a fiery eternal torture. They believe they are saved from a terrible future, however, for brevity’s sake, I can assure you, this is NOT WHAT WE ARE SAVED FROM.

Salvation is all about TODAY, not just tomorrow. Salvation is about the HERE AND NOW, not just the hereafter.

But what is it really that we are saved from?

Luke 7:50
And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Here we see the woman was saved from her PRESENT CONDITION. And it was her FAITH, that saved her. This condition is always our ignorance. Remember what sets us free… THE TRUTH. So we are in fact saved from the ignorance of our carnal mind, or carnal ego if you will.

John 9:25 … one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

Here BLINDNESS is a great word picture of our ignorance before Christ is FORMED in our heart (thinking).

Christ is the TRUTH, so the “seeing” of the truth is an allegory for “perceiving/understanding” the truth– This in a nutshell is what we are saved from, our IGNORANCE/BLINDNESS/DISEASE/SIN/DEATH

We are saved from our carnal mind, from our ignorance, we are saved from sin, we are saved from OURSELVES (separation). Remember, there is no separation in God, there is only UNITY. This is what this essay is about.

This is why we must REMEMBER the gospel. That is to say, the revealed truth which is Christ. REMEMBER the gospel, which is the TRUTH, is within us all. And if we forget such great Liberty, there is no remission of sins.

This is why Jesus said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is WITHIN” – “Christ IN you” — Noah had to go WITHIN the arc to be saved. Salvation is WITHIN, hidden in these earthen vessels we call humanity.

Many people will say, that the TRUTH is not WITHIN US, but far from us, and that we must INVITE IT IN as opposed to LETTING IT OUT.

John 1:9 “That was the true Light, which lighteth EVERY MAN that cometh into the world.”

You see, EVERYTHING has its existence in Christ. There is ONE GOD, ONE SPIRIT, ONE BAPTISM, THAT IS IN ALL AND THROUGH ALL.

What this means in a nutshell, is the only place we can be SEPARATE from God, is WITHIN our THOUGHTS. Which is what happens in THE ADAMIC (ignorant) Man.

In other words, if we forget the truth of who we are in Christ, than we deny the truth of who we are and enter into a delusion called the Carnal Mind and the result is we suffer as Joe, Peter, Linda, Bert, etc, etc.

Let’s continue to see what Paul preached.

3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.

The first thing Paul taught was that CHRIST died for our sins. This Christ, according to JOHN 1, is within ALL men, even those who don’t know it.

John 1 ¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

So, we are not talking about a “literal” man here, but the SPIRIT OF LIFE, the WORD OF GOD, CHRIST that is within us all. That Spirit is the WORD OF GOD, which is TRUTH.

The Man Jesus manifested THIS WORD to all as the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD. Jesus, The Man, did not appear until many, many, years AFTER the BEGINNING of CREATION. Yet the SPIRIT (WORD) that JESUS manifested, was and is, the very WORD OF GOD that takes away the SINS OF THE WORLD.

So in essence, Paul is saying that this TRUTH that is in us all died for our sins.

So what are our sins you may ask?

Well, if the wages of sin is death. To be carnally minded is death. Then SIN is our ignorant carnal thinking. In fact, Sin is even called the “thought of foolishness” in scripture.

To truly understand what is said here, let me interpret what Paul is really saying by rewriting a bit.

1 Cor 15:1 – For I told you first, which you also believed, that the truth died (was buried and forgotten) because of your ignorant thoughts and beliefs.

It is not coincidence that Christ (truth) dies at Golgotha, which is the place of the Skull. It is no coincidence that Christ now sits in the Temple of God, and our Temples are located on either side of our brain. It is also no coincidence that Christ is given a crown of thorns before he dies. Because “thorns”, according to the parable of the sower, are symbolic of the “cares and thoughts of the world”

When the thoughts of the world (lies) rule our mind, then the truth (Christ) is indeed put to death in our thinking. Then it is neatly buried in a tomb called our Flesh. And what happens when people go looking for the TRUTH in the CARNAL MIND (tomb)? They don’t find it. Because you cannot find the LIVING among the DEAD, or the ENLIGHTENED among the IGNORANT.

Back to Paul and his teaching.

3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the SCRIPTURES.

Most people just skim past these last words. We won’t, because it opens our eyes to a great revelation. What “SCRIPTURES” was Paul talking about? It couldn’t have been the New Testament because they weren’t written yet. He must have been speaking about the Old Testament.

So, somewhere in the Old Testament it seems, there is a story of the SON OF GOD being put to death… Sound familiar?

Genesis 2:17 – But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

That’s right. ADAM is who Paul was talking about? The First man. The son of God that died because he hung on a cursed tree. Now here is where WE come in.

Do you know what Adam means in Hebrew? Strongs defines it as “MANKIND.” Male and Female he made THEM and called THEM ADAM (Mankind)

Could this be these “scriptures” Paul spoke of. Could this also be speaking of what happened to us all?

Did WE, like ADAM, eat of the Knowledge of Good and Evil after being tempted and drawn away by their own soulish lusts (Eve). – Eve is symbolic of MANKIND’S soul… This is the FLESH OF MY FLESH AND BONE OF MY BONE. I will have an article posted about this at a later date.

In that moment Adam (Mankind) forgot who they were. They separated themselves from God and began to see God as outside of them. They began to fear God and started covering themselves with fig leaves (vain religious traditions and beliefs). Isn’t that what we all did as well?

Like Adam, Paul was simply saying that Mankind had simply forgotten the truth of who they were. Mankind had forgotten their connection with God, they forgot that they are ONE WITH GOD.

Paul goes onto say that when ADAM (Mankind) did this, when they forgot the truth, the (CHRIST) Truth in Them died… Until it is raised again.

Now how does this happen you say? Well the first man is FORMED out of dust. In scripture dust is compared to lies, imagination, idolatry, sin, you name it. So in fact the 1st Man (The dead man) is formed in lies. This is how it happens.

From the instant our flesh Mom and Dad name us, and we believe that is who we are, we also begin to believe that we are a separate being. Our experiences mold is into this Ego called, Bob, Mary, Tyrone, or John. And then the day comes when someone whispers in our ear that we are sinners, damned and doomed. And this REALLY kills THE SPIRIT WITHIN.

Romans 7:9 – For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

As the days pass from our birth into this literal world, Mankind is brainwashed to believe they are something they are not. And so Christ dies, the truth dies. Because Christ took on the Sins of the World… Because the truth was forgotten for the lies we began to believe… But the story does not end there.

1 Corinthians 15:4 – And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Here Paul tells us that the TRUTH that was dead and buried rises again on the 3rd day. I like to call it the 3rd day in our spiritual tri-mester  – You see it is this 3rd day when that Dead Seed (truth) comes back to life and most importantly, the Gospel is remembered.

Did not Christ say, the HOLY SPIRIT will bring to Remembrance all things?

Now here is the crux of the matter. Later, Paul begins to teach what the Resurrection from the Dead really is.

The first thing that should be pointed out is that if it was a literal physical resurrection from literal graves, then where was all the confusion coming from? Why did they need further explanation from Paul. Today, no one in Christianity has a problem believing that literal dead will be raised again. The problem seems to be the belief that it is not literal, but spiritual. You see today, no one really understands that or believes that.

Look, scripture tells us the Kingdom of Heaven is mystery, so not everything is so cut and dry.

1 Cor 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

I don’t think you would find many Christians today that will NOT say there is a literal resurrection, but I do believe there are NOT MANY that will say the Resurrection takes place INSIDE US, in our minds.

Scripture states the FLESH PROFITS nothing, but a majority of the Christian faith revolves around the FLESH resurrection. I think the reason most people don’t understand THIS is because they don’t really believe they are “Dead” already in Adam.

Some are even TWICE DEAD = The Pharisees 😦

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Jesus here tells everyone plainly. I AM THE RESURRECTION. And who is Jesus? THE TRUTH revealed IN MAN… The truth is resurrected. He that believes the TRUTH though he were DEAD shall LIVE!

Many are ignorant of this. They want their carnal lives to live forever. They are waiting for a new body of flesh and bone that will never perish. They are waiting to be immortal HUMAN beings as opposed to understanding they are already eternal spirit on a journey through valley of the shadow of death. (Their own ignorance)

Scripture is so clear, 2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

The outward (ADAM) man dies, the inward (CHRIST) man RESURRECTS!

Let’s look at that another way, shall we… The OUTWARD MAN – Adam lives OUTSIDE THE GARDEN. ADAM sees GOD as OUTSIDE OF HIMSELF. Yet, the INWARD MAN is WITHIN (Christ IN you) (Kingdom of Heaven is WITHIN) (that day you shall know I (Christ) am IN the FATHER, and the FATHER IN ME, and I IN IN IN IN YOU)

The INWARD man is RENEWED (resurrected) – The OUTWARD MAN perishes and is CAST AWAY.

The Hope of Glory is NOT Christ rising from the literal, physical grave. Not to say that THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WITH JESUS. Just talking about what the HOPE OF GLORY means for us CHURCH, settle down peanut gallery 🙂

I digress, The Hope of Glory is CHRIST IN YOU. Today, you are the seemingly EMPTY Tomb he rises from. Paul understood this and even went so far as to say in Galatians that “It is not longer I that live, but Christ”

This is a mystery, the DEAD (ignorant) shall be raised (brought to understand the Truth)

This is the FIRST RESURRECTION of the Dead. It is the resurrection out of our ignorance and into the NEWNESS OF LIFE. Now, look at this next line closely.

21For since by man (PLURAL) came death, by man (PLURAL)came also the resurrection of the dead.

Notice how it doesn’t state by “A MAN” or by “ONE MAN” came death, and by “A MAN” or “ONE MAN” came also the resurrection.

It says, by man (Mankind) came death (Ignorance) and by Mankind comes also the resurrection (understanding the truth of unity)

22For as in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ shall ALL be made alive.

47The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

The first man “You and I” is of the earth (ignorant, sensual and carnal), the Second Man (You and I risen with Christ) as hard as it may be to believe, is Our Unity in CHRIST.

The 1st “US” sees things as Natural, temporal, limited, and does whatever it wants. The 2nd “US” is “Christ IN US” and only does what the Father wills.

Howbeit the FIRST is NOT SPIRITUAL in thinking but CARNAL… This is why we MUST be BORN AGAIN (Resurrected)… Because the FIRST MAN does not understand the things of God… The SECOND BORN AGAIN man ENTERS THE REST OF GODS KINGDOM … the Second Man is CHRIST/ CHRIST IN US.

The 1st shall be last, and the LAST MAN (CHRIST) shall be first! And here is the good news…

49 As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Paul explains this happens to us all!

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

We are all changed into Christ. The mystery which has been HIDDEN for the ages… is best summed up in one scripture… CHRIST IN YOU… This is the ONLY HOPE of GLORY there is.

ROMANS 14: 8For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end

For this is the way… Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

The tomb Christ is risen from is our heart and mind (Christ IN you is the hope of Glory), the grave clothes left behind are the ways of the flesh, and after the POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD (CHRIST) is risen IT APPEARS TO MANY MANY MORE!

So stop looking to the literal clouds for Christ to return, stop waiting for your death to know eternal life, the TRUTH is in us all… If we are ignorant of that Truth, the Truth is dead. The good news is on the 3rd day it RESURRECTS in us, as us, when we REMEMBER the GOSPEL PREACHED.

The DEAD man forgets he is God’s Child, he forgets the Truth of who he is because of his sin (foolish thoughts). But the Truth will Rise again within us all and we shall be raised INCORRUPTIBLE and know we are God’s child.

Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. (Knowing this Truth we leave our ignorance behind and never again allow Lies and Ignorance to rules our lives.)

P.S. as far as Christ being “risen from the dead” AGAIN — I say amen and amen… Are we not the literal body of Christ and members in particular. 

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Jacob
http://www.JacobIsrael.org
“The Truth Will Change You”